Disclaimer: Junjou Romantica is the rightful property of Nakamura Shungiku. This is a fanwork written purely for both your entertainment and mine.

The quote "The course of true love never did run smooth" is from A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Miyagi Yoh had learned this at a young age, and he'd never bothered to question the truth of the phrase. Love was something you had to strive for, something to give your whole heart and soul to. When putting that much effort into something, people are quickly able to tell whether it will be worth the trouble in the long run.

Takatsuki Shinobu was young, he was irrational, he was his boss's son, he was his ex-wife brother, he was male, and he was very much in love. Miyagi began his relationship with the boy in a way so half-hearted that it could barely pass for affection; it was what he was used to, what he'd become accustomed to doing whilst he had been married to Risako. He knew, in the back of his mind, that it wouldn't last long while he was putting in such a minimal effort, but in the end, he had almost secretly wanted that. He hated change; he loved the company of his books and his memories. He couldn't decide if something was worth the effort if he didn't put effort into it in the first place.

That state of mind had backfired on him, and before he knew it, Shinobu had taken his heart. And suddenly, their roles were reversed; Shinobu, trying to escape from what he saw as a loveless relationship, and Miyagi trying to prove his love in return. And finally, in front of the grave of the person he had once loved, they had met one another halfway and seen eye to eye.

To say that their relationship was now completely perfect would be an outright lie; no relationship was, but perhaps that was what made love beautiful. They still had fights, Shinobu still force-fed Miyagi stir-fried cabbage for every meal, and Miyagi still forgot that he had Shinobu's spare key until the younger man came storming into his apartment to tell him to come and see him, before pointedly walking back to his own apartment in a huff.

But at the end of the night, when Shinobu curled up against Miyagi, told him he loved his and slowly drifted off to sleep - unaware that the older man was watching him as he slept - Miyagi knew that it was worth every minute.

The course of true love never did run smooth, but it seemed a lot easier to see these moments of perfection stretch on forever with Shinobu by his side.

END