I may be a guy, but I do love a good romantic subplot in fan fictions. It’s good to take a break from action and violence and mix in some cute love scenes every so often. It’s also one of the toughest things to pull off well. Even I’m a bit unsure. But I can offer this one advice to you: MAKE IT BELIEVABLE. Take the following into consideration as you strive for this.
- If you want to use a pairing that someone who isn’t a rabid shipper would accept, think about the canon. Is there anything in the canon that could reasonably form the basis for a love-based relationship? Far too often, authors simply pair their favorite characters willy-nilly, with absolutely no basis in the canon aside from merely on the screen at the same time, especially in the case of slash fiction.
- Consider the character’s personalities and backgrounds when getting a couple together. For example, a character with little or no social interaction in the canon is not going to act like they’ve had fifty girlfriends. They’d probably act awkward or unsure of themselves. Try to get into each character’s head and consider how they’d think about being in love with the other.
- True love takes time. I may not have much experience with love myself, but I know that you can’t realistically know whether you truly love someone until you’ve been with them for a while. Ideally, love should probably start in the form of a crush after the two have been friends for a little while. Remember, love is a very strong word.
- Love has a basis, so explain it. A relationship without a strong basis is one that is doomed to fail. If the two characters are going to maintain a close relationship, consider why they would want to stay together. The strongest and longest-lasting relationships are more likely to be based on a mutual respect or admiration for their partner’s personalities, beliefs, values, or ways of life more so than mere physical attraction. Consider both when determining if a couple would be compatible.