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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/q/45861
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

The main character (which is a girl) of the first romance I'm writing would feel jealous sometimes of her love interest, but I want it to be a cute trait or even a setup for funny scenes, not a very obsessive or possessive trait, so they can have a healthy relationship.

For example: They are in a restaurant, and a waitress acts a little flirty and her love interest is kind to her, and that could trigger jealousy for a moment. Maybe, this jealousy could be in the form of feeling a bit annoyed, disinterested or pouting, but I would like to represent in a cute or funny way if possible.

In other words, sometimes she would feel jealous of characters that aren't very important, as jealousy isn't a main factor for this story, just a minor trait of the protagonist. The protagonist also has some self-esteem issues, which is another trait that could be related to jealousy. Eventually, she would overcome these feelings and issues.

I've imagined something like this: She gets pouty and annoyed, maybe lightly teases him, in a way that is entertaining or allows funny situations to develop. These situations could lessen her anxiety, with she reflecting something like this "I exaggerated in my thoughts, maybe I should be more open-minded?" I've seen this done in some anime.

How can I do it in writing, without making it look like I am mocking her for anxiety/insecurity, or that she is too dependent or clichéd? Is there a way to express this jealousy in a cute way when writing fiction? What are some examples of this?

Original score: 34