Hope this isn't seen as too inappropriate to anyone. But basically I have two main characters, partners who start out platonic and through a series of events, some of them out of their control they end up in a long term relationship. The issue I am having is that I am wondering if the part where it comes to a head and they end up involved is kind of uncharacteristic of well...anyone. Keep in mind as you read this little thing, my novel would be classified as modern fantasy. A quick run down is like this. Lewis is the older male and when his old partner quits to get married, he is left with a young partner who's imported from England. They're different and go through some trials. Due to a spell and them both being drugged, they sleep together. (Lewis is married, but that was the point because the group making them sleep together needed a broken marriage vow as a spell component). After this incident they're very reserved about each other, but they grow together over the next few months and keep what happened secret. Then the female, Holly loses her sister to a brutal murder and her reaction is to throw herself back into a sexual relationship with Lewis. That's my thing, does that seem too forced? Would any real person ever react to the loss of a sibling like that? (wasn't sure if this should go here or character development)
It could happen. But plausibility comes down to details and quality of writing. Make the reader believe it,
Yes, it is plausible if the she was very close to her sister and Lewis shows understanding/sympathy towards her. People can become very vulnerable when they lost near and dear ones.
It would be even more believable if there was some reason why he was more able to be there for her after this particular event. Has he lost someone close in the past or had some connection to her sister too?
I didn't think of that point, thanks. He lost his ex-wife (she dies shortly after he cheats with Holly, like that same day, but she was already estranged) and his ex-partner died right after she quit. So I think it would make sense to connect it to that.
It's possible. When my uncle Clark died of cancer the first person I called was my boyfriend. He lived out of state at the time. All I wanted was to be held by him right then though. I was so upset. I know probably not everyone is like that. Physical contact is generally comforting to people. Especially if they are very touchy feely.
I think that is kind of the thing with the whole situation. Holly isn't very touchy feely, in fact she hates being touched when she first meets Lewis and she tells him as much. Though after what happens with them initially she stops caring about that. It's kind of meant to be a complete turn around, she starts drinking too and at one point tries to smoke one of Lewis's cigarettes. The whole thing just causes her to be self destructive, just not sure if its too much.
Don't get hung up on plausibility - as Cogito said, it's your responsibility as the writer to build suspend the reader's disbelief at all times.
As long as the connection between the two characters are good, then it should work great. If that makes any sense at all
I think that I have done that, I mean these characters are like my friends and family, I know them that well. Actually I know them better because I created them. I think there is a good one, its becoming a sort of tender thing going on between them.
Throw herself back into the relationship along with an appropriate amount of mourning? Or conspicuously without?
She does take time to mourn, she spends more than a week probably just in a mopey "hide herself from the world" stage while the investigation progresses. She isn't allowed to help with it obviously because she's too close to it. But her other reactions and the drinking come slowly over time. The drinking actually probably starts shortly after.
I would think the drinking would start early on if that is a weakness for her. People develop coping skills throughout life. Whether they are good or unhealthy that will be what they turn to in hard times.
Well she admitted that besides having a good girl image and mostly spotless record as a daughter when she was a teen, she did try one drug and she did drink at an early although not often. So she might have used it to cope at times back then even, but as far as adult her drinking it hasn't been an issue in the story till now.
If she used it to cope in the past then what's going to stop her from using to cope now? Maybe have her recalling at some point how she did that in the past. Then it'll make more sense to the reader.
Well it doesn't really matter what it was exactly. If she used it at some point to cope chances are she will use it again.
When my fiancé was killed the first thing I did when I got home was pour myself a stiff drink. I think if I hadn't had that first one, I wouldn't have developed the habits I did later on. Coping mechanisms are set very quickly in the face of an event like that.
Well she will be using it again, that's what I was saying. It's just that the sex becomes her main coping mechanism because the nature of the law is deeper than it was before. He didn't die, he left her which would have made her angry at him and herself somewhat. I'm sorry to hear you had to go through that, but thank you sharing. Yeah I think that maybe it will start with her drinking. The way I saw it happening was that it starts before she even goes home to help look for her sister.
As long as she goes through an appropriate amount of grieving, i don't see why it would be an implausible reaction. they could be simultaneous in reality. people deal with things in all different ways. i guess i would make sure that her sister's death doesn't come off as a mere catalyst for the MCs' future relationship, but i'm sure that goes without saying.
@ Cardboard. Sorry I think we're on different wave lengths. I was saying it sounded like a likely scenario. @Sonata. I'm so sorry to hear that.
The killing is actually part of the main story. The sister is an important piece of a puzzle. That's alright really.
