#shpping

Gotta shoot your shot - Mod Velvet

internet find

*continuation of my types of OTP posts*

I would argue that a good 50% or more of our OTP’s fit under this category. Chances are you have uttered this sentence or something along the line of it when defending this OTP. 

For me this is Sterek. And it’s a hard one to admit because I really do think these characters would be perfect together. To a lot of people Sterek falls under the “clear as fucking day” relationship but I cannot say that. I started watching Teen Wolf already knowing about the popularity of Sterek. I was excited because my favorite couple is Destiel and I was expecting a ship similar to that. But there were a lot of issues (please prepare for a loooong ass post-it starts out anti sterek but I get to why it’s an OTP that works):

1. They don’t have a lot of screen time together.

 Don’t get me wrong. Their scenes together are the most memorable. I’ve probably watched “Magic Bullet,”Wolf’s Bane,” and “Abomination” more times than I can count. Truth is Dylan and Tyler have some of the best chemistry on the show and are phenomenal actors. I wish the show were centered on those two rather than Scott. But I’ve watched videos of the two and the same scenes are constantly reused and most fan video are much shorter than the 3 minutes I have as a baseline because there isn’t that much footage in comparison to Destiel. 

2. The age difference

I ship these two together but even I recognize this is a big issue. I am personally 23 years old now and no matter how perfect a 16/17 year old is for me I would never, ever cross that line. Not just because it’s frowned upon and apparently is some states illegal but because I couldn’t take that from them. I would feel like an anchor, and not the beautiful teen wolf version. My best explanation is the relationship between Aria and Ezra from Pretty Little Liars. I personally believe those two are soulmates but it wasn’t the right time. Aria, a teenager, pushed and persisted and Ezra should have backed down because she needed to be a teenager. Sure she could never have a normal teenage existence but that scene with her looking in the yearbook and realizing she had little involvement in clubs made me cry. If I were Derek I would be too afraid Stiles would not have lived his life to the fullest before settling down with me. I would need him to go to college or start his career and figure himself out in the scary world without his dad before I made a move. 

3. Stiles is clearly in love with Lydia

I do like this relationship. Do I prefer Sterek? Hell yes. But these two are amazing together as well and most of the fandom has accepted that even if Sterek were to happen, Stiles and Lydia would be the best bros. Because their relationship and chemistry together is also very strong. And Stiles so clearly loves her. And while a lot of it is him putting her on a pedestal he clearly loves her for more than her looks by the end of the show. 

 Now in my perfect world they date for a few years and are an amazing couple for their first loves but eventually they break up and Stiles falls for Derek and Lydia becomes the first female President of the USA. It’d be a scary world but I’d live in it happily.

NOW why this OTP is still one of my OTP’s

Their Personalities are Perfect for Each other!

I find the phrase opposites attract to be true but I don’t think most of these couples actually work out very well in the end. My husband and I are celebrating 6 years together this year. You need to have similarities where it counts. The same values and understanding for it to work. 

Stiles and Derek understand each other and have the same values. Both are lonely characters as a result of loss. Stiles luckily has Scott and his father but the air of loneliness and pain that radiates off of him is apparent. Derek had his sister for so long but then loses everything and becomes a man taking on situations way over his head. In a lot of ways Derek is still a kid. As a result of this loss both are very territorial characters and focus their efforts on self preservation and protecting the people they love. Scott is their antithesis. He’s the brave, foolish Gryffindor who always wants to do the right thing with no loss being the only answer. 

Derek and Stiles, to me are clearly Slytherin. Resourceful and cunning to achieve their plans and while they wouldn’t wish anyone dead and hope to prevent that outcome they are realistic about death happening. There’s a reason Derek has an easier time conversing with Stiles than Scott. They get each other even if their priorities are different. 

They are a perfect balance. Derek is quiet and surly whereas Stiles is talkative and expressive. Ir’s created the best banter that leads to the best scenes on the show. Their love-hate relationship is fun to watch and one of my favorite things to see is how Derek relaxes around Stiles. Sure he still looks like he wants to punch Stiles all the time but as time goes on you can see the two are fond of each other. Plus, there is little question in my mind that Stiles is Derek’s anchor. 

The scenes between them in my opinion aren’t enough to say that the two are in love with one another like say Destiel (who are clearly already in love) but they are a great start. And that’s why most of us ship them. We can see how it would work. We can see it lasting. We can see it being one of the best relationships ever. 

In my world Derek grows by giving his heart to Braeden and learning to allow himself to be happy. Same with Stiles- he finds happiness in his relationship with Lydia and his career. And then what happens to a lot of couples happens to them- they grow apart and fall out of love. And Stiles and Derek meet at a pack reunion and they see that spark. Derek sees the maturity in Stiles that was always missing and he’s not a kid anymore, he’s in his late twenties and established. And Stiles finds that when he’s not focused on Lydia that it’s much easier to admit he is very attracted to Derek and getting him to smile is the highlight of his day because he likes to work for those smiles. And maybe he’s not in Derek’s league in level of hotness but he dated Lydia Martin and well if that isn’t the biggest confidence boost ever. So they start and then they don’t let go. 

A few days ago I stumbled into the world of Korean pop music (or famously known as k-pop) by virtue of listening to this beautifully aesthetic song of "Blood, Sweat and Tears" by a K-pop group called BTS. They say by your thirties you stop searching and listening to new songs, so I guess I still have a few years to look forward to. I, being an empath was always affected by music.

It can soothe me, excite me, it can literally mimic the feelings it tries to convey to me and then end up giving me this kind of unexplainable emotional high. It could be the tune, the beats, the meaning, the beautiful lyrics or just this random feel of the song.

It's apparently called frisson, this deep emotional reaction towards music or art which is specific to individuals who has the common trait of "openness to experience"-the kind of people who have active imaginations, appreciate beauty and are reflective and open to their feelings. We tend to put together the sensual input, mental imagery and emotions to create this combination of intense feelings (alright, alright I admit its just getting high on feelings). But I digress.

Like every other unfortunate K-pop International fan I also started out by the fascination with the music, the visuals, the choreography and all that was left was to learn their names and tell them apart.

Weeks later I find myself obsessed with these silly boys, their antics, their friendship and the big bad word "shipping." I truly don't know how I landed in this mess!!

Shipping and fangirls/boys have a bad reputation not only on the internet but on the real life too. When I showed my interest and excitement of having a new ship my best friend reacted as if I was displaying a weird kinky fetish of mine which had me taken aback.Is this a kink of mine? If so why this specific kink? If not why am I interested in the interaction of complete strangers on the popular internet to the point of obsession? What am I getting out of this? And why are so many men and women interested in shipping so much so that the entire entertainment industry makes a ton lot of money in the name of fan service?

When I get confused I take upon researching it. I came across articles and blog posts where people tried all kinds of explanation for their shipping. I read through passionate feminist rants, figuring out one's own sexuality, vicariously living through a love that's never possible in real life, sexual fetish outlets or just simply shipping for the mere pleasure.

The answer honestly depends on the individual. Shipping certain OTP's or one true pair (or in some case ot3s and more) was a personal choice and they had their own personal reasons to it.  

In my case, I only ship the couple which had a certain chemistry that appealed to me (or in Count Dracula's words: the one that zings with me). I love the couples who banter back and forth, the ones with difference in their personalities, height, intellect and physique but still won't back down without a fight even if one is stronger/better than the other, the kind that is not loud and flashy about PDA, but shows numerous soft, subtle moments of affection and genuine care, begrudging respect for each other . Extremely protective of each other,indulges each other,take comfort from each other,gazes at other like they're drowning in the intensity of the feelings they have for the other, stand up for each other, support each other through tough times, trust each other and create an entire little world of their own when their eyes meet.

Something that inspires millions of fictional stories and art by complete strangers who connect with them and each other because they saw something very beautiful which they wish to be part of,  wish to have this tiny magic in their boring ordinary lives.