How Does Red Velvet Cookie X Licorice Cookie Fanfiction Explore Their Rivalry?

Red velvet and licorice are two of those characters that, on the surface, seem built for direct opposition. But the fanfiction I've seen digs into that and usually pushes it way past simple antagonism. It's rarely just a fistfight or a shouting match. The rivalry becomes a framework for this intense, almost obsessive mutual focus. They're the only ones who truly understand the other's level of dedication, even if their goals are opposed. That shared understanding is the core of most fics.

A common thread is using the rivalry as a vehicle for forced proximity tropes. Captor/captive scenarios are huge, for instance, where one of them has to keep the other imprisoned. All that time spent in close quarters, trying to outwit each other, inevitably bleeds into something else—a grudging respect, or more often, a very charged and complicated attraction. The power dynamics are everything.

I think the appeal lies in that tension between their canon roles—one a redeemed former follower of dark enchantress, the other a loyal servant—and the fanon desire to see what happens when those rigid lines blur. Does Red Velvet's internal conflict about his past make him see something of himself in Licorice's unwavering loyalty? Does Licorice's frustration with his own perceived weakness turn into a twisted admiration for Red Velvet's strength? The fics that explore those questions, where the rivalry is less about defeating the other and more about dissecting them, are the ones that stick with me. They often end up in a messy, morally grey place that the main game story doesn't have time for, which is exactly what I look for in fanworks.

Honestly, a lot of it boils down to aesthetics and that classic 'enemies to lovers' pipeline. The visual contrast is striking—red and black, sharp lines versus tattered robes. Fanfiction seizes on that. The rivalry provides a perfect excuse for intense, dramatic interactions full of biting dialogue and charged glances. It's a dynamic built for fanworks because it has inherent conflict without needing much setup; you can drop them into almost any scenario and the tension is already there. Writers then just... follow that tension to its natural, often shippy, conclusion.

I think it's all about the potential for change. Their rivalry in fanfiction isn't static; it's a catalyst. Red Velvet represents a path Licorice could have taken, or maybe still could. Every confrontation in a fic isn't just a fight—it's a test. Is Licorice's loyalty to Dark Enchantress absolute, or can Red Velvet's defiance plant a seed of doubt? The best stories I've found use their clashes to chip away at Licorice's worldview. Maybe he starts by wanting to drag Red Velvet back, but ends up questioning why he himself stays. The tension isn't just 'will they kiss,' it's 'will this encounter finally break Licorice's brainwashing.' That makes the eventual shift, if it happens, feel earned. The rivalry has to hurt, to leave marks, before it can turn into anything else.

The exploration often hinges on contrasting their methods. Licorice relies on summoned creatures and dark magic, a bit chaotic and indirect. Red Velvet is physical, precise, a swordsman backed by cake hounds. Fanfiction takes that tangible difference and makes it metaphysical. Licorice's magic is about control and minions, but he's constantly losing control of situations. Red Velvet has command over himself and his beasts. So when they're written together, the rivalry becomes a question of philosophy: is power about external forces (Licorice) or internal mastery (Red Velvet)? Their arguments in fics are less about good vs. evil and more about these opposing approaches to power and loyalty.

This gets externalized in really clever ways during fight scenes. A writer might have Licorice's skeletons shatter against Red Velvet's blade, symbolizing the fragility of his borrowed power against determined will. Or they'll have Red Velvet's cool strategy slowly unravel because Licorice's magic is so persistently annoying, like a fog he can't cut through. The rivalry's evolution is tracked through these battles—each one leaves them more aware of the other's tactical mind, which builds a weird, reluctant camaraderie. They become the only worthy opponents each other has, which is a classic foundation for something deeper. It's less about romance and more about two specialists recognizing a mirror in their opposite.

Okay, I'm gonna be the dissenting voice here because I feel like a lot of the fanfic misses the point? The rivalry is supposed to be kind of pathetic and one-sided, canonically. Licorice is a mess—he's incompetent, he's whiny, his plans fail. Red Velvet is this calm, collected, deadly professional who's moved on. Turning that into some epic, passionate enemies-to-lovers thing feels like a huge upgrade for Licorice's character that he just doesn't earn.

What I find way more interesting, and way more true to their dynamic, are fics that lean into the bitterness and resentment on Licorice's side. The sheer spite. Red Velvet got out, he got a cooler design, he's doing his own thing. Licorice is still stuck in the same old robes taking orders. That jealousy is a fantastic engine for conflict. I read one where Licorice isn't trying to defeat Red Velvet in battle; he's trying to prove he's better, smarter, more useful, and failing spectacularly. The 'romance' in that context is just Licorice's desperate need for validation from the one person who symbolizes everything he wants to be but isn't. It's messed up and not very healthy, which makes it a compelling character study even if it's not a traditional ship dynamic. That angle feels more authentic to their cookieverse roles than forcing them into a standard rival-lovers mold.