Enemies to lovers

[sholio]

I ended up nominating a few things for Enemies to Lovers (hush, I'm using it as a bribe for finishing my other assignments xD) and this made me spend some time thinking about which of my ships actually qualify - I had some trouble coming up with a third fandom, and trying to figure out where exactly I'd draw the line. (Like, I wouldn't call Sam/Bucky E2L - more like people who mildly antagonize each other to friends/lovers. But some might!)

So I got to wondering how other people define it. I selected check boxes since some people might have more than one answer. I mean, *I'm* not even sure where I fall in all of this!

Poll #33342

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 60

View Respondents

How would you define Enemies to Lovers? (or Enemies to Friends, if you're not a shipper)

View Answers

Must try to kill each other (or at least want to), or be on opposite sides of a conflict with life-or-death stakes
21 (35.0%)

Rivalries like sports rivalries are fine, but there needs to be a strong personal element and/or unhealthy fixation on each other (not just regular sports team conflict)
26 (43.3%)

Any kind of rivalry or antagonism will do
12 (20.0%)

For me it's about the Vibe™ - from distrust/antagonism to trust, whatever form that takes
27 (45.0%)

I do not accept it as proper E2L if there's any softening at all - they must remain antagonists
0 (0.0%)

I know it when I see it but don't get too fussed about definitions
9 (15.0%)

My thoughts are too complex for your ticky boxes (answer in comments)
2 (3.3%)

Not my trope so I don't care, but I want to click something.
3 (5.0%)

Comments

[sholio]

Yeah, it's high stakes and tension that makes it have the right feeling for me, I think! As mentioned in a comment above, you can have two people who are technically on opposite sides of a conflict, but if there's no real tension there - they simply cooperate for a common cause and don't really feel conflicted about it, say - I wouldn't call it E2L. And I agree with you that I really love E2L-type relationships where both characters are extremely committed to their own side and don't change their allegiance even as their interpersonal feelings for each other might shift. I love that tension of personal feelings vs duty.

[lilacsigil]

Aral/Cordelia that a few people have mentioned is an interesting one for me, because they are technically E2L at the start, but Cordelia is too open-minded to have an "enemy" just because they are on opposite sides, and Aral is so disillusioned with his own side that he's more relieved than anything to be stuck here with his technical enemy. Cordelia would have to be a little more gung-ho about war (or even about saving Barrayar from itself!) and Aral would have to be a little more committed to his own side, with perhaps a less monstrous commander.