diff --git a/src/syntax/content/parser.rs b/src/syntax/content/parser.rs
index ae64b4c..d5fbb80 100644
--- a/src/syntax/content/parser.rs
+++ b/src/syntax/content/parser.rs
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ fn lex(text: &str, map: LexMap, config: &Config) -> Vec<Token> {
                 let buffer = &mut state.buffers.anchor;
                 let candidate = &mut buffer.candidate;
                 if candidate.text.is_empty() {
-                    if lexeme.next == "|" {
+                    if lexeme.next() == "|" {
                         buffer.text.push_str(&lexeme.text());
                         candidate.text.clone_from(&buffer.text);
                     } else {
@@ -125,19 +125,19 @@ fn lex(text: &str, map: LexMap, config: &Config) -> Vec<Token> {
                             state.context.inline = InlineContext::None;
                         // non-whitespace after pipe is the destination
                         } else {
-                            candidate.destination = Some(lexeme.next.clone());
+                            candidate.destination = Some(lexeme.next().clone());
                             let token = Token::Anchor(candidate.clone());
                             tokens.push(token);
                             state.context.inline = InlineContext::None;
                             // if there is a trailing pipe, consume it
                             if let Some(next) = iterator.next()
-                                && next.next == "|"
+                                && next.next() == "|"
                             {
                                 iterator.next();
                             }
                         }
                     // candidate is nonleading and we found a second pipe
-                    } else if !candidate.leading && lexeme.next == "|" {
+                    } else if !candidate.leading && lexeme.next() == "|" {
                         candidate.destination = Some(lexeme.text());
                         tokens.push(Token::Anchor(candidate.clone()));
                         state.context.inline = InlineContext::None;
diff --git a/src/syntax/content/parser/lexeme.rs b/src/syntax/content/parser/lexeme.rs
index ae23202..a099274 100644
--- a/src/syntax/content/parser/lexeme.rs
+++ b/src/syntax/content/parser/lexeme.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
+use crate::prelude::*;
+
 #[derive(Clone, Debug)]
 pub struct Lexeme {
     text: String,
-    pub next: String,
+    next: String,
+    last: bool,
 }
 
 impl Lexeme {
@@ -9,6 +12,7 @@ impl Lexeme {
         Lexeme {
             text: raw.to_owned(),
             next: next.to_owned(),
+            last: false,
         }
     }
 
@@ -16,6 +20,21 @@ impl Lexeme {
         self.text.clone()
     }
 
+    pub fn next(&self) -> String {
+        if self.next.is_empty() && !self.last {
+            log!("Returning an empty string for next of non-last {self:?}");
+        }
+        self.next.clone()
+    }
+
+    pub fn last(&self) -> bool {
+        self.last
+    }
+
+    pub fn mutate_text(&mut self, new: &str) {
+        self.text = new.to_string();
+    }
+
     pub fn is_whitespace(&self) -> bool {
         self.text == " " || self.text == "\n"
     }
@@ -41,6 +60,14 @@ impl Lexeme {
         }
     }
 
+    pub fn match_last_char(&self, query: char) -> bool {
+        if let Some(last) = self.text.chars().last() {
+            last == query
+        } else {
+            false
+        }
+    }
+
     pub fn match_next_first_char(&self, query: char) -> bool {
         if let Some(first) = self.next.chars().nth(0) {
             first == query
@@ -79,11 +106,17 @@ impl Lexeme {
         let mut iterator = raw_strings.iter().peekable();
 
         while let Some(raw) = iterator.next() {
-            let next =
-                iterator.peek().map(|s| (*s).clone()).unwrap_or_default();
+            let mut next = String::new();
+            let mut last = false;
+            if let Some(peeked) = iterator.peek() {
+                next.clone_from(*peeked);
+            } else {
+                last = true;
+            }
             out_vector.push(Lexeme {
                 text: raw.to_owned(),
                 next,
+                last,
             });
         }
 
diff --git a/src/syntax/content/parser/token/anchor.rs b/src/syntax/content/parser/token/anchor.rs
index aee6d6d..799cecb 100644
--- a/src/syntax/content/parser/token/anchor.rs
+++ b/src/syntax/content/parser/token/anchor.rs
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@ pub struct Anchor {
 
 impl Parseable for Anchor {
     fn probe(lexeme: &Lexeme) -> bool {
-        lexeme.text() == "|" || (!lexeme.is_whitespace() && lexeme.next == "|")
+        lexeme.text() == "|"
+            || (!lexeme.is_whitespace() && lexeme.next() == "|")
     }
 
     fn lex(_lexeme: &Lexeme) -> Anchor {
diff --git a/src/syntax/content/parser/token/header.rs b/src/syntax/content/parser/token/header.rs
index a38488e..e8d5574 100644
--- a/src/syntax/content/parser/token/header.rs
+++ b/src/syntax/content/parser/token/header.rs
@@ -31,8 +31,9 @@ impl Header {
         next_lexeme: &Lexeme,
         ids: &mut HashMap<String, Vec<String>>,
     ) -> String {
-        let base_id = if !config.ascii_dom_ids || next_lexeme.next.is_ascii() {
-            next_lexeme.next.clone()
+        let base_id = if !config.ascii_dom_ids || next_lexeme.next().is_ascii()
+        {
+            next_lexeme.next().clone()
         } else {
             String::from("h")
         };
@@ -92,7 +93,7 @@ impl Parseable for Header {
         Header::new(
             lexeme.text().len().into(),
             true,
-            Some(&lexeme.next.to_ascii_lowercase()),
+            Some(&lexeme.next().to_ascii_lowercase()),
         )
     }