Kindness & Respect - Green Flag romance/ML

Even during their period of mutual suspicion (all very well founded), they try to play each other fair. They both basically act with the caution as if their suspicions are true and the kindness as if their suspicions are false. And once they fully trust each other, that's it. No misunderstandings or doubts--they work trustingly side by side. So refreshing.

First comes respect, even in scenes where they are wary, distrustful, possible enemies, one may kill the other. But very soon comes kindness too even as they still dance around each other. The evolution of trust is magnificent to watch, but there is respect for each other throughout the building of this power couple. And the mutual support is also lovely--they each take turns being discouraged or hurting or emotionally vulnerable and the other comforting, encouraging, literally being the shoulder to lean on. I love that it goes both ways and they truly support each other.

I don't watch a lot of contemporary romance, but this is a favorite I keep coming back to. I love the respect, the thoughtfulness. I love how the story gives opportunities for misunderstandings that other characters in other shows (and other characters in this show) would blunder into, but they just neatly sidestep it, sometimes talking it out and sometimes just not even questioning the other. A breath of fresh air.

They support each other's dreams and goals long before they fully settle into friendship let alone become a couple.

Supportive team with a lot of joy and sweetness.

Supporting each other's goals while also knowing when to just stand back and trust the competence of the other. But then they'll go to great lengths for each other when there's need.

Even when sometimes on opposite "sides" they strive to be kind to each other, and understanding.

There's a lengthy frenemies phase in here that is a delight to watch. They respect each other's abilities, will tease and challenge and give tit for tat, and then will immediately turn around and and go to great and painful lengths if the other is in actual danger. They argue--it is painful to both of them how very close they are in goals and yet the misalignment is life-and-death important to them both, so neither can let it go (but quite understandably). An aching relationship but they do actually talk things through at crucial moments, and plenty of smaller moments of kindness not just coming through for life-and-death situations.

The respectful decorum is more an approach to life early on. It takes a while for preconceptions to clear and truer respect to bloom. But they try to treat each other with kindness even when they are distant and distrustful. It is these sometimes subtle hidden kindnesses that begin to wear each other down. I especially like that he supports her love of embroidery from early on and defends her ability to go interact with her teacher's shop even as their private relationship has its ups and downs.

There's actually multiple supportive potential-suitors in this, but the main ML is the most so.

There are some flaws in this drama, but the relationship is quite respectful. I particularly loved the scene where it seemed like one must have betrayed the other so they...sit down and have a calm conversation about it, starting from the assumption that there must be an explanation. Absolute gold there.

I seem to recall him being kind and supportive throughout, and her being driven but also kind.