Basic Trope: Two characters seem to have an interest in each other, but it isn't exactly pointed out, only implied.
- Straight: Alice and Bob seem to like each other, but it isn't clear if it is a like, or like-like.
- Exaggerated: Alice and Bob have gone on dates, watched each other sleep, and go out of their way to meet each other, but their love is still implied.
- Downplayed:
- Alice and Bob don't generally seem in love, but they do share a single glance that looks pretty passionate.
- Alice likes Bob more than Bob likes Alice, but it's not clear if Alice's feelings are romantic or not.
- Alice did admit to loving Bob, but she was drunk at the time so it's unknown if she really meant it.
- Ship Tease
- Justified: There are a lot of complications in the plot that prevent Alice and Bob from being open about their feelings.
- Inverted: Alice and Bob seem to hate each other, but it isn't exactly pointed out, only implied.
- Subverted: It's eventually made explicit that Alice and Bob are in love.
- Double Subverted: But then they have a quarrel that messes their relationship up and reverts them back to their status of ambiguously being in love afterwards.
- Parodied: ???
- Zig Zagged: Alice and Bob seem to like each other and they're seen Holding Hands a lot, but they're never known to love each other, then Alice admits that she loves Bob but that's just because she was drunk and it's unknown if they meant it, then Bob is seen giving flowers to Alice but they're only because she's going to a funeral.
- Averted: Alice and Bob are an Official Couple.
- Enforced:
- The work is intended for children; straight-out romance is going to appeal less to the target demographic.
- Alan and Bob have to be treated this way because an explicit gay romance wouldn't fly with the censors.
- Lampshaded: "Are they in love or not? Does anyone know what the deal is with them?"
- Invoked: ???
- Exploited: ???
- Defied: This starts to annoy Alice / Bob, and she / he explicitly ask for Bob / Alice to end the ambiguity.
- Discussed: "Gosh. Will They or Won't They??"
- Conversed: "If I write a fanfic where Alice and Bob are together, am I sticking to canon or just Shipping?"
- Played for Laughs: There's a Running Gag of Alice and Bob being in scenes that have Innocent Innuendo or scenes that look romantic but turn out not to be.
- Played for Drama: Alice and Bob have a falling-out that is very dramatic, but it's hard to tell if it's a lovers' quarrel or a Feud Episode.
Back to Implied Love Interest.
