Now, whether you roleplay or not (which I do) there MUST be an NPC the your character favours among most, follower or otherwise.

My character Jessika's closest and most trusted friend is Brelyna of the College of Winterhold.

Ever since they travelled together for the excavation of Saarthal they have been inseperable ever since. There is something about Brelyna that Jessika just adores, whether it is her clumsiness with spells or her witty remarks Jessika isn't sure.

But ever since Brelyna decided to join Jessika anytime she leaves the college to explore, Jessika is thrilled.

What about you guys?

Kharjo. Initially, having a Khajiit in tow would have been a wonderful way for Gwyn to annoy all the other Altmer; you know, the ones who call you traitor and half-breed and who go around in squads like they own the place just before you kill them lots. He is, actually though, really useful, friendly, respectful without being obsequious, and knows what 'sneaking', 'firing arrows' and 'bashing skull with big mace time' mean, things some followers fail to grasp even the meanings of, let alone when and where they are appropriate. A friend who helps you stay breathing, without you having to worry too much about accidentally stopping him breathing, is a friend indeed.

My current character likes Erik the Slayer's boyish charm. She also thinks he's adorably cute to boot.

Mine's obvious, Lydia.

Probably cos she was the first follower I ever got, and when I first got her I abused her so much with carrying everything and using her to distract that Frost Troll halfway up HH. Fun times.

None.
Not a single one. I guess if she was honest she would admit she finds some marginally less irritating than others and she has a bit of a soft spot for Grelka.
But there's no one she really favours.

Me? I like a few of them actually, but it's not up to me...

My character is a loner, she doesn't bother bringing people with her since she is best at what she does. Bringing anyone else would just make her missions harder.

Then again Lydia is keeping guard in Brezehome so to make sure Lydia can handle any intruders she has been given a mix of Ebony/Daedric armor and weapons. So in a way you could say Lydia is the best friend as she does something useful..

None. Arinbjorn has only some friends as companions right now: J'Zargo, Marcurio and Onmund (the 3 together). It makes any big fight a real spectacle

Since I always manage to get my followers killed, I try not to get attached to any of them. But I always start with Faendal. I like him because he's kind of quiet...up until he's dead.

He's noisier after he has ceased living? o_0 haha

After having Lydia die around level 5 or so, and deciding I was better without her (minus the fact she carried all my loot), I was a loner for the longest time. I then went to conqur Valthume and after some failed attempts, decided to find a disposable follower with similar brute force skills as myself (one handed weapon & shield, heavy armor) to help me clear out the place. Didn't care if they lived or died, just needed some help. Enter Cosnach from Markarth.

Not only did he survive the whole ordeal with me, but he's helped me clear out more places since. He's the perfect companion for my character. Dependent and entertaining - nothing like entering Eldergleam Sanctuary and hearing him mutter "Am I drunk?...I must be drunk". His occasional cough of death is oddly endearing. I've decked him out with all my hand me down armor and weapons and give him some gold & plenty of mead (my guy doesn't drink so it works out perfect) each time we adventure out to kill off bandits or clear out dungeons. Nothing like 2 bros out adventuring through the dark areas of Skyrim.

Lydia and Aranea Ienith. I don't go anywhere without them. Except into dungeons, of course.

1 follower in the dungeon = dead weight.
2 followers in the dungeon = you'll want to hang yourself.

http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/w389/photoshooty/20120415111036351.jpg (Nord/Kamal) and Cicero are kindred spirits... and she's got a soft spot for Karliah.

Derkeethus. Fantastic archer, and he doesn't blabber all the time, just hums.

Oi! My character saw the adorkable farmboy first!

Ahem. My character's "BFF" is most certainly Erik the Slayer. I've definitely come to rely on his being a thoroughly distracting tank to my squishy spellsword in fights. Not to mention enjoying his adorable, often entertaining commentary while running about in dungeons. (Although sometimes it's a bit more than anything. Last night upon leaving a barrow we'd just cleared, he turned to me and said, "Look! One of the ancient Nord ruins. Who knows what we'll find inside?" ...The dungeon boss did FUS RO DAH him across the room a few times. I just assume he sustained some sort of head injury leading to short term memory loss. )

Plus from an RP perspective, he and my character are more or less completely inseparable at this point after everything they've been through together. They've done everything from partying with Sanguine to getting absolutely, utterly lost in the depths of Blackreach. And then there's my current favorite moment (cut for MQ spoilers; if you haven't gotten as far as "Alduin's Bane," do watch your step):



I don't know whether it's my playstyle or what, but I find followers immensely useful in dungeons and actually hate being on my own in them...whether it's because I got the dreaded "your follower cannot accompany you here" messages or I've made Erik sit this one out for RP purposes (like the "Under Saarthal" quest in the College). I hate facing down draugr deathlords on my own. I'd much rather let Erik distract him and soak up all the damage while my character skips merrily around, killing it with fire and a few well-placed critical strikes.

Plus I've gotten very good about coaxing followers around the traps rather than through them. Well, most of the time. Erik really does love finding and standing on fire pressure plates.

Jelissa was friends with Aela, but things haven't been the same between them lately... They chose different paths, you could say without spoiling anything.
Marcurio was fun company until he disappeared in a dungeon. Jelissa really hopes he made it out of there alive and can be found in Riften next time she passes by.

Sorex Vinius and Lisette, both from Solitude.
My character became good friends with Sorex after doing a favor for him. Lisette ... Well, she followed my character up to the room he rented in the Winking Skeever, sat herself in there and said to him in a seductive voice 'you should stay the night'

Brynjolf. In fact the entire thieves guild. Dont really like Maven but money is money.
Lost my best friend Erik the slayer in some ruin. When we ran from a really powerful monster, i made it out and the exit collapsed. So i think he didnt make it.
*it was part of my plan to get rid of him hehehe*

My character doesn't care about anybody but himself at the moment. Perhaps one day someone will come along and win him over, but with his character, I'd say it's unlikely.

Oh, don't let my Raksha start on her friends, as she would spam the hell out of this thread. So, I won't let her talk this time

There are a few words about them by Raksha in my profile (check link in my signature). But I'll add something from myself.

Raksha has four friends and she loves all of them. First was Khario, and she has special soft spot for him, because he was first to join her. And he is so simple and sweet.

Then Jzargo. Also quite nice fellow, very ambitious. He sure showed Raksha her place, when he just, umm, used her to check his not very safe scrolls. But they became good friend ever since end help each other whenever they can.

Then Shavari. Another smart cat. They've met in not so nice circumstances (umm, she was on to kill Raksha, and Raksha thinks that she deserved it). But everything came out fine in the end, and Raksha got herself another great friend. Shavari knows a thing or tho about politics, and she makes sure that Raksha won't do something stupid again.

They saved Raksha's tail so many time... And in dungeons I find them very usefull, especially during boss fights.

And at last Tsavani. Another poor cat, who got in trouble because of Raksha. But Raksha made up for it. She is no fighter, but since she took charge over Breezehome, it started to feel like real home. She is so caring and makes best Elsweyr Fondue

I like their comments about everything, even if they are little out of place. And when they tell Raksha about feeling warmness from her presence or 'all sugar in the world', owww, I want to hug them

Raksha (and me) hate being separated from them, last time it was because of this !@#$% Dark Broterhood.

As pictures tell more then 1000 words, here are my latest three (I posted them somewhere already I think).
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ux-X03tiIJ3nUCeK88goLXWMHAKlwYkI_k5MF1IPUOg?feat=directlink
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/sUuUPrrsZcE3mkC9bxUbf3WMHAKlwYkI_k5MF1IPUOg?feat=directlink
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/OMlUGkbzNRnwiuf6PCFL93WMHAKlwYkI_k5MF1IPUOg?feat=directlink

Hehe, I am sooo with you on these. I have exactly the same

My Imperial Bilal only likes being around people who are no longer breathing, this is partly to do with the fact that he was abandoned in an old cript back in Cyrodil when he was still just a babe, But a nice Lich King became his foster father and taught him many secrets of the trade. In his adventures in Skyrim there was 1 Bandit Marauder that NEARLY killed him and she showed an aptitude for both Destruction and Restoration and proved to be quite a surprising challenge. So after Bilal killed her he decided to turn her into a thrall and started calling her Betty. Betty was an older woman and I guess Bilal just thought of her as an over protective mother the way she would just throw herself in harms way or save him in the nick of time with a well placed Icy Spear. He never had to worry about her dieing again on him because he would see Betty using Restoration spells very strategically. But he accidently fus ro dah'd her off a very high cliff in a dungeon and he wasnt able to get to her body to revive her. To Bilal it was like losing a zombie mother. Im pretty sure that he'll get over it in time, but he's pretty emotionally scared right now.

My current character is a bit of a loner and he doesn't have a BFF. He barely trusts others and hate to rely on them.

Griselda didn't have many friends. She fed most of them to her sword. She did like Muiri and Eola though, she approves of people who know what they want and how to get it.
Vriddi got on best with her fellow Companions and other warrior types like Lydia.

my character, Erissa, became smitten with Aela during the companions questline, and her BFF is probably going to be... i dunno. but she's married to Aela

Well, I have to admit that on most of my characters that take followers their BFF is Marcurio and his alternate universe copies.
Yeah, I pretty much know him by heart now, but from time to time he amazes me and makes me giggle. A few days ago we were riding towards Riverwood and we passed by a hunter and her dog. The dog started barking, Marcurio stopped his horse, got down, addressed the dog "Stupid dog", got up on the horse again and nonchalantly rode back to me.

Sure he gets me into trouble sometimes. Like trying to defend the giants and their mammoths from bandits by using chain lightning...but I still like him the most.