Do What?

It’s been years since Derek had visited the cemetery. There wasn’t really anything left to bury after the fire, but they did use a large chunk of money to create a Hale Family Monument.

Really, it had been Laura’s idea and while he had helped her setting it up she had been the one to visit on every major holiday and she was the one who went to clean it up and lay fresh flowers.

Since her death Derek knows it has been woefully ignored and he fidgets with the bouquet of flowers as he procrastinates inside the Camaro.

He’s not sure why this year is different. What made him wake up on Mother’s Day and decide he needed to visit. He missed Talia everyday but it had almost been a physical ache to go to her this morning.

Sighing, he finally gathers the courage to slink out of the car and walk through the grounds.

The Hale monument is the largest structure in the cemetery. A big, marble wolf sitting watch over the neighboring headstones. The statue was positioned so every month the full moon created a halo over the lupine gargoyle.

It’s a beautiful monument and Derek feels his eyes prickle as he looks over the likeness of his mother’s shifted face. He runs his hand gently over the marble snout before walking forward and laying his forehead against her cheek. He’s not a short man by any means but he still has to stand in his tiptoes to reach her.

After a few long moments of blinking back tears and trying to force the nausea and unease away he steps back to lay the bouquet down at her feet and falls still. There’s already a bouquet there.

A large bouquet.

Derek takes in the white of the lilies and roses and chrysanthemums that mix with the pink carnations and though he doesn’t know much about the language of flowers he does know the combination is a sincere show of respect and admiration.

There’s no name or tag that comes with the mystery bouquet but it is positioned carefully to lay between the wolves paws, propped slightly so the petals aren’t squished down and suddenly Derek takes in the rest of the structure. Or really the health of it because what should be there—rotten leaves and vines and moss— there’s nothing.

The statue is as pristine as the day they first erected it.

Derek’s not sure who could have been taking care of it. Isaac’s father had been there to dig the new graves and pick up some trash but he had never bothered clearing each individual headstone. Maybe Peter? Though the more Derek thinks it over the more he convinces himself Peter had never entered the cemetery. Cora lived too far away and Malia had never been bothered by some leaves or vines.

Frowning, Derek lays his bouquet on the opposite side of the wolf’s paws. He spends a while longer sitting before the statue, his mind filled with memories of his mother and his pack and after a few hours have passed he finally stands, bidding the monument good bye before making his way slowly back to his car.

He gets halfway through the maze of headstones when his eyes fall on one grave marker in particular. A small, plain headstone. But lying amongst the mound is the identical bouquet of white and pink flowers as his mother’s.

He hurries forward to read the name and his breath catches in his throat when he makes out the letters. Claudia Stilinkski, beloved mother and wife.

It could be Noah. He knows it’s a possibility but he also knows the sheriff has been at work all day, pulling an overnight shift and a double at the station. Stiles would have been alone on Mother’s Day…

The realization hits him hard and Derek feels a spark of affection fill his chest as he imagines Stiles cleaning his families monument. It says something that the only human in the pack is the only one to proclaim his respect to the previous alpha. And Derek feels so proud at his human beta and ashamed at himself for not having come sooner.

I feel like looking at their solo work and the work they did in this album, this is just the beginning of them showing us a different side of BTS. I don’t know if im expressing myself well here, but it’s like i feel like arirang is on the precipice of this new sound they are embracing and maybe the next project will be IT.

That said i love arirang and their voices and i fully appreciate all the work and love they have poured into it, can’t wait to see the comeback concert tomorrow 🤩

Hi anon, I think I know exactly what you mean, because I feel quite similar. I really see this album as an introduction, and honestly, an incredible one, to what’s coming next, or to this more evolved version of BTS, if we can call it that.

It wouldn’t surprise me at all if, in a few months, they announce another album, maybe a longer one than this, where we get solo tracks, subunits and all that, just to show that other side of BTS as well and highlight their different strengths. Especially considering how much they’ve each grown during their solo work, it would make sense for them to explore something new again, or even blend what we were used to as BTS with everything they’ve been doing individually. That mix would be amazing.

But genuinely, I think this album is incredible, it really is. And yeah, like you, there are songs I prefer over others, and that’s completely normal. I’ve always said music is subjective and everyone’s taste is different, and that’s fine. We can confidently say this is an amazing album that lived up to expectations. It actually makes sense why both the company and the members put so much into it, because you can tell.

And the more you listen to it, the better it gets. I really believe that once they start performing these songs live, once the concerts begin, once we hear them in that setting, maybe with choreography or full staging, everything is going to feel even more epic.

She ALWAYS breaks down when Stiles is emotionally agitated or anxious.

She didn't START when he wanted to leave the library, when Donovan attacked him. He did NOT get around to fixing what caused her not to start. But after Donovan's attack when he gets in her, she starts perfectly fine without a problem.

moonless night | T | 1.6K

SUMMARY:

Friday

oh shit Derek I've just realised I'm Bella fuckign swan

7:21

OR

“They’re trying to discharge her constructively. Do you know what Constructive Discharge means?” She asked.

As soon as I heard the term ‘Constructive Discharge,’ I knew I’d never seen it on a vocabulary quiz.

“No. What does it mean?” I asked.

She explained.

“Constructive discharge is a fancy way of saying “being forced out.” It’s not good. And if you’re not a lawyer or in human resources, you’ll probably learn what it means when it’s happening to you.”

“Oh my God. I’ve seen this my entire career and never knew it even had a name.” I thought.

You’ve seen constructive Discharge too. You may have experienced it. We’ve all made choices to avoid it.

Constructive discharge defined

“We can’t fire you, but we’ll make you so miserable you’ll quit, and then we won’t have to pay your unemployment.”

Then there’s the textbook definition:

“A constructive discharge occurs when your employer has made working conditions unbearable, forcing you to resign.”

Or as one person put it.

“I didn’t get handed a pink slip, but when you’re not wanted, people have a way of letting you know.”

HR isn’t always the secret police.

Employees aren’t always victims of evil-doers.

However, employers push employees out all the time to maintain and protect the, “We didn’t do anything wrong, YOU did,” power structure.

Constructive Discharge looks like this:

— Meeting invitations slow to a trickle, and you’re excluded from emails and generally looped out of what’s going on.

— People stop talking to you or stop talking when you walk in.

— Your emails don’t get answers, or they arrive too late to be of value.

— Suddenly, your work is not good enough, though nothing about your work has changed.

— Reviews, once good or even glowing, are now mediocre or bad.

— Instead of a bonus, you get a Performance Improvement Plan.

— Warnings and write-ups start so they can justify your eventual termination with documentation of your “poor performance”

— Your work, clients, assignments go away, or they overwhelm you with work.

— The words “Set up to fail” were practically invented to describe this scenario.

Constructive Discharge is illegal

It isn’t easy to prove you’re a target, and it’s even more challenging if you don’t even know constructive discharge is a real thing.

If you’ve ever experienced this and don’t fully understand what’s happening to you beyond knowing you’re in the process of being excommunicated, it can be hell. It’s not uncommon for the experience to leave long-lasting scars.

Talk to anyone who’s ever been through it. They’ll tell you.

Knowing constructive discharge exists and how it’s used gives you power to predict what’s coming and to protect yourself.

Seeing the endgame helps you in two ways.

You know what to expect. Having a sense of what’s coming next is enormously empowering. You can go on the offensive and protect yourself. Constructive discharge works to crush your ego, making you feel you did something wrong and deserve this treatment.

Without strategy, you end up being a miserable pawn in your employer’s endgame.

Remember, they’re almost certainly building a case to fire you in the event the hellscape they create for you doesn’t persuade you to quit.

If you’re getting pushed out, and you know what to look for you can prove constructive discharge and you can get unemployment benefits, be released from payback obligations on a signing bonus, and protect your mental health.

You’re not crazy, incompetent, or a failure. This is real and it’s carefully executed to leave you holding the bag and feeling like you did something wrong.

In the US, you have A FEDERAL RIGHT to communicate to your boss that you see what they’re doing, and by so doing, YOU RETAIN YOUR RIGHT TO UNEMPLOYMENT—EVEN IF YOU QUIT!!!

Here’s how it works.

1) go to work tomorrow and read the employee rights poster. By law, they’re required to have one, and they’re usually located in the breakroom. It looks something like this:

Usually, this will be posted next to a state labor laws poster, as well. (Also required by law, but I have seen them posted in two separate locations due to a building having a stupid wall layout, so if you don’t see both, do some poking.) There are a few different styles of these posters, but they’re all basically variations on a theme, so you should be able to recognize yours from the image posted above. I’ve read them hundreds of times in the last eight years, just to keep my memory fresh. If you don’t see such a poster, contact your state labor board, because that is VERY ILLEGAL. The law is unambiguous on this: the poster must be posted in a highly-visible (to employees) location that is readily accessible. Not in your boss’s office, not in HR, not on the back of the fridge. Highly visible, readily accessible, REQUIRED BY LAW. If you have to contact the labor board on this one, skip straight to step 2b while you’re at it, because your boss is up to some shady shit.

2a) now that you’ve had the primer of your rights as an employee, if everything is good for you, great! Keep an eye out and revisit these from time to time to be sure you’re not missing anything, especially if things start feeling rough. If things are NOT good for you, progress to 2b.

2b) if you suspect you’re the target of constructive discharge, DOCUMENT. EVERYTHING. Dates too, if you can remember them, although if you’re trying to remember “as far back as you can go” when you begin to document, your dates might be a little hazier. Ask for personal hard copies of any consultations, write-ups, improvement plans, reviews, etc. and so forth that you receive. YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO THIS DOCUMENTATION. Keep all of this in a file. If any of your coworkers make comments on what’s happening to you, note those down too: “on 1 July I called to inform my supervisor I’d be late due to an unexpected flat tire. I arrived six minutes after my shift was due to begin. I received a corrective action form. My coworker Linda commented that she was surprised, because although this is my first tardy in over three years, other employees with repeated, significantly more severe tardies do not receive corrective action forms. My supervisor did not explain why he felt I required this form after a single incident of tardiness.” If you know what you’re being asked to do is illegal, MAKE THAT CLEAR IN YOUR DOCUMENTATION. “After hearing me mention to Sarah that I was hoping for a raise, supervisor Paul asked to have a one-on-one and required me to sign a form stating I would not discuss my salary, in contravention of state and federal law.”

3) when you feel you have sufficient evidence that Some Bullshit Is Afoot, it’s time to write to your HR department. Instructions on how to do this will be on that poster (sorry, I’m home and getting ready for bed, I don’t have this part memorized), but basically you’re going to be telling them that conditions have deteriorated such that you may be forced to resign if they don’t improve. Note that the phrase “forced to resign” is IMPORTANT AS HELL. Make sure you keep a hard copy of this letter for yourself.

4) You now have to give them 10-14 days to read, respond, and implement changes (I forget the exact number of days but it’s in there somewhere). CONTINUE TO DOCUMENT.

5) best case scenario, they realize they done fucked up, and things will change for the better. More likely scenario, you have to quit. HOWEVER, if you have followed all of these steps correctly, you can still claim unemployment.

6) now go contact the IWW for information on how to start talking union to your coworkers before it gets this far: www.iww.org

And finally, a note because this has happened to me and statistically either has or will happen to some of you:

If at any time the poor conditions should escalate to include sexual assault or harassment by a supervisor, DO NOT PASS GO, DO NOT COLLECT $200, CALL THE LABOR BOARD IMMEDIATELY. Make an EXACT record of what happened: write down statements verbatim, if you were touched inappropriately make note of exactly how and where, if you were offered any kind of quid pro quo (e.g., a promotion in exchange for oral sex; sex in exchange for continued employment) make note of EXACTLY what was offered and asked for. It is 100% okay to call the labor board and say “I don’t know what to do, my boss groped my breasts today and told me he’d have a talk with his supervisor about my pay rate ‘if I was nice’. Please tell me what to do, I’m afraid if I quit I’ll lose unemployment.” Someone will be able to help you. In cases like these, do not wait. This is also true if you’re blatantly racially or religiously discriminated against. Please note when I say “blatant,” that’s a much higher standard than what Tumblr understands as blatant. If your boss says you’re pretty cool for an N-word, call. If your boss makes a disparaging comment about doo-rags, document and hold your horses for now. (Is that a microaggression? Yes. Is that something the labor board will find actionable? Not on its own.)

If you’ve been placed on a Performance Improvement Plan, ask for digital and hard copies of the plan that have been signed by HR.

If you have the strength to do it, accept the PIP, and indulge in malicious compliance. Do everything exactly as it’s outlined in the PIP document and nothing more. Overachieving against a PIP won’t help your situation, but don’t quit.

Keep copies of every email and message related to your PIP on a separate USB.

Find your company handbook. It is probably hidden somewhere on an internal website. Save a copy to the USB so you can research it for ANYTHING that might help you negotiate with HR at the end.

Keep all of your notes on the same USB.

Always assume your work computer has spyware on it.

None of this will help you keep your job. Remember that. All of this is to help you negotiate with HR when it’s time to review your PIP performance. WHEN they say you didn’t meet the goals that were outlined, refer to your stack of documentation and give specific examples of where you met those goals. Ask HR what the next steps are. Your ultimate goal is to make HR suggest that you and the company part ways.

DO NOT AGREE TO THAT MAGIC STATEMENT. That’s when you start negotiating the terms of the company letting you go. The things I politely demanded AND GOT in writing:

3 months salary.

All remaining vacation time paid out.

Continued insurance coverage for 3 months.

A guarantee of a good reference if any potential employer asked for one.

A guarantee that the company would not contest my unemployment claim.

A recall has been issued for shredded cheese sold at major retailers in 31 states and Puerto Rico.

The cheese may contain metal fragments, which can cause internal injuries if consumed.

Toss or return any affected cheese—the FDA gave the recall the second-highest risk level.

Shredded cheese sold at major retailers, including Target, Walmart, and Aldi, has been recalled in 31 states and Puerto Rico, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The cheese, produced by Great Lakes Cheese Co. Inc., was initially recalled on Oct. 3 for containing metal fragments, which pose the risk of internal injury if consumed. On Dec. 2, the FDA updated the risk level to Class II, the second-highest, meaning the chances of serious health consequences are "remote," but there is a possibility of temporary or reversible effects.

The recall impacts the following cheeses and brands:

Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Shredded Cheese

Always Save

Borden

Brookshire’s

Cache Valley Creamery

Chestnut Hill

Coburn Farms

Econo

Food Club

Food Lion

Gold Rush Creamery

Good & Gather

Great Lakes Cheese

Great Value

Happy Farms by Aldi

H-E-B

Hill Country Fare

Know & Love

Laura Lynn

Lucerne Dairy Farms

Nu Farm

Publix

Schnuck’s

Simply Go

Sprouts Farmers Market

Stater Bros. Markets

Sunnyside Farms

Italian Style Shredded Cheese Blend-

Happy Farms by Aldi

Brookshire’s

Cache Valley Creamery

Coburn Farms

Great Value

Know & Love

Laura Lynn

Publix

Simply Go

Pizza Style Shredded Cheese Blend

Food Club

Econo

Gold Rush Creamery

Great Value

Laura Lynn

Simply Go

Mozzarella and Provolone Shredded Cheese Blend

Freedom’s Choice

Good & Gather

Great Lakes Cheese

Great Value

Mozzarella and Parmesan Shredded Cheese Blend

Good & Gather

[my own tree isn’t perfect; it’s sparse, i have no decorations, my family doesn’t really celebrate anymore so i have no sentimental ornaments… is it bad that that’s how i’d imagine it for Derek?]

Derek walking into his loft and seeing Stiles try to put up a 7ft plastic christmas tree.

he drops his keys at the sidetable of the entrance, throwing off his jacket and startling Stiles by asking him what he’s doing.

Stiles clutches his chest, catching his breath before he’s back grinning and in his best mariah carey impression, sings, “it’s time!”

Derek rolls his eyes, stepping closer to the disaster waiting to greet him in his living room. “Stiles, it’s still 65° outside.”

“don’t be such a grinch, sourwolf,” Stiles quips, “it’s almost december and you know how weird the weather is here — it’ll be freezing and snowing by the second week of the month. get in the christmas spirit!”

Derek crossed his arms, peering over a small box of ornaments on the floor. some look a little old, others brand new, a few handmade by a possible toddler. doesn’t take Derek long for it to click that these are Stiles’ personal ornaments.

“you don’t have to do this.. don’t you and your dad have your own tree to decorate?” Derek asks. Stiles pauses from fluffing out a few of the fake thistles on the tree, turning to look at the box before shrugging, “you’re not gonna get all of them. next pack night, we’ll all make custom ornaments. it’ll be fun; cute!”

Derek hums, knowing that if he argued with Stiles, he wouldn’t hear the end of it. “don’t just stand there, big guy. come help me, this is your tree after all..” Stiles demands, holding out another section of the tree to screw on. Derek takes it with faux reluctance but can’t fight back his little smile. Stiles gently smiled back before sorting through a different small box, pulling out a deep red tree skirt and a forest green one, weighing the options silently in front of Derek. Derek nods towards the red skirt ignoring how Stiles snorts and comments, “of course.”

they don’t necessarily build the tree in silence. Stiles is humming along to vince guiraldi’s charlie brown christmas soundtrack, a few ornaments ring and jingle when shaken, and both their steady heartbeats thump in Derek’s ear making him feel safe, calm, content.

it’d been a long time since Derek celebrated any part of the later holidays. in fact, he can’t remember the last time he’d decorated with his family which he feels bad about. he misses it for sure. how Laura would bake those terrible premade christmas sugar cookies with mom, Peter pretending to spike all the kids’ apple cider, his dad rushing up from the basement with hoards of decorations and ornaments, begging Peter and Derek to help him wrap lights around the house. he misses how they’d pile into his parents car, driving around to find the perfect tree and Cora would always end up picking the jankiest one.

Stiles pulls Derek from his thoughts with a gentle, “hey.” a soft smile playing at his lips as a hand squeezes at Derek’s shoulder. “i can’t reach the top,” Stiles tells him, “wanna put up the star?” Derek chuckles lightly, “we can put it up together.”

Stiles looks at him confused, about to ask how but squeaking when Derek hoists him up without any effort. Stiles’ face going red as he adjusts the glittery gold star at the very top of the tree.

when Derek puts him down slowly, Stiles’ hands are steady against Derek’s chest. his eyes wide as he stares into Derek’s, a tongue swiping over his own lips like a nervous tick. that steady heartbeat from earlier now racing like a jackrabbit and Derek nose flares at the sudden burst of a sweet scent.

Derek smirks, stepping back and carefully moving his hands away from Stiles’ waist. Stiles stammers for a few seconds, scratching at the back of his head nervously as he turns to the tree. “not bad?” he huffs a laugh, his eyes darting between Derek and the plastic tree finally done up. “i’ll do the honors..” Stiles says quietly, jumping to the floor to find the outlet for the lights.

Derek nods, impressed by the mix of soft white lights and flickering red and green ones. Stiles preens himself over his hard work. “not bad,” Derek says, nodding again, noting how Stiles freezes at Derek placing his hand at his lower back.

“wait!” Stiles blurts suddenly, “i know what will make this perfect.”

Stiles rushes off to the kitchen and Derek sits against his couch, taking in his new tree as he hears Stiles turn on the stove and clutter around his cabinets. within minutes, the loft is filled with the familiar scent of honey, cinnamon, vanilla, and apples.

Stiles returns with two mugs Derek’s never seen in his life; a red one with little drawn trees and different santas all over the other a navy blue with various breeds of dogs in little red hats. “this one’s eggnog and this one’s cider,” Stiles smiles. Derek gently takes the apple cider, watching Stiles cautiously sit beside him on the couch, knees curling up into his chest as he nurses his red mug of eggnog.

Derek’s ears go red as Stiles quietly moans around a warm sip. he turns his attention back to the tree, taking short sips of his apple cider, chuckling when Stiles jokes that he’ll spike it next time.

the loft feels warmer than it’s probably ever felt. Derek feels warmer than he’s ever felt in a while, not just literally from his drink. he feels comforted, seen, and dare he say, loved? genuinely surprised that it’s Stiles who’s sitting beside him. Stiles who thought of him during these usually lonely moments around the holidays. Stiles who’s treating Derek in a way that makes him feel like he’s worth time and consideration.

“thank you,” Derek lets out in the silence of the room, feeling his own heart do backflips with how Stiles looks back at him with soft eyes and a smile. Stiles’ hand finds Derek’s and he gives it a squeeze, telling him, “of course, sourwolf.”

Derek grins when he tells Stiles, “maybe this time next year, you’ll come with me to get a real tree.” Stiles’ eyes go wide with excitement, swallowing down his eggnog before asking, “really?”

when Derek nods, Stiles shifts closer to Derek, his body pressing against Derek’s and failing to hide his blushing cheeks and the curve of his lips.

“i think i’d love that,” Stiles says.

🎃 In the spirit of Halloween I decided to rec some of my fics that have a certain ~vibe~, dark themes and spooky things. Witches, bones, blood and certain dark ancient spirits, stalkers and castles, and, of course, obsessive and unhinged sterek love 🫀 Let's get into the mood and bite, biTE, BITE-

your fangs against my skin (the sound of your bones) [E, 21,7k]

This was it, then, huh? It was that easy for Derek to invite someone to his den. Someone other than Stiles.

He healed the wolf. Stiles killed his tormentor, mended his blood and bones, and let him sleep beside him. But none of it was enough.

He wasn’t a spark, after all, but a witch — evil and alone, locked up in his tower.

Witches didn’t get happy endings.

Crimson [E, 6k]

Stiles stared at Derek without breathing.

At the tiny droplets of crimson hidden in his beard, at his gentle but intense eyes, at his mouth smeared with blood. He felt the taste of it on his tongue.

Derek held his promise.

He would always hold it. There was nothing Stiles could do or say to stop him. This was it. Stiles married him, mated with him for the rest of his life. Derek killed and he would undoubtedly kill again.

Full and Void [E, 23,2k]

Stiles could be meek, sure. In Derek’s arms, softened under the touch, pinned under his weight. He allowed himself to relax only in Derek’s sole presence.

Stiles could also look meek. Small, scared. Let the enemies think he was hiding in his mate’s shadow. After all, no one would stop to think that the shadow could ever be dangerous.

Torn Apart and Set Anew [M, 18,6]

“Someone’s here,” Stiles whispered, feeling weirdly numb.

The metal latch clicked. With ice filling his lungs and his fingers shaking terribly, Stiles swiveled his head in the direction of a window and froze for a beat of a second.

There was a face behind the glass.

Forgettable and plain, but at the same time familiar face.

Eros Mania Amor [M, 23,8k]

“I am just reminding you that Stiles is married. To me. All you can do is imagine, and I get to do all of those things you’re dreaming of to him. Yes, I know. I know everything you and others think,” Hale opened his eyes and leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. His smile was despicable in its selfishness. “I know what you dream of when you look at his lips—”

“Stop it.” Jordan shook his head.

“— because I am the same as you,” the wolf ignored him. “I imagined everything you did, it’s just happened that my dream became the life that I get to live. He is here,” he tapped his own temple, “and here,” he tapped his chest. “And you would have to kill me to get us separated.”