History Main / RomanceInducingSmudge

The RomanceInducingSmudge is any kind of smudge, stain, or blotch that causes one character to help clean it off of another, which leads to a romantic moment between the two. This serves as an excuse for the characters involved to get closer together than they otherwise normally would, and the ostensibly innocent touching involved is almost sure to increase [[{{UST}}romantic tension for the pair.]]

* ''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.

* Spoofed in ''RustlersRhapsody'', where the cattle baron's daughter has been dragged behind her horse for hours. When Rex rescues her, she has [[BeautyIsNeverTarnished only a tiny smudge on her cheek to show for it]], which Rex tenderly wipes away.

* A moment like this happens (oddly enough) in ''{{The X-Files}}'' episode "Red Museum". It was odd because it was ''supposed'' to be in the time period in which Chris Carter was adamantly denying any romantic feelings between Mulder and Scully. While investigating a case in cattle country, the two decide to eat at a local rib restaurant. In the middle of talking about the case they're on, Mulder just reaches over with a napkin and wipes a smudge of sauce off of Scully's face. Though taken aback, Scully graces him with a shy smile.
* ''{{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 of when Mal's hand touches Inara's lip is all but visible.

* In the ''{{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]].

* ''BuffyTheVampireSlayer'': A rare romantic moment passes between Willow and Xander in the season two episode "When She Was Bad", when Willow gets ice cream on her nose as the pair are walking past a cemetery. As Xander leans in to clean it for her, the two look like they are about to kiss... until a vampire pops up behind Willow, forcing Xander to attempt to hold it off and killing a {{Squee}}-inducing moment for Willow x Xander shippers.

''Best friends Alice and Bob are eating together, when Bob notices that Alice has gotten a bit of food on her cheek. Saying "here, let me get that for you", Bob reaches over to wipe it away with his thumb. The breathless Alice, having carried a torch for Bob for a long time, looks into his eyes and he into hers. Slowly, they lean in closer...''

The RomanceInducingSmudge is any kind of smudge, stain, or blotch that causes one character to help clean it off of another, which leads to a romantic moment between the two. This serves as an excuse for the characters involved to get closer together than they otherwise normally would, and the ostensibly innocent touching involved is almost sure to increase [[{{UST}}romantic tension for the pair.]]

The stain need not be food related, though this is frequently the case. Similarly, the offending smudge need not be limited to an individual's face: a stain on their clothing that a potential object of affection must rub out can work perfectly well for this purpose, among other things.

If both people involved catch on to the mood of the scene, this can lead to a FirstKiss between them. It is not uncommon, however, for the pair to be interrupted at the last second [[MomentKiller by someone else barging in]] or by one of the characters losing their nerve. Either way, this can work as a sign that one or both characters have feelings for the other, or serve as more fuel for the WillTheyOrWontThey fire.

Often used as a form of ShipTease. Compare with YouTasteDelicious, when one character decides to ''lick'' a smudge off of another, and with FingerSuckHealing.
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!!Examples:

[[folder:Film]]
* Spoofed in ''RustlersRhapsody'', where the cattle baron's daughter has been dragged behind her horse for hours. When Rex rescues her, she has [[BeautyIsNeverTarnished only a tiny smudge on her cheek to show for it]], which Rex tenderly wipes away.

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

[[folder:Literature]]

[[folder:Live Action TV]]
* ''BuffyTheVampireSlayer'': A rare romantic moment passes between Willow and Xander in the season two episode "When She Was Bad", when Willow gets ice cream on her nose as the pair are walking past a cemetery. As Xander leans in to clean it for her, the two look like they are about to kiss... until a vampire pops up behind Willow, forcing Xander to attempt to hold it off and killing a {{Squee}}-inducing moment for Willow x Xander shippers.
** Willow later attempted to ''invoke'' this trope by putting ice cream on her own nose, but Xander, now once again distracted by Buffy, simply says ''"You got something on your nose."''
* Parodied in the ''HowIMetYourMother'' episode "World's Greatest Couple", where Brad freaks out Marshall at dinner by licking his napkin and wiping a smudge of food off his face.
* 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 "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.

* A moment like this happens (oddly enough) in ''{{The X-Files}}'' episode "Red Museum". It was odd because it was ''supposed'' to be in the time period in which Chris Carter was adamantly denying any romantic feelings between Mulder and Scully. While investigating a case in cattle country, the two decide to eat at a local rib restaurant. In the middle of talking about the case they're on, Mulder just reaches over with a napkin and wipes a smudge of sauce off of Scully's face. Though taken aback, Scully graces him with a shy smile.

* ''{{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.

[[folder:Theatre]]
* 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?

[[folder:Webcomics]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* In an episode of ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'', Me'gann accidentally spills all kinds of stuff on Superboy while trying to make dinner, which of course induces her to attempt to clean him up...and then right when they are about to kiss, Red Tornado walks in and they spring apart across the room. Superboy still with everything on him, staring at TV static. Yeah, not obvious at all.

* Averted in a famous sketch by German comedian {{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.

* Inverted in ''TheMummy'', where Imhotep's romance with Anakh-Su-Namun leads him to smear her body paint.

* Subverted in ''ElGoonishShive'', where Ellen goes to wipe a smudge off Nanase's face and she freaks out because [[spoiler: she was having trouble [[ClosetKey admitting her attraction to Ellen]], and moments like that only made it more awkward.]] Add to this the facts that Nanase used to like it when her last ex-boyfriend (Ellen's brother) did stuff like this and [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2003-07-17 that the napkin was tucked in Nanase's blouse]].

* 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. Since the two have become hilariously repressed fundamentalist Christians, this is treated as a huge sexual milestone in their relationship. (Third base comes with chocolate.) Cookies later become a romantic symbol for them, almost to the point of creepy ridiculousness.

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

* This happens early in the ''{{Left Behind}}'' 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 an impulse. These two being hilariously sexually-repressed fundamentalist Christians, this is treated as a huge sexual milestone in their relationship. (Third base with chocolate.) Cookies afterward become a huge romantic symbol for them, almost to the point of creepy ridiculousness.

* In an episode of ''YoungJustice'', Me'gann accidentally spills all kinds of stuff on Superboy while trying to make dinner, which of course induces her to attempt to clean him up...and then right when they are about to kiss, Red Tornado walks in and they spring apart across the room. Superboy still with everything on him, staring at TV static. Yeah, not obvious at all.

* In the "Love And Monsters" episode of ''DoctorWho'', Rose's mom used this trope on Elton to [[ShirtlessScene get him to take his shirt off]].

* Subverted in ''ElGoonishShive'', where Ellen goes to wipe a smudge off Nanase's face and she freaks out because [[spoiler: she was having trouble [[ClosetKey admitting her attraction to Ellen]], and moments like that only made it more awkward.]] Add to this the facts that Nanase used to like it when Ellen's brother did stuff like this and [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2003-07-17 that the napkin was tucked in Nanase's blouse]].

* ''{{Scrubs}}'': Towards the end of "His Story II," Elliot cleans the last little bit of clown makeup off of J.D.'s face (long story). Ten seconds later, cue makeout session.

* Subverted in ''ElGoonishShive'', where [[spoiler:Ellen]] goes to wipe a smudge off Nanase's face and she freaks out because [[spoiler: she was having trouble admitting her attraction to Ellen, and moments like that only made it more awkward.]] Add to this the facts that Nanase used to like it when [[spoiler:Elliot]] did stuff like this and [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2003-07-17 that the napkin was tucked in Nanase's blouse]].

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

* In the ''{{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 her cheek and they [[AlmostKiss lean towards each other]]... then [[MomentKiller Finn walks in]].

* "{{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 of when Mal's hand touches Inara's lip is all but visible.

* A moment like this happens (oddly enough) in ''{{The X-Files}}'' episode "Red Museum". It was odd because it was this is ''supposed'' to be in the time period in which Chris Carter was adamantly denying any romantic feelings between Mulder and Scully. While investigating a case in cattle country, the two decide to eat at a local rib restaurant. In the middle of talking about the case they're on, Mulder just reaches over with a napkin and wipes a smudge of sauce off of Scully's face. Though taken aback, Scully graces him with a shy smile.

* A moment like this happens (oddly enough) in ''TheX-Files'' episode "Red Museum". It was odd because it was this is ''supposed'' to be in the time period in which Chris Carter was adamantly denying any romantic feelings between Mulder and Scully. While investigating a case in cattle country, the two decide to eat at a local rib restaurant. In the middle of talking about the case they're on, Mulder just reaches over with a napkin and wipes a smudge of sauce off of Scully's face. Though taken aback, Scully graces him with a shy smile.

* Subverted in ''ElGoonishShive'', where [[spoiler:Ellen]] goes to wipe a smudge off Nanase's face and she freaks out because [[spoiler: she was having trouble admitting her attraction to Ellen, and moments like that only made it more awkward.]]