I like to call it 'Disney syndrome.' Basically it's the issue writers have where everything always needs to have a happy ending, or their characters always get away without any serious damage or trauma. We love our characters but sometimes they need to go through struggles. This especially applies to killing characters off. Conflict and tension in a story is what makes the plot the most interesting, because there is actually consequences and potential risks. It makes the reader want to see a specific outcome, or feel empowered and moved by a specific loss. Conflict, death, and injury all contribute to character development.

An author needs to be prepared to bring pain upon their characters, and remember that although some characters can return from death or pain, sometimes it's better they don't. Of course this doesn't mean someone needs to die in order for the plot to drive foreword, but sometimes the characters do need to fall before they realize they can make a stand.

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Example:
I hear a groan and look around. "Lazuli?" I call looking for her. I open the door to the bathroom and see her looking at her hair in the mirror. "What's wrong?" I ask avoiding eye contact. "My hair is fading again, I didn't steal enough money this month to afford dye and I-" She stops and looks at me, noticing my gaze locked on the tile floor beneath her. "Peridot, did I do something wrong?" She asks. I try to lie my way out of further questioning. "No just forget it." I say still avoiding meeting her gaze. "Then why are you being so distant all the sudden?"  Dammit. She crosses her arms. "What? We barely know each other I didn't realize I'm supposed to throw myself at the gang member." I say sarcastically, regretting it the second I see Lapis look at me with a look of anger and slight pain. She looks down twisting the strands of faded blue hair in her face. I sigh and try to change the subject. "I can buy you the hair dye, it's not that much money going to waste." I say sitting on the sink in front of her. "And I already told you. As long as you stay in this house no stealing, no guns unless it's an emergency, and no gang friends coming over. I don't need the violence and drugs and-" She growls cutting me off, what did I say? "No one in that stupid gang is my friend." She snaps. "Well I just assumed since you joined in the first place to steal and-" she cuts me off again. "Will you stop labeling me as some dangerous gang member and killer?! I'm only in that gang because Jasper forced me!" She shouts looking up at me with anger and tears in her eyes. "You don't know what she is capable of! You don't know what she's done to me! But you act like I'M the dangerous one! Newsflash Peridot! You're the dumbass that punched her in the face! Not me!"  She covers her mouth after saying that. Wait...Jasper forced her into the diamond authority?! What would Jasper want with Lapis? I soften my expression and look at her confused, but mostly with a look of guilt. I stereotyped her, I don't know why I got so angry at her for talking with Amethyst, why am I so jealous? I sigh, turning my thoughts back to Jasper "What do you mean, Jasper forced you?" I prod softly.

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This example is not an extreme one, but it shows what I'm talking about. Peridot stereotyped Lapis as something she wasn't, causing Lapis to get upset. This fueled a fight between them and caused their trust to break slightly. This causes a conflict with makes the two characters grow distant and question one another. It causes an argument which leads to new information being learned and Lapis starting to open a little bit more to Peridot. Their argument led to them talking out their differences, this not only fixed their tension, but brought them ever closer together as friends. Which leads to the character development of trust and eventually love.