diff --git a/src/main/java/wtf/beatrice/nounspicker/objects/PAPIManager.java b/src/main/java/wtf/beatrice/nounspicker/objects/PAPIManager.java
index cf5cce1..b88619b 100644
--- a/src/main/java/wtf/beatrice/nounspicker/objects/PAPIManager.java
+++ b/src/main/java/wtf/beatrice/nounspicker/objects/PAPIManager.java
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package wtf.beatrice.nounspicker.objects;
 
 import me.clip.placeholderapi.expansion.PlaceholderExpansion;
+import org.bukkit.ChatColor;
 import org.bukkit.entity.Player;
 import org.jetbrains.annotations.NotNull;
 import wtf.beatrice.nounspicker.NounsPicker;
@@ -50,6 +51,11 @@ public class PAPIManager extends PlaceholderExpansion
 
         int pronounId;
 
+        // base format is [She/Her]
+        final String baseFormat = ChatColor.DARK_GRAY + "%main%" + ChatColor.DARK_GRAY + "/" +
+                "%secondary%" + ChatColor.DARK_GRAY + "]" + ChatColor.RESET;
+
+
         // todo: this sends query every time we get a papi call, which is horrible for performance.
         // todo: we should cache player pronouns too.
 
@@ -65,7 +71,8 @@ public class PAPIManager extends PlaceholderExpansion
                 String mainPronounFormat = Cache.dbManager.getPronounFormat(pronounId);
                 pronounId = Cache.dbManager.getPlayerPronounId(player.getName(), 1);
                 String secondaryPronounFormat = Cache.dbManager.getPronounFormat(pronounId);
-                return "[" + mainPronounFormat + "/" + secondaryPronounFormat + "]";
+                return baseFormat.replace("%main%", mainPronounFormat)
+                        .replace("%secondary%", secondaryPronounFormat);
         }
 
                 return null;