forum How to start a relationship between two characters that won't last

Started January 10, 2020 by @Becfromthedead group

tune

So I don't want insta-love exactly, but I'm thinking of making lust more of a foundation for the relationship in question, but I have no experience with that really, so um… help?

In a relationship based primarily on lust, I'm assuming both parties would find the other sexually appealing in some way. Their face, their body shape, certain mannerisms, movements, etc. That's not to say you can't feel lust for a person you initially don't find attractive, but looks are probably the first thing a person will notice about a potential partner.

You said you weren't looking for an insta-love, and I currently see two alternatives.

1) The parties meet, find each other attracive and start interacting because of it. Depending on the personalities of each person, this could be represented through brazen flirting, staring, or maybe they won't want to admit it (but it's there and it's something they can't stop thinking about them). As time goes on, they start to find each other's personalities attractive, but they're still in it for the physical chemistry. A relationship like this might be vulnerable, because if one of them spies someone even more attractive, their feelings may start to fade. Conversally, one may begin to feel unsatisfied with their partner, and not feel emotionally attatched anough to try and salvage a relationship without the steamy benefits.

2) Essentially the same as the first, except one person falls for the other's personality and such first, leading to the more physical and intimate parts of a relationship further on. As time passes, though, they start to disconnect and really only stay for those late night (or other time of day—you do you, I guess) experiences. Which would eventually send them spiralling into a situation much like the above one, not wanting to put in the emotional effort to salvage their relationship.

Hopefully this helps. I'm not the most experienced in this area, as I've never been in an official relationship and I'm starting to think I may be somewhere on the asexual spectrum.

Lol I'm ace spec and I haven't the slightest idea how to write people just being physically attracted to each other so uh… But the thing is, I really like the first option (with a small splash of the second).
But I do know how the relationship is going to end- it's going to be a bit more abrupt. The guy just disappears on her. She's not the reason he left, but they were already drifting apart because they realized their goals in terms of the story don't align at all.

Nice to meet another!

And it sounds like you already have a pretty good plan. Goals not aligning is a perfectly valid reason to end a relationship (although the guy really did her dirty there).