now to cross my fingers and hope I haven't committed some fandom-decided atrocity I had no knowledge of XD
Reasoning/Explanations under the cut!
Cute: Zasp and Samira - cuz they cute! And have been on my brain ever since I remembered that Zasp and Samira were originally going to be partners.
Hot: Fuff and Vanessa II - Gonna be real there isn't much that I default to "because it's hot". That's not usually my reasoning. Technically this would lean more cute, but the vibes are a little to the left.
Canon: Rebelle and Voi - There were a lot of things I coulda put here, and originally I had that box doing triple duty with Wayde/Tynn and Zasp/Mothiva, but decided to space thing out. Also in that square, I would put basically all the other canon ships. Elom and Tekci, Artia and Reed, Venn and Anna... and the others I'm definitely forgetting.
Similar: Bumble and ...whatever blue-bandana wasp prisoner's name is - does this guy have an actual name???? Anyways, they both look worried for their siblings/compatriots, and ever since I realized I couldn't stop chuckling over it.
Different: Elizant II and Asto - Enemies to lovers? Lovers to enemies? Who knows! I waffled between similar and different for these two, because in some ways they are similar. But, at the same time they seem to have some very different values, and what similarities they have seem to amplify those differences.
Subtext: Isau and Astotheles - I blame The Merciful Bandit. That fic (and therefore it's lovely writer @tangyfighter) introduced me to the idea of these two, and I have loved it ever since. Especially depending on how you look at it, there is some fascinating subtext to pick at in terms of morals, values, and modi operandorum.
Fanart: Zasp and Mothiva - Technically I didn't need fanart to start shipping this, but the cute fanart definitely contributed to my love for 'em, and my contemplations of what that could look like.
Makes Sense: Wayde and Tynn - I wasn't really sure what to put for this square, and arguably I could/should have swapped it with Rebelle and Voi, but something about these two just clicks for me, I love 'em.
BECAUSE I CAN: Jayde and Hoaxe - Consider for me: a world in which Jayde and Hoaxe met while Hoaxe was a janitor, and they formed a sturdy bond and friendship (that eventually grows into more) strong enough that Hoaxe felt like he had an actual support system and didn't go all vengeance mode on the wasp kingdom.
