#like with dr. sharma

[helpallthenamesaretaken]

@pjo-tvs-version @percabethlvr the same year we became friends, wottg came out and *coincidentally* there's filipino and indian representation in it. fate or what.

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

🦇 Good morning and happy Monday, bookish bats! I have no idea where the weekend went, but I hope you enjoyed every second! How did you spend your weekend? Is the Barbie song stuck in your head? It's stuck in mine!

💜 There are so many amazing books coming out in the next few weeks, but I wanted to highlight (hehe, see what I did there?) one by a favorite author of mine: Nisha Sharma, author of Dating Dr. Dil and Tastes Like Shakkar. Inspired by Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, Tastes Like Shakkar follows Bobbi and Bunty in a fun, spicy-sweet rom-com retelling! Though it comes out next Tuesday, I wanted to stir up your interest with a few of my favorite quotes (potential spoilers ahead)!

❓ #QOTD Have you read Dating Dr. Dil, and are you excited for the story to continue with Bobbi and Bunty?

OR ❓ What do you think of the new annotations format? I'm still experimenting.

[moonflowersandsparkles]

dating dr dil took years from my life that book reads like it was written on tiktok

may or may not have let my thoughts run in the tags

[sea-owl]

Had a funny thought. You know, in Asian dramas, how sometimes important people just hide out in the family company as a low level, probably minium wage worker for one reason or another? Imagine Violet doing that, but the reason she's doing low-level work is that she can freely spouse hunt for her kids.

Violet technically never has to work a day in her life again if she so wished to. But Violet also has a mission to find the perfect spouse for each of her kids, and in her mind, she's gonna get better insight of potential partners as the janitor to Bridgerton Industries than as Lady Bridgerton. She'll get to learn intresting things that anyone would normally hide around her.

And meet some interesting people Violet did indeed! Like Simon, the young man who runs Hastings Inc., Bridgerton Industries' biggest partner company. He always greeted Violet with a warm smile. Or that nice vet, Dr. Kate Sharma! She was brought in alongside a trainer when the company started using therapy dogs. Her sweet boy Newton always happily ran up to Violet.

There's also the two lovley girls that regularly go to tea with Violet. Sophie, who works down in the company's childcare facility. Oh she's so good with the children. There's also Penelope, who works for Danbury Publishing but sometimes gets loaned out to Bridgerton Industries to help edit things like newsletters and important emails.

Oh, there's also that smart boy Phillip! It's adorable how he'll go on about plants, he even brings flowers he grew himself! He's the brains in his family's company while his brother runs the office politics. If Violet remembers correctly their company and Bridgerton Industries are teaming up to make Bridgerton Industries more environmentally healthy.

Then there are those two, some would say, devilish twins Michael and Michaela. Violet often sees them when their cousin comes to talk business with Anthony. Michael, that charmer always had a few words to make Violet blush. Though Michaela really isn't any better. Violet is and yet isn't surprised they're the heads of PR over in their family's company.

The last two Violet really likes are these two interns. Gareth, well, Violet isn't sure where he's interning. She knows it's either at Danbury Publishing or Hastings Inc., maybe both? She knows she sees him often enough with Lady Danbury and Simon, and knows he's in school to study archeology. Lucy is Kate's little intern who works more as an assistant while she's in school to studying for her degree. They'll happily chat with Violet if they see her around on one of their visits.

Violet just knows they're the ones for her children. Now, how to get them to see?

[reasonsforhope]

Researchers from Western and Brown University have made groundbreaking progress towards identifying the root cause and potential therapy for preeclampsia.

The pregnancy complication affects up to eight per cent of pregnancies globally and is the leading cause of maternal and fetal mortality due to premature delivery, complications with the placenta and lack of oxygen.

The research, led by Drs. Kun Ping Lu and Xiao Zhen Zhou at Western, and Drs. Surendra Sharma and Sukanta Jash at Brown, has identified a toxic protein, cis P-tau, in the blood and placenta of preeclampsia patients.

According to the study published in Nature Communications, cis P-tau is a central circulating driver of preeclampsia – a “troublemaker” that plays a major role in causing the deadly complication...

“The root cause of preeclampsia has (so far) remained unknown, and without a known cause there has been no cure. Preterm delivery is the only life-saving measure,” said Lu, professor of biochemistry and oncology at  Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry...

“Our study identifies cis P-tau as a crucial culprit and biomarker for preeclampsia. It can be used for early diagnosis of the complication and is a crucial therapeutic target,” said Sharma...

Until now, cis P-tau was mainly associated with neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s disease, traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and stroke. This association was discovered by Lu and Zhou in 2015 as a result of their decades of research on the role of tau protein in cancer and Alzheimer’s.

An antibody developed by Zhou in 2012 to target only the toxic protein while leaving its healthy counterpart unscathed is currently undergoing clinical trials in human patients suffering from TBI and Alzheimer’s Disease. The antibody has shown promising results in animal models and human cell cultures in treating the brain conditions.

The researchers were curious whether the same antibody could work as a potential treatment for preeclampsia. Upon testing the antibody in mouse models they found astonishing results.

“In this study, we found the cis P-tau antibody efficiently depleted the toxic protein in the blood and placenta, and corrected all features associated with preeclampsia in mice. Clinical features of preeclampsia, like elevated blood pressure, excessive protein in urine and fetal growth restriction, among others, were eliminated and pregnancy was normal,” said Sharma.

Sharma and his team at Brown have been working on developing an assay for early detection of preeclampsia and therapies to treat the condition. He believes the findings of this study have brought them closer to their goal...

“The results have far-reaching implications. This could revolutionize how we understand and treat a range of conditions, from pregnancy-related issues to brain disorders,” said Lu.

-via India Education Diary, September 22, 2023

[welldressedllama]

Top 10 Ships Involving POC in 10 Different Fandoms (round 3)

Thanks for tagging me @blairwaldcrf!

Once again, these are in no particular order.

1 - Kanthony - Kathani "Kate" Sharma and Anthony Bridgerton, "Bridgerton"

2 - Valevans - Kyle Valenti and Max Evans, "Roswell, New Mexico"

3 - Paynland/Payneland - Charles Rowland and Edwin Payne, "Dead Boy Detectives"

4 - Spelivia - Spencer James and Olivia Baker, "All American"

5 - Bamon - Bonnie Bennett and Damon Salvatore, "The Vampire Diaries"

6 - Fayelissa - Melissa Glaser and Faye Chamberlain, "The Secret Circle"

7 - Devon x Conrad (Devrad??) - Devon Pravesh and Conrad Hawkins, "The Resident"

8 - SamBucky - Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes, Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)

9 - Gilijah/Eligia - Gia and Elijah Mikaelson, "The Originals"

10 - The Plastics Posse - Jackson Avery and Mark Sloan, "Grey's Anatomy"

I'm tagging @a-lil-bi-furious, @dr-lizortecho, and anyone else who'd like to do it. Cheers!

[covid-safer-hotties]

Also preserved in our archive

By Amy Norton

The virus can trick your body into attacking itself.

Brittany Underwood was 37 when she was hit with COVID early in 2021. Her case was mild, and, like the mom she is, she took care of everyone else because of course the rest of her family had it too. It wasn’t until a couple weeks later that she started to feel lousy—wiped out, constantly thirsty, and dealing with weird issues like blurry vision in one eye.

When Underwood brought those symptoms to her doctor, he decided to run some blood tests. “My blood sugar was through the roof,” Underwood tells SELF. It was so high, in fact, she ended up in the hospital that same day, where they handed her a diagnosis that would change her life: type 1 diabetes.

This autoimmune disease is most often diagnosed by the age of 14—it used to be known as juvenile diabetes because it’s the type that most often hits kids, teens, and young adults. Because Underwood was approaching 40, her case was unusual. But her doctors raised a possible explanation: She’d just had COVID, and they suspected the infection might have triggered her diabetes.

Nearly four years later, we have a lot more than suspicions. In fact, the pandemic has been blamed for a spike in type 1 diabetes. New cases in kids and teens jumped up 16% in the first 12 months of the pandemic and 28% in the following year. (Before 2020, the typical increase was 2% to 3% per year.) And it’s not just type 1. Other autoimmune diseases—including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriasis, and lupus—went up too. Exactly why that happens isn’t fully clear, Sonia Sharma, PhD, an associate professor at La Jolla Institute for Immunology, in La Jolla, California, tells SELF. “But,” she adds, “we do have some clues.”

When your immune system turns on you The idea that COVID could set off a chronic autoimmune disease might seem out there. But, Dr. Sharma says, “it’s not a new concept at all.” Autoimmune diseases are caused by a misguided immune system attack on the body’s own healthy tissue. For that to happen, a perfect storm of conditions has to come together. Genes definitely matter, Dr. Sharma says, since autoimmune diseases tend to run in families, and studies have tied certain genes to higher risks of the conditions. (Underwood says she has a family history of autoimmune diseases.) Your sex assigned at birth matters too: Autoimmune diseases are way more common in women than men, Dr. Sharma notes (though anyone can get them).

But those kinds of risk factors aren’t enough on their own. People have to be exposed to one or more “triggers” that tip the immune system into self-attack mode. And microbes are among those potential sparks, Akiko Iwasaki, PhD, professor of immunobiology at Yale School of Medicine, tells SELF.

Studies have linked a slew of infections—including super-common ones like the flu, cytomegalovirus, and Epstein-Barr virus—to various autoimmune diseases. Epstein-Barr, which eventually infects nearly everyone and is usually no big deal, may be the prime example: A recent study found that the infection likely plays a role in most cases of multiple sclerosis (an autoimmune disease that destroys the protective covering around nerve fibers).

There are different theories on exactly how it happens, but Dr. Iwasaki offers a (relatively) basic overview. First, she says, it’s a little known fact that everybody has some number of immune system cells that are “autoreactive,” meaning they’re capable of going rogue against you. Thankfully, they usually don’t. But in certain people, under certain circumstances, an infection might “activate” those autoreactive immune cells.

“Once they’re activated,” Dr. Iwasaki explains, “they can divide and travel to different tissues in the body, and may start to attack your own cells.” All of that, she adds, is more likely to happen when an infection generates lots of inflammation in the body. An ordinary cold probably won’t do that, but COVID might.

How big is the risk? Even though it can seem like we’ve been living with COVID forever, it’s still a very new thing. Because of that, Dr. Sharma says, it’s only recently that studies have been able to turn up strong evidence that the infection does trigger autoimmune diseases.

That includes this 2023 study of close to 4 million Americans. It found that people diagnosed with COVID had higher odds of developing autoimmune diseases over the next six months, versus COVID-free people. On average, they were roughly three times more likely to be diagnosed with conditions like RA, lupus, psoriasis, celiac disease, and type 1 diabetes.

Really important to point out here: Although three times more likely might sound huge, the risk of any one person developing an autoimmune disease after COVID is still low, Sara Martin, MD, medical director of Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s Adult Post-Acute COVID Clinic, in Nashville, tells SELF.

Another 2023 study, published in Clinical Rheumatology, helps put things into context. It found that of 565,000 people with COVID and no history of autoimmune disease, 1% were diagnosed with an autoimmune condition over the next 3 to 15 months. That was 43% higher than the rate among people who didn’t have COVID during the same period. Although that sounds like a lot, it was an increase from roughly 11 to 15 cases per 1,000 people per year. So…not a huge amount, but not something to dismiss either. And if you’re one of the unlucky people who does develop an autoimmune condition, that’s a heavy toll.

“All of a sudden I had this huge life-altering thing,” Underwood says of her diabetes diagnosis. People with type 1 have to take insulin injections every day to stay alive. So Underwood was forced to quickly learn the intricacies of carb counting, adjusting insulin doses, timing meals to avoid dangerous blood sugar drops—and managing them when they did happen. Time and experience, as well as connecting with other people with type 1 diabetes, have taught Underwood a lot. “But I’m still learning, three years later,” she says. “It’s just a constant thing. You can’t take a day off.”

Is there a way to protect yourself? At this point, many of us have had COVID more times than we’d prefer. So does your immune system get used to the virus, and maybe make an autoimmune reaction less likely?

Unfortunately, Dr. Iwasaki says, there’s reason to believe the answer is no. That’s based on what researchers have learned about long COVID, a collection of symptoms like extreme fatigue and brain fog that hits many people post-infection. Prior bouts of COVID do not seem to lower the odds of developing long COVID (and the risk might even go up each time you’re infected). Long COVID, Dr. Iwasaki notes, is different from autoimmune diseases like type 1 diabetes and RA because the cause isn’t clear and may be due in part to direct damage caused by the virus. But she and other researchers have found that autoimmune reactions to COVID infection may also be behind long COVID symptoms, at least in some people. “I think that’s one clue that reinfection would not lower the risk of autoimmune disease,” Dr. Iwasaki says.

Okay, now for the good news: COVID vaccination might be protective. For one, Dr. Martin says, research shows that vaccination can lower the risk of long COVID, and the more vaccine doses you get, the greater the protection.

There’s also this large study published last year by researchers in China, which found that although COVID was associated with an increase in many autoimmune conditions, those risks were lower among people who’d gotten at least two COVID vaccine doses, versus unvaccinated people.

It’s “absolutely” plausible that vaccination helps, Dr. Sharma says. Vaccination, she explains, primes your immune system to stop the COVID virus “at the front door”—your respiratory tract—so that it can’t hitch a ride around the body, churning up inflammation and, potentially, an autoimmune reaction. And while people can develop autoimmune disease after a mild case of COVID (as Underwood did), research suggests that the odds might be substantially greater if you become severely ill.

“We already recommend vaccination for everyone,” Dr. Martin points out. “It reduces the potential for severe COVID, and we know it also reduces the risk of long COVID.” If you’re worried about autoimmune disease (say, because you have a family history of them), Dr. Martin says that’s one more reason to stay up-to-date on your COVID shots.

[ilariyalavorowrites]

To be started list

I have more than a few stories waiting to be started in the pipeline. I'm sharing the list with you guys. Some have titles and summaries, others don't, so suggestions are welcome. I will likely start with my Bridgerton story.

Once (9-1-1)

Pairing: Eddie Diaz x reader x Evan Buckley

It was only meant to be a one time mistake but then why did it keep happening over and over again. Maybe it was time to discover what this truly was.

What would neighbours think (Downton Abbey)

Pairing: Cora Crawley x Reader x Robert Crawley

Imagine: O’Brien misinterprets you, a housemaid training to be Lady Edith’s Lady's maid returning in the wee small hours as an attempt after her job. A few well-placed threatening words when she catches you alone, one evening whilst staying at Crawley House in London results in your disappearance which is soon noted.

Poly CM Beyond Borders

Pairing: Jack Garrett x Reader x Karen Garrett

Over the Horizon Epilogue

Pairings: Shawn Michaels x reader x Chris Jericho

Scorching - Poly Chicago Med

Pairings: Connor Rhodes x Reader x Ethan Choi

Imagine: Imagine after a series of heated nights together, what you thought was becoming something more seems to fade as Ethan and Connor distract themselves from you. Only for you to walk head first into a dangerous situation when a patient turns hostile.

Delirious Happy Endings Epilogue

Pairing: Connor Rhodes x Reader

Time enough for Love (Bridgerton Poly)

Pairings: Kate Sharma x Reader x Anthony Bridgerton

Imagine: A mission to ensure Kate and Anthony find each other during the social season of 1814. Time travels into the past to ensure that crucial moments occur. However, you find yourself falling in love with the pair. It breaks your heart when it comes to leaving and returning to the future.

Sweet Enough (Fated to you sequel)

Pairings: Elliot Stabler x Reader

Imagine a soulmate AU where newly divorced Elliot Stabler has a soul mark wrapped around his wrist and finds out that it’s the newest member of the SVU team, before awkwardly asking you to go get a coffee with him

In the cold harsh light of day (CAOS poly)

Pairing: Nick Scratch x Sabrina Spellman X Fae!Reader

Imagine: Imagine being a member of the face court, living in the mortal realm where you find yourself in a poly triad with Nick and Sabrina. With the threat of void on the horizon, your family wishes to return to the forest but you wish to remain. Unhappy with this choice, you are tricked into returning at the bequest of your Fae King and Queen. Only to be shackled whilst the events of Season 4 play out until Death presents itself to you with a new choice. A way out or salvation?

Lone Rider (9-1-1 Lone Star)

Pairings: Owen Strand x Reader

Imagine: Imagine crushing on your boss Owen Strand since starting at the firehouse. Never having the courage to admit your feelings. Until you wake up one morning to find yourself in bed with him. In a panic, you make yourself scarce. No awkward conversation follows in the days after but every decision has consequences.

Crossing that line - (Power Rangers Dino Thunder)

Pairing: Tommy Oliver x Reader

Summary: After a strange encounter with one of the victims of Mesogog’s most recent monsters. You find yourself alone with Dr Oliver as you both begin to experience strange symptoms. Not knowing that this monster whose DNA was combined with an aphrodisiac plant. Buried and denied feelings rise to the surface.

If anyone wants to be tagged for any of the above. Please let me know either comment or message me

[newtonsheffield]

Dr. Sharma pestering Dr. Bridgerton on his follow up care for Edwina? Coffee and pastries as a thank you for fitting her in for a consultation...

Kate calling every 15 minutes like “Have you gotten the results of Edwina’s gestational diabetes screener yet?”

And Anthony’s just standing in line at the coffee shop like “Kate, I called to ask if you wanted a muffin, you know I can’t discuss your sister as my patient when she’s not present.”

“I obviously want an apple and cinnamon muffin, Anthony, but I’m worried about my sister.”

Anthony sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, “I told you, this test is a formality. Everyone has to do one at 26 weeks. I’m not worried.”

“Oh so you have the results.” Kate clipped and Anthony nearly groaned. “Will you answer me?”

“Give me one second and you can go back to being the most stunningly infuriating woman I’ve ever met. I’m ordering your muffin.” Anthony smiled at the barista apologetically holding the phone away from his ear. “Hi can I can an Americano and an iced latte with three shots and an apple and cinnamon muffin? Thanks, keep the change.”

“I didn’t ask you for coffee.” Kate tutted as he came back to the call.

“I know you need one from your tone.”

“Anthony, please, I’m worried.”

He felt it, the concern she must be feeling and he groaned, “Babe, please, they aren’t back yet. I’ll call her and Matthew as soon as I have them.”

Kate sighed and he could almost see her, slumped against the wall of the hospital corridor. “Still can’t call him Matty hey?”

“I can’t. He’s going to be a father, I can’t In good conscience call him that.” Anthony clicked his tongue, smiling to himself.

“You know I trust you right? I trust you with this, I do.”

It caught in his chest and he nodded before he remembered she couldn’t see him, “yeah I know, I have to say though, if I knew it was going to be like this: I probably wouldn’t have taken her on as a patient.”

“I appreciate that you did it against your better judgement.” Kate chuckled and silence welled between them before she cleared her throat, “I do want to talk more about the Babe that just slipped out though.”

And Anthony’s stomach dropped.

[apinchofm]

tagged by my lovely @lavellenchanted.

six characters i am most like!

from top to bottom: dr miriam shepherd from a discovery of witches, kate sharma (bridgerton) amy march (little women), bonnie bennet (tvd), sydney adamu (the bear), edwina sharma (bridgerton)

tagging @waterlilyrose @phantomphaeton @angel-starbeam @orangepeelshortbreadcookies @mimix007 @dreamofme9 @dreamstone28737

[triviareads]

I'm confused how they chose the books for the Times top romances list.

So they actually laid out their criteria in this article. Here is the most pertinent bit:

[We spoke] with booksellers, editors, authors, and other industry experts who helped us understand the nuances and evolution of romance. These conversations helped shape the entries on this list (all books in the English language), which TIME editors honed by considering key factors including ingenuity, commercial success, acclaim, and impact, aiming to curate a list that celebrates the burgeoning inclusivity of the genre.

They also elected not to include books that are formative to the genre but were too rapey for them (ex: stuff written by Judith McNaught, which, I imagine they're referencing Whitney, My Love), have more elements of non-romance genres than romance (ex: fantasy romances like A Court of Thorn and Roses and Fourth Wing), or did not have a happily ever after or a happy for now (which is the most valid criteria of the three for exclusion imo).

My thoughts on the actual list.... I was impressed only because my bar was so low after seeing similar lists like the ones Goodreads puts out periodically and whatever NYT put out a couple weeks back that had like, ZERO romances and people were understandably annoyed. And because my bar was so low, I was surprised by the number of romances written by authors of color that featured main characters of color. Can we do better? Always, but my bigger issues were the following:

a) JANE AUSTEN DID NOT WRITE ROMANCES. Neither does Frances Burney who actually inspired Austen quite a bit. Both wrote novels of manners that had romance subplots and even then the level of the romance is different compared to how we see the genre today.

b) I was surprise by how few queer romances there were. Like, I love Red, White and Royal Blue but there is more to queer romances than that, and Alexis Hall's Boyfriend Material. I did appreciate that Chef's Choice by TJ Alexander, which has a trans hero, was on the list (I've yet to read it but it's on the TBR!) but otherwise.... come on, we can do better.

c) I also noticed a couple instances of the first book in a series being on the list, but those were necessarily the best ones. Like, Dating Dr. Dil isn't.... Nisha Sharma's strongest work by far BUT Tastes Like Shakkar, book two in the series is definitely miles better. Same for Alexis Daria's You Had Me At Hola; the book after it, A Lot Like Adios, had a more unique, subversive plot and had two queer leads! Same for A Caribbean Heiress in Paris which, while I loved it, again, book two, An Island Princess Starts a Scandal was more subversive as far as the genre goes and had a romance between two women.

[cami-stuffs]

Pushing Towards You

Chapter 15: Puzzle Pieces

A/N: This chapter is a little shorter than usual, but it's crucial for the following.

Tag: @pllduniverse

Monday morning, Calista and Artemis sat in Dr. Maina's office, accompanied by Larissa and Gaia. The girl sat between her two mothers and seemed nervous, looking around the doctor's room and lingering a little longer on the diplomas hanging on the wall behind his desk. Artemis's hair's roots were blackened, her eyes were gray, and Larissa recognized signs of out-of-control shapeshifting. Calista and Gaia knew these symptoms; Artemis, as a child, constantly shifted her appearance when she faced emotional crises.

When Dr. Maina entered the room, the girl started, her hair darkening even more. Larissa passed Calista surreptitiously and stopped behind the girl, placing hands on her shoulders and squeezing lightly. It was a simple gesture, but now Artemis was surrounded by the other three women, with only the doctor in front of her. Calista noticed that the new arrangement of people calmed her daughter and gave Larissa a slight smile of gratitude.

Dr Maina greeted Calista and Larissa and introduced himself to Gaia and Artemis. With Larissa right behind the girl and the little difference in height between them, their similarity caught the doctor's attention even more. The locks of blackened hair were retracting, and the eyes were beginning to turn blue when Artemis greeted Dr. Mainá, but these small details did not go unnoticed by her trained gaze.

"No need to worry, miss. We're all friends here." Dr Maina patted the girl's hand, reassuring her. "It's a pleasure to meet you; I've heard much about you." He glanced at Calista, who returned a smile and a nod.

Dr Maina demonstrated sensitivity in not directly addressing the topic of the day. Instead, he showed deep curiosity about Nevermore since everyone there was related to the Academy except him. The doctor had already heard about the school but had never met anyone who had studied there. Now, he was facing three former students and one current student. Furthermore, his boss, Dr Sharma, also attended there.

The three women looked at each other, and it was natural for Larissa to take the lead in talking about the school; after all, she was the director. But Gaia was surprised when Larissa asked her to speak about Nevermore, saying she probably explored her lands the most as a student and teacher. Dr Maina demonstrated curiosity about this knowledge, and Gaia explained that it was due to her abilities involving plants.

"It's not an uncommon ability." Gaia pointed out timidly.

"Indeed, it is not." The doctor agreed. "But during my studies, I realized that, despite having similar abilities, outcasts are unique. When abilities are inherited, it is possible to verify certain differences between parents and children."

Gaia did not comment on the doctor's explanation but remained thoughtful. Calista knew that Gaia’s abilities had been inherited from her deceased father, with whom she was extremely close. Gaia probably remembered all the moments when she and her father worked together on the soil. Suddenly, a smile formed on her face. Calista knew she had found some happy memory, and therein lay the difference between her and her father.

For Calista, it was easy. She inherited her telekinesis abilities from her mother. Calista was more comfortable with metallic materials, while her mother preferred wood. Furthermore, Calista was mentally stronger to deform objects and carry them longer.

"We see this a lot. Due to genetic variability, children are typically stronger than their parents." Dr. Maina said, shifting his gaze to Larissa. "Unlike those abilities that are not inherited, which occur spontaneously. Individuals like this tend to be stronger than normal."

"Shapeshifters." Larissa stammered, exchanging looks with Artemis.

"Exactly, Ms. Weems." Dr Maina nodded. "It's safe to say that your ability is unique to your family, or at least you're the first to manifest it after many generations."

"I'm the first in my family," Larissa said, lowering her eyes. "For many years, my parents thought I had no ability. Until I changed during a crying outburst for some unknown reason."

"I imagine it was a surprise." Dr Maina said with a gentle look.

"Yes. It never stopped being a surprise to them." Larissa started fidgeting with her fingers. "Maybe that's why I spent my entire youth in Nevermore. They wanted me away from home as long as possible."

Calista knew this story. That's why she always kept Larissa's secret safe, even from her family. Gaia and Artemis heard for the first time that Larissa had been rejected by her family. If not dismissed, neglected.

"Outcasts among outcasts." Dr. Maina said darkly.

For a few seconds, silence fell over them. Calista took the opportunity to hold Larissa's hand and squeeze it lightly.

"And that brings us to you, miss." Dr. Maina broke the silence, addressing Artemis. "The first shapeshifter in the family."

"Spontaneous mutation?" Artemis took a risk. She seemed half disappointed, half curious.

"That would be my first guess. Just like Ms. Weems." Dr. Maina said, indicating Larissa. "However, there are some nuances to this story. You know the relationship between your mother, Calista, and Ms. Weems, right?"

"Yes. But how? Based on the dates, it wouldn't be possible, right?" Artemis talked about it not being possible for Larissa to be her mother.

"There's a hypothesis I've been working on since I met your mother and Ms. Weems." The doctor stopped and took out a notebook with his notes from a drawer. "You're right, the dates don't match. But, take a look at the two of you. You are incredibly similar." He pointed at Larissa and Artemis while gazing at the four faces before him. "Have you ever heard of chimeras?"

"Yes, of course, from mythology. But what does that have to do with it?" Artemis was confused. They all were.

"Remember, it's just a guess, yes? We still need to run tests." Dr. Maina carefully restarted. "While conducting my studies, I came across female shapeshifters who shifted their shape down to the gamete level and, in this way, impregnated their partners." After a pause, he continued. "That would be the case if Calista had gotten pregnant right after their last night together."

The mention of the school reunion night made Calista tense. Many memories and many feelings surrounded that night.

"But that didn't happen." Gaia interrupted. "Calista became pregnant by the donor many years after that night."

"Which brings us to the chimera." Dr Maina resumed speaking. "The hypothesis I'm working with, Miss Artemis, is you are a chimera. You are a mix of your mother, Calista, the normie donor, and Ms. Weems. You carry the genes of all three."

"But wouldn't that make me her mother?" Larissa asked a little louder than she would have liked.

The looks changed quickly depending on the interlocutor. No one wanted to miss any exchange of information.

"Not exactly." the doctor shook his head. "That's where the hunch comes in. That night, you didn't change your form at the gamete level but left your mark."

Gaia chuckled at that moment. Artemis moved in her chair and lowered her head. Calista gasped. And Larissa blushed heavily.

"Again, it's a guess. But your mark fused with Calista's gametes that night. There, the first chimera was formed. An egg with two genes." Dr Maina stopped, waiting for a question. But all four women remained silent, processing the information. "Probably, in every ovulatory period, a chimera was formed and was lost until the moment of actual conception. In this way, another chimera was formed. A fetus with three genetic materials."

"Ms. Weems, you are not Miss Artemis's mother because Ms. Cos'Anto produced the eggs." He summarized. "Your cells, Ms. Weems, require only a small sample of foreign tissue for the change to occur. And as a unique feature, shapeshifters excel. That's why Miss Artemis looks like you. She's not your daughter, but she is part of you."

Again, silence fell in the room. It was possible to cut the tension with a knife. The others were still processing the information when Artemis spoke.

"But how do we know for sure?" she asked. "How many chimeras are out there?" Just when she thought she was fitting in somewhere, they ripped her away again.

"To verify this hypothesis, I need a biological sample from you, Ms. Weems, and Ms. Cos'Anto." He said. "But in your case, Calista, I must extract an egg. This shouldn't be a problem if you haven't gone through menopause. But if it has, we'll need to start hormone treatment." He said, looking at Calista.

"That won't be necessary. I'm not in menopause yet." Calista replied, blushing slightly.

"Let me see if I understood." Gaia began before anyone else could say anything. "Artemis is a chimera. She has genes from Calista, Larissa, and the donor. But Larissa cannot be considered a mother because Calista produced the gamete. Larissa's cells fused with Calista's, right? So, if Calista got pregnant again, would the next child also be a pipe dream?”

"Great question, Ms. Rivera." Dr Maina said. "The answer is I don't know. If Calista becomes pregnant with another donor, another chimera baby is possible. But if Calista becomes pregnant with Larissa, there is a possibility that this baby will not be a chimera due to shared genes."

Gaia and Artemis turned their heads together to look at Calista and Larissa after the mention of a pregnancy. Calista's first reaction was to deny it.

"I'm not going to get pregnant again. Not at my age." Calista said, avoiding looking at Larissa.

Calista and Larissa hadn't talked about children. For Calista, having another child was not even in the discussion. For Larissa, the idea of having a child with Calista was to start a real family. But they still needed to get to that stage of talking about it. At what Calista said, Larissa shrank slightly.

"Well, before we continue with the tests, I will need authorization from the two mothers since Artemis is a minor and the consent of Calista and Larissa to remove their biological material." Dr Maina continued without noticing the tense atmosphere in the room.

"If that's what Artemis wants, to know her origins, I'm in favor. Just tell me where to sign." Gaia anticipated.

Calista and Larissa reiterated their support for Artemis if the girl wanted to continue the investigations. Of course, Artemis didn't hesitate to say she agreed to continue.

"I will ask my team to prepare the necessary documentation and supplies. As soon as everything is ok, I will contact you again to collect the samples." Dr. Maina concluded.

After the meeting, the group was leaving Dr. Maina's office when the doctor stopped them to ask Artemis a question.

"Have you ever tried to move objects using telekinesis?"

"Telekinesis? No. I'm a shapeshifter." Artemis replied.

"You're a chimera. It wouldn't surprise me if you inherited your mother's abilities besides Ms. Weems'. Think about it." Dr Maina said. And with a smile, he said goodbye to the group.

Artemis was incredulous at the possibility of having yet another ability. Gaia imagined a shapeshifter, Artemis, who moved and deformed objects with her mind. "Unique!" in the words of Gaia. Larissa was strangely quiet, and Calista noticed. On the way home, Larissa used her attention to the road as an excuse not to engage in the conversation. Gaia and Artemis were too engrossed in conversation about the meeting to notice. But Calista knew Larissa and knew they would have to have a frank discussion about the future sooner or later.

Chapter 14 | Chapter 16

[a-cloud-for-dreams]

timeless

Pairing: Radha Basu x Deviya Sharma

Radha x Devi Taglist: @agattthaa

A/N: I had a dream about Radha and Devi (technically the entire Basu family) but scrambled to turn it into something for my beloveds. I’m just gonna *casually* toss it into existence and run away because idk how good this is

Fun Fact: To all the readers who know about my Choices OH MC, Dr. Chandini Ramakrishnan, the woman referred to in this fic is her mother (Naveen Banerji's daughter)!

Divider Credit: @saradika

Basu Residence, Present Day

“Please, I urge you to reconsider-”

The woman held a hand up to stop the man from speaking further. “My mother died without once mentioning its existence. This is the first time I’m stepping foot in this home!”

“But…she did Miss,” he scratched his head. “Every summer she and your father visited India, they stayed here, even when a hotel would have been more convenient. They brought you here all the time when you were a baby, and I know it would break her heart for you to sell it. Not to mention Dr. Banerji-”

“I don’t remember asking for unsolicited advice, please just move all the previous belongings out," she sighs, signaling for him to leave. She didn't have time to worry about family property now, especially since her mother died years ago. She should be at home with her daughter and husband. But of course, Father insisted I handle this when I'm at my busiest!

She turned her gaze to a portrait half covered by a rich purple cloth. It was of a woman she didn’t recognize at first. She uncovered the portrait carefully, as if she was scared of disrupting her serenity. She slowly traced over the woman's dark brown hair and around her amber eyes, combing through her memories to assign a name to the face in front of her. Her father must have mentioned her at least once...

Wanting to see what else was hidden throughout her home, she spun too quickly, causing a tower of boxes to topple over. The woman scoffed. Just what I need! She bent over to gather everything that fell when a mahogany box with gold accents drew her eye. The lock broke open after the fall, revealing its contents that were filled to the brim.

Upon further inspection, she found a collection of handwritten letters tied in a bundle with string. Some appeared to be incomplete drafts but others were pages long. They were neatly organized in the box before they were sprawled out on the floor. She picked up each letter, tracing over the words.

But I find myself thinking about her more and more. It’s hard to focus on anything else when she’s mere steps away...She looks even more radiant with flowers braided into her hair.

I played with the ring on my finger, she gifted it to me a few days ago. She said she named the purple stone after me, but she doesn't know that how my heart skipped a beat after hearing those words.

It took all of my strength not to run up to her and embrace her in front of everyone. They can’t know, they can never know.

She's sleeping soundly, next to me. I feel her warmth, her hand resting over my belly. I should be asleep as well, this is the most peace of mind I've had since, I don't even remember how long! It doesn't matter what happened before. I'm all hers, and she's all mine.

Mine...

The words rippled through her mind like the ocean tides. Powerful. Touching. Overwhelming. She pressed a hand over her warm forehead, feeling her mind trapping itself in a haze. A primal headache overtakes her senses. She leaned against one of the pillars to regain her thoughts and catch her breath, but she failed. She couldn't help but scream.

Basu Residence, 1913

Radha Basu was annoyed, bordering on angry. Well, as much as she could possibly be. As Devi always teases, she could never stay mad at her beloved for long. But this time, she intended to remain strong and teach her a lesson. The Basu heiress heard quiet footsteps trailing behind her, initiating her plan.

"You look nice," Devi said with a smirk. It took all of Radha's self-control for her lips not to curl into a faint smile. Don't smile! You're mad at her!

"Did I not look nice before?" she says, her voice purposefully devoid of emotion.

"I never said that."

Radha scoffed, tucking a few loose strands of hair behind her ear. Devi frowned, crossing her arms over her chest. She looked both ways, making sure the room was clear before hugging Radha from behind, Devi's arms loosely wrapped around the Basu heiress's waist. She buried her head into the crook of Radha's neck, taking pleasure in her warmth after spending the cold morning riding Deimos.

"I know what happened today." Devi stilled, Radha waited to see if she would say anything in her defense before continuing. "How long did you think you could hide this from me?"

Devi sighed, moving away from Radha. "It was an accident, the doctor said it would heal fine!"

"What if it wasn't! What if something happened to you that wouldn't heal so quickly? You can't keep recklessly endangering yourself!" Radha exclaimed, placing a hand over her forehead.

Devi's eyes widened and she took Radha's hands and placed them in hers. "Is there something else bothering you, my darling?" Radha sucked in a breath, shivering at the direct contact of her cold hands.

"N-no," her voice faltered. Devi gave her a look before pulling Radha closer to her and kissing her forehead. She rubbed her lower back as well, hoping to ease her tension.

"Please don't make me worry. We're already kept apart for most of the day, I want our few moments to be filled with joy and laughter, not sorrow."

Radha sighed, blinking away the tears forming in her eyes. It was a bittersweet feeling, to love someone so deeply that you were petrified of any danger fate may throw their way. This was her Devi. The one who comforted her when she needed support. The one who would risk her family legacy for her. The one who loved her unconditionally and never made her feel anything less than extraordinary.

"I don't want you to leave me like Raj did."

It took all of Devi's willpower not to groan. Sometimes, it astonished her how deep a scar that man left on her darling. She picked her next words carefully, her hands massaging her shoulders.

"I would never do that to you, what he did is completely different-"

"I don't mean it like that!" Radha yelps, not wanting her to get the wrong idea. She takes in a deep breath before continuing. "I know you would never do that. But you aren't blind to everything around us. I am to marry your uncle, you're to be married off to de Clare-"

"Ah! Don't remind me!"

"Devi, I just..." she runs a hand through her thick black hair. Her thoughts were a mess, there was a heavy burden placed on both of them. "I don't think I could exist in a world without you in it. I know I can't. And here you are putting yourself in danger every chance you get!"

"You know I'm doing this for us, for Rati and Kairas," her voice became strained thinking of their deaths. "How can I rest knowing there's a murderer amongst us?"

The Basu heiress sighed, looking away. Devi was right, and her heart ached with a strong desire to make those responsible for the fire pay. They would suffer for the pain they caused. The damage was done, but unfortunately for them, they will not be given an ounce of mercy.

Devi smiled softly, her fingers tilting Radha's chin upwards to meet her gaze. She teases, "You will never lose me, even if I come back as a bhoot I will only haunt you."

Radha rolled her eyes lovingly. "How romantic you are, Miss Sharma."

Devi smirks, her lips grazing Radha's ear. She whispers:

"There is nobody I could ever love more than I love you..."

Basu Residence, Present Day

The woman collapsed, breathing heavily. Her hair was disheveled and her hands felt dirty from the dried ink rubbing off on them. She tried rocking back and forth to quell the murmurs in her head as the tingling sensation in her fingertips gnawed away at her psyche. The man from earlier ran back, bringing a glass of water. He placed it near a bench before crouching next to her.

“Miss, are you alright?” the man tried comforting her. She remained still, unable to form coherent words.

I must be going insane.

“Y-yes, don’t make a big deal out of it,” she smoothed over the ends of her skirt. “I’m fine.”

The man looked puzzled, staring at her for a beat too long. The woman looked confused. She snapped her fingers to call for his attention.

“I apologize, it's just--you remind me of them,” he vaguely gestures at the portraits. "I've heard the rumors but seeing you face-to-face after so long..."

She rolls her eyes. “How clever you are. This may come as a shock, but we are related.”

He shakes his head, chuckling. “No, I mean you have their fire. I haven’t seen it in quite some time. You come from a family of very strong-willed women, you know.”

She was hit by a sudden pang of sadness by his intensity. No, I don't know. Questions immediately surfaced at the forefront of her mind. Who were those women? Why did she see them just now? Did they manage to protect their relationship till the very end?

She didn’t say anything, but hearing the man's words made her feel like she’d lost something she’d never known. Like a piece of her past was being erased right in front of her.

And the worst part? She didn't even know what she was missing.

[bisexualchrissycunningham]

Readers, I am on the verge of giving up on the romance genre. I need people to recommend books that I won't hate.

Please, I'm dying. I just wanna read cute stories about love without a bunch of regressive gender stereotypes or just straight-up abuse. Is that really so much to ask??? Anyway I'm gonna list things I love and hate about the genre and perhaps some of you kind people could make some suggestions based on that?

Romances I've liked: Emily Henry's Happy Place (I actually cried at this one!); Talia Hibbert's Get a Life, Chloe Brown; Evie Dunmore's A League of Extraordinary Women series; Alexis Hall's Boyfriend Material; Casey MacQuiston's Red White and Royal Blue (although the politics in this one really turned me off the first time I read it); Meg Cabot's The Princess Diaries series (a classic); Sangu Mandanna's The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches (I love a romance that has a lovable cast of supporting characters and some other elements going on beyond the love story!); Jen Wang's The Prince & the Dressmaker

Stuff I hate in romance: Most enemies to lovers (cause the most recent wave of this trope is primarily men abusing women in some way, but if you've got a suggestion that isn't that, please tell me), when Being Tall is treated as a entire personality for men, generally men being So Large and women being So Smol cause it almost always leans into weird gender shit that makes me uncomfortable, super innocent virginal girls who are almost childlike being "corrupted" by mean fuckboys, the entire dark romance genre (are you seeing the trend about things I hate... lol), Instalove (Chanel Cleeton's Next Year in Havana was SO guilty of this)

Romances I disliked/DNF'd: Abby Jimenez's Part of Your World (the female lead was insufferable!); Jasmine Guillory's The Wedding Date (some of the character work was interesting but I just got bored with the story tbh); Heather Cocks & Jessica Morgan's The Royal We (just SO boring but that's what I get for reading Will & Kate fanfiction); anything that started as R*ylo fic cause they, and Twilight before them, are basically the blueprint for what I find fundamentally un-romantic about a lot of romance (I might be willing to give something by Ali H*zlewood a try, as a few Booktubers I trust have said her writing has gotten better with each new book she's published BUT the word steminist is the most cringe thing I've ever heard so maybe not)

Romances that sound interesting but I've been burned so much I just don't know: Helen Hoang's the Kiss Quotient; Beth O'Leary's The Flatshare; Lyssa Kay Adams' The Bromance Book Club; Olivia Waite's The Lady's Guide to Celestial Mechanics, India Holton's Dangerous Damsels series, Nisha Sharma's Dating Dr. Dil

Heeeelp.

[theflowerofhumanity]

Green-Blooded Jealousy

Among the crew of the USS Enterprise, the Bridge officers saw a disproportionate amount of action. Those privileged few, orbiting the captain like so many moons, regularly had the kind of adventures that motivated exhausted but starry-eyed cadets in Starfleet Academy to study just a little harder and to stay up just a little later.

But those officers could also be somewhat isolated by the rarefied air of the Bridge. They were usually the last ones to hear the latest gossip, even the salacious, speculative kind that tore through the rest of the ship in just a few days. There were exceptions to this rule, of course: Lieutenant Uhura was a popular social butterfly, and as chief engineer, Scotty probably heard all kinds of talk but was wise enough not to repeat any of it while he was on duty. The ship’s first officer, though, might have been the very last to hear any of it. Spock tended to ignore all but the tallest tales even when he did hear them. In typical Vulcan fashion, he dismissed anything that lacked the potential to threaten the overall morale of the crew and fortunately, nothing had fit that description this early in the voyage.

The same privilege and separation from the lower decks that put the Bridge crew out of the loop made them a favorite subject of that same gossip. Half of the women on board carried a torch for one of the senior officers, with Captain Kirk’s boyish good looks and charm making him the clear front-runner. To some ordinary crewmen, the captain and his inner circle were more like celebrities than fellow members of Starfleet.

So when two crewmen working alongside him in the lab struck up a conversation about a relatively recent rumor, Spock took notice only when one of them remarked, “Chapel? The blonde with the great legs? Damn. Some guys have all the luck.”

His companion chuckled. “Well, I don’t see your epaulets, Sharma. Everyone knows she’s been sweet on a Bridge officer for months. You think she’s going to be interested in a lab rat?”

Spock frowned, his hands going still. Under the influence of an alien virus, Christine Chapel had confessed that she was in love with him not so long ago. He remembered the encounter with crystal clarity—and he knew that it had caused her a great deal of embarrassment. But how had that translated into this supposed common knowledge? Since neither man was paying any attention to him, however, it appeared that no one had correctly guessed for which Bridge officer the head nurse had eyes. In any case, their talk had already moved on to a different topic. Spock went back to his research, putting thoughts of Christine (and her great legs—the observation had been slightly crude but accurate nonetheless) in the back of his orderly mind.

It never occurred to him to wonder about the identity of the man.

A few days later, Spock laid claim to the empty corner of a rec room for dinner and a game of chess with Jim. The chatter from a table near the door washed over him like so much white noise as he began setting up the tridimensional board. Until—

“He was with her down there, after all. On Exo III, I mean.”

Exo III. The name was enough to pique Spock’s interest. They’d found Dr. Roger Korby—or whatever had remained of him—on that desolate planet. He lifted his eyes from the chess pieces he was arranging, unconsciously tilting his head with curiosity. The speaker was an ensign whose auburn hair was almost indistinguishable from her uniform.

“I guess chivalry’s not dead,” her dark-haired companion remarked, laughing.

“Not while Captain Kirk’s alive,” agreed the redhead. “I heard that they’ve been seeing each other for months already. If that’s true, it seems like a pretty quick rebound, but well…can you blame her?”

The brunette lifted one non-committal shoulder. “He’s not really my type.”

“Sure, you say that now, but if he turned that gigawatt smile on you—”

“It’s a megawatt smile at most.”

Both of them rose from the table and headed for the door, giggling as they continued to bicker over the order of magnitude that best described the power contained within Jim Kirk’s smile, not that either girl had probably ever seen that expression for themselves.

A deafening silence accompanied the ensigns’ departure. Spock didn’t recognize his own sudden, intense agitation until he swept the board he’d just assembled off the table. He stared with astonishment first at the mess of pieces strewn across the floor, then at his offending arm, which trembled beneath his gaze.

It is not logical to envy, he reminded himself even as he wondered if that was the sensation he was experiencing.

Christine Chapel was almost nothing to Spock—maybe not even a friend. When had they ever had a real conversation? He wasn’t available, in human parlance, even if he had the time or inclination to pursue an intimate relationship. If Christine wanted companionship and comfort in the wake of losing her own fiance, she had no reason to seek those things in him. Jim, on the other hand, was an obvious choice. Was it possible that their experience on Exo III had forged a bond between them that had grown into something more?

Even if such a thing had occurred completely unbeknownst to Spock, he wondered further: their mission was still young, had he ever seen Jim carry on a romance with a crew member? Not even with Miss Rand…

“Enough. Enough!” he muttered as he knelt down to collect the scattered chessmen. It was just some talk. There was no empirical evidence that the captain was spending time with Nurse Chapel in any capacity, and he had no reason to be jealous of such a relationship if it did exist. Such a reaction was utterly irrational. It was below him. Jim was his friend, Christine his colleague.

Ordering a cup of spice tea from the food synthesizer, Spock settled back into his seat to wait for Jim.

@multirptrash

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