History Main / InappropriatelyCloseComrades

* ''Machinima/RedVsBlue'' demonstrates ''exactly'' why such laws exist:

* In ''Fanfic/ToTheStars'', the military has regulations in place to avert this, necessitating that magical girls be in reasonably separate commands if they are in a relationship. In one instance in a flashback however, a particularly brutal YouAreInCommandNow situation leaves Asaka forced to have her lover's unit to perform a HeroicSacrifice to buy the rest of her forces time to regroup. This necessity causes her to suffer a near-fatal HeroicBSOD.

* However, it certainly wasn't the case in Ancient Greece, where it was virtually a prerequisite of acceptance into a military unit to sign up alongside one's (male) lover. The Sacred Band of Thebes, an elite fighting group, was actually composed of 150 pairs of male lovers. ([[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_Band_of_Thebes Other Wiki]]). The idea was that each pair consisted of an older erastês (ἐραστής, "lover") and a younger erômenos (ἐρώμενος "beloved") and each pair would fight harder to avoid the shame of their significant other witnessing their cowardice. This idea was taken up by other Greek cities including Sparta and Athens.

* PlayedForLaughs on ''{{Series/Firefly}}''. ''Serenity'' isn’t a military ship but Captain Reynolds still tries to forbid crew mate romances. Zoe and Wash don’t care and in TheMovie Simon and Kaylee get together.

-->'''Wash:''' Know what I think?
-->'''Mal:''' [...] What? What do you think, Wash? Because I'm interested. [...]
-->'''Wash:''' This policy you got against shipboard relationships, that's just you projecting your own intimacy issues onto everyone else.

* ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5522232/1/Frat-Regs Frat Regs]]'' is a Franchise/GIJoe look at this trope.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Zootopia}}'' fanfics vary in regards to the ZPD's attitude towards fraternization. Some writers add an element of drama to [[FanPreferredCouple Nick and Judy's]] relationship by banning romance between officers, others don't have rules keeping them from sleeping together. This mirrors real life in that there isn't a standard policy among the various police departments about partners being romantically involved. The only universal prohibition is against a superior dating someone below them in their chain of command.
* In ''Fanfic/ToTheStars'', the military has regulations in place to avert this, necessitating that magical girls be in reasonably separate commands if they are in a relationship. In one instance in a flashback however, a particularly brutal YouAreInCommandNow situation leaves Asaka forced to have her lover's unit to perform a HeroicSacrifice to buy the rest of her forces time to regroup. This necessity causes her to suffer a near-fatal HeroicBSOD.

* The Greil Mercenaries in ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13691977/4/It-Takes-a-Mercenary-Team It Takes a Mercenary Team]]'' are essentially family. They operate well regardless, except Commander Ike finds performance reviews awkward when he has to evaluate his sister, husband, best friend, and surrogate parents.

Rules like this are pretty standard in military organizations unless they're only MildlyMilitary or the writers are using [[ArtisticLicenseMilitary Artistic License regarding military matters]]. (The relevant military word is [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fraternization fraternization]], although that term is much broader than most examples here, with some militaries banning ''any'' kind of social relationship between people at different levels in the same chain of command). Non-military organizations which employ similar levels of discipline can also have this kind of rule. For relationships between people in less tightly controlled workplaces, which aren't necessarily prohibited, see OfficeRomance. If holding a certain job requires that you forgo ''all'' relationships (not just with colleagues), see VowOfCelibacy.

*** In "[[Recap/StarTrekS1E14BalanceOfTerror Balance of Terror]]", we see the (interrupted) marriage of two crew members. A few minutes later, the bride-to-be reminds her fiancee that she is still her superior officer...

** ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'' travels this road for the first two seasons why generating significant ShipTease between Capt. Archer and his first officer, T'Pol, cranked UpToEleven by the controversial episode "[[Recap/StarTrekEnterpriseS02E05ANightInSickbay A Night in Sickbay]]" in which Archer makes a reference (albeit accidental) to T'Pol's breasts. In Season 3, this ship is mostly anchored (except for a story set in an alternate timeline in which T'Pol gives up her career to become Archer's caregiver after he loses his ability to retain memories for more than a day). Instead, she enters into a sexual relationship with the chief engineer.

*** In "[[Recap/StarTrekS1E14BalanceOfTerror Balance of Terror]]", we see the (interrupted) marraige of two crew members. A few minutes later, the bride-to-be reminds her fiancee that she is still her superior officer...

** ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'' travels this road for the first two seasons why generating significant ShipTease between Capt. Archer and his first officer, T'Pol, cranked UpToEleven by the controversial episode "[[Recap/StarTrekEnterpriseS2E5ANightInSickbay A Night in Sickbay]]" in which Archer makes a reference (albeit accidental) to T'Pol's breasts. In Season 3, this ship is mostly anchored (except for a story set in an alternate timeline in which T'Pol gives up her career to become Archer's caregiver after he loses his ability to retain memories for more than a day). Instead, she enters into a sexual relationship with the chief engineer.

** ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'' travels this road for the first two seasons why generating significant ShipTease between Capt. Archer and his first officer, T'Pol, cranked UpToEleven by the controversial episode "A Night in Sickbay" in which Archer makes a reference (albeit accidental) to T'Pol's breasts. In Season 3, this ship is mostly anchored (except for a story set in an alternate timeline in which T'Pol gives up her career to become Archer's caregiver after he loses his ability to retain memories for more than a day). Instead, she enters into a sexual relationship with the chief engineer.

** Another example is in ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' episode "[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS6E19Lessons Lessons]]", where Captain Picard breaks off a relationship with one of his officers, after ordering her into a life-endangering situation. Even before then, she found the stoic mask of command he had to maintain between them rather awkward.

** In the ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' episode "Change of Heart", Worf and Jadzia (a married couple) are sent alone on a mission together in wartime, and he abandons it completely to save her life. Worf faces some serious career consequences in the aftermath, and Captain Sisko issues orders that the two of them are ''never'' to be sent alone on a mission ever again.
** Another example is in ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' episode "Lessons", where Captain Picard breaks off a relationship with one of his officers, after ordering her into a life-endangering situation. Even before then, she found the stoic mask of command he had to maintain between them rather awkward.

*** In "Balance of Terror", we see the (interrupted) marraige of two crew members. A few minutes later, the bride-to-be reminds her fiancee that she is still her superior officer...

* ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha'': [[NoHuggingNoKissing While it's never shown onscreen]](due to taking place in the TimeSkip between ''A's'' and ''[=StrikerS=]''), Chrono was Amy's commanding officer during at least part of the time that they were dating, though Amy had retired by the time they get married. Of course, it's implied that this sort of thing is actually encouraged since it leads to [[MilitaryBrat the next generation of mages]] being loyal to the TSAB. Having family members serve in the same unit is also fairly common, dating as far back as the first season where Chrono was his mother's XO, although in that case, Chrono kept things completely professional with Lindy (e.g. calling her "the captain" rather than "Mom").

* ''ComicBook/JudgeDredd'': These are known as "extra-judicial liaisons" - Judges are NOT allowed to have romantic relationships, including with non-Judges (though these rules were somewhat relaxed under Chief Judge Goodman, as shown when Dredd visits his twin Rico shacked up with a rich woman). Judge [=DeMarco=] is a noticeable exception who eventually chose to resign when the [[InternalAffairs Special Judicial Squad]] started to hound her over her affairs with other Judges.

* PlayedWith in ''Manga/BlackClover:'' [[LadyOfWar Charlotte]] has a close ''friendly'' relationship with her subordinate [[DishingOutDirt Sol]], while Sol clearly is in love with her. Meanwhile, [[IncompatibleOrientation Charlotte has feelings for]] [[DarkIsNotEvil Yami]], the leader of a different Magic Knights squad. Interestingly, each of these infatuations resulted from [[RescueRomance the crushee rescuing the person who likes them]].

* ''Series/{{Hightown}}'': In Season 2 Jackie joins the Providence police, and soon gets involved with her partner Leslie Babcock. Leslie reveals she'd had an affair with Ray before when they were in the same unit, and it led to both their divorces once this came out. While no specific regulation gets cited against this, it's prettly clearly frowned upon.

[[folder:Comic Books]]
* ''ComicBook/JudgeDredd'': These are known as "extra-judicial liaisons" - Judges are NOT allowed to have romantic relationships, including with non-Judges (though these rules were somewhat relaxed under Chief Judge Goodman, as shown when Dredd visits his twin Rico shacked up with a rich woman). Judge [=DeMarco=] is a noticeable exception who eventually chose to resign when the [[InternalAffairs Special Judicial Squad]] started to hound her over her affairs with other Judges.
* ''Franchise/WonderWoman'':
** ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1942'': During the Golden Age Col Darnell quietly seemed to encourage the budding romance between his secretary WAC 2nd Lt Diana "Prince" and his top operative USAAF Lt ComicBook/SteveTrevor. He didn't seem to be aware they were actually dating once Wonder Woman and Steve became an item as he was supposedly unaware that Diana and WW were one and the same.
** In ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1987'' Steve's position in the Air Force is somewhat unclear and flexible under the various writers, but at one point he and his wife seemed to be working under the same superior officer.
[[/folder]]

* In ''Webcomic/SchlockMercenary'' Tagon's Toughs have some rules against relationships with superior officers, but they're loose. The engagement between Dr. Bunnigan (lieutenant) and Reverend Forbius (sergeant) is tolerated because neither of them has any commands, though the chaplain is promoted to lieutenant after their marriage. While Captain Tagon brushes off Elf's advances when she is a lieutenant and suggests she get together with Commander Andreyason after she's promoted to Cmdr.

* In the ''Literature/HonorHarrington'' books, the Manticoran navy has rules against fraternization in the same chain of command, which is one of several reasons that [[spoiler:Honor's relationship with Hamish Alexander (her superior officer)]] is kept secret. This problem is resolved when the latter is made First Lord of the Admiralty, which is a civilian role (equivalent to a Secretary of Defense) despite its military focus. One of the earlier books mentions, though, that the RMN is a lot less strict about fraternization than the Earth militaries that preceded it, recognizing [[RealityEnsues the realities of cooping up mixed-gender crews with no shore leave for weeks or months at a stretch]] (the commanding officer is apparently the only one seriously inconvenienced by the rules). The general rule seems to be no fraternization with someone who is in your direct chain of command and no fraternization between Officers and Enlisted.

* In ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'', Colonel Roy Mustang's assistant and bodyguard, First Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye, would probably be more than comrades if not for the fact that they're both in the military and it would be forbidden.