What matters most in a good yaoi parring?

[Komurin Your Face]

I don't have a lot of requirements. I have to like both characters, and they have to have compatible personalities. I prefer if they actually have chemistry in the series, like Gwendal and Gunter, but I also like pairings that could never work out in-series, like LancerxArcher. Even though they could never be together based on the anime's circumstances, their personalities seem like they would work well together. Lancer's playful attitude could help to make Archer less serious, and Archer could make Lancer a bit more serious. They could balance each other well.  

[protecterofelements]

i like rivals the best cause they are like so coolies  

[r3veRse[Psych0]loGy`Pix!e]

I think it should be that their relationship should be
realistic. I've read so many yaoi's that is so out of
context. It angers me. I dislike the fact that I already
know who the pairing is in a yaoi. Or even worse, I already
know what's going to happen without reading fully into
it and when I'm done reading it, I'm right. I can never
find a non-cliche yaoi nowadays. And even now the relationships
don't seem real [with a few yaoi mangas as exceptions, but
only very few]

Many times do I turn to the first few pages and they are
already having sex.
mad

 

[blackfox7]

They can´t have the same personalitie! It can be almost the same (like edxal they aren´t very different) but if they´re oposites better! Because oposites atract!!
(sorry for the english sweatdrop )  

[ausgeburt]

It should be plausable. I can't stand when I read BL and it starts off with the whole, "You're perfect for me." THEN, THEY KISSIN' AND ARE JUST TOTALLY IN LOVE. I mean, there should be substance. Also, girly-ukes. I mean, I don't mind beautiful boys, I love them, but they have to ACT like boys. I could've read something straight.  

[Ellen Watermellen]

Hmm...what matters most in a yaoi pairing? I just want it to make sense.

I don't care how they start off in the original story- friends, enemies, exes, relatives, student/teacher. If the story leading to them becoming lovers makes any sense at all, then that's great.

I make yaoi of literally every show I watch so I'll take anything as long as it's plausible.  

[Kashira Ka04]

I voted for love, but my true list goes something like this...

Sexual tension
Angst
Switchable roles
Moderately paced storyline
Good art
Variety of sex
Breath-taking moments
& Love

Love comes in many forms~ My favorite is the intense type.

 

[ShadowedMoonlight]

The most important thing to me is that they have chemistry and context. They need to want each other, they need to know each other and they need to LIKE each other. Hatesex is fine too, but if you're talking about an actual couple then they need to be good together and not just love each other for absolutely no reason.
Any relationship that goes "I know nothing about you and have barely interacted with you, ours is the truest love!" makes me facepalm.  

[Chex4nothing Muleing4free]

I wasn't sure what I 'like' till I read the poll and rofl laughed rofl at "Must F*** A LOT!!"

But I did click "must be rivals" and have to admit to myself I do love a
burning_eyes love you so much I hate you burning_eyes couple.

Grrr scream angry sex twisted  

[Iomno Monster]

In general i like most yaoi, only few bother me but for a great one, I'd have to say it has to have a few standards... Okay, me as the KuroFai fangirl over here, i'm gonna examplify with them. There has to be eventual love, the reasoning behind things, the personality puzzle complex and looks. Sure I love how Kurogane and Fai look. They seriously look like what I would idolize in a real human, well maybe...I dunno. But beyond their looks, their clashing personalities, Kuro being paternal and Fai being maternal and just how opposite attract stuff, with Fai being friendly and outgoing but cold and distant and secretive and so insecure and wants to take care of everyone and not making anyone upset with him (well except for Kurosama), while Kurogane is all rough and grouchy on the outside, but he's an honest sort, protective, confident and seeing and assertive but easily embarrassed, And through the story, they go from "Hey i just met you and this is crazy" to "Getting to annoy you, getting to call you whatever names i want" to subtle hints of a secret longing, to "where have all the children gone?" to "we are parents" to "don't you dare die on me, you b*****d" to "i will sacrifice myself to make sure you live even if you hate me for it" to "because of you (i will value my life)." The way the two fit together like puzzle pieces. What one lacks, the other makes up for him. And just ...
I cannot accurately describe it all in words. But that is my ultimate OTP, after that, then Reasoning behind. (eventual) Love. Puzzle Personalities. Looks. Sex. Sex is awesome and all but not necessary, if the story is good enough.  

[perryunicornboy]

I really want their to be a true loving connection between the two. Not to say I don't um..push love onto pairs that don't have any. When I do that I tend to lean more toward best friend pairing then anything else. Even if the friendship is a little odd like Alucard/Walter. My first pairing was Kurama/Heie lord can't spell his name anymore its been too long. The only rival pairing I ever like was SasuNaru until well..until Sasuke go into shippuden then I started to hate him. Now I pair Gaara and Naruto up more because they seem to have a deep connection and bond. I might be reading too much into it though.  

[Iomno Monster]

perryunicornboy

I really want their to be a true loving connection between the two. Not to say I don't um..push love onto pairs that don't have any. When I do that I tend to lean more toward best friend pairing then anything else. Even if the friendship is a little odd like Alucard/Walter. My first pairing was Kurama/Heie lord can't spell his name anymore its been too long. The only rival pairing I ever like was SasuNaru until well..until Sasuke go into shippuden then I started to hate him. Now I pair Gaara and Naruto up more because they seem to have a deep connection and bond. I might be reading too much into it though.

Kurama and Hiei... that was a great pair too.  

[Curaia-Chan]

It sometimes depends on what I'm in the mood for, whether I'm looking for a one-shot or not. Overall, I think having some kind of chemistry helps a lot, or if they compliment each other. A love that develops. One of my favorite pairings recently has been KisaYukina from Sekaii ichi hatsukoi, they seem realistic in the sense that they work to solve their issues, they have insecurities, to me I feel like that pairing could happen in real life and its believable, there are age differences all the time, big or small.
Art style plays a part too, I don't like over exaggerated features, I like them to look at least semi like what a regular person would look like. I love me my lovey dovey and moving scenes, like the ones that are so filled with emotion and stuff that your breath is taken away x3
I do like the rival pairing now and again and the unrequited love that gets returned, sometimes I like yaoi's that rely more on the emotional development and the development of the overall relationship, but I do love my smut and one shots too 3nodding

Once again it depends on what I'm in the mood for.  

[xoAniLuv]

I like it when the chemistry between the two is so real that you could totally imagine them in your head. The looks, honestly, being a not so attractive female myself, I couldn't care less about that. I really do like rival pairings~ I find it really cute in a way~ Kind of like FrUk XD