One more ship request for Kenzie_762! Today's ship is Bickel!

==

Rating out of 100: Hmm... 79/100.

Do I ship this?: I do.

Why do I/don't I ship this?: I think that this is another pairing like CoinPin, where I like their friendship a lot and don't really think about shipping them that much. It's such a Neutral Good ship, and exactly what you'd expect from fandom, but I haven't seen anything particularly notable or interesting with it.

Is this my favorite ship for one/both of the characters?: By a longshot for Baseball, but for Nickel there are a few that come close.

====

Thoughts on the ship name: There's a racecar driver named Jerry Bickel and a US Constitution expert named Alexander Bickel, plus a retired Canadian hockey player named Bryan Bickell, so I think it's an A-OK name! I feel bad for them searching their names and potentially getting gay shipping, though... Petition to change it to Niall? Oh wait...

My favorite story involving these two: Hmm... I think that I have to give this one to meowchela55, with their oneshot "Dancing." It was the first story I ever found that impressed me enough to be on my Elite Fic Recs, and the dynamic is portrayed well. I imagine there are a lot of new Bickel oneshots since then, though, and Meow's Skating Stories come very, very close!

Things I enjoy in art/stories about them: Hmm... Definitely Nickel's softer side being showcased! A lot of people like to make Nickel out to be a jerk because of what happened with Suitcase, but he's really quite nice to those he feels close to. It only really comes out in fanfics about Bickel, and it's one of my favorite things about it.

Things I wish I saw more of in art/stories about them: I guess I wish there was a story or two that kind of contextualized Suitcase in the relationship. How she would feel about it? Would she care at all that she was the only one left out of the personal aspect of the alliance?

====

Five headcanons about them:

Remember when Nickel was riding on Baseball's back in The Great Escape? I like to imagine that whenever they're running late for something, Nickel hops on top of Baseball and tells him to book it.

Baseball tries to be sarcastic sometimes. He's so bad at it that Nickel tells him to handle it.

Nickel is embarrassed about initiating affection, but he never tells Baseball off for cuddling him. Nickel denies liking it, but... well, who ever believes the denying party in these things?

Nickel always opens doors and stuff for Baseball, partly so he can judge how big the door is and warn him when the door's too small.

They play a lot of sports together. Whether it's kicking a ball back and forth or getting all of the contestants to come and play a nice game of kickball, they'd be hands-on in their liking of sports and staying fit.

A story I'd write about them, if I had the time/interest:

Round the Corner, in which Baseball's always been a big fan of sports, and he thinks that "bases" in romance are a good way to quantify things... but he's not even up to bat for Nickel yet.

But, what will happen when a snow day brings these two closer than ever before, brings Baseball suddenly right around the corner of distance into his best friend's presence?

The holiday that best reflects this ship, and why: Hmm... I feel like a nondescript day works best. May 18th. Looking it up, it seems this day is a whole host of national holidays, including HIV Vaccination Awareness Day, No Dirty Dishes Day, and Visit Your Relatives day. Huh!

Seems accurate to me.

Where do they end up in life?: Probably working as co-coaches for the local soccer team.

===

That's all for today! What are your thoughts on Bickel? Do you agree, or do you prefer some other ship? Got a ship rec? Just comment!