#Midnight by Fluffy Dumplings

[soupofmushrooms]

It's your time of the month and your boyfriend Diego knows you well

NOTE: It’s been a long time since I’ve written anything for fun. It’s been an even longer time writing fanfiction in an active fandom. If we are IRL friends (I’M LOOKING AT YOU), look away. I’m simping and I’m down bad.

Summary: Usually, Diego Hargreeves would be patrolling around the neighbourhood. Tonight, he figures you need him more than the city does.

fluffy & domestic, 931 words

Warning: Food mentions Pairing: Diego Hargreeves x period-having reader

On most nights after dinner, you’d spend your cherished alone time catching up on your hobbies while your boyfriend was out. Diego says crime never stops in The City, especially after dark, but you lived in an area where criminals have hobbies that do not involve robbing convenience stores and breaking into cars. 

Either way, it works for the both of you. You didn't always need to be together and both of you enjoy the time you spent apart. Some nights you’d both be at home together, some nights you or Diego had to work late, and some nights were date nights, those were special. 

“Hey, what do you wanna have for dinner tonight?” Diego pops into the shared bedroom, phone in hand and ready to order delivery. 

After a long week, neither of you wanted to cook, especially when your less-than-friendly neighbourhood Spiderman had his designated vigilante patrol after midnight. Occasionally you’d both cook together on Sundays where he puts his knife skills to the test and you’d be left with doing the dishes. 

Diego liked that you were the one who made suggestions for dinner. If he were alone, he’d probably make a meal out of whatever he had in the fridge. He wasn’t picky, and neither were you, but you have certain cravings from time to time and he’s always open to trying something new. 

Tonight, well, you weren’t feeling well tonight. It’s the time of the month and it tends to suck the energy out of you. All you could do was stay in bed, tossing and turning, trying to find a position that relieves the pain but everything makes you feel uncomfortable. You barely have any appetite, it’s too hot yet too cold, and everything hurts. 

“I don’t feel like eating.” 

Diego knows there are only two reasons for this, either you are sad or you are on your period. The layer of sweat on your skin, the tossing and turning, the loud groaning and the pained expression on your face made it obvious. His brows furrow in concern but he knows you well enough to know how to handle this. 

He plants a soft kiss on your forehead, telling you that he’d be with you soon. He knows that this is a pain you need to fight alone. Still, he does what he can to make it better. 

Diego places an order for your favourite food, the authentic type from your favourite restaurant not too far away, dumplings in soup and steamed meat buns. He orders a couple of other dishes for himself and some extra for you. Even if you said you weren’t hungry, he makes sure you eat. How else would you gain energy? 

He boils some water, makes you a cup of hot chocolate, and pours the remaining into a hot water bag. He brings it to the living room, grabs some pillows, and switches on the A/C. Just as the Netflix screen loaded, the doorbell rang.

From the bedroom, you hear the ruckus but you really didn’t want to move. You’ve finally found the perfect position, albeit a bit strange, but it’s one where your muscles didn’t scream in agony. You barely had a moment to rest before Diego taps your arm gently. 

“Food’s here. Let me help you up.” Talk about bad timing. 

“I’m comfortable.” “You’d be more comfortable outside.” “What’s outside?” “You’ll see.” “Ass.”

You savour the moment with the bed, just before reluctantly shimmying out of your comfortable position. Diego can’t help but to chuckle. “Took you long enough.”

The living room was comfortably cold, plush pillows around the sofa and a hot water bag just next to the seat you’ve rightfully called yours. The familiar scent of chives and sweet and savoury broth filled the air and suddenly, you felt like devouring everything on the table. He sure knows you well. 

“Wait, is that hot chocolate…and Chinese food?” “Yeah.” “It’s a weird combination.” “Okay, and it ends up in the same place.” 

You both spend the rest of the night snuggled in front of the TV, binge-watching your favourite crime series while snacking on some spring rolls Diego added to the order. The hot water bag has relieved the pain significantly. While the soup and meat buns warm you from the inside, you had a portable heater of a boyfriend to warm you on the outside. 

By now the hot chocolate is cold. You still drink it anyway. 

You looked up at your boyfriend who hadn’t moved in the past hour. Usually, he’d be out patrolling the streets at this hour but tonight, he’s relaxed, dressed in his pyjamas, holding you close as he is engrossed in the episode you both have seen many times. 

He treats you well. As impulsive and loud as he is, he’s different when he’s with you. He’s observant, in tune with your needs and goes out of his way to help you. He’s calmer when you’re around, probably because he knows you’d reciprocate his energy but definitely because you’ve been annoyed a few times. You both had issues, but relationships are all about a learning process. So far, Diego’s doing incredibly.

“You have a big, dumb smile on your face. Thinking about me?” he asks, with a smirk that only makes you roll your eyes, trying hard not to smile as you give him a light shove.

He’s still cocky. No helping that.“You’re usually out at this hour. What about putting the bad guys in jail?” “Love, if I’m not taking care of you tonight, I should be in jail.

[dqmeron]

comfort meme

tysm for tagging me @agentplant <33

comfort movie: rise of skywalker, knives out, thor ragnarok, miss americana

comfort food: dumplings

comfort clothes: either my midnights hoodie or my best friend's sweatshirt + sweatpants and fluffy socks

comfort song: mirrorball & call it what you want (taylor), sunshine (skz), somewhere (lany)

comfort book(s): the midnight library (matt haig), into the woods (lyn gardner), throne of glass series (fuck s*rah j m*as <3), heartstopper

comfort game: oxenfree, spiritfarer

no-pressure tags: @lixblr @bergarachan @levetan @fawad-khan @magicaplin

[fluffyydumplings]

━━━━━━━━━━━━

Midnight

━━━━━━━━━━━━

If I smile, will I be happy?

If I laugh, will I be okay?

Is happiness something I can achieve to begin with?

For as the clock strikes midnight

My empty eyes and passive face remains the same

Tomorrow is a new day, but will I be able to fall asleep tonight?

Will I be able to live to see tomorrow?

Does tomorrow even exist?

For as the clock strikes midnight

My heart just gets emptier and emptier

What have I done today?

What have I done in this life?

I can’t do anything

I can’t do nothing

Even the poem I poured my soul into lacks sincerity

For as the clock strikes midnight

I contemplate whether I deserve to live

What if I can do so much more?

What if there’s someone I could have met?

These things stop me from tying a rope around my neck

For as the clock strikes midnight

I decide to live for another day

Even if it’s painful

And even if I don’t want to

[hyunsuks-beanie]

Magenta Lilacs

Han Jisung x reader; non idol AU; 1.5k words; super fluffy, mild crack

A/N: I've written a couple of rather angsty scenarios recently, and I figured I need a more fluff something now. And who better for a fluff than our quokka?

"How do I look?," you ask your best friend Seungmin as he helps you get dressed for your date with your crush, Han Jisung, later that evening.

You and Jisung have crushing on each other for almost a year now, and while it was painfully obvious to every single one of your friends, you two remained blissfully oblivious to the other's feelings. That is until Felix, your classmate and Jisung's best friend, locked you two in a broom closet, refusing to let you out until you kissed. The kiss was... memorable to say the least, being equal parts awkward and sweet. When Felix finally did let you out, Jisung shyly asked you out on a date. Nothing too fancy, just some coffee at the campus cafe. You guys have been hanging out frequently since that day, and today would be your fourth date. You're going to the yearly carnival, and you can't help but feel fireworks going off in your stomach at the thought of finally confessing your true feelings to Jisung, something that Seungmin has dared you to do tonight.

"If you're gonna go on your date looking like that, I'm afraid you won't be able to confess tonight, babe." You whip around at that, confused. "Because Hanji is gonna pass out as soon as he sees you," he smiles, before setting your hair properly. You shove him playfully, before saying, "I'm nervous, Minnie. What if he's not ready yet? What if the dates are just casual outings for him? What if I mess everything up?" "Hey hey hey," he says, grabbing your shoulder. "Take a deep breath. You're gonna be okay, and trust me. He's just as serious about these dates as you are. He'll be your boyfriend before midnight strikes tonight. And on that note, don't you dare stay out after midnight, young lady," your best friend says suddenly, with mock strictness, making you shake your head at his antics.

As if on cue, your doorbell rings, telling you that Jisung has arrived to pick you up. You hug Seungmin goodbye, and open the door, revealing Jisung standing there, looking gorgeous in a denim jacket with a plain white T-shirt. You catch yourself staring at him, and, once you step out of your trance, you notice that he's doing the same. You smile and snap your finger in front of him, making him scratch his neck in embarrassment. "You look really nice today, Ji," you smile. He replies, "You look very cute too, Y/N," making you blush. "Ready to go?," he asks. "Lead the way!," you say. You walk to the festival in comfortable silence, occasionally talking about random stuff. After a while, you notice that he slips his hand into yours, making you stop short. He stops too, and starts removing his hand from yours. You grip his hand tighter, while softly saying, "They fit together really well." He smiles at this, and you continue walking. Once there, you both drag each other towards different stalls that pique your interest. You bring him along to a shooting game, winning him a teddy bear. Jisung then brings you along to a flower shop, telling you about their meanings. "These magenta lilacs are my personal favourite," he tells you. "What do they mean?," you ask. "Love and passion," he says shyly. You bite your lip, just as the shop owner says, "Go on, buy them. These flowers are all the rage among young lovers these days, and you two sure make a cute pair." You both start blushing, before Jisung silently thanks the shop owner and buys a bouquet of the flowers. "Thank you, I really love them," you say. The two of you visit many other stalls. Laughing at the house of mirrors, sharing a single candyfloss, having a competition to see who can eat a plate of dumplings the fastest, you guy lose track of time, and soon enough, it's a quarter to twelve. "Let's go to the ferris wheel," you suggest, thinking back on the plan Seungmin had been feeding into your brain for the past two days. "That's funny, because I was just going to suggest the same thing," smiles Jisung. Unbeknownst to you, Felix had set him up to the exact same task that Seungmin had assigned you, with the both of them hoping that even if one of you chickens out, the other will end up confessing. With that, you get in line, and by the time it's five minutes to midnight, it's your turn to board the ride. You feel your hands shaking, but thankfully from nervousness for what's to come, but thankfully, Jisung takes your hand into his at exactly that moment, helping you relax. "What's the worse that could happen, right?," you mentally ask yourself. Your brain replies, "Oh nothing much, he could just reject you, giving you the most awkward five minutes of your life. Or, the ride could suddenly break down, killing you all." You scrunch your nose at the pessimistic thoughts, but don't have much time to ponder over them, as your ride starts. Two minutes to twelve, and you two are just sitting there in silence. This is the first time during the date that the silence has felt awkward, and it doesn't do much to ease your nerves. Once your watch strikes twelve, you turn to look at Jisung, only to find him already looking at you. "Ji, I have something-" "Y/N, I wanted to tell you-," you both start at the same time, causing the both of you to giggle. "You first," he says. "Okay, so here goes," you start, closing your eyes. "We've been on quite a few dates now, and I've really enjoyed the past month and a half of spending time with you. You're so smart, cool, funny, witty, sweet, soft, and every other good adjective, with just the right amount of loudness. I love hanging out with you, and spending time with you. Being with you makes me feel giddy inside, and I think I know what this feeling is," you open your eyes right before your big confession, but instead of your next line, you end up saying, "What?," with a confused expression. "What?," Jisung asks, tilting his head. "You're looking at me funny," you say, causing him to laugh nervously. "Oh, uhm, yeah, because I kind of, know

what you're gonna say next," he says, rubbing his neck. "You do? How?," you ask, with an even more confused expression. "Because I've been practicing the exact same lines for the past two days, minus the adjectives, of course. Because I had a different set of those ready," he says, shy all of a sudden. "Look, let me come clean," he continues, "I like you, a hell lot. And I've been trying to confess to you, so Felix created a plan for me to tell you how I feel, today at midnight. I was going to say the exact same things you said just now, and finish with a super smooth, 'A new day is just starting, so how about we make this the start of a new relationship for us, as well?,' but I guess you beat me to it." By the time he's done, you are staring at him with your mouth agape. "I was going to say the exact same thing too!! And it was Seungmin who suggested this to me," you exclaim. Just then, you both realize that your turn at the ferris wheel is over, and you get off the ride. After walking a few feet, Jisung stops you. "So, if you were going to say the same things, then does that mean you like me too?," he asks nervously. "Of course Hanji, is that even a question?," you giggle. "So what does that mean for us?," he asks with a smile. You give him a small hug, before whispering in his ear, "I guess I'm gonna start calling you my 'boyfriend' now." "I'd like that," he says, hugging you back, before taking your hand again. "In all honesty though, Seungmin and Felix are dead meat," you laugh, with him joining in.

Once the two of you stop laughing, you realize how close your faces are. You stare at him, eyes flicking from his eyes to his lips and back. This doesn't escape his notice, and he softly asks you, "Is it okay if I kiss you?," you simply nod, pressing your lips to his in a kiss that is equal parts soft and sweet. It is just like you had imagined. Your lips molded perfectly together, and he tasted like the candyfloss you had eaten earlier. You smile into the kiss, which makes his shoulders, that he didn't know were tense, relax. When you finally break away, he pulls you in for another hug, kissing your forehead softly.

"Should they be dead meet though? I feel like we should be thanking them for daring us to confess, or else I don't know how many more dates it would have taken. Although I admit, the dialog they came up with was way too cheesy," Jisung says. To this, you reply by snuggling into his chest even more. "Might as well be the reason why they don't have partners yet. But we'll think about them tomorrow. For now, you're all that's on my mind."

[horangihoshh]

F is for Flashback

ABC Challenge - Soongyu

He was sitting near the see, in his view nothing but the strong waves breaking at the shore. It was already 11pm and there were few people walking around, he could only hear some distant voices from time to time. Nothing to worry about, nothing to be scared of. At least for once in while. Since he had to leave his life in Seoul, he was constantly worrying, so much that he got used to it. These small peaceful moments were rare. He took another sip from his water bottle and stood up, walking back to the place where he was currently staying. It was nothing more than a small room with a bed, a small kitchen unit and an even smaller bathroom. But he had space to dance, and that was most important to him. It reminded him of when he was young living with his mother and sister alone in a flat that wasn't much bigger than this one.

Realising that he forgot to buy some chewing gum earlier, he went out again. He was walking slowly in the dim light coming down from the streetlights. It was all quiet until he heard a gentle voice from behind. "Kwon Soonyoung? Is that you?" He turned around, looking into a somewhat familiar face. He knew this boy from school, he had seen him often in the hallways. "I am sorry. You probably don't know who I am. I didn't want to scare you, I was just surprised to see you here." Soonyoung could see the insecurity in his expression, it made him look so cute and gentle at the same time. Soonyoung smiled. "You're wrong. I know who you are, you're Kim Mingyu, you're in the same statistics course I took in Seoul." Mingyu's eyes widened, and Soonyoung could see the surprise on his face. "You know who I am?" "Of course I know who you are. How couldn't I? Anyways, what are you doing here?" Mingyu told him he was visiting his parents for the week because it was his mother's birthday. For his family, these kind of functions were very important, being in the public eye of the country. "Well Mingyu, I need to go now. It was nice seeing you though." Soonyoung turned around, even though he didn't want to. It was an unfamiliar feeling, but seeing Mingyu here, in this unknown surrounding, comforted him and made him feel warm inside. Turning around was more difficult than expected. "Soonyoung! Please don't go yet. Why are you here? You didn't come to uni for more than a month now, what were you doing?" Desperation swinged in his words. "I just found you, don't leave again, please."

It was a little after midnight, both boys were sitting on the beach at the shoreline, just a few hundred meters from the place where Soonyoung sat earlier by himself. They were both sipping on a beer they got at a gas station along with the chewing gum. There was silence between them, lasting for a few moments, until one was finding words. "Soonyoung, you still didn't tell me why you're here. Nobody knows where you went, or at least they weren't telling anyone. I was looking for you all this time. Did something happen? Do you need help with anything?" Mingyu looked at Soonyoung, who was taking a sip from his bottle looking at the sea. "Mingyu, why do you even care? We're not friends and we haven't even talked before. You should stay out of this for your own sake." While talking, he turned to look at the puppy-eyed boy. It felt like he was looking at Soonyoung like no one did before. He could feel his honesty and warmth. It was like these eyes he was looking into could cure any pain he could ever feel. Mingyu took a deep breath. "Because I care about you, Soonyoung. The day you didn't come to the classes the first time, I wanted to talk to you. I wanted to tell you that I like you. That I wanted to go out with you. But you didn't come back and I thought I had missed my chance, I was so angry at myself." Soonyoung's eyes widened. "Mingyu, are you serious? Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Mingyu looked down at the sand. "Because I thought you didn't know me and because I was scared of your answer", he answered quietly. "I am sorry Mingyu, I didn't want to give you that feeling. Of course I knew who you are. I was interested in you since a long time, because you seem so gentle and considerate, and you have the most beautiful smile I ever saw. But I keep my distance from people because I don't want to get them into the mess that is my life. I am sorry." He lifted his hand and stroke Mingyu's hair. "I am glad I saw you today, I was feeling lonely. If you really want, I'll tell you why I am here. I just can't take it all alone anymore. My head just hurts too much from all of it. But it's not nice and could get you into trouble, so I would prefer  if you just left. But if you choose to stay and listen, I won't be able to hold it in any longer." Soonyoung said slowly, but his voice trembled. "Please Soonyoung, tell me all of it. I want to help you."

Soonyoung had lost his father when he was still very young. He was left alone with his mother and his younger sister to take care of. His mother was working part time in a restaurant, but it was barely enough to buy food for all three of them, so he started working several part time jobs to support his family and buy his sister some nice clothes. It was hard, but they were the people that he loved the most on this world and he would to everything for them. When he was about 16 years old, he met an older boy at the shop he was working at. They became friends, actually he was Soonyoung's first friend ever, but soon Soonyoung realised that the boy just wanted to use him. However, at the time he realised, it was already too late.

"Its too late Soonyoung, you can't back out anymore. We have to go through with this", Jihoon said. "If you're backing out, you will not get any of the money and I will tell them that it was you who stole all of it. You know, I have been in this for way longer than you, they trust me more than they trust you. Who do you think will they believe, if it was you against me?" Soonyoung started to panic. He couldn't go through with it. It was never what he wanted when he agreed to help Jihoon with "a thing". He should have never come with him when Jihoon told him he will introduce him to some 'friends' that could help Soonyoung make some more money. He never expected that he meant a gang by that. But as soon as he went there for the first time, there just didn't seem to be any way out. And now, Jihoon had planned to steal some money out of the gang's vault. Only after arriving this day, he had told Soonyoung about it. "No, Jihoon! I won't do this for you! I didn't know about any of this until just 30 minutes ago. What do you need me for anyway? Just take the money and leave, I won't tell anyone about it. Please just leave me out of it!" Jihoon was packing the the bank notes into a big bag, now glancing over to Soonyoung. "Are you really doing this now, Soonyoung? I thought you needed money for your beloved mother and your pretty little sister? Here I am, offering you more than you could make in months, and you're turning your back on me? Are you really that ungrateful?", he screamed at Soonyoung. "I never wanted any of this, Jihoon! All I wanted is to make honest money and support my family. This was never my intention. Just please, please let me go and don't tell them that it was me. My mother and my sister need me!" He grabbed Jihoon's leather jacket and pulled it, tears were streaming down his face. Jihoon looked him in the eyes and Soonyoung tried to find some warmth in there, some sign of hope that Jihoon would change his mind, but there was nothing there. With one hand, he removed Soonyoung's hands from his jacket, took the bag and left the room. He stopped in the doorframe, turned his head, but didn't look at Soonyoung one last time. "Soonyoung, I am sorry you chose it to be this way. If I were you, I would take your mother and your sister, pack your things and leave. Tonight. They will know that the money is gone by tomorrow, and I will tell them it was you when they call for a meeting." Like that, he left. "Jihoon please!", Soonyoung screamed. "Please don't do it! We can't go anywhere!" His screams were unanswered.

Telling Mingyu his story, all these memories just came back to his mind and cluttering his thoughts. His head was pounding. As he let himself fall back on the sand of the beach, he thought about how he ended up being in such a situation once again. After fleeing with his mother and sister that night, going as far away as he could, to Seoul the biggest city he knew, and building up a completely new life, he thought he was save. He thought his family was save. He started to live a normal life, for the first time ever. He had friends, and was happy. His mother was able to open up a small dumpling shop that was going well and his sister was in high school. And he was doing all that he ever wanted, dancing and being able to make a living of it was his dream since he could think. "I had too much luck to be true", he said to Mingyu, wrapping up his story. "The day before I left, I saw one of the gang members on the street in near the campus. They figured out where I am, they were coming for me. So I had to leave to protect my family. There was no other choice."

Mingyu laid down beside him and looked at him. He was not saying anything during the whole time Soonyoung was telling his story. Mingyu could feel that it was a relief for Soonyoung, to finally get it of his chest. He probably didn't tell anyone before. Now it was Mingyu that was lifting his hand and gently touched Soonyoung's fluffy black hair. "You're not alone anymore Soonyoung. I am here for you now, and I will help you get through this. We will find a solution, and you will come back home."

[silentexplorer18]

Self Care Tag List

So @candybarrnerd tagged me in this last night (thank you!!!) and I was absolutely overjoyed when I woke up to find it :) If your goal was to make me smile, you definitely succeeded.  But I’ll try to keep this short and sweet (no promises)!

🌿 Favorite comfort food: I’m still integrating foods back in, so all my old comfort foods are off the list.  But right now, fat free oatmeal cookies, mashed potatoes, and cheese with crackers are my big comfort foods. (I can’t wait to eat dumplings again, though).

🌼Favorite alcohol (or hot drink):  I haven’t drank it in ages, but the only hot drink I really like is lemon tea.  I can’t remember the brand off the top of my head, but it’s so good.

🌷Favorite relaxing activity: So lately that’s been exercising. Petting cats is nice, too, but I can’t go out and do that anymore.  However, it’s starting to warm up where I live (not today because it’s rainy), but usually in the spring I can go sit on the porch and watch the birds and things and just sit outside.  It’s very relaxing.

🌸Favorite fluffy/feel good fic: So I’ll probably go on a long rant about how much I love this writer later, but my current faves to reread are Heartlines and Midnight in the City of a Hundred Spires, both by @shiftylinguini.  I don’t know that you’d call them fluffy, they’re far more emotionally complex than that, but they have such a variety of emotions in them and it really makes you feel and think.  I don’t always go back and reread the whole work (usually with Midnight, I go back to read a chunk and then get sucked in all the way until the end!), but there are certain scenes (Malfoy getting cookies out of the pantry in the former and the boys sitting in the park talking in the latter) that I can’t help wanting to reread.  The emotional connection there is just so divine.  They’re just so good.  Honestly, if you haven’t read them, go forth and do so.  And if you have, go read it again.

🌻Favorite calming scent: I really like lemon and orange scents (peppy citrus), but I have a white pumpkin vanilla scented candle that’s quite lovely.

🌺Favorite relaxing or uplifting song: Ah!  This is really hard, but I’d say either “Geronimo” by Sheppard or “Best Day of My Life” by American Authors are my go to uplifting songs.  As for relaxing, I’m a sucker for this Studio Ghibli Tributes Mix!

🌵Favorite white noise: If you’re looking for a normal answer, I love the sound of rain.  If you’re looking for my weirdo answer, I like to play very specific movies as background noise while I work on things (usually Mulan or The Emperor’s New Groove - yes I am a child at heart).  I guess that’s weird, but it works for me lol

🍄Favorite book to get lost in: I’m a sucker for The DUFF.  It’s one of the only novels I often reread.  Guys, I am Bianca.

💐Favorite chill out tv show: Final Table on Netflix!  I’ve watched that one season so many times, but my goodness do I enjoy it!

🌹The best advice you’ve ever had: Oh, this is hard.  I kinda came from a “figure it out for yourself” family so I haven’t got a great answer here. The only thing I can really think of is my best friend.  He once told me that even if something could have been worse, it was okay for me to be upset by the circumstances I’d ended up in.  Because there’s always something that could make anything worse, but that doesn’t mean that your experience in and of itself isn’t painful or deserving of emotions.

So there’s my ramble.  It still turned out a bit long, but oh well.  I’m just gonna tag a couple people that I can think of off the top of my head, so do it if you’d like! :) @scottybrock, @absolute-randomness-forever, @celestialceci, @daddydobrock, and anybody else that would like to do it! :)  I hope everybody’s having a good day!

[bemoresims]

BMC

I don’t have a real intro. They all moved to the city, and Michael, Jeremy and Christine are all sharing an apartment. Oh, and Christine’s fluffy cat Jennifer.

The seven moved to the city for senior year to experience the nightlife (?). Plus, it has the youth drama group in America (?), which Christine was desperate to join. 

I’m just gonna get started.

Obviously, the most important part of moving to a new place is playing video games for the first time. For the memories.

Michael comforts Jeremy. The first day at a new school is always rough, even if he is semi-popular now, and drama club wasn’t much better. But Michael is always there to help his boyf- I mean best friend.

Christine’s over there, just third wheeling. I will find someone for her because I love her and she deserves the world.

It's their first night, so the three of them stay out until way past midnight, leaving Michael asleep on in feet. As soon as they step back through the door, he falls into bed. The other two sleep too, but soon Jeremy grows restless and takes a casual three am bath. Michael, meanwhile, is still fast asleep, even with Jeremy’s roaming.

When Christine wakes up at four, the two have a very shallow chat over dumplings. Well, until Christine brings up Michael.

“You and Michael are pretty close, huh?”

“Yeah, we’ve been friends forever.”

“That’s not what I meant.” Jeremy stops and stands up.

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“Yes, you do.”

“I should get ready for school.” He gets up and goes back into their room, quietly, as if not to wake Michael. He sits down on the couch and scrolls through his phone. It’s 5 am, so there’s nothing really for him to do. He just wanted to escape Christine’s interrogation. A new city should mean a fresh start, and he doesn’t like Michael. Not like that, this is stupid.

Time passes, and Michael rises wearily at seven.

“How long have you been up,” He asks, yawning.

“Couple hours,” Jeremy shrugs.

“Guess I should get ready then, huh?”

“Yup.”

...

[foodffs]

Back from the hospital!

Been there only for three days, yay! Now uncomfortable recovery, but that’s a small price to pay for breathing better.

Pro tip based on personal experience: don’t catch a cold while having septum splints.

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Experimental Saturday

New counter top! (aka If you live in a rented apartment)

Interesting and fun stuff

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Recipe lists

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Food days

Granola Bars

Blondies ❤️️

Peanut Butter 🥜

Irish Coffee

Peanut Brittle

Chocolate Cake

Blueberry Pancakes

Top recipes!

Sheet Pan Garlic Herb Butter Chicken & Potatoes

OVEN ROASTED MELTING POTATOES

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes

FLUFFY S’MORES DIP

Bacon Cheeseburger Potstickers

Rosemary cream chicken pasta

nanny’s black midnight cake

Clara, A Matcha White Chocolate Lime Cheesecake To Die For!

Skillet Potatoes

QUICK AND EASY 15 MINUTE CHICKEN STIR FRY

Priscilla, The Strawberry Yogurt Cheesecake

Skillet Potatoes Infused with Caramelized Onions (aka Hangover Potatoes)

Beef & Onion Soy Sauce Noodles

Spicy Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup (Bun Bo Hue)

CHEESE STEAK PINWHEELS

HOMEMADE CHICKEN FRIES

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

SONGYPEON (KOREAN HALF MOON SHAPE RICE CAKES) RECIPE FOR 3 COLORS AND 3 FILLINGS

EASY CHEESY GARLIC BREAD STICKS

best chicken fajitas

Chocolate Panna Cotta

Pasta & Chickpea Soup with Cheesy Toasts

creamy garlic parmesan salmon piccata fettuccine

fudgy two minute mug brownie

Nothing beats home care 😻

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[starwritesfanfics]

Miracle Mistake part 2

Pairing: Peter Parker x Reader

Warning: Small bit of angst and some fluff?

Tags: @captainswriting​ @caitsymichelle13​ @animeepeeps @384-chubby-dumpling​ @smollittlebean

  You haven’t been getting out of the house as much anymore because of how big you’ve gotten bigger. Ned and Michelle have been helping you, along with Aunt May, with getting you what you need and soothing you when you break down into tears. Every mood swing, every craving, every little movement your children make, only serves as a reminder about how Peter isn’t here to help you. Michelle makes the midnight or three in the morning craving runs, Ned talks to you and reads the baby books with you, and Aunt may sooths you and tells you what to expect. It still isn’t the same, as much as they tried to help you.   They refuse to let you visit Peter’s gravesite since you were 6 and a half months along, which pissed you off since you wanted to “tell” him everything that happened during the pregnancy, so you took to writing letters. You wrote letters catching you up to the current day of your pregnancy, the feelings of each day that still swirled inside of you.   Looking up from your book, you smile at the sight of your seven-month-old twins playing on a mat together. Michael is smaller than his brother, though the doctors had assured you that was normal as the human female body couldn’t form two children the exact weight and height at the same time, so you aren’t too worried. Ben is already showing that he’s gentle with his smaller brother, even though Mike wants to start playing rough with their toys. You can’t help but giggle at them.   Your phone rings and you check for caller ID, which makes your heart drop. Why is he calling you? You had only talked to him once, on the worst day of your life, how did he get your cellphone number?   “Hello?” you work hard to keep your voice from shaking.   “Hey, yeah, is this Miss Y/n L/n?” The deep voice on the other side is only all too familiar to you.   You swallow hard. “Yes, and this is Tony Stark that I’m speaking to?”   “It is indeed. I need to ask you to come to the Tower.”   You frown slightly, looking at your babies. “Um, when? I’m kinda…busy at the moment.”   “Soon. Tomorrow at most, okay? I have something here that I believe is yours.”   “Okay, thank you.” He hangs up. “I think…”   Moving to sit with your babies on the floor, you decide to call Ned later to see if he could watch the twins. Right now, all you want to do is spend time with your babies before you might have your heart crushed by Tony Stark again.                           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   Everyone watches you as you walk through the halls of the new Avengers Tower, looking around for any sign of Tony or any of the current Avengers. No one had given you any instructions of where to go or who to ask for, so you are stuck wandering the possibly endless maze of halls of the giant building. It honestly was just a pain being on your own here.   You’re seriously thinking about calling Tony’s number until you catch a glimpse of him in one of the room’s windows. You sigh in relief and hurry into the room, only to freeze just past the doorway.   In the room are four people; Tony Stark, Vision, Black Widow, and a man with his back to you, but you knew the type of suit he’s wearing. It’s not the same as the one you’re used to, so you know Tony must have made another one for him, but you know him.   “Is this some kind of sick joke?” you look over to Stark with anger in your eyes. How could he ask you to come here for this?   The man with his back to you turns to face you and you roll your lips to keep yourself quiet. You can’t make yourself look into the white eyes of his mask. You can’t even bring yourself to talk to him, to see if it’s really him under there.   “Y/n, I can explain why you’re here. When I told you that Peter was dead, there was a reason. He went on a delicate mission-“   Your phone ringing startles everyone, including you since you were close to telling Tony to shut up, you didn’t want to hear a word of the bull he was trying to tell you. You freak out a little inside when you see the caller is Ned. Answering quickly, you try not to seem too panicked.   “Hey, yeah, I’m here. What’s wrong? N-ned, slow down, I-…no, no, I can hear him, what…Ned, tell me what happened to Michael! …ugh, I’ll be home soon.”   You hang up with an angry look and rush out of the room, running down the halls and out to your car to drive home as quickly as you can while still obeying traffic laws. You pull up to your house sooner than you thought you would and run inside, stumbling inside after tripping on the first step.   “Ned?!”   He peeks out from your living room. “I’m in here!”   You sigh, walking quickly into the room to see Michael whimpering with a band-aid on his little knee. “Ned, what happened to him?” You ask as you crouch by your baby.   “He and Benny were rough housing and got a little cocky and tried to stand up with the couch and ended up barely scraping his knee.”   You give him a look. “So, why did you call me sounding so panicked?”   He looks sheepish as he tries to shrug it off. “Um, well…I didn’t know how to calm him down, but he stopped crying after about five minutes or maybe less.”   You sigh, but gather Michael into your arms gently as Ben crawls over to both of you. “Thank you for watching them, Ned.”

  “What were you out doing?”   You sigh softly. “Nothing really important. I’ll see you later, okay?”   He nods, waving goodbye as you pick up both twins and walk upstairs to lay them in bed, which are two cribs on either side of the baby room that you decorated with light blue wall paint to keep it bright, Peter’s old mask on one of the shelves, then other little superhero things you found for the boys to look at before they fall asleep. You gently kiss both their heads before turning off the light and heading to your room to read a little before you go to bed yourself. Just as you get comfortable in bed and flip to your saved page, you hear a window open and close in your house.   Getting up quietly, you grab the bat by your bed which Michelle had gotten you, even though both you and Peter had never been big on sports at all. Now you’re glad you have it. Padding softly down the hall, you peer into every room, freezing in place as you look into your twins’ room. There’s a person standing just barely in reach of the moonlight that’s shining into the room. Taking a deep, quiet breath, you walk up behind the person to stop again. Ben is standing up in his crib, holding the person’s hand (more like finger honestly) in his tiny hands, gurgling at them. The person pulls away to pick up the mask off the shelf and look over it carefully.   You steady yourself, raising the bat above your head to bring it down to knock the intruder out. Just as you are about to fully bring it down on the person’s head, they flip around and grab the bat, sliding it out of your hands and behind them. You’re shocked that they can move that fast that they already have your hands pinned the hallway wall, just outside the twins’ room.   “What the fu-let me go!” Realization finally hits you as you start to struggle.   “Shh, one of them’s still sleeping,” Spider-Man whispers, his voice muffled, but you know the voice so well.   You stare right at him, still not believing it’s him. After so many months, over a year, of thinking he’s dead, he’s standing right in front of you.   “Stark was trying to tell you I was on a delicate mission. I could’ve died any time on it and it was easier to not let you have false hope if I didn’t make it back. And if you had tried to call me during the mission, it would’ve put us all in danger. It was my idea,” his voice cracks slightly. “I saw you at the grave they put up and…I’m so sorry, I didn’t want to hurt you like that.”   He lets go of your hands so you reach up and pull up his mask slowly. “Peter…”   You smile as you pull the mask off, seeing his fair fluffy from the mask messing it up. God, how much you missed him and how he’d look at you with such earnest and hope in his eyes.   “Are you staying now?” You ask quietly, not wanting to talk too loud in case it’s just a dream.   He smiles at you, leaning down to press a gentle kiss to your lips. “I have you again and I’m not letting you go again.”   You smile into the kiss, cupping his cheeks gently as you still hold his new mask.   “One question, though.”   You look at him curiously.   “What are those kids’ names and are they mine?”   You laugh softly. This is gonna be fun to explain the whole night.

[msbrightside85]

Food glorious food

So you’re probably wondering the same as me ... how has it taken me so long to write about food? Probably because it’s a fairly daunting subject with it being so broad. But i have decided it’s about time I did ...

From the top (clockwise): Bacon fried rice, Beef noodle soup, Korean style deep fried chicken with rice cakes, Chinese style cheese steak sandwich, Chicken noodle soup, Range of hot pot skewers, (middle): Vegetable noodles.

So as I have already mentioned, I was very happy to discover that mango, pork and avocado are greatly loved over here and easily accessible (although avos can be a tad pricey). Unfortunately one of the most elusive food items also turns out to be one of my favourites … cheese. But thankfully, since my original dismay (and what felt like a fairly long amount of time) at the lack of cheesey options here, I have been shown two supermarkets that have ACTUAL cheese counters. I cannot tell you how happy I was. It was perhaps a little OTT looking back but I couldn't help myself. 

The widespread Chinese offering of cheese is generally of the plastic variety. Yup. Cheese slices. I can hear mum saying 'that's not real cheese' and she would be right but that is par for the course here. Plastic cheese in a range of varieties. Emmental, Gouda, Edam. All plastic. Now don’t get me wrong I do believe there is a place for cheese slices in this world (sorry mum), they’re perfect in burgers at a BBQ and they make an excellent addition to a midnight fridge tapas session (I say mournfully, as these ‘sessions’ are basically non existent since getting a flat mate and not being able to get coleslaw here - a fridge tapas staple food in my mind) but when you don’t have the real thing cheese slices are certainly not a suitable substitute. Although in saying that they have found their way into our home inside Caitlin’s grilled cheese sandwiches! Anyway I digress ... so after being shown where I can buy the real stuff (or as real as I’m gonna get) I am pleased to report I have bought both mozzarella (not the white buffalo kind the harder stuff but still good) and cheddar (or something resembling cheddar) so I am sated. For now. Until my next craving. Dammit I’m thinking about coleslaw now ...

A question that I've been getting a lot from England is what food do you miss? The answer? Let me be perfectly honest … there's not a lot that you can't get hold of out here. Yes, some things might be a little more expensive because it's been imported but most things are available from somewhere, especially in a city the size of Suzhou. So I'm learning to try and reduce my initial hysteria at not having something and ask around. Generally there's someone or somewhere that can help with the homely cravings. I even found a bag of pre-made gravy the other day which is DEFINITELY something I didn’t expect to find - so that’s me sorted for winter! Buuuuut in saying that, don't take this to mean that I want you to stop trying to send me the odd pork pie or two in the post … because pork pies are most certainly on the unattainable list. Although I have heard about an English restaurant which I believe may make their own … must remember to look into that.

Talking of pork pies, I asked one of my classes of older kids at school which topics interested them most about England and one of them said food. So I put some information together about fish and chips, bangers and mash and other foods that are quintessentially English, including pork pie. Surprisingly enough it was pork pie that got the biggest reaction, they thought it sounded disgusting! Which I thought was pretty rich considering some of the foods that are available here in China. I can imagine most of you would take pork pie any day. I mean here they have stinky tofu (and man it really does …) not forgetting frog which I have already mentioned and of course chicken feet …

Yeah ... this is definitely my biggest Chinese culinary challenge to date and to say I ate it isn't strictly true. I nibbled at it and then couldn't go any further. Why? It just looked too much like a human hand!!! It started freaking me out a bit to be honest. This one was boiled but I hear the fried ones are a little better to handle so who knows maybe I could be converted. Maybe.

All in all (and chicken feet aside) it's hard to miss something when you have such a fabulous range of food to choose from and I'm not just talking about Chinese food. We have a great pizza place with a traditional stone oven where the beer is cheaper than the soft drinks, there is a great Vietnamese place where I had the yummiest beef pho and Korean food aplenty. There is a fantastic range of dumplings that come in all shapes and sizes and come with a range of fillings although pork is general the favourite (which always pleases me!).

There's an abundance of bakeries serving the best cream buns and desserts, there's a cool Japanese place that has the best curried rice and a lettuce they call ice plant which is unlike anything I’ve ever tried. BBQ or shaokao (pronounced show-cow but rhyme the first part with cow) is everywhere here and tastes amazing! Although if you’re not a fan of spice then you need to know how to communicate this in Chinese because their not very spicy can arrive and be pretty damned spicy!

There's also a traditional dish here called hot pot. Hot pot quite simply is a pot of boiling water in the middle of the table (it can be flavoured to your preference} and you order different raw ingredients to throw in it! Then once it’s cooked you get (try to get) the food out with your chop sticks. The local girls I go out with usually feel sorry for me and end up scooping morsels of food out and throwing them into my bowl, which I am eternally grateful for :)

But going back to home comforts, I've had a Chinese version of a bacon and tomato sarnie, which uses the white fluffy dumpling stuff instead of a breadcake and a few weeks ago I had amazing eggs benedict with smoked salmon. I was a very happy bunny that day I can tell you. It was exactly what I needed. 

So all in all it really doesn't leave much room for missing things, especially when you enjoy food as much as I do. But it’s always good to have a bank of places you can go to when you’re having a bad china day or you’re missing home. Like I say there’s a place called Ann's that I believe makes their own pork pies, they also serve afternoon tea and do roast dinner BUT I've sworn to myself that I will only go there when I'm really craving something that is unattainable elsewhere else. I've been told we may be going there for our work’s Christmas meal so I wonder if I can hold out until December before going or whether i’ll crack before then. Tune in next time to find out. TTFN. Rachael.

[adafine]

Sappy post alert: Back in September of 2007 (Amazon verified it), I bought the Anchor Bay Double Feature of “The Initiation” and “Mountaintop Motel Massacre”. I remember being excited to watch both equally until I got a better look at the poster for “Mountaintop Motel Massacre”: the picture as well as the tag line seemed like it would make for a good midnight movie. I don’t recall exactly when I watched it but I’m almost positive it was that fall. I can’t imagine my excitement would have allowed me to wait all that long. While the exact date has escaped me, I remember sitting in my living room to watch it by myself. I believe it was a weekend day, likely a Sunday. It was one of those days that gets so cold, as if the atmosphere is too stubborn and won’t allow the snow. The sky was pure blue with fluffy clouds that would blot out the sun temporarily. In the kitchen, my father, mother, brother and sister were all trying to figure out how to recreate my grandmother’s dumplings. She had been dead around 9 years at this point and the exact recipe died with her. The four of them were in there and they tried their hardest. The movie itself was surprising. Not great, not terrible. It definitely has some inadvertently funny moments, moments of creepiness and some of pure lunacy. But, the movie itself acts almost like a portal to that day I first watched it. It’s difficult to explain the amount of emotion I have regarding this schlocky B-horror movie but it’s true. This movie will forever hold a place in my heart because it will remind me of that day with my family. Also, if memory serves, the dumplings didn’t turn out well. #mountaintopmotelmassacre #vinegarsyndrome #bluray #dumplings #dontdisturbevelynshealreadyis (at El Apartamento De Sweeney) https://www.instagram.com/p/ByS_o3XgjHS/?igshid=500g988gw2e2

[sindrafalcone]

The Mom Ch. 4

Fandom: BIGBANG/ Choi Seung Hyun

Synopsis: Troubling thoughts...

Warnings: Fluff and some angst. Trigger Warning: This chapter touches on the subject of Postpartum Depression. (PPD) Reader discretion is advised!

Author’s Note: Just a touch of angst in this chapter, I swear. But there’s also plenty of the fluffy stuff.  And, there’s a bit of an homage to @mainhoonemily‘s incredible story “After Midnight”. I hope she can forgive me... lol

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. This story contains fictional representations of real people. None of the events are true. This is from an American standpoint, so some of the situations may not happen the same way they might in Korea. I make no money from the writing of this fictional work.

Masterlist

“______-ah, that was a delicious breakfast! I  missed your cooking while I was gone.” Seung Hyun sighed as he pushed himself away from the little kitchen table. Sung Ja gurgled happily from her bouncy seat. “Just you wait, dumpling... you're going to love your mom's cooking.”

You rolled your eyes but laughed tiredly. “Dumpling? Really, Seung Hyun?”

For the past two weeks, your husband had been trying to pick a nickname for the twins. Every day he threw out an increasingly absurd list of names, just to try them out. So far, nothing had stuck. He insisted that it had to be 'perfect' because he didn't want to switch it later.  

Seung Hyun shrugged, standing up. “Yeah... it doesn't quite work, does it?”

“Not really, no.” you smirked.

“I'll go up and get Seung Min for you before I get ready.” he said, hugging you from behind. “I'll more-or-less be able to take a month off now, spend some real time with you and the twins.”

“That's good.” you smiled, snuggling back into his embrace.

“I still have a small schedule to keep up with, but at least I'll be home. I've got to go in today though...” he sighed. “Jiyong and I have an interview and then we're working on our upcoming album for a bit.”

He gave you one last squeeze before heading out of the kitchen and upstairs.

"Here we go, monkey boy." Seung Hyun picked his son up out of his crib and smiled at him. "I've got to go in to work, ok? Your mom will be here to watch over you and you sister though, so don't worry." The infant just stared up at him, wriggling his limbs.

"Yeobo, you do realize I can hear everything through the baby monitor, right?" came a static-y version of your voice from somewhere. Seung Hyun startled and Seung Min made a pleased noise at the sound of his other parent's voice. "You are not calling our son monkey boy."

"What the...? Since when did this thing have an  intercom?!" Seung Hyun looked around, totally confused. Sure enough, on the white device sitting on the end table next to the crib, there was a little speaker. A little green light was lit up brightly on it, he presumed that showed when it was in use. "Oh, there it is! Do you always talk to them through this thing?"

"No, I usually just use it to hear when they wake up."

“Hmmmm...” your husband pondered aloud as he carried the baby over to the changing table. “Does it have another receiver? How far is the range? Do you think it would reach all the way over to YG?”

It was extremely amusing to listen to Seung Hyun when he got overprotective of the twins. He'd fervently deny it when confronted, but it was pretty obvious. This new revelation was almost as cute as the time you'd caught him trying to explain the merits of modern expressionist art to them.

"No, it only has one receiver. And, even if it did have two, I doubt it would reach beyond the villa." you said with a laugh.

Seung Min wiggled as his father finished changing him and picked him back up.

"Oh, well... it was a nice thought anyway." he sighed, walking out of the nursery.

The only upsetting thing about Seung Hyun's overprotectiveness was where it stemmed from... his intense desire to be nothing like his father. Where you could occasionally look back at how your dad had been and take some inspiration, Seung Hyun looked at what his father would have done and did the exact opposite for everything. He was determined to be an incredibly hands on parent, much more than you had anticipated him being with his sometimes insane schedule.

He came back down to see you standing at the kitchen sink & washing dishes. He walked up behind you and gave you another hug, wrapping one arm around your waist and planting a kiss onto your neck. You breathed out a sigh as you finished the last dish & turned around to take Seung Min from him.

“Go get ready or you're going to be late.” you chided Seung Hyun playfully as you sat back down to get ready to nurse.

“Yes, dear...” he mono-toned with a wink as he backed out the door. It always amused your husband whenever you attempted to half-heartedly boss him around.

You took your time feeding Seung Min, knowing that his daddy still needed to take a shower before he got dressed and ready for the day. After he was finished and burped, you gathered the twins up and moved into the living room. You spread out a large blanket on the floor in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, scattering some toys on it. Then you laid both babies down so they could have some “tummy time”.

When Seung Hyun came back downstairs, it was to find his children playing on the blanket while you curled up in the De Sede chair to read for a bit. He smiled at the sight before him. Nothing in the world, not even being on stage in front of thousands of fans, made him feel this good. He swooped forward, scooping Seung Min up into his arms in one swift motion.

“Seung Hyun...” you said, voice concerned. “I wouldn't do that...”

You didn't even get to finish your warning before Seung Min promptly spit up, all down the front of Seung Hyun's shirt.

“... if I were you.” you finished futilely, standing up and reaching over to the coffee table to pick up the burp cloth you'd used earlier. Walking over to your husband, you took your son from him before handing over the cloth.

“I really should've known better.” Seung Hyun chuckled. “I know he just ate... but I couldn't help myself. They were just so cute, laying there and playing like that.”

“I know what you mean, yeobo.” you leaned over and gave him a quick peck to the cheek. “But now you have to go change shirts.”

“Shi...” he started to curse, but caught himself and just sighed in frustration instead.

“I'll text Jiyong that you're going to be late.” you told him with a laugh, as you laid Seung Min back down so he could play beside his sister.

After Seung Hyun finally left the villa for work, you had busied yourself with things to do around the villa. You'd done some laundry and decided what you were going to make for dinner. By the time Noon rolled around, you had given the twins their lunch feeding and tucked them in to nap.

Since you had such a busy and productive morning, you decided to reward yourself with some downtime. You stretched out on the big leather sofa and scrolled through your phone. You didn't have any text messages, but hadn't really expected any. But you did have a notification that Seung Hyun had uploaded something to Instagram, which didn't surprise you in the least.

Quickly you opened up the app, anxious to see what he had posted. Maybe it was something teasing his new collaboration with Jiyong? After a few taps to your screen, you were instead greeted with a photo from the magazine shoot. It was the one that you had personally chosen to go on the cover. You smiled at your phone, it really was a great picture, one that you felt perfectly captured what a great dad Seung Hyun was for his children.

You were shocked at the number of comments that had already been left, he had only posted it an hour ago. Your finger hovered over the 'View all comments' link... Seung Hyun had warned you against reading the comments on his SNS. He said that they could sometimes get a little out of control but you had assumed that he just didn't want you getting jealous over all the lovey comments from his female fans. But... this was such a beautiful, wholesome family picture, what sort of bad things could they have to say about that?

Feeling pretty confident about your decision, you tapped the link. But, as your eyes scanned the comment section, your heart only sank further and further. A few of them were nice, saying how happy you looked together as a family. But the majority of the words others had left were horrible:

why did he have to marry a foreigner?!?

UGH... I know she's SO ugly!

The twins would look so much better if both parents were Korean.

He should divorce her and marry me instead... I could raise those kids the PROPER Korean way!

I know my oppa is a great dad, but I bet she's a stupid, cruel mother. Those poor babies!!!

And so it went... on and on. You felt like you should probably stop reading them but, for some odd reason, you couldn't. Somehow, you'd gotten yourself stuck in this endless hell of reading the harsh words your husband's fans had written. You understood that some of it was just jealousy. What you couldn't wrap your brain around was how some of the comments attacked the twins and your parenting.

These people didn't know you. They had no idea what your life with Seung Hyun was really like, so why did they feel the need to say such mindless and hurtful things? You thought back to what you'd told Seung Hyun just before he proposed... that you would be fine as long as you got to keep the real him and his fans kept T.O.P. So, why did they feel entitled to act as if they knew him better than you did?

Suddenly you felt tired, drained. You wanted to escape, to run away from the spotlight that accompanied being married to a celebrity. You missed being able to go out if you felt like it, like when you'd taken Yeon Jun to places while you were his Nanny. Now you were lucky if you could get out of the house to buy groceries without being recognized.

You touched your neck where Seung Hyun had kissed you earlier. Maybe his fans were right... Maybe you just weren't cut out for this sort of life? Maybe he should have married a native? Would the twins be better off with a Korean mother instead of you? Had you being a foreigner doomed them to a life of unfair judgment from others?

Quickly you closed the app and shook your head, as of that could clear it of all the dark thoughts that had taken hold. You thought for a minute about what to do. You knew you couldn't call Seung Hyun, he was busy and you didn't want to make him worry. Your in-laws were currently on vacation, so that was out. Seungri was somewhere in Japan doing something business related. Then you realized exactly who was the perfect person to talk to in this situation.

So, you'd sent a quick text to Daesung... asking him if he could please come over if he wasn't busy. As soon as he'd replied that he would be right over, you went upstairs to get the twins up from their nap.

By the time he arrived you already had the babies fed, changed and happily playing on the blanket again. After a greeting and quick hug, he sat down on the blanket with the twins and started playing with them. But his eyes were entirely focused on you.

“What's up, ________-ah?” he asked, his voice cheerful even though he could tell something was clearly bothering you.

“I, um...” you paced nervously. “I might have done something that I really shouldn't have. I... I started having some scary thoughts. And I just really didn't want to be alone right now.”

Your words had him up off the floor in a flash. He put an arm around your shoulders, leading you over to the sofa so the two of you could sit down.

“Okay... well... I'm glad you called me then.” he told you, giving your shoulder a squeeze. “Do you want to talk about it or...?”

You knew that you'd made the right choice in asking Daesung to come over. He would be happy to be supportive, but he wasn't going to force you to talk. He had helped you so much while Seung Hyun had been gone during his enlistment & your comfortableness around him had you pouring your heart out in no time.

After you'd finished telling him everything that had happened, even showing him the comments that had bothered you the most, he sighed heavily. You had started crying again, and he always hated to see you cry.

“They hate me... and I don't understand why. I haven't done anything to them. Is there something wrong with me?" you sobbed. It was all pouring out a break-neck speed. "I don't understand why it's like this!" you leaned forward and buried your face in your knees. "I take it back. I don't want to share him any more. I don't want him to be anywhere near his fans. But I'm so anxious that he would be unhappy...I can't ask him to choose!  What kind of wife would that make me, Daesung? They're my babies and I'm starting to think they would be better off without me! I'm a horrible parent!"

"Wha...why didn't you say anything to Seung Hyun? ________-ah, the twins are over four months old now! You've felt like this for four months and you didn't tell him?"

"No! No.... it only started today.” you said, lifting your tear streaked face so you could look at him. ”I didn't want to bother him because he's busy in the studio.”

"Okay, then...” Daesung took a deep breath. “That makes things a bit different. You're a good parent, ________-ah. Don't let anyone try and tell you otherwise."

You were crying hard, your whole body shaking. Daesung leaned over and gathered you up into his arms, hugging you tightly to him.

“Listen to me, _________-ah. We're going to get you through this, I promise. I'm pretty sure that what you're feeling is common in new mothers. I think I've heard my therapist talking about it before. I can always give you her number.” he said, rubbing your back in an attempt to soothe you.

“I... I think that might be a good idea.” you sniffled.

You talked with Daesung a little while longer before he convinced you to go upstairs and take a shower and a nap.

When you woke up next, it was late afternoon. You jolted up out of bed, panicking & hurried to the nursery only to find it empty. Running downstairs, you saw Seung Hyun sitting in the De Sede chair.

“Where are the twins?” you asked, your voice shaking with fear.

“Daesung took them over to Youngbae's for a bit. He will bring them back before bedtime.” Seung Hyun replied, looking at you. “You needed the sleep, and I wanted some time with my wife.”

He grabbed your wrist and pulled you onto his lap. His warm, chocolate brown eyes looked into yours and you looked away, ashamed of your feelings from earlier in the day.

“What is wrong, gongju-nim? Daesung told me that you'd been having some very troubling thoughts after looking at some fan comments? Please, ______-ah, what’s going on?”

You felt tears well up in your eyes again, and after a few minutes of silence, you whispered. “I’m weak, Seung Hyun…” the tears fell, streaking your face with heat and you began to tremble. “I just... I let them get to me. I know you told me not to look. But I didn't think that the fans would have such mean things to say about such a beautiful picture.”

Seung Hyun's heart stung at those words. Clearly the fan comments had done more to you than he realized. He wrapped his arms around you and pulled you into his chest, feeling your sobs as they wracked your body. He didn’t know what to say. Maybe posting the picture hadn’t been the best choice, he only wanted to show off his little family, but maybe he had gone about it the wrong way. As your body quieted, he tilted your head up and planted a soft kiss on your lips.

“You aren’t weak. You've been through hell... all because of what I do. I thought financially supporting you and the twins was my first priority, but I realize now it wasn’t. I need to support you emotionally first. Forgive me?” he whispered.

You looked up at him, his eyes pleading with you, and felt your heart stir. You wrapped your arms around his neck and pulled him in for another kiss. The two of you stayed just like that for a long time, holding on to each other like a lifeline.

“There's nothing that you need forgiveness for.” you breathed quietly. “Seung Hyun... take me to bed. Please? I need...” you left that statement open ended, hanging thickly in the air between you.

“Are you... are you sure?” he asked. “Is it okay?”

You chuckled quietly. “The doctor cleared it as okay when I hit nine weeks postpartum. I think we're good.”

“Well then...” he said with a smile. “As you wish.”

It wasn’t until you were laying in bed afterwards, with your head on your husband’s chest, that he let out a startling shriek of triumph.

“I’ve got it!” he said gleefully.

“Got what?”

“The perfect nickname for the twins!”

You lifted your head an looked down at him expectantly.

“Well?”

“Thing 1 and Thing 2!” he said happily.

You just smiled at him before laying your head back down. “You’re right, Seung Hyun... it is perfect.”

He looked so proud of himself that you didn’t have the heart to tell him that you had secretly been calling the twins that for almost two months now...

[rachelcarsoncenter]

(Adventures in Stavanger, Part 1)

In this mini series you can read about the experiences of Johanna Felber and Malin Klinski, candidates of the RCC’s Environmental Studies Certificate program, during an exchange program with the University of Stavanger in Norway. If you want to find out more about life in the land of the midnight sun, trolls, and vikings, you are in the right place... 

By Johanna Felber and Malin Klinski

Stavanger is a place of contradictions. The fourth largest city of Norway is situated on the southwestern coastline. Depending on who you ask, you will hear quite different stories about the place. Some might talk about Stavanger as being Norway’s (or even Europe’s) petroleum capital. The big-oil resources have not only helped the city of Stavanger to accumulate wealth – they are also a symbol of the nation’s global economic importance. As recently as January 2020, the Norwegian government officially opened a new giant oil field, 140 kilometers off the shore of Stavanger. It is estimated to generate a maximum turnover of US $100 billion. Norway itself obtains its energy mostly from renewable sources, especially wind- and hydropower. Stavanger’s oil and gas are mainly export goods.

The other side of Stavanger is more in line with the picturesque face of the city. Countless ships still sail towards the old port; tiny wooden houses (often white, sometimes colorful like in the “color alley”), narrow streets, the fish market, and cobblestones make up the charm of the gamle (old town). Less well known is the impressive variety of street art, which can be discovered when wandering about.

The fjords around Stavanger are passageways to many of the smaller islands situated close to the shore. The best way to experience Stavanger’s natural beauty is going outdoors and exploring the landscapes surrounding the town. Once you stand on a rocky mountain overlooking the region, you realize how tales of trolls found their way into Norwegian folk tales.

Photo by the authors.

Fun Fact: Norwegians have a lot of words to describe weather, that don’t exist in the English language. Oppholdsvær, for example, means cloudy weather without rainfall, meaning great weather to go out into nature!

  On the Road

Our Stavanger adventure started in Munich. We drove up to Stavanger with Hanna’s red camping bus. It is like a little house, with a bed, a cooking stove and, most importantly in Norway, a heater. Hanna even sewed curtains to cover the windows and keep out the cold. Our journey led us to Hamburg, Aarhus, a beach on the very northern rim of Denmark, Hirtshals, and then to a small lake between Kristiansand and Stavanger, before we finally arrived on the university campus.

Malin lives in a student dormitory, just outside the main building of the University, and she was able to move in as soon as we arrived on campus. Hanna resides in a shared flat closer to the city center, from where she can cycle up the hill to the university. On a sunny day you can see quite far, right out to sea. Getting into town from the university by bike takes 30 minutes, up and down steep roads.

Beach in north Denmark

First morning in Norway, at a lake

  The University

Our courses at the University of Stavanger (UiS) are all connected to the local Master’s in Energy, Environment and Society – an interdisciplinary program. The focus is mainly on environmental and energy politics from a global, comparative perspective. The entire interior design of the university is cozy and thought through. From light installations to plant pots, cushions, colourful wallpapers, fluffy carpets and artistic paintings – Norwegians know how to make spending a lot of time indoors bearable. This is quite important when you can’t leave the house for a short stroll because the wind is howling relentlessly and the rain splashing mercilessly against the windowsills. The Norwegian weather forecast’s website is called yr.no, which means something like “drizzling rain.”

The university library is more of an open, creative space. You can find rocking chairs, beanbags and hammock-pergolas. You are allowed to play games, speak loudly and bring your own food. When we first visited the library and a housemate of Malin’s waved and shouted, “What’s up?” through the hall, we winced in unison. Even though it felt a little weird in the beginning, we quickly adapted to the local habits – and brought some cinnamon buns and tea into the library while discussing the first paper we had to submit.

One of the reasons we have decided to come to Stavanger is the Greenhouse at UiS. Dolly and Finn Arne Jørgensen, two researchers in the field of environmental history, initiated this platform for sharing research, developing ideas and projects, and discussing environmental topics. A couple of professors and PhD candidates join them in the weekly Greenhouse Lunch, where current themes and activities are shared, planned, and promoted. We have also been there once and were heartily welcomed to the group. Unfortunately, the lunch is coinciding with one of our seminars, but we will join them again soon for other events, in a second installation in this miniseries, will keep you updated about what the environmentalists here are thinking and working on.

No, these pictures don’t show a fancy hipster café – it is the university library

  Exploring Nature

Until now, we have tried to get outside as much as possible. Stavanger’s surroundings offer countless possibilities for experiencing nature. We both became members of the UiS friluftsliv group (outdoor sport group), which organizes all kinds of outdoor activities. Most of the hikes in the area are easily accessible by public transport, with some entailing underwater tunnel rides and ferry cruises. It is definitely worth visiting the Vigdel beach, close to Sola. We wandered on wooden planks through pliant dunes, climbed over rugged, craggy cliffs, and saw a rainbow appearing from the depths of the stormy sea. Moreover, it is an excellent spot to have a picnic and eat homemade cinnamon rolls with loads of confectioner’s sugar. Another nice tour is taking the public bus to the island of Rennesøy and wandering along the steep cliff towards the mountain range. It really is an adventure path and no matter where you go, it is impossible not to take dozens of breaks to admire the view. With the friluftsliv group we went on two different hiking trips that both ended with a bonfire. We grilled marshmallows and roasted home-made bread dough on sticks over the flames.

  On another weekend trip we joined some members of the friluftsliv group on a ski tour with the Norwegian mountain club DNT in the region of Sirdal, about two hours drive from Stavanger. We didn’t really know what we signed up for, as the tour was a mixture of slalom, cross country skiing, and snowshoe hiking. The scenery was beautiful, it was an experience we wouldn’t have wanted to miss, but we still found ourselves with incredible muscle aches on Monday morning.

One of the most popular leisure activities in Norway is spending time in cabins. We slept in two different cabins on our ski trip, and learned that there are quite some things to be aware of when signing up for such overnight stays. After eight hours of tour-skiing through the snowy mountains on just the first day, we finally arrived at our cabin.

We felt like doing nothing more than falling into one of the bunk beds and closing our eyes. But two Norwegians girls still had enough motivation to take off all their skiing equipment, run down the hill, and jump into the icy water of the river running by. Malin decided to join in the experience. The water was so incredibly cold that you couldn’t even feel it anymore. It is a miracle how the body still manages to function in these temperatures.

Compared to this experience, lugging the water buckets from that same river back up to the fireplace was a rather relaxing task. After so much physical activity and fresh air we were really hungry, and nothing on earth could taste better than pasta with tomato sauce then. With a heavy woolen blanket thrown around our shoulders and the dim light of the candles (which were lighted to save electricity) the evening was made even more cozy. We played cards and told stories about our favorite hiking trips. One thing we learned from that skiing trip in Sirdal was that the further you are away from a proper road, internet connection, and running water, the more hyggelig it gets!

The word hyggelig can mean a lot of different things. It translates to pleasant, good, nice, secure, intimate, snug, and comfortable. It describes a feeling or impression – if you find yourself sitting content, tired but warm, at a fireplace after a long day, you will know what it really is about.

  The way to the heart is through the stomach

Food is very expensive in Norway. This is a fact. A bowl of simple green salad costs 7 euros in the university cafeteria. The only way around this is making your own food, and being creative. The 20 people that share the kitchen in Malin’s student dormitory come from 15 different countries. Since arriving, we have cooked many different dishes from various regions of the world in this kitchen. We made huge amounts of hummus and falafel and spent hours rolling sushi. One day we prepared pizza dough and tiramisu for the entire house, with instructions from Jacopo, an Italian student from Milan. The more people share the food you cook, the more affordable it becomes.

We even joined in the International Food Festival of the university. Teams received 40 euros to buy groceries and cook traditional food from their country. The winning team receives vouchers for the cafeteria. Unfortunately, we didn’t win – competing with countries like India, Vietnam, and Mexico, we were hard challenged from the outset! In the end, the winner was South Korea.  We made Semmelknödel and Scheiterhaufen –  spinach and parsley dumpling with creamy mushroom sauce, and a sweet dessert made from old bread, milk, cinnamon, apples, berries and loads of sugar. We had a lot of fun and more people than we expected complimented our food.

Team Germany – not expecting to win, but still in a good mood. Hanna, David, Malin, and Kevin are posing for the team photo. David and Kevin study sport science.

Despite the often non-existent sunshine, we really enjoyed our first month in Stavanger. A lot of things are still on our bucket list for the next months, so we will surely not get bored. One of the most important things is learning Norwegian, which will hopefully give us the chance to dive deeper into the culture. We will share our experiences in snakke norsk med nordmanner and everything else that left us sometimes clueless, sometimes smiling, during our exchange in Stavanger in our next blog post.

Opplevelser I Stavanger (Adventures in Stavanger, Part 1) In this mini series you can read about the experiences of…

[overmydadbodyph]

Eight Activities Not To Do During Chinese New Year

1. Do Not Cut Your Hair - it represents your life and if you cut your hair it means you just cut your lifespan shorter. Try to get a haircut a few days ahead instead.

2. Cleaning and washing things in your home - This is not to be done on the auspicious day as you end up sweeping all the good luck that you have accured. Even if you wash your hair, you will be washing away your personal luck.

3. Lucky and Unlucky Numbers- Do Not wear or go out in a group of 4 as the chinese characters for four sounds like the word death. Eight is the luckiest number as it sounds like chinese characters for wealth.

4. Clothing color- Do not wear Black or White as these colors are worn only at funerals. Try to wear the color Red as it is an auspicious color according to a lot of my Chinese friends.

5. Inappropriate Gifts - As we all tend to receive a Lucky Red Envelope stuffed with money, kindly refrain from giving the following gifts:

A. Shoes - The word shoes in chinese sounds like the word Evil, so please do not give this Evil gift.

B. Clocks - in chinese, the phrase "gifting clocks" sounds like "attending a funeral parade". Pls do not even attempt to give this as a gift as it could break a relationship with your good Chinese friend.

C. Umbrellas - it represents separation while the New Year is to bring togetherness. Definitely a bad idea especially for banks who tend to give this as a corporate giveaway.

D. Mirrors - the chinese believe that mirrors have the power to attract bad spirits. Let us try to be more sensitive and make sure we do not give this as a gift.

E. Pears - the chinese characters of this fruit sounds like the word splitting up. If you are making a fruit basket, please do not use pears as a fruit to give.

6. Eating fish inappropriately- Fish signifies abundance in your life. Make sure to order the full fish from head to tail as it signifies a full life from start to finish. While eating, do not flip the fish to get the meat as it also signifies a fisherman's boat being flipped over. Instead just lift the fish up from the spine and take out the meat from the other side. Do not finish the full fish, make sure there is a bit leftover as it represents abundance in your life.

7. Eating the wrong food- please stay away from Congee as it represents poverty. Instead have fluffy white rice as it represents happiness.

Be a vegetarian for breakfast as the chinese find it unlucky to serve dead animals. Eat savoury dumplings as it will increase your chances of getting rich. Eat Glutinuos Rice Balls with a sweet filling as the round shape and sticky exteriors represent reunion and families always sticking together.

8. Do Not Keep Calm Its Chinese New Year - try to celebrate, make noise with fireworks especially at midnight to drive away Nian, a mystical monster that comes calling this time of year. If not, a toast or two with some strong Chinese rice spirit (Baijin) will also do well.

If you really just want to wish Happy new year just say Xin Nian Kuai le (pronounced Shin nee-an kwai le).

Have fun to one and all and embrace the awesome Chinese traditions.

[tonyduncanbb73]

Five Restaurants to Try This Weekend Around Boston: PAX East Edition

Here’s where to eat near the convention center

Welcome back to Five Restaurants to Try This Weekend, a weekly column in which the Eater Boston team recommends, well, five restaurants to try this weekend. Every Friday, we offer up a blend of old and new spots, typically including a mix of suggestions in Boston proper, Cambridge/Somerville, and farther afield. Sometimes there’s a topical theme; sometimes we just share our favorite standbys or the new places that are exciting us. Bookmark this page for updates; we add new recommendations to the top each week. Can’t hit ‘em all in one weekend? That’s what next weekend is for.

Want more recommendations from Eater staff and fellow readers? Join the Eater Boston Facebook group. Want to make sure your favorite hidden gem is on our radar? Send tips to us via email.

April 6, 2018: The PAX East Edition

In town for PAX East this weekend and feeling hungry? You’re in luck: There’s lots of food near the convention center. Your best bet is to escape the Seaport District and hop right next door to Fort Point — pretty much anything on Congress Street and in the surrounding area will be great. Here are five picks, all within a 10-minute walk of the convention center. Need more ideas? Join the Eater Boston Facebook group as noted above, and fellow readers and Eater staff will make sure you’re set for the weekend. (Note: Reservations recommended; these are hard places to get into even when there’s not a big event going on nearby. Or, try to snag a bar seat at odd hours.)

For fried chicken tacos and cotton candy as big as your head: Perhaps you’ve been to Lolita Cocina & Tequila Bar’s original Back Bay location; it’s been around for years. But much newer is its Fort Point sister, which won Eater Boston’s 2017 award for best restaurant design. It’s a short walk from the convention center and a lively destination for frozen margaritas, fun, and tacos. And that cotton candy? It’s complementary and arrives with the check, so save a little bit of room. 253 Summer St., Fort Point, Boston

For oysters and funky beers: Hit up Row 34, sibling to Island Creek Oyster Bar and a seafood lover’s dream come true. Can’t go wrong with oysters or any of the other raw bar options, and beer nerds will find plenty to love here as well. The lobster roll is one of the best in town, but the price seems to be creeping up lately, and it may hold the current title for most expensive in town at a heart-stopping $36, so it’s up to you whether it’s worth the splurge. (If you have a few extra minutes and a few fewer dollars, try the lobster roll at the no-frills classic nearby, Yankee Lobster Company, located at 300 Northern Ave. That one rings in at $24.) 383 Congress St., Fort Point, Boston

For barbecue: In the mood for brisket? Hot links? Burnt ends? The Smoke Shop’s new Fort Point location will make your meaty dreams come true. And don’t miss the wings, smothered in agave and spices. Whiskey lovers will be pleased by the large selection here, too. 343 Congress St., Fort Point, Boston

For spicy tomato soup and killer cocktails: Two recommendations for the price of one here. Start upstairs at Sportelloand get the spicy tomato soup with a cheesy crostini; it’s been on the menu since the beginning and will hopefully never go away. Then head downstairs to sister cocktail bar Drink for a drink. No cocktail list — just discuss your likes and dislikes with the bartender and get ready for some magic to happen. Still hungry? Drink has food, too, and it’s good. A wagyu burger or apple pie empanadas may be in your future. 348 Congress St., Fort Point, Boston

For gorgeous desserts: Don’t shy away from the rest of the menu at Oak & Rowan; it’s all solid, especially the clam and pork chowder and any pasta dish. But you’ll definitely want to save room for a dessert or several. Take a gander at pastry chef Brian Mercury’s Instagram account for a sneak peek at what you’ll be ordering. 321 A St., Fort Point, Boston

March 30, 2018: The New Restaurant Edition

Rachel Leah Blumenthal/Eater

Lomo saltado at Celeste

If you’re not otherwise tied up with Easter or Passover celebrations this weekend, it may be a good time to score a reservation at one or two (or five) of the hot new dining destinations around town. This week’s Five Restaurants to Try are newish to very new and are quickly making names for themselves. From spicy seafood to fried chicken to sashimi, here are some recommendations for the weekend.

For beautiful ceviche and friendly hospitality: Celesteis tiny and adorable and wonderful. The Peruvian restaurant joined Union Square’s bustling dining scene earlier this month, serving up ceviche, lomo saltado (pictured above), and more, along with a nice selection of booze, with a focus on pisco and mezcal. Want to try it this weekend? Note that it’s closed Sundays but open until midnight on Saturdays, with an abbreviated late-night menu kicking in at 10 p.m. 21 Bow St., Union Square, Somerville

For a taste of Uruguay and beyond in a swanky old diner car: La Bodega— from the owners of Cambridge’sacclaimed Salts, which was forced to close in early 2014 due to a burst pipe — sort of quietly opened around Christmas with plans to slowly extend the menu and hours as time went on. It’s been building up momentum over the past few months, and regardless of whether it’s actually celebrated a “grand” opening yet, it’s already well worth a visit. It’s a unique, romantic space (be warned that it can get loud, especially in the diner car section, so don’t count on a very quiet evening.) Drink some wine; eat some steak and assorted small plates; be happy. 21 Nichols Ave., Watertown

For heavenly hushpuppies and hot chicken: And biscuits, too. Southern Proper really does smell like pine, as promised, and the attractive space is the perfect spot in which to gorge yourself on fried chicken — available in classic and hot styles; get the hot if you can handle a bit of a slow burn. Perhaps it’s a bit of a carb-heavy combo for one sitting, but the hushpuppies, biscuits, and chicken are all must-try items, so wear your stretchy pants and dig in.600 Harrison Ave., South End, Boston

For a fun, messy date night: Another newbie in the neighborhood is Bootleg Special, jumping into Boston’s growing Cajun seafood boil scene. Throw on the provided bib and gloves before diving into a big bowl of spicy seafood — choose from crawfish, lobster, shrimp, and more — and be sure to add something boozy on the side, such as a hurricane or daiquiri. 400 Tremont St., South End, Boston

For pretty plates of Japanese food with a touch of Hawai‘i, not to mention loads of sake: Momi Nonmiis the elder of this batch of recommendations, having opened back in October 2017, but we’ll allow it. Located in the former East by Northeast space (it was briefly a burger joint after that), Momi Nonmi serves up beautiful dishes of sashimi, tempura, and more. Splurge on the wagyu beef dumplings, don’t miss the duck confit rice dish, and try out the sizzling loco moco if you’ve got room left. Fan of sake and shochu? The staff will be eager to discuss options with you. 1128 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge

March 23, 2018: The Bao Edition

Rachel Leah Blumenthal/Eater

Squid ink oyster bao and pork belly bao at Pagu

Today’s theme is bao, simply because we’ve been eating them a lot lately and want to share a few recent favorites with you. Bao is a bit of an ambiguous word; it pops up on menus all over town to refer both to fully enclosed baozi (steamed or baked buns stuffed with various meats or other fillings) and to the wide world of variations on gua bao, or pork belly buns, which sort of resemble a fluffy taco or a sandwich where the bread’s connected on one side. Boston’s got both, but we’re just going to focus on the latter today — steamed bread folded around the traditional filling of pork belly or a range of other meats, sauces, and toppings.

For a meal that fuses Japanese food with Spanish and beyond: Now a little over a year old, Pagu is part of the increasingly awesome edge of Central Square by MIT, a short stretch of Massachusetts Avenue that includes Saloniki, A4cade, Naco Taco, Abide, and lots more. The pork belly bao, served with pickles, peanuts, and cilantro, is exceptional, and there’s another option as well — jet-black squid ink oyster bao, stuffed with panko oyster, “norioli” (nori aioli, naturally), and purple cabbage. Decidedly less traditional; equally worth trying. Also eat: jamón ibérico, Guchi’s midnight ramen, and cedar campfire black cod. 310 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge

For a fun, boozy meal to a loud hip-hop soundtrack: You know it; you love it. Shojo is still going strong in Chinatown — and it’s now a big sibling to two nearby spots, BLR by Shojo and Ruckus. Order a cocktail and get the bulgogi beef bao (with marinated carrots and shinko pear gochujang), the Shojo pig bao (smoked barbecue sauce, kimchi, jalapeno), or the curry cauliflower bao (black bean mayo, onion rings, pea greens). Also eat: pork belly dumplings and shadowless fries. 9A Tyler St., Chinatown, Boston

For a Tiki hangover that is totally worth it: New downtown spot Tiki Rockis a blast. It’s colorful, it’s noisy, and it’s serving up a variety of Tiki drinks that’ll make you happy and pretty tipsy. The food menu focuses on sushi, but there are also some non-sushi entrees, skewers, and appetizers, including the pork belly bun. The pork has a chili maple soy glaze, and it’s served with uni mayo, lettuce, and nori seasoning. Also eat: coconut shrimp and winter squash dumplings, and how about a bowl of ramen at Oisa Ramen next door? 2 Broad St., Downtown Boston

For even more sushi and even more cocktails: Here’s another loud, energy-packed, sushi-packed, boozy option — Fat Baby in South Boston. There’s steak bao (skirt steak, hoisin, pickled Fresnos, bean sprouts) and chicken bao (Thai herbs, carrot, daikon, green chiles, hoisin, and “boom boom” aioli). The Loco Taqueria & Oyster Bar sibling also has some solid cocktails. Also eat: the crispy rice cake snack with tuna, any of the crudo options, and the spicy tuna roll. 118 Dorchester St., South Boston

For bao that are not quite bao but eat them anyway: This is theleast bao-like option of the bunch, but Eventide Fenway’s acclaimed brown butter lobster roll and fried oyster bun are served on light, squishy bao-style buns. It’s an easy win for anyone who loves bao and seafood. Also eat: Maine lobster stew, the green salad, and brown butter soft serve. 1321 Boylston St., Fenway, Boston

March 16, 2018: The Beard Edition

Rachel Leah Blumenthal/Eater

Harissa barbecue duck at Sarma

The James Beard awards — aka the “Oscars of the food world” — are coming up fast, and the nominee list was just announced earlier this week, including a handful of local folks. For the inaugural edition of Five Restaurants to Try This Weekend, we’re featuring restaurants from Boston’s nominees.

For a truly lovely meal you probably won’t be able to eat this weekend because the restaurant’s basically booked up forever: Look, it’s probably too late to get reservations to Sarma for this weekend; sorry. Plan ahead for next weekend…or, like, a month from now. (Or walk in and put your name on the bar waitlist. Try showing up right at 5 p.m. on Sunday.) From Best Chef: Northeast nominee Cassie Piuma, Sarma — sibling to Oleana and Sofra (home to Outstanding Baker nominee Maura Kilpatrick) — serves up “an exhilarating survey of the herbaceous, sun-baked flavors of the Middle East,” according to Eater’s national critic Bill Addison, who named it to his 2016 list of the best restaurants in America. Highlights on the current menu include the Black Sea cornbread, venison wrapped dates, and harissa barbecue duck (pictured above). When ordering, save room for the specials that circulate the room like dim sum, especially the fried chicken. 249 Pearl St., Winter Hill, Somerville

For a dim sum brunch: Sarma’s got its dim sum-like trays of specials; Myers + Chang has dim sum brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 11:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. — you’ve got plenty of time to sleep in. The self-proclaimed “indie diner,” a longtime South End staple, serves a “very personal interpretation of Chinese, Taiwanese, Thai, and Vietnamese specialties,” which includes brunch necessities like Mama Chang’s pork and chive dumplings; grilled corn with Sriracha butter; tea smoked ribs; wild boar dan dan noodles (“hotterest” on the restaurant’s spicy scale); and lots more. Executive chef and partner Karen Akunowicz is a nominee for Best Chef: Northeast. 1145 Washington St., South End, Boston

For a mai tai-soaked brunch: Let’s say you make it to Myers + Chang for Saturday brunch. Why not hit up Tiger Mamafor Sunday brunch (11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.), from Best Chef: Northeast nominee Tiffani Faison? There’s everything from Fruity Pebbles doughnuts to a bacon and cheddar-stuffed waffle that comes with Thai chili butter and maple-glazed bacon, not to mention a rotating selection of enticing cocktails. Past Sundays have featured mai tais; a bloody mary that included tamari, sambal, and wasabi; and more. 1363 Boylston St., Fenway, Boston

For a baller sushi feast: Go nuts at Uni, and don’t even worry about thinking — there are a number of omakase options that leave it all in the hands of the chef, spanning from a 10-piece nigiri omakase ($58) up to $185 for an epic tasting of the restaurant’s immaculate sushi. There are plenty of other ways to drop some major cash here as well, from a whole tray of Maine uni for DIY hand rolls ($65) to beluga hybrid caviar ($375). While sushi’s the focus, there are some don’t-miss hot dishes as well. Our pick: the Korean rice cakes with kalbi oxtail, kimchi butter, and gremolata. Chefs and partners Ken Oringer and Tony Messina are both up for Beards — Oringer for Outstanding Restaurateur and Messina for Best Chef: Northeast. 370 Commonwealth Ave., the Eliot Hotel, Back Bay, Boston

For the weirdest “I can’t believe this menu actually works” menu: Oringer is also behind, among other spots, Little Donkey in Cambridge’s Central Square, which he co-owns with Jamie Bissonnette. (The two of them recently debuted a ready-made food crawl that brings diners to Toro, Coppa, and Little Donkey in a row, with transportation included in the price.) When the duo opened Little Donkey in 2016 — one of the top newcomers of the year — they spoke about how they’re tied to certain themes at their other restaurants, but Little Donkey is a place to break the rules and cook whatever they want. That means that matzo ball ramen co-exists with an extensive raw bar selection, duck nachos, seriously spicy Jamaican jerk chicken wings, and lots more. It shouldn’t work. It does. Don’t miss the manti (Istanbul meat ravioli), poke, or Parker House rolls. 505 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge