FAKE DATING (AND REVERSE) MEME
On the one hand: You're not dating but you're pretending to. Whether it's for a job, to smooth over some kind of family holiday you never wanted to go to in the first place, or just to get out of someone else hitting on you at a bar, pretending to be a couple will usually do the trick. If you get a little too close or fall a little too deep, that's future you's problem.
On the other: You ARE dating but you're pretending not to. This isn't some kind of hidden relationship thing, though. Everyone you normally associate with knows exactly what the score is. You don't hide it. But maybe a job, or a diplomatic crisis, or some kind of situation entirely fueled by spite, whatever, comes up, and suddenly, temporarily, you're pretending to be on completely platonic terms, whatever that means for you. There's a certain kind of tension in watching your partner hit on someone else as part of your mission while you're trying to pretend to be completely unbothered by it.
Bonus option: you're not trying to hide it at all but people just don't believe you.
Bonus, BONUS option: this is your chance for a fake breakup.
Page 1 of 2