Joe and Nicky are sports stars or movie stars or working in some other field that has a lot of media coverage, fandoms, paparazzi, and people with Strong Opinions.
Everyone knows they hate each other. They barely speak when they have to interact, they never talk about that one time they had to work together years ago, they publicly needle each other through interviews.
Now they have to work together again and everyone’s expecting a disaster, including their colleagues.
Except— everyone has it wrong and Nicky and Joe don’t care. They’re having fun teasing each other. Their sarcasm doesn’t translate correctly in interviews. They don’t need to say much to each other in public when they can read each other’s expressions just as easily and they’ll talk when they get home.
Joe/Nicky, modern fake rivalry
Everyone knows they hate each other. They barely speak when they have to interact, they never talk about that one time they had to work together years ago, they publicly needle each other through interviews.
Now they have to work together again and everyone’s expecting a disaster, including their colleagues.
Except— everyone has it wrong and Nicky and Joe don’t care. They’re having fun teasing each other. Their sarcasm doesn’t translate correctly in interviews. They don’t need to say much to each other in public when they can read each other’s expressions just as easily and they’ll talk when they get home.