History Main / TheNotLoveInterest

* On "Dexter" the titular hunter has his [[NotBloodSiblings sister]] Debra. He even notes in one episode that if he could have feelings for anyone, they would be for her.

* [[TropeNamer Justin and Alex]] from ''WizardsOfWaverlyPlace''. They even have their own [[IncestYay/WizardsOfWaverlyPlace Incest Yay page]].

* Quite a few of them on ''{{Lost}}'', particularly [[LesYay Claire for Kate]] and the [[IncestYay Man In Black and Jacob]] for each other.

* Robin in the {{Batman} comics. Lampshaded in an issue of JusticeLeagueOfAmerica where the other [[http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/smartbombstudios-justice.jpg Justice League members think of their girlfriends and Batman thinks of Robin]].

* Riku is Sora's in ''KingdomHearts'' -- especially ''KingdomHeartsII''.

* Jack and Liz Lemon are this on ''30 Rock''. [[spoiler: They even get married]] and still don't see each other as anything but best friends.

** A more straight example is [[spoiler: Itachi and Sasuke. Itachi actually ''killed'' his LoveInterest, as well as his family and his entire clan because he put the good of Konoha before the people he loved. But he couldn't kill his little brother, and, in fact, blackmailed Konoha into not harming him. He then set up an elaborate plan to make Sasuke hate him and get strong enough to kill him, thereby making him so strong that by the time Itachi was no longer around to blackmail Konoha, Sasuke would be too strong to kill. When Sasuke finds out about this, he reacts in a similar manner, essentially throwing away his life to avenge Itachi.]]

[[WizardsOfWaverlyPlace Alex is Justin's]] NotLoveInterest.

** Well [[TropesAreFlexible sort of]]. Sheridan isn't "much less significant." But in many ways Lennier might qualify as Delenn's NotLoveInterest.

[[[WizardsOfWaverlyPlace Alex is Justin's]] NotLoveInterest.

Alex is Justin's NotLoveInterest.

* For SherlockHolmes, it's Watson. See [[Quotes/TheNotLoveInterest the QuotesWiki]] for one particularly noteworthy instance. Some adaptations have Irene Adler fulfill this role instead.
** [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] [[RunningGag remorselessly]] in the 2010 TV Sherlock series, along with a liberal dose of HoYay, particularly on the rather {{camp}} Holmes' part.
*** [[YourMilageMayVary YMMV]] when it comes to the 'camp'-ness of Benedict Cumberbatch's Holmes. Given the whole 'it's all fine' conversation in A Study in Pink (and the other version of the same conversation from the pilot) you're more than likely to come away with the conclusion that he's [[{{Asexuality}} asexual]]. [[spoiler:Even so, John is still Sherlock's [[TheNotLoveInterest Not Love Interest]], and vice versa. Some things never change.]]

** [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] [[RunningGag remorselessly]] in the 2010 TV series, along with a liberal dose of HoYay, particularly on the rather {{camp}} Holmes' part.

** [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] remorselessly in the 2010 TV series, along with a liberal dose of HoYay, particularly on the rather {{camp}} Holmes' part.

** Mal and Zoe. One episode centers around Wash's complaints that there's {{UST}} between them. However, at the end of the episode Mal and Zoe's attempted kiss (to "defuse" this so-called tension) is ''painfully'' awkward. Even ''Jayne'' is unnerved.

*** Knowing Luffy, he'd probably do that for any friend.

The Not Love Interest is an interesting phenomenon in which the character who fulfills a typical "LoveInterest" role doesn't actually have a romantic relationship with the hero. TheHero may have an actual love interest, but she will always be much less significant than this character.

* ''Psych'': Girlfriends may come and go, but Shawn and Gus will always be the most important people in each other's lives.