History Main / InconvenientAttraction

* ''Literature/RebuildWorld'': Akira, due to being traumatized from being exploited in HoneyTrap situations in the past, sometimes has panic attacks from witnessing Sheryl's charming smile, and more generally that fear of his feelings being exploited feeds into Akira's {{Tsundere}} dynamic with her.
* ''Literature/TrappedInADatingSimTheWorldOfOtomeGamesIsToughForMobs'': The end of the first novel has Leon fretting over how, after befriending and being attracted to both Angelica and Olivia, they are out of his "strike zone" for the political marriage he desperately needs to survive in a FantasticCasteSystem, since they are (or will be in the case of Olivia), way higher status than he is. This prompts the [[MarketBasedTitle (original japanese)]] TitleDrop of "The world of [[OtomeGame otome games]] is tough [[FlashyProtagonistsBlandExtras for mobs]]".

[[folder:ComicBook]]

[[folder:Film -- Live Action]]

* In the tie-in novel to ''VideoGame/StarshipTitanic'', there's a brief scene set on a planet where love is considered a minor medical ailment. A husband mentions to his wife that he's finding a young lady interesting, and she casually suggests he make a doctor's appointment.

[[folder:LiveActionTV]]

[[folder:{{Music}}]]

[[folder:{{Theatre}}]]
* In ''Theatre/{{Camelot}}'' (as in other versions of the Myth/{{Arthurian Legend}}s) Guinevere (Arthur's wife) and Lancelot (Arthur's best knight) are distressed to find themselves in love with each other. Since they both love Arthur, they are tormented by their feelings of desire and guilt.

[[folder:VideoGames]]

[[folder:WesternAnimation]]

Tends to affect characters who know that LoveHurts. {{Sub Trope}}s include SexIsEvilAndIAmHorny, which is for characters who are anti-sex and therefore feel disgusted by their own sexual feelings, and BigotWithACrush, when a character has feelings for someone from a group that they are prejudiced towards. StupidSexyFriend can be a cause of this, while {{Tsundere}} can be a result. If it leads to a breakup between the subject and their partner, expect them to explain that ItsNotYouItsMe. Often related to ForbiddenLove.

* ''LightNovel/ExpectingToFallIntoRuinIAimToBecomeABlacksmith'': Kururi panics upon first meeting Iris and being attracted to her, because he has MediaTransmigration foreknowledge that he will end up marrying Eliza, who can be a terrifying WomanScorned. Iris takes advantage of this to [[TheTease tease him]] occasionally.

* ''LightNovel/RebuildWorld'': Akira, due to being traumatized from being exploited in HoneyTrap situations in the past, sometimes has panic attacks from witnessing Sheryl's charming smile, and more generally that fear of his feelings being exploited feeds into Akira's {{Tsundere}} dynamic with her.
* ''LightNovel/TrappedInADatingSimTheWorldOfOtomeGamesIsToughForMobs'': The end of the first novel has Leon fretting over how, after befriending and being attracted to both Angelica and Olivia, they are out of his "strike zone" for the political marriage he desperately needs to survive in a FantasticCasteSystem, since they are (or will be in the case of Olivia), way higher status than he is. This prompts the [[MarketBasedTitle (original japanese)]] TitleDrop of "The world of [[OtomeGame otome games]] is tough [[FlashyProtagonistsBlandExtras for mobs]]".

* ''Series/{{Bridgerton}}'': Season 2's romantic leads, Anthony and Kate, are famously this. Neither of them are pleased upon realized to share a mutual attraction, since [[spoiler:Anthony insistently attempts to court and marry Kate's sister, Edwina, as he is dead-set against marrying for love[[note]]he is traumatized by how his father's sudden tragic death affected his mother so badly and heartbroken after his longtime mistress, Siena, dumped him for another man ''just'' as he was ready to go public with her[[/note]], while Kate's reason is because she initially disliked Anthony[[note]]for his refusal to marry for love[[/note]] and she herself never dreams to get married]]. They spend most of the season trying their best to deny or fight their feelings before eventually end up [[TheyDo married]].

* ''Film/{{Flipped}}'': By the time Bryce realized to have fallen genuinely in love with Juli, he tries his best to fight his feelings for her. So does Juli upon learning about Bryce's cowardice, particularly when he didn't stop Garrett's joke about her mentally-disabled uncle, Daniel.

* ''Series/{{Bridgerton}}'': Season 2's romantic leads, Anthony and Kate, are famously this. Neither of them are pleased upon realized to share a mutual attraction, since [[spoiler:Anthony insistently attempts to court and marry Kate's sister, Edwina, as he is dead-set against marrying for love[[note]]he is traumatized by how his father's sudden tragic death affected his mother so badly[[/note]], while Kate's reason is because she initially disliked Anthony[[note]]for his refusal to marry for love[[/note]] and she herself never dreams to get married]]. They spend most of the season trying their best to deny or fight their feelings before eventually end up [[TheyDo married]].

* ''Series/{{Bridgerton}}'': Season 2's romantic leads, Anthony and Kate, are famously this. Neither of them are pleased upon realized to share a mutual attraction, since [[spoiler:Anthony insistently attempts to court and marry Kate's sister, Edwina, as he is dead-set against marrying for love[[note]]he is traumatized by how his father's sudden tragic death affected his mother so badly[[/note]], while Kate's reason is because she initially disliked Anthony for his refusal to marry for love and she herself never dreams to get married]]. They spend most of the season trying their best to deny or fight their feelings before eventually end up [[TheyDo married]].

* In ''Film/EnolaHolmes2'', two things are painfully obvious: first, that Enola is absolutely nuts about Viscount Tewkesbury, and second, she is really, ''really'' annoyed about it. [[spoiler:She gets over it eventually, after he finally confesses that he's in love with her too.]]

* ''Series/{{Bridgerton}}'': Neither [[spoiler:Anthony or Kate]] are pleased upon realized to share a mutual attraction, since [[spoiler:Anthony insistently attempts to court and marry Kate's sister, Edwina, as he is dead-set against marrying for love[[note]]he is traumatized by how his father's sudden tragic death affected his mother so badly[[/note]], while Kate's reason is because she initially disliked Anthony for his refusal to marry for love and she herself never dreams to get married]]. They spend most of the season trying their best to deny or fight their feelings before eventually end up [[TheyDo married]].

* ''Series/{{Bridgerton}}'': Season 2's romantic leadings, Anthony or Kate, are famously this. They are not pleased upon realized to have a mutual attraction, since Anthony insistently attempts to court Kate's sister, Edwina, as he is dead-set against marrying for love [[spoiler:after seeing how his father's tragic sudden death affected his mother so badly, while Kate's reason is because she initially disliked Anthony for his refusal to marry for love and she herself never dreams to marry]]. They spend most of the season trying their best to deny or fight their feelings before eventually end up [[TheyDo married]].

* ''Series/{{Bridgerton}}'': Season 2's romantic leadings, Anthony or Kate, are famously this. They are not pleased upon realized to have a mutual attraction, since Anthony insistently attempts to court Kate's sister, Edwina, as he is dead-set against marrying for love [[spoiler:after seeing how his father's tragic sudden death affected his mother so badly, while Kate's reason is because she initially disliked Anthony for his refusal to marry for love and she herself never dreams to marry]]. They spend most of the season trying their best to deny or fight their feelings before eventually [[{{Irony end up}}]] [[TheyDo married]].

* ''Series/{{Bridgerton}}'': Anthony or Kate are famously this in season 2. They are not pleased upon realized that they have a mutual attraction, since Anthony insistently attempts to court Kate's sister, Edwina, as he is dead-set against marrying for love [[spoiler:after seeing how his father's tragic sudden death affected his mother so badly, while Kate's reason is because she initially disliked Anthony upon learning about it and she never dreams to marry]]. They spend most of the season trying their best to deny or fight their feelings, but eventually end up [[TheyDo married]].

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

* ''Theatre/{{Waitress}}'': Jenna and Dr Pomatter are both ''very'' aware that they can't be together, due to the fact that both of them are already married. During the song "Bad Idea", they try to talk themselves out of their affair shortly before having sex in his office.

* ''Theatre/Waitress'': Jenna and Dr Pomatter are both ''very'' aware that they can't be together, but also can't help their feelings for each other. During the song "Bad Idea", they try to talk themselves out of their affair shortly before having sex in his office.

* In ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'', Yue tries to support her BestFriend Nodoka and her feelings for Negi, but her own [[MatchmakerCrush developing feelings for him]] eventually get discovered and she freaks out about it. When conversing with another friend about it, she uses words like "scum" and "the worst" to describe herself because she feels that she's betraying her best friend. She's assured that there's nothing wrong with the way she feels and is encouraged to pursue Negi herself.

* One issue of ''ComicBook/{{Batman}}'' has the Joker trapping Harley Quinn in a rocket ship, and explaining that this is his dilemma with her. His affection started out as a ploy to get her to follow him, but ended up becoming sincere attraction and fondness...and since he thought he didn't need those feelings anymore, having them makes him upset.

* In ''Literature/OfHumanBondage'', Philip Carey becomes obsessed with a waitress named Mildred. His love for her is completely irrational, since she's selfish, shallow, cruel, not praticularly attractive, and doesn't love him back. Their relationship brings him nothing but misery. Philip is perfectly aware of Mildred's faults and desperately wishes he could get rid of his feelings for her.

Tends to affect characters who know that LoveHurts. {{Sub Trope}}s include SexIsEvilAndIAmHorny, which is for characters who are anti-sex and therefore feel disgusted by their own sexual feelings, and BigotWithACrush, when a character has feelings for someone from a group that they are prejudiced towards. StupidSexyFriend can be a cause of this, while {{Tsundere}} can be a result. If it leads to a breakup between the subject and their partner, expect them to explain that ItsNotYouItsMe.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheGrimAdventuresOfBillyAndMandy'', Mandy falls in love with Billy's new friend, Pif. Mandy is distraught, because she desires to hate everything and everyone. She asks Grim to cut her heart out, so she could no longer love. Pif had annoyed Grim earlier, so he decides to doll Mandy up instead, so she can turn Pif down when he asks her to the dance.

** Simultaneously, Sonya has what she at least thinks is a more romantic attachment to Zii. At first, Zii mostly tries to keep Sonya at arms' length, turning her into a StalkerWithACrush, but eventually, they get closer for a while, then have a bad break-up. This leaves Sonya violently angry with Zii, to the point of seeking revenge, but she also finds it impossible to forget the attraction. The problem is solved when Sonya encounters international spy Bianca. The fact is, what Sonya really loves is ''excitement'', and while she associates Zii with the excitement of their early encounters, Bianca's lifestyle actually involves repeated physical danger, which really turns Sonya on.

* In ''[[Literature/HonorHarrington Echoes of Honor]]'', Javier Giscard mentally admits that he sometimes wonders if falling in love with his [[PoliticalOfficer People's Commissioner]], Eloise Pritchart, wasn't more of a curse than a blessing. Given that anyone at all getting so much as a ''whiff'' of their [[SecretRelationship true relationship]] would have resulted in both his and Eloise's summary execution ''at best'', he's justified in feeling this way... but they love each other so deeply, they consider it worth the risk anyway. [[spoiler:Their relationship ultimately helps restore their country to its true, best self for the first time in over two hundred years, so....]]