History Main / BelligerentSexualTension

* It's hinted that Rachel and Marco's playful rivalry in the early ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'' books might be this, particularly on Marco's part. It begins to take on much darker and nastier undertones as the war wears on.

* In ''Literature/TheGuardians'', Irena and Alejandro argue with each other constantly. Even the other characters notice it.

** Lampshaded? There are pages of explicit exposition on the subject. Kismesis is BST by another name. Troll society considers having such a relationship a critical part of mental and romantic health. The intensity of the hate also has a valued effect on offspring. Homestuck has too many examples to name because half the characters are trying to engineer this to one extent or another.

* {{Subverted|Trope}} in [[http://dorksidefiker.livejournal.com/148547.html That Damn Mpreg]]. {{Jerkass}} Bruce Jameson (son of She-Hulk and John Jameson) believes his has this kind of relationship with {{Tsundere}} Rebecca Altman-Kaplan (daughter of {{Young Avengers}} Wiccan and Hulkling). In reality, she wants nothing to do with him and ends up with one of their {{Badass Normal}} teammates instead.

* ''WesternAnimation/StrangeMagic'': Marianne and [[spoiler:The Bog King]] almost immediately during their [[JukeBoxMusical duet]] duel.

* Sinbad & Marina in ''WesternAnimation/SinbadLegendOfTheSevenSeas'', especially the early parts of the film. Mellows down when they start to fall in love.

* ''Anime/WhisperOfTheHeart'': Shizuku and Seiji, with Shizuku being the {{Tsundere}} (dere dere) and Seiji being the JerkWithAHeartOfGold.

* There is a lot of belligerent sexual tension between the two main characters in ''Anime/TheGirlWhoLeaptThroughTime''.

** BrilliantButLazy Shikamaru with {{Tsundere}} {{Warrior Prince}}ss Temari. The funny thing is that it's ''[[GenerationXerox genetic]]''--Shikamaru's own father Shikaku, who's every bit as lazy as his son, has this in ''spades'' with his nagging wife Yoshino. [[spoiler:Of course, in the epilogue, Shika's married to Temari, with a lazy son to boot as well]].

** BrilliantButLazy Shikamaru with {{Tsundere}} [[WarriorPrince Warrior Princess]] Temari. The funny thing is that it's ''[[GenerationXerox genetic]]''--Shikamaru's own father Shikaku, who's every bit as lazy as his son, has this in ''spades'' with his nagging wife Yoshino. [[spoiler:Of course, in the epilogue, Shika's married to Temari, with a lazy son to boot as well]].

-->-- '''Han Solo''', ''Film/ANewHope'', about '''Princess Leia Organa'''

* ''Anime/CodeGeass'': Lelouch and Kallen have this going on. She's a {{Tsundere}} JerkWithAHeartOfGold, who's having issues connecting the [[MyHeroZero heroic Zero]] with his alter ego, the JerkWithAHeartOfGold Tsundere Lelouch. She also has the distinction of being the only woman Lelouch has ever attempted to seduce, even if - or because - he was lacking any sense of self-restraint at the time. She does eventually resolve the two after hearing Nunnally reminisce over their early days and Lelouch fully committing himself to the cause, but sadly he's forced to BreakHerHeartToSaveHer when the Black Knights turn on him with her in the crossfire. Ouch.

* ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'' has Edward as the JerkWithAHeartOfGold and Winry as his {{Tsundere}}. There's tons of UnresolvedSexualTension moments between them -- Edward subtly thinking Winry looks cute, Winry noticing that his shoulders look broader, Edward having to recite the periodic table after remembering the conversation between him and Hawkeye (where Riza suggested he loves Miss Rockbell), Winry wondering why she fell in love with "such a weirdo", and their reunion before the Promised Day, resulting in a flustered Ed and almost-topless Winry. Those are all no doubt proof of this trope. All thanks to puberty, folks! Now OfficialCouple; they marry post story.

* ''Manga/MagicKaito'' has Kaito as the JerkWithAHeartOfGold and Aoko as the {{Tsundere}} -- to the point where fanart of Kaito drawn as Ranma and Aoko drawn as Akane has become fairly popular.

** BrilliantButLazy Shikamaru with {{Tsundere}} [[WarriorPrince Warrior Princess]] Temari. The funny thing is that it's ''[[GenerationXerox genetic]]'' -- Shikamaru's own father Shikaku, who's every bit as lazy as his son, has this in ''spades'' with his nagging wife Yoshino. [[spoiler:Of course, in the epilogue, Shika's married to Temari, with a lazy son to boot as well]].

** Hiei and [[spoiler:Mukuro]] may also fit this trope, with TheMasochismTango that doesn't seem to dampen Hiei's interest (even Kurama notes it). Not quite the same since she's only introduced in the last arc, and their hinted attraction is too early to be a WillTheyOrWontThey. Hiei and [[spoiler:Mukuro]] are pretty much canon. They respect each other, like each other, and he brings her [[spoiler:her evil and abusive father trapped in a healing plant that Kurama specially got for such a purpose]] to torture for eternity as a present. Practically romantic for Hiei -- or, for that matter, for [[spoiler:Mukuro.]]

* Subverted in ''Comicbook/{{Preacher}}'' -- a man deliberately tries to be the male half of this pair, and instead ends up... eaten by an alligator.

* Nrin Vakil and Ibtisam of ''Comicbook/XWingSeries'' are fairly mild as this trope goes. They argue and gesticulate over topics, having various polar opposite views, but they serve professionally on the same squadron. Another member sees them arguing and muses that they'll either kill each other or get married - and after agreeing on something at last, they hook up.

* ''Fanfic/TheChildOfLove'': The tension between Shinji and Asuka was due to their inability to acknowledge and express their feelings –and realize each other’s- and their fear of others. After Asuka got pregnant they still fought for a while, but Shinji gradually tried to be more courageous and Asuka slowly tried to open herself a bit, and they finally got together.

* Asa and Yoko in ''Fanfic/FutariWaPrettyCureBlueMoon'' fit this, although they're both tsundere -- they only tsun around each other. Even in the beginning of the series, when Asa is scared stiff of [[DefrostingIceQueen "Ice Queen Nakayama"]], they start bickering practically OncePerEpisode. Late in the series, though, they argue less and start to get along more.

* Pretty much every [[HoYayShipping Ed/Roy]] fanfic makes use of this, even though [[Manga/FullmetalAlchemist in the original work]], the tension and animosity between them is much more genuine - although they're still more VitriolicBestBuds than actual adversaries.

* In ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'', this is basically the default setting of Kyoko/Sayaka - two massive {{Tsundere}}s battling head-to-head for dominance. In particular, ''FanFic/{{A Happy Dream}}'', probably the most popular story to focus on the pairing, loves this trope.

* ''FanFic/IceAndFire'': Lelouch vi Britannia and Kallen Stadtfeld -- just like in the actual anime. Of course, everything is further complicated by the fact that Kallen is Zero while Lelouch is a prince/general in this continuity, but that doesn't stop his father from giving him advice on the matter (much to Lelouch's disbelief).

--> Harry: "HYDRA had it coming."
--> Carol: "Yeah. [Their base] was offensive to my artistic sensibilities."
--> Harry: "''What'' artistic sensibilities?"
** *cue DeathGlare*

[[folder:Films -- Animation]]

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]

* In ''Film/SinginInTheRain'', Don Lockwood's relationship with Kathy Selden is quite belligerent, but quickly develops into sincere attraction. Subverted by Don's behavior toward Lina Lamont-- Lina fancies herself in this kind of relationship with Don, but he genuinely dislikes her, and his efforts to reject her only fuel her delusions of romance.

* The ''Literature/{{Lensman}}'' universe has Kim Kinnison, Lensman, and Clarissa [=MacDougall=], Prime Base Hospital nurse. They annoy the hell out of each other as patient and caregiver, but in fact their psychological makeup has been carefully crafted to produce a good match - eventually. His rants in hospital (he wants rich food, but is still recovering from major surgery for multiple penetrating bullet wounds) later become a plot point when he has to surreptitiously let Clarissa know that [[spoiler: she and the other captured Patrol nurses are in safe hands and shouldn't commit suicide to avoid sexual enslavement.]]

* Supposedly Howl and Sophie from the novel (but not the film) ''Literature/HowlsMovingCastle'' and its sequels. Howl and Sophie consistently and constantly have verbal sniping matches throughout the entire book, and that doesn't exactly change -- though it's affectionate after their marriage. They even take the time to do so while rushing using life-endangering magic to the climax of the battle. And ''during'' their confessions of love.

* Creator/CSLewis's ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfNarnia'': In ''Literature/TheHorseAndHisBoy'', Aravis and Cor spend most of the book vehemently disagreeing and voicing their annoyance with each other; eventually, though, they quarrel and make up so often that they get married "so as to go on doing it more conveniently."

--> '''Alejandro''': "We're just friends."
--> '''Jake''': "If you say so."
* ''Literature/PercyJacksonAndTheOlympians'' has the titular character and Annabeth, who bicker as much as they show affection for each other. It gets worse when Luke [[spoiler:gives up his body to Kronos in the fourth book]]. Percy is convinced that Luke cannot be redeemed, but Annabeth, who shares a long history with Luke, believes there's still hope. This disagreement causes a huge amount of bad feeling between them. [[spoiler:It all works out in the end,]] though.

-->"Ho ho mousey boy, [[EveryoneCanSeeIt this pretty maid]] [[SheIsNotMyGirlfriend your girlie friend]] - yes?"
-->He could not have said anything worse. Audrey flushed and turned beetroot while Piccadilly groaned and wanted to disappear.

---> "Words do not always echo feelings. You saw two enemies. I saw two young beings fighting an attraction they knew was inappropriate."

* Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux's M/M crime romance series ''Literature/CutAndRun'' gives us FBI [[CowboyCop Special Agents]] [[CrazyAwesome Ty]] [[SemperFi Grady]] and [[PhotographicMemory Zane]] [[FunctionalAddict Garrett]], who bicker LikeAnOldMarriedCouple, engage in SnarkToSnarkCombat, even flat-out brawl at times, and - over the course of the series - risk their lives for one another, all while sexy times ensue.

* Merik and Safi of ''Literature/TheWitchlands'' have this in spades - every interaction between them is roughly 80% annoyed fighting and 20% blooming attraction, and sometimes it's impossible to say where one ends and the other begins.

-->'''Sam''': [[http://www.hark.com/clips/dmjmrsmkty-are-you-as-turned-on-as-i-am# You are the nuttiest...the stupidest..the PHONIEST FRUITCAKE I ever met!]]
-->'''Diane''': And ''you'', Sam Malone--are the most ''arrogant'', ''self-centered'', [[CurseCutShort SON OF]]--
-->'''Sam''': [[BigShutUp SHUT UP! ...Shut your fat mouth!]]
-->'''Diane''': Make me.
-->'''Sam''': ''Make'' you...? My God, I'm, I'm gonna, I'M GONNA BOUNCE YOU OFF EVERY WALL IN THIS OFFICE!!
-->'''Diane''': ''(smirk)'' Try it and you'll be [[GroinAttack walking FUNNY tomorrow.]] Or should I say ''funnier''!
-->'''Sam''': You know...you know I always wanted to ''pop'' you one. Maybe this is my lucky day, huh?
-->'''Diane''': ''(low voice)'' You ''disgust'' me.... I ''hate'' you.
-->'''Sam''': Are you as turned on as I am?
-->'''Diane''': ''More''!
-->'''Sam''': Bet me. ''(followed by TheBigDamnKiss)''

* [[NotBloodSiblings The step-siblings Derek and Casey]] from ''LifeWithDerek'' fit this trope to a T, despite that the creator of the show constantly stated it was just [[SiblingRivalry 'sibling banter']]. The actors, however, admitted they intentionally invoked this trope most of the time.

-->"Note how the female through the feigned antagonism encourages the male in his attempt to mate."

** Dean's relationship with Cassie in the first season episode 'Route 666' seemed to fall under this.

-->'''Kenny''': I went into that bed to get laid, period.
-->'''Max''': But that's not what happened, you were ''making love to me''. That wasn't just fun between the sheets, you were making love!
-->'''Kenny''': That's what you wanted to see!
-->'''Max''': Ugh, why would I want to see that? You're a cro-magnon, you think I want some neanderthal to fall in love with me??
-->'''Kenny''': I'M NOT IN LOVE WITH YOU!

* ''Series/{{Person of Interest}}'':
** Root and Shaw. Though there's plenty of punching, eye-rolling, and even shooting (mostly on Shaw's part), the two have more than their fair share of sexual tension and clearly care about each other, though Shaw refuses to admit it for a long, long time.
-->'''Root''': Hey kids. You miss me between drug deals?
-->'''Shaw''': Yeah. I miss you like I miss an intestinal parasite.
-->'''Root''': I love your similes.

-->'''Mary''': I've been studying the story of Andromeda; do you know it?
-->'''Matthew''': (suspiciously) Why?
-->'''Mary''': Her father was King Cepheus, whose country was being ravaged by storms. And, in the end, he decided the only way to appease the gods was to sacrifice his eldest daughter to a hideous sea monster. So they chained her, naked, to a rock--
-->'''Violet''': (nervously laughs) Really! Mary! We'll all need our smelling salts in a minute!
-->'''Matthew''': But the sea monster didn't get her, did he?
-->'''Mary''': No. Just when it seemed he was the only solution to her father's problems, she was rescued.
-->'''Matthew''': By Perseus.
-->'''Mary''': That's right. Perseus. Son of a god. Rather more fitting, wouldn't you say?
-->'''Matthew''': That depends. I'd have to know more about the princess and the sea monster in question.

* Tenkaichi and Fujii (said right from the start to be his possible love interest) have this in ''Literature/TheConditionsOfGreatDetectives'' mostly because each of them hate how the other solves crimes - throughout Tenkaichi refers to Fujii as an amateur who doesn't understand how crime solving works, who is also completely unfeminine, and she believes he's an idiot because he does extremely counter-intuitive things but always gets it right. Fujii only accepts that she has feelings for Tenkaichi at the very end when she learns she won't see him again after [[EndOfSeriesAwareness the end of the show]].

-->'''Phil''': Fuck off, I'd rather pay for it.
-->'''Emma''': I'd rather fucking eat my own shit.

-->'''Nancy:''' ARGH!!! Frank Hardy is the most exasperating...annoying...frustrating...
-->'''Bess:''' ...cute.
-->'''Nancy:''' ''NO!'' (pause) Well, maybe a little...

-->'''Myka''': What is it with you two?
-->'''Pete''': Man, I hate her!
-->'''Myka''': Right...

** Jon and Ygritte. Aside from the fact that he's on the Night's Watch and sworn to defend the rest of Westeros from Wildlings like her, he's also sworn a vow of celibacy - something she doesn't hesitate to needle him on constantly. They're also both fully aware of Jon's unspoken attraction to her, and Ygritte keeps baiting him endlessly.

---> '''Joy''': --Like we are just pretending, and using hate to cover up our real feelings for each other?
---> '''Jerome''': ...no, I think it's just cause we don't like each other.

-->'''[[spoiler:Saunders]]:''' But this is the end game. You designed someone to hate you so you could convince them to love you.
-->'''Topher:''' I could whip up a love slave, any day I wanted!
-->'''[[spoiler:Saunders]]:''' But that wouldn't be a challenge, would it? ''(pushes him onto the bed)'' Slaves are just slaves. But winning over your enemy, the one person guaranteed to reject everything you are? That's real love.

-->'''Chris''': Just to set the record straight, I don't love you.
-->'''Becker''': Well, I don't love you! I don't even know what made me think I could like you. You're so cute and sweet and nice and perky.
-->'''Chris''': Oh! Well, it's better than being a cranky old fart!
-->'''Becker''': I'm not cranky! There's just certain things that irritate me.
-->'''Chris''': Yeah, everything irritates you! You wouldn't know happiness if it bit you in the ass!
-->'''Becker''': Oh, yeah, why don't you bite me in the ass?
-->'''Chris''': Oh, why don't you bite yourself in the ass? Your head's right there, anyway!
-->'''Becker''': Just go away, would you?
-->'''Chris''': I'm going! Good night!
-->'''Becker''': Good night!
-->'''Chris''': No, no, good ''night''!
-->'''Becker''': You wanna have dinner with me some time?
-->'''Chris''': I'd love to!

--> '''Susie''': Flowers and a valentine! He likes me!!
--> '''Calvin''': She noticed! She likes me!

--> '''Paige''': She called you a festering snot-ball!
--> '''Peter''': But it was the WAY she said it.

-->'''Francis Wheen''': Chirac said he wouldn't have a joint press conference with Blair, because he doesn't like him, and Blair said "That's all right, I'll have one of my own, so I can say what I like about you"...
-->'''Linda''': But do you think that one day, those two crazy kids will stop arguing long enough to realise they're in love?

* Amalia and Georg in ''She Loves Me'' -- at least [[TwoPersonLoveTriangle in person]].

* Another examples from the ''VideoGame/TalesSeries'' is the relationship between Karol and Nan in ''VideoGame/TalesOfVesperia''. This is fueled primarily by two things - one, Nan's guild, the Hunting Blades, spends a good portion of the game antagonistic to Karol's guild, Brave Vesperia. Two, although both do like each other, Karol [[ObliviousToLove doesn't realize the crush isn't one-sided]]. Nan gets frustrated when Karol fails to see it, most prominently in the finale of Karol's version of the [[MultiMookMelee 100-Man Brawl]].

* Klavier Gavin seems to be coming on to Ema Skye in ''[[VisualNovel/ApolloJusticeAceAttorney Ace Attorney: Apollo Justice]]'' during the very few times they actually talk to each other - though it mostly annoys her. She constantly - and not always behind his back - calls him a "Glimmerous Fop".

---> '''Narrator:'''... France is a long time acquaintance he's often found bickering with for bickering's sake. However, in their heart of hearts they love each other ({{Beat}}) Sexually.

-->EB: anyway, i kind of got the impression that you and terezi were a thing.
-->CG: WHAT DO YOU MEAN A THING.
-->EB: Like, i dunno.
-->EB: Going on weird fight dates and beating the crap out of each other, and being in hate-love or love-hate.
-->EB: Isn't that how it works?

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'': According to [[WordOfGod Greg Weisman]] himself, Brooklyn and [[spoiler:his mate Katana]]'s relationship -- at least early on -- was described as a gargoyle version of ''Theatre/MuchAdoAboutNothing'''s Beatrice and Benedick. He first described it as being like [[Series/{{Cheers}} Sam and Diane's]] relationship. No one got it. So then he compared to Beatrice and Benedick, which ''everyone'' got. That should tell you something about the show's fans.

** Season 2, however, sees the relationship fall apart -- the "belligerent" part of the relation [[RealityEnsues proves a bit too much]] and they decide they're BetterAsFriends.

* Another examples from the Franchise/TalesSeries is the relationship between Karol and Nan in ''VideoGame/TalesOfVesperia''. This is fueled primarily by two things - one, Nan's guild, the Hunting Blades, spends a good portion of the game antagonistic to Karol's guild, Brave Vesperia. Two, although both do like each other, Karol [[ObliviousToLove doesn't realize the crush isn't one-sided]]. Nan gets frustrated when Karol fails to see it, most prominently in the finale of Karol's version of the [[MultiMookMelee 100-Man Brawl]].

* WorldOfWarcraft: Illidan and Maiev show some signs of this in the new dungeon introduced in patch 7.2, Cathedral of Eteral Night. Prior to this there was never any hint of this in any official medium, but Illidan/Maiev shipping was common in fanon. The dungeon is likely just Blizzard doing a ShoutOut to said fanon, but if it's developed any further it will become AscendedFanon.

* WorldOfWarcraft: Illidan and Maiev show some signs of this in the new dungeon introduced in patch 7.2, Cathedral of Eteral Night. Prior to this there was never any hint of this in any official medium, but Illidan/Maiev hipping was common in fanon. The dungeon is likely just Blizzard doing a ShoutOut to said fanon, but if it's developed any further it will become AscendedFanon.

* WorldOfWarcraft: Illidan and Maiev show some signs of this in the new dungeon introduced in patch 7.2, Cathedral of Eteral Night. Prior to this there was never any hint of this in any official medium, but Illidan/Maiev Shipping was common in fanon. The dungeon is likely just Blizzard doing a ShoutOut to said fanon, but if it's developed any further it will become AscendedFanon.

* WorldOfWarcraft: Illidan and Maiev show some signs of this in the new dungeon introduced in patch 7.2, Cathedral of Eteral Night. Prior to this there was never any hint of this in any official medium, but Illidan/Maiev Shipping was common in ''Main/Fanon''. The dungeon is likely just Blizzard doing a ShoutOut to said fanon, but if it's developed any further it will become AscendedFanon.

* WorldOfWarcraft: Illidan and Maiev show some signs of this in the new dungeon introduced in patch 7.2, Cathedral of Eteral Night. Prior to this there was never any hint of this in any official medium, but Illidan/Maiev Shipping was common in ''Main\Fanon\\. The dungeon is likely just Blizzard doing a ShoutOut to said fanon, but if it's developed any further it will become AscendedFanon.

* WorldOfWarcraft: Illidan and Maiev show some signs of this in the new dungeon introduced in patch 7.2, Cathedral of Eteral Night. Prior to this there was never any hint of this in any official medium, but Illidan/Maiev Shipping was common in Fanon. The dungeon is likely just Blizzard doing a ShoutOut to said Fanon, but if it's developed any further it will become AscendedFanon.

* At the beginning of ''Fanfic/NeonGenesisEvangelionGenocide'', Asuka resented Shinji because he never helped her when she needed him, and Shinji became frustrated with Asuka because he thought he couldn't understand her, he couldn't reach her out, and she'd not open up to him. Their fights and arguments became more bitter and angrier until Asuka moved out... and then they realized that they missed each other terribly. They eventually patched things up, and althought they still argued, their arguments were more civil, and they got together later on.

* In ''VisualNovel/SteinsGate'' this is the kind of relationship between Okabe and Kurisu.