So I am writing a story, and I am at the part where I am connecting the dots for my characters. It is all from one character's perspective (Aranyani). For some background, she has been having flashbacks/visions of a past life because she is reincarnated. She hasn't figured it out yet, but has started to wonder. Her flashbacks are starting to get bad to the point where she passes out and/or has waves of pain that wash over her.
A different character (Bikherious) is from her past life. In her past life, they were in love. So lots of her visions are sparked by him. He is having a hard time wrapping around where he is (he is multiple centuries in the future), and he is falling in love with her all over again.
Aranyani just had a vision where she passed out in pain because the vision was of how she died. She finally shared what had been happening to her with bikherious, and now her dad bik and her best friend are in a room. She went over everything she saw with them and is really overwhelmed by everything that has been happening. Then Bikherious starts filling everything in, aka that he has time-travelled and that he is the Bikherious from her visions and the book she is reading that used to be his journal. He tells the story and explains what he knows of the antagonist, formally introducing him. Bikherious is a stoic character who will do anything to protect his loved ones, namely, Aranyani. he was a prince, so he also understands social standards, so he is fairly closed off, especially because Yani isn't the same Aranyani, even though she kinda is. I'm trying to have him fill in the gaps for some other characters, but Yani (who is telling the story) is overwhelmed and not processing it all.
How would I describe/show her uneasiness and struggle to process all this information?
This is what I have:
When I finished, Bik filled in the gaps for my dad.
“As you know, my name is Bikherious. Most of what I told you and Dadi in India was true, but I do have memories. I remember every single moment Aranyani just described to you that she had been seeing. I remember a lot more as well.” he switched from looking at my dad to looking at me. “I wrote that book you are reading. I am that Bikherious.”
“WHAT!?” I shot up. “That’s not even possible….” I started pacing. Somehow it made sense. It shouldn’t, but it did. I was glad that it was true, but at the same time, it felt so wrong.
Bik continues telling the story, and she sits back down.
I laid my head in my lap. How could this be true? Why am I remembering these things? Is this real? Am I the reincarnated Aranyani from the story? This is Bik. The Bik I started to fall in love with from reading his book. The Bik I hoped was not just a myth. He is real, and he is sitting right in front of me.
Bik continued.
Bik tells more background, and he swears while talking about the antagonist – he hates him.
Bik’s voice was tense and raised. I flinched slightly at the use of the profanity. It was so out of character.
That is her reaction to him swearing, but it doesn't feel right because it seems so matter-of-fact. Bik talks pretty matter-of-factly because he is stoic, but Yani is kinda chaotic and tries to be logical and fails and is often confused by her own mind.
So, how do I show her processing the information better?
