History Main / StrictlyProfessionalRelationship

* ''Series/{{Castle}}'': This is one of the roadblocks to the relationship of Detective Kate Beckett from New York Police Department and Rick Castle, a writer who is allowed to tag along in her investigations in order to gain inspiration for his new novels. [[spoiler:They get together romantically in season 5, and eventually get married.]]

* In ''{{Entrapment}}'', Mac emphasises to Gin that there can be nothing personal between thieves, and that they must concentrate on the job in hand, and nothing else. Later, Mac says to Gin that he was prepared for everything, except falling in love with Gin. Thibadeux suspects that they might be up to something, and comments on this, later referring to Gin as "Mac's girlfriend".

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* ''WebVideo/TheAutobiographyOfJaneEyre'', a SettingUpdate VlogSeries modernizing ''Literature/JaneEyre'': Young tutor/nanny Jane has feelings for her older employer, E.D. Rochester. There were several electric moments in their interaction. In the episode "Cleaning House", she tries to check her enthusiasm about Mr. Rochester's upcoming return.
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* ''Anime/{{Patlabor}}'' has two examples:

** In the OVA series, Officers Noa and Asuma are only partners. But near the end of the ''Mobile Police/New Files'' continuity, they show signs of ''[[MaybeEverAfter possibly]]'' becoming [[RelationshipUpgrade "more than friends"]][[note]]confirmed during the ''[[Film/TheNextGenerationPatlabor Next Generation]]'' continuity (set 15 years later), which reveals [[BelatedHappyEnding Noa eventually married Asuma]][[/note]].

* ''LightNovel/{{Shimoneta}}'': Ayame's feelings toward Tanukichi varies between the manga and anime adaptation. In the former, the attraction is [[HopelessSuitor one-sided from his end]], as Ayame only thinks of him as [[LaResistance a fellow SOX member]] and a friend, at best. The anime differs by giving them a moment of ShipTease near the end of its 11th episode, but the series still ends with them [[JustFriends only as friends.]]
* Sousuke in ''LightNovel/FullMetalPanic'' asserts that his relationship with Tessa is simply that of a soldier and his commanding officer, and he sincerely does want to keep it that way. Unfortunately for him, Tessa doesn't.

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%% * ''Series/{{Cracked}}:'' Danielle and Aiden.

* In ''VideoGame/LoveAndPies'', Yuka believes that dating a fellow co-worker is awkward and inappropriate, so she advises Amelia against dating Joe. [[spoiler:Yuka herself is also reluctant to ask Eve out because of this.]]

* By the end of the ''Franchise/MassEffect'' series, damn near [[EvenTheGuysWantHim every]] [[EvenTheGirlsWantHer member]] of Shepard's crew wants to get in his/her pants, [[InterspeciesRomance including the aliens]]. But since only one love interest can be chosen, it ends up strictly professional with most of them. And if the player so chooses, all of them. It's especially obvious in the third game with Lieutenant James Vega, who is clearly attracted to a female Shepard but is not a romance option and stammers when she flirts with him.

* Invoked by Philip in ''Series/TheAmericans''. Philip is pretending to be an FBI InternalAffairs investigator and has convinced an FBI secretary to help him investigate the counter-intelligence division. The secretary is clearly attracted to him and he makes a big show of convincing her that he reciprocates her feelings. Until his investigation is concluded, they have to maintain a strictly professional relationship. [[spoiler:However, Philip is actually a Soviet spy and has no romantic feelings for the secretary whatsoever.]]

* ''Literature/CiaphasCain'' mentions that at the end of his first assignment working with Colonel Kasteen, they exchanged a look that ''could'' have led to more than just friends, but neither pursues it because they don't want to deteriorate their working relationship. Besides, [[EveryoneLovesBlondes he prefers blondes]]. And more to the point, Amberley Vail would kill him.

Compare and often overlaps with BeingPersonalIsntProfessional. Also related to JustFriends, in which the characters decide that things are best kept platonic, though the writers may still tease the audience with the possibility of them becoming [[RelationshipUpgrade 'something more'.]] Contrast MistakenForRomance.

%% * Common to all 3 ''Series/{{CSI}}'' series:
%% ** They had Catherine and Grissom until the cast shift.
%% ** ''Series/{{CSI NY}}'' had Mac and Stella, and then Jo slipped into the part.
%% ** On ''Series/CSIMiami'', it's Horatio and Calleigh.

It's typical for more than one protagonist to work toward a goal or a mission, especially in detective stories. Adding a tickle of romance, not full-on groping in the copy room, is an ideal device to humanize characters that would otherwise be perceived as too cold in their ways. It's common to happen with partners in law enforcement, because mutual trust is vital in their profession. Their one-on-one time on the job, they get to know each other very well, which especially sets them up to develop feelings for each other and they don't have the option of avoiding each other.

However, as the story develops and the plot thickens, the characters may reconsider their decision. Their desire gets really strong, and it may happen that RomanceEnsues, and your characters perhaps decide to have a RelationshipUpgrade and they start an OfficeRomance. Romantic feelings and deep love often develop from trust and friendship.

Also compare with NoHuggingNoKissing. However, Strictly Professional Relationship is from the characters' perspective, not from the authors's point of view.

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* Batou and Kusanagi from ''Anime/GhostInTheShellStandAloneComplex'', although EveryoneCanSeeIt. The other members of Section 9 rib him for it in stand alone complex (specifically, his overreaction to her apparently dying in the previous episode).
* In ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'', Roy Mustang and his direct subordinate Riza Hawkeye claim to have Strictly Professional Relationship. Of course, EveryoneCanSeeIt. However, [[OldFlame they knew each other long before]] either one joined the military, which has an anti-fraternization law. It's heavily implied that they'd like to have more than a professional relationship; WordOfGod has stated they would be married if they weren't military. As it is, sometimes they do slip a bit, but because of their commitment to making drastic changes to the country, they can't.
* ''Manga/GhostTalkersDaydream'': Kadotake has a one-sided crush on [[MsFanservice Misaki]] and knows it's not gonna change, because she mainly sees him as a business contact from the Livelihood Preservation Group.

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[[folder: Film ]]

* In ''Film/IfYouBelieve'', Tom is a first time writer and Susan is an editor of his novel. They both feel attracted to each other but Susan tries to persuade herself that she doesn't want him romantically because of their friendly yet professional relationship. However, she's also afraid of commitment because her ex-husband was emotionally abusive.

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[[folder: Live Action TV ]]
* Invoked by Philip in ''Series/TheAmericans''. Philip is pretending to be an FBI InternalAffairs investigator and has convinced a FBI secretary to help him investigate the counter-intelligence division. The secretary is clearly attracted to him and he makes a big show of convincing her that he reciprocates her feelings. Until his investigation is concluded, they have to maintain a strictly professional relationship. [[spoiler:However, Philip is actually a Soviet spy and has no romantic feelings for the secretary whatsoever.]]

* The cool-to-warm variant occurs on ''Series/RemingtonSteele'', starring Stephanie Zimbalist and Pierce Brosnan. When Laura Holt puts her detective skills on the market, she gets no takers. Laura then creates the fictional Remington Steele as her "boss". Soon a handsome fellow comes by and announces that he is, in fact, Remington Steele. Laura bristles at idea at first. However, Steele soon proves intuitive and useful as a partner. A slow thaw pervades subsequent episodes.
* ''Series/{{Frasier}}'': Crane and Roz Doyle, who for ten long years failed to see the obvious. Even after they finally got it together both were scared of destroying a friendship and never repeated the experience.

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* ''Series/TheInspectorLynleyMysteries'': Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley and his partner DS Barbara Havers. He's rich, titled, and went to {{Oxbridge}}. She's working-class, cranky, and went to Ealing Tech. At the start, she hates him and he's completely frustrated by her. Two seasons in, putting her life and her career on the line for him is nothing short of instinctive. Three seasons in, the only thing capable of keeping him from going in unarmed and unprotected to rescue her from [[spoiler:being held hostage at gunpoint]] is a ''full tactical assault squad''. By the final episode, they're each other's {{Not Love Interest}}s to the fullest extent of the trope.

* ''Series/{{Bones}}'': Dr. Temperance "Bones" Brennan, a brilliant scientist working in a medical-legal lab, and her partner FBI Agent Booth, though everyone can see that they should be together. People actually ask them why they aren't having sex.

* {{ZigZagged}} on ''Series/{{Friends}}'' with the Rachel and Tag story-line. Rachel is promoted and is supposed to hire an assistant. She chooses Tag despite the fact that he us not very suitable for the job in order to spend time with him. She then frets because she can't date him as she is his superior. She does all she an to prevent him from dating anybody else, such as telling him that all the women he flirts with are gay. She invites him as a friend for their Thanksgiving dinner and blabs that she likes him but tries to take it back and says that it's just physical and doesn't want to pursue this any further. Tag, however, likes her too, obviously, and they start a secret office romance.

* Sometimes invoked by Mr. Boynton on ''Radio/OurMissBrooks''. In fact, according to TheMovie GrandFinale, when Mr. Boynton and Miss Brooks first met, it is Mr. Boynton's insistence that has the two on a strictly LastNameBasis. It is noteworthy that Miss Brooks '''never''' sees her relationship with Mr. Boynton as strictly professional. [[spoiler: Miss Brooks and Mr. Boyton finally marry at the end of TheMovie.]]

* {{ZigZagged}} on ''Series/{{Friends}}'' with the Rachel and Tag story-line. Rachel was promoted and was supposed to hire an assistant. She chose Tag despite the fact that he was not very suitable for the job in order to spend time with him. She then fretted because she couldn't date him as his superior but did all she could to prevent him from dating anybody else, such as telling him that all the women he flirted with are gay. She invited him as a friend for their Thanksgiving dinner and blabbed that she liked him but tried to take it back and say that it's just physical and doesn't want to pursue this any further. Tag, however, liked her too, obviously, and they started a secret office romance.

* ''Series/HowIMetYourMother'': Ted tries to win Stella and keeps asking her out. She insists that she doesn't reciprocate his feelings, and as a doctor, she can't date her patient.
* ''Series/TheXFiles'': Agents Mulder and Scully. They start out purely professional but their relationship is very strong, with several sweet bonding moments when they assure each other of their trust and loyalty.
* ''Series/TheInspectorLynleyMysteries'': Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley and his partner DS Barbara Havers. He's rich, titled, and went to {{Oxbridge}}. She's working-class, cranky, and went to Ealing Tech. At the start, she hates him and he's completely frustrated by her. Two seasons in, putting her life and her career on the line for him is nothing short of instinctive. Three seasons in, the only thing capable of keeping him from going in unarmed and unprotected to rescue her from [[spoiler:being held hostage at gunpoint]] is a ''full tactical assault squad''. By the final episode, they're each other's {{Not Love Interest}}s to the fullest extent of the trope.

* The ''Stargate'' franchise uses this multiple times for the current series' primary pairing. In ''Series/StargateSG1'', O'Neill and Carter have a thing for each other throughout most of the series but since both of them are in the USAF and she's his subordinate, they never act on it. It even becomes a plot point in one episode when there's a ManchurianAgent on the base and everyone has to make testimonies while being hooked up to a machine that shows if the user is hiding something, even unintentionally. O'Neill's testimony regarding a mission where he went against orders to not leave Carter behind triggers a positive response and he comes under suspicion of being the ManchurianAgent until he admits that he indeed hid something from his official report: he went back for her at least partly because "I care for her... a lot more than I'm supposed to." In several alternate universes, the two are in an actual relationship or even married, most of the time due to Carter not being in the military or O'Neill having retired, thus fraternization regs no longer being an issue.
* ''Series/StargateAtlantis'' has Sheppard and Weir, with the excuse that while not military, she's still his superior. On the other hand, [[SubordinateExcuse she does go the extra mile to get him promoted from her unofficial second-in-command to official one]].

Compare with JustFriends in which the characters decide that things are best kept platonic, though the writers may still tease the audience with the possibility of them becoming [[RelationshipUpgrade 'something more'.]] Contrast MistakenForRomance.

* ''VideoGame/SuikodenV'': Played for laughs during the bathhouse skit between Roog, Cius, Mathias, and Isato. Roog calls them together in an attempt to bond with them, believing they're [[HopelessSuitor in the same boat]] regarding the women each of them serves[[note]]Roog nurses [[HopelessSuitor an unrequited crush]] on his childhood friend, Miakis. Cius is partners with Lelei, Mathias serves Isabelle, and Isato serves Haswar[[/note]]. Except the other guys tell him they have [[MistakenForRomance no such feelings]] toward the ladies and serve them strictly out of professionalism, or civic duty. Which leaves Roog being the only who does!

* ''VideoGame/SuikodenV'': Played for laughs during the bathhouse skit between Roog, Cius, Mathias, and Isato. Roog calls them together in an attempt to bond with them, believing they're [[HopelessSuitor in the same boat]] regarding the women each of them serves[[note]]Roog nurses [[HopelessSuitor an unrequited crush]] on his childhood friend, Miakis. Cius is partners with Lelei, Mathias serves Isabelle, and Isato serves Haswar[[/note]]. Except the other guys informs him they have no such feelings toward the ladies and serve them strictly out of professionalism, or civic duty. Which leaves Roog being the only who does!

** This is also the case between Officers Noa and Asuma, in the {{OVA}} continuity. But near the end of the ''Mobile Police/New Files'' continuity, they show signs of ''[[MaybeEverAfter possibly]]'' becoming [[RelationshipUpgrade "more than friends"]][[note]]confirmed during the ''[[Film/NextGenerationPatlabor Next Generation]]'' continuity (set 15 years later), which reveals [[BelatedHappyEnding Noa eventually married Asuma]][[/note]].

** This is also the case between Officers Noa and Asuma, in the {{OVA}} continuity[[note]]By the time of ''[[Film/TheNextGenerationPatlabor The Next Generation]]'', which is set 15 years later and serves as the OVA's DistantFinale, it's revealed [[TheyDo they eventually got married]] sometime after the OVA's conclusion[[/note]]. But near the end of the ''Mobile Police/New Files'' continuity, they show signs of ''[[MaybeEverAfter possibly]]'' becoming [[RelationshipUpgrade "more than friends".]]