Friends with Benefits: Difference between revisions

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[[Alice and Bob]] enjoy [[Good People Have Good Sex|getting together for sex]]. [[Lust|Wild]], [[All Women Are Lustful|rampant]], [[A Man Is Not a Virgin|unrestrained]] [[Did the Earth Move For You|bed-shaking]], [[The Immodest Orgasm|so-loud]] [[Right Through the Wall|-it-annoys-the-neighbors]] [[Hollywood Sex]]. With this much enthusiasm going on, you can just ''tell'' that these two are perfect soulmates, bonded for life.

Except -- they aren't.

As it turns out, their intense attraction for each other ends outside of the bedroom. Maybe their personalities clash, or neither of them wants a long-term relationship. When they're not doing the [[Unusual Euphemism|horizontal hula,]] they could be [[Just Friends]], quietly indifferent, or even argumentative. If they're on good terms, they might share relationship advice to help each other [[Romance Ensues|find true love]].

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But until that happens, they'll get together to knock boots every Saturday. [[Rule of Fun|Just for the fun of it.]] It is likely, but far from necessary, that they are both [[Ethical Slut|Ethical Sluts]].

Some draw a distinction between "[[Friends with Benefits]]" and "Fuck Buddies". In this view, "Fuck Buddies" are couplings with ''no'' emotional relationship, but simply <s>good</s> great sex. "[[Friends with Benefits]]", by contrast, provide sex ''and'' friendship, but not as much emotional intimacy as a full-blown romance.

In fiction, such relationships are a convenient starting point for [[Rule of Drama|drama]] and [[Angst]]. The setup isn't usually sustainable, as one or the other eventually decide [[Romance Ensues|they want a real relationship]]. This results in either a [[Relationship Upgrade]] or a [[Make Up or Break Up|breakup]].

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'''No [[Real Life]] examples, please. This is All The Tropes, not Tropes After Dark.'''

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== [[Anime]] & [[Manga]] ==

* The (very explicit) [[Yuri]] manga ''[[Maka Maka]]'' is about two women who insist they're just this - though it's blatantly obvious to the reader that they're way beyond just friends.

* The (very explicit) [[Yuri]] manga ''[[Maka-Maka]]'' is about two women who insist they're just this - though it's blatantly obvious to the reader that they're way beyond just friends.

* The [[Exactly What It Says on the Tin|aptly]]-named ''[[Sex Friends]]'' [[Hentai]].

* ''[[Akkan Baby]]'' focuses on two extremely naive [[Friends with Benefits]] who had zero idea of the potential consequences of what they were doing. [[Hilarity Ensues|Pregnancy ensues]].

* Japan and Greece from ''[[Axis Powers Hetalia]]'', who wind up having sex mainly because Japan ranked last place in a sex frequency poll and Greece ([[Really Gets Around|in first place on the same poll]]) decides to teach him how to enjoy doing it more. Though there are hints that Greece harbors [[Ladykiller in Love|genuine romantic feelings]] for his friend and it hasn't escaped [[Shipping|shippers]]' attention that Japan doesn't seem to be the kind of person who'd sleep with someone on a whim alone.

* In the one-volume manga version of ''[[Heat Guy J]]'' Clair has a [[Hot Scientist]] around that is implied to be this.

* In ''[[Virgin Love]]'', Kaoru and Daigo have what is supposed to be an anonymous one night stand, but then meet again at work. Kaoru doesn't want a relationship but thinks the sex is too good to give up so he and Daigo become sex friends instead. Daigo quickly falls for Kaoru.

* [[Lupin III|Lupin]] and [[Ms. Fanservice|Fujiko]] have this sort of arrangement in an unspoken capcity, due to the on-again/off-again nature of their relationship; usually because [[Dating Catwoman|they're at odds with each other.]] Plus she's prone to [[Chronic Backstabbing Disorder|use and betray]] Lupin when it suits her. She mentions this briefly, to Clarisse, in ''[[The Castle of Cagliostro|The Castleof Cagliostro]]''. And, in [[Lupin III the Secret of Twilight Gemini|The Secret of Twilight Gemini]] she and Lupin go at it twice.

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== [[Live Action TV]] ==

* In ''[[Against the Wall]]'', Abby wants her and Brody to stay as [[Friends with Benefits]]. He wants a [[Relationship Upgrade]]. They negotiate an in-between stage.

* Discussed in ''[[The Big Bang Theory]]''.

* Brad and Denise end up in this trope towards the end of season 2 of ''[[Boston Legal]]''. Possibly lampshaded with Denise repeatedly claiming they are "only friends... with benefits."

** But the Friends With Benefits does lead to the two eventually getting married and having a kid.

* At one point on ''[[Boy Meets World]]'' after Shawn and Angela break up they try to have no strings attached sex but Shawn gets too emotional about it and Angela calls it off before they can even get past the makeout foreplay.

* On ''[[Community]]'' this becomes the eventual arrangement between {{spoiler|Jeff and Britta.}}

* On ''[[Farscape]]'' Aeryn suggests she and John have one of these. Because he's in love with her, he turns her down.

** It should be noted that this verges upon being a [[Planet of Hats|Hat]] for the Peacekeepers, as their SOP requires that sex remain strictly recreational or procreative (when assigned). [[FWB]] is their default relationship state.

** Aeryn's mother was ordered to kill her lover (and Aeryn's father) when their relationship was discovered.

* Walter and Isabela start off as this on ''[[The Finder]]'' though a [[Relationship Upgrade]] is on the cards.

* Monica and Richard attempt this in ''[[Friends]]'', after their breakup, but it doesn't work out.

** Also, Monica and Chandler's romantic relationship started as no-strings-attached sex (only in London, mind. Then... only while on London time. Then...), which developed into love.

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* On ''[[How I Met Your Mother]]'' Barney and Robin have this sort of thing going for a while. Then Lily holds them prisoner until they decide on being either friends or boyfriend/girlfriend. They eventually choose the [[Relationship Upgrade]].

** Ted and Robin had this type of relationship in "Benefits", as part of the writers' continuing efforts to have them hook up at least once a season. In a neat little twist, neither of them ends up being hurt by the arrangement: {{spoiler|Barney does.}}

* What Dyson and Bo try to have in ''[[Lost Girl]]'', but they both develop feelings for each other.

* Sonny and Gina on ''[[Miami Vice]]'', for a little while.

* Kyle and Jade tried this on ''[[Neighbours]]'', though Jade was already in love with Kyle by this point.

* On ''[[Scrubs]]'', J.D. and Elliot attempt a "sex buddies" [[Running Gag|* FANFARE* ]] type of relationship, but it doesn't work out.

* Ricky and Adrian from ''[[The Secret Life of the American Teenager]]'' had this kind of relationship on and off for nearly two seasons before finally calling it off for good.

* Jerry and Elaine try to do this on ''[[Seinfeld]]'', "The Deal". They propose a set of ground rules by which they can have both "this" (with a gesture at the space between them as they sit companionably on the couch) and "that" (pointing towards the bedroom). They soon find that it doesn't work out without having "this, that, and the other"--i.e., a full romantic relationship.

** It's ''subverted'' on ''Seinfeld,'' with George telling Jerry [[An Aesop]] message about how "it can't be done--" and that people have tried to do it it ''throughout history,'' to no avail. Naturally, he's proven right.

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* ''Get Mine Get Yours'' by [[Christina Aguilera]] is about a relationship like this.

* In The Dark by [[Jojo]] is about this type of situation.

** Jojo is weary of growing feelings for her bed buddy though.

{{quote|''Try to stay desensitized / Keep my feelings out of mind''}}

* "Urgent" by Foreigner. The speaker seems to want a [[Relationship Upgrade]], even though he tells himself he just wants sex.

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'''Nanase:''' No. }}

* Most notably, Miriam and Steven, post-breakup, in ''[[Out There]]''. A few other pairings have taken place (or are implied to have taken place) as a part of the back story: [http://outthere.keenspot.com/d/20080423.html Sherry and Steven], [http://outthere.keenspot.com/d/20071204.html Miriam and Wally], and possibly even [http://outthere.keenspot.com/d/20081126.html Miriam] and [http://outthere.keenspot.com/d/20100526.html Sherry]; there is also a reference to a Friends With Benefits relationship between Miriam and a character named Carlos in one of the flashback stories in the third ''[[Out There]]'' book.

* An ambiguous case between the succubi Fuchsia and Baby Blue in ''[[Sinfest]]''. They both regularly tempt men with gay-for-pay shows, and they clearly have a friendship with each other beyond what they do for their jobs, but it's very different from [[Chastity Couple|Fuchsia's chaste but romantic relationship with Crimnee]].

* Kickback and Lazorbeak in the ''[[Insecticomics]]''.