#my first minghao smau and it's dedicated to you hehe

[chugging-antiseptic-dye]

cute(a) 🍵 minghao x reader

✨ word count > 500 words

✨ genre: tooth-rotting fluff

a/n: for @ylangelegy 💕 i told you i would write something for you (threateningly) and while this isn't very long, i couldn't start the new year without giving you back some of the love i received from you. i don't know if it's a coincidence or not but i had darl+ling on loop when writing this 🙈 and I also wanted to write you something about your favourite member (hao) in your favourite format (text smaus). happy holidays ❄️ and as always, there's someone in your corner all the way across the sea 🌊

Tea-lover! Minghao who was so apprehensive when he had to move houses. It always took him a few months to adjust and a couple of years even for the place to feel like a home. He thought this time it would be the same.

Tea-lover! Minghao who didn't expect to smell different blends of tea coming from the next door. Ceremonial grade matcha, different kinds of pu'er, south-asian style of milk tea, masala tea, calming jasmine, and so many more. Sometimes he felt that he was invading his neighbour's privacy. But he couldn't bear to put a stop to this one piece of comfort he has. The only thing that's grounding him.

Tea-lover! Minghao who was both scared and excited to meet you. Would he bump into you at the elevator? Or will it be near your door? Or maybe at the resident community meeting and someone else would introduce the two of you? But how he actually met you was when you knocked on his door with a "Hi, i am your neighbour y/n. It's so nice to meet you! I made some mango float and thought I would share some with you."

Tea-lover! Minghao and you clicked so well together that it was hard for him to believe that he didn't even know you for six months. He confessed to a week into the friendship that he loved the smell of tea from your place. And from then on, the whole apartment complex knew you guys were thick as thieves. From being excited about different blends to visiting each other for little tea sessions. Sometimes, just sometimes, on early mornings when you were in front of him, all serious about Minghao's tea ceremony rituals yet so soft in your pajamas, he would give himself a minute to think about what ifs. He would unfurl that tiny bit of hope in his heart that makes him wish that ten years later this would remain the same but he would have the extra privilege of kissing you, of being with you.

Tea-lover! Minghao who overthinks each time he gives you a gift. Because it has to be tea-themed but it also has to be perfect. Your 1000 watt smile when you love what he gets you keeps him going for days. Minghao finds himself requesting Joshua and Dokyeom's help more and more for cute gift ideas. Maybe one day he could give you the red and white checkered apron and mittens set he bought. They have little teacups with saucers on them which you would adore. The only thing that's holding him back is that it's too domestic to gift a friend.

Tea-lover! Minghao who got overwhelmed when you finally got tired of him not asking you out and just kissed him. When he short-circuited and just stared at you, you held his face and kissed him again. Just to make sure he doesn't second guess anything about where this relationship is headed.

Tea-lover! Minghao whose new hobby is tasting tea by kissing you every time you drink some. When you tease him by asking if he can taste anything, he claims that any kind of tea is sweeter when it has the touch of your lips. And he is not even lying. You made tea and life sweeter by just being here.