History Main / RomanceInducingSmudge

** In episode 2 (based on an extra chapter), Yamada is posing as a ghost for the school culture festival and tries painting red on her face for something extra. When Ichikawa gives advice on making it more realistic, she leans in to have him paint her face for her. He gets flustered and only puts red on it.
** On Valentine's Day, Yamada smudges Ichikawa's cheek with chocolate then rubs it into a heart before running off. He doesn't seem to realize exactly what she did, but it motivates him to give her some chocolate a few minutes later.

* In ''LightNovel/ThePetGirlOfSakurasou'', Sorata notices a bit of rice on Nanami's cheek and wipes it off. Mashiro watches and [[FunnyBackgroundEvent starts putting grains of rice on her own cheeks]] so Sorata will do it to her.

* Subverted in ''Film/{{Big}}'', when Susan tries to get Josh to touch her by leaving a dab of mustard at the corner of her mouth, but being fabulously [[GenreBlindness Genre Blind]] to romance tropes, he merely points out the mustard and never tries to clean it himself, even when she pretends not to know where it is.

* A variation in ''Film/{{Zombieland}}'': Columbus discusses how his life's dream is to brush a girl's hair behind her ears.

* ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' example. In "Objects In Space", Mal tried to examine the blood stain on Inara's lip from where Jubal Early struck her. The spark when Mal's hand touches Inara's lip is all but visible.

[[quoteright:194: [[Literature/NorthangerAbbey https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/romanticsmudge.png]]]]

* ''Webcomic/AxisPowersHetalia'' fanfic ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12023508/1/Kaitō-Kokoro Kaitō Kokoro]]'': Kiku and Feliciano had a food fight, and let's just say it led to something more...

[[quoteright:195: [[Literature/NorthangerAbbey https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/smudge.png]]]]
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* The above image source comes from the 2007 film adaptation of Jane Austen’s ''Literature/NorthangerAbbey''

[[folder:FanWorks]]

[[folder:Film]]

* Inverted in ''Film/{{The Mummy|1999}}'', where Imhotep's romance with Anakh-Su-Namun leads him to smear her body paint.

* Subverted in ''Film/{{Big}}'', when Susan tries to get Josh to touch her by leaving a dab of mustard at the corner of her mouth, but being fabulously [[GenreBlindness Genre Blind]] to romance tropes, he merely points out the mustard and never tries to clean it himself, even when she pretends not to know where it is.
* Ron does this to Hermione ''twice,'' in ''Film/HarryPotterAndTheHalfBloodPrince'' and then in ''Film/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows.'' It still takes them ages to resolve their BelligerentSexualTension, though.

* Though, in ''Literature/HarryPotterAndThePhilosophersStone,'' Ron doesn't do this to Hermione (since they're both 11), it's treated as notable that he notices and points it out. See the film section above.

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

* In the "Love And Monsters" episode of ''Series/DoctorWho'', Rose's mom used this trope on Elton to [[ShirtlessScene get him to take his shirt off]].
* Averted in a famous sketch by German comedian Creator/{{Loriot}}. He tries to seduce a woman in an Italian restaurant, but happens to have a piece of noodle in his face. When she points it out, he removes it, but the next time he uses the napkin, the noodle returns to his face. HilarityEnsues as the noodle moves around. No, he doesn't get the girl.

* ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' example. In "Objects In Space", Mal tried to examine the blood stain on Inara's lip from where Jubal Early struck her. The spark when Mal's hand touches Inara's lip is all but visible.
* ''Series/{{Scrubs}}'': Towards the end of "His Story II," Elliot cleans the last little bit of clown makeup off of J.D.'s face ([[ItMakesSenseInContext long story]]). Ten seconds later, cue makeout session.
* In the ''Series/{{Glee}}'' episode "Wheels", Puck and Quinn have a playful food fight while making cupcakes for a bake sale. Puck goes to wipe flour off of Quinn's cheek and they [[AlmostKiss lean towards each other]]... then [[MomentKiller Finn walks in]].
* Korean drama ''Secret Garden'' has an oft-parodied variant, where the male lead gets rid of the milk on the female's lips by kissing her.
* In ''Literature/NorthangerAbbey'' (ITV's 2007 TV movie), during Catherine's visit to the Abbey, Catherine and Henry go horse riding to see Henry's parsonage. When they reach it, it's about to start raining. Catherine suggests they race back to the Abbey. It's quite a rainy and muddy ride and at the Abbey, Henry cleans and caresses Catherine's face.

* The song "A Stud and a Babe" from the musical ''ILoveYouYourePerfectNowChange'' features one of these in the middle. Subverted, because he doesn't actually do anything but tell her about it, and the romance fades ''fast'' after he does.
-->'''Guy:''' You, uh... you have some nacho schmutz on your face.
-->'''Girl:''' (wipes) Gone!
--> '''Guy:''' You, uh, you wiped it to the... other side. Now it's on your chin... better?

--> '''Bandette''': You have something on your face.
--> '''Daniel''': I do?
--> '''Bandette''': ''Oui'', it is Bandette. ''(Kisses him)''

* In ''WesternAnimation/DrawnTogether,'' Xander does this to Toot when they're dancing together. Except, instead of a smudge, it's a whole piece of chicken removed from her face.

* This happens early in the ''LeftBehind'' series, when Chloe is eating a cookie and has a bit of chocolate on her cheek. Buck leans over and wipes it off with his thumb, then eats it on impulse. Cookies later become a romantic symbol for them.
* Happens in the second book of the ''{{Nightrunner}}'' series, although in this case Alec is ''dirtying'' a ''clean'' spot of Seregil's cheek for a disguise. Since this happens after Seregil has realized his feelings for Alec, but while he still believes they are completely unrequited, he is rather shocked.

* Played straight in the ITV adaptation of ''Literature/NorthangerAbbey''; Henry cleans a splash of mud off Catherine's face after they've been out riding together.

* Subverted in ''{{YMMV/Big}}'', when Susan tries to get Josh to touch her by leaving a dab of mustard at the corner of her mouth, but being fabulously [[GenreBlindness Genre Blind]] to romance tropes, he merely points out the mustard and never tries to clean it himself, even when she pretends not to know where it is.

* A mild variation is invoked in ''ParksAndRecreation'' between Leslie and Ben after the latter has dust thrown in his face as a fake Native American curse-lifting ritual.

* In the song "It Won't Be Long Now" from ''InTheHeights'', the character Vanessa pauses to tell Usnavi he has "some schmutz" on his face and tries to wipe it off. He shyly tries to move away and the two stand there awkwardly until [[AnnoyingYoungerSibling Sonnny]] appears and starts [[HandsOnApproach dancing with Vanessa]].

* In ''DrawnTogether,'' Xander does this to Toot when they're dancing together. Except, instead of a smudge, it's a whole piece of chicken removed from her face.