History Main / JustFriends

* OfficialCouple: Just friends ships in works with the pair as two of a small cast of 3 or 4 characters will often have the only meaningful ShipTease and relationship development, as writers are reluctant to involve what is often their only male or female character into a LoveTriangle or make them look like a jerk for playing more than 1 of the other cast members against each other.
* BelligerentSexualTension: Rarely used by a just friends couple. When done it's often part of a PowerTrio where the 3rd character is the calming influence, or the 3rd party is involved in their own more typical just friends relationship with the 'shared' partner of a LoveTriangle. ''Franchise/HarryPotter'' and ''Series/ICarly'' are the best examples of this kind of LoveTriangle, as the trios on both are obviously extremely close, but there is still a distinct difference between the relationships of Harry/Hermione and Carly/Freddie, compared to Ron/Hermione and Sam/Freddie.

* ''WesternAnimation/CodeLyoko'': Yumi and Ulrich. From the first episode of season 3, "We're friends, that's all..." comes close to being their CatchPhrase.

*** As of "Incursion", it's made perfectly clear that she isn't ObliviousToLove at all. She also drops some major friend zone bombs on Eli, and in a way tells him off for acting like her friendship is "second prize".

* ''LightNovel/{{Kampfer}}'': Natsuru (in male form) and his childhood friend Kaede Sakura. He doesn't want to outright ask her out and potentially get shot down so he decides to stay friends with her. However, when he changes into a girl, Natsuru quickly gets a RelationshipUpgrade with her even though she doesn't seem to realize that the two Natsurus are the same person.

* ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'': Leonard and Penny. They eventually got a RelationshipUpgrade that lasted almost a full season before they broke up.
** They do go back on the will they/won't they path for several seasons afterwards, but the final few seasons confirm that [[spoiler:TheyDo]].

** Carson and Mrs Hughes, due to the many years they had spent working together, until Season 5 Christmas Special when Carson [[TheyDo proposed to her]]. However, it is hinted even in Season 1 that Carson had a crush on her which became overt in Season 3.

** In the show's finale episode "iGoodbye" TheyDo. Carly comes up to Freddie in the studio and gives him a LastMinuteKiss. He returns the kiss then celebrates.

* ''Series/JustGoodFriends'': Almost the TropeNamer, this documents, in comedic terms, the relationship between Vince and Penny when Vince comes back into Penny's life five years after he jilted her at the altar. At first they try to play the trope straight, but Vince starts to develop feelings for Penny again. Penny rebuffs his advances but accepts they have too much history to make a clean break. Finally, Penny leaves to take a job in Paris, and it looks like even the friendship is over. But after an abortive marriage with Penny, and Vince now being in an unhappy marriage (he married the AlphaBitch), they meet up in Paris and it starts all over again. Finally, Penny accepts that Vince really does love her, and Vince has to go through a ''lot'' of hoops to get out of his unhappy marriage. But finally - TheyDo.

** Zack puts Gaelyn in the Friend Zone as part of a recurring season 2 storyline. [[spoiler:TheyDo in the end]].

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' with Fry and Leela. It's implied they will eventually end up together. The post-movie re-launch series have them in a very ambiguous romantic relationship, the strength of which is dictated by RuleOfFunny.
** TheyDo end up together in the very final finale of the show.

-->-- ''Series/ICarly'', "i{{Pilot}}"[[note]][[AllLoveIsUnrequited Though truthfully]] [[HopeIsScary he's trying to avoid pain]].[[/note]]

* In the manga ''Manga/{{Momokuri}}'', Yuzuki and Shouta are in this relationship. For much of the series Yuzuki and Shouta are incredibly close, so much so that many people think they're dating, though their closest friend says they're LikeBrotherAndSister. The truth, though, is that the relationship between the two, and their close friend Rihito, is much more complicated: Shouta has always been in love with Yuzuki, who is crushing on Rihito, and Rihito secretly returns this crush. But while Yuzuki is infatuated or possibly in love with Rihito, ultimately she's always thinking about Shouta and treasures him at least as deeply if not more so; she just never even imagined that he might leave her and thus never considered their relationship being anything more either. This combination of her pining for one boy while treasuring another above anything else has left ''both'' boys as the A of a type-4 TriangRelations.

* In ''Manga/OnePiece'', [[WorldsMostBeautifulWoman Boa Hancock]] falls in love with [[IdiotHero Monkey D.]] [[ChasteHero Luffy]]. Before the TimeSkip Luffy was ObliviousToLove, but after the TimeSkip he catches on to Hancock's feelings, but considers them just good friends.

* In ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters'', Kensou is Athena's DoggedNiceGuy and very openly in love with her (and some of his fellow fighters [[ShipperOnDeck seem to encourage him]]). Athena cares for him greatly but said feelings are all ''but'' romantic, and views their relationship as this since [[IdolSinger she has]] [[JusticeWillPrevail other priorities.]] Also, Kensou's awkward advances on her are...awkward.

* Website/CollegeHumor: Hilariously, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHZsleyKons Adam finds himself sent to the friendzone by Eve]], despite them being the only people in Paradise. When she tells him that she just got out of a bad relationship, [[AllGirlsWantBadBoys it turns out to]] [[SnakesAreSexy be the snake]].

The force with which the two deny any feelings is always inversely proportional to the truth. Just Friends is in essence, a relationship, a potential relationship or teased relationship between people who are simply Just Friends, in a normal, and regular manner. When a character uses the line "We're Just Friends" but [[EveryoneCanSeeIt no one]] seems to [[MistakenForRomance believe them]], this is likely to be the trope involved.

It is used in such diverse ways as being the central driving force of the actual series, a subtext undercurrent to a main plot or even [[AssPull pulled out of nowhere]] simply to create drama and tension. It is a safe trope to use for a writer, as it can develop in multiple directions, those directions can flip back and forth, and it can be done in a way that avoids overpowering the real 'genre' of a show until the writer decides to develop the relationship further. It can be delayed indefinitely, quietly abandoned or dealt with in any direction extremely quickly without making characters look bad. Viewers can easily relate to the trope as the experience of liking or loving someone who only sees you as a friend is common in real life.

There are genres where it is more common that others. It is used in {{SitCom}}s or dramas with single characters as principals. It is very popular in teen-centric series where the most intense a relationship can get is kissing and networks want to avoid the MoralGuardians by avoiding one-night-stand-style hookups that turn into relationships. Can also pop up in a CopShow or a BuddyCopShow. Given enough seasons even the least likely shows can go through with a relationship that would be considered to be a Just Friends one.

It is an umbrella trope as the overall theme of a Just Friends relationship requires involving multiple other tropes to build up tension, develop viewer interest, develop the storyline and determine an ending to the relationship story arc.

* AliceAndBob are friends, but start to develop mutual feelings for each other over the course of the series. They may worry that acting on these feelings will end up [[IDontWantToRuinOurFriendship ruining their friendship]].
* Bob has developed unrequited feelings towards Alice, but has declined to tell her. Bob refuses due to a fear of rejection, fear he isn't good enough, because Alice is [[IncompatibleOrientation lesbian or asexual]], or simply because Alice is involved with Charlie. See IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy for more information.

%%COMMENT: Please try to avoid completely unmarked spoilers. Especially for works that are recent, lesser known, have twist endings, involve deaths of characters or where a romance arc is the core reason for the work as a whole.

** Ran and Shinichi often say they're just friends. [[BelligerentSexualTension Yeah]], [[ChildhoodFriendRomance right]]. Though Shinichi is a bit more open to admit that he has feelings for her, it took over 1000 chapters for Ran (and about 250 chapters after Shinichi's confession) to be open with her feelings.

** In the manga it's worse, since he actually manages to approach her and she directly turns him down. Despite this, she wants to stay friends, and leans on him while pursuing her own romance; [[spoiler:even when he refuses later to stay friends, she can't understand the pain she'd cause him. Not until her own crush suggests a purely platonic relationship.]]

* ''Manga/MedakaBox''[='s=] main characters Medaka and Zenkichi [[ChildhoodFriendRomance have known each other since they were two years old,]] yet they're seemingly no different than friends (with Zenkichi getting massively embarrassed when [[ShamelessFanserviceGirl Medaka changes clothes in front of him]]). However, both of them have deeper feelings but never act on them for various reasons: Zenkichi feels like she doesn't understand normal humans and doesn't think he can keep up with her. Meanwhile, Medaka thinks her feelings are one-sided because the first time she met, [[RejectedMarriageProposal she proposed to him and he said no]]; again, Zenkichi was '''two years old''' at the time and [[ForgottenFirstMeeting doesn't even remember the meeting,]] but she seems to think he hasn't changed his mind. When Zenkichi proves himself by defeating Medaka in the student council elections, he also encourages her to find her own purpose in life [[note]]symbolically "freeing" her of her obligation to help others, which he unwittingly gave her back when they first met[[/note]], which leads to Medaka giving him TheBigDamnKiss in front of the entire school. They're more open with their feelings from then on, but it still couldn't be called a RelationshipUpgrade because too much crazy stuff is going on to allow them to go on dates and such. It isn't until the WhereAreTheyNowEpilogue ten years later where they decide to get married.
* In the manga ''Manga/{{Momokuri}}'', Yuzuki and Shouta are in this relationship. For much of the series Yuzuki and Shouta are incredibly close, so much that many people think they're dating, though their closest friend says they're LikeBrotherAndSister. The truth, though, is that the relationship between the two, and their close friend Rihito, is much more complicated: Shouta has always been in love with Yuzuki, who is crushing on Rihito, and Rihito secretly returns this crush. But while Yuzuki is infatuated or possibly in love with Rihito, ultimately she's always thinking about Shouta and treasures him at least as deeply if not more so; she just never even imagined that he might leave her and thus never considered their relationship being anything more either. This combination of her pining for one boy while treasuring another above anything else has left ''both'' boys as the A of a type-4 TriangRelations.
* A downplayed example in ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'', between Izuku Midoriya and his first friend at U.A, Ochaco Uraraka. As the series progresses, her feelings for him grow. She is rather unsubtle about it, with the result that several classmates, including [[ShipperOnDeck Mina]], Tsuyu, Kaminari, Aoyama and Mineta can see it. (For Izuku's part, his feelings are more ambiguous and go mostly unmentioned, though the two do tend to [[ShipTease blush]] around each other frequently). Uraraka considers her feelings as [[LoveIsAWeakness distracting]] and decides to shelve them for the time being, choosing to just enjoy their friendship.
* Played with in ''Manga/MyMonsterSecret''. The story starts with Asahi Kuromine going to confess his feelings to his mysterious and beautiful classmate Youko Shiragami, only to discover that she's a [[FriendlyNeighborhoodVampire vampire]] and promised her father that she'd leave school if anyone found out. Not wanting to miss his chance, Asahi pleads with her to stay so they can be friends and promises to be her SecretKeeper. Nobody believes him at first because he CanNotTellALie and thus his crush on her was a case of EveryoneCanSeeIt, and in the meantime he's trying to work up the nerve to confess. It's played straight for Youko; she starts the story ObliviousToLove and later on, when the thought finally crosses her mind, she dismisses it since [[InsecureLoveInterest she (wrongly) thinks she causes Asahi too much trouble and he's just too nice to say anything about it]]. Eventually she does realize her own feelings for him, and they end up getting together.
** For Asahi, the trope is more justified. As his friends note, he tends to admire women who possess traits that he lacks (such as being more "together") and often mistakes that admiration for love; by being friends first and getting to know the real Youko, he gets to form a deeper and more honest connection with her. Also, though he's initially mad at himself for unintentionally friend zoning himself, later on he muses that it's probably better things went this way, since if he'd confessed to her after learning her secret, it would have felt like he was blackmailing her.

* In ''Manga/NodameCantabile'', [[DirtyOldMan Stresemann]] and [[SilverFox the Academy's director]] decided to stay this, after the director received an illness that stopped her from playing the piano again when she was younger, though they had the potential to become lovers if the illness hadn't struck, as noted by Stresemann's assistant.

** In Episode 21, Souga Kazukiyo the class rep has feelings for Kurakano, and they have been good friends for most of their life. Souga doesn't want to cause problems or change things, and also has something of a IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy moment when relating Kurakano's feelings for Haruhi.

** Between [[spoiler:Yuka and Hiro]] in the past. The two were classmates who got along really well, and decided to try dating each other, but both were too immature to handle a romantic relationship, that they broke up not long afterwards. They were moved to different classes the next year, and both start dating someone else. By the time they are classmates again, they are comfortable enough to return being friends.

** For most of the manga, Ryoga Hibiki greatly desires for Akane Tendo to know of and reciprocate his romantic feelings towards her. Unfortunately for him, [[ObliviousToLove she is completely oblivious]]. Not only that, but she sees him as nothing more than her friend and treats him as such.

* ''Manga/SingYesterdayForMe'': Near the beginning, Rikuo confesses to his longtime friend Shinako, but she tells him she's not ready for a relationship, and the two stay friends while Rikuo tries to pursue her. Evenually, [[spoiler: the two get together, though it doesn't last. After their breakup, the two vow to remain friends.]]

* ''Anime/WhisperOfTheHeart'': Sugimura confesses his feelings for Shizuku, but she tells him that she only likes him as a friend for two reasons. One: her best friend, Yuko, had a crush on him and was hurt that he didn't realize it and two: Shizuku and Sugimura have known each other for years and she had felt nothing romantic towards him. That and she dates Seiji in the end.

* An issue of the ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'' comics produced by SLG had Lexington ask a pair of gargoyles named Coco and Staghart if they're a mated pair. They both laughingly deny it, but assure him they're very good friends. This has been taken as a hint that Staghart might be "like a nine bob note" as they say in London. Many fans speculate that if the comic had shown more of Lexington's adventures in London, Staghart would've at least been his ClosetKey, perhaps someday a permanent mate.

* After a tumultuous on again, off again relationship Franchise/SpiderMan and the ComicBook/BlackCat settled into this. It lasted from the 90s to the mid 2000s before ComicBook/BrandNewDay reset them back to sexual partners with Felicia not knowing Peter's identity and then had her become an antagonist as a result of the events of ComicBook/SuperiorSpiderMan. [[ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderManNickSpencer Nick Spencer's run]] has seen them reconcile as friends.

* ''Fanfic/ChildOfTheStorm'' has Carol and Harry, who insist that they're this while [[EveryoneCanSeeIt most everyone, from characters]] - including characters, even outright villains, who've only seen them together for a couple of moments - to [[FanPreferredCouple fans,]] is either shipping them or completely disbelieves the 'Just Friends' claims of either. The truth turns out to be a bit more complicated. By chapter 35 of the sequel, Harry wouldn't be averse to a RelationshipUpgrade, but emphasises that he's her friend first and foremost, because she's had a number of bad experiences with guys befriending her just to try to get into her pants - something made all the more distressing since [[YoungerThanTheyLook she's only 14/15 at the start of the story]] - and just wants a friend. He also points out that psychologically, he's not exactly in the best place to be starting any kind of relationship. By around the same time, Carol, who'd admitted that she was a) attracted to him, b) loved him in a more-than-platonic sense, notes that she's interested in the idea, but she's got issues of her own (some mentioned, others not). [[spoiler: In chapter 46 of the sequel, after they've both grown up a bit and got over enough of their respective issues, they choose a RelationshipUpgrade. And it is adorable]].
* ''Fanfic/HarryPotterAndTheMethodsOfRationality'' has Harry and Hermione deny with insistence being anything more than friends, contrary to what literally everyone, both in- and out-of-universe, think. Harry and [[WordOfGod the author]] said that "maybe they'll get together later, maybe they won't, but for the time being they're just eleven and it's reductive to think that Hermione, because she's a girl, could only be a love interest and not a friend".

* The ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'' fic ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10057943/11/Beacon-University-The-College-AU Beacon University]]'' has this dynamic between no less than three couples. It's lampshaded in chapter 11, when a jealous Yang convinces Pyrrha, Nora, and Blake to spy on the male characters' 'boys' night out'.

* What Neo in the crossover ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' and ''Film/TheMatrix'' ''Fanfic/HuntingSeries'' fears himself and Dean will be in part four, a prequel - The First Hunt. In-between The First Hunt and part one - Hunting Dean and Neo become a couple.
* In ''[[Fanfic/HotspringSouls Slice of Souls!]]'' Solaire and Lady Maria claim to be this, despite always being around each other, being openly affectionate in public, living in the same apartment and even [[spoiler:having ''previously kissed''.]] Naturally, there's loads of ShipTease between them.

* In ''Fanfic/NeonGenesisEvangelionGenocide'', when Asuka insinuates that he and Rei are dating, Shinji replies that they're just friends. Shinji thinks to himself that it might be not entirely true, since whatever relationship Rei and him have is more complex and complicated than that, but he reasons that it is about as close to a coherent explanation he can get (seeing how there is so much about Rei he is nowhere close to understanding himself) and believes that, as such, it suffices as a description.

* In Creator/AAPessimal's ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' fic ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12321109/30/Gap-Year-Adventures Gap Year adventures]]'', one of the spurs behind Mariella Smith-Rhodes wanting to leave Ankh-Morpork and go off adventuring is the realisation that fellow graduate [[NiceGuy Timothy Bellamy]] is hopelessly in love with her. Mariella only sees this as a Just friend thing and she's stuck for a way to let him down gently. So she does what any rational girl would do - which is to run away. But while touring Klatch and Howondaland, she meets ''another'' fellow student. Who she has seen for the previous seven years as brash, loud, abrasive and stupid and a reminder of why she left [[UsefulNotes/SouthAfrica home]] in the first place. He's in love with her too. Mariella is reluctantly shifted from seeing him as an AbhorrentAdmirer to a position of Just Friends and at the end of the story is wavering on giving him a try.[[note]]The young idiot matures and changes as a result of his own misadventures and near-death experiences[[/note]] If only to keep her family happy.

* The ''RWBY'' fic ''Fanfic/LearningToBloom'' changes Pyrrha and Jaune's relationship so that Pyrrha is strictly on platonic terms with her teammate and friend Jaune, while Jaune is the one who is hopelessly in love. Pyrrha gives into Jaune's advances and dates him for a few weeks, but it hurts her and she recognizes that she's just leading him on. They break up and Pyrrha ends up with the person she actually likes: Weiss.

* In the Finnish film ''Lights in the Dusk'' (''Laitakaupungin Valot''), the only person Koistinen can depend on is the local hot-dog stand owner Aila ("Grillija"), who clearly wants them to be more than just friends. Koistinen blows her off the first chance he can get a lady, but persists in returning to poor heartsick Grillija whenever he needs help.
* Isabel told Morton that she wants to be this in ''Film/MozartAndTheWhale''. Soon after in his social clumsiness does something that provokes such trauma in Isabel that she attempts suicide. He asks her to marry him. When she has recovered from this she [[SingleWomanSeeksGoodMan actually does marry ]].
* ''Film/{{Nerve}}'': The main character Vee's best friend Tommy is so obviously in love with her, while she doesn't return his affection. It's so obvious their friend group remarks on the situation multiple times, and a late arriving main character susses out Tommy's feelings almost instantly upon meeting the two of them. It ultimately doesn't impact on the plot beyond popping up to create further antagonism between Vee, Tommy, and Sydney, who is Vee's female best friend.

* Parodied in ''[[Film/ScaryMovie Scary Movie 2]]'' when Buddy takes Cindy's friendzoning of him to its logical extreme by playing rough with her like he would to a male friend.

* Theodore and Amy in ''Film/{{her|2013}}'' are just friends, swapping stories of their relationship woes over ice cream in Amy's apartment. Amy's husband shows no sign of jealousy and Samantha, Theodore's OS and girlfriend, displays fleeting curiosity of their past history but quickly gets over it.

* In ''Film/StarshipTroopers'' this happens to Johnny Rico after his girlfriend Carmen decides to go career as a federation pilot. However they still remain friends. Ace [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]] it immediately after the video message ends.

* ''Literature/HarryPotter'' Harry and Hermione were confirmed both within the text and via WordOfGod ("I dropped anvil-sized hints!") to be PlatonicLifePartners. The relationship was never intended to be seen romantically, and in the books Harry never saw Hermione as anything other than [[LikeBrotherAndSister a sister]]. However, people who saw the films first saw Creator/EmmaWatson blossoming much earlier and more fully than Hermione's ugly duckling did in the book, and many couldn't imagine that Harry could ''not'' be interested in her. Those who read the books with that bias wound up bemoaning the sinking of the Harry/Hermione ship and vilifying Rowling for carrying on relationships that had been well-established in the books.

** And then ''Literature/ColdDays'': [[spoiler: Harry returns to Chicago alive and the two finally share TheBigDamnKiss during a heated battle. And while they ''still'' aren't together by the end of the book, as Murphy feels that the Winter Knight's mantle has changed Harry too much, she does acknowledge that they've been past the point of truly being just friends for a long time, and that some day they might both be ready for an actual relationship. More than that, she makes it clear that whether or not they ever become lovers, she will always be at his side, no matter what. By this point, they seem to be less of "Just Friends" and more "Just Two People Who Love Each Other Platonically, and Hope To Become More Some Day, However Unlikely".]]

* ''My Most Excellent Year'' by Steve Kluger plays with this. The protagonist, TC, spends most of the book in a mutually flirtatious not-quite-relationship with his classmate Alé. At one point, he tries suggesting that they just remain friends... as a gambit to trigger a RelationshipUpgrade. It doesn't work.
* In the early books of the ''Literature/AnneOfGreenGables'' series, Anne is constantly telling people that she and her childhood-enemy-turned-friend Gilbert Blythe, are just friends. She's not in love with him, does not harbor any type of feelings for him other than friendship, etc. etc. etc. Anne really does have feelings for him, she is just unaware of them. This question is never posed to Gilbert, since the entire town already knows he's madly in love with Anne.

* Subverted in ''Literature/YouthInSexualEcstasy'', the LadyKillerInLove protagonist is outright told by his love interest that she prefers to be his friend first before getting into a relationship with him; the protagonist at first [[WrongGenreSavvy thinks that he is being friendzoned]] and is about to protest, but then he reconsiders and thinks "True Love knows how to wait", needless to say he does end up with the girl.

* ''Series/ANTFarm'': Chyna and Fletcher. The former however seems to be acknowledging the latter's behavior, but has returned the feelings ''too late'' in the second to last episode. They did go on a date in "[=SignificANT=] Other", however.
** Same show, different pairing: Paisley and Fletcher. Paisley likes him in a "Adorable kid" way. Neither is returning the feelings.
* ''Series/{{Arrow}}'' does this with one of DC comics top couples, Oliver Queen and Laurel Lance. They ''did'' date prior to the series, but then he cheated on her with her sister and was missing for five years. The first season has them as friends with a great deal UST between them, which actually derails all of their other relationships. They eventually hook up again towards the end of the season, but it doesn't last (and a later {{Retcon}} has him dump her with a DearJohnLetter). They remain as friends ([[WithFriendsLikeThese but not always very good ones]]) [[spoiler:right up until her death]]. Interestingly, its made clear that they actually ''are'' still in love with each other, just nothing ever comes of it largely due to Oliver believing [[InsecureLoveInterest he doesn't deserve her]].

** They do go back on the will they/won't they path for several seasons afterwards, but the final few season confirm that [[spoiler:TheyDo]].

** Xander and Willow flirt with this, starting the show as PlatonicLifePartners; however Willow is very much the UnluckyChildhoodFriend who was secretly in love with Xander. Then they start developing feelings for each other while they're involved with other people, before they finally decide they work BetterAsFriends. Then Willow [[spoiler:realized she's gay]], which [[ShipSinking slams the door]] on the question of her relationship with Xander for good.
** Xander and Buffy have the unrequited form of this (Xander towards Buffy). For the first season, Buffy is [[ObliviousToLove blissfully unaware]] of Xander's affections towards her, just as Xander is in turn unaware of Willow's affections towards him. This becomes more complicated in the second season, with Buffy toying with Xander to [[OperationJealousy piss off Angel]] at least once (getting her [[WhatTheHellHero called out]] by ''[[AlphaBitch Cordelia]]'', of all people). Their friendship eventually norms out over time, though as late as the 6th season, it's still clear that he's got feelings towards her, but has accepted that it will never work between them.

** Spike sums up this trope most famously in "Lover's Walk", when referring to the Bangel relationship.

* ''Series/BostonLegal'': Jerry and Katie became friends when they shared an office/cases together. Jerry develops feelings for Katie, which ends in a LastMinuteHookup in the last 5 minutes of the last ever episode.

* ''Series/CornerGas'' sets this up early with Brent and Lacey. In the season one finale, [[Recap/CornerGasS1E13ILoveLacey I Love Lacey]], they have an AlmostKiss. They resolve this in the first episode of season two, [[Recap/CornerGasS2E01TheBrentEffect The Brent Effect]]. It gets a reference here and there throughout the series before revealed as a thing at the end of ''Film/CornerGasTheMovie''. The animated series has its own continuity, with some nods. The episode [[Recap/CornerGasAnimatedS1E09SpyMeToTheMoon Spy Me to the Moon]] rekindles this trope.

* ''Series/{{Community}}'': Although Britta and Jeff primarily had this happening for them in the first season, the case can be quite convincingly made that practically ''all'' of the study group members have had this with most-if-not-all of the other members at some point or other. The primary examples are Britta/Jeff, Jeff/Annie and Britta/Troy, as those pairings have more than just self-referential CrackShip style ShipTease.

** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS32E8LetsKillHitler "Let's Kill Hitler"]] shows that Rory and Amy had known each other since primary school, and that Amy was the only girl Rory had ever shown an interest for the entire 10 years they knew each other. Amy has an extreme case of ObliviousToLove because she thought [[MistakenForGay he was gay]] due to the fact he hadn't shown any interest in girls the entire time they'd known each other.

* ''Series/{{Eureka}}'': In the later seasons, Jack and Allison's has had their friendship as the core of their romantic interaction. [[spoiler: After being sent to and back from 1947, they get in a LoveTriangle, that is eventually resolved when they [[DiscussedTrope discuss being]] just friends, and both hesitantly decide not to risk it. Carter then turns back and kisses Allison, who kisses him back and they get together.]]
* ''Series/TheFlash2014'': Barry Allen and Iris West. Barry has been in love with Iris for years, and it's been confirmed that Iris has been in love with him for just as long. Unfortunately, Iris was also completely oblivious to not only Barry's feelings, but her own. Not helping the situation is that the two are best friends that are so close that many can tell how they really feel about each other, and/or assume they're already a couple. Eventually, after finally confessing to Iris, Barry decides to no longer wait for her and tries to move on with Linda Park and (more successfully) Patty Spivot, while Iris continues to deny her feelings for Barry even though the only person she was really fooling was herself. It isn't until late Season 2 that they finally decide to do something about the massive amounts of UnresolvedSexualTension between them.
* ''Series/ForeverKnight''. Don Schanke scoffs at the idea that his partner Nick Knight is "just friends" with the coroner Dr Natalie Lambert, but the situation is more complicated than he thinks, as Nick is a vampire and so can't consumate any romantic affection he might have for Natalie; not without killing her.

** Not to mention [[{{WillTheyOrWontThey}} Luke and Lorelai]] who are incredibly close, knew each other for years before the series started and hang out together, on average, three times a day. Anyone brings it up and its instantly denied.

** Dan/Blair. From what used to be a CrackShip, in Season 4 they have started to develop a snarky, SheIsNotMyGirlfriend, BelligerentSexualTension styled version of this.

** Freddie has had a crush on Carly for his entire adolescent life, being in LoveAtFirstSight. Carly initially wants to stay as just friends. Freddie grows up physically and emotionally in Season 2 and 3, into an mature and sensitive young man, and it appears Carly is beginning to realize feelings for him. Also an example of an OfficialCouple (Albeit temporarily).
** In Season 4 this ship gets frozen, not given any closure and the focus of the romance on the show shifts to the SlapSlapKiss styled Sam/Freddie pairing. But since that arc's over, this has yet to return.

* ''Series/ICarly2021'', the reboot refloats the ship, with Freddie having got out of his second marriage recently and Carly being plain unlucky in love. They have a few moments of ShipTease like nodding back to their slow dance from the original and early in Season 2 they have the slightest hint of an AlmostKiss as well as a FakeRelationship in one episode that goes fine, until Freddie "cheats" on Carly with another woman in order to resolve the episode's plotline.

* ''Series/JustGoodFriends'': Almost the TropeNamer, this documents, in comedic terms, the relationship between Vince and Penny when Vince comes back into Penny's life five years after he jilted her at the altar. At first they try to play the trope straight, but Vince starts to develop feelings for Penny again. Penny rebuffs his advances, but accepts they have too much history to make a clean break. Finally, Penny leaves to take a job in Paris, and it looks like even the friendship is over. But after an abortive marriage for Penny, and Vince now being in an unhappy marriage (he married the AlphaBitch), they meet up in Paris and it starts all over again. Finally, Penny accepts that Vince really does love her, and Vince has to go through a ''lot'' of hoops to get out of his unhappy marriage. But finally - TheyDo.

* ''Series/LifeWithDerek'': This trope is the actual title of an episode which is devoted entirely to playing straight, subverting, deconstructing, and generally having fun with the trope.

*** Also used in the season 7 premiere when Daniel returns from being Ascended with no memory. Sam goes to talk to him and tell him how important he is and how much they miss him. Daniel asks if they were ever in a relationship; Sam replies that they're "just very good friends."

*** Kinda sucks for him considering the guy on other side of the triangle is pretty much his best friend on the ship (they have something of a [[Series/StargateAtlantis Shep and McKay]] vibe at times). And the three of them got marooned together after missing the ship.

** Stefan and Caroline is the primary example of the series. They started out as a straightforward example of platonic best friends the first 3 seasons, but began to get teased romantically by S4 and S5. Still, they remained "just friends". Then S6 came along and they developed feelings for each other, finally getting a RelationshipUpgrade in early Season 7.

* "Why Do All Girls Think They're Fat" by Music/ReelBigFish is about a character who develops feelings for his friend but she refuses to let him go farther than being this trope.
* "Love To Love You" by Music/TheCorrs is just one of several songs that reference these type of relationships. [[{{WMG/TheCorrs}} The Corrs Wild Mass Guessing]] page shows that several of their songs put together portray a just friends relationship with a happy ending. At the start, the woman's feelings for her ex block any romance with the man. Despite both knowing he has feelings for her, he helps her through her pain. However the man decides that [[IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy he wants his beloved to be happy]] and stops trying to make her fall for him. There is the woman's LoveEpiphany, an UnrequitedLoveSwitcheroo, until both finally realizing their feelings are now reciprocal. Next comes [[IntercourseWithYou the moment they first make love]], the honeymoon period, falling deeper for each other, until they are well and truly in love with each and wanting to spend the rest of their lives together.

* "Hearbeat" by Music/ChildishGambino. A dark version, with him and his girl who is involved with another man, in their own not quite a relationship where Gambino can't break it off, but isn't able to make it more than what they are already.

* "Someone I Used To Know" by Music/PattyLoveless is a variation on this. The narrator carries a photograph of herself with a man. Whenever someone asks about him, she says he's just an old friend because it's too painful to talk about how much they loved each other and how heartbroken she's been since the relationship ended.

* "Peach Scone" by Music/HoboJohnson describes being in love with someone who's in a relationship, while continuing to be a supportive friend to her and restraining yourself from making a move.

But you to are only "friends" as long as ''you'' say so.

* Wrestling/TripleH, Wrestling/KurtAngle and Wrestling/StephanieMcMahon name dropped the trope several times after Triple H became jealous of the attention Kurt and Stephanie were paying each other as Kurt kept saving Stephanie from various attacks. Being ProfessionalWrestling of course, it resulted in a triple threat match with Wrestling/TheRock for the WWF Championship, at Summerslam in 2000. The storyline collapsed eventually when Triple H played his real-life creative control card and nixed the planned ending where Steph would leave H for Angle.

* ''Radio/ImSorryIllReadThatAgain'' once made a pantomime special edition called ''Black Cinderella 2 Goes East'', which subverted this trope with Cinderella and Buttons. At first, it seemed like Cinderella didn't know that Buttons was in love with her, but thought they were just friends...and then it turns out she knows, but just doesn't like him. It could have stopped there, fairly graciously, but then she gets a ''song'' about it.

** In ''[[VideoGame/MassEffect2 ME 2]]'', [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehXpPl7iW2w there is]] a turian male and a quarian female talking to one another at a bar. If you listen in to their conversations, the quarian is complaining about breaking up with her human boyfriend. It becomes clear over the series of conversations that the turian is clearly infatuated with her. At one point, he asks if she wants to watch a movie which "won awards for portraying turian and quarian relationships". The quarian is [[ObliviousToLove completely oblivious to his advances]].

** So friendly, in fact, that [[spoiler: 500 years later Krelian and Lacan are still -more or less- working together to [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt avenge Sophia]] in the [[DisproportionateRetribution most destructive way possible]] ]]
* In ''VideoGame/StarOceanTheSecondStory'' Rena actually invokes this trope regarding her relationship with Claude a number of times, despite Claude's interest. Later in the game she stops being so vocal about it. It's possible for them to end up together, and the obscure sequel establishes that they do.

* Naturally, Rin and Riki in ''VisualNovel/LittleBusters'', who have been childhood friends since they were little. Unusually, though, even though multiple characters either think they're together or assume they will get together eventually, they actually don't seem to get any real romantic feelings for each other until ''after'' they start going out in Rin's route (Rin asked him out apparently just because she thought it seemed like a good idea and Riki agreed for the same) - in all other routes they're PlatonicLifePartners right alongside the other Little Busters.

* ''Webcomic/SaturdayMorningBreakfastCereal'' has an innovative attempt by a man named Steve to convince Carol that a [[http://www.smbc-comics.com/index.php?db=comics&id=2474#comic peer reviewed study suggest that she should take him out of the friend zone and put him into the lover zone]].

* ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'': Finn and Flame Princess following their breakup in ''Fire & Ice''. Partly due to the fact she now has to rule a kingdom which she acquired following a coup on her father. Though mostly because she still has some issues to work through. Finn doesn't take the hint after they break up, resulted in a DownerEnding where he gets a ShipSinking as she hooks up with [[spoiler:Cinnamon Bun]] (in his eyes, at least; WordOfGod states things between Flame Princess and [[spoiler:Cinnamon Bun]] are strictly platonic, continuing to play this trope straight, and indeed, the Finn/FP ship was refloated a smidge recently following a period where Finn cut off all contact with her, opening the door for future developments in their relationship).

* ''WesternAnimation/CodeLyoko'': Yumi and Ulrich. From the first episode of season 3, "We're friends, that's all..." comes close to be their CatchPhrase.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'' episode "The Spirit of Competition," the SiblingTriangle of Bolin, Mako and Korra articulate their feelings towards each other in various ways. After resulting interpersonal tensions nearly cost them their place in the finals, the three settle back into a mutually friendly dynamic, with the larger underlying LoveDodecahedron unresolved.

** Of course, at almost literally the last minute, a new pairing is introduced that grew out of this trope. [[spoiler: Korra and Asami. There is a bit a wiggle room for those who would prefer not to see it, but it is a very, very heavily implied.]] Moreover, the WordOfGod confirms that they are a canon couple, even though all they physically do as a couple on screen is hold hands.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheLoudHouse'': Early on in Season 3, Lincoln becomes smitten with a new girl, Stella, and tries to impress her. When she officially shows up in "Be Stella My Heart", Clyde, Zach, Rusty and Liam also fall for her, and they compete to see who gets her. In the end, Stella reveals she doesn't have romantic feelings for any of them; she only just wanted to be friends.
* ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug'': Marinette is in love with Adrien, but he, oblivious, always insists they are "Just Friends." On the flip side, his alter ego Cat Noir is in love with his teammate Ladybug, who he doesn't realize is actually Marinette. However, when questioned Ladybug just takes the HeIsNotMyBoyfriend route, because she also has no idea that Cat Noir is actually Adrien.

** Towards the end of "Lisa's Date with Density", after finding out that he lied to her, Lisa and Nelson eventually broke up and simply became friends. The friendship is sustained later in the end of "Loan-a-Lisa" in which Lisa and Nelson skate with each other.

* In an episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Sixteen}}'', Wyatt and a girl named Marlowe eventually break up after spending too much time together. When Wyatt wonder if they would be just friends, Marlowe instead said they could be the "best of Exes".
* In ''WesternAnimation/StarVsTheForcesOfEvil'', has one of Star and Marco's favorite songs by [[FakeBand Love Sentence]] actually be called "Just Friends", which naturally has the lyrics match the UnresolvedSexualTension-filled dynamic that main characters have developed by that point. Later episodes would have the duo attempt to retain their "best friend" relationship, as [[spoiler:Star developed a crush on Marco while he was dating Jackie-Lynn Thomas, and Marco realizes his crush on Star after she gets back with her ex-boyfriend Tom. Late in the final season, after Star and Tom have broken up again, Star and Marco [[LoveConfession confess that they love each other]] and realize there's no reason they can't be "best friends" ''and'' a romantic couple]].
--> I didn't mean to hurt you
--> You didn't have a clue
--> So you went out and got busy
--> And found somebody new, new, new
* After hooking up in ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama Island'', [=LeShawna=] basically cancels her relationship with Harold after the season, deciding they should just be friends and feeling that she was too hasty in her decision. Harold still pines for her though, and while [=LeShawna=] is touched by his attempts to impress her, she remains adamant about being friends (though its occasionally implied she has mutual feelings for him).

* Katarina in ''LightNovel/MyNextLifeAsAVillainessAllRoutesLeadToDoom'' obliviously manages to attract two members of royalty, the prime minister's son, her stepbrother, [[EvenTheGirlsWantHer and three girls]] only to firmly label them in her head under the 'friend' category except her step brother, who is off limits because he's her brother instead. Every time they bicker for her attention she fails to notice they're fighting over her and just assumes that they're all besties too.

** Played straighter in the more traditional WillTheyOrWontThey couple of Rollins and Carisi. Carisi is initially the FriendNobodyLikes, but he develops a friendship with Amanda and eventually steps in as ParentalSubstitute when she finds coping as a single mother difficult. While the show initially played this much the same as Benson and Stabler, it JumpedTheShark by having Carisi nearly confess his feelings while they are out of town on a case. Rollins' feelings were always played more ambiguously, with her LookingForLoveInAllTheWrongPlaces and insisting to others (including her ''therapist,'' since she's discussed Carisi in sessions) that they are this trope. Her feelings aren't 100% clear until their RelationshipUpgrade, though considering this was preceded by a hard LoveEpiphany, it's implied this is more UnknowinglyInLove than ObliviousToLove. However, in season 23, Carisi reveals he's been in love with Amanda since before the birth of her six-year-old, giving this trope a bittersweet edge to it.

** In [[Recap/DoctorWhoS36E11WorldEnoughAndTime "World Enough and Time"]], Missy wants to know what the Doctor calls his companions: [[TheWatson exposition]], [[PluckyComicRelief comic relief]], [[HumanPet pets]], [[BreadEggsMilkSquick snacks]]? When Bill says they're friends, Missy responds, "[[IsThatWhatTheyreCallingItNow Ew, Doctor!]] But think of the age gap!" The irony is that Bill is a lesbian and her relationship with the Doctor is indeed platonic.

** Rena also explicitly says this about [[ChildhoodFriendRomance childhood friend Dias]], and says that she actually thinks of him as [[LikeBrotherAndSister her big brother.]] But it's still possible for them to [[RelationshipUpgrade end up together in the ending]].

* ''Anime/YuGiOh'': Kazuki Takahashi claims that this is what Joey/Jonouchi and Mai are. [[RelationshipWritingFumble Yeah, sure.]]

* ''Series/GilmoreGirls'': Marty towards Rory in the later college seasons. These seasons were characterised by a heap of RelationshipWritingFumble, the pairing got sunk, he got written out in exchange for the rich, bad boy Logan, and he came back a season later as a huge {{jerkass}}.

* Bob has developed unrequited feelings towards Alice, but has declined to tell her. Bob refuses due to a fear of rejection, fear he isn't good enough, or simply because Alice is involved with Charlie. See IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy for more information.

** Monica and Chandler, who in early seasons [[{{SubvertedTrope}} really are just friends]]. (Its hinted Chandler has a mild crush, but nothing serious). They start a FriendsWithBenefits relationship which quickly develops into love and later [[{{HappilyMarried}} marriage]].

* After a tumultuous on again, off again relationship Franchise/SpiderMan and the ComicBook/BlackCat settled into this. It lasted from the 90s to the mid 2000s before ComicBook/BrandNewDay reset them back to sexual partners with Felicia not knowing Peter's identity and then had her become an antagonist as a result of the events of ComicBook/SuperiorSpiderMan. [[ComicBook/NickSpencersSpiderMan Nick Spencer's run]] has seen them reconcile as friends.