I've planned out a story where these two characters (let's call them X and Y) are such close friends and go on all these adventures together, but I don't know how they met in the first place. I want that to be the focus of the first chapter. X is a simple, clumsy, lazy, uncaring kind of character and Y is a serious, loyal, dutiful, military-type character. Y doesn't have a place to stay and something needs to happen that makes Y end up living with X. Maybe X unintentionally saves Y from something. I don't know. I can't think of anything that works well. This is the only part I've had trouble with! Any suggestions would be much appreciated. It doesn't matter how silly or unrealistic they are, as it's kind of a comedy. I just need some inspiration.
First of all, are they both male, female, or opposite sex? That may play a big part in how they meet. Second of all, is meeting in school not something you want to do? Seems like the easiest solution to me. They met in [elementary/middle/high] school (or even college), and have been friends ever since. Something wrong with that? Or, if they are both female (or male), you could say Y was dating a guy/girl and this person cheated on Y with X. X and Y both find out that they're being played, but instead of getting mad at each other, they band together to get revenge on their significant other. I've made plenty of friends this way, and we ended up being very close.
My first gut reaction is that the easiest way to throw together two dissimilar characters who might not otherwise meet is to give them an intersecting interest or hobby. For instance - say they both are really into comic books and both end up hanging out at the local comic book shop - or something like that. They have one thing in common that they can talk about and bond over, but other than that they can be radical opposites who disagree on everything (I know in my own circles, the one where my friends are the least similar to me is my writing group. We're all there because we write stories - not because we agree on life or politics or religion or anything else.)
It could be as simple as Y glancing out the window of his home and seeing X pick trash off his lawn, trash that a third party just threw there.
Maybe they are both in court -- Y is there for a loitering charge and X is there for parking ticket. The interaction between Y and the judge could be quite comical. Maybe at a club -- X get's tossed out the backdoor into an alley by a bouncer (a misunderstanding or for good reason) and Y is in the alley -- they strike up a convo. Maybe X finds Y sleeping in the back of his truck. Maybe X lost his dog and Y finds it. Maybe X's vehicle will not start (it's a clutched vehicle) and Y helps push start the vehicle. X is grateful because he's in a hurry and offers to come back by and take Y to dinner as gratitude. Synopsis of Down and Out in Beverly Hills: A "down and out" homeless man named Jerry Baskin (Nolte) wanders into the backyard of the Whitemans' Beverly Hills home, and tries to drown himself in the pool. Dave helps Jerry get back on his feet. The family is initially disgusted by Jerry, but they end up growing fond of him after getting to know him better. There are any number of comical ways these two could meet.
