#gossiping over bibimbap

[jae-bummer]

Crimes Against Punctuality

Request: Hi! I'm in loooooove with your writing and I saw that you have your request open soooooo can I ask for “Going out to dinner with your bias group and it is growing increasingly obvious that someone at the table has a crush. “ with Suga 😍💕 pls😭🫶

Prompt:

16) Going out to dinner with your bias group and it is growing increasingly obvious that someone at the table has a crush.

Pairing: BTS Suga x Reader

Genre: Fluff

.

If there was one constant in your world, it was this: when it came to dinner with your friends, you were never late.

Had you often arrived after nearly everyone else? Yes. Did that include technically running at least thirty minutes late on more than one occasion? Also, yes.

But out of the eight of you, there was always someone who was later, therefore absolving you of your offenses.

Sprinting toward the restaurant, you quietly cursed to yourself. Even though they got more than enough crap for it normally, you hoped that tonight, Jimin or Jungkook were running late. If they were already there when you walked through the door, you wouldn't hear the end of it. You needed one of them (or both, you weren't picky) to be the martyr just this once.

Taking the steps two at a time toward the front door of the establishment, you groaned as you flopped against the glass. Pushing at what was an evident pull, you took a step backwards before advancing again.

"It'll be fine," you muttered to yourself. "They get so wrapped up in each other, they won't even notice I'm missing."

Coming to a halt in front of the hostess stand, you opened your mouth, only to be silenced by screams coming from the back of the room.

"I'm guessing you're with them?" the hostess asked, lifting a brow.

Looking over her shoulder, you could clearly see where all seven men had already been seated, and were now zeroing in on you.

"I guess," you agreed, slumping your posture as you walked slowly toward them.

"Y/N!" "You're late." "Did you know you're late?!" "Jimin got here fifteen minutes ago and you couldn't even-" "I took two showers today and still-"

"I ordered you a lemonade."

Looking up as you slid onto the bench seat next to Yoongi, you let out a short chuckle. "Wouldn't have been my first choice."

"I know," he smirked. " It's punishment for your crimes against punctuality."

"How mildly inconvenient," you sighed, picking up your menu. "How is everyone?"

"Starving." "Withering away to nothing." "I have this suspicious mole on my elbow, can anyone-"

"Not all at once," you laughed. Side eying the man next to you, you elbowed him in the side. "What about you?"

"What about me?" he asked calmly, looking to his menu as well.

"How are you?" you repeated.

"Peachy," he grumbled, now glancing your way. "How are you?"

"Tired," you nodded. "Things are just a lot, but you know that all too well."

"What had you late this time?" he questioned, looking away quickly again.

You narrowed your eyes. Sure, Yoongi was odd in a generic way, but something else was going on with him tonight. His vibe was heavier somehow, more guarded.

"Work was a disaster," you explained. "Have you had the bibimbap here before?"

"Namjoon said you had a date."

Choking on what could only be air, you whipped your attention back toward him. "What?"

"With that new guy at your office." He refused to look at you now, but you noticed the tips of his ears were burning a bright crimson.

"Min Yoongi," you gasped. "I never took you for a gossip."

"It's hardly gossip if you told Namjoon," he muttered, flipping the menu over.

Setting your glare on Namjoon, you cleared your throat. Like prey that had been spotted by its predator, he slowly turned toward you with wide eyes. "Can I help you?"

"Who told you I had a date with my coworker?" you asked innocently. "Because I surely did not."

Swallowing loudly, a timid smile crossed his face. "Hobi?"

"Hoseok?" you hummed, swiveling your head to the newest rumor mill.

"I just, when I-" he began to stutter, looking at the members around him for help. "We got lunch the other day and you took a really long time "finishing up" with him!"

Your draw dropped. "What did you think finishing up meant, Hobi?!"

"I mean...I know what it means to Tae-"

"Hey," Taehyung's deep voice hissed. "Leave me out of this."

"Why does it matter anyway!" Hoseok shouted in his Hoseok way. "It's not like you have to answer to any of us!"

Lifting a brow, you turned back to Yoongi. He blinked back at you, his expression remaining blank. "Is the sun in your eyes? I feel like the sun is in my eyes."

You tilted your head, completely at a loss. Out of the seven men sitting around you, Yoongi had always been a bit of enigma. You liked him just as well as you liked your other friends, but it seemed like he was always just slightly withdrawn with you. He was brilliant, sarcastic, and easily one of your favorite people to talk to, but just when you thought you had overcome a barrier with him, he retreated again.

Tonight was even worse than normal.

"Jin, switch seats with me," Yoongi croaked, backing out of the bench seating. Trapped between you and Tae, there was no other way to escape.

Jin looked up with lifted brows, his cheeks packed with what appeared to be kimchi. "Me?"

"Yes, you," Yoongi confirmed, lingering awkwardly behind you now. "The sun is in my eyes over here. You're taller so it won't bother you."

Furrowing your brows, you realized that Jin was in the furthest seat away from you. A sour feeling swept through your stomach as you looked toward the window across from your table instead. "I'm sure they'll close the blinds if we ask-"

"I'll switch with you," Jungkook said cheerfully, sliding off of the bench and circling the table. He had been seated directly across from you.

"No, no, no," Yoongi said quickly. "The sun will bother you just as much."

"Jin isn't that much taller-"

"Listen to your hyung!" Yoongi groaned. "Jin-"

"I'm not moving," the other boy said stiffly, crunching on his food.

Yoongi inhaled deeply before looking up to Jungkook. "Fine," he said quietly, trying to save face. "I hope you like not being able to see."

"It's really no problem," Jungkook giggled, making his way toward you again. Shouldering himself in, he plopped down onto the bench with a content sigh. "So tell me about this date, Y/N."

"There was no date!" you huffed. "Hobi is just dramatic."

"Shocker," you could hear Jimin chuckle from the opposite side of Taehyung.

Directing your attention back to Yoongi as he settled in across from you, you couldn't help but lean forward. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Why?" Yoongi countered, not bothering to give you a real answer.

"You're acting really weird," you said quietly, trying to keep the exchange to yourselves as the other members fell back into a normal cadence of conversation.

"Surely I don't know what you mean," he sniffed, still refusing to look directly at you. It was hard not to notice that the blush that had previously painted his ears was now clouding across his face.

"Are you mad at me?" you tried again. "For making a big deal about the date comment?"

"I don't care who you date, Y/N."

"I didn't say you did, I just-"

Springing up from his chair, the table grew quiet as Yoongi hovered in place. "I, uh, I need to use the restroom."

Turning on his heel, instead of heading to where the actual bathrooms were, he exited onto the back patio of the restaurant.

"Did anyone ask?" Hobi marveled, glancing around the table.

"Joon," you sighed, setting your elbows on the table so you could drop your chin into your palm. "What is going on?"

"What do you mean?" Oh, so now it was his turn to be evasive.

"Don't act like you don't know everything," you muttered. "Now why is Yoongi acting like I have a disease?"

Glancing from one end of the table to the other to confirm that Yoongi was indeed not there, Namjoon whispered. "Have you considered that maybe, he brought up the "date" for a reason?"

"Yes," you nodded. "Because you all are worse than a group of middle aged women when it comes to circulating rumors."

"Well...yes," he said slowly. "But are there any other reasons you can think of?"

You hadn't really wanted to examine his question too closely because you knew what result it would yield. "You don't mean..."

Shrugging, he took a sip of his drink. "Just a thought."

Yoongi could not be jealous. You had assumed that he was just a peace with dying alone because there was never a partner to be seen. Of course, he could have been careful about his privacy, but you knew one of the guys would have found out and spilled the beans. He had no interest in dating, so why would that change for you? Could you have been that wrong?

You supposed it was time to find out.

"I guess I have to use the "bathroom" too," you grumbled, pulling yourself to your feet.

"Are we in an airport?" Jin complained. "We do not need to know about these departures."

Rolling your eyes, you slinked off to the door leading to the seating area in the back of the establishment. Peering out of the glass paned door, you saw Yoongi leaning on the edge of a picnic table, his back facing you and face tilted toward the sky.

Making sure you pulled instead of pushing the door this time, you shuffled out of the building. Uncertain of what to do, you decided to take a seat on the picnic tabletop next to him. After a few minutes of silence, he cleared his throat.

"I'm an idiot."

"Sure," you nodded. "But is there a specific reason?"

"Nope," he sighed. "Just a self-assessment."

"Yoongi," you said, exasperated. Simply saying his name was enough to have him finally look toward you.

"You figured it out, right?" he asked, lifting his brows.

"After talking to Namjoon, yeah," you admitted. "I think I may have known before that though."

The two of you lapsed into silence again. This was all new territory with Yoongi. You knew him better than a lot of people but were still missing out on so much. He kept impenetrable walls around himself, but did this mean that he was finally giving you a key?

Holding your breath, you looked down to find Yoongi's hand leaned on the table between the two of you. You began to move your own fingers slowly toward his, not stopping until they had become intertwined.

There was another moment of silence as you allowed yourself to decompress. You had done it, and he hadn't pulled away. Baby steps were still steps.

Yoongi let out a deep sigh. Closing his eyes, the corner of his lips hitched up ever so slightly. "It feels like a relief."

"What does?"

"You finding me," he said quietly.

The moment was so fragile, you were scared that breathing wrong would cause it to break. "You didn't get very far."

"No," he chuckled. "Not out here."

"Oh," you chirped, suddenly getting his meaning. "I - I don't know if I've found you yet, Yoongi. I need you to help me...if you want to."

"I want to," he said without missing a beat. "I'm not the most open person, Y/N. I can't be like Hobi or Tae. I can't just broadcast my emotions and every thought that crosses my mind."

"You can't?" you asked sarcastically. "And here I thought it was your heart stitched on your sleeve!"

This caused him to smile again. "I know I can be cold and closed off, but I don't want to be that way with you. Not anymore."

"What changed?"

Maybe it was the wrong thing to say. You fell into silence yet again but after a moment, realized that it just meant Yoongi was carefully choosing his words. "Me, I think."

"How so?"

"I never wanted to be with anyone," Yoongi said quietly, confirming your earlier thoughts. "It's just easier being alone...but then, you showed up with Jimin one night. I was hesitant to even make friends because it's a lot of upkeep, you know? Being social and caring about another person is such an investment and it can be so painful...but then I got to know you. It was almost as if I felt my heart change in real time."

"Because of our friendship?"

"Because of you," he corrected. "And against my better judgement, I dared to hope that we could be something if you decided to take a chance on me."

"Well, it sounds like you took one on me," you hummed. "It seems only fair that I do the same."

This time when Yoongi turned to look at you, he really looked at you. "Do you mean that?"

"Very much so," you grinned. "Be careful about letting me in, Yoongi. I may never want to leave."

"What if I don't want you to?"

His words were a whisper, and his eyes were looking so intently into yours. You felt like you would melt on the spot.

"Then I won't."

[dominiquedelacroix]

Gossiping Over Bibimbap

"You're early as always."

Even earlier, sitting at the bench in front of the House Of Gim, the hottest new Korean restaurant in town, Dominique looked up at Nikki, tilted her head, and gave a low whistle with a wink.

"Ooh la la, Colace, you're gonna steal some hearts in that! Do you ever even have a fashion faux pas day? Let's get in, I'm starving..."

Holding out her hand, she took her friend inside, where she greeted the waiter in their native language. Grinning, she glanced back at the fellow brunette.

"He's gonna clear a windowside table. It's a little away from the crowd, so we can have our privacy as we discuss our world domination together.

So, how's your day been, babe?"

@thenikkibella-xo

[eolian-234]

The Supplejack

Previous Chapter Nine: Progress

Summary: Peter Parker has been alone his whole freshman year but finds hope when Stark Industries announces a science competition. The prize? An internship with Tony Stark.

Chapter Ten: Fast-forward

-

Beginning of February  

“I think we might be able to start the full-scale model soon.”

Peter looked up from his phone, which he was reading his notes he doodled in class off of. Mr. Stark offered multiple times to get him a new phone but he preferred the simplicity of this. When he told Mr. Stark it was easier to use the man acted all offended under his smile. Teasing Peter about his inability to figure out a simple phone when they were working on building a full-scale code and model of tech for cars. It was also easier to understand his thoughts written down. While they didn’t look particularly neat on the page it made more sense to him. Mr. Stark seemed to understand that.

He snapped his jaw shut when he realized it was hanging wide open.

“Really?” He said, dropping his eyes back down ignoring the sinking feel in his chest.

Mr. Stark chuckled and went back to scanning the algorithms.

“We can get a full team in here to work on it. Whatever we need.”

A whole team? Someone to take over what they were doing? Peter flinched.

Their work had come so far. From car models went from mere imaginations, to metal models, and back to hologram full scale models. Their protocol were written in C++ after debating between the Python coding.

Peter found the time… soothing to his mind. Sometimes coming in late at night to work by himself even if Mr. Stark wasn’t there. Friday always let him in with a kind word.

He remembered the first couple of times they worked together Mr. Stark would get into a kind of trance, rock music blaring in the background. While Peter liked the music – he made his own playlist to all the songs they listened to – his head rang after an hour or so.

His expression must have revealed more than he wanted to because without comment the next time Peter arrived the music was quieter.  

It was little things like that and the temperature which had Peter settling into their work focusing more on Mr. Stark and less on Tony Stark.

With summer coming up in less months than he thought Peter was sure their time would be cut short.

What he wanted to do was ask the man himself. To beg him to continue working through the summer and next year and the next even if it meant bringing in fifty other people to work on it. He wanted to finish their project, to see their models turn into something real. Something that could help people. The selfish part of his brain suggested that what he really wanted was to continue working with Mr. Stark even if it didn’t end up helping anyone.

Instead what Peter did was stay silent and hum slightly to the music nothing about his appearance gave his thoughts away besides the fists he made every so often looking at Mr. Stark working.  

Would he even want to continue working with Peter?

-

End of February

Julia sat next time him while the subway rumbled forward. He kept his legs folded in front of him, fingers grasping backpack which rested on his knees in order to take up less space.

They already passed his stop but he stayed on like he always did riding with Julia.

“Do you really think the permission will go through?” She asked quietly. Julia had fidgeted today in the lab. Her eyes scanned the paperwork over and over making sure they filled out every form correctly. Their whole team practically had their proposal memorized with the amount of times they’d reworked it.

“I’m sure they will.” He said but continued when her expression didn’t change. “It was really good, Julia. You did a great job.”

Peter stared at the glass window on the other side of the subway. Their reflections looked back and he saw her head duck down.

The subway came to a stop and she stood to leave. She ran her hand through her hair and looked at him.

“Thanks for riding the rest of the way with me. Text me when you get home?” Her tone was quiet and it was Peter’s turn to drop his head. “You’re a great friend, Peter.”

He mumbled something and she smiled over her shoulder walking onto the platform. The doors closed behind her but he didn’t lift his head.

Peter switched trains but couldn’t stop the smile from coming over his face.

She thought they were friends.

-

Beginning of March  

“Kid… Peter?”

He blinked. Mr. Stark’s hand landed on his shoulder. His muscles tensed under the sudden intrusion but Mr. Stark’s eyes never left his face.  Slowly, he squeezed, calming Peter’s pulse, and stepped back.

Mr. Stark ran his hand through his hair.

“Time for food.” He said and waited for Peter to put all his notes away.

“I can just go home, Mr. Stark. It’s no problem.”

The man chuckled and Peter flushed knowing he said that every time.

“I already ordered your favorite from that Korean place down the street.”

Peter stopped walking before hurrying to catch up. They settled around the table piled with way more boxes of food they could ever finish. Sure enough a container of Bibimbap with all tofu, no eggs, and spicy sauce was waiting for him.

Mr. Stark began telling him some gossip he’d heard around the office.

“And how do you know about poor Mr. Singer?” He said, scrapping the crispy rice off of the bottom of the takeout box.

The man didn’t even have the decency to look ashamed when he spoke. “Oh, I just happened to be walking by when his wife came storming in.”

Peter snorted. “Friday told you. Didn’t you, Friday?” He asked over Mr. Stark’s copious denials.

“That is correct, Peter.”  He smiled upward at Friday and failed to notice the soft look Mr. Stark was giving him.

“You caught me, kid.”

-

End of March

It would have been easier to accept if the letters were stamped permanently in red across the whole paper. It would have made since in a way – been final. Instead they received a formal reply. One with fancy wording and apologies that had the vague pretense of sounding sincere and apologetic.

This made the news so much worse.

Their proposal had been rejected or as the letter said: “at this time we are not allowing student groups access to our facilities.”

Julia’s face crumpled while Frank swore. Monica began typing frantically but through it all Peter just sat there.

What would they do now?

-

Beginning of April

“You still have a lot of time to make yourself be what you want. There’s still a lot of good in the world."

They were watching The Outsiders while he waited. Peter had read it the year before in English but had missed the movie day because he had been sick.

The rain pelted down against the glass windows. Thunder and lightning battled in the sky only an arm’s length away from where they sat. He’d watched many storms pass through from his fire escape but here, this high up, Peter felt like he was inside it. Every clap of noise sent a pulse into his bloodstream pumping the blood through his veins. It didn’t key him up like it did in the apartment. The sounds were loud enough to sooth his racing thoughts enough so he could focus on the movie playing in the background and the soft sounds of response Mr. Stark was making to the movie. He felt safe there in the storm.

Of course, Peter had put up a mild protest. He’d been fine to go home, he told Mr. Stark. But the man took one look outside and suggested the movie. Food was involved, too.

It took Peter exactly thirty-two seconds to decide he could wait for the rain to pass.

An hour later, laden with stir-fry and popcorn Peter was boneless on the couch. He smiled as Mr. Stark leaned forward, his eyes focused on the screen. It was the man’s first time watching it as well and though Peter knew the ending, it didn’t stop his enjoyment.

He yawned and sank deeper into the cushions.

The day had seemed unending and filled with busywork assignments. Things that weren’t teaching him anything but would take all night to do. Ned was gone so he spent all lunch listening to Mike debate the pros of anarchy with everyone at the table. He stared at MJ until she caught him and he ran away to the library. It wasn’t until he got to the lab that he had a moment to breath.

Something touched his shoulder and then with more force he was pulled away from the couch.

The sound of the credits rolled. He didn’t realize his eyes had shut.

Peter could hear Mr. Stark’s voice whispering something and a feminine answer but his eyes stayed closed, blessedly on the brink of sleep.

His head was against a hard surface, a chest, and Peter was lulled deeper by the heartbeat within. A hand brushed back his hair after he was placed on something soft and he could swear the voice said something important but Peter was too asleep to make sense of it.

-

Ned leaned across the lunch table. His hands bordered their lunchboxes in a protective frame as Peter relayed the news from his meeting the previous week.

“I just feel so bad for those Frank and Monica. I mean they’re graduating and everything. This was their final hurrah.” He said, nibbling on a carrot.

“Dude, that sucks. What are you going to do?”

Peter nodded at the question. As it was they weren’t sure.

The prototype of the machine was necessary for them to see before they could come up with a model for themselves. He had thought about going to Mr. Stark and asking him for advice, but he decided not to in the end. It was an unfair advantage that the other teams couldn’t use. If no one else could go to the owner of Stark Industries for help, why should he?

Peter was also proud of the work they accomplished so far. Sometimes he forgot how young they all were, given the amount and quality of work they completed.

The whole experience had changed him more than that though and he was loathe to sit there and do nothing.

“I don’t know, Ned. We’ll figure something out though.”

He could only hope.

-

“Look, Peter. Mr. Stark will understand if you can’t make it today.” May spoke with an edge to her voice. “I forbid you from going.”

“May, I have to go. This is important.”

“Peter, you’re sick. It’s okay.”

He coughed into his elbow, sniffling and meagerly taking a tissue May was holding out to him with pouting lips.

Peter whispered something to her. Something he was too afraid to think but needed to say.

“What sweetheart?” She said and even though he was sick and had a fever May sat on the edge of his bed.

“It’s just,” he licked his chapped lips. “What if he finds someone else to help out?”

He thought of the team Mr. Stark mentioned before. Peter looked away from the piercing glance. His fingers fidgeted with the blanket wrapped around him.

“Peter, he would never do that. You know he wouldn’t.”

She said it with such conviction but his stomach sank. Did he know that?

May kept talking, running a reassuring thumb over his knuckles but Peter was too wrapped up in his thoughts. He went through cataloging every interaction and every word spoken between them.

Peter thought of the way Mr. Stark smiled when he came into the lab and how he would always check the temperature to make sure it was warm enough. The man practically bought the whole menu at a restaurant when Peter stayed for food and it was getting more common for him to stay after a work day. Sometimes they would watch a movie but most times he would just work on homework as Mr. Stark continued with business. But were those concrete signs? It certainly didn’t mean he would abstain from finding a replacement if the work needed to be done. Peter sighed into his hoodie, wincing at the way his stomach was cramping.

It was with the image of Frank helping Mr. Stark in the lab that Peter made his decision.

He realized May had left when she popped her head back into the room.

“Stay home, Peter. Okay? I’m sorry I have to go to work.”

His cough wracked his chest but he managed to tell her he loved her. She gave him one last searching look before she left for work.

After he heard the door shut with limbs groaning Peter got out of bed. He toggled back and forth as the blood ran to his head but with careful steps made it out of his room. His hand swept across the length of the highest cabinet and found the last packet of powdered vitamin C before mixing it in his water bottle.

There was sweat seeping into his sweatshirt and on his forehead by the time he made it to the subway platform and he shivered into it. His breath shuddered when he finally sank down into one of the empty seats, making sure to touch as little as possible. He kept his hoodie up and took small sips of the vitamin infused water, praying for an instant cure.

Friday greeted him when he got into the elevator but he didn’t lift his head up to the lights like he normally would. They burned his eyes.

“Hey, Friday.” He said rubbing his hand along his chest to stop a cough. Even to his own ears his voice sounded tired.

“Are you alright, Peter?” Friday said, softer than normal.

“I’m fine, just a cough.”

Friday said nothing but the elevators opened.

The room was void of people and Peter sat down with a heavy breath. He crossed his arms on the table in front of him. Thankfully Friday must have forgotten to put the lights on so it was dark in the room.

Every minute he sat there, Peter shrunk down until his head came to rest on his arms. Wet coughs racked his chest and he shivered again. It was cold in the room but he didn’t want to bother Friday. The curt tone he used earlier with Friday sent a guilty tendril tightening along his spine.

The doors swept open and bursting into the room with wide eyes was Mr. Stark. Peter tried to smile but from the furrow in the man’s mouth, it wasn’t as reassuring as he meant it to be.

“Kid, what’s wrong? You okay?”

Peter sat up trying to relax the ache in his muscles. He flinched back when rough hands touched his cheek before moving to rest against his forehead.

He felt silly to realize Mr. Stark had moved across the room and was now kneeling beside him. Peter concentrated on the small lines forming lightly in the corner of his eyes. For a moment he imaged being younger and being sick at home, but instead of Ben kneeling in front of him it was Mr. Stark making sure he was okay.

With a shake of Peter’s head Mr. Stark removed his hands and walked away. His voice rung out as he barked orders to Friday and then he was on the phone.

Peter gripped the edges of the counter, tears blurring in his eyes. How could he even think that? The betrayal of his thoughts sent a tear over the edge and down his hot cheek. Worse than that though was the longing he’d felt – still felt - when Mr. Stark looked at him with such concern.

It wasn’t right. It wasn’t his to want.

Mr. Stark came back and led Peter into the elevator. His tone was quiet, soothing, and Peter weakly followed him after brushing his tear away. Friday chimed in to give reports on his temperature. His brain felt fuzzy.

There was an arm, guiding him, warm across his back.

“Come on, Kid.” 


They arrived into a bedroom and dimly Peter realized this is where he fell asleep the previous month. He stopped short at the door.

“Peter?” The man spoke softly and the back of Peter’s throat itched.

“But… we have the meeting. We were going to work on …” His brain failed him at the end.

“Hey, kid. You’re in no position to be working. Hell, you’re burning up.”

He sent Peter to the bed and disappeared into the bathroom.

Peter sat at the very end of the mattress, his butt halfway off the edge. It wasn’t his bedroom, just one for guests. There was nothing in there that was his, but Peter noticed that the lamp was where he moved it before when he tried to get some reading in the morning when was there.

He moved closer to the headboard, eyes on the light in the bathroom, and switched it on.

Peter could still convince Mr. Stark they could work today. It would be fine. Mr. Stark wouldn’t have replaced him then as long as he remained useful.

“The work will still be there later.” Mr. Stark said emerging from the bathroom as if he read Peter’s thoughts. “Drink this while you take this.” He gestured to the water and Tylenol in his hand.

Peter’s protest died on his tongue and Mr. Stark spoke again.

“I’m not in any hurry to finish the project. As long as you get better.”

He blanched at the implication of the words.

There was no anger in the man’s face. Something uncurled in his chest when all he saw was concern. Ben used to wear that face well.

Peter’s eyes dragged on his cheek. Another cough stormed through his chest.

“I’ll go fill this up again. There’s sweatpants and t-shirts in the dresser.”

Peter stood up, feeling red on his cheeks. There were clothes there?

He browsed the drawers looking at the various t-shirts - all avengers themed. Quickly he got into sweatpants and sweatshirt glancing at the door back and forth.

With a speed he used when changing after gym class he shucked his shirt and pants off and into his chosen clothes, grey sweats and Stark Industries shirt. His hand brushed over the ironman one but he couldn’t quite make himself put it in.

He settled on the bed again just before there was a knock on the door. Dizziness wavered through him and Peter grasped the bedside table for support.

Mr. Stark came in carrying the glass. The covers were pushed back and Peter found himself lying down. The man hovered for a moment, his hand came up from his side reaching out before dropping back.

“Get some rest, Kid. Friday will be here if you need anything and I will just be in the living room outside.”

Peter’s eyes closed of their own accord and he nodded. Footsteps swept across the room but before the door could close Peter thanked Mr. Stark, wishing he had the right to say more.

“Of course, Peter.” Peter’s throat went tight. The door shut and Peter spun around. He didn’t want to look at the lights shining through the cracks in the door.

Of course, he said like he would look after Peter. As he would have if Peter’s mind conjured up sound for his imagination. Like he cared.

The knot loosened in his throat and Peter locked the guilt away for a moment, instead basking in the knowing someone was waiting up in case he needed them right outside this room that wasn’t technically his.

He reached up, adjusting the pillow under his head and closed his eyes.

-

Middle of April

Peter’s stomach protested as the smell of leftovers wafted from the lid he opened. The nausea from being sick still lingered and Peter found his appetite was suffering because of it.

The cafeteria, loud as ever, raged around him. He pushed the container of food away with a grimace.

Something nudged him from the side and he saw Ned’s profile looking straight ahead. He shrugged and went back to staring at his lunch. Ned’s elbow dug into his upper arm and Peter looked over while rubbing the spot of impact. Narrowly dodging another nudge, he got the hint and followed the boy’s gaze.

Peter blinked at the figure coming forward.

Flash waded through the crowds and tables. His gaze was fixed forward and now that they weren’t precisely enemies Peter let himself feel intrigued by how people just seemed to get out of Flash’s way.

He wondered why Ned was so interested in Flash until the boy in questions eyes moved and landed on Peter.

He was making his way in their direction.

Peter knew from the previous eight months how rare this was and his stomach cramped in response. His eyes flounced back to the Tupperware.

“I wonder where he’s off to,” Ned said.

Peter watched Ned in his observations not wanting to be caught blatantly staring at Flash himself. Despite the itching feeling crawling through his limbs Peter smiled at his friend and the way he moved forward so Flash’s view of Peter would be limited.

Under his lashes he looked up to see Flash continued the straight path to them. Peter held his breath and watched his legs, which seemed much safer than his face.

Flash continued forward until he was a table away. Peter finally looked up at a sound from Ned and met his eyes. The boy stared straight at him and Peter forced himself to maintain contact. Flash glanced toward the doors and back at Peter, his brow quirked when Peter’s face remained in ignorance. He did it again before veering off toward the exit.

The doors closed behind him blocking Peter’s curious gaze, food dilemma forgotten.

Should he follow?

Ned began talking about how weird Flash had been lately and Peter nodded along. His hands twisted in his lap, bouncing in time to the rise and fall of his foot against the ground.  

Without breaking eye contact with the door, he stood up, murmuring something to Ned whose eyes flickered to the door. Ned nodded without missing a beat.

As Peter was passing toward the door he briefly reached out to touch Ned on the shoulder before hurrying away. Ned was such a good person…. A good friend.

Backpack slung over his shoulder Peter followed the path his eyes traced before and saw Flash leaning against the lockers down the hallway from the cafeteria.

“Flash. Hey.” He said trying to keep the weary tone out of his voice. They’d seen each other off and on at their time at the Tower but hadn’t seen much of each other at school. In fact, the last time they talked was when Peter had a meltdown in front of him, which was slightly awkward to realize how Peter yelled at him before. Not that he didn’t deserve it.

The boy’s arms were crossed in front of him. Peter could see his shoulder’s tensing and he held his body still. Peter forced his hands to stop fidgeting by shoving them in his pockets. A blush worked its way onto his cheeks when neither of them spoke. Was he wrong? Was he supposed to follow Flash?

“So, I hear you need a connection at Oscorp?” Flash said uncrossing his arms and casually raising his eyebrow at Peter.

His jaw dropped. This was not what he expected.

“Uh… How did you hear that?” He said trying to find a semblance of rational thought.  

Flash had the decency to look embarrassed but he answered anyway, if a little cautiously. “That Mike kid is loud as shit. Anyway, do you?”

“Why?”

Flash sighed and crossed his arms again.

“Listen, I’m trying to be... decent. My dad has connections there and I could see if something could come of it.”

“Why?”

Was that all he could say?

“Is that all you can say?” Flash snapped.

Peter shut his mouth and thought about the options. He could lie. Say that they didn’t need this. Then he wouldn’t need to repay Flash for anything. But the image of Julia’s clenched hands and the hours they spent working came to mind. And he decided he didn’t care if he was put in Flash’s debt or that he didn’t know the motivations behind this act of supposed kindness.

Plus, Flash proved changed – sort of – mostly. If he wanted help, well, Peter wasn’t going to say no.

“Yeah, Flash. We do need help, if you’re willing to offer it.”

They nodded at one another before walking down the hallway too close to be considered friends but too far away for anyone to perceive them as enemies.

-

“Sorry, Monica couldn’t make it today but she said as long as we take notes it should be fine.”

Flash stood shuffling on the balls of his feet in the doorway. Julia and Frank were clearing off a spot for him to sit at the table while Peter motioned him forward.

Frank clapped Flash on the back in greeting and welcomed him.

“Thanks man. This is going to be a great help.”

When Flash sat down, moving his backpack to rest against the leg of the table, everyone stared at him. It was the first time after their sandwich fiasco that Peter had seen him look so embarrassed and out of place. He withheld a smile.

Flash got straight down to business, explain the security and how his father got them a tour and question time with the person in charge of the prototype. Julia’s hand flew over the paper trying to write every word he spoke. Without breaking his speech Flash slight a typed-out sheet of all the information. Her hand shook slightly and thought she thanked him, Peter noticed she didn’t look him in the eye.

The meeting passed quick and Peter was pleased with how much Flash got along with everyone. He and Frank spent a bunch of time talking about sports and the playoffs. After some cajoling he even got Julia to talk about their new kittens at home. In turn, Flash smiled as she told him how BOGO would steal all of Free’s food.

Flash smiled at the story. A real, teeth-baring smile.

-

Peter was used to things happening slowly in his life.

It took him almost half a school year to decide to participate in the S.T.A.R.K competition. Days avoiding the sign in sheet until finally he took the plunge. Months after dreading nearly everything he settled into a routine. He was opening up to the people around him.

He thought back to how scary it was considering Ned’s offer to sit with him at lunch. It was weeks until he was able to go more than once a week.  He even went over to Ned’s house over break.

But all these things took time and much thinking on Peter’s part. He weighed the consequences of everything before stepping forward and rarely out of his comfort zone. That was safe.  That was good.

Things happening quickly were never good in Peter’s opinion. Ben’s funeral came and went so fast. The whole thing sped up like someone was pressing fast-forward. Though he was careful and took his time letting Sam into his life; it took but a second for her to break his heart.

That’s why when Flash sat at their lunch table at the end of the week, Peter’s stomach turned sour. He knew to expect the worse. He foresaw the worst. But there was nothing he could do or say in the moment.

Ned, after a moment of scrutiny, looked between Flash and Peter, then stuck out his hand for the two of them to shake, forever reminding Peter how forgiving Ned was.

How many second chances had Ned given him?

Just like that Flash began to eat lunch with them sometimes. Not every day, but throughout the week he would stop by and join an argument between Mike and Midge before wandering off again. Somedays he would even find Peter in the library when the cafeteria was too much for him to get through.

Flash was quieter than Ned. He would hold himself still, aware of his space at any given time and there was still tension between them sometimes. But it was nice all the same.

Peter didn’t find it so strange that Flash and him became friends so quick this time.

-

End of April

Peter looked around the lab. Scattered on the tables were scraps of paper, all smudged with crunched writing, and metal shavings discarded from the models they had built. His backpack was folded over itself on the floor by the door on top of which his jacket was crumpled.

Mr. Stark stood beside him and if Peter turned his shoulders slightly to the left he could see the slight furrow in his brow. How his hand would come up and rest under his chin while his finger traced his goatee every five minutes or so.

It was his thinking face, Peter knew.

Months of working together and Peter’s steady heartbeat was proof he was relaxed. Content.

He didn’t think about the fact this would all be ending come summer. And he absolutely ignored the itch in the back of his throat thinking about the possibility of never seeing Mr. Stark again.

“I’m still thinking we are going to totally have to overhaul the thrust mechanisms on this side, Mr. Stark. It’s working now, but barely, and it could be so much better.” He said breaking the silence.

Mr. Stark’s eyebrows rose in response but he didn’t say anything. His eyes stayed trained on the new schematics displayed in front of him. He grumbled something under his breath and Peter cracked a smile knowing he was right.

The lab settled under the silence again. Peter moved around to Mr. Stark’s other side and grabbed a Stark pad off the table.  Easily Mr. Stark stepped to the side to accommodate his reach and giving Peter enough room to work at the table.

-

Peter yawned as he opened the door to the apartment. He grabbed a box of Chex mix and sank into the couch. His phone vibrated again and shoving his hand into the box checked his messages. The group chat between everyone went off with a near consistency putting his flip phone into overdrive.

There had been time of the subway to look at it but he ended up falling asleep, waking only to find drool gathering on his sleeve where his head rested and to hear he missed one his stop.

Even though he was barely awake now, Peter considered the walk home beneficial. The moon hung in the middle of the sky decorated by a vague face and stars all around.

It let him think, at least.

His third handful came away as the rest, only the little breadsticks and the occasional rye chip. May must have eaten her way through the bag first. He set it aside feeling a cramping in his stomach. Maybe he was still sick.

He yawned again and sank further into the couch knowing he should go to bed, but his bones felt too brittle to get up.  

Everything was coming to a head soon. Midterms, Mr. Stark and their work, and the tour were compounding at an exponential rate.

It was all amazing. Peter knew he was so lucky and at times thought he dreamed it all.

But it was sometimes too much.

He wasn’t used to having so many people in his life or having to check his phone throughout the day to see who was texting him.

Who would have thought at the beginning of the year Ned and Flash would send each other memes? Or that Julia would come out and lead one of their group meetings?

Peter smiled remembering how Monica’s jaw dropped when Julia, gently, corrected her on some of the analytics. Or how she gave everyone in their group, Flash included, a newer version of the pen that landed her in the internship program.

He felt so full of life, something he’d never thought possible for someone like him.

And right now, it hurt that all he wanted to do was curl up and sleep for the weekend. He wondered what would happen if he told them. If he just needed some time to disconnect for a bit.

He knew he couldn’t do that though. They would be fine without him, they would move on and continue texting minus his phone number, and Peter wasn’t ready to get rid of them so soon.  They deserved someone who was normal, who could sit in the cafeteria for the whole week without feeling bone tired, or someone who could be fully present without worry about sneezing the wrong way.

Peter would get through it and soak everything up. Every laugh, and debate at lunch. Flash’s and his new acquaintanceship. And especially any time Mr. Stark was willing to work together. He could push through it for now.

It would be fine.

He groaned against the couch pillow thinking about everything he had to do and after looking at the calendar on the way he realized something.

It was only a week until they would tour Oscorp.

It's always one step forward and two steps back for our Peter isn't it?

a/n: Hi sweet friends. I hope you are all doing well and you and your loved ones are staying safe. This semester has been crazy, as things get in real life. My classes have been moved online so I can finally start writing again which makes me so happy. I also just wanted to say thank you for continuing to read this story. Every comment and kudos make my week so bright.

As always, I would love to hear your thoughts.

Taglist: @verdonafrost @demi-starzak @whatisthou

Next Chapter Eleven: Welcome to Oscorp

[jankedartist]

Day 5: Favourite ship(s)

As a multishipper that knows no bounds or limits of creating ships, I have a good chunk of them in my head but I'm gonna narrow it down to 15 ships (5 ships for romantic, 5 ships for platonic and 5 ships that are in between) in this post.

Romantic Ships (in no order)

Gingerbread x Cheese (Gingy is a knight. Cheese is a princess. You get where I'm going with this.)

Spicy Gluten x Milk Tea (I just thought of this recently because I'm a huge sucker for polar opposites ships *wheeze*)

Crepe x Squirrel Mandarin Fish (a fancy girl hanging out with a wild girl. Seems about right 👌)

Milt x Cheese (tbh idk why I thought of this but I like to think some interesting stuff on how Milt shows her affection to Cheese and vice versa owo)

Champagne x Fondant Cake (I blame the turkey event for showing me this good scene between Champagne and Fondant Cake. Good stuff 👌)

Platonic Ships (in no order)

Cornbread + Apple Pie (I see them as sisters)

Cheese + Chocolate (I see them as friends that like to gossip about their lovers ;3)

Mooncake + Udon (the trickster duo)

Sakauramochi + Raindrop Cake (a friend that will support and love the sad boi no matter what until he becomes lively again)

Beer + Milk Tea (I think they would be good friends that loves to share stories and other forms of literature)

Ships that are inbetween (in no order)

It means that I ship these characters in both ways but mostly I lean to one side of these ships

Spicy Gluten and Whisky (before you burn me alive, I like to say that I mostly see them as odd rivals that like one up each other to see who can get the most kills. I do see some potential for them to be a couple but idk. Rivalry seems peferct for these two lol.)

Cheese and Bonito Rice (even though they have obivous animal ears, I like to think they can get a long quite well. I mean there will be a few bumps here and there if they date, but I think it will work out in the end.

Cheese and Eggnog (they really love to tease and play pranks on their friends. They could bond over this and become best friends. I do see some potential for them to date each other but idk.)

Cornbread and Milk Tea (two gals going on some crazy adventure that may or may not fall in love during their said adventures)

Bibimbap and Dragon's Beard Candy (tbh I ship them romantically but I'm kind of waiting for more info about Dragon's Beard Candy. So their in the void for the time being *wheeze*)

[igrublocal]

The Best Takeout & Delivery We Got This Week

Restaurants across the state have slowly started to reopen, and close, and reopen again over the past few months. It can be a lot to keep up with, and there’s still a large degree of uncertainty around the safety of dining out. Want to know what’s safe? Eating at home. And if you’re as bored of canned tuna as we are by now, here are a few great meals we’ve had recently that you can get for takeout or delivery.

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Week Of August 24

$$$$ 6800 West Gate Blvd #112

We recently wrote about the lechon asado loaded fries from Cuba512 in our best loaded fries in Austin guide, but if you’re not feeling potato-inclined, there’s a number of other great Cuban dishes you can get here, including the classic El Cubano that we really enjoyed. It’s filled with roasted pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard - all on pressed Cuban bread. No fancy tricks or ingredients here, just a simple, classic sandwich done well. Their downtown location is currently closed, but their South Austin location off William Cannon and West Gate is open for takeout. Bring it home, make yourself a nice rum cocktail, open up all the windows, and pretend you’re on vacation somewhere tropical.

 in 

$$$$ 7800 South 1st St

As you might guess from the name, Artipasta serves fresh pasta, and it’s possibly some of the best in town. We got the tagliatelle with the house meat sauce as well as the casarecce with basil pesto. It’s located in the spacious Thicket Food Park in South Austin - it was so chill and tranquil that we sat down at one of the picnic tables and just ate our takeout there. Pair it with a San Pellegrino and pretend like you’re in Italy - it’s not like we’ll be allowed to travel there anytime soon.

$$$$ 2101 Manor Rd

Thai Thani is easy to miss. It’s a food trailer behind another food trailer behind a gas station on Manor Rd. But if you manage to find your way there, you’ll be greeted with some really great Thai food. We went with a chicken pad thai this time around, and the portion was enough to last us a couple of meals. But if you’re looking to round out your meal a little more, we also really like their pad see ew and stir-fried basil beef. And if they have their mango with sticky rice dessert, it’s the perfect closer.

,  ,   in 

$$$$ 422 W 5th St. #C

On the northwest corner of Republic Square in downtown Austin is Salt & Time Cafe, a new all-day cafe with outdoor seating from the people behind the popular East Side butcher shop and restaurant, Salt & Time. We picked up some sandwiches, including the Jambon Beurre, featuring mezcal-glazed ham, dill pickles, and a very French amount of salted butter, all on a demi-baguette. It’s enough to make you do things like wear a beret, smoke Gauloises cigarettes, and go on strike (for more sandwiches like this).

Week Of August 17

$$$$ 6519 N Lamar Blvd

Paprika opened up relatively quietly back in late 2019 and has been slinging out great tacos and tortas ever since. We enjoyed the taco de carnitas and taco de nopalitos, the latter of which comes packed full of well-seasoned prickly pear cactus and refried lentils. Every taco gets paired with a specific salsa - a really nice touch that elevates the experience a bit. The menu changes a bit depending on the time and day, so take a look at their website for the most up-to-date menu information before heading over.

$$$$ 9717 N Lamar Blvd Unit C2

Usta Kababgy opened just last year on Lamar just north of Rundberg, and the restaurant is turning out some really great Middle Eastern/Halal food. The charcoal-grilled kebabs were excellent, including the Iraqi and chicken ones. The tabbouleh was bright, and the pizza-like flatbread - we got the one that’s half zaatar, half feta cheese - was fantastic. But what stole the show was the fluffy and tender house-made bread. Order extra.

 in 

$$$$ 900 E 11th St

Ordering takeout from Franklin Barbecue is one of the absolute best things you can do for yourself and for the lucky people you like enough to share with. We can also confirm that this barbecue tastes just as good without the usual five-hour wait/tailgate. To order, you just select a day and time (lunch hours only) up to one week in advance on their site, pick your meats (in 1 lb increments, except for links of sausage), and remind yourself that spending this kind of money is worth it when you get to eat this brisket. The pick-up situation is easy, too - staffers will bring your order right to your trunk. Get it home as quickly as you can, have the lunch spread you deserve, and spend the rest of the day knowing you made excellent decisions.

$$$$ 12233 Ranch Road 620 N

The dining room at Charm BBQ Chicken in north Austin is closed, so they’re not doing barbecue at the moment. But as the name suggests, their other focus is fried chicken. And we’re happy to report that the fried chicken is exceptional, with a shatteringly crisp skin (just ask for sauce on the side so you can toss the chicken in it when you get home). The rest of the menu has classic dishes like homemade and juicy mandoo dumplings, beef bulgogi, and bibimbap that comes with instructions on how to put it together - it wouldn’t travel well otherwise.

Week Of August 10

,   in 

$$$$ 9515 N Lamar Blvd Ste 230

The North Lamar Korean restaurant Seoulju has been takeout only since the pandemic hit, and just last week they launched delivery of both food and drink. Which means that you can get dishes like Korean Fried Chicken, kimchi stew, and spicy rice cakes, alongside beer and soju delivered right to your door. We opted for two sauces on our still-crispy chicken wings: Korean Sweet & Chili and Extra Spicy Sweet & Chili. Get the extra spicy.

,  ,  ,   in 

$$$$ 2305 E 7th St

The dining room at Joe’s Bakery, the family-run East Side Tex-Mex staple, is closed. For now they’re sticking to a drive-in model (you can’t even call ahead or order online). You park, waitstaff comes out and asks if you need a menu, they take your order, and the food comes out fast. We recently got an order of breakfast tacos (migas con todo and a bacon, egg, and cheese) as well as a side order of carne guisada and a whole bunch of their fluffy homemade flour tortillas. Everything was excellent, as always. You don’t even need to ask for their spicy salsa - they’ll put so many containers in your takeout bag that you’ll have leftover salsa for days and days.

,  ,   in  , 

$$$$ 2709 Rogge Ln

The menu at Gossip Shack consists of just a few items - chicken, waffles, and waffle fries. But everything they offer, they do exceptionally well. Their wings are some of our favorite in town, due in large part to their unique offering of flavors, like jerk chicken or their signature CPR (Cajun, parmesan, ranch). And those are exactly what we got - large, perfectly fried chicken wings coated in Cajun spices, ranch seasoning, and enough parmesan to make a bowl of spaghetti jealous. Orders can take a while and they often sell out before their stated hours, so call ahead and get your order in ahead of time.

,  ,   in  ,  , 

$$$$ 3124 Manor Rd

We love a lot of things about La Fruta Feliz - their barbacoa de chivo (barbecue goat) is a favorite on tacos, and their al pastor is excellent - but if you’re looking for a really good and hearty lunch, their torta is a clear winner. Coming in at a massive 12 pounds (don’t fact check us on that), it’s packed full of meat - in this case, al pastor - and veggies for just under $5. They also have a huge fruit and veggie juice list, so go ahead and throw on a Digestivo (papaya, orange, and carrots) to help you get it all down.

Week Of August 3

,   in 

$$$$ 400 Josephine St

Carpenters Hall at the Carpenter Hotel has switched to takeout only, and they’re selling a cold fried chicken picnic for two or four. For $28, the picnic is not an insignificant amount of food, consisting of a half chicken (with a ranch dressing and spicy honey), potato salad, roasted green beans, and a cabbage slaw. Plus two very good chocolate chip cookies. You will have leftovers.

,   in 

$$$$ 9012 Research Blvd Ste C4

The Slab Slider Trio at Slab BBQ is exactly what it claims to be: three barbecue sliders. They’re mini versions of their much larger sandwiches: the Notorious P.I.G. (pulled pork, mustard coleslaw), the Texas O.G. (brisket, pickles, onions), and the Chicken W.A. (smoked chicken, coleslaw). But just because they’re smaller doesn’t mean they don’t pack the same flavor punch. And at $12, it’s a perfect lunch for those of us afraid of a singular sandwich commitment. Why have just one sandwich when you can have three, each one better than the next?

,   in 

$$$$ 2701 East Martin Luther King Jr Blvd

Lechonera El Pachango specializes in roast pork - something they’ve proven to do exceptionally well in the short month that they’ve been operating out of a seemingly-abandoned gas station on East MLK. We weren’t sure what we wanted to try when we pulled up, so we decided to just go with our nose (and a little guidance from the owner). We ended up walking out with a plate of slow-roasted pork, rice with peas, and yuca with pickled red onions. The pork was juicy and topped with a sauce made from a bit of the marinade and lime that we couldn’t get enough of. The yuca con mojo comes out in a stewed-consistency, making it fork-tender and bursting with tangy flavor. And the rice was the perfect intake-vehicle for all of it.

Week Of July 27

$$$$ 5811 Berkman Dr

We’re working on a guide to takeout Happy Hours, and the Windsor Park neighborhood restaurant Hank’s has a very solid offering. Every day from 3-6:30pm, you can get very good and very inexpensive frozen palomas, frose, and frozen margaritas - they’re $5 each. Order online, and pick up at their convenient drive thru takeout window. Instead of racing home with your frozen cocktails - drive safe - it’s perhaps better to bring a cooler.

,  ,   in 

$$$$ 2301 W Parmer Ln

Bodhi Viet is a small food truck in North Austin with a 100% vegan Vietnamese menu, offering everything from banh mi and pho, to Vietnamese coffee and boba tea. We really liked the banh mi we had here, stuffed with a spicy lemongrass seitan, and filled with fresh vegetables that they grow themselves. And the best part is that they’re only $3, so you can throw in an order of their pineapple curry that we also really enjoyed and still get away for under $10.

,   in  , 

$$$$ 2406 Manor Road

Vic & Al’s is the new Cajun restaurant from the people that brought you the ever-popular Italian food trailer, Patrizi’s. We really like the po-boys, especially the super-tender blackened catfish and the Cochon De Lait, which has a sauce that’s almost like tonkotsu broth. The vacuum-packed, pre-made cocktails are also fun, including the very good made-for-summer Orange Drink (it’s very orange, but it also has tequila). Vic & Al’s is open for both takeout and delivery.

Week Of July 20

,   in 

$$$$ 500 San Marcos St #105

Bufalina Deli isn’t technically a new restaurant - instead it’s a simple lunch-and-dinner concept operating out of Wright Bros. Brew & Brew with a variety of salads and Italian sandwiches. On a recent takeout order, we really liked the summer tomato salad and the meatball parm hoagie. And since you’re ordering from The Brew & Brew, you can also get coffee, beer, and wine. Place your order online and pick it up at The Brew & Brew.

,   in  , 

$$$$ 8023 Burnet Rd

You might have heard about Ramen 512 and their often sold out popups - yes, the ramen was that good. But now they’ve found a permanent home, inside the new “cloud kitchen” concept Kitchen United Mix. This place currently has three options: Hakata Classic (a pork tonkotsu), the BGO (the Hakata Classic with black garlic oil), and the Sunset Red (a spicy version of the Hakata Classic). We recently tried the BGO and the Sunset Red - the broth for each was super creamy and rich, as a pork tonkotsu should be, and the spice level on the Sunset Red was in fact actually spicy. You can order the ramen ready-to-eat, or you can cook the noodles at home, with very precise instructions. Takeout and delivery are available.

 in  , 

$$$$ 3842 Airport Blvd

Despite the small space - Lula Mae’s is located in a small gas station off Airport and 38 ½ St. - this place manages to put out some really great barbecue, with side dishes that are tasty enough to order on their own. We really like the brisket and the pork chop - the latter of which is served as a giant, whole chop with a smoky exterior and a juicy center. You can get all of the meats by the pound, in combo-plates, or as a sandwich.

 in  , 

$$$$ 7301 Burnet Rd

The dining room at DipDipDip Tatsu-Ya, the Japanese shabu-shabu place from the Ramen Tatsu-ya team, has been closed since the pandemic hit. But they did what people do these days, and pivoted. They transformed the restaurant into a takeout-only pop-up serving sandwiches that mash up the French dip and shabu-shabu, with excellent results. Our favorite is the beef sandwich with a wasabi ranch and the pork sandwich with kimchi and a curry cabbage slaw. For dipping, you can choose between an umami jus and a spicy miso (they recommend which dipping sauce to get for each sandwich). Make sure to get an order of the aptly named “Pow!tato” - a side dish with some of the most impossibly crispy smashed potato chunks we’ve ever had.

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Week of July 13

 in  , 

$$$$ 805 Stark St Austin

The Haitian food truck Kreyol Korner - off of North Lamar near Koenig - is usually open only on Saturdays, but it’s worth waiting for the weekend to roll around to try this place. Check their Facebook for the current menu and opening days and hours. Standouts from a recent meal include stuffed plantain cups and the super-tender stewed chicken combo. Also, make sure to ask for extra pikliz, the Haitian pickled vegetable relish.

,  ,  ,   in  , 

$$$$ 1104 W 34th St

Otherside Deli makes some of our favorite sandwiches in Austin, from cheesesteaks and meatball parm subs, to Italian subs and patty melts. But if you’re a first-timer at Otherside, chances are you’re here for the reuben - loaded up with their housemade pastrami, swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and russian dressing, between two slices of grilled rye bread. Keep an eye on their Instagram for some fun specials, like the Outer Limit Fries that come loaded up with all of the typical reuben fillings, but on a bed of waffle fries. They’re currently accepting takeout orders from their shop near 34th and Lamar.

,   in 

$$$$ 1234 S Lamar Blvd

Ever since they originally opened, Ramen Tatsu-Ya has been vehemently anti-takeout. But then the pandemic hit, and they pivoted to takeout-only (and have stayed that way ever since). We recently picked up some of their ramen and it tasted just like how we remembered it at the restaurant. The toppings and noodles come in their own container (that way the noodles don’t get soggy), and the broth is packed in a deli pint container that’s thoroughly wrapped in plastic wrap to prevent in-car disasters. The instructions are clear: heat the broth, do not boil, then add the broth to the noodles and toppings. And with three locations in Austin - north, east, and south - ramen is never too far away.

Week Of July 6

$$$$ 100 12th St

Island Fork in Pflugerville specializes in Caribbean food, like jerk chicken, curry goat, and escovitch fish (fried fish topped with pickled vegetables). They also have jerk-seasoned burgers and chicken sandwiches, as well as a menu of “rasta pastas” that feature creamy, Caribbean-inspired pasta sauces served over noodles and a variety of meats, like oxtail and jerk salmon. We usually get the jerk chicken here, served with coconut rice and grilled sweet plantains. Make sure to get a Caribbean soda as well - we like the Irish Moss and Ting.

,   in 

$$$$ 1108 East 12th St

Blink and you might miss this little food trailer on East 12th street, which has some of the best Mexico City-style street tacos in Austin right now. Cuantos Tacos has a tight menu of classics like suadero and beef cheeks, as well as a few less-common options, like buche and longaniza. Everything can be made as tacos or quesadillas, and at $2 and $5, respectively, the prices are affordable enough that you can probably try a few items off the menu. We like just about everything they carry, but our favorites are probably the champiñones quesadillas and the suadero tacos.

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[qveensbury]

ch 3: don’t fuss over me

summary: a college au iwaizumi x reader fic. slow simmer/mutual friends/meddling friends/meet cutes/“not date” dates

AO3  | just a little oh a little bit | ko-fi

You saw Kaede sitting on a bench scrolling on her phone. You grinned, walking over quietly.

“Boo!”

Kaede jumped clutching her heart. She whirled to face you. “____!”

You laughed, doubling over. “Sorry I couldn’t resist.”

“How c—“

“Miki-chan? Everything ok?”

You straightened.

Iwaizumi looked at you and you saw his eyebrows rise.

“I’m fine Iwaizumi-kun, thanks. Do you know my roommate, ____?”

“We met at Matsun’s party.”

You hastily blurted out, “Nice to see you.”

Iwaizumi nodded.

“Right. The girls told me. Matsukawa and I went to the same middle school before my family moved to Osaka.” Kaede turned to you. “Iwaizumi-kun and I are studying if you want to join us.”

You stammered, staring at Kaede and feeling your cheeks heating up. “Ok.”

“Is it okay with you if ____ comes to study with us, Iwaizumi-kun?”

“Yea.”

His response was gruff and you glanced at him. He’d already started to turn. His ears were a little pink.

“C’mon,” Kaede stood and followed Iwaizumi. She smiled at you.

Iwaizumi opened the door to an empty study room in the library and sat across from Kaede. You stat next to Kaede.

Kaede smirked as she opened her books and started to read. It was the same face she’d make successfully substituting an ingredient or when she discovered an opponent’s pattern of play.

Meanwhile, your brain was a scratched DVD. Your thoughts skipping and stalling.

You jolted. Pull out your books dummy.

You placed your notebook on the table and started studying for a lit quiz you’d have on Thursday.

 I wonder if Iwaizumi is looking at me.

You glanced up and he was looking at his book. You blinked, realizing you’d never seen him so close before.

His eyelashes are so pretty.

Kaede nudged your foot with her foot.

You glanced at her before returning to your notebook.

Maybe he’s checking me out now. You peeked up again.

Kaede cleared her throat and you realized it was meant for you.

“____, do you mind taking a look at this to see if it looks right.”

You looked at the notebook Kaede held open.

<<I’m gonna need you to get a grip.>>

You swallowed. “Yea, it is.”

“Do you want me to check it?” Iwaizumi looked up.

“No, that’s fine. Thanks, Iwaizumi.” Kaede smiled at him.

He nodded in return.

You looked at your notes, reigning in your thoughts.

And studied.

You were pulling out your lit textbook when Kaede clicked her tongue.

“Sorry, I have to answer this call. Okay?” She looked at you, and you nodded. “I’ll be right back.” She stood up, looking at her phone.

You looked at your book.

“Oh, ____, before I forget, I remember where I know you from.”

The three of you crafted the perfect story in case Iwaizumi brought up where he really knew you.

“Yea, I go to volleyball games, so I can wait for Kaede,” you said, reading a sentence for the eighth time.

“That’s not it either.”

Your heartbeat was like an angry wasp in a jar. “You had a shirt that said you were Kamado University’s 12’s Number One fan.”

“Y-yea. Kaede made it for me as a joke.”

Iwaizumi’s eyebrows went up. “So, it was about me?”

You inhaled so quickly, you thought your back would straighten like a slap bracelet.

“I…” You could feel your face and neck and chest climbing toward nuclear temperatures.

“I thought maybe you knew Takenaka who had Number 12 before I did. But, if it was about me,” Iwaizumi rubbed the back of his neck.

“Yea. I—."

“I don’t know. It’s really flattering.”

You exhaled, a little defeated. "I’m glad it made you happy,” you replied, figuring what was another embarrassing blow before you were finished off.

He chuckled, “I’m used to not being noticed.”

 How? How could anyone see that smile and look away?

“Why?” You frowned.

He shrugged. “I’m just complaining.”

“I don’t mind if you want to vent.”

Doubt crossed his face. But you held his gaze, nodding for him to continue.

“You’ve met Oikawa.”

“Yea.”

“He’s this magnet for attention. Growing up, it was like living with a celebrity. And, one of the top aces in the country was living in our prefecture which meant playing against him every tournament and losing. No one cared if I got an all-time best. Ushiwaka would absorb all of the limelight.”

“But, you’re playing in university. Someone noticed.”

Iwaizumi sighed, crossing his arms. “That’s true. I don’t wanna burden you with all my grumbling.”

“It’s not a burden.”

He paused, before smirking. “Right. Number one fan.”

“I’m burning that shirt when I got home.” You pouted.

“What? You won’t wear it to our next game?”

“I’ll go to the game just not in that shirt.”

“But, you looked so cute in it,” he said, earnestly.

“Are you making fun of me? Kaede worked really hard on that shirt.”

“What?” Iwaizumi sat up, his face flushing with blotches of red. “No, I was– never mind. Forget I said anything.” He bowed his head, covering his forehead with his hand, and stared at his book.

You frowned.

Why would he say I looked cute—

Oh. He was flirting.

Your stomach twisted in knots.

“Iwaizumi.”

He didn’t move.

“Iwaizumi.” You waited for a response before tapping his shin with your foot.

He looked up.

“I’ll go to your game.” You leaned forward, “especially because you asked so nicely,” you smiled.

He smiled back. “I’m counting on your support. What are you reading?”

“Literature. I have a quiz on Thursday.”

“Is that your major?”

“No, I’m still unsure. What about you?”

“I’m doing physics homework. I want to study engineering but it’s pretty intense. So, that and volleyball might crush me. Plan B is sports medicine. It’s mostly physical therapy and injury prevention.”

“That sounds great.”

“Just a lot of work.”

“I’m sure you’ll do fine. Kaede never complains about you so I’m sure you’re capable enough.”

Iwaizumi smiled again and you wanted to press the image in amber to save it forever.

“How do you know Miki-chan?”

“We went to high school together.”

“It’s good you know someone in this big city.”

“Osaka isn’t that different from Tokyo.”

“Right, I forgot Miki-chan’s a city slicker.”

“What about Miki-chan? I leave for a few moments and you two are gossiping behind my back.” Kaede reclaimed her seat.

“How was your call?“ You looked at your roommate.

“Stupid athletic department. They misplaced paperwork, so I had to track down one of the player’s doctors to email over a form.” Kaede rolled her eyes.

“Why are they calling you and not your coach?”

“Because I’m the manager. And, I’m better at the bureaucracy than Sawamura.”

You hummed.

“I have class in another half hour and I should get something to eat.” Iwaizumi stood. “Nice to actually meet you, ____. Miki-chan, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Bye Iwaizumi.”

“Bye, nice to meet you.”

You opened your literature book back open.

“Look at you getting friendly with Iwaizumi.” Kaede’s grin split her face.

You fought a smile. “Maybe.”

“Maybe,” she repeated, rolling her eyes.

+

You looked at your nails again.

Iwaizumi won’t even notice you did them.

You crossed your arms and looked at your shoes.

You started to gather fabric from your t-shirt hem into your hand, pulling them into your fists.

 He wanted you to be here.

You exhaled, letting go of your shirt.

And, Iwaizumi played well.

You smiled.

“____!” Kaede waved at you. “How was going to a whole game?”

“It’s so long.”

Kaede laughed. “These are just best of three’s. And, no one really wants to break the thirty-point mark in a regular-season game. Wait until we have best of five sets.”

“Thirty points? I thought twenty-five took forever.”

“Iwaizumi did really well today. He surprised us with that toss in the second set but it was beautiful.”

“He did great.”

“Oh hey, Miki.”

“Sawamura.” Kaede turned and waved. “Everything ok? Do you need help.”

“Nope. Just letting you know we’re all in order.”

“Great! Sawamura, do you remember my roommate? ____, this is Sawamura. He’s my co-manager.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise.”

“What were you planning on doing?” Kaede asked.

“My afternoon is open.”

“Hey, you came.”

You turned to Iwaizumi. “You asked me to.” You smiled.

“Ooh, we should get something to eat to celebrate the win!” Kaede brought her fist to her palm. “Iwaizumi, are you free?”

“Yea.”

“Sawamura?”

“I’m in.”

“____, that’s cool, right?”

“Yea,” you glanced at Iwaizumi. “Let’s go.”

Kaede led the way to a restaurant you often went to after your night class.

“Kachan, your favorite waiter doesn’t work on  Tuesdays,” you said sympathetically, putting a hand on her shoulder.

She stuck her tongue out at you. “The pork katsu here is really good. I usually get the soba.”

“I like their rice dish. I think it’s supposed to be like bibimbap,” you suggested.

“I’ll need to see a menu,” Sawamura closed his eyes and crossed his arms, probably to think.

You laughed.

“He looks 75 years old, right?”

“Miki, stop telling people I’m older than I actually am,” he said, eyes still closed.

“Here’s a menu, grandpa.” Kaede handed Sawamura a menu. “Do you need one, Iwaizumi?”

“I’ll try the rice dish.”

“____ does have good taste.” Kaede nodded her head.

“You’re so lucky that waiter isn’t here or I would embarrass you,” you said under your breath so only Kaede could hear you.

“I see a table for four.” Kaede led you all over.

“____, let me get your chair for you.” Iwaizumi reached for the one closest to you.

Your eyes grew a little. “S-sure, thank you.”

Kaede’s eyes sparkled. She sat across from Sawamura, who sat next to you. Iwaizumi sat next to Kaede, across from you.

“____, you and Miki-chan went to the same high school right?” Sawamura looked up from the menu for a moment.

“Yes.”

“What are you studying?”

“I haven’t decided. You?”

“Education. Our volleyball adviser thought I’d have a knack for it.”

“You used to play?”

“Yea,” Sawamura chuckled, crossing his arms. “We can’t all be like Iwaizumi and break into college athletics.”

“It’s their loss. When Sawamura was in the back row, it was like they had two liberos.”

“You played each other?” You glanced between the two.

“Yea, we were in the same prefecture.”

“Oh, with the top ace?”

Sawamura shivered. “What is Ushiwaka up to?” He looked at Iwaizumi.

“That’s a question for Oikawa.”

Sawamura paused and chuckled. “I take it they’re not friends.”

Iwaizumi smirked. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“Noted,” Sawamura returned to his menu. “I think I know what I want.”

“And you know what you want right, Iwaizumi?“

You looked at him and he held your gaze for a second before looking away.

“I’ve got it.”

Kaede waved her hand and a waitress came over.

“Hello, are you ready to order?” Once you shared your orders, the waitress repeated it back. “The gyoza will be out soon.”

Kaede nodded, “Thank you.”

The waitress walked away.

“Ok, so, Sawamura you wouldn’t manage the team unless Kaede co-managed?” You turned to him.

“I wanted to quit but Kaede convinced me otherwise. Coach didn’t give a good reason to justify making Miki-chan the assistant manager when she was more qualified than me. Maybe if he had said managers need to be former players, ok. But he said it was because she was a girl. Our high school manager was a girl and kept us afloat. Miki has the experience and frankly does a better job than me. I should be the assistant.”

“Sawamura, you definitely were the boy everyone wanted to bring home.” Kaede grinned at him. “Such the gentleman!”

He chuckled, waving his hand.

The waitress set the gyoza on the table.

“These gyoza are great.” Kaede took a piece. “Guys dig in.”

Sawamura hummed. “I can’t wait for the udon if the gyoza’s this good.”

“And it’s all affordable,” Kaede gushed.

You reached for your glass.

“Let me pour you some water,” Iwaizumi offered.

You froze. “Thank you.”

Iwaizumi nodded.

Your chest started to feel fuzzy. You took a deep breath and smiled, dipping your gyoza in the sauce.

“Iwaizumi, such a gentleman. Sawamura, you better keep up.”

“Kaede, he’s just glad I came to his game. Don’t tease him.”

“No, I—“

“I won’t let you beat me, Iwaizumi.” Sawamura poured water for the rest of the table.

You giggled.

Iwaizumi pouted, crossing his arms.

You laughed, sending him a soft smile.

His shoulders relaxed and he smiled in return.

“The gyoza are actually good.”

“Imagine what your bibimbap will taste like,” Kaede smirked.

“You say it like you cooked it,” Iwaizumi jabbed.

“Hey—“

“Yea, Kaede, tone down the ego,” you added.

Sawamura laughed.

“Hmpfh.” Kaede put two gyoza on her plate. “Fine, I’ll just shut up.”

You looked at Iwaizumi again and smiled.

He laughed, leaning forward on the table.

+

The four of you left the restaurant after paying. Sawamura and Kaede discussed an upcoming practice. You hooked your chin over Kaede’s shoulder, half-listening as you looked at Noa’s text messages.

“____.”

Pulling away from Kaede, you turned to face Iwaizumi. “Yes.”

Iwaizumi rubbed a hand on the back of his neck. “Thanks for coming to the game.”

“Of course, you invited me.”

He raised his eyes to meet yours. Clearing his throat, he lowered his hand. “Is it okay for me to ask for your number?”

You raised your eyebrows and giggled at his expression. Why does he look so afraid? Of course, I’d say yes. “You can have my number Iwaizumi-kun.” Handing your phone to him and accepting his phone, you smiled to yourself.

“Well,” returning his phone to him, you said, “I’ll keep in mind that you’re pretty busy.”

Iwaizumi frowned at you. “Don’t—I’d make time for you.”

A/N: title from Hozier’s Cherry Wine. can i offer a flirty iwaizumi in this trying time?

[vertigokrp-blog1]

SUBMITTED FOR YOUR APPROVAL:

The case of one Na Seulgi, youth lost in the depths of countryside quaintness and simple delights. A 23-year-old spending days in the small suburbs of Muhan as a student at Jeosung University and owner of the local library, an upstanding citizen like many others in town. An unremarkable little story that takes odd turns when you take a second look. Because, in Muhan, nothing as it seems. In Muhan, you must trust no one.

         Na Seulgi is one with the vertigo.

CONTENT WARNING.

Death, sexual assault, domestic abuse.

THE STORY.

> PLAY. >

you are na seulgi. daughter, wife, widow.

> DAUGHTER.

you were born and raised in muhan, to a pair of street food vendors in the east neighbourhood. you are the second child of four. your brother, 3 years older, was a petty criminal. he mysteriously disappeared when you were 15. the scarce money barely just got you through public school, and you spent a good amount of time in your teens helping your parents sell tteokbokki.

playing the role of a filial daughter was no challenge, as you were obedient and had little to no sense of rebellion in such a sleepy town as this. and you were your mother’s favourite — you’d always been, because you were exactly like her. obedient. quiet. unassuming. your younger twin sisters were vapid and wanted nothing but to escape muhan for the glitz and glamour of the outside world.

when you were 19, your father died of cancer. strange, how peaceful his passing was, when he’d been suffering all throughout the rest of his life, ever-resentful of the upper echelons of the small town. your mother was now your closest companion. her tight grip on you grew even more so when your twin sisters skipped town in favour of bigger, better, brighter things than dreary muhan.

“you’re the only one that’s never let me down,” she said, eyes welling with tears. that continued to be the case until her own untimely death a few years later.

> WIFE.

it was a blossoming spring, much to your chagrin, when you met him. your pollen allergies were acting up, sniffling through your days of preparing tteokbokki, when he appeared with hair neatly parted, a charming smile, skin fair and fingernails clean in the way that told you he’d never had to work a goddamn day in his life. one of the gated community, you conclude. you were right. he was every bit as charming and refined as a prince. your naivety somehow drew him in, compelling him to revisit the stall almost every day.

in the bitter frost of december, he asked for your hand in marriage.

“yes,” your mother gave her blessings. you knew that she hoped for a union that’d sooner benefit her than yourself. it didn’t matter, though. you loved him, and he loved you. as a young bride of a mere 21 years, there was no one more radiant than you. the wedding was small and extremely private despite the social status of his family, and the gust of winter wind bit relentlessly at your exposed skin, but you’d never felt more at home by his side. you were perfect.

but life within the jisewon gated community was far different than what you were used to as an outsider. everything was more refined — the expectations on you to act in accordance to being your husband’s wife were high, and you were forced to keep mum about some of the more… unorthodox happenings around the area. not even your mother caught wind of it, remaining in your old home, where she succumbed to old age.

trapped within the finely sculpted walls of your abode with your husband, you never even had the chance to see her in her last days.

> WIDOW.

your beloved husband died, of toxic poisoning, at age 26. the local police wrote it off as suicide. (not unheard of, when you were a constant fixture of the gated community.)

they say 23 is too young for someone to end up as a widow. numerous sympathetic looks were thrown your way at the funeral, which was nowhere near as small as the wedding had been. misery loves company, you think absently, as you watched the coffin being lowered into the ground. you don’t miss the suspicious stares, either, but choose to remain unresponsive to them.

“it can’t possibly be a coincidence that everyone that’s remained close to her has died,” you’ve heard someone say in passing, “must be the association with the cult.” this continued to be the prominent conversation topic all throughout town for at least a few months, before it faded away in favour of other more recent, more relevant gossip. if there was any sign of relief on your part because of this shift, you were sure to remain as impassive as you always were.

finding too much spare time left, and with the inheritance your husband left behind, you decide to enrol in the jeosung university, giving yourself a chance to a proper tertiary education you could never have afforded before. your field of study is management science, which you figure would help you run the old library in town you’d persuaded your husband to buy over just a few months before his death. finding an odd comfort in the dusty shelves, you’ve taken it upon yourself to make improvements on the place, ready to sponsor the staff for renovations to better the almost decrepit building.

as a citizen, your gentle nature and benevolence hardly go unnoticed, but it seems that the people of muhan have long decided that they liked the other version of you, sensationalised by some local articles as ‘the black widow of muhan’. perhaps it is more thrilling to paint you as some sort of local myth, despite your very real, very human presence around town.

putting you on such a pedestal has its downsides, of course, one of them being that it came off a complete shock to everyone when you’d started getting romantically involved with one of your classmates in university. he is the second love of your life in your eyes, but a disgrace to your mourning period. too soon, they say. her husband’s barely a year in the grave and she’s already out with another man like a whore.

they start comparing you to the likes of the girls at the casino, amongst other things, but you pay no attention to the gossip surrounding you and your current lover. you know all-too well that not even a speck of what they say is true. nay, you’ve got the assumed purity of a virgin goddess, and five times the carnage one can cause — not that anyone knew that, of course.

THE TWIST.

your marriage was a sham.

even before the celebrated matrimony, you’d always suspected the gated community of illicit activities — some say the members of the jisewon gated community were part of a cult, but how could someone as sweet and kind as your husband be involved in any of the horrible things linked to such a group? your mother dissuaded you from believing it, urging to quickly marry you off in the hopes of getting at least a small share of your husband’s fortune.

the plan backfired, of course. not only was she deprived of getting a single cent from it, she ended up losing you to the closed gates of the olympus-like area of muhan forever, too. it was also then that you realised, quite belatedly, of the real situation within the community.

every thursday night (and some), your husband would escape the confines of your new, luxurious home to partake in activities with the evangelists. he’d come home reeking of alcohol, smelling of far too many different perfumes you were sure you’d gotten a whiff of someplace else. the most frightening part was the noticeable blood splattered on the collar of his shirt. “hello, sweetheart,” he’d greet you in bed, as if you were dumb enough to pretend that nothing was amiss. he’d kiss you on the cheek, tender and soft, in contrast to the friction against your chin by the rough stubble on his jaw.  

it was still something you could live with, but your patience had its limits. when your mother fell sick, you begged for your husband to let you go visit, spend your last moments with the person you’d considered your closest companion, but he forbade it. trying to push past him anyway, your blatant defiance awakened a malicious being in him. no longer was he the same gentle soul he was when you first met him, reduced to a savage monster, which thirsted of something worse than your blood — your honour.

when morning came, no one else in the household seemed to have picked up on the events occurring the night before, despite your screams. the newly revived demon within your husband never really went away from that point on, and he made it a point to ‘domesticate’ you by leaving scars and bruises all over your body, and tainting your sanctity night after night.

then came your breaking point. funny, how easy it was to fool him into consuming the special dinner you’d specifically prepared for him. bibimbap, his favourite, with extra gochujang and arsenic. you watched him choke and splutter, eyes widening as he realised what you’d done. for the first time in your life, there was no remorse in your heart.

no one knows that you were behind it, of course. it made perfect sense to everyone that it was a voluntary suicide — some kind of messed up self-sacrifice in the name of satan himself. there were some that questioned it, however, which explained all the suspicion aimed at you after his death. ever since then, you’d become a solid figure in the local tabloids, and made a name of yourself as the famed black widow of muhan.

intending to take your secret to the grave, you knew what you’d done was necessary for the sake of your own life. much more content with the absence of your husband, you are now free of his reign, but still watched closely by his remaining family members. it doesn’t matter. you know yourself best, and no one else is deserving to pass judgment towards your person.

you are na seulgi. daughter, wife, murderer.

[phooll123]

9 Things Ivanka Trump Would Like Us to Know

You might have heard some negative things about Ivanka Trump recently, like that U.S. counterintelligence officials are scrutinizing one of her business deals and the president is plotting to push her and her husband out of the White House. Then there are Jared Kushner’s woes, which range from having his security clearance downgraded to reports that Special Counsel Robert Mueller is looking into the mingling of Kushner family business and the Trump transition.

Usually such gossip is shot down by “sources close to” Jared and Ivanka, but late last month Ivanka chatted with the Washington Post, partially on the record, about how she navigates her dual role as First Daughter and senior adviser. According to Ivanka, and glowing statements from several people who work for her father, we might have misjudged her. Here’s what we learned.

If Ivanka has a fault, it’s being too innocent. There was no way for her to know that people in the Trump White House would be so nasty (aside from the rampant infighting on the campaign).

Ivanka has privately said she was naïve when she first came to Washington. She was unprepared for the palace infighting that has so shaped the White House power dynamics. It was not until the hiring of White House spokesman Josh Raffel last April that she and Kushner aggressively moved to protect their reputations. She also has lamented to friends that she is sometimes “weaponized” — unwittingly invoked by other officials as a high-profile surrogate for their personal grievances, knowing that if Ivanka is said to be frustrated about something, it is likely to draw more attention. 

Accusing her of focusing on random “pet projects” is mean and untrue. She also drummed up support for the GOP tax bill and her trip to the Olympics may have laid the groundwork for her father to agree to talk to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (though it seems no planningwent into her father’s sudden decision). Awkward silences during dinner with Korean president Moon Jae-in: not on her watch!

Ivanka said she was determined to forge a warm rapport with Moon, a progressive who has a somewhat cool relationship with her father. When South Korea’s first couple hosted the traveling Americans for a dinner of bibimbap with marinated tofu at the presidential Blue House in Seoul, Ivanka knew from her research how to strike up a conversation with first lady Kim Jung-sook. They chatted about their shared interest in K-pop, a distinct musical style originating on the peninsula. “She 100 percent carried the conversation of the dinner,” said White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, a member of the visiting U.S. delegation. “She and Moon instantly had a good connection and she and the first lady had really good chemistry.”

Ivanka works really hard. No “executive time” for her.

She peppered National Security Council experts in advance with questions, not just about the nuclear threat, but also about South Korean President Moon Jae-in and his wife’s hobbies. Flying over the Pacific bound for the Winter Olympic Games last month, she pored over a research dossier for hours. And she and her team choreographed many of the possible encounters she might have, including acting out what she would do if a North Korean official tried to shake her hand. “I don’t like to leave a lot up to fate,” President Trump’s 36-year-old daughter, also a senior White House adviser, said in an interview with The Washington Post.

That includes her voice. She’s very committed to letting Americans enjoy the patrician accent she’s affected.

In some television appearances, Ivanka seems to present a simulacrum of herself — a for-public-consumption version that is at once both poised and guarded, complete with a breathy, unplaceable accent. In private, her voice sounds an octave deeper. She can be by turns lighthearted and defiant, down-to-earth and supremely confident. And like both her husband and her father, Ivanka sprinkles her conversation with the occasional curse word.

But she’s still super relatable. Who among us doesn’t have a soft spot for Journey, and a personalized memento from one of the band members?

On a small table in her well-appointed office sit several pictures of her kids, a framed copy of Trump’s typed “Remarks Regarding the Capital of Israel” — signed “To Ivanka, Love Dad” in the president’s oversized Sharpie scribble — and the lyrics to Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’ ” handwritten to her by one of the songwriters.

In fact, she’s just like any other White House staffer. “I must work incredibly diligently to follow protocol as any other staffer would,” Ivanka explained. That’s why she’ll occasionally update her employer on the policies she’s pushing on Capitol Hill, and the topics discussed during her frequent, unscheduled chats with her dad.

“The fact that she has her own relationships with members on the Hill enables us to accomplish more, and anytime she’s engaging in conversations, she’s checking in with us on how she can be helpful and getting our advice on what we need,” said Marc Short, White House director of legislative affairs. “She would say, ‘I’m intending to go have a meeting today but I want to make sure your office is comfortable with it and what are the White House priorities I can help with.’” 

Though she and her father speak multiple times a day — sometimes in unscheduled calls when the president spontaneously dials her — she says she honors [chief of staff John] Kelly’s demand that she inform him and other officials about any policy-related discussions the two have.

Except when she’s not like other staffers.But who knows, maybe Kellyanne Conway is allowed to tell Trump she’s not cool with the travel ban and won’t publicly defend it.

[Ivanka] does not see herself as a talking head and refuses to promote policies with which she personally disagrees; for instance, she was notably silent on last year’s Republican health-care plan, and has said little recently about her father’s guns agenda.

The president is still on Ivanka’s side. Kelly shouldn’t get any ideas, because Trump definitely wants her to stay in the White House.

“Everybody loves and respects Ivanka,” the president said in a statement. “She works very hard and always gets the job done in a first class manner. She was crucial to our success in achieving historic tax cuts and reforms and served as my envoy in South Korea, where she was incredibly well received. Her work on behalf of American families has made a real impact.”

And if he isn’t, it’s only because he loves her.

The president himself has exacerbated the tensions between his chief of staff and his family. He has mused to Kelly that he thinks Ivanka and her husband should perhaps return to New York, where they would be protected from the blood sport of Washington and less of a target for negative media attention, White House officials said. In the president’s eyes, “Ivanka’s still his little girl,” as one confidant put it.

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[dominiquedelacroix]

"I could be better, but who am I to complain? Yes, it's my first prom ever, I have to! Flying solo there, what about you? Can you give me some spoilers on what you're going to wear? I know it'll be killer, but at least hint the color?"

And then, a mischievous smile bloomed across that face upon her friend's open suggestion. "You know what? I'm making it a surprise taste test for you..."

Switching back into Korean, Dominique animatedly explained and ordered - the waiter seemed amused, nodding in agreement, and giving Nicole a wink once, even - before carrying off, humming.

With her chin on her hands, the British chuckled. "Don't worry - no live squids. I'm not subjecting you to that torture."

"Unless you're into that? Wouldn't recommend it, though. It's just...animal cruelty, for starters."

Gossiping Over Bibimbap

"You're early as always."

Even earlier, sitting at the bench in front of the House Of Gim, the hottest new Korean restaurant in town, Dominique looked up at Nikki, tilted her head, and gave a low whistle with a wink.

"Ooh la la, Colace, you're gonna steal some hearts in that! Do you ever even have a fashion faux pas day? Let's get in, I'm starving..."

Holding out her hand, she took her friend inside, where she greeted the waiter in their native language. Grinning, she glanced back at the fellow brunette.

"He's gonna clear a windowside table. It's a little away from the crowd, so we can have our privacy as we discuss our world domination together.

So, how's your day been, babe?"

@thenikkibella-xo