History Main / SiblingTriangle

* In ''Literature/MistbornTheOriginalTrilogy'', brothers [[SupernaturalSensitivity Marsh]] and [[EmpoweredBadassNormal Kelsier]] both loved [[SuperSenses Mare]], but Mare chose Kelsier in the end. One of the reasons for the brothers' strained relationship is that after Mare and Kelsier were arrested, only Kelsier came back alive.

* Done briefly on ''Series/Friends'' when Ross goes on a couple of dates with Jill, the sister of his [[RelationshipRevolvingDoor on-again-off-again]] partner Rachel. Rachel initially thinks she can handle it, but she ultimately gets so upset that Ross decides to stop seeing Jill, because he knows if he goes through it, it'll sink any possible future relationship with Rachel for good.

* The Emperor murdered his brother and married his brother's wife in ''Film/LegendOfTheBlackScorpion''. Wan didn't want anything to do with this, but she submits. Or appears to.

** Mariah was horrified to realize she was in love with Tessa, not because Tessa's a woman, but because she was dating Mariah's brother Noah at the time. Tessa grew to reciprocate her feelings, and, after she and Noah broke up, the two officially got together. Noah was ''remarkably'' classy about all this, and is overall very supportive Mariah and Tessa.

** And in ''Frozen Throne'' it's revealed that he still cares for her; the news of her being dead (not really) triggers a HeelFaceTurn where Illidan [[IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy fetches her, gives her back to Malfurion then leaves their lives for good]].

* Two of the main heroines of ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'' ([[spoiler:Rin and Sakura]]) are secretly sisters (both sisters are aware of this fact but keep their distance from each other in all but the third route) and both are not only in love with [[TheHero Shirou]], they both fell for him ''at the exact same time.'' Which sister wins ([[TakeAThirdOption if either]]) depends on the route.

* In ''Manhua/GoddessCreationSystem'' Xiaxi ends up setting one of these off, half on purpose. She serves as the personal attendant of Mingluan and is very supportive but not openly trying to win him over. She eventually makes him fall in love with her by emphasizing that he needs to [[BeYourself play to his own strengths]] and helping him make a name for himself. Later, she's transferred to work under his brother Mingyi and pretends to be in love with Mingluan. Since Mingyi can't stand being inferior to someone else, he grows increasingly obsessed with her and eventually falls in love as well. During this whole process, the two begin an extremely disruptive fight, though not directly over Xiaxi. Later, they end up coming to terms with each other and agree on a fair competition to win her. However, Xiaxi doesn't actually care about either!

* Happens in Yoko Hanabusa's ''Manga/{{Lady}}'', with the Russell half-sisters [[ProperLady Sarah]] and [[PluckyGirl Lynn]] having feelings for [[PrincelyYoungMan Arthur Brighton.]] [[spoiler: Sarah and Arthur get together, while Lynn's feelings shift towards Arthur's younger brother Edward.]]

* In one ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'' ''Black and White'' animated comic "Two of a Kind", Harvey Dent is rehabilitated by a combination of therapy, plastic surgery, and a romance with the plastic surgeon. Said plastic surgeon has a twin sister who is immediately smitten with Harvey because she is even crazier than Two-Face and believes they are two of a kind. She tempts Harvey into cheating on his fiance, but he eventually breaks it off with her. It ends in tears [[ChronicVillainy just as all of Harvey's attempts]] [[StatusQuoIsGod to be free of Two-Face do]].
* In ''ComicBook/BuffyTheVampireSlayer [[PostScriptSeason Season 8]],'' Buffy realizes that she may have romantic feelings for long-time platonic friend Xander. She goes to tell him, only to discover that he has just started a relationship with her sister, Dawn. (This is all made even more complicated when you remember that Xander had a crush on Buffy in Season 1 and Dawn had a PrecociousCrush on Xander in Season 5).
* Issue #9 of ''ComicBook/MyLittlePonyFriendsForever'' involves the identical twin unicorn {{Con Artist}}s Flim and Flam having broken up over their mutual attraction to a librarian named Marian. Granny Smith gets them back together by revealing she was the non-sibling member of one of these herself in her younger days, with the "Jonagold Brothers" never speaking to each other for the rest of their lives after she backed out of their feuding over her.

* Miguel, alias ''ComicBook/SpiderMan2099'', starts the series engaged to his brother Gabe's former girlfriend (they first hooked up ''while'' Gabe was seeing her, and Gabe is still a bit resentful). Things get more strained when Gabe's ''current'' girlfriend ''also'' falls for Miguel in his Spider-Man guise.
* ''Franchise/XMen'':
** In ''ComicBook/UltimateXMen'', Lorna (aka Polaris) dated Scott (aka ComicBook/{{Cyclops}}) in the backstory and his brother Alex (aka Havok) in the series' present.
** In the normal continuity the Summers brothers had another one: Madelyn was married to Scott and later fell for Alex.

* ''Film/KapoorAndSons'': Tia kisses Rahul but admits to his brother Arjun that she has feelings for him. [[spoiler:Rahul comes out as gay by the film's end and Arjun ends up with Tia.]]

** In the [[Anime/FullMetalAlchemist2003 first anime]], [[spoiler: Scar]] was in love with his older brother's girlfriend. She later died and [[spoiler:Scar's]] brother [[LoveMakesYouCrazy fell enough into despair]] to try [[spoiler:Human Transmutation to bring her back, before his own death... unwittingly creating the homunculus Lust in the process. The brother's last words are basically a mix of an apology to Scar ("I'm sorry, you probably deserved her more") and a reaffirmation of his feelings ("But will see her first").]]

* ''Literature/TheBible'' has a rather complicated example with Jacob, Rachel, and Leah. Jacob fell madly in love with Rachel and worked for her father/his uncle Laban for seven years in order to earn the right to marry her. However, in Rachel's society it was shameful for the younger daughter to be married first, so (with some help from the very thick veils used at the time, as well as some alcohol) Laban switched Rachel out with Leah, with Jacob only finding out during the wedding night. Rachel and Laban then forced Jacob to work ''another'' seven years so he could marry Rachel for real (although Laban "graciously" allowed the wedding to go ahead right after Leah's). One can't help but wonder what poor Leah felt about this arrangement.[[note]]In a slightly unrelated note, this is why we have the tradition of the bride removing her veil in Western weddings.[[/note]]

* ''Literature/EastOfEden'' (which is, after all, based on Literature/TheBible), has ''two'' of these. [[spoiler:Cathy marries Adam after sleeping with his brother Charles]]. Later, [[spoiler:Cathy's sons Cal and Aron like the same girl, Abra. She's interested in Aron when they're children, but their relationship becomes strained in high school, and she switches to Cal toward the end of the book]].

* ''Manga/{{Claudine}}'' has two. [[spoiler: Both of the Lacques siblings (Louis and Cecilia) were lovers to the main character's father Auguste, and later both Claudine and his elder brother Andre fall for the same girl, Sirene. [[FromBadToWorse Both cases end up in death and tears]].]]

* ''WebOriginal/LoomingGaia'': First brothers Lukas and Jelani were both in love with Itanya, and later they both fell in love with Evan.

* ''Series/TheSummerITurnedPretty'': Belly has feelings for brothers Jeremiah and Conrad. They both have feelings in turn for her in turn. She goes back and forth between their affections repeatedly.

* In ''VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry'', At first Shion seems to like the same boy as her identical twin sister Mion, but she subverts it since it's later shown she was simply [[TheGadfly teasing]] and is actually in love with Satoko's brother Satoshi, who disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Depending on the route, sometimes she [[ShipperOnDeck encourages Keiichi and Mion]] to get together, and sometimes [[ShippingTorpedo she sabotages their relationship out of jealousy]]. Like everyone in that story, [[ThereAreNoTherapists she has issues]].

* In ''VisualNovel/{{Tsukihime}}'' the {{Meido}} twins Kohaku and Hisui are both potential love interests for the main character Shiki, but on different routes. A key part of their story involves the fact that they both knew Shiki when he was a kid, [[spoiler:but Shiki doesn't realize the two pulled a TwinSwitch and that the GenkiGirl was really Hisui while the sad girl in the window was Kohaku, the opposite of their current dispositions]].

* In [[http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/cinderella/stories/birch.html "The Wonderful Birch,"]] the witch made the items fit her daughter; her stepdaughter let the prince know the truth and so they used the witch's daughter to make a magical bridge and he married the stepdaughter; the witch then replaced the stepdaughter with her daughter after childbirth.
* In [[http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/authors/grimms/135whiteblackbride.html "The White Bride and the Black One,"]] the stepmother murders her stepdaughter en route to the wedding and substitutes her own daughter.
* In the Chinese tale "Beauty and Pockface", Pockface takes Beauty's place after she visited her family, and weeps and wails about how he never really loved her because he no longer does after she contracted smallpox.

* In [[Literature/TamCam "The Story of Tam and Cam,"]] Tam is murdered by her stepmother, who gets the king to marry Cam in her place, but Tam keeps coming back.
* In [[http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/authors/grimms/57goldenbird.html "The Golden Bird"]] the brothers try to murder their younger brother and keep the beautiful maiden.
** Similarly in [[http://www.mythfolklore.net/andrewlang/368.htm "The Golden Blackbird,"]] [[http://www.mythfolklore.net/andrewlang/392.htm "The Golden Mermaid,"]] and [[http://www.mythfolklore.net/andrewlang/412.htm "The Bird 'Grip'."]]

* Averted in [[http://www.tonightsbedtimestory.com/snow-white-and-rose-red/ "Snow-White and Rose-Red"]]: it turns out that the prince whom they free from an evil dwarf's spell has a younger brother at home. [[DoubleInLawMarriage Snow-White marries the elder prince and Rose-Red gets together with the younger.]]

* In ''Fanfic/HotUnderTheCollar'', a ''Literature/HarryPotter'' {{Fanfic}}, both Regulus and Sirius--who are brothers--want to be Remus' boyfriend.
* In ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'' story ''Fanfic/SupermanOf2499TheGreatConfrontation'', Alan and Adam Kent love [[ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} Katherine]]. Kath finds Adam attractive but she eventually chooses Alan. Adam doesn't take her choice well ''at all''.
* In ''FanFic/ToHellAndBackArrowverse'', the Oliver/Laurel/Tommy Love Triangle is also this, as (unbeknownst to all three), Oliver and Tommy are half-brothers.
* ''Fanfic/YouBuiltThisHouse'' contains a variation. Apple White and Daring Charming are considered destined to be together, but it turns out that Daring's sister Darling is actually Apple's "true love". Apple [[{{Gayngst}} tries to ignore this]] and pretend that [[TheBeard Daring is her soulmate]], even after everyone [[ForcedOutOfTheCloset already knows]] about her and Darling's destiny. They end it when both agree that their 'relationship' can't work.

* An unrequited example occurs in the ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'' one-shot ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12391803/1/Taiyang Taiyang]]''. Taiyang was in a relationship with Raven and had a daughter with her, but Raven [[MissingMom ran off]] when Yang was little. Years afterwards, Raven's twin brother Qrow confesses to Taiyang that he's had feelings for him ever since their school days. Taiyang, however, [[IncompatibleOrientation doesn't]] like him back and turns him down softly.
* In ''Fanfic/RWBYScars'', a flashback chapter reveals that [[spoiler:Summer]] and Qrow were a couple but Qrow's twin sister Raven was in love with [[spoiler:Summer]]. It was [[IncompatibleOrientation unrequited]].
* ''Fanfic/WhiteSheepRWBY'': Due to Jaune's many casual compliments, sisters Yang and Ruby believe that he is romantically interested in Ruby. The problem arises when Yang jokingly says "it's a date!" when inviting him to hang out and he takes it seriously, including giving her flowers. Yang tries desperately not to fall for him because she hates the idea of stealing from Ruby, while Ruby tries to push Yang towards him because she wants Yang to be happy. Jaune, of course, is completely oblivious to most of this; it takes him a while to come around to the idea that he's dating Yang, and even then he still compliments Ruby constantly. Eventually, [[spoiler:he ends up with Yang]]. Although in the DistantFinale [[spoiler:Oscar realizes that one of Jaune's sons is in fact Ruby's son, rather than Yang's. Yang did say she was willing to share]].

* ''Film/DuelInTheSun'' was largely about this.

* In 'As I Darken', Lada, her slightly younger brother Radu, and Mehmed, son of the sultan, become friends as children. When Lada and Mehmed grow older they fall in love and start a relationship, which makes Radu realize that he is also in love with Mehmed. Lada finds out and their relationship has a lot of tension, especially after Radu suggests to her that it would be weak to stay with Mehmed, knowing full well that that's the thing to say to get her to leave.

* Also averted in ''Literature/EvaLuna''. Rolf Carle is smitten with both of his cute [[KissingCousins cousins]] and cannot decide who to choose since both girls are appealing to him [[TomboyandgirlyGirl in their own ways]]. The girls talk about this and they decide to... [[OneTrueThreesome share his body and affection]] and tackle him together when he's working in the garden. They keep this relationship for several years until the girls marry local guys and Rolf becomes an IntrepidReporter; nevertheless, they always remember these times very fondly.

* A Jewish legend says that Leah was originally destined to marry Jacob's older brother, Esau, who was [[CainAndAbel far less meritorious]]; Leah was overwrought and prayed to God, who then arranged things [[MarryThemAll so she could marry Jacob as well.]] And, to make things even ''more'' complicated, two handmaidens were involved. Who in some legends were ''also'' Leah and Rachel's sisters.
* Actually ''averted'' in ''Literature/LittleWomen''. Laurie only fell for Jo's younger sister Amy ''after being rejected at least twice by Jo herself'', and later they both see they're much better in a LikeBrotherAndSister relationship. [[DieForOurShip The fandom still acts as if Amy was a slut who deliberately stole "Jo's True Love".]]

* In ''Literature/ManyWaters,'' the twins Sandy and Dennys both love Yalith and she loves them both back. The "triangle" parts are {{Downplayed}}, however, as the brothers spend most of the book carefully avoiding the issue, though each clearly knows how the other feels. Any relationship seems doomed anyway, what with TheGreatFlood coming.
** In ''Literature/ASwiftlyTiltingPlanet,'' Gwydyr tries to steal his brother Madoc's wife, Zyll, in the middle of their wedding. Generations later, it's at least {{Implied}} to be going on with Madoc's descendants: Zillah and Bran are in love, but one can pretty easily read Bran's twin, Matthew, as having feelings for her too. If so, he seems to realize that Zillah [[LikeBrotherAndSister feels differently]], and he [[IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy helps her and Bran get together]].

* ''MySisterTheSerialKiller'' Korede has a crush on Tade, a doctor at the hospital where she works. One day her younger sister Ayoola (the titular SerialKiller)stops by the hospital and meets Tade, who ends up smitten with her.

* Creator/BrandonSanderson seems to like this trope.
** In ''Literature/MistbornTheOriginalTrilogy'', brothers [[SupernaturalSensitivity Marsh]] and [[EmpoweredBadassNormal Kelsier]] both loved [[SuperSenses Mare]], but Mare chose Kelsier in the end. One of the reasons for the brothers' strained relationship is that after Mare and Kelsier were arrested, only Kelsier came back alive.
** Downplayed in ''Literature/WaxAndWayne''. [[TheSpock Steris]] is in an arranged marriage with [[CowboyCop Wax]] despite their clashing personalities, and Wax gets along better with Steris's half-sister [[FairCop Marasi]]. One adventure with Marasi later, Wax realizes that while they're good friends, they don't love each other, and starts to court Steris. [[spoiler:After spending more time with each other, Wax and Steris start to truly love each other and get married]].
** In ''Literature/TheStormlightArchive'', King Gavilar and his brother [[TheAtoner Highprince Dalinar]] both loved [[ScienceHero Navani]], who married Gavilar because Dalinar's brutality in combat scared her, a decision she came to regret when Gavilar turned out to be [[DomesticAbuse emotionally abusive]]. After Gavilar's death, Dalinar and Navani still love each other, but Dalinar is reluctant to romance his brother's widow. At the end of [[Literature/TheWayOfKings the first book]] Dalinar changes his mind and announces to his nephew that he and Navani are going to start courting again. They eventually get married in ''Literature/{{Oathbringer}}''.
** Downplayed in ''Literature/{{Warbreaker}}''. [[ProperLady Vivenna]] was supposed to be married to [[GodEmperor God-King Susebron]], but her father couldn't bear to send her and instead sent her sister [[SpiritedYoungLady Siri]].

* In the ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}}'' novel ''Defenders of Ultuahan'' two brothers love the same woman. One brother [[TheUriahGambit leaves the other brother to die during a skirmish]]. This comes back to bite him in the arse.

* Also frequently done on ''Series/TheBoldAndTheBeautiful''--Ridge and Thorne battled over Caroline and later Taylor, Brooke, and Katie battled over Bill.

* A major plot point in BloodBrothers is both Mickey and Eddie being in love with Linda. However none of the three know that Mickey and Eddie are brothers.
* [[ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}} Beethoven, CB, and CB's sister]] in ''Theatre/DogSeesGod''.

* A variation exists in ''The Love of the Nightingale''. Tereus has an ArrangedMarriage to Procne but falls for her sister Philomele. However neither even likes him.

* A common variation of this common in Otome Games is to have a ThemedHarem around this for those who want siblings. but no BrotherSisterIncest (although in ''Literature/BrothersConflict'''s case it's NotBloodSiblings[[spoiler:...[[ObliviousAdoption twice]]]]). Other examples include:
** ''AudioPlay/DiabolikLovers''
** ''Anime/DanceWithDevils''

** In the [[Anime/FullMetalAlchemist first anime]], [[spoiler: Scar]] was in love with his older brother's girlfriend. She later died and [[spoiler:Scar's]] brother [[LoveMakesYouCrazy fell enough into despair]] to try [[spoiler:Human Transmutation to bring her back, before his own death... unwittingly creating the homunculus Lust in the process. The brother's last words are basically a mix of an apology to Scar ("I'm sorry, you probably deserved her more") and a reaffirmation of his feelings ("But will see her first").]]