History Main / RelativelyFlimsyExcuse

* After the end of ''[[Anime/{{K}} K: Return of Kings]]'', [[spoiler: Adolf K. Weismann becomes a teacher at Ashinaka High School]], and says this for Kuroh, Neko, and [[spoiler: Tooru Hieda, the teenager whose [[BodySurf body he was borrowing]] ([[ItMakesSenseInContext unintentionally]])]]. The students in the school wonder why [[spoiler: the German guy has so many Japanese relatives]], but then they decide, "[[EatingTheEyeCandy Who cares? They're all gorgeous!]]"

[[folder: Fan Works]]
* In the ''VideoGame/FateGrandOrder'' / ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'' crossover ''Fanfic/FateStarryNight'', Ritsuka Fujimaru, in order to get Rin Tohsaka's attention, claims to her classmates that he is her brother returning from abroad. It fairly works since Ritsuka looks like a GenderFlip version of Rin. This ends up backfiring, as Sakura, Rin's actual sibling, comes to the false conclusion that he's yet another replacement for her as a Tohsaka, [[NiceJobBreakingItHero further undermining her mental stability and bringing her closer to unleashing the Shadow]].

* In the ''Franchise/HarryPotter'' CrackFic, ''[[https://corvidae9.livejournal.com/344634.html Switch]]'', Neville claims that Hermione is his second cousin after both of them got sorted in Slytherin. This was to protect Hermione from the Pureblood fanatics from finding out that she's really a Muggleborn.
%%* In ''VisualNovel/TheGreatAceAttorney'' fanfic ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/34068166/chapters/94087384#workskin A Case of Identity]]'', Inspector Gregson had brought a young Gina Lestrade to the hospital after a chase causes her to nearly drown in the Thames. Gregson was told by Chief Prosecutor Mael Stronghart
* ''Fanfic/PastSins'': In Chapter 2, Twilight lies to Rainbow Dash that Nyx is her cousin, instead of a magically created filly she found in a forest after a dark magic ritual.

'''Sullivan:''' *{{Beat}}* Which makes her my ''daughter.''
* In ''WesternAnimation/HotelTransylvania'', Dracula claims that "Johnnystein" is Frankenstein's right arm's 6th cousin three times removed. Frank believes him.
--> '''Dracula:''' Frank, if your arm could talk, he would tell you that the original owner of your arm had a brother.\\
'''"Johnnystein":'''...Who married a woman...\\
'''Dracula:'''...Who was... *throat-slice gesture*\\
'''"Johnnystein":''' ...For strangling a pig.
* In ''WesternAnimation/DespicableMe1'', Gru tells his newly adopted daughters that his 1000+ yellow, gibberish-talking minions are his cousins.

* ''Film/JumpinJackFlash''. A (white) woman is trying to sneak Creator/WhoopiGoldberg's character into an embassy party, and claims she's her sister, getting some odd looks until she quickly adds, "By marriage."
* In ''Film/KillBill,'' the Bride tries to pass her ex-lover Bill off as her father when he unexpectedly shows up at her wedding. He smiles and plays along, but his reaction when asked to "give her away" suggests he sees like salt in the wound.
* In a movie called ''Loco Love,'' a renowned chef who lost his restaurant and money in the divorce, is forced to move in with his in-laws, after his gardener (who just won the lottery) offered to give the money to open a new restaurant on the condition he married his sister so she can stay in the U.S. Among the relatives is an old aunt who behaves coldly towards the chef, and often dispenses unwanted advice. When their relationship begins to thaw, the aunt confides to the chef that she's not really their aunt, what happened is that when they lived in Mexico, she had been wandering around from place to place all alone, one day she went into a church to rest her feet and there was ceremony going on. As she was getting ready to leave, she was mistaken for a relative, and asked to stay for the festivities, and when people asked who she was she told them she was a LongLostRelative, and that's how she ended up living with them.

--> '''Carter:''' I'm Blackanese!

** In a book, somebody walks into a restaurant bathroom when Marco is halfway between human and bird form. Jake quickly throws a sweatshirt over him and claims to be helping his baby brother use the bathroom. When one of the onlookers comments on Marco's obviously bizarre appearance Jake just acts offended.
--> "Don't listen to them, Tommy. Your face is just fine! It's just fine, I tell you! The doctors say someday you may be normal again."

* When Dan and Abra meet in person for the first time in ''Literature/DoctorSleep'', he insists they meet in a public place to [[MistakenForPedophile avoid suspicions about his motives]]. They decide to claim he's her father's cousin, [[HonoraryUncle whom she addresses as Uncle]].[[spoiler:They later find out Abra's mother Lucy is Dan's half-sister, making him actually Abra's uncle.]]

* In ''Literature/NumberTheStars,'' Annemarie's family must temporarily shelter her Jewish friend Ellen. When the Nazis show up, they claim that Ellen is Lise, their eldest daughter (a PosthumousCharacter who was already an adult when she died). The Nazis show obvious suspicion of this dark-haired girl in an otherwise blond family, but thankfully the real Lise had dark hair as a baby, so they have a photograph to offer as proof.

[[folder:Live Action Television]]

--->'''FRED:''' Um, hi. Um, yes. I'm looking for a patient -- a man. He was brought in Thursday, named Stover.
--->'''NURSE:''' Are you a family member?
--->'''FRED:''' Am I--? Yes. I have a family. I'm a member. He's my brother. Father. My father's brother.
--->'''NURSE:''' (looking at the computer) I have a Stoller.
--->'''FRED:''' Half-brother. Uncle. Half-uncle.

* ''Series/DoctorWho:'' Bill claims to her housemates that the Doctor is her grandfather. He prefers "father" because he is not nearly old enough to be her grandfather, [[ReallySevenHundredYearsOld obviously]]. The fact that he [[HumanAliens (appears to be)]] an ashen-white Scotsman while she is black doesn't seem to enter either of their minds.

'''Hines''' ''(indignant)'': Her cousin? Back from overseas? Do you expect me to believe--\\
'''Mabel''' ''(reprovingly)'' Hinesie!

* On ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom,'' Dani claims to be Danny's second-cousin some-odd-times removed[[note]]Which doesn't make much sense; because they're relatively close in physical age, Dani and Danny shouldn't be more than one or two times removed[[/note]], when she is actually a younger OppositeSexClone. The two refer to each other as "cousins" afterward, apparently just for simplicity's sake. Had the series continued, Danny would have revealed her to his parents and they would have taken her in.
* On an episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Doug}}'' the eponymous character is hoping his crush Patty will ask him to the [[HighSchoolDance Bumpkin Day Hoedown.]] However, Connie gets to him first, so Doug tells her he can't go to the dance because he has to take care of his sick cousin Melvin. These being his friends, of course, they believe him and decide to go bring flowers and comics to "Melvin," so he has his sister Judy climb into bed and fake the part. (And of course, Judy spontaneously decides that "Melvin" has a miraculous recovery and wants to go to the dance too.)

* In the ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePony'' episode "Father Knows Beast" a dragon named Sludge claims to be Spike's father, telling him in song to bring all the comforts of pony life from Spike's room to him because "You Can't Be a Dragon Here." It's later revealed that he's just a couch hopper who saw an opportunity in a younger dragon's presence.

* In ''Theatre/{{Rent}}'' the lesbian couple claim to be sisters on occasion. Keep in mind that they are of different races. And that it once happened immediately after they made out. ("We're close.")

[[folder:Web Novel]]
* ''Literature/CanYouSpareAQuarter'':
** The men that Jamie had been with excused his presence by claiming that the boy was a distant relative of sorts. The fact that Graham uses the same excuse but claiming that he's a close relative pleasantly surprises Jamie.
** Frank claims to be Jamie's uncle in order to visit him in the ICU. The duty nurses understands that this is a lie but they understand the reasons and let him.
[[/folder]]

* On ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom,'' Dani claims to be Danny's second-cousin some-odd-times removed[[note]]Which is odd since "times removed" refers to family generation not distance, while Dani and Danny should be in the same generation[[/note]], when she is actually a younger OppositeSexClone. The two refer to each other as "cousins" afterward, apparently just for simplicity's sake. Had the series continued, Danny would have revealed her to his parents and they would have taken her in.

-->-- ''WesternAnimation/MonstersInc'' (deleted scene)

* ''WesternAnimation/MonstersInc'':

** Also done rather humorously in a deleted scene:

* ''Webcomic/{{Beloved}}'': Wei Wei tries to cover up the fact she's involved with a teenager by saying that she's her aunt.

* ''Fanfic/ThanksToHer'': Vee claims to be Luz’s long lost sister to explain her living situation to Masha.