• they are competitors - the same job, the same championship, etc.
• they are straight-up enemies - one them wants to buy the land to build a resort, and the other wants it to get turned into a nature sanctuary. one is a defense attorney, and the other is a prosecutor. they’re soldiers on opposing sides of the war, etc.
• they already won - they inherited an estate that should have been the other’s, or one got the job that the other was hoping to be promoted into, and they are seething.
• they broke their heart in the past - maybe there was a good reason behind it, or maybe they were an idiot then and realize it now. 
• they did the other wrong in the past - maybe they wronged the other’s family member or friend. 
• they have has trust issues - their last relationship ended in a terrible betrayal.
• they have intimacy issues - maybe because of a traumatic past, they feel too vulnerable if anyone knows about their real emotions or weaknesses. maybe they’re a psychic, a behavioral expert, or just the one person who can see right through the other and it makes them uncomfortable as hell.
• they don’t trust their dating choices - they’ve gotten involved with several losers in a row, and they’re taking a break, maybe a permanent one.
• they believe no one can truly love them - they made a terrible mistake in the past, or they’re not attractive in the conventional manner.
• they are good friends - they don’t want to risk ruining their friendship by taking it to the next level.
• they are co-workers - they don’t want to make things weird at the office, restaurant, or wherever they both work.
• they are freaked out by who they really are - a werewolf, vampire, ex-con, spy, etc.
• it was supposed to be sex only - they were going to be friends with benefits, or maybe one of them is an escort. falling in love goes against the original arrangement.
• their love was supposed to be fake - they were pretending to be in love or married, or they entered a marriage of convenience. 
• they were faking it at first - they made a bet that they could bed the other, or pretended to like the other so they could learn their darkest secrets.
• they have moral qualms - one of them is the other’s boss, their teacher, their captor, ex-girlfriend or their best friend, and that gives them pause.
• they are struggling with personal issues - one of them is grieving the death of their significant other, best friend, their child, or they have PTSD from battle or some other terrible experience.
• their love is forbidden by others - it’s against the rules, spoken or unspoken, of their family, organization, community, or religion.
• they are into something that the other doesn’t like - it could be an addiction, like alcohol, drugs, gambling, or a profession, like boxing or defending corrupt clients in court. whatever it is, the other wants no part of it.
• their cultures clash - one of them is a rock-n-roller and the other is a  business executive, or they love the city life and the other is all about small-town living.
• one of them is promised to someone else - maybe the wedding’s already planned and everything. they might have reasons for going through with a loveless marriage.
• one of them is married to someone else - it is some weird legal, not-consummated arrangement, or the other ran away long ago because their spouse was an abusive asshole.
• they are infatuated with someone else instead of them - they don’t realize yet that this other person is awful.
• they are interested in someone else in addition to them - they’re having trouble making a decision on who to be with.
• their time is together is limited - one of them is going abroad to study in the fall, their work visa is almost up, or one of them is about to go on a space mission to another planet, never to return.
• being together would require a big sacrifice - one of them would have to say no to their dream job or they would have to move away from their family.
• they are a danger to the other’s safety - they’re a spy, vampire, drug lord, gang leader, etc.
• they think they’ll only make the other unhappy - they’re dying of a disease, suffering under a curse, can’t have children, etc.
• they are a suspect - in a murder or robbery case.
• they have a reputation - a materialistic douche, a heartless womanizer, a stone cold killer, etc.
• they have terrible first impressions of one another - they might have gotten off to an awful start by arguing over something.
• they love their freedom - they always saw themselves as the carefree type who would never settle down.
• they don’t want distractions - one of them has a very important job to do, and they can’t afford to get sidetracked.

• “Mutiny!“
• “Oh! A knife?“
• “Mutiny, Captain.“
• “When do we sail?“
• “You flatter me, Captain.“
• “It’s a pirate’s life for me.”
• “Oh, drunk again, are ya?“
• “The pirate all pirates fear.“
• “Gentlemen, hoist the colors!“
• “Why is the rum always gone?“
• “Fire that musket and I cuts his throat…”
• “Not all treasure is silver and gold, mate.“
• “Mistook it for a brothel. Honest mistake.“
• “Do you even have a ship, a crew… pants?“
• “That’s hardly appropriate for the first mate.“
• “I thought pirates had talking parrots as pets.“
• “Come to join my crew, lad? Welcome aboard!“
• “That’s not true. I am not obsessed with treasure.”
• “There should be a ‘Captain’ in there somewhere.”
• “That will be 40 lashes and then you walk the plank.“
• “And upon a sudden, I hear an ungodly row on deck.“
• “Cabin boys should learn to mind their own business.“
• “It means that all that treasure is only a boat ride away!“
• “You are, without doubt, the worst pirate I’ve ever heard of.“
• “But, my arms were free and my sword was still in my hand.“
• “If I don’t kill a man every now and then, they forget who I am.“
• “So, can you sail under the command of a pirate, or can you not?“
• “Captain, I wish to report a mutiny. I can name fingers and point names.“
• “Without the map, we’re dead. If we try to leave, we’re dead. If we stay here…“
• “Me? I’m dishonest, and a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest.“
• “I thought I should give you fair warning, we’re taking the ship. Nothing personal.“
• “Aye, mutiny. And what fate befall mutineers? Now, we know the answer to that, do we not?“
• “This is undoubtedly the seediest bunch of cutthroats, villains and scoundrels I have ever seen.”
• “You got the makings of greatness in you, but you got to take the helm and chart your own course.“
• “They will see the flash of our cannons, and they will hear the ringing of our swords, and they will know what we can do!”

i got a request and i listened to an alarming number of "royalcore" playlists on spot.ify and i tried researching knights and royalty and it just got me confused and stressed out, so historians, pls look away, i'm here for the protective and occasionally pining vibes of "the monarch and their knight" vibes!! DO NOT ADD TO THIS LIST!! i have two more royally vibing lists in the works!! and i may edit this list to add more in the future, as i have already done with other meme lists!

• " i was not asked nor ordered to take up this post, my king/queen/liege. i volunteered for the job. "
• " i swore an oath to protect your life before any other, including my own, your majesty. it is an oath i am honoured to keep. "
• " don't be alarmed, your majesty. i oversaw the preparation of your meal myself, and tasted the wine from a separate glass. it is both safe and delicious. "
• " stay in the carriage, sire/ma'am/my liege. a fallen tree blocks our path, and i wish to secure the perimeter before we disembark to remove it. "
• " sleep well, your majesty. i shall keep watch outside your chamber door tonight. you will be quite safe, i assure you. "
• " your majesty! my apologies... you startled me. i did not expect you to be awake so late. is something wrong? "
• " perhaps... perhaps it might be wise for me to teach you the correct ways of using a sword, your majesty? "
• " i am marked down for the final jousting tournaments tomorrow. if anything happens, rest assured; i have chosen a most worthy candidate to replace me in my role in the event of my demise. "
• " do not fear, my king/queen/liege. i will die before i allow any harm to befall you. and i do not intend to die tonight. "
• " please, my liege. take my armour; let me strap you in. now. you must not, under any circumstances, remove this armour until you are safely within the castle walls. stay close. and pull the visor of the helmet down... good. everything will be well. i promise. "
• " your majesty, i have come bearing news. i have decided to resign from my post as knight. i will remain until a satisfactorily excellent replacement has been chosen, and then i shall be leaving. "
• " you seem unaware of your importance, my liege. your value far exceeds my own. "
• " it is a mere scratch, your majesty. a reminder of my inexcusable failure, and the closeness to which this kingdom came to losing you. "
• " you may be the first monarch i ever felt proud to protect. "
• " your majesty. your majesty, wake up! we must leave, and fast. where is your cloak? the carriage is waiting, we must hurry... "
• " make haste! the enemy has breached the gate; and i won't let them harm you, my liege. not while there is air in my lungs. "
• " do not fear, your majesty. this is the fastest horse in the stables. you must head for the forest; i'll fend the enemies off until i know you're safely away. "
• " your majesty? were you worried for me? "
• " i must warn you, my king/queen/liege, these parts are not safe for anyone, let alone a member of royalty. "
• " my king/queen/liege, permission to speak freely? "
• " trust and ease are things i sacrifice gladly to guard your life well, your majesty. "
• " with the greatest respect, you should not go alone. i can accompany you. i assure you, you won't even know that i'm there. "
• " knights have a code, your majesty. and to feel the way that i feel for you... it goes against that code. against everything we stand for. in all ways. "
• " should this be the last time we meet, my king/queen/liege, please know... you must know, it was my greatest pride and privilege to be your knight. "
• " if i may be so bold... i do not think i would much enjoy a royal life. the weight of the crown seems too great a burden. "
• " be calm, my king/queen/liege. my finest armor is polished and ready for tonight's festivities. i shall be by your side all night. "
• " my king/queen/liege, you look uneasy... has something happened? are you unwell? where is your luncheon? i'll send for the doctor right away... "

• " ah! you must be the new knight! do tell, what is your name? "
• " i trust your word above all else. you may always offer your consult on these matters. so, please. what is on your mind? "
• " i am with you far more than i am with my own betrothed, of late! people shall talk... "
• " due to recent tensions between other kingdoms and our own, it has been decided that i will be requiring a personal guard. and i have chosen you. "
• " what made you decided to become a knight? "
• " i do not need a nanny! least of all when i am merely going to my own chambers! "
• " perhaps you could teach me how to wield a sword? one must be able to defend one's self, after all. "
• " be easy, brave knight... you took many injuries to protect me last night. i insisted the royal doctor tend to you, rather than your fellow knights. you are quite safe; you're in my personal chambers. "
• " i very much envy your freedom as a knight. i imagine you must take it for granted. "
• " don't go! you just said it wasn't safe out there! as you are responsible for my personal safety, surely you should stay with me? "
• " do not let the fine food and beautiful clothing fool you, knight. a golden cage is still a cage, even with a crown atop it. "
• " it is alright. i am merely ill, my knight; there was no poison. "
• " i know you better than i know the crowned stranger who decided i was to marry them. how sad is that? "
• " i wish to travel to the neighbouring kingdoms. you shall join me, good knight. "
• " please, kind knight... do not let me eat alone. my betrothed does that to me already. i do crave some company... "
• " my knight... i fear that i have made my most gravest mistake. i have fallen into a trap of my own creation. i have fallen in love with you. "
• " you are wounded! sit. sit! as your king/queen/monarch, i command you, sit and let me tend to your wounds! "
• " good knight, i do not believe i have ever had the pleasure of seeing you without your armour on... it is a most welcome change. "
• " my marriage, it... it is a lie, it is little more than business. i feel nothing for them, my knight, not like what i feel for you! "
• " this castle is suffocating... please, may i... may we go to your favorite place? a place you might go to be alone? "
• " so many despise the crown. yourself included, i expect. i certainly understand; i feel the same way. so why become a knight who is sworn to defend and protect it? "
• " could we just be ordinary townspeople for a day? "
• " you presume too much, knight! just because my struggles are not the same as yours, does not render them non-existent! "
• " my life is no more important than yours, nor anyone else's. do not think otherwise. "
• " you think i would not give my life for you just as easily as you would give yours for mine? "
• " it kills me, that as king/queen/monarch, i cannot choose to wed my true love. i cannot choose my knight. i cannot choose you. "
• " no! i will not abandon you, my knight, so do not ask it of me again! "
• " you seem shocked... surely you did not expect me to abandon the fate of my knight to the hands of chance and the enemy? of course i came back for you. "