Appearances and temptation
It is often remarked that first appearances only reveal very little.
Each person recognises the features that he or she finds appealing or magnetic. There must be something more than the outward representation at play in that chemistry. Mannequins, puppets and waxwork figures don’t usually have the same sort of magnetism.
But initial encounters are only the beginning. Further down the line there is often a lot that needs to be negotiated before people know they’re compatible for any sort of interaction.
Is it possible to move on from past wounds during such a process? If the people involved are consciously aware of what they are doing, maybe.
It’s a minefield.