my favorite (straight) fictional ships for dia dos namorados

Hello, friends!

Today is June 12th, which means we’re celebrating the equivalent to Valentine’s Day in Brazil! Here, we call this day “Dia dos Namorados”. For the past few years in my blog, I’ve celebrated this date by sharing a post related to romantic love and ofc today I’m keeping the tradition.

The reason why we celebrate Valentine’s Day in June, instead of in February, is because in Brazilian tradition, Saint Anthony is more well known than Saint Valentine. Since Saint Anthony is known for being a matchmaker and people pray to him if they wish to get married, the celebration takes place on Saint Anthony’s day instead – aka the 12th of June.

So, since we’re all about romantic love today, I figured I would share my favorite (straight) fictional couples with y’all (sorry, I know it’s pride month) and some of my favorite quotes related to them that make me feel *all *the* *things*.

COLE AND ISABEL, FROM SINNER

“You’re the one good thing I’ve ever done in my life”.

Uh, yes, them.

I think about this couple so much is a bit ridiculous. Sinner is a fantastic book that just speaks to my soul so deeply, it’s hard for me to describe. But basically, Cole and Isabel meet in the Wolves of Mercy Falls and are quite, uh, a dysfunctional couple. Isabel resents werewolves after her brother died trying to been one and Cole wants nothing more but to be one. Yet, they work.

In Sinner, Cole goes to Los Angeles to film a reality show and record a new album, but mostly to get Isabel back. Their dynamic is so romantic without even trying. They’re constantly flirting, even knowing they’re not good for one another, but at the same time, they are? They definitely make each other better – both are deniers of feelings, but when they come together, they drown in how much they feel for one another. It’s stunning, really.

NATE AND BROWNYN, FROM ONE OF US IS LYING

“Fucking Rojas”.

Did the show of One of Us is Lying make me a Nate/Brownyn stan? Yes, very much, thank you.

To be fair, I remember a total of 0.2 things about them in the books. But their show version absolutely demolished me, it really did.

Nate is the criminal, Brownyn is the brain, and while typically the bad boy x good girl trope does nothing for me, I think how much Nate has been obsessed with Brownyn for years now really convinced me that they were different. Nate knows all these random facts about Brownyn from when they were in middle school, making very clear that he’s had a crush on her for years.

I also adore the way he calms her down when she’s anxious and how her believing in him makes him want to believe in himself too. While their dynamic could’ve been improved had the acting been better (cof cof sorry), I still find myself thinking about them frequently.

DIMPLE AND RISHI, FROM WHEN DIMPLE MET RISHI

“You are beautiful. Lajawab. My only worry is that I might not be able to do you justice.”

I’ve talked so much about my love for this couple, but seriously!!!!!!! They are so special because, so often, when we think about YA contemporaries, very unrealistic or lowkey problematic love stories come to mind, so having a couple who supports one another so genuinely warms my heart so much.

Dimple and Rishi are complete opposites, but they learn a lot from one another, including each other’s relationship with their Indian heritage as well as how they see their future. I am also obsessed with how they constantly push the other person to be the best and most authentic version of themselves.

Basically: everyone deserves a relationship like this in their lives!

PETER K AND LARA JEAN, FROM TO ALL THE BOYS I’VE LOVED BEFORE

“Like in the 1950s. Remember, Lara Jean?”

A classic, but had to be a part of my list anyway, because hello, it’s them.

While many people may be annoyed at how “immature” this couple may sound, my favorite thing about them is how painfully high school their conflicts and dynamics are. Like, when Peter gets mad at Lara Jean for not sitting next to him in the bus. Or the fact Lara Jean brings him sandwiches and cookies and lets Peter not share with his friends.

This couple reminds me of the innocence and beauty of teenage relationships and Jenny Han toes the line between “realism” and “romanticism” perfect. I am a firm believer that, especially love stories, don’t have to be realistic, because real life is boring and never romantic. But Peter K and Lara Jean manage to do both and I love them so much.

MIA AND ADAM, FROM WHERE SHE WENT

“You don’t share me. You owe me.”

I was re-reading some of my favorite quotes and moments from this book and I realized how, indeed, Mia and Adam are one of my favorite couples. I think before I was just all about how much I love Adam as a character, because his narration is so good. But no, it’s him and Mia.

They’re the best edition of “he hates everyone but her” and the fact Adam has written an entire album about Mia and no other song he writes is as good as those speaks to my soul a lot. Even though in Where She Went you’re following them after they’ve broken up, during one night in New York, you feel the stakes of their relationship and their past love for one another is absolutely palpable. I am obsessed, friends.

NINI AND RICKY, FROM HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL THE MUSICAL THE SERIES

“You can always talk to me about anything. Anytime.”

Did Olivia Rodrigo and Joshua Basset ruined this one for me? Yes. But that’s fine, we’ll move on. In my mind, the two never dated in real life and Nini and Ricky managed to be endgame AS THEY SHOULD.

Look: these two are just the cutest thing to ever exist, okay. They’re childhood friends to lovers and that scene when they talk about being each other’s first crushes and also giving each other the nicknames that they go by to everyone else. That’s A LOT, okay.

Plus, all the songs they have together are so good and I am still mad we never got a proper duet where they sing staring in each other’s eyes in deep Troy and Gabriella fashion. While I understand their relationship got codependent by season two, I do love how much Ricky counts on Nini and how her opinion truly matters to him. True soulmates, if you ask me.

PERCY JACKSON AND ANNABETH CHASE, FROM PERCY JACKSON & THE OLYMPIANS

“You’re not getting away from me. Never again.”

This is my OG OTP, friends. I remember being 10 years old reading about the underwater kiss and fangirling for like 20 minutes straight because, fucking finally, they had kissed. I also wrote this quote when I was kid, and glued it to the wall of my closet and it is still there.

Remembering about this couple is the reason why I decided to write this post in the first place. I found this TikTok talking about how “long story short” by Taylor Swift went perfectly with Percabeth and I wasn’t able to stop thinking about it for months.

Basically: these two are the best slow burn/friends to lovers, you will ever read about in your whole life. The way they become so completely obsessed with one another, are ready to die for the other person, and still have the most fantastic banter… Rick Riordan did that, folks.

SCARLETT AND GUNNAR, FROM NASHVILLE

“Then why do you keep ending up here with me?”

I am so obsessed with this couple, is honestly a bit scary if you really think about it.

Scarlett and Gunnar are THE slow burn. They meet in season one, Gunnar is clearly crushing hard on Scarlett while she has a boyfriend, they finally get together but break up and then take literally THREE MORE SEASONS to get back together. It’s ridiculous, honestly, but works so well because it absolutely tugs in your heart strings every time.

You can tell that, no matter how much these characters try lying to themselves that they are over their feelings for one another, everyone around them can tell that’s not the case. The way they’re constantly writing songs about each other and pretending they don’t care is… AGAIN, RIDICULOUS. But it works so much for me. Ugh. I love them.

DECLAN AND JULIETTE, FROM LETTERS TO THE LOST

“Please, I want to say to her. Please figure me out.”

As I re-read Letters to the Lost this year, I couldn’t help but notice how much I love these two. Their story is angsty from the beginning, with annonymous correspondences and not liking each other in real life. Yet, they’re also a source of positivity for one another and are constantly encouraging the other person to pursue things they typically wouldn’t.

Both Declan and Juliette are struggling with depression and I think it’s interesting how the author navigates their relationship without them becoming codependent – they still have plenty support outside of each other. But it’s just sososo great see them becoming closer and being able to help the other person without even knowing who they are in real life.

EMMA AND MR KNIGHTLEY, FROM EMMA (2020)

“If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more, but you know what I am.”

Okay, but why did this 2020 version of Emma absolutely wretched me? I am not a fan of period dramas or Jane Austen, in the slightest, but there was just something about the scene when their hands are touching while they dance together that shifted something in me.

Obviously, this couple has a very questionable age gap and dynamic, with Mr Knightley being seen as a son by Emma’s dad. But we’ll just stare right past that and focus on the fact they’re adorable. I love the idea of two know-it-all’s falling in love and still being completely clueless about their feelings for each other. Plus, they have the best confession scene known to man.

What are some of your favorite fictional ships? Do you relate to any of the ones I included in this post? Also: what is your favorite quote from any ship? Let’s chat in the comments!