Top OTPS in Books | Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

There are a few elements I look for when I decide to root for a pairing(s) before I make them an OTP:
1. Solid base for a relationship - A good romance is something with a strong base other than the love aspect. Mutual trust and respect, friendship, soulmates (debatable and depends on execution), and chemistry.
2. Something to add to a story - I strongly dislike a pairing that is put together just because and doesn't in anyway enhance the story or push forward a character's arc.
3. Fidelity - Love triangles are a no-no. More often than not, they're there for the drama and don't in anyway contribute to a story other than giving the girl/boy an indecisive personality. I like couples who are dedicated to each other and go through the journey together.
4. Love is not blind - A sure way for me to through a book to the wall my ereader was very close to experiencing this a bunch of times is when one of the pair turns a blind eye to the faults of the other and becomes an idiot to the perfectness and invulnerability of their love.
5. Individuality (say no to obsession and possession) - You may be a couple but both of you are still individuals.

I am a hopeless romantic. I cheer and squee and giggle when my OTPs are being adorable and dorky with each other. But I celebrate when they do things that are truly couple goals like kicking ass.

Saira Elian and Archer Devereux from The Immortal Descendants

They kicked ass together and lifted each other up. They didn't forget about their duties and responsibilities. Their love for each other pushed them to do what was right and not what was easy.
Ash/Meghan/Puck from the Iron Fey series

Two is company, three is a crowd. But these three worked together so well in their partnership and friendship. Ash and Meghan ended up together but, man, Puck is one of the best best friends.
Abby Sorrensten and Noel from the Immortal Archives

This is the first established couple I've read and one of the healthy relationships.
Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy from Pride and Prejudice

Since I've read a lot of incarnations and retellings of the story, I'm going to stick to the originals and the ones from the web series, Lizzie Bennet Diaries. Jane Austen's pairing fueled my Regency fantasies while LBD's book companion The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet made me see other perspectives of all the characters and made me fall in love more.
Hannah Snow and Thierry from Soulmate (Nightworld)

There's something called The Soulmate Principle in L.J. Smith's Nightworld (which also appears in her other series), with definitive and descriptive parameters that can be applied believably in her pairings. There is instant attraction yes, but thank the ramen god they get to know each other first and don't fall into the pit immediately.
Meg Corbyn and Simon Wolfgard from The Others

This pairing is an open question by the end of the main series but I, and all their friends and allies, have been shipping them and making bets since the beginning. The whatever relationship between these two was one of complete, mutual trust and respect with a sprinkle of innocence.
Alice and Finn feat. the White King from The Collectors' Society

I've only read the first book but maaannnn... As I've said, I don't do love triangles. I didn't want anyone to come in between Alice and Finn; but I met the White King and got to know him. All I can say is: Alice, you have great taste in men.
Wei Ying and Lan Zhan from Mo Dao Zu Shi or The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation

This is my most recent fangirling. When season one ended and I reached the current translation of the novel, I wanted to laugh and cry and giggle all at the same time... because if that's not devotion where the lines 'After all this time?' 'Always.' totally applies from Lan Zhan, then I don't know what.

What are your criteria for an OTP?