Exploring Career and Job Opportunities in Davao City Philippines
Davao City, recognized as one of the Philippines' most progressive cities, continues to experience remarkable economic growth, creating a vibrant job market that attracts professionals from across the country. The city's diverse economy offers numerous employment opportunities, from entry-level positions to executive roles, making it an attractive destination for job seekers at all career stages.
The Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sector stands as one of the largest employers in Davao City, providing thousands of jobs across various specializations. Companies in this sector actively recruit customer service representatives, technical support specialists, and quality assurance analysts, offering competitive salaries and comprehensive benefits packages. The industry's continued expansion has created numerous opportunities for career advancement, with many organizations promoting from within and providing extensive training programs.
Part-time employment opportunities have also flourished in Davao City, catering to students, professionals seeking additional income, and individuals preferring flexible work arrangements. The retail sector, food service industry, and education field offer numerous part-time positions with varying schedules and responsibilities. These roles often provide valuable work experience and can serve as stepping stones to full-time careers.
The Information Technology sector in Davao has seen significant growth, with many companies seeking software developers, web designers, and IT support specialists. This growth has been fueled by the city's improving technological infrastructure and the increasing number of tech-focused businesses establishing operations in the region. Tech professionals can find opportunities in both established companies and startups, with many positions offering competitive compensation and the possibility of remote work arrangements.
Davao's hospitality and tourism industry continues to expand, creating jobs in hotels, restaurants, travel agencies, and tour operations. The sector offers positions ranging from entry-level service roles to management positions, with many employers providing training and development opportunities. The industry's growth has also sparked demand for professionals in events management and tourism marketing.
The education sector presents numerous opportunities for both full-time and part-time employment. Educational institutions regularly seek teachers, tutors, and administrative staff. The rise of online learning has created additional opportunities for English language teachers and academic consultants who can work flexible hours from home or teaching centers.
Job hiring in Davao, the digital economy has opened new avenues for employment. E-commerce specialists, digital content creators, and social media managers are in high demand as businesses increasingly establish their online presence. These positions often offer the flexibility of remote work while providing competitive compensation packages.
Professional development resources are readily available in Davao City, with numerous institutions offering skills training programs and industry certifications. Job seekers can access career counseling services, resume writing assistance, and interview coaching through various employment support organizations. These resources prove invaluable in helping candidates prepare for and secure desired positions.
The financial services sector in Davao has also experienced substantial growth, creating opportunities for banking professionals, insurance specialists, and investment consultants. These positions typically offer attractive compensation packages, including performance bonuses and health benefits, making them highly sought after by experienced professionals.
Davao's agricultural sector continues to evolve, combining traditional farming with modern agribusiness practices. This has created opportunities for agricultural technologists, food processing specialists, and supply chain professionals. The sector offers both technical and management positions, with many companies providing specialized training and development programs.
For those entering Davao's job market, proper preparation is essential. Successful job seekers typically maintain updated resumes, prepare comprehensive portfolios, and stay informed about industry developments. Professional networking, both online and offline, plays a crucial role in discovering opportunities and advancing careers in the city.
The future of Davao's job market looks promising, with emerging industries creating new employment opportunities. The city's commitment to economic development, coupled with its strategic location and robust infrastructure, continues to attract businesses and investors, ensuring a steady stream of job opportunities for qualified candidates.
Whether seeking full-time employment or part-time job in Davao City offers a diverse range of opportunities across multiple industries. Success in this dynamic job market often comes to those who combine proper preparation with continuous skill development and effective networking. As the city continues to grow and evolve, its job market remains a beacon of opportunity for professionals seeking to build meaningful careers in Mindanao's premier business hub.
A lot of things have changed since we were hit by the pandemic. For your restaurant to thrive you might wanna consider the online table booking system.
why do you ask? Read our blog to know about - Why you need an online restaurant table booking system in 2021.
Money can't buy love, but maybe it doesn't have to.
Yandere! Sugar Daddy who's very nouveau riche. Who has the wealth of the elites but none of their good breeding.
Yandere! Sugar Daddy who's awfully young for someone so wealthy. Barely out of college when his tech startup went public and the cash started pouring in.
Yandere! Sugar Daddy who is still painfully awkward around women.
Being a rich man in a big city means there's no shortage of models and influencers vying for his attention. And Yandere! Sugar Daddy never fails to get flustered when they're introduced to him.
Long legs, perfect skin, tiny ski slope noses... They're the kind of girls who wouldn't give him the time of day back in college and suddenly they're running their hands up his chest and whispering that he's just so clever, so accomplished. What guy wouldn't fall for it?
But he can never keep them around for long.
Their interest slowly dies out when he starts rambling about software development and production scale and AI integration. Money is a great motivator but all his girlfriends seem to leave for greener pastures. For millionaires with better social skills and better taste.
Yandere! Sugar Daddy who ran into you entirely on accident. The club was too loud, the girls too pretty, the alcohol too rich. He slipped out of VIP and into the street, pressing his forehead against the cool brick and trying not to spew on the new designer shoes his ex persuaded him to get.
And that was when you came into his life. Cool hands on his shoulder and a voice telling him to take a deep breath and drink some of your water.
Yandere! Sugar Daddy who looks up at you through his lashes, his face flushed from too much booze and being too near you. He can't fathom it. A girl helping him not because of his cash or connections, but because they're actually a kind person.
Yandere! Sugar Daddy who grabs your hand when you turn to go. Your friends are calling to you to stop messing around with random drunks and he manages to slip you his business card, begging you to call him so he can thank you properly.
Yandere! Sugar Daddy who wakes up with a killer hangover and your face burned into his eyelids. Who feels his heart jump when he opens his phone and sees a text from you.
Hope your night got better - y/n
Yandere! Sugar Daddy who immediately zooms in on your profile picture. A candid shot but it still makes him blush. Before the morning is over, he's already tracked down your social media.
Yandere! Sugar Daddy who pores over every inch of your life. Your job, your studies, your friends...
Yandere! Sugar Daddy who retypes his message at least a dozen times before he finally responds to you. Who invites you to the most exclusive restaurant in the city as a thank you.
Yandere! Sugar Daddy who picks you up in the most expensive car he owns. Who smiles a little at the careful way you close the door and buckle your seat belt. You're just as uncomfortable around luxury as he was.
Yandere! Sugar Daddy who doesn't expect much from the date. He's learned not to go on tangents about technology and work, but without it he feels lost.
Yandere! Sugar Daddy who realises you're more than capable of carrying a conversation. You're energetic and funny and interested in what he has to say. He feels himself opening up to you and before long, he's deep into a rant about data safety and you actually listen to him.
Yandere! Sugar Daddy who realises you compliment him. Like a puzzle piece finally slotting into place.
Yandere! Sugar Daddy who ends the night with a lipstick stain on his cheek and a big, goofy grin on his face.
Yandere! Sugar Daddy who calls you the second he wakes up and invites you to spend the afternoon learning to horse ride.
And when you tell him you have work, he just laughs and tells you he'll triple whatever you're getting paid for the day. You nearly faint when he keeps his word and sends you a deposit worth more than your monthly cheque.
Yandere! Sugar Daddy who wants to call you his girlfriend more than anything. His girl. He loves the way it sounds.
Yandere! Sugar Daddy who tags along when you go grocery shopping and whips out his card to pay for it all when your back is turned.
Yandere! Sugar Daddy who sends you a huge bouquet every week because you once mentioned liking lillies.
And the closer you get, the more time you spend kissing him and curling up in his bed, the more he spends on you.
Yandere! Sugar Daddy who uses spring break to take you on a tour of the Mediterranean. Who rents out entire villas and chateaus to impress you.
Yandere! Sugar Daddy who has your birthday dress custom made by an actual high fashion house. Who zips you up and kisses your neck and says he's never met a more beautiful girl.
Yandere! Sugar Daddy who spends shareholder meetings daydreaming about you. Who has to pinch himself to stay focused.
Yandere! Sugar Daddy who's helpless to stop himself falling for you. You're so real, so empty of pretence and greed.
Yandere! Sugar Daddy who showers you with all the wealth he has and is blind to how uncomfortable it makes you.
Yandere! Sugar Daddy who looks at you with a vacant smile when you try and break things off. Who pulls out his phone and sends you a deposit with so many zeros you have to rub your eyes to make sure you're seeing it right. Who asks if that's enough for more of your time or if he should double it.
Do you want a new car? An apartment? He'll give you anything, anything in the world.
Yandere! Sugar Daddy who looks like a kicked dog when you say you don't want any of it. You hate feeling indebted to him. You hate feeling like some vapid trophy wife. You hate living off his charity.
He can't understand it. You could work for decades and not afford even a quarter of what he can give you. Is he so unpleasant, so unlovable, that you're wiling to turn your back of a life of luxury?
Yandere! Sugar Daddy who comes up behind you and slams the door shut when you try to leave.
You've always seen him as a nice guy, someone awkward and gentle. But the look in his eyes now makes you question all of it.
Yandere! Sugar Daddy whose voice is a low, broken rasp. He sounds on the verge of tears and on the verge of fury all at once.
You think you can just leave after everything you've been through together? After the fortune he spent trying to make you happy?
No way baby.
Yandere! Sugar Daddy who grabs your wrist and yanks you up against him.
Yandere! Sugar Daddy who laughs when you threaten to scream. Luxury penthouse, remember? Totally sound proofed. Totally private. No one gets in or out without his permission.
It's just you and him, like it should have been from the beginning.
Yandere! Sugar Daddy who squeezes your wrist hard enough to hurt. Who kisses you so rough you cut your lips on your teeth.
Yandere! Sugar Daddy who yanks at the pretty dress that he bought you. You want to be an ungrateful bitch? You want to throw his kindness back in his face? Oh, he's going to teach you a lesson.
You fucking owe him.
And he's going to use your body until that debt is paid.
How Can You Build a Food Delivery App Like Uber Eats in 2026?
Introduction
Food delivery is everywhere now. People don’t just use it on weekends. It’s daily life. Lunch at work, dinner at home, late-night cravings — everything goes through an app. That’s why many entrepreneurs are looking at building an app like Uber Eats and trying to enter this space.
But here’s the thing… building a food delivery app in 2026 is not just about copying what already exists. Users expect more now. Faster service, smooth design, easy payments — all of it matters.
So if you're thinking about launching your own ubereats clone, let me walk you through how it really works. No complicated talk. Just a simple, real explanation.
Why People Are Building Food Delivery Apps
Let’s be honest. The demand is not slowing down.
Food delivery apps are growing because people want convenience. Nobody wants to wait in line or call restaurants anymore. Everything is just a tap away.
Also, from a business side, it’s a good opportunity. Restaurants need platforms. Customers need options. And if you can smartly connect both, there’s money in it.
That’s where an ubereats clone app comes in. Instead of building everything from scratch, you start with a ready-made solution and customize it.
It saves time. It saves cost. And honestly, it makes life easier.
What Exactly Is an Ubereats Clone?
Okay, let’s not overcomplicate this.
An ubereats clone is a ready-made version of a food delivery platform. It already has the main features — customer app, delivery partner app, and admin panel.
You just take it, add your brand, make some changes, and launch it.
That’s why many startups go for ubereats clone app development instead of building everything step by step. Because building from zero? It takes months… sometimes years.
Key Things You Need Before You Start
Clear Business Idea
Before anything, you need a simple idea of what you’re building. Not something fancy. Just clarity. Are you targeting a small town or a big city? Are you focusing on quick delivery or premium restaurants?
This helps you shape everything later. Without this, even a good ubereats clone can feel directionless. A clear idea keeps you focused and saves a lot of confusion later.
Target Audience Understanding
You should know who you are building this for. Students, office workers, families — each group behaves differently. Their ordering habits, budget, and expectations are not the same.
When you understand your users, your online food delivery app becomes more useful. You design better features, offers, and even delivery timing based on them.
Restaurant Partnerships
Your app is nothing without restaurants. Seriously. You need to connect with local food vendors and onboard them.
Start small. Even 10–15 good restaurants are enough to begin. Over time, your food delivery apps platform can grow. But at the start, focus on quality, not quantity.
Revenue Model
Now comes the important part — how will you earn? Commission per order? Delivery charges? Subscription for restaurants?
You don’t need a complex model. Just pick one or two simple methods. A good on-demand food delivery software works best when the business side is clear and easy to manage.
Important Features Your App Should Have
User-Friendly Customer App
The customer app should feel easy. No confusion. People should open it and instantly know what to do.
Simple login, restaurant browsing, smooth checkout — these are must-haves. If users struggle even a little, they leave. That’s the reality of any app like ubereats.
Delivery Partner App
Delivery drivers need a separate app. This is where they get order details, routes, and updates.
It should be clean and simple. No extra steps. A smooth delivery experience directly affects your service quality. This is where a good ubereats clone app development setup really helps.
Admin Dashboard
Think of this as your control room. You manage orders, users, payments, and reports from here.
A strong admin panel makes your life easier. Without it, managing an online food delivery software becomes messy and stressful.
Real-Time Tracking
People love tracking their orders. It gives them peace of mind.
Live tracking is not just a feature anymore — it’s expected. Any modern ubereats clone app should include this from the start.
Secure Payment Options
Users want flexibility. Some prefer cards, some prefer UPI, and some cash on delivery.
Your app should support multiple payment methods. This builds trust and improves conversions in your best food delivery app experience.
Choosing the Right Development Approach
Ready-Made Clone Solution
This is the easiest way to start. A ready-made ubereats clone already has the basic structure built.
You just customize it with your brand and launch. It saves time and reduces stress, especially if you're new to this space.
Custom Development
If you want full control and have a big budget, you can build from scratch.
But honestly, it takes time and a strong tech team. Many startups avoid this at the beginning and choose ubereats clone app development instead.
Hiring the Right Team
Whether you go custom or clone, the team matters. A good ubereats clone app development company can guide you properly.
Don’t rush this step. Talk to them, understand their process, and check their past work before deciding.
Scalability and Future Growth
Think ahead, even if you’re starting small. Your app should be able to handle more users later.
A scalable on-demand food delivery software helps you grow without rebuilding everything again.
Cost and Time – What to Expect
Initial Development Cost
Let’s be real — there’s always some investment.
An ubereats clone app development is more affordable compared to building from scratch. It’s a smart choice for startups with limited budgets.
Time to Launch
Speed matters. You don’t want to spend a year building something.
With a clone solution, your online food delivery app can be ready in a few weeks. That’s a big advantage in a competitive market.
Ongoing Maintenance
After launch, the work continues. Updates, bug fixes, improvements — all of this needs attention.
A good online food delivery software should be easy to maintain so you don’t struggle later.
Marketing and Operational Costs
Don’t forget this part. Many people do.
Running ads, onboarding restaurants, managing delivery — all of this costs money. Even the best food delivery app needs strong marketing to grow.
Challenges You Might Face
High Competition
Let’s be honest, you are not alone in this space. Big players already exist.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t succeed. Focus on your local market. A well-planned app like ubereats can still stand out.
Delivery Management Issues
Late deliveries, unavailable drivers, traffic — these are common problems.
You need a system to handle this smoothly. A reliable on-demand food delivery software helps reduce these issues.
Customer Expectations
Users expect fast service, easy refunds, and good support.
If your food delivery app platform fails here, they won’t come back. It’s that simple.
Technical Problems
No app is perfect. Bugs will happen. Servers may slow down.
The key is to fix issues quickly. A strong ubereats clone app development company can support you when things go wrong.
Conclusion
Building a food delivery app in 2026 is not impossible. In fact, it’s more accessible than ever.
With the right plan, a reliable ubereats clone, and a clear focus on users, you can actually launch something meaningful.
Start small. Keep it simple. Improve as you go.
That’s how most successful apps begin anyway.
Code Regime offers a ready-to-launch Ubereats clone script designed for entrepreneurs who want to start a food delivery business quickly. It comes with a user app, driver app, and an admin panel, making it easy to manage orders, payments, and deliveries in one place. The solution is customizable, scalable, and built for smooth performance. Whether you are a startup or a growing business, this script helps you enter the on-demand market with less time, cost, and effort while focusing on building your brand and customer experience.
It's over! Oh no. If you just got here or don't want to let go. Click ✨here✨
The instructions for the night’s date were to wear the fanciest thing in your closet and to doll yourself up. Mingyu did tell you that the two of you were going out for dinner but never specified where, just to keep the romance alive. The time seemed to drag on while you waited for Mingyu, not that he had run late, he was always very punctual, you were just looking forward to the evening.
Sure, the date itself wasn’t necessarily festive, but the length Mingyu went to plan everything meant the world. There’s no doubt that he would do it again a thousand times over.
The restaurant was elegant, with soft lighting and menus filled with ingredients and words you didn’t know. Mingyu watched as you tried to pronounce the name of the dishes to yourself, and failed miserably at it. You graciously accepted his offer to order for you.
“I’ll give you my answer about visiting your family after we exchange gifts. But I owe you an explanation about why I never go back home.”
“I just get sad at the thought of you being alone. If you’re uncomfortable sharing, I respect that boundary. The person you are now and the person you’ll become are what matters the most to me.”
“I was never really close with my family, then it slowly got worse.” The restaurant was quite spacious which was definitely useful since you were about to tell Mingyu your whole back story.
“There was a lot of pressure on me to work at my parents’ law firm. There are no words to describe how mad they were at me when I told them it wasn’t something I had the slightest interest in. In their eyes, me becoming a software developer was a waste of time and I was a failure. So, I told them I was leaving and they didn’t believe me. They were convinced I would end up unemployed and homeless then I’d come crawling back. I haven’t spoken to them since.”
“That’s…rough. I’m sorry you went through that.”
“Thank you. Honestly though, I’m okay. I’ve never been happier.”
Not wanting to kill the mood for the evening you suggested the gift exchange, just to put each other's attention on something a little more positive. You did warn Mingyu that his Christmas gift was quite heavy but the expression in his face told you that he severely underestimated the gift’s weight. There was also slight concern etched on his face as he racked his brain to come up with some ideas of what it might be, any ideas really.
Mingyu’s gift to you was beautifully wrapped in snowman designed paper and a bow that he had made himself.
“It’s so pretty, Mingyu. I don’t want to ruin it.” As delicate as you could possibly manage you cautiously unwrapped the gift to avoid ripping the paper.
“It’s fine, just tear into it.” Mingyu was beyond excited with the gift he threw together for you. As he should be. “That’s what I had to pick up from the post office the day you came over to paint.”
Inside the beautifully wrapped package was a customized scrapbook in your favourite colour. The front of the book had a little plastic slot that held a photo of the two of you from when you went to get your picture taken with Santa.
“If I open this I’m going to cry.” The pages contained memories from the past twelve dates; Mingyu’s letter to Santa, a cutout from the box of gingerbread cookies you decorated among many other memories. “This is the most thoughtful gift I have ever received. I love it.”
“Before I open the gift you got me. I have something important to say.” Mingyu moved the gift you got him to the side to lean in as close as he could to you and repeated some very familiar words;
“There are not enough words to express the feelings I have for you. You are quite literally the best thing that has ever happened to me. I have fallen so deeply in love with you and I hope we fall in love in every life after this one.”
At a loss for words, your jaw dropped. “How did- That’s what-”
“I love you.”
It took a moment for you to process what was said. “That’s what I wrote on the back of the canvas I painted you.”
“You weren’t so subtle when you tried to hide the back of it.”
“I’m sorry you had to hear it from a canvas instead of me.”
“I loved it, it was so sweet. Now I can keep that memory forever.”
The moment you received your gift you knew tears would be shed, there was nothing that could have been done to stop them, so you just embraced them. Mingyu was too busy focusing on you that you had to remind him to open the gift, and to stop trying to guess what it was.
“Books? Textbooks!” Mingyu's jaw dropped as he examined the books, amazed. “You bought me books for school! That’s so helpful. Thank you so much.” Even Mingyu couldn’t hold back his own tears. “You believe in me so much. I don’t know how to thank you.”
“Just wait until you see what’s at the back of the first book.”
“What did you do?” Concerned but yet intrigued, Mingyu followed your instructions, and there sat the answer he had been waiting for all evening. “Oh, thank you so much for buying my train ticket. I’m going to miss you.”
“Tickets,” you corrected. “Plural, there’s two there.”
“You’re coming with me? You’re coming with me! You’re going to meet my family! We are going to have so much fun, they’re going to love you. This is so exciting.”
“Oh, one more thing.”
He hummed in reply, still excited that you would be joining him and his family for the holidays.
✏︎ There are some things Eddie isn’t used to hearing, and mean even more when coming from you.
✏︎ Series Summary: Forced to move back home to Hawkins after your fiancé cheats on you, you begin to fall in love again with an audacious 20 year old metalhead, only there’s one problem — he’s still in high school and you’re his English teacher.
While you struggle starting over in a place you never thought you would return, Eddie struggles feeling stuck in a place he can’t manage to leave — until you offer to help him. Of all the lessons learned, the most important are the ones you teach each other.
✏︎ Series CW: forbidden romance, slow burn, smut (18+ mdni), true love, internal conflict, student-teacher relationship, 10 year age gap, mutual pining, sexual tension, emotions, drama, angst, character development, happy ending :)
Chapter warnings: mild angst I guess? that's it :)
“Well I for one think the first lady’s new ‘Just Say No’ campaign is a great idea, it’s long overdue if you ask me,” said Mrs. Hutchins, to which your mother nodded in agreement.
You stared down at your plate and poked at your green beans with your fork.
“It’s about time there was a war on drugs, it’s gotten out of control in this country,” Mrs. Hutchins continued, reaching for the gravy.
You shoveled the green beans into your mouth to keep it occupied. You figured getting into an argument with Mrs. Hutchins over Reagan’s policies was not exactly what your mother had intended for the evening. Besides, it wasn’t worth your energy anyway.
Your dad gave you a silly look from across the table and you smiled at him.
You looked back down at your plate and thought about Eddie Munson again. This time it was about how he’d looked at you when you told him you’d be here.
You wondered what Eddie would say to Mrs. Hutchins. He had an opinion on just about everything and you were certain he would not withhold it. Not for your mother’s sake, not for anybody. You suspected that it got him into trouble more often than not but there was something you admired about that.
You tucked into your risotto and tuned out the conversation.
He was sitting so close to you today. So close that a ringlet of his soft hair grazed your hand when he leaned over. So close that you could smell him. The same scent that enveloped you in the hallway the other day, although this time less bright notes of shampoo, more deep notes of leather and musk. There was that faint cigarette smell and something else too that you couldn’t quite place, like the warmth of his skin that was distinct and yet indistinguishable.
Normally you were not keen on the smell of cigarettes. It lingered on just about everything. In restaurants and car seats, especially in homes. It clung to the clothing of heavy smokers with a stale musk that you hated, but on Eddie it didn’t seem to bother you. In fact, you were hesitant to admit that you almost liked it.
“Andrew, why don’t you tell us about your new job,” suggested your mother.
You glanced over at the man sitting next to you, hardly able to believe that this was once the boy who used to collect G.I. Joe figures rather than play with them as intended.
Andrew cleared his throat. “My job is to diagnose and correct issues with computer hardware, figure out what isn’t working and order and replace the corresponding parts. Occasionally it’s a software issue, in which case I can troubleshoot and reinstall certain programs.” he said, adjusting his glasses. He looked just about as thrilled to be here as you were.
“Do you guys sell computers there?” asked your dad.
“Yes, though my work is primarily in computer repairs, not sales.”
“You know I was telling my daughter here that I really think computers are going to be the future,” said your mom.
“Oh yes, absolutely. Personal computer sales have quadrupled in the last few years, all thanks to the Commodore 64 being so affordable,” said Andrew. “In fact I really think they ought to have computer classes in every school. I think I read recently in the paper that only 48% of schools have them.”
Your mom’s eyes lit up and she turned to you, “Do they have computer class at your school, dear?”
“Uh, no, I don’t think so. Not yet.”
“Well maybe that might be something worth suggesting to the principal.”
“I doubt I would have much say in something like that.”
“I’m just saying, it’s worth a try, dear.”
You smiled curtly and glanced down at your plate again, scooting your green beens around in the excess gravy.
“Speaking of school, why don’t you tell us a little bit about how your job’s been going? I do hope the students are behaving,” your mother continued.
“Oh, they have their moments but overall it’s been alright,” you said, “We’re studying The Catcher in the Rye in my senior class.”
Andrew raised his eyebrows, “Oh that book,” he said with a little laugh, “It’s a bit strange isn’t it? All I can really remember is how he kept calling everyone a phony all the time. I never understood it.”
Of course you didn’t. “Yeah, the stream of consciousness seems to throw some readers off. A lot of people end up missing the point.”
“What is the point anyway?” asked Andrew, but before you could respond Mrs. Hutchins interjected.
“Don’t you think that book is a bit inappropriate for children? I remember when Andrew brought it home all those years ago. At that time some of the ladies in my church group were trying to get it banned in schools. Clearly their efforts were unsuccessful.”
“My students are teenagers, not children, in fact some of them are already adults,” you said, and thought about recommending Fahrenheit 451 to her but figured the joke would be lost.
“Still, I think teenagers are too young to be reading about,” she lowered her voice, “hookers.”
You bit your lip and looked down at your plate again. It took every ounce of self control not to laugh. You glanced over at Andrew. He looked like he wanted to evaporate.
“I’ll tell you what,” continued Mrs. Hutchins, “Kids are getting into more and more worrisome and bizarre things nowadays. Did you see that special on the local news? There’s this game called Dungeons and Dragons and some people suspect that it’s a gateway, luring children into devil worshiping cults.”
This time you did laugh. “I really don’t think there’s any truth to that. The student I tutor plays that game. He talks about it all the time. It really is just a fantasy game that you create your own adventures in.”
“Well that’s what it might look like on the surface, but on this special they were talking about all the signs to look for if you suspect your child might have been lured. Now there’s the obvious symbolism like goats and pentagrams. Then there’s listening to heavy metal music — that’s a big one. Apparently there’s all sorts of hidden messaging in those songs, especially if you play the tapes backwards.”
Andrew’s face was in his hands.
“Boy, that sounds terrifying,” said your mother with furrowed brows before taking a bite of her pork roast.
You thought about Eddie Munson again. He certainly fit the description, though you were doubtful he actually worshiped Satan. You supposed there was no way for you to really know. He had quite a habit of talking about, well, just about anything besides school, but you doubted he’d openly admit to something like that.
It was strange for you to think that you had really only known him for less than two months. It felt like you’d known him forever.
If he did actually worship Satan, you supposed it wouldn’t really bother you. What you could tell was that he had a good heart. What you also could tell is that there was nothing you could say to Mrs. Hutchins that would change her mind.
______
Much to the disappointment of your mother, sparks did not fly over dinner. That was obvious enough for her not to arrange another, much to your relief.
The weekend came quickly, and it was a long one, which meant more time with quizzes to grade, and boxes that you had procrastinated unpacking. More time alone with your thoughts.
Historically you never minded being alone, typically you relished in it. Lately you had been doing everything you could to combat the oppressive silence in your apartment and the noisy chatter in your mind.
On Saturday you practically wore out your records, exhausting your entire collection as you did some much needed cleaning.
On Sunday it was difficult to get out of bed, so you just left the radio on when your alarm clock went off.
On Monday you sat on your living room floor in front of your TV and thumbed through the quizzes that you gave out on Friday, marking each one with your green grading pen.
You paused when you got to Eddie’s.
There was a little drawing of a dragon at the bottom of his quiz along with a note that said “Slay me!”
You smiled for the first time that day, fingers tracing the lines where his pen met the paper, feeling the subtle indents left behind by it.
You ran down the ten questions, he got nine of them right. You gave him a 90% and circled the A- at the top of the paper. At the bottom you wrote “You sure slayed this quiz!” with a little smiley face.
______
Eddie Munson had a way of creeping into your thoughts when you least expected it. It was like he had taken up permanent residence there, like a song stuck in your head.
It was far a better song than the sad and angry one that had been playing on repeat for months now, and at this point you would take any break you could get from it.
On Tuesday you couldn’t stop thinking about the way he smiled at you on Friday when he turned in his quiz. It was playful and warm.
On Wednesday he sat across from you after school. He was wearing a flannel shirt under his usual denim vest today. It was refreshing to see him in color for a change. The vibrant red suited him. He’d rolled his sleeves up, revealing a tattoo that looked like a cluster of flying bats.
“So, how did you do on your history test? Did you get your grades back?” you asked, bringing your attention away from his forearms.
“Yeah, uh,” Eddie shifted in his chair, glancing off to the side, “I got a C,” he said quietly.
You nodded, your expression neutral, though there was a softness in your eyes. “How do you feel about that?”
Eddie looked surprised, “I…” he paused for a moment, blinking, “You know, honestly, when I first got my test back I was actually pretty happy about it,” he said. “I mean it’s better than I usually do, way better than an F.”
You looked at him curiously, “You said, ‘at first’ did something change?”
“Well, I mean a C is good for me, but — “ he glanced at you sheepishly.
“Then a C is good!”
He looked relieved. “Oh, well in that case, then yeah. I guess I am pretty happy about it.”
“Eddie,” you said gently. He leaned forward at the sound of his name. “You don’t have to worry about impressing me, that isn’t what this is about. I just want to help you graduate, not be valedictorian,” you said, “I’m proud of you.”
Eddie beamed at you with those big brown eyes of his. Suddenly he glanced away, blinking quickly as he lifted a hand to scratch the side of his head to shield them from view.
You leaned closer, sensing the shift in his body language. When he turned to face you again you could have sworn his nose was a little flushed, his eyes wetter than usual.
“Sorry, I don’t hear that a lot.”
Your chest tightened. You wanted to leap across the desk, scoop him up in your arms and tell him that a thousand times, but instead you just smiled softly and said, “Well, get used to it.”
He smiled at you again, big and broad. He fidgeted with the rings on his fingers and for just a moment you swore you could see past the hair, the patches and chains, straight through to the boy he once was, getting F after F. You could see the disappointed looks from everyone around him reflected in those eyes of his. He must have gotten used to them, steeled himself to them, resigned himself to the letter.
You felt the tears start to burn behind your eyes and you searched for anything to change the subject. “How did your campaign go on Friday?”
His lips curved into a mischievous smirk. “Found three new recruits actually, just last week.”
You raised your eyebrows and blinked, clearing your eyes of any evidence. “Oh yeah?”
“Oh yeah. I knew it the moment I saw ‘em, two freshmen sitting all by themselves at the end of a lunch table. They’d been there for weeks, just the two of them. You can always kinda tell with the freshmen, they just look like little lost sheep, ‘specially these two. One of the kids was wearing a Weird Al t-shirt,” he said with a laugh, “And that’s when I was like, ok, these kids should sit with us for a change. Well it turns out they’ve been playing DnD for ages, and they’ve got a friend in another lunch period who plays too, so now we’ve got three new members, which is great because, uh, we were kind of hurting for them.” He chuckled softly.
Eddie had an energy about him that was bold and magnetic. It sucked you right in. The timbre of his voice was bright and warm. It was oddly soothing. You enjoyed listening to him talk, watching his hands as they gestured wildly, which you figured was a good thing since he did a lot of talking.
“Some kids just need someone to show them that school doesn’t have to be all bad, you know? I know that’s what I needed.”
You imagined freshman Eddie sitting in the cafeteria by himself, lonely and lost, with his curly mop of hair much shorter than it was now.
“Us freaks have to stick together, you know?”
You nodded sympathetically. “Yeah, I know. I wasn’t exactly popular myself,” you admitted. “Actually I used to help run an after school mentoring program in Indianapolis. A lot of troubled kids came through there, but it was so rewarding to watch them come into their own, find a place they felt like they belonged, you know?” you said, “I miss that part of my old job.”
Eddie rested his hand against his cheek and hummed in agreement. He looked like he was miles away and yet absolutely present all at once.
“I’ll admit that teaching wasn’t my first career choice, but it’s rewarding in a way that you just… can’t achieve by sitting alone and writing stories by yourself.”
Eddie smirked and gave a thoughtful nod, “That has its own rewards though.”
Your eyes twinkled. “Oh yeah, it definitely does.”
You shifted the focus toward his schoolwork. Today you helped him work through some equations in Trigonometry. Truthfully it took some refreshing on your part, it had been ages since you’d done it and you were more than a little rusty. Math was never really your strong suit anyway. The nice thing about formulas is that once you understood them you could just simply apply them and solve. Math seemed to be something that Eddie was naturally pretty good at though. You wondered if it had anything to do with having to deal with numbers frequently in his campaigns.
“Alright, I think that about wraps it up for today. Not sure about you but I’m getting hungry,” you said.
“Ok, I’m parked right over there,” he said pointing out the window to the van in the near empty parking lot. “We can walk out together. You never know what sort of monsters might be lurking in the shadows at this hour,” he said with a look of exaggerated suspicion.
You chuckled and your heart fluttered in your chest, “Sure, actually I’m the red sedan a few spots down.”
“Great, I know a shortcut,” said Eddie.
You both packed up your things and headed down the main hall towards the gym.
It was when you rounded the corner that you saw them — Jason and Patrick filling their water bottles at the drinking fountain.
You gave them both a little wave, which they returned half-heartedly. There was a curious expression playing on their faces which you had hardly a second to study before you passed. Eddie didn’t even look at them.
You could feel the tension in the air, and their eyes on you as you both left out the back door.
Eddie reached into the pocket of his vest and procured a pack of cigarettes. “Sorry, do you mind? I’m totally jonesing right now.”
“Oh no, it’s fine.”
Eddie gave a gracious nod and popped a cigarette between his lips. He flicked the lighter and his mouth was washed in a warm glow, illuminating the smile lines already prominent on his young face. They suited him.
He blew the smoke away from you with a relieved sigh and you walked toward your cars together in comfortable silence.
The sun was low in the clear blue sky, casting a golden light over the parking lot. The leaves were just starting to change in fiery orange and yellow patches. You could smell autumn in the crispness of the air, in the leaves that had already fallen as they skittered across the asphalt.
Eddie ducked his head under your car in a swift motion and looked around suspiciously. “Coast is clear, no monsters.”
You gave a big belly laugh. “Good thing I have you to keep me safe.”
The wind caught his hair as he rose to his feet and turned to you. “For you? Anything.”
Eddie Munson was beautiful like a neon sign at night. Beautiful like graffiti, like an empty street that beckoned you to wander down it.
You could feel your heart pounding as you smiled at him, turning to putty at his words. “See you tomorrow, Eddie.”
“See ya.” He gave a little bow with his head and waved as he turned toward his van.
You got into your car and set your bag on the passenger seat, letting out the breath you didn’t even realize you’d been holding in. You could hear the roar of the stereo as Eddie’s van came to life two spots over.
You couldn’t help but steal another glance at him. His hair swished and swayed as he bobbed his head to the beat. He was wild like the summer wind as it ripped across a field.
His eyes caught yours again and he flashed you a smile, bright and blinding.
If there was once thing you were certain of in that moment, it was that Eddie Munson was going to be the death of you.
At least you couldn’t get in trouble for your thoughts.
______
A/N: Oooo we've got a revelation on reader's part and next chapter I've got some really delicious moments in store so sit tight because this burn is gonna be slow but oh boy is it gonna be worth it!
I have one request — If you read and enjoy this, especially if you ask/asked to be put on the tag list, I ask in return that you reblog AND tell me what you like about this fic, even just something short and sweet! Please engage with me, it’s all I get in return for writing a story that you love for free 💜
Tag list: @mermaidsandcats29 @toxicjayhoo @ooo-protean-ooo @jadequeen88 @wroteclassicaly @kissmyacdc @newlips
Synopsis: One where Harry finds out his girl is struggling with ED (Requested)
CW: mentions of ED, please put your mental health first and read with caution. And remember, you're not alone in this, you are brave, you are strong. And I love you so much! *Kissie noises*
More of my work
Harry and YN had been basically living together at this point.
They've been together for about three years and Harry had somehow now managed to convince her to stay over for the weekend and she never left. He certainly isn't complaining because he asked her to stay with him.
But lately he's been seeing her food being left over. Both of them worked, Harry is filming a movie in London and also recording his fourth studio album, YN's working on her little boutique she's so proud of as she should be. So they'd made a little rule of at least eating one meal together, he'd volunteered to make them breakfast every morning (because honestly that's the only meal he can cook without burning down his kitchen) as YN hates early mornings. So he leaves her a plate of her own. Though he waits for her to wake up and get ready for the day before he leaves for work himself. YN has switched to working from home since the Covid hit and has chose to do the same, especially when her firm didn't mind that either, it also gave her time to work on some freelancing as a Photo and Video editor aside from having a desk job a software developer.
Today, Harry was so excited to go home today. He was going to ask her to completely just move in with him. She paid the rent this month for no apparent reason, he just didn't wanted her to waste her earning like that if she's not living at her flat anymore. Or if she changes her time and needs more time, by all means he is ready to support her through.
But he would be lying if he hadn't got used to living with her, going to bed with her and waking upto her gorgeous self everyday now. He felt so whole with her now. He even wants to pop question to her, especially since she's always been so vocal about how important it was to her. He's even gone as far to take his mum with him to find a perfect ring for her.
Tonight he didn't wanted either of them cook so he got food from YN's favourite restaurant on his way back home. When he got back, he found her fast asleep on the sofa, it was Friday night he noticed then. She has Fridays and Saturdays off from work.
He didn't wake her up instead he proceeded to transfer all off the fold out of the plastic trying to make as less noise as he could knowing how much of a light sleeper his girl is. After be put lids on all of the food thermoses — great investment YN made him do — he went to check in on her before he proceeded to clean up. She had a bad habit of covering up her face with the blanket and it scares it that she's going to suffocate herself even though she's assured him many times that she can breath in just fine.
He also found it a tiny bit odd seeing her asleep in late afternoon as she's not the one to take naps but, she had much more commissioned work to do she must've been tired. Shrugging it off Harry padded his wak to the living room.
And he was just right!
She had that damn blanker over her face. He crouched next to her.
"Hey, baby, do you wanna wake up?" He called tugging the blanket off her face, "lemme see you gorgeous, I missed you today!" He cooed when she wouldn't let go.
"Five minutes!" She whined.
"Okay, but lemme see you." He requested, "there you are!" He celebrated quietly seeing her face after long hours of the day. "Hello, my love." He leans down to kiss her forehead.
"Hi," she looked at him surprised, "you came early today?"
"Mhmm," he nodded, "thought we could spend some time together for the weekend."
"Oh, I'm sorry I fell asleep watching TV." She flops on her back to look at the TV was turned off, it must have turned off on it's own as it was left unattended. She did planned to watch favourite bakery YouTuber but she just fell asleep.
"It's alright," he assured her, "do you want to wake up now?"
"Mhmm." She nodded sitting up straight midway of her yawning out her tiredness away.
"You had a good sleep?" He proceeded to take a seat in front of her, she nods again as she wraps her arms around his middle for a quick cuddle. Taking the smell of his cologne, sweet, cold and earthy tones laced with hints of sandal wood, he always smelled like he'd just gotten out of a steamy souna. "I brought your favourite so you won't have to cook tonight." He shared, snaking his own arms around her.
It was her turn to cook tonight. Mainly every dinner was on her because she really fears Harry's either going to loose a finger or two in attempt of chopping veggies and stuff or burn down his beautiful home. So she just takes it upon herself to make food.
"You did?" Her voice came as a muffle against his chest.
"Yeah," he caressed her hair gently, "do you want to go out on a walk before we eat?"
"No, we can just stay in and watch a movie or something." She suggested, pulling away from his embrace politely.
"Yeah, we can do that." He agrees, anything to spend more time with her. Though they both haven't been out since past three weeks, at he goes out for work but she haven't left her house. Even to run her errands. She instead opts to get everything home delivered.
"Okay." She said pushing the blanket off her body noticing Harry was leaning in to steal a little kiss but she moves back, watching him cant his head and look at her confusedly. "I just woke up from a long nap."
"I don't mind." He chuckled, "haven't we had morning sex many, many times?"
She sighs watching him a little hurt and press her mouth onto his in a tender kiss. He kisses her back regardless with same love.
"I need to pee so bad!" She exclaims, trying to find energy to get up. Harry giggles at her adorable laziness and watches her make a run for the bathroom.
He walks back to the kitchen and cleans up all the mess he made, wiping down the counter where he managed to spill drops of gravy and bits of rice with paper towel. He threw away all the trash and noticed she hasn't taken it out today, so he took that out himself. He made himself and his love some tea. Opening the fridge to get milk for YN's tea he saw plate of waffles he left for her today.
She didn't even take a bite frim it. He also found little storage containers with more breakfast foods he made from four days ago. Haven't she been eating? Has she been eating out? He wondered.
Harry took out all the spoilt food from the fridge to throw it away but he kept it on the counter to wait for her come back out. He is well aware that he isn't the best at cooking but she could have told him not to make her anything. Yes, it would have hurt him but not this much.
"You didn't eat you breakfast." He spoke when he saw her walking back down the stairs. Caught, she almost tripped down.
"Be careful!" He rushed towards her rather quickly, holding onto her. YN shook her head jerkingly as if she was not trying to be dizzy. "Hey what's wrong, sweetheart? You alright?" She clung onto him like a koala.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm good." She nodded and stood back on het feet. Harry still walked to the sofa and her sit down as he fetched her some water. He sat next to her. "Baby what's wrong? Did you start your period?" He enquired, nit to be offensive but she does tend to feel dizzy or even pass out when she's on her period.
"No, I didn't." She gulped down half of that glass of water he gave her in one go.
It clicked to him, "did you not eat at all today? Not even the snacks I got you yesterday from the grocery trip?"
"No, I just fell asleep watching TV." She said, which entirely wasn't the truth but it was.
"I, uh, baby you need to tell me what is going on, okay? Of course you haven't been falling asleep from past four days, have you?" He was being too harsh with his interrogation so he stopped there waiting for her to answer. She just opted to drink from her water instead, so he pulled her closer to his side.
YN just leaned into his touch there. She hasn't been feeling quite good in her skin recently. So many reasons to unpack but she never felt like talking to him about it. He has helped her through many of her low, he's calmer and seems to think thoroughly in moments of crisis and she's so grateful to have found him.
Oh she couldn't list many things why she was feeling this way. Which she did not felt is right to talk about but the feeling of her stomach empty felt eerily right to her, lile it always did. She bas gotten over this in past and she's sure she can do it this time too. She loves food and she can't stay away from it really.
She did ate dinner with Harry every night. Though she served herself, quarter of what she eats, but ends up throwing up in the middle of the night in the downstairs bathroom. She just doesn't want to burden Harry with this. He's already pretty stressed with his next year's spring summer collection to be bothered by her.
"Hey, it's okay my darling angel," she heard Harry coo to her realising she has been sobbing now. "You know you can talk to me right, YN?"
"Mhmm." She nodded. "I don't know, I don't know what's, what's wrong I just want to go to bed." Her voice low like a sad whining little puppy between her cries. She's sure which are ugly too.
"Already?" He enquired which made her cry even more so it scared him. For the first time Harry didn't know how to help her or even know what was actually going on. "It's okay we'll talk about it when you're ready, okay? You want to watch TV instead?" And she just nodded.
Harry took the empty glass of water from her and kept it on the coffee table, he grabbed the remote and turned on the TV to play one of her favourite movie. He didn't even bother to change as he got her comfy next to him under the blanket she was wearing earlier. She looked up at him when she could feel his gaze on her, he just placed an assuring hand on her cheek.
"It's okay, I'm here." He whispered to her with a kiss on her forehead. YN just rested her head on his chest as she stared at the TV trying not to fall asleep on her problems the best she could.
"I, I think I wanna go on a walk." She suggested.
"Yeah?" He smiled at her, "lemme grab a jumper for you real quick then." He carefully peeled herself from her urging her to go put her shoes on, a little no-shoes-inside custom he's grown to follows since her stay. He ran upstairs to get her one of his hoodies which he helped her slip of as well put his own jacket on as it was getting a bit chilly outside.
"My baby," he tugged her closer to him, "our neighbours are getting Christmas spirit, aren't they?" He pointed out, little gruesome Halloween decorations already have been swapped with happy Christmas decorations. It made her feel that much more calmer.
"Yeah. We should put up some decorations too." She suggested looking around.
"We can do that tomorrow," he agreed. "Feel any better?"
"Mhmm." She sounded, "don't feel like talking about it."
"That's okay, whenever you're ready baby." He pressed a kiss on top of her head. It wasn't that late so they took the bus to the mall to look around for a Christmas tree. "We should get a real one."
"No, it's gonna die by the end of the week." YN chuckled at his suggestion. "We can reuse these ones."
"That's boring. A real would be eco-friendly options."
"Not when you'll have to buy another one to be put on actual Christmas day." She pulled him to the little gift section to look for inspiration to buy presents for his mum and sister. Whilst her parents didn't approved of Harry, his family welcomed her very warmly into theirs.
When they went back home, Harry tried to serve them dinner he bought with him. YN didn't say much but pushed around her food after taking three bites waiting Harry to finish up.
"Sunshine you didn't eat anything." He cooed to her, "a little more?"
"No, I, I ate." She shook her head, "I'm just not that hungry."
"Why not baby?" He pulled his chair closer to hers seeing tears brim in her eyes behind her glasses, "hey lovie, it's okay you can tell me."
"It just feels good to not to," she admitted, "I just don't want to eat."
"Well you gotta fuel your body, don't you? Why do you feel that way, hmm, do you wanna tell me?" He asked, carefully reaching for her hands in her lap.
"I don't know. It feels better to feel hungry and not eat. I deserve it." She choked, "I don't want to do that. But I don't want to feel this way either. I don't know what is going. I, I don't know what do!"
"Hey, c'mere." He got up picking her up with her legs wrapped around his hips as he walked upto their bedroom, somewhere she's more comfortable to talk. He tucked her under their blanket as he slipped next to her. She cried in his chest. "No one deserves to be hungry, okay? Especially my girl. It is going to be difficult but we can make things better."
"I don't mean to cry, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She cried even more.
"It's okay to cry, lovie, don't ever apologise for that." He held onto her tightly, "please don't take this a wrong way, okay? Do you think you want to get professional help? If not then it's fine, we'll figure out a way to make you better."
"I don't know," was her answer.
"That's alright!" He assured her, "you can take it all little by little okay? What do you say we start from tomorrow morning?"
"Mhm!" She nodded, "I want to sleep now."
"Of course my baby, go to sleep I'll be here when you wake up."
Harry had been trying to help his girl the best he could. It made him happy when she recently agreed on, he'd drove her to her therapist's office just this morning on his way to work.
Meanwhile they've been going on morning and evening walks, it helped her though it was not enough. But at least it was getting her somewhere to begin with. She'd still try and stall her way out of it, but Harry's there by her side.
He went home early today, to make them a nice dinner. Nice Tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches, it was her favourites as she ordered it on their first lunch date. He had Shania Twain playing in the background in low volume, as he sang along to her putting together a dinner.
"Where did you come from?" He heard his surprised girlfriend, she was stopped in the middle of the living room with her bag hung over her shoulder and a little paper bag from the tech shop. She must have bought another SD card he figured.
"Work...?" He laughed knowing exactly what she meant. He's been working late so it was a surprise to her, "how is your day going so far?"
"Good, had to mail the SD I had to my client so I went to buy a new one." She held up the tiny paper bag in her hand, "I am never taking his projects again for sure."
"Why are they demanding?" He asked.
"He's been constantly emailing me to mail the SD to him so that his wedding pictures don't get posted anywhere else it's infuriating I made him pay for it!" She ranted in one go as she stomped in kitchen and got herself a glass of water.
"Karen, isn't he?" He chuckled making her giggle too.
"You know how expensive SD cards are. God!" She sighed. "What are you doing?"
"Making us dinner." He he was chopping up Tomatoes for the soup.
"Do you want me to help you?" She offered, "please?"
"Why not baby!" he agreed.
"I'll go change real quick, don't start without me." She said already making her way out of the kitchen.
"Oi, come back here now!" He faux-scolding made her stop dead in her tracks, she walked back to him, "gimme a kiss." He leaned down to match her height with a cheesy smile on his face.
Of course she leaned in, her small hand cupping his jaw in between her thumb and fingers gently. Looking him dead in the dead with the softest smile he's seen on anything, waiting for her to give him the kiss. She pulled back to his dismay.
"Ask nicely next time." She tried to run away but he is rather swift with his moment he caught her by her hips and turning her around started tickling her. "Ah, Harry!" She squirmed, giggling.
"Is this nice enough?" He teased her, tickling her sides where she's more ticklish.
"Stop," she grabbed onto his elbows to stop him, catching onto her breath. He got his kiss. She smeared her lips on his the smile never fading. "We should get rid of your shirts and tank tops."
God he looked so deliciously handsome in his white tank!
"Why so? You don't like 'em?" He asked, his nose skimming against her cheek, making butterflies go haywire in his tummy.
"I do, but I prefer you without them." Taking advantage of their closeness to place another kiss on his mouth.
He chuckled softly, "well then let's go upstairs and fix it, would you like that?"
"I'd love that." She agreed, "but not now, I've got work." With that she slipped through his arms.
"You cheeky monkey!" He smacked her bum before she ran upstairs laughing. He'll have his way with her later!
"Put some more!" YN whined at Harry being skimpy at adding spices.
"No, it's gonna be too spicy!"
"You are literally so white, move!" She pushed him to a side.
"Hey!" He whined but he let her do her thing. At least she's trying to be involved.
Finally being done with cooking, they both sat down at the coffee table on the floor with their favourite show on the TV.
Harry doesn't like to make it too obvious to her, but he's always been keeping an close eye at her eating habits now. Not to be creepy. Not to be disrespectful. But he's doing it just to keep up with her progress. She was doing great last week, eating at least one full meal.
He saw her taking just two bites off her grilled cheese and a few full spoons of soup before she stopped.
"Baby?"
"Hmm?" She looked at him.
"How was your first session today?" He enquired.
"We talked." She started, "he said that it'll take a few sessions to see we get along and stuff. But so far I, I think he can help me."
"Yeah? I'm so happy for you, baby!" He smiled, pulling her in a brief embrace. "I love you."
"I love you too." She smiled, seemingly contained. "I can't eat anymore." She said putting back the spoon her bowl.
"You want me to make you something else?" He suggested, "it's okay, you can eat more later."
"No," she shook her head in disagreement, "I don't feel like it. I'm sorry, I know you came home early to cook and all. It just tastes bitter to me I don't know why. Sorry."
"Hey, stop apologising, babylove." He cooed, "it's okay. I promise."
"This is so bad." Her voice cracked, "I don't feel like eating sometimes and when I do, everything tastes, so, so bad. I don't know." A few tears make their way down her cheeks, "I feel like I'm being ungrateful for everything you're doing for me. I promise I'm not, I'm trying."
"I'm so proud of you for trying to get better, my love." He hugged her again, "it's alright. I can't imagine what you're feeling right now but I can tell you, I've never once felt you're being ungrateful, okay? It's okay, do you feel like eating right now?"
"Mhmm." She nodded.
"You want me to make you something else?"
"This is going to go to waste." She cried even more, feeling there are many people out there who are hungry and deserve to be fed and she's waste it all by simply not eating. It was a big internal turmoil she had been going through.
"It won't, I'll eat this for lunch tomorrow." He assured her, "you want me to make you Ramen?"
"What if I don't feel like eating that too?"
"Then that's fine, baby you don't have to cry. Please?" He requested, not knowing how to make her feel better. "Okay, let's go on a walk and see how you feel, what do you say?"
Another six months later. YN was doing better. She had to switch her therapist but she has been recovering well and good.
N O T E :
This was so difficult to write 🥺 but I tried. I am not sure how this one's gonna do.
I also apologise for the lame ending. I don't know how I should have ended it.
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@vrittivsanghavi @buckymydarlingangel @sweetwritingfanficfriend @theroosterswife24 @sleutherclaw @melllinaa @michellekstyles @sunshinemoonsposts @marialikescherries @japanchrry Lemme know if you want to added to the tag list
i've been struggling to get the creative juices going bc i can't find a plot/story i want to tell, so i've decided to just create an ambient AU without a specific plot to splash around in until i find some magic again. so here, i give u
you're on mute: an nyr tech company AU totally not inspired by my day job
-Project Manager Chris
*Drinks mushroom coffee
*Has a standing desk with a walking treadmill
*Has only ever missed one (1) deadline his first year as a PM and it haunts him to this day
-Change Management Coordinator Mika
*Got put on Kreids' vertical to replace Brassard which caused a small tizzy, but now Chris throws a fit when anyone has to step in for Mika for any reason
*AU where Mika never grew out the undercut bc this is a trendy tech company, an undercut is practically part of the nonexistent dress code
*Goes on shameless face journeys when someone starts bullshitting in one of his meetings
-Head Software Dev Artemi
*Visionary verging on delusional
*Comes across as happy-go-lucky until it's time to get serious and defend his work/vision or confront someone else's bullshit
*His ideas often have to be run past legal... just in case.
-Trust & Safety (Security) Vladi
*Technically a 3rd party contractor, but everyone forgets that he doesn't have "employee status" (access to company perks and events) bc he's almost universally respected/loved
*Mostly works in cybersecurity, but... there are rumors
*Isn't intentionally following Artemi around, but he's been "coincidentally" contracted to more than one company that Artemi has worked for
-HR Kaapo
*He's trying his best, but at this point he's just praying he doesn't find anyone fucking in the meditation room
*Has had to write up most of the D core for one reason or another
*Refuses to disclose how he lost a tooth or why he doesn't get a jib despite the company's excellent dental plan
-Visual Designer Key
*Visionary designer in both UX and fashion (which may have prompted an offshoot microbusiness for the company)
*Also used for any in-house demos and modeling
*Drives huge amounts of traffice to in-office events simply by saying he'll be there.
-Office Experience Coordinator Lafs
*The reason Key goes to the events :)
*Accidentally got Key in a bit of trouble at a company party a few beers in, getting Key to declare him his "favorite white boy"
*Insists there's a secret slide somewhere in the office; refuses to show anyone where it is, insisting that they just have to come in and explore themselves
-Software Quality Assurance Lead Igor
*The sole and singular reason the company has not gone bankrupt due to shipping bad code from the lower-ranked devs (Brodzy, Cuylle, Gus, the recently-canned Bones, etc. It's not that they're bad, they're just humans cranking out a large volume of cutting edge work.)
*LOVES to invoice Artemi for the amount of money saved by him not letting junk code go out. Artemi does not pay his checks, never has. This does not stop Igor.
*Is a talented developer in his own right, but his keen eye and quick analytics/reflexes make him invaluable in his current role, so there he stays.
-Marketing Head Troch (+ Coder Cools)
*His signature move is taking potential clients to his family's restaurant and recommending one of his nonna's signature recipes. Works like a charm.
*Took in rookie dev Cuylle when the kid moved to NY for the job but couldn't find an apartment in time. Will's supervisor has been delighted to see that he's adopted Vinny's ruthless, bottom-line-driven approach to innovation. Vinny is equally proud, even if he has no fucking clue what exactly Will is doing.
-Employee Assistance Counselor Tyler Motte
*Another 3rd party contractor, but you wouldn't know by how beloved he is.
*Has been brought to company events as a +1 more than once, actually missed an event bc people forgot he can't attend without an invite. He was sorely missed.
*Doesn't just do counseling sessions for employees, but also creates mental health content to be shared out broadly as preventative resources.
-Head of Operations Troubs
*Holds all the responsibility, catches all the shit.
*Wishes he was able to just be a friendly face and encourage all of his direct reports and unite the project management team, software engineers, and customer support teams, but unfortunately he does have a business to run.
*Folks on the lowest rung of the ladder have only ever seen his big goofy smile and have no idea how much of a hardass he can be/has to be in closed-door meetings.
-Head of Customer Support Foxy
*He is very young to be in his current position, and he feels the pressure, but is also remarkably capable. Troubs trusts him more than he trusts his literal right hand.
*Was a referral from Lindy, who's been his best friend since high school. At least, that's how Lindy summarized their relationship in the referral form. Kaapo is stressed enough as it is, and it's not like they're in the same part of the business anyway.
*Made it through Harvard School of Business, but hates to flex the fact. Lindy brings it up every chance he gets just to watch Foxy squirm.
-Compliance Officer Lindy
*Primary duty is saying no to Artemi's most boneheaded ideas. They may or may not be responsible for his thinning hair.
*Feels bad about the number of reports he has to bring Adam about the Customer Support organization operating out of legal guidelines, but they're in lockstep around what needs to be done every time.
*Got busted making out with Adam in a photo booth at a company party. Nobody was suprised, but the goss spread through Adam's direct reports like wildfire. They were stoked to see it was finally official. Lindy didn't have the heart to correct that it's been official since they were 17.
-Executive Assistant Schneids
*Just so happy (to be here)!!
*Comes across as a total airhead, so when he has to speak up in meetings and get things back on track, he always surprises with how dialed in and articulate he is.
*Is obviously Trouba's EA. It sort of makes him the head EA that the others look to for an example. He feels a lot of pressure to be a good example and not to embarrass Jacob, but his amiable nature and stealthy intelligence are always a positive reflection.
-Change Management Coordinator Wheels and QA Specialist Quickie
*Down to earth industry vets with talented young leads with less field experience than them.
*They roll with the status without taking it personally, cognizant that tenure with the company has more weight than general experience in this industry. Happy to continue to be relevant and collect a paycheck without having the weight of the world on their shoulders.
*Sometimes struggle to keep up with the super young culture of the company despite their best efforts.