Hey peeps! I found this cool new meme and since I’m a writer, I wanted to join in! It’s hosted by Cait @ Paper Fury and Sky @ Further Up & Further In. If you want to know more about Beautiful People, you can check out the FAQs page here.

So this month’s topic is about ships. You know exactly what I’m talking about: the relationships that form in your own writing. (Yes, writers ship their own characters, in case you were wondering.)

So for this one I decided to go with two of my lovelies, Maddock and Abby, who are from a fantasy I’m writing and they’re just two of my favorites (of course). I’ve never really talked about them, but here’s a little bit to know about them before I jump into the questions:

• Maddock is part of the royal guard, but having only been enlisted for a few years, he’s not high up in the ranks. He’s got a keen eye for detail and is fiercely loyal to his comrades. He’s also kind of the gentleman (mama raised him right). He’s twenty-two years old and ready to take on the world. He can be quick to react sometimes, but he has the best intentions.
• Abigail, or Abby for short, is a maid in the palace and has been working there since she was a little girl. She was born there and so she grew up in servitude. Her father left to find a better life for them when she was little, but never returned, and her mother died of cancer when she was fifteen. She may seem quiet on the surface, but she’s not afraid to speak her mind when it’s called for. She does have a few secrets, though, that she doesn’t want others to know.

And that’s all I want to give you because I have to rewrite my first draft (which isn’t even finished yet) and fix a bunch of things because they developed so much as the story progressed. BUT, one thing is for certain: I ship them so hard.

So, here are the questions for this month’s Beautiful People:

1. How did they first meet? They first met in the palace when Maddock and a few members of his squadron were on their way to a meeting and Abby crashed – literally – right into Maddock.
2. What were their first impressions of each other? Instant attraction, but not insta-love. Maddock is about a head and a half taller than Abby, so Abby thought he was a mountain and Maddock thought she was cute with the freckles across her nose and cheeks.
3. How long have they been a couple? I think for about half the story so far? Maybe less than that. They kind of go through a lot of rough things together on the journey that they take to find a killer, so that created a bond between them. Their feelings developed over time, but they haven’t really been a “couple,” per se.
4. How committed/loyal are they to each other? Would they break up over a secret or a disagreement? Could stress drive them apart? Would they die for each other? They wouldn’t break up over a secret or stress or anything. I wouldn’t ever do that to my babehs. I don’t know that they’re at the “dying for each other” stage just yet where they’re at in the story, but… hell, who am I kidding, of course they would! They fight alongside one another on multiple occasions and I just love how they mesh together.
5. List 5 “food quirks” they know about each other. (Ex: how they take their coffee, if they’re allergic to something, etc….and feel free to mention other non-food quirks!) Hmm.. I honestly don’t think they do know! At least, not said in writing. Behind the scenes: Maddock knows Abby isn’t a fan of seafood and that she loves to have her bread buttered with some basil on it. Abby knows Maddock eats fast – wicked fast – because he always has to be ready at a moment’s notice so there’s not really any time for him to enjoy his meals. As for non-food quirks? Abby fiddles with her fingers when she’s nervous and Maddock hums when he’s relaxed.
6. Does anyone disapprove of their relationship? None thus far.
7. What would be an ideal date? A picnic on the hillsides near the palace – they’re some of the most maintained and beautiful with fields of flowers covering large spaces.
8. What are their personality dynamics? Similar? Contrasting? Do they fight a lot or mesh perfectly? They actually mesh pretty well, which surprised even me. Where I thought Maddock would be kind of stoic, he’s actually just a very focused individual. Abby is a hard worker and strives to do the best she can in any situation, so they balance each other nicely like that. They’re actually pretty similar, now that I think about it, but not in a way that you can’t tell who’s who.
9. What have been their best and worst moments together as a couple? Best: Their first kiss, dancing, first flirtations. Worst: Almost getting killed, Abby getting kidnapped.
10. Where do they see themselves and their relationship in the next few years? In the next few years, they see themselves living in a nice place near the mountains. They’d have everything they could desire at this point, and possibly a child on the way.

And there you go! Writing about them makes me want to get back into writing the story and progressing the plot… or just start the revisions now, SOMEBODY HELP.

Anyway, there’s a little insight into two of my characters and their relationship together.

If you’re a writer, how hard do you ship your characters? Are they more of a tragic romance, or ones that will last forever? I want to feel the feels, so let me know!