minghao: strength, passion, sweet :>
What makes a person strong isn’t their physical ability. What makes a person strong is their ability to endure, to stop and look back and reflect, to acknowledge their mistakes and shortcomings and wrongdoings. And to learn from them and grow, and keep going.
Strength is in knowing oneself. Sometimes strength is in knowing when to stop, to hold back, rather than blindly run forward and crash. And yes, sometimes strength is in taking risks, but blindly taking risks isn’t strength; it’s being rash and foolish.
Minghao possesses a kind of unique strength. It’s a quiet self-assuredness, confident in himself and his abilities but not overbearing with it. He doesn’t force it on others; he just is. He knows his strengths and his weaknesses, what he needs to work on in order to improve himself.
Y/N likes that about him. He’s confident and assertive in their relationship, but he listens to her and not once has he tried to force an opinion or idea on her. He’s gentle, kind, and hesitant. Minghao is the kind of person who will drop everything for her, if she needs him to, and even though they’ve never discussed it she knows because of his words, his actions.
But neither would she want him to, because she has her own strength. He’s a source of inspiration for her, someone who has overcome so many obstacles in his life she’s amazed he’s managed to retain his lightness. And never once has he complained when she talks to him about her own problems, always listening and giving advice even though her troubles probably amount to nowhere near his own.
And she appreciates that. She takes solace in his strength, and uses it as a guide to find her own.
Passion is a strange thing. You either have it, or you don’t. You can find it, you can lose it. It can inspire you to go through hell and back to get what you want. And without it, you may never find your way.
Minghao appreciates Y/N’s passions.
Not just the kind of passion when they kiss (even though he appreciates that too, definitely; it’s something they share), but her hopes and dreams for the future. When he listens to her talk about her aspirations, her worries, her fears that she won’t be able to do something but she’ll do it anyway because fuck it, if I never try then I’ll never make it, he can’t help but be in awe of her.
She knows what she wants and she’s trying to find how to get there, stumbling along, but that’s okay because she knows where she wants to go and she’ll get there. Minghao, meanwhile, is more than content to watch and help her when she needs it, but she’s strong and determined, probably more so than he is, and he is proud to be able to call her his girlfriend.
Much as they admire each other’s strengths and passions, they’re quite subtle about showing affection. Neither one is really the forward type, so they’re generally at small, sweet gestures: holding hands, hugs, quick pecks in front of their friends.
But when they’re alone, they can let go because no one is there to judge them. Minghao has seen her break down, has seen her sleeping without any care in the world for looking even decent (although in his opinion, that makes her all the more attractive), has seen her drunk, has seen her sing her heart out on a dare one time.
And Y/N has seen him cry after a phone call with his parents, has watched as he laughed like a maniac at literally everything at two in the morning (without being under the influence of anything–only sheer exhaustion), has seen him fall asleep five seconds after flopping onto the couch, seen him try to rap after downing one too many cups.
But the sweetest thing is when he tries to buy her presents when she’s down, making up strange holidays and celebrations because he knows she doesn’t like people spending money on her. “You can’t refuse this,” he says. “It’s a giant bear to celebrate Annual Stuffed Bear Day. You should take a look at all the convenience stores. There are so many bears!”
“Minghao, please. You know I don’t need any more stuffed animals. I swear my shelf is going to break because of you.” But she takes it anyway, and there’s a smile on her face, and somehow she feels lighter than before.
Minghao takes her face in his hands and leans in so that his forehead rests against hers. “Don’t worry. It’s all going to be fine in the end.”
Staring into his eyes, she can almost believe it. “Thanks,” she says, and closes the distance between them.
She can taste his confidence and belief in her, supporting her, lifting her up. And he can taste her gratitude, the quiet, constant worry gnawing away at her and he tries his best to stop it, dissolve it, make her realize that she is amazing and capable of doing anything and everything.
Because there’s nothing quiet as sweet as the kisses they share.