This month’s Beautiful People, a link-up for writers hosted by Cait @ PaperFury and Sky @ Further Up and Further is all about couples. 

Full disclosure: I meant to post this yesterday, Valentine’s Day. Wouldn’t that have been perfect? A romance-themed post for the most romantic day of the year? Well. I was too busy eating my weight in chocolate and heart-shaped pizza to even think of making this post. BUT, it is still February, I still have pink paper hearts hanging all over my house, so it is still as good a time as any to answer questions about my favorite couple in my WIP!

First, we have Ol.

Brown hair, beard, square jaw, perpetually growling, usually caked in a layer of grime, great lover and drawer of maps, depthless fount of information, has little to no patience, gets things done.

And then Simon.

Artist, working as an elementary school art teacher, messy black hair, glasses, cinnamon roll, sweet as candy, bitingly sarcastic, self-sacrificing, needs to learn to stand up for himself, kind as can be.

Now, onto the questions!

1. How and why did they meet?

   Accident. Circumstance. Simon gets wrapped up in a quest he was never meant to be a part of, which involves Ol, who needs another tag along like he needs a root canal. (Though he ends up really, really liking this tag along, so maybe he’s more partial to emergency dental procedures than he previously expected.)

2. What were their first impressions of each other?

   
   Ol’s not too impressed with Simon’s sudden appearance, to be honest. Simon, however, is slightly more enthusiastic.

   

3. How would they prove their love for each other?

   Through sarcasm? I don’t think I do flirting right:

   

   ~

   

4. What would be an ideal date?

   Something very quiet and subdued without a lot of mayhem or murder or running for their lives. Maybe a date where Ol works on his maps while Simon sketches, peacefully together doing their separate things.

5. Is there something they emphatically disagree on?

   Oh, yeah. Fundamentals of life and death and who should or shouldn’t be saved. This isn’t the happiest story, admittedly.

6. List 5 “food quirks” they know about each other. (Ex: how they take their coffee, if they’re allergic to something, etc….and feel free to mention other non-food quirks!)

   I can’t really think of any food quirks! Simon’s a vegetarian, though it’s never outwardly stated. Ol is shown being sensitive to that and cooking Simon separate, non-meaty meals.

7. What’s one thing they know about each other that no one else does?

   Simon definitely knows more about Ol’s past and backstory than the protagonist, Charley, just by virtue of them dating and having shared that kind of information. Ol has a very big phobia that the readers and Charley don’t know the root of at first; Simon, though, appears to know why.

8. What’s one thing that they keep a secret from each other?

   Eesh, big question! Ol keeps some pretty significant secrets from Simon (from everyone), in an attempt to protect him (and everyone). It goes … okay for him.

9. How would their lives be different without each other?

   Throughout the course of the story, Simon cracks open a shell that, without him, Ol might never have broken out of. I think he would’ve remained far more reserved, and rough around the edges, without the source of comfort and support that Simon provides. I also think, without Ol challenging him, Simon wouldn’t be pushed to stand up for himself and go after what he really wants.

10. Where do they each see this relationship going?

    Oh, I think I’ve got some twists and turns coming that might surprise them. For better or for worse.

~

Are you a writer? How do you make your couples’ affection for each other burst off the page like hearts pulsing from a cartoon character’s eyes? If you’d like to participate in the link up, click here, and check out the other writers who blogged about their favorite couples!

If you’re not a writer, simply a voracious reader, who is your favorite pairing in literature? Lizzie & Mr. Darcy? Eleanor & Park? Aristole & Dante? Leave a comment, let’s talk!

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