12 YA Couples We're 'Shipping

On Thursday, YA lovers pronounce their loves of certain characters, 'ship certain couples, and play matchmaker for characters from different YA worlds for This is Teen's I Read YA week "RelationSHIP" Day. My favorite YA boyfriend is Gus from The Fault in Our Stars ; I totally 'ship Lena and Alex from Delirium, book one; and for the latter, I have a lot of ideas.

Imagine that all young adult novels exist in the same universe, no matter if it's dystopian, current day, or a fantasy land. And in this universe, characters from all of your favorite books would meet and interact among each other. No disrespect to the couples that already exist, but this is assuming everyone is single and looking for their ultimate YA match. Except, of course, Hazel and Gus. Only a soulless person would break them up.

In this universe, I picked 12 YA couples, some unexpected and some matched by personality type, that should definitely date.

1. Katniss Everdeen and Captain Thorne

Katniss Everdeen is a badass. It seemed that while they said they loved her, neither Gale nor Peeta really truly grasped just how amazing she is. (Though I'm still #TeamPeeta). And even worse, neither of the men could carry some of her burden, both in body and in mind. Marissa Meyer's Lunar Chronicles gives us an unexpected but perhaps perfect match for Katniss: Captain Thorne. Thorne is brave, he's adventurous, he's tough, he's clever, he's loyal, and above all, he's a barrel of laughs. He wouldn't let Katniss get entirely lost in her melancholy or her struggles, and he would call her out when necessary.

And if Katniss loved her transportation to the Capitol, she would love Thorne's spaceship. Think of all the grand adventures they would have.

2. Leslie Burke and Miles Halter

In John Green's Looking for Alaska, Miles Halter immediately fell for the damaged, enigmatic Alaska Young, and she broke his heart. Leslie Burke has Alaska's spirit and imagination, she did build an entire magical land called Terabithia after all, but she understands herself more. Both Miles and Leslie are seeking "The Great Perhaps," and they could rely and lean on each other through the journey.

3. Lena Kaligaris and Dodge

I never believed in Kostos for The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants ' Lena Kaligaris. Kostos was too flighty, too stuck in his family values to show his true love, and he really screwed her over irreparably with the whole "I got someone pregnant so I will marry her" deal.

Dodge, from Lauren Oliver's Panic , also falls for an unattainable, disinterested woman. With Dodge, Lena will get the love, full attention, and support she really deserved and never got from Kostos. And Dodge, who suffered a lot in his life, is really just looking for stability, a best friend, and someone who is smart enough to understand him, and Lena is the kind, loyal girl to do that.

4. Aria Montgomery and Ed Kennedy

Both Pretty Little Liars ' Aria Montgomery and I Am The Messenger's Ed Kennedy have dealt with their fair share of secrets and lies. And both are being messaged by an unknown person, who asks them to do things.They both also have major family struggles and have been down and out on the luck in the dating department (unless you could a secret, teacher relationship as successful.)

Aria and Ed could understand each other like no one else, trust each other with their secrets, and lean on each other when it all gets to be too much.

5. Lena Haloway and Gale Hawthorne

No disrepect to Alex, who I believe is the love of her life, but the Delirium series' Lena and The Hunger Games' Gale would be a perfect, revolutionary match. In the later books of the series, Lena is in full-force world domination mode. That's the spirit Gale always wanted from Katniss that she could not deliver. Gale and Lena could team up and change the world, making love allowed and demolishing a caste system or taking down whatever rules a tyrannical dystopian leader has cooked up.

6. Tris Pryor and Tomas

Divergent's Tris Pryor found a good man in Tobias, aka Four, but it's hard to deny that sparks could have flown between her and Tomas from James Dashner's The Maze Runner. Both feel like they are destined for something better than what they are born into, something that requires more courage and adventure. While Beatrice joins Divergent and becomes Tris, Tomas becomes a Runner, one of the people who explore the dangerous maze in order to find a way out. The two are matched in bravery and toughness, both mental and physical, and they would be a serious power couple.

7. Hermione Granger and Cia Vale

Okay, so neither J.K. Rowling or Joelle Charbonneau indicated that their heroines were bisexual, but Hermione and Cia would make one seriously incredible couple. Hermione is unmatched by either Ron or Harry (despite recent 'shippers of the latter) in terms of her mental prowess, but Cia Vale, who outwitted the Testing could finally be her academic match.

The two would challenge each other like their respective significant others can't, and they both have the heart and the drive to keep the relationship going strong.

8. Linh Cinder and Tarver Merendensen

Tarver, from These Broken Stars , has already proven to love a woman who knows her way around mechanics. But Cinder of the Lunar Chronicles has a personality and a drive that is better matched to the soldier than does Lilac LaRoux. They would travel the world together until they find a happy, peaceful place to make their home.

9. Tibby Rollins and Jace Wayland

Tibby Rollins from The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and Jace Wayland from The Mortal Instruments are both sarcastic, snarky, and sassy. They'd probably hate each other at first.

These two would have a tumultuous relationship for sure; they'd banter and argue and probably break up every other week, but I believe they could crack each others' hard exteriors and find the heart inside.

10. Emily Fields and Reese Holloway

Poor Emily of Pretty Little Liars has had a tough time in the relationship department. Everyone she dates seems to be involved in a plot against her, is still stuck in the closet, or, well, dies. But the girl is a total catch and she deserves someone who realizes that and is willing to parade around school with her on her arm. (If this were a TV pairing, she'd totally be matched up with Santana from Glee , but I digress.)

Instead, Emily needs someone tough enough to deal with her baggage — and she has a lot of it. What about Reese from Malinda Lo's Adaptation ? Both Reese and Emily have secrets, struggle with memories of their past, and both are watching the world as they know it change and crash around them (one more literally than the other.) But they're both tough and can get through this with each other.

11. Caitlin Somers and Finnick Odair

Caitlin Somers and Finnick Odair are two beautiful, blond people. If Summer Sisters ' Caitlin could finally find a man that thought he was prettier than she is, that didn't worship at her altar purely because of her looks, maybe she wouldn't have had to steal Bru from Vix and then run away. Once we can strip down looks from the relationship equation, maybe the two could connect on a deeper level and each could find some satisfaction.

12. Meg Murray and Peeta Mellark

Meg Murray from A Wrinkle in Time paved the way for characters like Katniss, but she's a little softer and nicer around the edges. Peeta only loves Katniss because he hasn't met Meg yet. The two are the kinder, gentler, but still brave and strong heroes. While Katniss may overpower Peeta in the relationship, he would find his equal in Meg, and someone who loves him for who he is, not just for show. They would find a nice little home once their brushes with danger are over, and do math problems and make bread in comfort.

Image: Giphy; Wifflegif