Friends With Benefits
This article or section needs expansion. |
| Tropes and genres | |
|---|---|
| Synonym(s) | FWB |
| Related tropes/genres | RST, Casual Sex, Fuckbuddies, No Strings Attached |
| See also | Friends to Lovers, Pining While Fucking |
| Related articles on Fanlore. | |
As a fictional trope, Friends With Benefits is an arrangement between friends where the benefit is sex, sometimes with no strings attached, sometimes for aromantic reasons, or sometimes--more commonly--with secret feelings or pining that lead to a relationship with many other benefits. Alternately, the sex itself causes romantic feelings. Some works may be FWB to Lovers.
There are also stories where the two people involved in the Friends with Benefits arrangement are not actually friends. They may be enemies or rival, but this doesn't always preclude emotions and romantic feelings from developing. These works may be described as Enemies with Benefits.
This trope can sometimes overlap with Secret Relationships as the friends want to keep their arrangement a secret.
Example Fanworks
| Examples Wanted: Editors are encouraged to add more examples or a wider variety of examples. |
Fanfic
- Rule Number Nine by DevilDoll (Steve/Darcy, MCU): "Darcy was right, Steve admits to himself later that day. He never has a date for anything." In which Steve and Darcy go on Not Dates and more. (2012)
- do you think this feeling could last forever? by orphan_account (Nick/Harry, One Direction/Radio 1 RPF): Everything that Nick wants: a proper boyfriend, stability, to settle. Harry is the furthest thing from that. He’s 20 years old, internationally famous; completely not tied down nor looking for any kind of serious relationship. And yet Nick keeps fucking him, keeps letting him back into his home, his bed. Nick’s heard of self-sabotage but this just feels ridiculous. (2014)
Podfic
- jump, check parachute (podfic) by tinypinkmouse (Matt/Foggy, Daredevil): Foggy Nelson: good at law, terrible at feelings. (2015)
- show me if you want me (and i will be your friend) by quietnight (Bucky/Sam, MCU): Bucky's gotta give it to the future for this: they've turned casual sex into a goddamn art. (2016)
Recs & Thematic Lists
Archives & Fannish Links
- Friends With Benefits tag at AO3
- FWB to Lovers non-filterable tag at Ao3
- Fuckbuddies tag at AO3