History Main / ThreesomeSubtext

** The foursome formed by Mashiro, Takagi, Miyoshi and Azuki: Miyoshi often act like a assistant/housewife to both Mashiro and Takagi, and Mashiro sometimes have the same reactions as Takagi toward her. He even once jokingly told her that he liked her right after Takagi did the same. There's enough HoYay between Takagi and Mashiro that Azuki herself lampshade it by saying she is bit jealous of how in-synch they are. Finally Mashiro and Azuki made the [[ThePromise romantic promise]] to get married once they realise their dream and Azuki voice the heroine in the anime adaptation of Mashiro and Takagi's manga, which mean that their promise include Takagi and depend of his actions as much as theirs, the PenName Ashirogi is a contraction of their three names. Miyoshi is Azuki's best friend and both her and Takagi refer to Mashiro and Azuki's dream as their dream. Whenever something happen to one of the couples, like the above-mentioned Love Triangle misunderstandings, it evolve into a crisis involving all four of them.

** Miyoshi + Takagi + Aoki. After a series of LoveTriangle-related misunderstandings, the two girls have decided to be friends with Aoki supporting the idea of Miyoshi and Takagi getting married while she's admitted to them both that she's started to fall for Takagi.

* In the manga version of ''Manga/MagicKnightRayearth'', [[PluckyGirl Hikaru]] says she wants to marry both [[TheStoic Lantis]] and Eagle. Then she says she [[BaitAndSwitchSetiment loves everyone]] and her feelings remain ambiguous... but those two are the only ones she mentions wanting to marry, so there's that.

** Zen and Shirayuki are an official couple and Zen got Obi to admit outright that he has romantic feelings for Shirayuki, right before Zen sent him to be her bodyguard. Obi has repeatedly complimented Zen's eyes, stared wistfully after him the same way he does Shirayuki, commented that Zen's smile should be immortalized by a painter and admitted to liking Zen without further clarifying the statement. Zen has reacted negatively to Obi receiving marriage proposals and the two of them occasionally sleep in the same room. Zen and Shirayuki are shaken when they see Obi meeting with a woman and Obi assures them that he was turning her down.

* In the manga version of ''Manga/MagicKnightRayearth'', [[PluckyGirl Hikaru]] says she wants to marry both [[TheStoic Lantis]] and Eagle. Then she says she [[LoveYouAndEverybody loves everyone]] and her feelings remain ambiguous... but those two are the only ones she mentions wanting to marry, so there's that.

* ''Manga/SchoolRumble'': Eri and Yakumo are both in love with Harima. There has also been quite a bit of LesYay between the two of them, culminating in a episode where they both end up dancing with each other. Before the original manga [[NoEnding suddenly stopped]], Harima was also apparently engaged to Eri while [[InnocentCohabitation living with Yakumo]], with all three apparently content with the arrangement.

** [[SuperOCD Death the Kid]] has ''two'' partners, [[CloudCuckoolandersMinder Liz]], and [[TheDitz Patty]], and his relationship with either of them seems to complement his relationship with the other. Kid's back story on how the Thompson sisters came to be his weapons [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything looks quite similar to a teenager rejecting an arranged marriage and resolving to]] MarryForLove, and then embracing both sisters.

* In the second season of ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamIronBloodedOrphans'', the AmbiguouslyBi [[PluckyGirl Atra]] seems to ''seriously'' consider the idea of herself, [[{{Ojou}} Kudelia]] and [[ActionHero Mikazuki]] in a threesome relationship. Or at very least, she wants to have a child with Mika and encourages Kudelia to do the same. [[spoiler:When Atra and Mika get a RelationshipUpgrade, neither ices Kudelia out, which hints toward this trope... Mikazuki's death in the GrandFinale puts a damper on this, but later [[HasTwoMommies both girls raise]] [[SomeoneToRememberHimBy Atra and Mikazuki's son Akatsuki]] together, WordOfGod even explicitly confirming that Atra and Kudelia are [[SameSexMarriage married]].]]

* ''Series/LostGirl'' features a LoveTriangle between [[HornyDevils Bo]], [[HospitalHottie Lauren]], and [[WolfMan Dyson]] that veers toward this. Given Bo's status as an EthicalSlut, they're not unaware of it. ''Especially'' after Dyson and Lauren become close. One time, Lauren points out Bo to Dyson so they can [[EatingTheEyeCandy Eat the Eye Candy]] together. One time, AppliedPhlebotinum allows Bo to have sex with Lauren while watching Lauren have sex with Dyson in the mirror. (MakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext.) Bo is ridiculously thrilled.

** Hanako and Lilly's routes have the most, as the two are extremely close HeterosexualLifePartners and both of their routes feature the other to a great extent. Befriending the other is required to get either of them, and their routes in Act 1 don't diverge until the very end. It's repeatedly made obvious how much closer than normal friends they are, with Hanako saying that she loves Lilly in her route. To cap it all off, at one point in Lilly's route during one of their pyjama party/tea party get-togethers, Akira mentions that plenty of guys would be very pleased to see Lilly in such [[ShesGotLegs skimpy clothing]], and goes on to add that he even gets to see cute [[ShrinkingViolet Hanako]] in her nightie as well. Hisao deflects, but Hanako haltingly says that if it's Hisao, she doesn't mind. She doesn't seem to realise what she's implying, but everyone else sure does, and quickly change the subject.

** The shadow of this dynamic exists in ''VideoGame/KingdomHearts358DaysOver2'' with Roxas, Axel, and Xion. The HoYay between Roxas and Axel is bad (good) enough, but Roxas and Xion are borderline obsessed with one another and Axel quickly becomes defensive and protective over Xion as well. Xion outright states that she loves Roxas and Axel in one of her secret reports, and in the manga the three of them even contemplate ''running away and living together''. Unfortunately this gets somewhat subverted in the end, as Axel's [[HeelFaceRevolvingDoor (indecisive)]] loyalty to the organization and reluctance to share information with either Roxas or Xion for the sake of preserving the friendship between the three of them ends up [[PoisonousFriend turning the entire relationship toxic]] and ultimately results in [[spoiler:Roxas's defection and Xion's death]].

* In the second season of ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamIronBloodedOrphans'', the AmbiguouslyBi [[PluckyGirl Atra]] seems to ''seriously'' consider the idea of herself, [[{{Ojou}} Kudelia]] and [[ActionHero Mikazuki]] in a threesome relationship. Or at very least, she wants to have a child with Mika and encourages Kudelia to do the same. [[spoiler:When Atra and Mika get a RelationshipUpgrade, neither ices Kudelia out, which hints toward this trope... Mikazuki's death in the GrandFinale puts a damper on this, but later [[HasTwoMommies both girls raise]] [[SomeoneToRememberHimBy Atra and Mikazuki's son Akatsuki]] together.]]

* In the second season of ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamIronBloodedOrphans'', the AmbiguouslyBi [[PluckyGirl Atra]] seems to ''seriously'' consider the idea of herself, [[{{Ojou}} Kudelia]] and [[ActionHero Mikazuki]] in a threesome relationship. Or at very least, she wants to have a child with Mika and encourages Kudelia to do the same. [[spoiler:When Atra and Mika get a RelationshipUpgrade, neither ices Kudelia out, which hints toward this trope... Mikazuki's death in the GrandFinale puts a damper on this, but later [[HasTwoMommies both girls raise]] [[SomeoneToRememberHimBy Atria and Mikazuki's son Akatsuki]] together.]]

* While the anime adaptation cut it out, in the original manga version of ''Anime/MyBrideIsAMermaid'', Lunar's LoveEpiphany concerning Nagasumi [[https://66.media.tumblr.com/5f7afa2f000f74ad8d1ece91b6eb6f04/d3148070713f3de8-6c/s540x810/1da4d1eb0d94062ed5f4b2a2234c89fb86c317e1.png extended to Sun as well]] and had her state that her only desire was for the three of them to always be together.

* ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'': Agatha/Gil/Tarvek, outright suggested by Moloch, Zeetha, Lucrezia, [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20090401 the Castle,]] Agatha's AnimatedActor in a side story, the trio themselves while high on [[YouKeepUsingThatWord what they call "pheromones"]] given off by a mutant opium poppy, and [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20110610 Gil and Tarvek themselves, perfectly sober and in canon.]] In an apparent parody of ShipToShipCombat, [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20090311 the Gil supporter proposes this compromise]] and one of the two love interests is [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20100924 making jokes about it.]] The In-Universe betting pool gives [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20120718 One to Five Odds on it.]] In the last panel of [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20130329 this page,]] Tarvek's expression and dialog point to some genuine feelings towards Gil, though whether this is friendship or something deeper is still open for interpretation. Probably best exemplified in [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20081121 the aforementioned side story.]]

* ''FanFic/OneWordToChangeTheWorld'': At the present of the story, it's probably full-on ''text'' rather than subtext that Erza, Jellal and Simon are in a romantic trio in this version.

* ''ComicBook/StrangersInParadise'' has [[GirlNextDoor Francine]], [[DoggedNiceGuy David]], [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Katchoo]], [[TheDitz Cas]][[TheMole ey]], [[{{Jerkass}} Freddie]] and even Tambi all alternate between being friends, enemies, sexual partners and various places in between, and also rotate living with each other as one or more of those options. Eventually they all (well, most) decide for Katchoo, Casey and David to form a sexual relationship in order to produce a child, comfort David in his final days, and because they all do love each other, even though Katchoo only ''really'' loves Francine, David only ''really'' loves Katchoo, and who Casey ''really'' loves is more complicated than even the reader thinks at the time (yes, [[UpToEleven it is more complicated than what you just read]]). Once [[MurderTheHypotenuse David dies]] the series settles down into Katchoo-Francine and Casey-Tambi (!?!?!?!?!?), though even then David sticks with both pairs in spirit and via his child with Katchoo… and no, Freddie does not end up with anybody, [[TheChewToy he ends up alone]]. [[AssholeVictim Deservedly.]]

* Both out and in-universe in ''Literature/GrasshopperJungle''. Bisexual protagonist Austin spends a good portion of the book thinking about a threesome between him, his girlfriend Shann and his best friend Robby, and tries to include as much of this to their conversations as possible. In one particular instance of the book, Robby feels awkward after Shann kisses him, because he knows exactly what Austin is thinking. [[spoiler: This goes UpToEleven in the epilogue.]]

* The ''[[VideoGame/ExaPico Ar tonelico]]'' series lets you double date (and later [[UpToEleven triple date]]) the Reyvateil heroines in your party. While you still can settle with only one girl in the end, almost no one in the game's going to call the protagonists out for diving into multiple girls' minds at once. The subject is even more awkward since "diving" is given the same intimacy level as sex.

* Hinted at in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' between Azem, Hythlodaeus, and Emet-Selch, who were deeply devoted adventuring companions and life partners. [[spoiler: Hythlodaeus and Emet-Selch’s happy ending, after thousands of years of suffering, is to be together in the afterlife and watch over Azem’s reincarnation.]]

Like most other ShipTease tropes, it might be caused by the author fooling around, with the expectation that no one will consider this a serious romantic resolution, or by teasing the fans of that particular kink to stay tuned. It's possible for this to be [[RelationshipWritingFumble accidental]], though given the generally more complicated dynamics involved it's more likely to be intentional compared to other subtext tropes.

** The shadow of this dynamic exists in ''VideoGame/KingdomHearts358DaysOver2'' with Roxas, Axel, and Xion. The HoYay between Roxas and Axel is [[RelationshipWritingFumble bad (good) enough]], but Roxas and Xion are borderline obsessed with one another and Axel quickly becomes defensive and protective over Xion as well. Xion outright states that she loves Roxas and Axel in one of her secret reports, and in the manga the three of them even contemplate ''running away and living together''. Unfortunately this gets somewhat subverted in the end, as Axel's [[HeelFaceRevolvingDoor (indecisive)]] loyalty to the organization and reluctance to share information with either Roxas or Xion for the sake of preserving the friendship between the three of them ends up [[PoisonousFriend turning the entire relationship toxic]] and ultimately results in [[spoiler:Roxas's defection and Xion's death]].

** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'' has it between Link, Zelda and Midna. Unlike in most games, there isn't much of an emotional connection between Link and Zelda, but in the game's finale they both stand united out of their mutual strong feelings toward Midna.

* In Creator/MarkWaid's ''ComicBook/{{The Kingdom|DC}}'' miniseries, the ''ComicBook/KingdomCome'' versions of [[Franchise/{{Superman}} Clark]] and [[Franchise/WonderWoman Diana]] have a son with [[Franchise/{{Batman}} Bruce]] as the godfather--and the grown-up kid refers to them as his ''three'' parents. And an AU featured in ''ComicBook/Trinity2008'' just had the three of them get married, basically.

* It didn't take long for readers of ComicBook/JonathanHickmansXMen #1 to notice that, in the diagram of the Summers family's new house on the Moon, Jean Grey, Cyclops and Wolverine have bedrooms which are next to each other and all have mutual connecting doors.

* ''Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers'' fanfic ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11886910/1/Gankona-Unnachgiebig-Unità Gankona, Unnachgiebig, Unità]]'': Although [[ShipToShipCombat Germany and Japan were fighting over Italy]] for much of the story, there was some [[{{Subtext}} subtext]] for a threesome found in the summary and in the fact Italy said "they" instead of "him" or "her". The subtext eventually evolves into ''[[OneTrueThreesome full-blown text]]'' after Italy asked both Germany ''and'' Japan out and the two [[PairTheSuitors fell for each other too]].

* A ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'' supplementary comic implies this between Nightwing, Zatanna, and Batgirl. It helps that they're both Nightwing's AmicableExes.

** Hanako and Lilly's routes have the most, as the two are extremely close HeterosexualLifePartners and both of their routes feature the other to a great extent. Befriending the other is required to get either of them, and their routes in Act 1 don't diverge until the very end. It's repeatedly made obvious how much closer than normal friends they are, with Hanako saying that she loves Lilly in her route. To cap it all off, at one point in Lilly's route during one of their pyjama party/tea party get-togethers, Akira mentions that plenty of guys would be very pleased to see Lilly in such [[WhoWearsShortShorts skimpy]] [[ShesGotLegs clothing]], and goes on to add that he even gets to see cute [[ShrinkingViolet Hanako]] in her nightie as well. Hisao deflects, but Hanako haltingly says that if it's Hisao, she doesn't mind. She doesn't seem to realise what she's implying, but everyone else sure does, and quickly change the subject.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheRoadToElDorado'', both Tulio and Miguel are incredibly attracted to Chel and Chel herself shows about equal attraction to the both of them, and the main drama of the show comes from Tulio and Miguel's relationship problems.

* Ben + Chon + O in ''{{Film/Savages}}''.
* Sort of the whole idea of Jim + Plato + Judy in ''Film/RebelWithoutACause''--they're sort of a weird blend of a threesome and a family unit.

* There's definitely some kind of vibe going on between Sophie + Nathan + Stingo in ''Film/SophiesChoice''
* ''Film/ButchCassidyAndTheSundanceKid'': Butch + Sundance + Etta is just this side of canon.
* ''Film/SinginInTheRain'' has [[http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_s440RiiMhzI/SpMC30sBnzI/AAAAAAAAEOU/etuSP4iBOBo/s400/singin+in+rain+exhausted.jpg this picture]] of Don, Kathy, and Cosmo laughing on the couch at the end of "Good Morning".
* This shows up in ''Film/TheLastTemptationOfChrist'', of all things. Following [[spoiler:Mary Magdalene's death]], Jesus is depicted as moving in with the sisters of Lazarus and having many children with them. This turns out [[spoiler:to be a temptful delusion by {{Satan}}]].
* ''Film/DesignForLiving'': Tom + George + Gilda. They all three sure do like each other a lot. Gilda dates them both. Tom comments on how he "loved you both". Gilda is pretty clearly going to be having sex with both of them, as indicated by the CallBack to the "gentleman's agreement" line. And they are all three clasping hands as the film ends.
* ''Film/FerrisBuellersDayOff'': Ferris Bueller is terrified of the idea of being separated from his girlfriend Sloane… [[HoYay and his best friend Cameron, who he is very dedicated to]]. As for Cameron and Sloane, there's some chemistry between them.
* ''{{Film/Bandits}}'': Kate refuses to choose between Joe and Terry [[spoiler:and in the end it's made pretty clear that they're in some kind of three way relationship as she is standing with both of them at Harvey's wedding and she kisses each of them passionately in turn.]] [[spoiler:It's also fairly easy to miss, but if you look closely Kate is clearly pregnant, raising the question, [[WhosYourDaddy who's the daddy?]]]]
* ''Film/KillerKlownsFromOuterSpace'': The initial tension between Debbie's current boyfriend Mike and ex-boyfriend Dave fades as the movie progresses, with the final shot being of the three of them all grinning and embracing.
* Joked about in the Creator/MarxBrothers movie ''Theatre/AnimalCrackers'', when Captain Spaulding (Groucho) proposes marriage to both Mrs. Rittenhouse and Mrs. Whitehead, a pair of GrandeDame high society widows.
-->'''Mrs. Whitehead''': But that's bigamy!\\
'''Captain Spaulding''': Yes, and it's big o' me, too! It's big of all of us! Let's be big for a change! I'm sick of these conventional marriages! One woman and one man was good enough for your grandmother, but who wants to marry your grandmother? Nobody, not even your grandfather. Think, think of the honeymoon, strictly private. I wouldn't let another woman in on this. Well, maybe one or two but no men. I may not go myself.

* ''VisualNovel/{{Tsukihime}}'' has support for both Shiki + Arcueid + Ciel and [[TwinThreesomeFantasy Shiki + Hisui + Kohaku]]. First in Ciel ''Good End'' where Arcueid and Ciel effectively and [[ClingyJealousGirl begrudgingly]] "share" Shiki, and there is much teased at, but unconfirmed [[LesYay attractionbetween]] [[VitriolicBestBuds them]]. Second is the main theme of Kagetsu Tohya's sidestory ''Flower of Thanatos'' in which Shiki together with humble serving Hisui and Kohaku live in the isolated Tohno Mansion, where Shiki can practically do with both maids whatever he wants, and Kohaku is very [[{{Twincest}} enthusiastic]] when they both [[ThreeWaySex serve him]] at the same time [[spoiler:(including [[SexSlave sexual desires, or periodic rapes]]) although [[GroundhogDayLoop it's not so simple as it seems]] and [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor Shiki begins to have regrets]].]]

* In ''VisualNovel/KatawaShoujo'', all of the heroines come in pairs of friends, so there's plenty of potential for this:

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSpectacularSpiderMan'', Harry Osborn makes a rather... interesting comment about himself, his girlfriend Gwen, his best friend Peter and Peter's date Liz.
-->'''Harry''': Then it's settled! This Saturday, we're a foursome!

* The season 3 finale of ''WesternAnimation/StarVsTheForcesOfEvil'' has this between Star, her best friend Marco (who are clearly in love with each other) and her boyfriend Tom (who also considers Marco his best friend). First there's [[BigBad Meteora]] referring to Marco as Star's "other boyfriend" when taunting Star with Marco's unconscious body after knocking out Tom. And in the second to last scene of the episode, Star is hugging Marco after he's revived and Tom says he's going to make it awkward before pulling them into an oddly romantic-looking group hug, which neither oppose to. Tom and Marco also share plenty of HoYay through the episode, with Tom carrying his unconscious body around and defending him with an HeroicSacrifice even when [[spoiler:Marco reveals to have kissed Star, which Tom is oddly OK with]].

* A ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'' supplementary comic implies this between Nightwing, Zatanna, and Batgirl. It helps that they're both Nightwing's AmicableExes.