Enemies to Lovers

Characters who start as adversaries and gradually develop romantic feelings for each other.

650,000 works

What is Enemies to Lovers in fanfiction?

Enemies-to-lovers is fanfic's favorite engine because fandom's favorite canons keep building it: rivalries with obsessive attention, ideological opposites forced into proximity, wars that put two people on opposite sides of a line neither drew. The trope's actual subject is attention — an enemy is the one person guaranteed to be watching you closely — and the turn happens when watching becomes seeing.

Characters who start as adversaries and gradually develop romantic feelings for each other. With over 650,000 works on Archive of Our Own, Enemies to Lovers is one of the most beloved tropes in fanfiction.

Why readers love Enemies to Lovers

The tension, the banter, the moment everything shifts - enemies to lovers delivers maximum drama and emotional payoff.

Examples of Enemies to Lovers

Rival students, opposing soldiers, hero and villain, competing professionals.

Best Enemies to Lovers Fanfics

The highest-rated Enemies to Lovers stories across all fandoms on AO3.

1

The Way You Used To Do

Complete

by edema_ruh

"We're really sorry," his father says, in a teary-eyed, wobbly way. "But your friend, Izuku, he's... He's gone, son."Katsuki can do nothing but blink up at them for moments that feel like an eternity, eyes darting between both his parents in obvious confusion, disbelief, and, more than anything, ind

72,220 kudos 670,180 words ~2681 min read Teen And Up Audiences
Soul Bond Enemies to Friends to Lovers Slow Burn
2

From The Sidelines

Complete

by suffocatingspring

When long-time enemies, Bakugo Katsuki--the all-star athlete and rascal of Ise--and Izuku Midoriya, the town sweetheart, are paired together for a long-term project, the quiet beachside town of Ise suddenly gets a bit louder.In which, Katsuki is an asshole pole vaulter, Izuku is going to fail psycho

58,463 kudos 404,533 words ~1619 min read Explicit
Coming of Age Eventual Smut 80s Beachtown Aesthetic
3

The Songbird and the Sea

Complete

by maia_archives

In a world where dominance of the sea is an endless battle between pirates and mariners, Park Jimin is content living in his little village on a small, uninteresting island by the eastern mainland. He wants nothing to do with the bloodshed of good and evil, the heartless killing of both innocents an

48,822 kudos 255,883 words ~1024 min read Explicit
Alternate Universe - Pirates Alternate Universe - Fantasy Action/Adventure
4

The Darkening of Your Soul

by Maeglin_Yedi

Harry is betrayed. Harry gets a second chance to do it all over again.There is just one catch. If Harry gets to keep his memories from his previous life, so does Voldemort.

47,910 kudos 260,498 words ~1042 min read Mature
Enemies to Friends to Lovers Time Travel Time Travel Fix-It
5

Coming Home (But Not to You)

Complete

by queercatfan

When Viktor makes the reluctant decision to move back to Piltover after six years to be a professor at The Academy, he's forced to share an office with none other than his former lab partner Jayce Talis, the very man who caused him to leave Piltover in the first place.(modern professors AU)

43,077 kudos 118,854 words ~476 min read Explicit
Alternate Universe - Professors Alternate Universe - Modern Setting Alternate Universe - College/University
6

The Devil's White Knight

Complete

by orphan_account

When Harry wakes up in an alternate timeline--a timeline where Voldemort was defeated long before the first war--he discovers everything is different. His parents, his godfather, his friends--and him. Harry must deal with the consequences of who he would have been if he had been raised by his pare

42,476 kudos 64,573 words ~259 min read Explicit
Alternate Universe- Time Travel No Voldemort Alternate Timeline
7

Lumos

Complete

by birdsofshore

Harry never expected to spend eighth year listening to Draco Malfoy wanking.

42,135 kudos 41,476 words ~166 min read Explicit
Hogwarts Eighth Year Room-sharing wanking
8

Fall Asleep (Fall For You)

Complete

by drannie

“They say when you fall in love you can’t fall asleep, but now that I’ve met you I feel like I finally can.” A University AU where Jungkook and Taehyung become roommates. But Jungkook has insomnia and can't fall asleep with other people and Taehyung can't fall asleep alone.

40,923 kudos 149,957 words ~600 min read Mature
taekook-centric side yoonmin Alternate Universe - College/University
9

Until My Feet Bleed and My Heart Aches

Complete

by Reiya

‘…Of all the rivalries in the world of sports over the years, perhaps none has become so legendary as that of Russian figure skater Viktor Nikiforov and his rival, Japanese Yuuri Katsuki…’ A single event changes the course of Yuuri’s life, throwing him into a bitter rivalry with Viktor Nikiforov tha

35,419 kudos 197,692 words ~791 min read Explicit
Alternate Canon Rivals Canon Universe
10

Blood and Gold

Complete

by ObsidianPen

The true Time-Turner was slammed savagely into Hermione's throat. It shattered against her neck, bits of glass and gold piercing into her skin. The last thing she saw before blackness consumed her was a plume of metallic dust and vitreous fragments, tiny prisms dancing behind her eyelids.(In which H

32,629 kudos 516,319 words ~2066 min read Explicit
Time Travel HP: EWE Post-War
11

The Game Plan

Complete

by FestiveFerret

Shane Hollander is the number two overall NHL draft pick and a newly minted Montreal Voyageur. He’s also laser focused on his goals: being the best by beating the best. For him, this means a continued rivalry with number one draft pick—and new Ottawa Centaur—Ilya Rozanov. But when a problem with Roz

32,368 kudos 64,024 words ~257 min read Explicit
Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence Fake Marriage Fake/Pretend Relationship
12

BLOODY, SLUTTY, AND PATHETIC

Complete

by WhatMurdah

“In my humble opinion there’s only three things that men should be and that is bloody, slutty, and pathetic.” And, on a good day, Draco Malfoy can be all three.When war heroine Hermione Granger and Azkaban-tattooed war criminal Draco Malfoy are forced to wed as part of Shacklebolt’s controversial Re

31,604 kudos 195,969 words ~784 min read Explicit
Enemies to Lovers Slow Burn marriage law
13

Everything or Nothing

Complete

by Wellthathappened (Cataclysmic_Calamity)

College AU where Chuuya finds out that the boy he drunkenly made out with the night of orientation is his new roommate.His arrogant, smug, very straight roommate.And the boys are each convinced the other is trying to ruin their life by making them go absolutely insane.Turkish Translation Here Vietn

30,325 kudos 264,937 words ~1060 min read Explicit
Alternate Universe - College/University Alternate Universe - No Powers oh my god they were roommates
14

With a Conquering Air

Complete

by inexplicifics

From the kinkmeme: AU Warlord!Geralt receives Tribute!Jaskier as a sacrifice to appease him in every way possible. Jaskier has no choice on the matter and he’s fully aware of the awful rumours that have spread about Geralt and his ruthless conquests. (But we all know those aren’t legit.) A classic a

30,036 kudos 27,880 words ~112 min read Explicit
Alternate Universe Timeline What Timeline Enemies to Friends to Lovers
15

Such Sweet Revenge

Complete

by ali_aliska

When the Rogues are back in the States after being pardoned, the New Avengers want nothing to do with them and as far as Tony is concerned, if he never speaks to them again, it'll be too soon. After all, he didn't spend the last year putting himself (and his family) back together only for his former

29,643 kudos 167,714 words ~671 min read Mature
Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie) Team Iron Man not team Cap friendly
16

sub-culture

Complete

by palmviolet

“Is he whining about Eddie being mean to him again?” Robin is leaning in the doorway, eating a leftover slice that’s probably cold by now. “You talk about him more than you talk about girls, Steve, it’s getting concerning. Anyone would think you had a crush.”or, steve is pretty convinced eddie now h

29,278 kudos 60,702 words ~243 min read Teen And Up Audiences
Post-Canon Hurt/Comfort Misunderstandings
17

Way Down We Go

Complete

by xiaq

The war was over.Or at least that’s what the papers said.They’d been saying it, for months, as if people needed reminding.Maybe they did.***In which Harry and Draco both run away from their pasts and conveniently choose to hide in the same tiny American town.It's super.

28,473 kudos 109,767 words ~440 min read Teen And Up Audiences
Not Epilogue Compliant Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE Fix-It
18

The Marks We Make

Complete

by WittyyName

Lance McClain constantly dreams of the day he'll finally meet his mysterious soulmate. They don't say much, if anything at all, but they leave him with gorgeous paintings temporarily tattooing his skin. It's not exactly the situation he hoped for, but when he feels the connection between them, he ca

26,731 kudos 255,302 words ~1022 min read Mature
Alternate Universe - Soulmates Alternate Universe - Modern Setting Alternate Universe - College/University
19

Will We Last the Night

Complete

by CSHfic

Chief Arnook never assigns Sokka to protect Princess Yue, so he goes to fight the Fire Nation with the other men. When the moon dies and the ocean spirit takes its revenge, Sokka is caught standing on the deck of a Fire Nation ship. Sokka should have drowned… and he would have drowned, if not for a

26,662 kudos 143,478 words ~574 min read Teen And Up Audiences
Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence Slow Burn Hurt Sokka (Avatar)
20

Unbelievers

Complete

by isthatyoularry

It’s Louis’ senior year, and he’s dead set on doing it right. However, along with his pair of cleats, a healthy dose of sarcasm and his ridiculous best friend, he’s also got a complicated family, a terrifyingly uncertain future, and a mortal enemy making his life just that much worse. Mortal enemies

26,642 kudos 136,814 words ~548 min read Explicit
Louis and Harry are co-captains of the football team Mortal enemies with benefits Harry's family is complicated

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Enemies to Lovers fics are on AO3?

There are over 650,000 works tagged with Enemies to Lovers on Archive of Our Own.

What fandoms have the most Enemies to Lovers stories?

Popular fandoms for Enemies to Lovers include Harry Potter, MCU, My Hero Academia.

How can I read Enemies to Lovers fanfiction on my phone?

Download Fanfict Reader for iOS to browse and read Enemies to Lovers fanfiction with a beautiful mobile interface, offline reading, and custom themes.

Read Enemies to Lovers fanfiction on the go

Fanfict Reader is the best way to browse, search, and read AO3 fanfiction on your iPhone. Download for free and start reading your favorite stories today.

Free to download
Offline reading
Custom themes