History Main / FriendVersusLover

* It ''seems'' like this is the case in the Literature/BrotherCadfael story "Dead Man's Ransom", with the girl resenting the constant presence of her fiancé's {{Blood Brother|s}} (the fiancé himself shows no particular inclination for her, seeing an ArrangedMarriage as inevitable and having no other girl in mind- at first) but is actually subverted: [[spoiler:the girl and friend are actually madly in love, but can do nothing to prevent her marriage]].

* "WesternAnimation/BlueCatBlues", depicts WesternAnimation/TomAndJerry as HeterosexualLifePartners, and shows a one-sided version of the trope where the friend is portrayed sympathetically and the lover as a HateSink. Jerry vainly tries to stop Tom's MadLove for the GoldDigger white cat who doesn't even care about him, only to be ignored throughout the cartoon. In the end, Tom is DrivenToSuicide after the GoldDigger chooses the insanely wealthier Butch over him, and he still pushes Jerry away despite his pleas.

* It ''seems'' like this is the case in the Literature/BrotherCadfael story "Dead Man's Ransom", with the girl resenting the constant presence of her fiancé's BloodBrother (the fiancé himself shows no particular inclination for her, seeing an ArrangedMarriage as inevitable and having no other girl in mind- at first) but is actually subverted: [[spoiler:the girl and friend are actually madly in love, but can do nothing to prevent her marriage]].

'''Mal''' Listen--... She swore to ''obey''?\\

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Daria}}'' often featured this with [[TheSnarkKnight Daria]] and [[CoolLoser Jane's]] relationship with [[TallDarkAndSnarky Tom]]--as in, ''each'' girl got to be the third wheel when Tom [[LoveTriangle dated both in successive years]].

* In ''[[ComicBook/RobinSeries Robin]]'' Ives never really gets along with Tim's girlfriend Ariana, partially because Tim has a lot of obligations eating up his time so Ives isn't pleased when spending quality time with a girlfriend becomes another one. He gets along better with [[ComicBook/Batgirl2009 Stephanie]] but by then its been heavily hinted that Ives has figured out that Tim's Robin [[note]]He casually makes excuses for him when Tim runs off and leaves everyone flabbergasted and when Tim has to unexpectedly cancel plans to hang out with friends and is repeatably said to be incredibly sharp. Later he acts completely blasé when Steph returns from the dead.[[/note]]so he might just be more chill with Tim having a girlfriend that involves fewer lies. It probably helps that Steph and Ives have compatible senses of humor and both like the same geeky stuff as Tim, unlike Ariana, so they can all hang out together.

* The ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'' fanfic ''FanFic/APikachuInLove'' forces this on Pikachu. He has to decide whether or not he wants to stick with Ash, who he'll never have a true friendship with due to being a Pokemon, and the possibility that Ash might leave him one day once he grows up, or Pichi, his newfound love who, besides also being a Pikachu, has a lot in common with him, and is able to openly communicate with due to them both being Pokemon.

* In ''LightNovel/BakaAndTestSummonTheBeasts'', [[ClingyJealousGirl Shoko]] thinks Yuuji's best friend [[IdiotHero Akihisa]] is a competitor for Yuuji's affection. In reality, Akihisa ''wants'' Shoko together--even if Yuuji ''doesn't''.

* On ''WesternAnimation/JimmyTwoShoes'', Jimmy's PoisonousFriend Beezy and his {{Yandere}} admirer Heloise are constantly at war for his attention. Literally the only reason they even remotely tolerate each other's presence is to stay around Jimmy, who occasionally becomes frustrated by their regular fights.

Generally, HilarityEnsues, except when the friend is {{poisonous|Friend}}, the love interest is {{clingy|JealousGirl}} or [[{{Yandere}} psycho-possessive]]. One or both might decide to MurderTheHypotenuse, leaving the other a CassandraTruth. Less murderously, both start a secret war for the affection and attention of the third party, trying to slander the other while seeming innocent. By the end, one or the other usually reveals they were [[DerailingLoveInterests less than ideal]] as a friend or lover and get cropped out of the picture.

* ''Film/PrettyInPink'' has two of these: [[UnluckyChildhoodFriend Ducky]]/Andie/[[SatelliteLoveInterest Blaine]] and Blaine/Andie/[[PoisonousFriend Steff]] - the latter with the twist that Steff also tries to get together with Andie, leaving him barely any time or energy for his [[AlphaBitch supposed actual girlfriend]], or exuding general predatoriness.

%% Image removed per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1532789334026181200
%% Previous thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1364935566030798800
%% Please do not replace or remove without starting a new thread.

%% The example list has been alphabetized. Please add new examples in alphabetic order.

%%

* In ''WesternAnimation/XMenEvolution'' between Kurt Wagner (Nightcrawler) and Lance Alvers (Avalanche) about Kitty Pryde (Shadowcat). Brought UpToEleven [[DieForOurShip in some fanfics]].

* In ''Fanfic/{{Reflections}}'', an AU fic of VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss this is how Natalia sees her relationship with Luke and Asch. Unfortunately, not only is she WrongGenreSavvy, but her actions in the name of this trope tend to backfire ''horribly''.

* In ''Film/ChasingAmy'', Banky gets super bent out of shape when his best friend and comic publishing partner, Holden, starts hanging out with a fellow comic book writer Alyssa (who's a lesbian but so what?) and eventually starts dating her, MUCH to Banky's disapproval. Holden (who's also uncomfortable with how experienced his new girlfriend is) decides to kill two birds with one stone by [[WhatAnIdiot suggesting a threesome]], which makes BOTH other characters turn their backs on him.

* In ''WesternAnimation/Arcane'', Jinx becomes intensely jealous of her sister Vi's growing relationship with Caitlin, and consistently halucinates Cait being an active tormentor trying to steal Vi away from her, when in reality Caitlyn really only wants Jynx dead because she's a mass-murderer and a terrorist. Despite Caitlyn repeatedly declaring Jinx a lost cause, she actually allows Vi to do what she can to try and talk Jinx down, until the end of season one, when Jinx [[spoiler:kidnaps Cait and tries to convince Vi to kill her, and then blows up the Piltover Council right after they had voted to grant Zaun independance]].

* ''Manga/ItsMyLifeByImomushiNarita'': Played for laughs in one bonus chapter where Kyuss and Noah try to claim ownership over Astra. The argument's quickly settled when both realise that they're aiming for different positions in Astra's life.

* ''WesternAnimation/BobsBurgers'': In "Roller? I Hardly Know 'Er!", Gene isn't happy about his best friend Alex becoming Courtney Wheeler's new roller-dancing partner and spending all his time with her, especially when he learns Alex "like-likes" Courtney.

When the third party [[GrewASpine manages to put their foot down]], they might manage to mediate a solution. However, if both descend far enough in this petty politicking, the third party may well [[LaserGuidedKarma dump them]] ''[[LaserGuidedKarma both]]'' as an incentive to make them get over themselves. [[OneTrueThreesome Fandom often comes up with its own, sexier, solution to the dilemma.]]

* ''Manga/AyakashiTriangle'': Matsuri spends one chapter ''preemptively'' worried that Soga getting a girlfriend would hurt their friendship. Not because it would take up all Soga's time, but because of what Yayo and Lu say [[ImaginaryLoveTriangle under the assumptions Matsuri is in love with Soga]].
-->'''Yayo:''' [Soga and Reo are] definitely gonna be a couple! Then you won't be able to talk to him as freely as you've been doing!\\
'''Matsuri''': What?! Seriously? If Ninokuru gets a girlfriend, I can't talk to him anymore?!\\
'''Yayo''': Of course not. [[GenderBender You're a]] [[DifferentForGirls girl]], so you have to be considerate of a guy's girlfriend.\\
'''Matsuri''': I need to go talk to him!

When the third party manages to put their foot down, they might manage to mediate a solution. However, if both descend far enough in this petty politicking, the third party may well [[LaserGuidedKarma dump them]] ''[[LaserGuidedKarma both]]'' as an incentive to make them get over themselves. [[OneTrueThreesome Fandom often comes up with its own, sexier, solution to the dilemma.]]

When the third party manages to put their foot down, they might manage to mediate a solution. However, if both descend far enough in this petty politicking, the third party may well dump them ''both'' as an incentive to make them get over themselves. [[OneTrueThreesome Fandom often comes up with its own, sexier, solution to the dilemma.]]

* In ''LightNovel/BakaAndTestSummonTheBeasts'', [[ClingyJealousGirl Shoko]] (the love interest) thinks she and [[IdiotHero Akihisa]] (the best friend) are in this for Yuuji's affection. In reality, Akihisa doesn't see her like this and is willing to sell Yuuji out so he can win this competition against her.

** Later, Pierre has conflict with another of Yves's muses, LouLou, over her giving him drugs. She, in turn, resents being isolated from her friend.