Rituals of Affection

The Prompt

Rituals are built on repetition. They return us to the same actions, the same moments, often in the name of love or connection.

In this story, the ritual is central. It might be tender, habitual, or quietly intimate, but something about it does not fully resolve. The unease can be subtle or overt, explained or left open. What matters is the friction between devotion and disturbance.

Let the ritual persist. What it accomplishes, and what it consumes, will surface in time.

In order for your submission to qualify, it must be:

• A fiction story.
• Between 600 and 3,000 words.
• Submitted to the Fiction community. Your story will be disqualified if it is submitted to any other community.
• Submitted before February 13, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST.
• Your work must be original and unpublished.

The Prizes

• 5 Winners: $200 each
• 15 Runners-up: $15 each
• 10 Honorable Mentions: $5 each

For your story to be eligible, it must be between 600 and 3,000 words and adhere to our Community Guidelines.

Stories published on Vocal and entered into the Challenge up until February 13, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST will be entered for consideration. Official Rules for the Challenge can be found here.

The Rituals of Affection Challenge is exclusive to Vocal+ members. To learn more and upgrade to Vocal+, visit https://shopping-feedback.today/vocal-plus%3C/span%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/a%3E.%3C/p%3E%3Cp class="css-1923z11-Text">To be eligible to win, you must be over the age of 13 and reside in a country where Stripe is available at the time of entry. A complete list of countries where Stripe is available can be found here—winners will need a Stripe account created and connected to receive prizes. Entrants located outside of these countries will not be eligible to win.