Avoiding a Relationship Writing Fumble

I'm working on a project and I'm trying to figure out exactly to write two character's relationship. Character A is a close associate of Character B and has is attracted to them. Character A cannot act on these feelings because they would break cultural/sociatal taboos. Character B is somewhat older than Character A and has a higher role of authority over them. I'm contemplating writing Character B's view of the relationship as more of a parental/older sibling sort of thing (they are unaware of Character A's feelings) The only problem is that I'm worried this could easily delve into Parental Incest-like relationship if the one sided pateralism is added. Either way, I was probably write most of the Unresolved Sexual Tension as mostly subtext. Can anyone see any probles with this or offer tips?

edited 7th Oct '12 7:48:00 AM by TheMuse

I think it depends on the nature of the Unequal Pairing, and whether or not you intend for them to actually end up together. (You call hints of UST between them "a fumble," so I'm going to assume not.) But how exactly does Character A have a position above Character B? Is A a mentor? An employer? I think where you go from here really depends on exactly what their pre-existing relationship is, and what cultural taboos make it, well, taboo.

Character A is Character B's assistant (basically works as a scribe, asists with management, etc.)Character B is unusally friendly and open with him because he knows has a reading disabilty and has helped him prevent others from finding out. The whole taboo is they're both male, Character A is a closeted homosexual, Character B (at least a gynophile) is married to a woman and is somewhat conservative. This all takes place in a setting that isn't exactly 'accepting' of homosexuals. I'm still not 100% if they would be paired up together in the end but either way, there'd be some Ho Yay. I just don't want it sounding like Incest Subtext even though it'd obviously be a case of Not Blood Siblings.

edited 7th Oct '12 5:05:34 PM by TheMuse

Any thoughts?

Honestly, I don't think your problem is a problem. It may be a bit psychoanalytical but I'd say that all authority is bound up with parental issues, therefore an Unequal Pairing inherently faces issues of incestuous subtext, especially if one side explicitly views themselves as having a mentor rather than a partner role.

Why this isn't a problem: If this arc is a romantic tragedy, and they're destined NOT to be together, the subtext is just one of presumably many factors conspiring to make the relationship fucked up, self-destructive and unworkable. If it's a conventional romance, and they ARE destined to be together, this is another barrier of awkwardness and confusion that will be worked through by the conclusion. A relationship writing fumble only occurs when the subtext is accidental, so if you pay attention to it and work it into the fabric of the story, then that's not a fumble at all - that's writing a relationship properly.

edited 10th Oct '12 4:18:07 PM by Kesteven