#Ariel and Eric

[dearabsolutelynoone]

[bellaaldamas]

Sail Away with Me

(song by Sunrise Avenue)

[arielerics]

Where would we walk? Where would we run? If we could stay all day in the sun. Just you and me.

[ninetiesfairydust]

The Little Mermaid (1989)

[girlswithambition]

that whole "couple most likely to be fucking on the couch right now", makes sense because they’re the only Disney Prince & Princess with a kid, and it’s shown that physical touch is Ariel’s love language. I can imagine that they would have to part for a bit (Eric having Prince business in another country) and the reunion would be one passionate but sleepless night. those two are so in love in each other it makes me happy

I got a few asks to do with this topic so apologies, anons - this one is the most consolidated into all the points but YEP.

Their romance is so tender and lovely. Gifs ahead, and while this isn't comprehensive...

these two touch all the time.

It's often very casual and quick, too? I feel like scenes where romantic leads touch in animation are such big and standout moments but Ariel and Eric just spend practically every scene they're in touching each other.

And there are the big moments, but even in those, the touch itself isn't the thing punctuated - it's the emotion between them, not the fact that they're touching (see this comparison in Tarzan, one of my other faves). The below gif emphasizes the fact of the hand touch itself.

But even in the midst of terrible budgets and weak industry support, animators still made so many deliberate choices for these two to touch and lean on each other. They used these limited resources and emphasized Ariel and Eric's closeness, even in a film that isn't about them.

The fact that they have a canonical child is almost secondary at that point. That kind of a sequel could have worked for many of the of the Renaissance era couples (and it never will again because the internet/braindead youtube critics cannot handle it).

What matters most is how every bit of screentime between Ariel and Eric screams they enjoy each other's company. You can have babies with a partner you may only tolerate - lots of people do. But do you, years later, visibly delight in most moments you spend together? Do you find the ways you physically fit together and just...forget you ever lived another way?

To me, Ariel and Eric's romance neither denies its own sexuality nor puts it on a pedestal. It's just...present. As present as their emotional affection, and as natural as everything else they do every time they're onscreen together.

And the pedestaling by critics is partially why we're in this mess in the first place, likely to never see a Spin-Offspring or much outward affection in animated romance again. When you start looping sex into This Most Important Sacred Thing that OH NO WHAT IF OUR PROTAGONIST HAS A HORNY, you get steaming dumps like "She has a kid in the sequel???? Meaning they had SEX???? THE HORROR!"

So do I headcanon these two bone all the time? You bet, and there are TED talks worth of textual evidence beyond their canonical offspring.

[wassidy-wanders-around]

"What would I do to see you smiling at me~"

1/4 complete. Queue Part of Your World Reprise for ambiance ⁽⁠⁽⁠ଘ⁠(⁠ ⁠ˊ⁠ᵕ⁠ˋ⁠ ⁠)⁠ଓ⁠⁾⁠⁾

I still remember watching this and the 2 movie on VHS over and over. Disney really do know how to program kids, 23 years later and I still love it. And Ursula is one of my all time favorite villains.

I feel like I cheated going for the red haired heroine but it was between Ariel and Belle as my favorites. It was also a toss-up for biblically accurate green tail or red like her normal coloring. Green won but no shell bras here that shi looks uncomfy. Plus clams would only be like pasties on her at best (⁠≧⁠▽⁠≦��)

Also for little relationship lore idk if you guys recall I wrote that he left after the moonrise colony fiasco, canon event. But he still shows up at the final battle and I'm stealing this from the movie cause this the vibe ▽▽▽

"I lost her once, I'm not going to lose her again."

Obviously he finds his courage for the sake of the realm but I'm going to indulge myself and say it was for his heart's home too ❤️‍🔥⚔️✨

Close shot ▽▽▽

Reference ▽▽▽

[romancemedia]

#together on the beach

[dearest-alexander]

Just here to remind you that this was their first real “conversation”

Ariel, making him smile OR as I’d like to call it:  Prince Eric, flexing his dimples & looking like a lovesick puppy.

Part 1 of ? 

[delicatefalice]

bridge over water i am jumping off taking a picture of all the people close to us head below the surface almost never certain of the truth im always forever running back to you running back to you running back to you

[blogoftakuya]

Lesson: Only marry someone if your dog approves.

[baltharino]

The Little Mermaid (1989) Dir. John Musker & Ron Clements

[flyingfrogillustration]

Love Struck

[bellaaldamas]

Nothing Is Over

(song by Sunrise Avenue)

[daydreameilyah-art]

Ariel getting her voice back

[ninetiesfairydust]

The Little Mermaid (1989)

[babydollslife]