Rant away. That was part of my initial crankiness about Lulu and Wakka marrying -- it honestly was not the A/L thing, since Lulu is clearly capable of "serial monogamy" -- it's the fact that their dynamic as friends was fantastic. I've gotten used to canon, but it makes me wistful.

Fran/Balthier I can see either way. I like the buddy stories as well, and the Chewie/Han parallels are fun.

I've never been able to grasp Penelo/Vaan as anything but friendship, but that's just me.