#problematic and evil and bloody and deranged and unhinged

[hozukitofu]

Enemies to lovers had not quite been able to make its intended meaning. What we have is at best haters/rivals to lovers (they are on the same side they just hate how the other is carrying on) so they bicker, with love. We mistake rivals for enemies, understandably bc rivalry is more palatable and arguably less problematic. The dynamic of 'they don't actually hate each other' gives me a high like no other. But enemies, people on OPPOSITE sides committing CRIMES against each other in an obsessive ritual, too dependent on their morals to ever consider another path, making their marks on each other in mutual destruction wounds then get struck with an epiphany mid-fight mid-stab face to face that this person is their worse half, their despicable unseen part, the pathway direct express to hell, but LIBERATION the likes which no other could ever enlighten them to, someone so fucked up but so fundamentally ALIKE, unhinged kindred spirits with the same coins same morals different sides ...

I FUCK with that

The suspense of not knowing whether feelings are reciprocated bc the stakes are LIFE ENDING and everything must fall to support this love make me FERAL over enemies-lovers. Rivalry has stakes too but it's more getting over initial distaste of someone who you've viewed as your competition aka forfeiting your pride; enemies make you reroute your entire life compass to be with the one you love bc that changes EVERYTHING yes crimes were committed and confessions were traded on deathbeds there are no villains or heroes in this story. Rivals make couples strive to be better by the other and for themselves, enemies make each other WORSE and I'm here for it

Who are enemies to lovers: eve/villainelle (MI6 agent hunting down an international killer); laurent/damen (two heirs of warring kingdoms); vegas/pete (two sides of a warring family in a torture chamber)

What ISN'T enemies to lovers: sereshaw/hangster (classic men on men rivalry they're just extra toxic); cherik (same mutant side they've been trying to divorce for so long that its everyone's problem now but the enemies are humans)