Fetish #1: Villain x heroine
A lot of my OTP's are hero x heroine, I must admit. But sometimes I like my OTP's dark, and I really freaking love villain x heroine, whether it's unrequited or not. Just like what Klaus says, "don't underestimate the allure to darkness. Even the purest of hearts are drawn to it" and "You've never felt the attraction that comes when someone who is capable of terrible things, for some reason, cares only about you?"
Related tv tropes: villainous crush, stalker with a crush, mind game ship, stockholm syndrome, lima syndrome, in love with the mark
I wanna high-five this one tumblr poster because I know what you mean! I totally agree with everything you say!
I like it because it opens up the opportunity for seduction, being ravished, and even dub-con (or even non-con) that turns into making love. It's such a fanwork fetish of mine, I won't lie! Sorry I'm not sorry!
EJ Dimera and Sami Brady from Days of Our Lives, especially in 2006 and early 2007, are a perfect example of what I'm looking for in villain x herione. He's a Dimera, she's a Brady. Their families hate each other. He was sent by his father to wreak havoc on her family, and to impregnate a Brady of his choice. He chose her. He came up with elaborate schemes to get her to turn away from her family and friends so that she would trust and rely on him only. He wasn't supposed to, but he ended up falling in love with her. When she didn't fall in love with him back he gave her a Scarpia Ultimatum and that's how she ended up pregnant with their first child. He became obsessed with getting her by his side. But the whole time she was pregnant, she was still in love with someone else. He didn't take it well. He took out his frustration and heartbreak on her by tormenting her. The whole time I was thinking, "he's being so cruel to her! He's frightening her, causing her emotional distress, tormenting her, torturing her family, but WHY do I want them to be together? I should hate him, but I don't! In fact, I find him really hot and sexy and it's kinda turning me on! Is there something wrong with me??"
On a soap opera forum I lurked at, they described EJ Dimera as "sweevil," which is very similar to "tsundere." Even though he was evil, he was also sweet. He made her cry, but then he brushed her tears away. He would whisper threats against her family in her ear while running his fingers through her hair. He would stand outside her apartment door and run his fingers across her nameplate. He did so many terrible things but his greatest desire was for her to love him and be a family with her and their child. And as for Sami, even though she was scared of him, she would always get breathless around him, no doubt her heart was racing and blood rushing through her veins. I thought, "isn't this also how a woman feels when she's around a man she's attracted to?" And so it just made sense in my mind to find this kind of relationship super hot and worth shipping.
And then, of course, came the redemption of EJ's character. He defied his family, and put his love for Sami and their unborn child above what his father wanted him to do (sacrifice the fetus for stem cells to save his ailing father's life). After that moment, he worked hard to become someone worthy of her, someone who would be a good husband and father. Everything he did was for her and their baby. OH THE FEELS!!!
Other examples of villain x heroine that I like:
- Klaus and Caroline (Vampire Diaries) My 2nd favorite example of Villain x Heroine.
- Sark and Sydney (Alias) I love her with Vaughn but also kinda shipped this on the side.
- Jackson and Lisa (Red Eye) just recently watched this, and NEW OTP!
- Ulquiorra and Orihime (Bleach) STOCKHOLM SYNDROME AND LIMA SYNDROME, YESSSS. I love her with Ishida too.
- Leonard and Kaname (Full Metal Panic!) I love her with Sousuke of course, but very intrigued by this villainous crush.
- Solomon and Saya (Blood+) ahhh his love for her was so sweet. Love her with Haji too, of course.
- Seymour and Yuna (FFX) currently obsessed with this one, thanks to finally getting around to playing FFX HD Remaster... When I first played the game back in 2002, I didn't bat an eye (didn't develop this fetish yet I guess) but now... WOO BOY... I like her with Tidus too but can't get this ship out of my head either! This fic and this fic are perrrrfect. Still looking for more.
- Tseng and Aerith (FFVII) I ship her with Zack and Cloud, too, but love this one because it has shades of In Love with the Mark. I occasionally seek out Sephiroth and Aerith fics too (how sick and twisted is that?? He killed her! He penetrated her with his sword, why am I looking for fics where he penetrates her with something else?? LOL)
- Beast and Belle (Beauty and the Beast) Stockholm Syndrome & Lima Syndrome again!
- Phantom and Christine (Phantom of the Opera)
- Hades and Persephone (Greek mythology)
- Enishi and Kaoru (Rurouni Kenshin, only in fanworks) again, I LOVE her with Kenshin, but when I run across this in fanfics, I can't help but smile wickedly with delight hehe
- Draco and Hermione (Harry Potter, only in fanworks)
- ETA (8/19/15): Kizami and Yuka (Corpse Party, only in fanworks)
- ETA (12/23/15): Seifer and Quistis (FFVIII, only in fanworks)
- ETA: Kylo Ren and Rey (Star Wars Episode VII, only if they don't turn out to be cousins tho) (ETA 12/27/17: They're not cousins!!! I can ship them now and BOY do I!!!)
- ETA (6/29/16): Kazuya and Jun (Tekken)
I love this post about Domyouji/Makino (Hana Yori Dango) and Chuck/Blair (Gossip Girl). I don't consider them villain x heroine, but they're definitely Stalker with a Crush and I LOOOVE it.
More posts about villain x heroine and villainous crush: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, fanmix, villain attraction disorder PSA, NSFW dub-con doujinshi
I also really love the dynamic of a pure-hearted, innocent yet head-strong girl who reaches out to the villain/anti-hero, who is falling further and further into darkness and evil, and tries her best to save him. He keeps trying to push her away, but she won't give up or leave him alone. She's his morality pet/conscience/light in the darkness, whether he wants her to be or not. In addition to the above couples, examples include:
- Sasuke and Sakura (Naruto, BEST example of this)
- Zuko and Katara (ATLA, especially in the last episode of season 2, arrrghhh I'm still pissed they aren't canon!)
- Luck and Eve (Baccano, in my headcanon anyway)
- Anakin and Padme (Star Wars, after he goes to the dark side)
- Heero and Relena (Gundam Wing)
- Aoshi and Misao (Rurouni Kenshin)
- Stefan and Elena (Vampire Diaries, especially season 2)
This post illustrates this dynamic SO WELL. See also All Girls Want Bad Boys, I Can Change My Beloved, Love Redeems, Brooding Boy and Gentle Girl