Latest Posts by doctorjuliasato - Page 2

As the blonde spoke, Julia noted down a couple of things on her iPad with the apple pen she had to go with it, silently hating the things because she was much more of an actual pen and paper person. This thing if you touched the wrong part it all would go mad - beyond annoying, especially when you were tired. “Okay, so did you manage to stay active at all during your pregnancy or is this something that’s been going on right since the first trimester?” Twin pregnancies were always harder on the body than single ones just because of the sheer strain they put on the body but that didn’t stop her from wanting to make sure there was nothing more going on underneath. “Have you had any blurry vision, sensitivity to light, shortness of breath, or swelling in your hands and feet?” She asked as she glanced up, wondering if there was a chance the woman had pre-eclampsia and her OBGYN just hadn’t caught it. @bjorkn

𝐍𝐄𝐕𝐀 𝐋𝐄𝐓 𝐀 small ghost smile appeared on her delicate features upon the light joke about being rich. All this time she was being extra careful because this was her first pregnancy to know she could've ONE glass of wine? She hated herself for not asking it before. A hand rested on her baby bump, as she rested her back on the backrest of the chair she was. ❛ I don't know how to describe it, but basically, I feel excessive fatigue, and very weak physically speaking. As if I lost my physical conditioning. Before this pregnancy, I was very physically active. Also, I'm struggling to keep food. I have morning and night sickness, and only afternoon I can eat decent. Also, dizziness as if I'm about to faint. My OBGYN gave me medications still I struggle these days as if there is no effect working.❜ One thing the blonde also noticed was that she was getting more sleeper.

Julia hadn’t meant to fall asleep in the on-call room, really she hadn’t, but what she had intended to do was wait until the little girl she’d been tending to for over a week now got out of surgery. Knowing Rhys was going to be in the operating room was certainly a comfort but that didn’t stop the doctor from wanting to hear the word stable come out of someones mouth before she finally left for the night. However three back to back shifts had caught up with her and as soon as her head hit the regulation polyester pillow she had drifted off. 

Sitting up with a jolt she blinked, looking around in a haze. “Hmm? What? I’m awake. Has someone coded?” Immediately ready to leap into an emergency situation if that’s what was needed, but then her eyes fell on Rhys and she let out a soft breath. “Shit, I didn’t know I’d fallen asleep. What time is it?” Wait, if he was here it meant he was out of surgery - finally she could get the answer she wanted. “How did it go? How is she?” It wasn’t that she was getting too invested, no she just wanted to make sure her job was done properly before checking out because Julia knew when she walked out those hospital doors she would have to detach from what went on inside to further fend of all the stress and emotion that she’d squished down for the last sixteen years for her own good. @tctteredwings

for: @doctorjuliasato location: the hospital

Time was getting on ( which really wasn't anything new ), but Rhys finally found himself at a point where he felt he could actually leave and head back home. He was probably one of the worst people for that, hanging on and on until he finally felt it was okay to leave everyone to their own devices. Of course, hanging around forever wasn't a good thing either, it would leave you worn out and unable to do the job properly. It was a case of trying to find a happy medium.

On his way out, after going through his stuff, he realised he must have left something in the on-call room earlier when checking in on someone, so that would be his last stop today. As he made his way into the room, knocking gently as he did, he found a laugh escaping as he found Julia curled up there. "Hey... Jules," he started softly. "Jules!" He let his voice rise a little on the last. "You ever going home tonight or do I have to drag you there?"

“Sounds delicious, which spices do you go for?” Julia asked as the two of them both took a step forward with the movement of the line, readjusting her bag on her shoulder. Her own ability to cook was subpar to say the least - mainly because she just didn’t have time. Between hospital shifts she was either trying to catch up on sleep, doing extra research for her cases, or (very) occasionally seeing the few friends she had remaining in the city. Or at least the few that she’d made aware she was back again, keeping the return under wraps for her own wellbeing honestly. “Yes, it sounds like maybe you need to do some kind of brunch with your friends in order to give it the proper appreciation.” That was something people did still, right? Brunches at the weekend? She hadn’t been to one in years. @infragilehearts

——- With a prideful smile on her face, clasping her hands together. ❝  i have a couple different ones actually — but one i usually make for others is a standard breakfast bagel. it has eggs, ham, bacon, sausage, cheese and a pinch of different spices. ❞ valerie's other recipe was something she only made for people close to her or herself. the other she'd made during different culinary jobs so why not share as it was out there already. ❝  i'm glad to hear it. i'll just have to use it for a few friends then so it has a good first day usage. ❞ she said with a smirk across her lips, always enjoying sharing her cooking creations with others.

Julia could tell the woman was on edge, which wasn’t unusual because they so often were when it came to their babies, but that meant she had to put in extra effort to keep these anxieties at bay. Sitting down on the stool by the desk she used her feet to walk it over towards Neva, nodding understandingly while she spoke. “Being scared is totally natural, as is being tired, so I just want to reassure you about that first off. If I had a cent for every soon to be mother that came in saying that I’d be a very rich woman.” Joking lightly, not expecting the question about the wine but not letting that show on her face. “Potentially, it’s entirely possible that a glass of wine wouldn’t do any harm. Explain to me more in what ways you haven’t been feeling very well, I just want to make sure it’s not something that would be exacerbated with the introduction of alcohol.” She could just look at the chart but she wanted to make sure she didn’t miss anything, or if she did, that she consulted the woman’s OBGYN. @bjorkn

𝐍𝐄𝐕𝐀 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘 regretted going on this appointment alone. She was so used to having Ryan by her side in every consultation, but this wasn't one of their routine check-ups. Karma, for not telling him she was seeing a doctor. Fucking hell. On the other hand, she knew he would be so worried… She greeted the doctor by giving a friendly and delicate handshake before taking a seat across from her and putting her purse on her lap. ❛ Yes, that's correct. ❜ The blonde sighs deeply. ❛ I feel very tired and scared. I mean, I'm not sure if I want my babies to be born, because I'm scared of the pain. But I'm not feeling very well lately. And I want to ask, hypothetically, can I have a sip of wine? This whole thing of not drinking… It's driving me nuts. It is just a sip to kill my craving. ❜

Julia wasn’t good at sign language by a long shot but she always put in an effort with Elliot because she could only imagine how isolating it could feel at work to not be able to communicate with your colleagues as easily as they could with each other. Therefore she lifted her hands instead of writing back this time, slowly trying her best to sign out what she thought was ‘Hopefully this is just a little setback, she will get through it soon.’ But instead she’d managed to say ‘Hopefully this is just a little seatbelt, she will get through the moon.’ Which wasn’t exactly her intention. After pulling a face she reached out to grab the phone again, deciding maybe typing would be more beneficial in this instance. “Babies tend to go through phases, it can disrupt sleep, eating, they can get clingy, but it’s nothing abnormal. Tiring yes - but nothing to worry about and they usually come out the other side in a couple of months.” 

I'm going to get gray hair just thinking about her teenage years. He typed back, shaking his head some. Already having hard enough time trying to wrap his head around the fact that she was already six months old and trying to sit up by herself. Let along partying and dating and all of that. She went a go stretch with only getting up once a night for a feeding and going right back to sleep. But now once she's awake, she's determined to not go back to sleep. Still doing his best at figuring out this parenting thing. Taking a sip of his coffee, Elliot gave a nod of his head at her question. I like to think I do. I have a bedtime routine in place for her, same thing every night. Even on the nights I'm working, my sister or parents follow it. Always thankful for all the people he had in his life to bounces ideas off of, to get suggestions from. Whether it be friends, co workers, or family. @doctorjuliasato

“You didn’t read them?” Julia had a surprised look on her face but she really shouldn’t be because that was the pot very much calling the kettle black. The amount of books she’d borrowed from libraries in the past but not even opened was numerous, and it wasn’t because she didn’t have good intentions when she got them. Simply that life tended to get in the way, especially if they were fiction books rather than something attributed to medicine or something she was specifically working on. Sensing the uncertainty coming from her she nodded in agreement instead of prying further, giving the other a small smile. “I’m sure - I head that is quite common among writers.” She doubted parroting that would be of any reassurance but it happened anyway. “Would you look at that, I think we’ve decided what your next purchase is going to be. Some call it a grocery bag, you call it a Circe bag. It’s flexible for ones needs.” 

A shrug of her shoulders in regards to what she was specifically looking for, pressing her lips together silently for a second. “There is a case I’m working on at the moment is a child with Adrenoleukodystrophy, it’s not something I’ve personally worked with before so although I know the facts from medical school I wanted to come and do some more reading on it incase there is anything I’ve missed. Are you staying a while?” She asked, referring to the library. @ofzahras

"I guess you're partially right. I just wish I had actually read these instead of just hauling them home and now bringing them right back." Obviously no one knew - or cared - that she hadn't even cracked open most of the books, but the shame was palpable nonetheless. The shame seemed to be her constant companion, increasingly so ever since her brain had decided it no longer wanted to partake in any additional reading or writing. The feeling only grew as she thought about future deadlines and word counts, the threat of falling behind making her sick to her stomach. "I am sure it's just a writer's block," she muttered, mostly to herself, before snorting in amusement. "See, I like where your head's at. I could smuggle Circe everywhere and become the ultimate cat lady."

A realisation lit up Zahra's face as Julia admitted she was only heading in. She laughed, shaking her head softly. "Ah, there you go. It's good to know some things don't change. Are you looking for anything in particular?"

“Well I’m used to it - then again I’m preaching to the choir. You all work incredibly hard, we’re grateful for how swiftly you get the patients to us. I know you must hear this a lot but you have likely made the different between her making it and not with your quick thinking.” At least that was what Julia hoped. Obviously she wanted every patient to come out the other side feeling a whole lot better than when they came in, but she’d take the wins where she could get them that was for sure. She knew how these things went, even if she was new to this particular hospital it never really changed no matter where you were, and thus Julia knew there would be journalists sniffing around in no time. Hence the need for coffee in her veins before that happened. 

At the acceptance of her invitation she gave him a soft smile, quite glad she wasn’t going to have to sit in front of a cup of coffee with nothing but her own thoughts. If he’d declined she probably would have just taken charts with her to work on so as not to…well…think. “Just don’t hold it against me if you don’t agree.” Nodding in the direction of the canteen which was indicated by a sign hanging just down the hallway, although she knew that it would require them to take the elevator down three floors first. “You really don’t have to do that, you works incredibly hard yourself, I don’t think there is a way to quantify the effort put in. It’s always team work.” Holding her hand out towards him she reintroduced herself politely. “Julia, Doctor Sato is for when I’m working on a case, this is a break from that.” @caddel

“—as must be you, too, Doctor,” he retorted, politely; it was not his job to stand there and wait for an update, that was true but then again…where was he supposed to go? whether the little girl lived or not, and he didn’t even want to think of that possibility, he wanted to be there and be told in person; she deserved that much. her mom had been taken to a different hospital and she was going to be asking after her baby —damn, she was asking while EMTs worked on her trying to stabilize her for transport— and when he would look at her to tell her of whatever happened to her baby, at worst case scenario, at least his conscience would be a little bit lighter knowing they had tried. either way, an accident like this was still gonna make it in tomorrow’s newspaper and when mentioning them, he would rather it be told the fire department had tried to rescue all parties involved but failed than not having tried at all. listening to the doctor’s update, though limited, he let out a breath he had not realized he had been holding. of course, he understood that she couldn’t give out information to just anyone, but he was thankful for what little she could share, nonetheless. his partner had said they should take her here, he had heard of this amazing pediatrician working there and Ryan had no reason to doubt him; judging by the severity of the injuries she had sustained and the update, he had to be damn right about Doctor Rebeiro. the EMTs hadn’t even known how or where to begin working on her when he pulled her out.

Ryan was about to thank her, allow her to also get on with the rest of her shift, or take a break after so many hours being cooped up in there when her preposition caught him a little off guard; he still was about twelve hours shy from finishing his shift at the station, but he had been away for over three hours, a little bit more was not gonna hurt. he laughed a little at the comment —remembered that his partner never brought coffee as he was supposed to. “then I’ll take the word for it,” he responded. “but, please, my treat. a little thank you for your hard work.”

It was strange, knowing she was a mother but not being a mother, something Julia struggled with on her lowest days. Many would question why she worked so closely with children if this was the case but it actually brought her a lot of comfort ironically. Getting to help them in a way she didn’t get to help her own son or daughter was a weird way of her silently repenting for her failure to them. She was grabbing some food, actual food rather than something out of the vending machine for once, mid yogurt when Elliot came into sight. Returning his smile with a small one of her own she lifted the spoon to give it a little wave, nodding to the chair in front of her as a silent invitation to join her at the table. Waiting patiently for him to pass over his phone so she could read it, letting out a small chuckle at the question. A shake of her head as she started to reply. “I wish I could, but she’s going to carry on partying between 1 and 3am, it’ll just be out of the house when she’s older. No I’m joking - she should hopefully start sleeping better soon. Have you got much of a routine for her?” @elliot-appsley

Who: @drjuliarebeiro Where: The Hospital

Ever since becoming a dad, Elliot did his best to try and not work night shifts. Wanting to be home to take care of Sawyer and put her to bed for the night. But there were also times where it couldn't be avoided, where he would have to pull an overnight and that was where he currently found himself. Between a rough previous night with Sawyer, who flat out refused to sleep it seemed like, he had barely caught up on sleep during the day. So when his break finally rolled around, he made his way to the cafeteria. Grabbing the largest coffee he could get his hands on and a hot sandwich to hold him over. Looking around at the tables, he saw Julia not too far off, and made his way over to her. Giving her a tired grin in greeting as he sat and pulled his phone out. Even if you have to lie to me, I need you to tell me that at some point in her little life, Sawyer will want to stop partying from 1 am to 3 am. Letting out an amused huff as he slid his phone over to her.

“Wind farm I think, it would be weird for there to be a lighthouse that far out but then again the reason for it would be because the rocks were hard to see, so I’d hardly be able to spot them from over here.” The dark haired girl responded, mirroring the move to rest on her own elbows once she’d finally sat down. “Mmm…maybe. What are you thinking of getting? Part of me is wondering if maybe a shaved ice would be better, kind of like a drink and a snack at the same time.” @tctteredwings

Ana nodded in response to what Julia was saying, trying to follow the other's line and sight, her eyes narrowing very slightly. "What conclusion did you come to?" she questioned thoughtfully, having absolutely no idea herself as she stared off into the distance. After several moments of this, she let a soft sign go, and then leant back on her elbows, closing her eyes for a second or two before she spoke again. "Did you want some ice-cream? I'm thinking of going to get some maybe..."

Looking up from the chart she was reading as she headed into her next patient’s room she noted that they were there for a consultation regarding a set of twins that weren’t yet born, not that this was unusual. Sure the OBGYN team would be closely monitoring this too but she was no doubt brought in to discuss something to do with the actual baby care after they were born. Most likely in the event they came early so that everyone was on the same page. “Miss Bjork, it’s lovely to meet you. I'm Doctor Rebeiro.” She gave her a warm smile, offering her hand in greeting, beside manner very much switched on. “Well, I wouldn’t worry. Let’s just see what we have going on here. So you’re coming up to seven months - is that right? How have you been feeling?” @bjorkn

𝐒𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 her trust commented about Doctor Ribeiro's excellent job, and she wanted the best for her unborn children. Normally to all doctor appointments, Neva goes with her fiance. Today, this is not the case because this is one of her 'impulses attack'. ⎯ The blonde came to ask some doubts. Once her name was announced she entered the room, introducing herself. ❛ Hi doctor, I'm Neva Björk. I heard a lot about your work, and I'm not really sure why I'm here. They aren't born yet. ❜ Fucking hell… This is starting badly.

@drjuliarebeiro

“What do you put in your breakfast sandwich?” Well it was polite to ask follow up questions, show interest in what someone else was saying, at least that’s what her thirty three years on the planet told her. Even if she herself was set in her ways when it came to her own bagel choices. Cream cheese, onion, tomatoes, avocado, and capers on an everything bagel. Perfection. “The pumpernickel? It was very good. Didn’t keep very well. I had some the first day I got it but by the time I went to have some the next day it was sadly a bit dry.” @infragilehearts

——- Biting her lower lip ever so slightly as she listened to the other, giving a nod before offering a rather friendly smile. ❝  i actually enjoy pumpernickel and bagels are my weakness. i make this nice breakfast sandwich with them that's — everything ! ❞ valerie explain sounding a bit giddy as she was so proud of her cooking skills after all. ❝  so — how was the pumpernickel bread ? ❞ she asked curiously even if she already planned to buy some along with bagels — of course.

Julia always found these kinds of the cases hard - obviously they all were, she was a doctor, but she’d gotten incredibly good at compartmentalising. If she had to go on a talent show that would probably be what she went for because really it was like an elite sport for the woman at this point. She’d spent the last three hours on the same case which was always draining but one the plus side things were looking a lot more positive than they had been when the one year old was rushed into the NICU. Slipping their chart back into the pocket at the end of the crib she let out a soft sigh, wishing she could just melt onto the floor in the foetal position for a little while to disassociate but she had to wait. She had to finish up her shift. Maybe then she could go home and crawl under the duvet for a little while. She wouldn’t cry. Julia rarely did when it came to patients she’d cared for during the day, it was few and far between, but she’d allow the emotion to wash over her in a way she wouldn’t while she was donning her scrubs and stethoscope. 

She was surprised to see the man still sat in the waiting room but it warmed even her very tired heart. It wasn’t a requirement of the job she was almost certain yet here he was waiting no doubt to hear about the little girl, it was enough to have a little smile grace her features. “Mr Caddel - I didn’t expect to still see you here. You must be exhausted.” Voice empathetic since it was four in the morning at this point. “I'm Doctor Rebeiro. You did an excellent job timing wise, it saved her a lot of potential complications. Obviously what I can tell you about the patient is limited since you’re not immediate family but I can reassure you that despite the upper airway burn the patient is responding well to intubation. We thought it best to air on the side of caution considering they’re so young.” Julia considered him with a compassionate expression. “Have you eaten anything, had something to drink? I’m due my break if you’d like to join me in the cafeteria. I can promise you the coffee isn’t as bad as it’s rumoured to be.” 

—jacket was discarded on the chair beside him, along with his helmet; head leaned back against the wall behind him. his partner has gone to grab some coffee, but he knows that he needs a moment, too. every time he closes his eyes, the scene is there; the car engulfed in flames, the screams, the pleading. haunting. a car accident is always bad; it’s even worse when families are involved. as a parent-to-be, he cannot quite grasp the agony and worry, and on top of having to deal with one's own well-being. they had, once again, gone above and beyond; of course, there were orders he had to conveniently overlook, but he was there to help out unless he absolutely couldn’t —and Caddel had trouble knowing when to stop trying. the phone rang beside him and he glanced at it before ignoring it; there would be time to deal with whatever consequences later. ‘I gotta take the utility truck back,’ his partner said as he came back and he simply nodded; and watched his phone ring once more for a second.

the door opened and he was immediately up. he wanted to hear that they had at least made it in time, judging by the amount of time that had passed since they first rushed inside, news had to be somewhat positive, right? he couldn’t even find it in him to ask anything upon seeing the young doctor walk out; simply stood there expectantly, waiting. (@drjuliarebeiro)

Julia was a carb fiend, something she didn’t share with many people because she was a doctor so if people knew the amount she actually ate they might not trust her advice anymore. Not because it was just bread, but because it was just…a bad diet. Born of convenience rather than nutrition, she’d stopped off at Toastery because it meant not having to cook when she got home. “Hmm? Oh, um only the Pumpernickel - I was trying to be healthy…it was a mistake. Obviously, when there are bagels on offer.” Giving the other a polite smile. @infragilehearts

closed starter; for @drjuliarebeiro

location; toastery

——- Looking around at the different bread options before picking a couple and getting them paid for. if the bread here was good — valerie definitely wouldn't be against coming back. ❝  have you tried any of the bread in here ? ❞ she asked curiously to someone else inside. either way she was going to try it herself, but she was just a curious soul at heart. wanting to know all she could. she always loved to learn.

Julia didn’t comment on her helping because if the roles were reversed the last thing she’d want was another person drilling down on how they’d had to lend a hand. Too many people took pride in their independence for her to risk saying the wrong thing. Instead she just gave her a small smile with an incline of her head, picking up the handle nearest to her. 

“I don’t know if this can be considered a walk of shame, I mean what part of being well read is meant to be shameful?” If that was the case then maybe she should just bury her head in the sand right now because she’d much rather spend time with a stack of books than another human most of the time. “Or you could get one of those ones that old people take to the grocery store, the old lady shopper bags. Then no one would even know what was in it.” A shrug of her shoulders as they headed into the library, realising that Zahra didn’t realise that she was arriving rather than leaving. “Oh you know me better than that, I’m on my way in to pick up a couple I’ve had set aside for me. Don’t worry - I’ve not been replaced by an alien.” Julia joked softly. @ofzahras

While she had never been great at accepting help, Zahra was grateful she had run into Julia, and even more grateful she seemed to be more than willing to offer a helping hand. "Thank you," she sighed, still catching her breath.

Zahra pulled an amused face at Julia's suggestion. "That's not a terrible idea. Although I hope I won't have to do this sort of a walk of shame anytime soon." Yes, she could have made multiple trips to the library, but somehow that had sounded even more laborious before she had actually started her perilous journey. Now she wholeheartedly regretted making said decision. "But I will definitely keep that in mind if I do end up in a similar situation." Glancing at Julia, she managed a brief yet knowing smile. "I see you're leaving empty-handed."

Molly's Game (2017) dir. Aaron Sorkin

This was frustrating Julia no end, she couldn’t get the lines to go where she wanted them to, and the ability to allow artistic flair to take ahold of her was something she found totally impossible. She’d spent almost as much time erasing lines as she had drawing them, the whole while a small frown line between her eyebrows as she beavered away. The woman could feel Audi’s eyes moving onto her every so often but she didn’t do the same, instead drawing the face she knew as well as her own, from memory. Her bottom lip had been pulled between her teeth as she hummed under her breath without realising she was doing it. A sign of concentration. When words were finally spoken however, she looked up, coming back into the room in a slight daze. The sweet, compassionate words that came from the other were something she herself found difficult, expressing emotion verbally, but she knew it was reciprocated which was why there was no pressure to do so. “I don’t think I’m going to have done any better so as long as you agree to grant me forgiveness before I let you see this, then I’m happy to do the same for you.” Leaning forward she took the picture, swapping it with her own so her own shame could be revealed. “I mean, I had no idea my head was that shape but I really like the top you’ve put me in…” Julia laughed a little as she took in what was before her, still thinking it was head and shoulders better than her own. “I didn’t even get to colouring, did you know you have a very hard nose to draw? It’s so…specific.” Taking things far to seriously as per usual. 

status:  closed, ft. julia. ( @drjuliarebeiro ) location:  aurea's apartment in the bronx. when:  late night. 

   SHE'S DEEP IN CONCENTRATION, EYES BOUNCING back and forth between her sheet of paper and julia as she completes the final touches. according to the card she pulled, they're to draw each other's portraits and, well, it's safe to say that audi did the world a favour by choosing to pursue writing as her art form.  ❝  juls. my kind, loving, beautiful soul sister. let me preface this by saying i swear i didn't use this sleepover as an excuse to insult you. hell, i didn't mean to insult you at all, but...  ❞   her words dissolve into a fit of laughter when she looks back to her drawing,   ❝  blame my hands, okay! they only ever wanna do what they're told when i'm cooking and, truthfully, even that's a sometimes sorta deal. like, seriously. julienne cuts are easy, so why. why! do they refuse to do them? ...yeah, yeah, i know. let's just rip the bandaid off.  ❞   she uses a hand to cover her face with another laugh before her other one offers her guest the artwork, a portrait that looks like it belongs in jason rekulak's hidden pictures as one of the five year old's horror drawings, face down. she peeks through her fingers with a sheepish grin,   ❝  at least my colouring is pretty, right?  ❞

---- Moodboard - Julia Rebeiro & Aurea Souza -----

When all the tears are rolling down your face And it feels like yours was the only heart to break When you come back home and all the lights are out And you're getting used to no one else being around Oh, oh, I'll be there When you need a little love, I got a little love to share Yeah, I'm gonna, I'm gonna, I'm gonna come through You'll never be alone, I'll be there for you

@ofgods

Julia wasn’t due to go into the hospital until later today because she was on the night shift - arguably the most stressful just because there was something about the whole world being asleep that made the weight of caring for tiny humans even heavier on her shoulders. Maybe that was why she’d agreed to go out to the beach with Ana, to provide a bit of headspace before she headed to work. “Oh sorry, no…no I’m not going to do that all day.” Quickly stepping to the side before she dropped down onto the ground next to her, careful to pick a relatively ‘soft’ spot. “I was just trying to see if that was a lighthouse or a wind turbine out there on the horizon…” @tctteredwings

for: @bhqextras ( open! ) location: rockaway beach

"You going to stand there blocking my sun all day or are you actually going to sit down?" The question came as Ana pulled her sunglasses down the bridge of her nose to observe the person standing right in front of her. There was a playful, cheeky smile on her features, head tilting to the side and brows lifting a moment. Giving herself the day off had been top of her agenda today, which meant she'd been heading straight for the beach, intent on spending every free second she had enjoying the sun, the atmosphere, and the people around her.

Julia didn’t know Zahra well - they were both in the library together on multiple occasions seemingly browsing or reading the same section, meaning she recognised her face as they came across each other at the door of the public library. As for judging her for this many books? That would be the pot calling the kettle black so instead she just gave her a small smile. “Wouldn’t dream of it. Here, you take one handle and I’ll take the other.” Luckily she didn’t have any books with her right now due to being on the way to pick one up, so her hands were free to attempt helping. Not that she was particulaly strong. 

“You need to invest in one of those wagons they put kids in to pull them along.” She joked lightly. @ofzahras

where: outside of the new york public library open: to anyone!

A drawn-out sigh escaped Zahra's lips as she stared at the massive, blue Ikea storage bag filled with books to the point where it would be a miracle if the bag remained intact for the last few steps. It had become evident she would not be finishing - or even opening - most of them in time, and paying late fees for the lot didn't exactly appeal to her. So, there she stood, trying to steady her breathing before entering the building. Evidently she needed to invest in a gym membership if she were to start lugging dozens of unread books on a weekly basis.

Feeling someone's presence next to her, she glanced at them almost sheepishly. "Don't ask," she muttered before flashing a nervous smile, "please."

[ Midori Francis, cis female, she/her ] — whoa! JULIA SATO just stole my cab! not cool, but maybe they needed it more. they have lived in the city for THREE MONTHS, working as a PAEDIATRIC DOCTOR. that can’t be easy, especially at only 33 YEARS OLD. some people say they can be a little bit PEDANTIC and GUARDED, but i know them to be EXTRAORDINARY and PATIENT. whatever. i guess i’ll catch the next cab. hope they like the ride back to BROOKLYN! 

Tw: Unwanted pregnancy, adoption, trauma

Julia wasn’t born wanting to be a doctor, she didn’t grow up playing doctor, but little did she know it was always on the cards for her. Pushed from a young age to focus closely on her academics she had two choices - doctor or lawyer, and in the end she chose the former. Her father was a well known cardiovascular surgeon and her mother one of New York’s top OBGYN, so it was hardly surprising when their only daughter was said to have her eyes set on medical school (Even if they were telling people long before Julia had any idea that’s what was happening.)

They tended to do that though. The pair of them would decide on something and before you knew it that was exactly what was happening, it was a control thing they loved to have, and it overflowed into every aspect of their daughter’s life. On the most part Julia was a sweet, normal child, she did well in school and didn’t make too many waves that drew extra attention to herself. With a select circle of friends - she was the girl you wanted to be in group projects with because it meant the ball wasn’t going to be dropped, you would have a finished project bang on time, and the lettering on the poster board would be impeccable to boot. Well if you’re going to do something you might as well do it properly, she knew the past of least resistance in her family was to excel so she didn’t put up a fuss. Just knuckling down to do what was expect of her. It wasn’t a miserable existence, did she get to go to as many social events as the rest of her classmates? Maybe not, but she never felt she was being deprived of anything. 

That was until she met and fell for Leo West. The two had been in the same grade for their entire school life but it wasn’t until they turned fifteen that their paths properly crossed and Julia’s eyes were suddenly opened to a world beyond her school books and music lessons. He had an freedom she had never been around before but wanted more of as soon as she’d been exposed, and it wasn’t long before (much to her parents disapproval) the two were dating. Julia’s first romance and it was a total whirlwind of infatuation and codependence they were inseparable and soon became a package deal. Even as she continued to study hard, it wasn’t with the same dedication that she’d had before and both the Sato parents started to notice, concern growing that this boy was turning their daughter’s head in the wrong direction. Not that they ever acted upon that thought - but they certainly made it known to Julia. Leo was due to go away on a year abroad once he finished high school and the Sato parents had already decided that this would be the end of their daughters relationship with him. And just like that he left when summer broke that year and Julia was back to focusing her attention onto her studies. 

Kinda. 

About three weeks later it was discovered that she was pregnant. A total disaster in her parents eyes the girl was made to go through with the pregnancy, hiding it for the most part thanks to her mother’s medical field, and the baby was put up for adoption the moment it came into he world. Never up for debate. Julia never got to hold it, they never even told her what she’d had. Instead she was just expected to go back to her studies as if nothing had happened without any kind of mental health or trauma support, and she did. But she was never the same. By the time Leo came home from his time abroad (which ended up going from one year to two) she had left for medical school so her parents didn't have to worry about the two of them reconnecting.

That was sixteen years ago and even after earning a place at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, a placement at Boston Children’s Hospital, and finally getting a job offer she couldn’t refuse back in her home town of New York, she still felt totally lost. So to combat it she threw herself into her work without letting up for a second, no time to think meant no time to hurt. At least with this career she could help children in a way she could never help her own child, but that didn’t stop her eyes from lingering a couple of seconds longer on kids that came in with features that reminded her of Leos’, wondering what had happened to their son or daughter. 

Wound tight, laser focused, a stickler for detail, and well overdue for everything she’d squished down to the depths of her soul and darkest parts of her brain to come bursting out, there was really no telling when this ticking time bomb was going to go off.