The journey of two characters from strangers to lovers.

One of the perennial herbs and spices in the cauldron of storytelling old and new. It's [[OlderThanFeudalism been around a while]], it's [[RuleOfRomantic a major driving force of fiction]] and it's not going anywhere. A surefire crowd pleaser; probably the only way to really, ''really'' screw it up is to [[RomanticPlotTumor overdo it]]. Induces [[{{Shipping}} emotional stakes]] in an audience like nothing else.

Comes in a myriad forms and flavors. Employs plenty of tropes to get itself across, though a lot of them are mutually exclusive. Like many other tropes, the RomanceArc is looking for a balance: Too many stock derivatives and it's [[RomanticPlotTumor just too much]]; too few, and [[StrangledByTheRedString it's not much of an arc at all]].

See also: LoveTropes; JustForFun/HowToBecomeALoveInterest

Here are some of the common checkpoints of a RomanceArc in typical chronological order.
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!!Tropes:

[[index]]
[floatboxright:
Categories:
+ RomanticResolutions
]
* LoveBeforeFirstSight
** BecauseDestinySaysSo
** ChildhoodMarriagePromise
** RedStringOfFate
** GirlOfMyDreams
** NewOldFlame
** ReincarnationRomance
* BoyMeetsGirl
** TheBet
** CriminallyAttractive
** TheDulcineaEffect
** FateDrivesUsTogether
** HoneyTrap
** InLoveWithTheMark
** IntroductionByHookup
** KidsPlayMatchmaker
** LoveAtFirstNote
** LoveAtFirstPunch
** LoveAtFirstSight
** MarriageBeforeRomance
** AMatchMadeInStockholm
** MeetCute
*** CrashIntoHello
*** FallingIntoHisArms
*** TheGlomp
*** ReturningTheHandkerchief
** RescueRomance
** SamaritanRelationshipStarter
** SheIsAllGrownUp
** ASideOrderOfRomance
* JustFriends
** AttractivenessIsolation
** FakeRelationship
** LikeBrotherAndSister
** LiterallyLovingThyNeighbor
** NotADate
** ObliviousToLove
** SheIsNotMyGirlfriend
* UnresolvedSexualTension
** AlmostHoldingHands
** AlmostKiss
** BelligerentSexualTension
** BondingThroughSharedEarbuds
** BonfireDance (if romantic)
** CannotSpitItOut
** DanceOfRomance
** DatePeepers
** EveryoneCanSeeIt
** FakeFirstKiss
** FalseStart: Something prevents a long-awaited love confession from happening.
** HeldGaze
** LeaveTheTwoLovebirdsAlone
** LongingLook
** MomentKiller
** MutualPining
** OperationJealousy
** PlayingHardToGet
** RedundantRomanceAttempt: Acting out of character to impress a love interest who likes your true personality.
** RelationshipRevolvingDoor
** RomanceEnsues
** RomanticFalseLead
** ShipTease
*** CaughtInTheRain
*** ConvenientSlowDance
*** ChicAndAwe
*** PiggybackCute
*** SheCleansUpNicely
*** SleepCute
** WrongGuyFirst
* NothingIsTheSameAnymore
** AbortedDeclarationOfLove
** CantLiveWithThemCantLiveWithoutThem
** DidYouThinkICantFeel
** GreenEyedEpiphany
** LoveConfession
*** AccidentalDeclarationOfLove
*** AnguishedDeclarationOfLove
*** DyingDeclarationOfLove
** LoveConfessor
** LoveEpiphany
** LoveInformant
** LoveRevelationEpiphany
** RelationshipLabelingProblems
** UnrequitedLoveSwitcheroo
* MaybeEverAfter (probable exit point)
* RelationshipUpgrade
** FallingInLoveMontage
*** LiterallyFallingInLove
** FirstKiss
*** NowOrNeverKiss
*** SlapSlapKiss
*** ShutUpKiss
** HoldingHands
** IGotYouADrawer
** MassageOfLove
** TheRevealPromptsRomance
** RomanceSidequest
** RomanticRain
** RomanticRideSharing
** SecretRelationship
** TwirlOfLove
* YourPrincessIsInAnotherCastle
** TheFirstCutIsTheDeepest
** ItsNotYouItsMyEnemies
** IDontWantToRuinOurFriendship
** LetsJustBeFriends
** RelationshipResetButton
** NoSparks (probable exit point)
** ParentalMarriageVeto
** ThatDidntHappen
* Boy Loses Girl %%Do not make into a link; it will screw up the index.
** [[IHaveYourWife I Have Your Girlfriend]]
*** CockFight
** IWillWaitForYou
** SecondActBreakUp
*** BreakHisHeartToSaveHim
*** BreakUpDemand
*** ADeadlyAffair
*** DowntimeDowngrade (where the "Second Act" is either a Sequel or [[OffscreenBreakup in between episodes]])
*** MakeUpOrBreakUp
*** TheMasochismTango
*** ProxyBreakup
** ThirdActMisunderstanding
*** MistakenForCheating
*** RelationshipSabotage
*** WasItAllALie
* Boy Finds Girl Again %%Do not make into a link; it will screw up the index.
** ClosedDoorRapport
** DeadSparks
** TheGrovel (may involve an AnguishedDeclarationOfLove)
** MeadowRun
** RaceForYourLove
** UmbrellaOfTogetherness
** WhyWouldAnyoneTakeHimBack
* DidNotGetTheGirl
** CartwrightCurse
** CleaningUpRomanticLooseEnds (exit point; [[TabletopGame/{{Monopoly}} do not pass go; do not collect $200]])
** DeathOfTheHypotenuse
*** MurderTheHypotenuse
** DifferingPrioritiesBreakup
** DerailingLoveInterests
** DumpThemAll (exit point)
** IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy
** PairTheSpares
* HerHeartWillGoOn (exit point)
** SomeoneToRememberHimBy
* TheBigDamnKiss
* DemotedToSatelliteLoveInterest
* HappilyEverAfter
** BabiesEverAfter
** ChildOfForbiddenLove
** GrowOldWithMe
** HowDadMetMom
* HappilyMarried
* HookedUpAfterwards
* IUhYouToo
* WithThisRing
* WeddingFinale
* TogetherInDeath (exit point)
** ReincarnationRomance (Go back to [[LoveBeforeFirstSight start]])
* NoRomanticResolution (exit point)
[[/index]]
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