Nuada’s Date
(Requested by @thepjofanqueen: Hi I’d like to request a Prince Nuada x reader where he has trouble admitting his feelings so he just kisses the reader and maybe takes her on a little date )
(A/N): Again I am sorry for being late and if this story is too fluffy. other than that I hope you enjoy
Warning: Grammatical Error, mostly Fluff, Angst if you squinted your eyes.
Word Count: 5,355
Nuada moved swiftly around the training room with his staff held tightly in his hands as he struck the dummy around points that would have been fatal to an actual living being. He stopped on his tracks having enough training for today, as he turned around to leave to his room his eyes scanned the room and he could see the glances he got from the other agents. All were impressed by his skills, however, there was a specific pair of eyes that he wanted to be trailed on him but unfortunately, when he found her she was focused on her own training with a colleague of hers. His brows furrowed in annoyance as he took his belongings and marched out of the training area to his room. She never looks his way when he does something that is worth attention. Nuada's eyes widened slightly as he realized what he had just thought. He groaned at himself.
"Why do I still keep thinking of her?" He asked himself as he reached his room.
It all started when he first started going on missions with the Red Demon and the walking fish. He thought her to be only an extra agent that was sent to make sure they get the job done. However, she turned out to be one of the few essential workers whose importance could reach the Demon's. He was impressed by with her not only when they were on missions but when she voiced her opinion confidently or presented alternatives on how they should deal with a creature, which saved not only the humans but also other creatures lives, or when she defended the other creature's actions to Manning through meetings that he couldn't come up with a reply except "We protect humans, it's our job.". Those thoughts of her made a small smile spread unconsciously that he had to force away when he realized it.
Even if she is a human she's still a selfless, strong, and smart one. He respected (Y/n). That's what he thought at least. he was sure that the only emotion he had for the human was "Respect", which he gave it only to a few but then other feelings started to erupt within him that confused him greatly. He wanted to hear her voice more, wanting to smile whenever he saw her happy and wishing pain upon whoever dared to anger her or make her frown. He doesn't remember when did he start feeling like this towards her, but what he knew is that it is driving him crazy.
A knock pulled him out of his thoughts and when he snapped his head to look at the door he could already tell who was it.
"You may enter." He called. The door opened and it was as he suspected his dear sister Nuala.
"Good evening, brother." She greeted with a smile.
"Good evening." He greeted back with a nod before turning back to resume changing his clothes.
Nuala's smile vanished from her face and was replaced with a small frown when she heard the tone of his voice.
"Brother..." She called again as she took a step forward, Nuada hummed as a respond not facing her yet, Nuala dismissed the act. "Tell me what is bothering you."
"Nothing is bothering me." He answered, which made Nuala chuckle. Nuada turned to look at his sister with a raised brow. "What is so funny?"
"That despite having both mental and physical connection that allows us to experience whatever the other is feeling you still try to hide from me." She said with a smile.
Nuada's brows furrowed in annoyance at her words, he knew that the only person he can't hide his true feelings from is his dear sister. Nuala sat on his bed and patted the area to her left, seeing no use in hiding he submitted and went to sit beside her.
"Now tell me what is troubling you, dear brother." she started gently. "What makes you feel so many things at once?"
"It is more of "Who is"." He answered with a sigh.
"A person?" Nuala perked up at his answer. he nodded. "Who is it?"
He didn't answer. Nuala looked at her brother with a look of bewilderment, he has hint foreign look on his face that she saw him wear a very...very long time ago when they were just kids. He used to have that look whenever he gets caught after causing mischief... Her dear brother was feeling embarrassed. Nuala had to bite her lip to she won't smile, fearing that Nuada would misunderstand her delight for a mockery.
"Who is it, brother?" She asked again after a long silent pause.
"It's... a.. a human." He struggled as he forced out half the answer as he titled his head down, to hide his face with his hair. Nuala's eyes widened.
"A human?" She asked again unsure if she heard right and he nodded confirming it.
Nuala couldn't hide the smile anymore as it spread across her face. She was feeling so happy at the moment because of two reasons, the first being that she identified the feeling that he was struggling with as love and the second was that his love interest was a human which was very intriguing.
"I am so happy that you found someone to love brother." The moment those words left her mouth Nuada turned sharply to her with a look of displeasure.
"I do NOT love a human!" He spat his words with disgust.
Sensing his sister's jolt of fear at his outburst Nuada forced himself to take deep breaths to calm himself but he doesn't seem to be able to. He turned around to the door wanting to leave, Nuala opened her mouth to call for him but she didn't get the chance.
"I need to meditate in the fresh air and clear my mind, excuse me." He said before leaving the room with Nuala who was concerned by her brother's behavior.
---
Nuada walked down the halls after returning from his meditation feeling a bit better of everything that happened today. all he wanted now was to return to his room and enjoy a good night's sleep.
"Nuada!... There you are!"
...Or maybe not.
The Elf didn't need to turn around to know that the caller was none other than Hellboy. When he got close enough Hellboy wrapped his arm around Nuada's neck surprising him as they continued walking.
"I have been looking for you everywhere man, where were you?" Asked the demon.
"I was meditating outside." Answered Nuada as he tried to pray the red demon's arm away but to no avail.
"Say how about you come over for a while I want to talk to you about something." Said Hellboy ignoring Nuada's previous answer.
"What do you want?" Asked Nuada as he tried to stop but he was forced to continue moving.
"You will find out soon."
That's the only answer he got as he was forced to take different routes that lead to where Hellboy took him. Nuada just gave in and went along wishing for everything to be over already. It didn't take long for them to reach the library and when the double doors opened Nuada was surprised to see that they weren't alone. His sister, the demon's spouse, and the fish were here as well. When Hellboy finally let go of him Nuada looked around the room at everyone before turning back to the demon.
"What is the meaning of this?" He asked not liking whatever they were planning.
"Relax princy, we are here to help." Said Hellboy as he made his way to where his spouse sat.
"Help me?" Nuada asked raising a brow in confusion. His eyes scanned the room again and he could see that everyone was looking at him with excitement that worried him.
"Yeah, Nuala told us you have an interest in someone." Said Liz with a smile.
Nuada's eyes widened before looking to his sister with dangerously narrowed eyes, that didn't phase Nuala, who kept a smile.
"I thought it would be a good idea to get the help of the others since they as well experienced love." She explained to him. Nuada almost growled in anger at the word "Love".
"I do not love her!" He exclaimed at his sister, but no one was phased by his outburst.
"Oh, it's a girl." Said Hellboy with a grin.
"Yes, a human girl." Said Nuala with a nod.
"Nuada loves a human girl." Said Liz who was surprised.
"Does she work here?" Asked Hellboy.
"That is none of your business." Snapped Nuada at him, getting more irritated by them.
"How interesting." Mused Abraham and when everyone turned to him they saw he already placed his hands on the glass towards Nuada. "She does work here, a close colleague in fact."
That was the last straw for Nuada, he pulled out his blade and marched towards Abraham's tank.
"Get out of my mind you damned creature-"
"Whoa Whoa Whoa!!" called Hellboy blocking Nuada's way, to protect Abe. "Calm down there, blue didn't mean it."
"If he dared to go into my mind again I will not hesitate to slice him into-"
"He has feelings for (Y/n)." Said Abraham interrupting Nuada's threat.
Everyone was surprised by the discovery they turned to look at Nuada only to see him frozen in place staring at the ground with wide eyes. He has been found out.
"You like (Y/n)?" Asked Hellboy with a grin.
"I'm leaving this place." Said Nuada as turned on his heels to leave the library.
"Brother wait!" Called Nuala but she was ignored.
The prince was so angry and dare he say also embarrassed at being found out. he just wanted to be alone, not even want to be near his sister for a while, this should have been a secret between them, but she went and told... Them. Nuada's thoughts were cut off when he felt arms wrapped around him and left him up, he knew by the brute action it was the demon but what shocked him is the fact that he was caught off guard.
"Let go of me you brainless-"
"Yeah yeah just set down and shut up for a sec would ya." said Hellboy before forcing Nuada to sit beside his sister.
"Brother I am sorry for planning all this from behind you back." Said Nuala sincerely as she placed her hand above her brother's. "I just want to help reach the one you love and be happy."
"I don't love her." Said Nuada his voice a few more irritated.
"What do you feel towards her then?" Asked Liz.
"Respect, that is all I feel for her." He answered.
"Liar." Said Nuala and when Nuada turned to face her he realized that his hand is still linked with his sister's.
He quickly pulled his hand away making Nuala flinch.
"I'm sorry it was by accident." She said honestly.
He knew it was a habit his sister could never control but it still annoyed him at times. Nuada looked up to them seeing that they all were eager to know more, there was no chance of escaping, he knew that, and so with a sigh of defeat, he decided to just give in and get over with it.
"Yes, but I still don't understand what I feel towards her." He confessed. "I didn't lie when I said I respected her, but respect isn't the only thing I feel, there are more but I don't know what they are, these feelings are so foreign to me."
Silence filled the room as they all were surprised that he confessed the truth, Hellboy broke the silence.
"She accompanies almost your every thought, you will complain about her but you know that they are empty complaints, you try to impress her without even realizing it, and lastly the mere mention of her name makes you feel... weird in here." He finished point to his chest. Nuada's golden eyes widened at his words.
"How did you know?" Nuada asked Hellboy chuckled at his reaction.
"Because that's how I felt towards Liz at first before understanding what it was." He answered.
"I felt the same thing for Nuala." Said Abe from behind the glass. "I always tried to find what she liked to I can try to like them to and hope that the common interest would bring us closer."
"You didn't that, I liked you from the first time." Confessed Nuala with a smile.
Abe stammered in embarrassment at her words making everyone laugh in the room except for Nuada who was deep in thought.
"What if the feeling I have for her not "Love" but something else?" He said making them stop laughing and look at him confused. "How can I confirm it?"
A grin blasted across Hellboy's face.
"I know just the thing!"
---
You walked down the hallway your head bounding from the lack of sleep. you wanted nothing more than to take a day off and spend the day sleeping but you couldn't last time you took a day off an Elven prince broke in and almost killed Red. You shock your head of the thought of the handsome prince and tried to concentrate on what you have to do today but your thought kept drifting to him. images of him training invaded your mind, his body was built yet he moved so gracefully. Another image of him with Nuala and being a good brother, or him being good with animals. You couldn't help the blush at the thought of him or know how to deal with the butterfly in your stomach whenever he was near. You can't ignore it.
You have a crush on Prince Nuada the rightful king of the Bethmoora clan, a strong warrior with a good brain on his shoulders and that damn charming smile.
But you have to get over such a silly crush. because not only was he out of your league but also because he loathes humans. He does work alongside you and even protected you a few times from death or fatal injuries but that's only because he is forced to. there was no way in hell you can be with Nuada.
You were pulled out of your thoughts when the opposite side of you Nuada was walking towards you. Speaking of the devil. You suppressed your blush and forced yourself to look professional, you prepared yourself to give a greeting of some sort, a simple "Good morning" would do, he never was a talker and you are a human so he will probably ignore you, maybe just a polite smile with a nod would do. However, with all the thinking you did, you didn't prepare yourself for him walking straight towards you. Did he want something? did you do something?... How do you look do you look? do you look tired? you hoped not. You stopped in your place, and he slowed down as he came closer to you confirming that he did want something from you.
"Good morning Nuada." You greeted with a smile, thankful that your voice didn't give away the nervousness you felt.
Nuada just stood there staring down at you as if he was thinking something over. Despite the smile that you still kept your anxiety was growing. what did he want?. He took a few steps closer to you, too close for your liking, and before you could question him he placed his hand on your right cheek which made you freeze at the contact, but what really caught you off guard is when he leaned forward and connected his lips to your own.
Your eyes widened with shock as you let out a small muffled sound of surprise. Your (E/c) stared back to his golden once, he looked so calm. The kiss wasn't a deep one, just a simple one. when he pulled away he closed his eyes as if in deep thought before finally speaking.
"Tomorrow evening I will take you somewhere so we can spend some time together so we can get to know each other more, don't worry about "where" just wear something nice and wait for more to get you." He then turned to walk away. "Have a good day."
You just stood there your mouth hung open trying to process what the hell just happened.
"...D .. Did he just...order me out?"
---
you looked at yourself in the mirror one last time, your (H/c) was done the way you like it and wore a halter (F/c) dress which was below your knees. you took a deep breath to try and calm yourself for your "Date". You had no clue what to expect today all you knew was that you had to look nice, because of that you decided to look casual for whatever he had for you in store. Just then there was a knock on the door making your heart jump.
He is here.
You another took a deep breath to calm your self before walking to the door and opening it. You opened your mouth to greet him but your voice didn't come out. Nuada was wearing black and red royal clothes with the golden seal of his clan on his abdomen. He was well dressed and looked elegant, a true prince charming standing before you.
"You... look beautiful."
His words broke you our of your train of thought. you looked up meeting his golden eyes that stared down at you with a soft look. You blushed slightly at his comment.
"Th... Thanks!" You burst out but clear your throat trying to look calm. "You don't look bad yourself."
You said with a grin, causing him to show a grin on his own at your words. Your heart skipped a beat.
"So..." He offered his forearm like a gentleman. "Shall we?"
You were surprised by the action but smiled none the less to him before hocking your arm to his. As you walked silently your mind kept wondering about your choice of clothes. Nuada looked as if he was dressed for a ball while you looked like you were going to a hangout. Maybe you should have changed? is it too late to ask to go back and change? what would you change to?
...Wait a moment.
"Nuada..." He called he turned his head to you. "Where are we going?"
Your question made a troubled look to cross his face for a just a moment before he looked back forward with his nonchalant stare. He stayed quiet for a moment before he finally answered.
"I don't know as well." He confessed.
You raised your brow in confusion at his words. how can he not know? you wanted to ask him further but you stopped when you were met with the double doors of the library. How did we get here so fast? You heard a sigh and looked back to Nuada and saw that the troubled look was back on his face. He stared at the door, contemplating if he should go in or not. In the end, he placed his pale hand on the handle and twisted the nub opening the door. Your eyes widened slightly at what you saw.
The usually messy library with scattered books and the dusty statue was now clean and organized, the desk and chairs there were in the small circle of books were replaced with a dinner table for two with a patch of red roses in the middle. the light from Abe's now clean blues waters gave the sight a more beautiful touch.
"N...Nuada this looks... so beautiful." You turned to look up to him with a smile. "Did you do all this?"
"Hmm... I.. had some help." He said with a hint of hesitation as is he was unsure which was unusual on him but you didn't care as you walked into the room with Nuada behind you.
If you had glanced back you would have seen the shocked look on Nuada's face.
After he confessed his feelings towards you, each one of them started babbling pieces of advice on what he should do. His sister and her lover had said to try and befriend her first and built our relationship from there. I rejected that because I didn't want and wait until I am too late. Elizabeth said to ask her on an outing... "A date" for us to set together and get to know each other more. I liked the idea because it will show my intentions with her from the start and will make things easier. Hellboy advised me to just kiss her and my feelings for her will be clear. Of course, the others and I rejected the idea, because it was wrong to just go and kiss someone without consent. so the plan was set, they well prepare a dating environment for us and all I had to do is "Ask her out". That was the plan. However, when he stood so close to her he couldn't help his feelings as it pressured him to act on the red Demon's advice give in to the temptation of the kiss and as a gentleman, he was ashamed of such action...
Well... almost ashamed.
You were so amazed by everything around you, it must have taken Nuada a lot of work to make this place look so nice. you reached for one of the chairs but Nuada beat you to it as he pulled it for you. you blushed at his action remembering why you were here in the first place.
"Thank you." you said as you sat down.
"My pleasure." He said with a nodded and a smile before sitting in front of you.
a weighty silence filled the room as none of said anything, but the silence was short-lived as soft music started to play. Did he time the music player?
"Thank you for accepting my invitation..." He said earning your attention. "Even though it was in such short notice."
"Oh.. that's alright, But I would be lying if I said I wasn't surprised by it."
"I'm deeply sorry for that." He immediately replied.
"Again it's alright." You said as a bashful smile crossed your face. "Because... it made me happy."
You could see how your answer made Nuada's eyes widen slightly at your answer as he was not expecting it. a soft smile broke on his face.
"I'm glad-"
"W...Would you like some drinks!"
Both you and Nuada jumped at the sudden interruption. you turned your head to the side to see none other than Abe standing there, wearing a tuxedo that was wide open around his neck so it won't press against his gills, and you didn't need glasses to see that he looked so anxious and how clear it was that he didn't want to be here. you glanced at Nuada and saw how shocked he also was by Abe's presence which meant that he didn't force the poor thing to act as a waiter for them.
"What... are you doing here?" Nuada asked between his greeted teeth. you can see how hard he was trying not to blow up in front of you.
"uh...Hmm.." Abe struggled to talk, then he lifted a bottle of red wine with a weary smile. "Uh..D..Drinks?"
Nuada snatched the bottle from abe's arms, making the blue creature flinch.
"Leave." The prince ordered as he stared daggers into Abe.
Abe wanted to say something more but quickly left because he was afraid of what to come. Nuada placed the bottle down on the table, before looking back at you. his anger was replaced with a troubled face.
"I'm deeply sorry." He muttered looking down at his plate.
"Did you..." You didn't say any more just gestured to where abe left indicating what you were asking.
"Oh no!" Nuada quickly answered, almost looked offended. "I am barely able to stand seeing him around my dear sister let alone force him to serve through our..."
"Date?" You finished seeing how he trailed off.
You almost swear that you saw a golden blush on his pale cheeks.
"That's what you humans call it, Yes." He answered with confidence. You smiled making him almost lost his demeanor.
"So tell me, your majesty, what do you call it." You asked jokingly but he didn't seem to get it.
"Please, call me by my name." He requested politely. "And there are two words that I think are proper for what we are in now."
"Oh really?... and what are they?" You asked curios.
"The first word is "Wooing"...."
He reached for the bottle of wine and opened it with ease, not struggling with the crock, he poured for you first before himself, filling the glasses to half. and he did it all while keeping a charming smile your way. You were definitely wooed.
"A... And the other word?" You cursed at your self for letting your voice break, But Nuada seemed unbothered.
He put the bottle aside and held his wine glass up to you. his golden eyes were staring through you, one of them was clear to you the other hidden behind the liquid causing the redness of the wine to mix with the gold of his eye.
"The other word, my dear... is "Courting"." he continued, as he brought the class to his pale lips. "Which if things went well tonight we might reach it."
If you were doubting his intentions towards you before you didn't anymore.
"Oh..." That's all that you could say as your face burned red at his words. he just chuckled at your reaction.
But again your special time was interrupted.
"Hold her hand." Someone whispered from above you.
You and Nuada kept eye contact, you were holding back laughter because you knew who's that voice belonged to and Nuada was clinching his glass as his eyes narrowed in annoyance. You both looked up and kneeling in front of the second-floor railing is none other than the red demon himself who was grinning down at you both.
"Hey Red." you called waving your hand to him.
"Hey (Y/n)." he waved back to you.
"What are you doing here?" Asked Nuada as he massaged the bridge of his nose, trying to calm the headache.
"Being your wingman." He answered simply. making you giggle.
"I don't need your help." retorted Nuada as he glared up at Hellboy.
"You sure did when you took my advice to kiss her."
Your giggle died as you looked up to Nuada whose eyes were widened at being found out. His golden blush was clear now as he looked down avoiding your eyes, your own blush returned. Did he come to Red for relationship advice?... And acted by it!?
"Please leave..." Nuada muttered but he was ignored.
"did you like the food?" Red continued. "I thought stake was the best choice for a romantic dinner."
"You prepared all this?" You asked with a raised brow.
"Hell yeah, I did..." he paused as he thought it over. "Well, I got some help."
"Some help?" Called Liz from a place behind you. "Me, Abe and Nuala did all the work!"
Just on cue Nuala and Abe who was still wearing the tuxedo came out following after. Liz and Red were bickering again and you just stayed silent staring forward at Nuada who was burring his face in his hands, giving up on what is happening around him. You felt a hand on your shoulder and you turned to see Nuala smiling down at you.
"Hello (Y/n)." she greeted you. "It is a pleasure to finally meet my future sister in law."
Your eyes widened at her words before she enveloped you in a hug and when you glanced at Nuada from the corner of your eyes you can see him bury himself further in his hands at his sister's words.
"Everyone please calm down-"
Abe piped in trying to calm Hellboy and Liz but his voice added more to the noise, and Nuala also was telling you of how excited she is for the time you will spend together. Everything around you was too much to handle. you thought that you will have a nice night with your crush, but now you just wanted to go back to your room and forget this night.
"ENOUGH!"
Nuada's voice boomed around the room as he slammed his fists on the table, causing the objects on it to fall off and everyone to stay in silence the only sound going around is the sound of the background music. Nuala pulled herself away from you as she stared worriedly at her brother. Nuada was huffing while clenching his fists tightly. Without another word he marched around the table, gripping your arm forcing you to exit the room along with him, leaving the rest standing there stunned. You struggled to keep up with Nuada as he took you with him to god knows where.
"Nuada..." You called but he didn't answer, you called again this time louder. "Nuada you are hurting my arm."
At those words, Nuada froze in his place as he let go pf you as if you were fire. You rubbed the sport he held, hoping that a bruise won't form.
"I'm deeply sorry..." He breathed out.
You looked up to him and in his golden eyes, you could see that he was... ashamed.
"It's ok." you said. "It didn't really hurt I just said that to make you stop-"
"No I didn't mean-... well I am sorry for that-..but I am sorry for...for this night-" He stopped himself, closed his eyes, and took a few deep breaths to collect his thoughts.
"What I want to say is, I am sorry for everything that accrued tonight." He started as he opened his eyes to look at you. "Tonight was supposed to be special between us. I didn't lie when I said that I wished to court you someday because... I have these feelings for you that I had for a long while now and still don't understand fully... But what I do know is that I want to know you more and grow closer to you."
"Then... why didn't you say that from the start?" You asked.
"Because I didn't know what to do." He admitted. "I never felt this way towards anyone through all these ages I lived..."
"So you went to Red for advice?" You retorted making him chuckle.
"A truly horrible idea I must confess."
You both shared a small laugh when you laughter died down you looked down at your watch then back to Nuada.
"You know, there is still some time." you informed. "Do you wanna spend it together?"
"Actually, I do." He grinned as he offered his hand, wishing to lead you again.
You smiled before taking his hand and walked together. Once again Nuada started leading you through the hallways and this time you didn't need to ask as you knew exactly where he was taking you. After convincing the guards that you were only going to take a few hours, you and Nuada exited the building and were welcomed by the stary dark sky and the soft sound of crickets.
With your arms hocked together, you and Nuada walked around the premises while talking about interest, what you like and dislikes, and your lives before the B.P.R.D. There were a few times where you stopped because a guard dog ran up to you both, the first time gave you a mini heart attack because you thought that it will attack Nuada but was surprised when you saw how it greeted Nuada like a long lost owner. It was a cute sight to see the known dangerous warrior be adored by the dog and him spoiling the animal with praise and scratches. You of course had to swear to never tell a soul of what you saw.
You swore in exchange for him to take you on another date without acting on another of Hellboy's "Advice", which he agreed to wholeheartedly with a wide smile.
---
I hope you all enjoyed this story and if you have requests, please wait until the next “Open requests” and thank you!
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If you’re reading this, I’m coming back to Chicago, beetch
The non-existent rumors are true. After a brief 10-month exit from the city to soak up the fresh air and social distance-friendly suburbs, I am now returning to Chicago as a single, slightly more anxious version of myself. While I’m still trying to kick some of the anxiety and OCD that COVID-19 pushed from “lifelong tagalongs” to “all-controlling demons”, I feel 97% ready to be back where I feel most myself, and cannot wait to welcome that change. While that 3% still makes me a little uncomfy and hesitant, I’m a believer in pushing your boundaries to allow yourself to grow, and also, I am really sick of suburbs food.
Ha! I joke. I wouldn’t move downtown simply for access to more diverse & higher quality food... or would I? All I know is while there are plenty of gems in the North Shore, I’ve eaten take out from all of them ten times over, and I did not foster my dislike of cooking out of nowhere. My parents do not enjoy cooking, my sister pretends to enjoy cooking, and I will cook if it is 5 ingredients or less. My latest speciality is a toasted bagel with butter, hummus, and EBTB seasoning. Voila. So when it comes to dinner, we are living off of a carousel of suburban favorites, and are losing steam as we are still not comfortable with dining inside (or dining inside in the city, where the fun food is).
All of this to say, it’s exciting to imagine what life is going to be like in a few short weeks. While I’m still extra precautionary, I can’t wait to have my own space downtown, where I can enjoy coffee on my little balcony (!!!) and dream of the days friends can come squeeze into my studio safely while I lay out an entire table of sharable spreads and snacks from Ema (Charred Eggplant Spread is the best one, don’t fight me).
So you may ask, how did you come to this decision to move to the heart of downtown out of seemingly nowhere, you hermit?
It starts with my mom and I having a brief, simultaneous breakdown and coming to the conclusion that we would both feel comfortable doing a staycation downtown, as long as we wore masks, sanitized always, and braved the cold to eat outside. This was big for me! As a person with real OCD, not cute TV show “I have to keep my pens straight” OCD, this would be the most exposure I’d had to a lot of uncontrollable variables since the pandemic started. If you’re thinking, “you get to spend a weekend downtown in a hotel with your mom, shut up”, know that I hear you. I am unbelievably grateful that I’ve gotten this time with my parents, and that we can do a staycation. However, having anxiety comes at a cost, and that cost is blowing everything way the fuck out of proportion instead of being able to rationalize it sometimes. Let’s! Normalize! Having! This! Discussion!
So, we went downtown in early March for a two-night stay, and oh my goodness. The realization that we got to be in a different space, and do different things, and eat different food for a weekend made it feel like a legit vacation, and not like we drove 30 minutes to get there. The view from our room was of Michigan Ave, and hearing the traffic and seeing the people out and about instantly made me feel a sense of peace I wasn’t expecting. I’ve lived downtown for 6 years, but it always shocks me how much the city feels like an extension of me once I’m in it after being away. My mom and I went out for a walk (gentle yet forceful reminder to please wear a mask), then decided to grab dinner while we were out. The plan was to bring it back to the room, but there was a warm spell, and there just happened to be a table for two at Topolobampo on Clark, and suddenly we were sitting on the patio under the lights eating masa quesadillas dipped in a spicy salsa verde. It just happened!!!
Before getting downtown, I was tentatively looking at apartments for the spring. I was looking at Lincoln Park, Old Town, maybe Lakeview, and came across a listing in the Gold Cost that caught my eye. That one was swiped out from under me within days, but I couldn’t stop thinking about the area. Then I discovered another unit that was available, and couldn’t shake it from my mind. Over mushroom tacos I discussed it with my mom, and we decided to go see it. Totally not what I had been planning for in terms of location, but why not?
Once we polished off breakfast the next morning (Eggs Benedict with fried eggs, extra hollandaise) we headed out to see the place. Let me say I have never seen my mom fall in love with a single apartment I’ve lived in, and she was ALL. FOR. IT. Unreal reaction on her part. Once I saw the west-facing views and the incredible natural lighting, I was 100% in as well.
We spent the rest of the weekend wandering the downtown area, enjoying another dinner outside at The Gwen and my mom’s first visit to the Starbucks Reserve Roastery, which was 95% more empty than I’ve ever seen it given we went in a pandemic at 8:30PM. Shit on Starbucks all you want, but that Roastery is an incredible use of space (in non-pandemic times) and the coffee & Princi pastries are really, really good.
When we got back home feeling refreshed and like we had actually gone on a vacation, I jumped into apartment shark mode real fast and signed as many documents as the very kind realtor could send over. One week later, whabaam, I was a Gold Coast girl. Ahem, *lady*. What better way to celebrate than going to Somerset and having the Rapini & Roasted Garlic Flatbread and Wild Mushroom Risotto? No clue. As I sat outside, yet again with my mom, I felt a wave of excitement come over me and realized, this is it. This is the sign and feeling I’ve been waiting for, telling me it’s time to move back to the city and start over. The creamy, herbacious risotto also helped solidify that.
SO. After all of that, the news is I’m moving, and you’re probably wondering why I shared all of this on a blog about food. I meant for this post to be about everywhere I ate during my staycation, but realized quickly we ate at some very basic places - DELICIOUS, but still basic. Oops. Below are all the dishes I had and a rundown of the flavors, textures, etc., however don’t expect to find any new, revolutionary restaurants. Sorry!
1. Topolobampo
This Rick Bayless restaurant has been around forever, and unfortunately, you can tell by the interior. We’ve eaten here as a family a couple of times before, but never had a noteworthy experience. I can confirm that in a pinch, the patio covered in fun lights & mini piñatas, and the sharable, filling bites will do just fine. This was my first time going to a Mexican restaurant as a non-alcohol drinker, and instead of my typical mezcal margarita, I opted for a Fresh Limeaide which was refreshing and flavorful. We split the Guacamole and Chips, which if you’ve ever stopped at the Frontera in O’Hare, you know is good as fuck. It’s smooth, creamy, tangy, and topped with chopped onions and cilantro for a little crunch. It’s not the most life-changing, but it is consistently satisfying. Next, we got the Mushroom Tacos and Masa Quesadillas. The Masa Quesadillas were a fun surprise, as instead of a tortilla, the masa is what makes up the outside. They are almost like empanadas and stuffed with gooey, melty cheese, and come with a spicy salsa verde on the side. I would come back for these alone - they’re rich yet light, warm, and comforting, all the things you would want when dining outside when it’s still a little chilly. The Mushroom Tacos were quite frankly unreal, because whatever they seasoned the mushroom slices with and grilled them on made them taste unlike any mushroom I’ve had before. There was definitely some meat crossover on the grill, so don’t order those if you’re vegan, or ask them to prepare the mushroom separately. I however was LOSING MY MIND. Over mushrooms. The joys of being vegetarian!
2. The Gwen
On a happening Saturday night in Chicago, Upstairs at The Gwen is sure to be a packed scene. Located in River North, this hotel bar/restaurant offers a somehow cozy rooftop filled with loungey couches, fire pits, and ambient lighting, even though you’re surrounded by apartments and skyscrapers and there is nothing “cozy” about River North. Every table was filled, yet since you’re outside and it’s fairy spread apart, it still felt safe. I got my new classic, a Lemonade, and we got the Burrata to start. With sourdough, roasted beets, squash, pomegranate, pistachio, & arugula, this plate was nothing short of mouth-watering. It has textures! It has flavors! It has pomegranate seeds, the TikTok must have of the moment! The bread was 10/10, the burrata was 8/10, and all of the toppings made for a very find bite of salad on their own. For my main I got the Lobster Fettucine, a beautiful bowl of “charcoal fettuccine with saffron-tomato sauce, lobster, calabrian chili butter, and basil-brioche crumbs” as listed on their website. Take any of those ingredients and it’s going to be delicious, but all of them TOGETHER? INCREDIBLE. The chunks of lobster were huge, absolutely making the dish worth its price tag, and the sauce was flavorful, unique, and unlike any sauce I’ve tasted in the last few years. It’s typical to do a squid ink pasta with seafood and tomato sauce, but the saffron added a new element I very much appreciated.
3. The Starbucks Roastery
I KNOW. THIS IS A TOURIST DESTINATION. All I am saying is if there’s no line, go get an iced latte with two packets of sugar in the raw. That’s all. It’s really good after something like, I don’t know, Lobster Fettucine.
4. The Penninsula
You cannot go wrong with hitting up The Penninsula for breakfast or brunch, especially if you are staying there and have the option to do room service. Typically we would go to Pierrot Gourmet, the cafe in the ground floor of The Penninsula, however it has been closed temporarily. If there’s one thing to order with your breakfast, it’s the smashed fingerling potatoes. Delish.
5. Somerset
Somerset is becoming a quick go-to of mine for an impromptu dinner downtown, given it’s in the heart of Gold Coast and is cute if you’re sitting indoors or outdoors. The food is nothing too innovative, but it is done well, which is the most important part with “cuter” restaurants that may focus on the Instagram appeal over the food sometimes. Each time I’ve gone I’ve gotten the seasonal flatbread and a pasta or risotto, usually something with mushrooms, and it’s always been plate-licking good. To drink, I got -you guessed it- a Lemonade! For dinner I went with the Wild Mushroom Risotto which was everything you could hope for in a risotto, topped with olive oil, herbs, and local parmesan. We split the Rapini & Roasted Garlic Flatbread which was as it sounds, flatbread covered in rapini, garlic, and ricotta, which added a nice crunch and had enough rapini to feel like it was replacing a boring vegetable side dish or salad. The patio vibes were wonderful, the judgemental girls in the greenhouses looked like they were having a good time, and our waiter couldn’t have been sweeter. I will be going back to try the Fontina Arancini, which I just noticed on the menu. FRICK.
So there you have it, a very long-winded explanation of the last few weeks of my life and where you can find me on a staycation in Chicago. Hopefully once I move back to the city I’ll have endless new spots to try and won’t be basic anymore!
Until next time, Happy Eating!
-Natalie
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