Pre-game thoughts: We're back at it again with an old fandom favorite: PayJay! This was requested by TheOfficialLeafy! I believe the correct thing to say is... #BestBuddies? maya-moonstone also requested this ship!
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Rating out of 100: Hmm... I give it a 65/100.
Do I ship this?: Eh... I'm in a weird place where I kind of ship it and kind of don't ship it.
Why do I/don't I ship this?: Some of the art is super cute, and I've read some good stories involving the dynamic, but I'm just not that invested in their dynamic, and I have yet to come across a story that got me super interested in them. There is potential behind it, with Paper and OJ running Hotel OJ together and dealing with whatever leftover trauma Paper has from S1, though!
Is this my favorite ship for one/both of the characters?: Absolutely.
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Thoughts on the ship name: PayJay is a great ship name!
My favorite story involving these two: I've read some pretty good PayJay fics before. I'd say that He's a Monster by Talemer is a pretty good story, partly because it's not just PayJay; all kinds of interesting stuff is going on, and it has a real feel of intrigue! I really need to catch up on that story. In fact, I'm behind on Talemer's fics as a whole, but I imagine they all contain some good PayJay.
Go check Talemer out for PayJay, everybody!
Things I enjoy in art/stories about them: I like it when other stuff happens beyond PayJay. When there's an intriguing plot, their dynamic is put to the test a little bit more.
Things I wish I saw more of in art/stories about them: I wish that more people explored the buildup of feelings between these two, or what happens after they become a couple. It feels like a lot of people just assume that feelings are there, and that once the conflict of getting them together is (easily) resolved, there's not much else to it.
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Five headcanons about them:
Paper still has his traumas and such he has to get over from season one; OJ helps him out with them, giving good practical advice and emotional support.
Whenever OJ leaves the hotel for any reason, he leaves Paper in charge. Paper struggles to reign everyone in sometimes, but he tends to do a pretty good job.
OJ's super romantic. Every Valentine's Day, they'd have a candlelit dinner under the stars.
Paper and OJ get to spend a lot of time together each morning making all the breakfast for the guests of the hotel, and they have to spend a lot of time in there at lunch and dinner (although they usually have help). They're good cooks, too!
Pepper would always harass OJ before be started dating Paper because she really disliked him for some reason, but as soon as they start dating, she becomes their biggest fans.
A story I'd write about them, if I had the time/interest:
Cooking Lessons, a brief "Five Times When X, and One Time When X Didn't Happen" format fic taking place in the hotel's kitchen early in the morning! OJ was not always a very good cook, so the bulk of the fic would be five instances in which Paper showed OJ how to cook better. One time he teaches him about making a casserole, another time he shows him cake-making. All the while they grow closer and closer, and it becomes increasingly obvious that there are crushy feelings there.
The "One Time When X Didn't Happen" would be OJ showing Paper his appreciation with a candlelit dinner that OJ made all by himself, which is delicious and used all of his previous lessons! This would end with Paper blurting his feelings for him.
The holiday that best reflects this ship, and why: Saint Patrick's Day, on March 17th. I have no idea why.
Where do they end up in life?: Running the hotel together until they're old and gray, of course!
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Shipping Musings and Opinions
RandomIf you've ever wanted to hear someone's true thoughts on a ship without mere ratings out of ten and keysmashing, this is the place. Story ideas, headcanons and more find a home in this nonwork. You decide which ships I give my take on - request anyt...
