Lowkey?? I was heavily shipping them, anon! Didn’t really think it’d happen, obviously, but it was so overt! It wasn’t the same as most other f/f subtext ships. As you said, it was a lot like Root’s interest in Shaw, flirting so heavily any time they met while Shaw/Dutch would roll their eyes but not be TOTALLY averse and then we know what happened there.
And, and, I liked them as people together, it wasn’t just shipping any ole two hot ladies who interacted, Delle Seyah seemed genuinely intrigued by Dutch’s different sides, they matched so well against each other, actually being on each other’s level.
When Aneela/Delle Seyah started, I was NOT a fan! I was like, who is this usurper? They think they can just throw in some lookalike and we’ll forget about Delle Seyah/Dutch? That’s not gonna happen! But man, Aneela is NOT a replacement? I don’t know what she is, how you could define her or that archetype, she’s just so much her own person and interesting in her way. And the way she and Delle Seyah connected was so fitting.
But yeah, I have thought about that, how weird it must be for you all to know to not get attached to Delle Seyah/Dutch as you start. I think it’s better that way? But the alternative was still pretty fun. :>