#Soft caretaker

[whumpprentice]

you know what trope drives me absolutely feral? Repetition. Just :

"Hey, hey, it's okay"

"Shh, you're safe, you're safe, it's alright "

"Look at me. Hey, look at me"

"Stay with me. Come on, just stay with me"

"It's over. It's over now."

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry"

"I'm here. I'm right here"

[orangeduckweed]

gotta love me some tired Leader Whumpees *◜✧˖°

“Leader…” Second lays a gentle hand on his shoulder.

“Yeah?” he barely glances up from his desk. Paperwork and old files strewn haphazardly across the ink-stained wood.

“You need a break, you can’t keep on doing this to yourself.” she lays her hand to the back of his head, idly fiddling with the soft, dark locks.

Leader doesn’t budge; tired eyes fixed onto the image of a smug old man on the file in front of him—a lead suspect for the recent missing children’s cases the team’s been struggling with for just over a month now. 

“Leader.”

“What?” he half snaps.

It comes out harsher than Leader had intended. 

Leader curses under his breath, taking a moment to compose himself as he rubs at his bleary eyes with the back of his wrist.

“I… I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped at you. It’s been so long. We keep running into dead ends. I-“

“Take a break, Lead, please.” Second gently brushes the hair out of his eyes. “You’re going to run yourself into the ground, I can’t drag your unconscious butt to the medical wing again.”

Despite her berating, there’s no real bite to her words, only concern.

Leader groans halfheartedly as Second wordlessly takes him by the hand and leads him to a nearby couch, lying down with him on top of her, his face buried in the crook of her neck as her fingers gingerly rub his scalp.

“It’s nearly five in the morning. We’ll talk about your dumb habits when you wake up, okay?” She coos, feeling Leader go limp under her touch.

Leader doesn’t have the energy to reply. He only nods—drifting off into a deep, dreamless, much-needed sleep. 

[jordanstrophe]

Caretaker watched the stranger deep asleep on their couch. They had no idea where whumpee came from, only they were on the side of the road in that awful storm. The power was out and they had no way to call for help.

They had wounds that weren't from the storm. They were man made and varied with different tools. It was nothing like caretaker had ever seen before...

Caretaker turned their back to light a candle when they heard a quiet thump behind them. They turned around to find whumpee off the couch against the wall trying to make their way to the door.

"Woah woah woah! You're in no condition to be up like that." Caretaker scolded. Whumpee stopped in their tracks, realizing they weren't alone. They shakily turned around with a wide-frightened gaze. Their knees slowly gave in as they sunk to the floor and stayed frozen.

Caretaker dropped to a crouch, feeling odd standing so tall over them. "I know you're hurt, so let's go back on the couch and see what we can do, okay?"

Whumpee tilted their head towards the door, listening to the crash of lightning and a downpour of rain. "How did you find me?" Whumpee spoke in a whisper.

"Luck." Caretaker shrugged, scooting an inch closer. "Did someone hurt you? Are you in some sort of trouble?" Caretaker asked.

"No." Whumpee spoke shortly. Caretaker knew that was a lie; but if that's what whumpee wanted caretaker to think to be comfortable enough to let them help, then so be it. 

[whump-or-whatever]

The most chaotic, violent, unpredictable, standoffish characters becoming the most caring, empathetic, soft spoken caretakers, but only for that one special person.

[pigeonwhumps]

Battle

Taglist: @painful-pooch @i-eat-worlds @a-funeral-romance @rainydaywhump

Angstpril: alt prompt 1: troubled mind

Inspired by these two prompts by @hurtmyfavsthanks and an anon ask she received. I saw the more recent one and just wrote this straight up within a couple of hours, unable to resist it.

1k

CWs: living weapon, outcast whumpee, magical whumpee, low self-esteem, betrayal kinda, mentions of battle and casualties, mentioned past discrimination

Whumpee doesn't remember much of the battle.

It went by in a haze. They remember red, people falling, screams, unsure which side they were on. They remember the glee, the euphoria, of using their magic. The high of it all.

Now they're starting to come down from that high, and they can see the fear in people's eyes. The injuries, the casualties. Vaguely, they wonder who caused them. Was it them again?

Hands cup their face, gentle, calloused. The only ones that will ever touch them anymore.

Caretaker's.

"Hey. Look at me, now. Not the camp. Me." Whumpee looks up hesitantly, into their loving, warm eyes. One day they'll change. One day... one day they'll harden. Fear, hatred. From all the people they've hurt, on all sides. One day it'll be too much. They're afraid of the day they'll see that, of what will happen then.

But it hasn't happened yet.

Caretaker wipes their cheek softly. "It's okay. Come on, rest. Lay your head down. You're done for today. Close your eyes and rest."

Whumpee crawls into Caretaker's lap. They vaguely register being carried, head being lifted until it meets Caretaker's neck. Whumpee nuzzles into it.

"Shh. You did so well. You're doing so well, Whumpee. I'm proud of you."

Whumpee doesn't want to be. They want to grow flowers. But this is what their magic likes, this is what their king likes, this is what makes Caretaker say those words of praise in just that voice, so they can't stop.

(They ignore the small voice in their head that says that they have no idea what Caretaker's reaction to flowers would be. This is exhilarating, even if they feel an ever-growing bubble of shame at the endless, ruthless violence.)

Caretaker runs a hand through their hair, combing out the knots from the day's work, using a little water to clean the worst of the blood. Whumpee has been through this so many times that they know what to expect without even a glance. He won't hurt them with those eyes. They know his expression, his feelings, and they curl their arms and legs closer around him.

He's so warm.

"S'okay buddy. I'm here."

"Hmm."

Whumpee closes their eyes. It's so... so... they don't think they can sleep yet but they find themself drifting on the exhaustion the magical high always brings.

_

The next morning is... the next morning. As it always is with a new squad, it is very different to the first one.

And as it always is, Whumpee feels a sharp stab of hurt.

The soldiers know who they are, what they are. Have done since the very beginning .They've worked with Whumpee on the preparations, the journey here, for weeks. They know them. Sat around the campfire, shared meals, joked and talked and laughed. They'd been wished good luck yesterday morning, hair ruffled, smiles and reassurances in abundance. Soldier had even fixed their horse's saddle after the straps started to break. Now...

Now, they won't come within arms length of them. Soldier ladles out breakfast to the rest, leaving an empty bowl several feet from Whumpee, not looking them in the eye as he leaves them to fetch their own. He flinches along with several others as they approach the campfire, more whose hands jerk towards their swords. As if they're going to attack. As if they're so out of control that they'd attack their own side on purpose.

They reluctantly let go of Caretaker's hand so he can fetch their breakfast and the healing potion alone. At least he looks them in the eye. At least he sits with them, and talks, and touches them. Helps convince them to take the potion, even though it's bitter and rancid and no-one will improve it for the likes of them, and they won't need it once the adrenaline and euphoria of tomorrow's battle kicks in.

The kindness is only for now. It will change, sooner or later.

Nobody helps the pair of them take down their tent, or pack their saddlebags, and the Sergeant looks about to stop Whumpee from replacing the emergency set of daggers they carry in their boots at all times. A gift from Caretaker.

It's like they have the plague. Or the Devil's Touch, as their old villagers used to say.

They're pretty much alone in the clearing now, the rest of the squad staying as far away as they can without letting Whumpee out of their sight. Just in case they explode or something.

Without a word, Whumpee settles down on the ground beside the smoldering fire, Caretaker sitting on the log behind them. It's a sharply cold morning, dew dampening their breeches, but their leather armour keeps them surprisingly warm.

Caretaker braids their hair quickly and simply, just enough to keep it out of their face. Battlefields aren't the place for complicated hairstyles. Which is a shame, because Caretaker takes pride in that skill, and Whumpee delights in being allowed to display the results.

Whumpee dries their face with the cloth Caretaker hands them wordlessly. They need to get it together. It's not like it's the end of the world or anything. They try to summon the ease by which they sometimes prepare, the eagerness instead of dread that comes with a lot of battles.

It doesn't come. Today is a day for dread, then, and there's nothing they can do about it but pray for a miracle. And a break in the hatred and fear, the violence with which everyone rejects them.

They can't help thinking, though, that the amount of damage they've done, it's no wonder people want them locked away. They are a weapon, after all.

Yes. Definitely one of the bad days.

Caretaker's their handler. They try not to think about it but it's true. He's the only one who might see it, might offer them a brief reprieve. So they summon up all their courage.

"Please..."

Caretaker finishes the braid and kisses their temple. "I'm so sorry, Whumpee. I really am. But you need to do this. We need to do this. The kingdom needs you."

Whumpee nods. They don't blame Caretaker, not really. They need to win this war. And Whumpee needs to use their magic.

But gods do they wish they could stop.

[whumperofworlds]

That one moment where a Caretaker is angry and murderous towards a Whumper, then the moment they turned to Whumpee, that rage stops and is replaced with love, protectiveness, and softness towards Whumpee.

That's the good stuff.

[basilhopewhumps]

thinking abt,,,,,,,,Whumpee who has been very sick for days and days now, weak and wrapped up in blankets on the couch, doing pretty much nothing but nap and have food and take nice baths and cuddle with Caretaker, sometimes watch a show or a movie, but they really don't have the energy for anything else. and sure, they're being well taken care of, and they're comfortable and safe, but they're really sad because they miss doing their favorite activities...their hands are too shaky to do crafts/art that they like or to play their favorite board games, they're too weak to go for a walk/play sports or outside games/go hang at the library or cafe or museum, maybe they can't even enjoy reading/writing/video games/anything because looking at a screen or reading words makes their headache flare up too much. likewise with their favorite music. and they're just so frustrated and sad..........

bonus: Caretaker trying to find a way to help them do their thing. maybe Whumpee has the mental energy for a board game but physically is too shaky and weak, so when Caretaker finds out how sad they are, they offer to just move pieces/play cards/etc for them. maybe they can't go outside but Caretaker sets up a cozy nook in the backyard/on the balcony (porch swing???????????? sick Whumpee snuggled up on porch swing with pillows and blankets and everything?????????????) so they can be taken care of but also have some fresh air and enjoy the outdoors. they get a headache from reading but if Caretaker reads to them slowly and quietly it makes them feel better. or Caretaker just talking to them about their creative projects that they're excited about that have been put on hold, asking them what their next big art piece is going to be of and letting them describe it in enthusiastic, sniffly detail for as long as they want, or asking them about their progress on that cardigan theyre knitting, or talking out plot things theyre figuring out in their writing. mmmmmm

they'd still be a little sad and frustrated and disappointed that they're too weak to do what they want to do but at least Caretaker is doing their best to give them something to make them happy :')))))

[snaillamp]

Sicktember - day 6

6. Sick and Injured

Whumpee coughed, feeling the vibrations ripple through their congested chest. Rolling over, they groaned, their head feeling heavy as another chill danced over their bones.

Pulling the blankets higher, they sniffed, curling into a ball as they shivered. Whumpee hated being sick. It hurt to swallow, it hurt to breathe, they felt to hot and the minute they cooled down, they felt too cold. They were hungry but the second they tried to eat food they lost their appetite…

They couldn’t win.

They had decided to wear shorts and a loose singlet, nestling under blankets, the best compromise they could think of, even if their legs felt a bit cold and achy.

Sighing, Whumpee cleared their throat of slimy phlegm buildup and sat up, immediately regretting it as the world swayed, making them feel nauseous. They forced their weak, shaking legs over the edge of the bed and grabbed a blanket, wrapping it over their shoulders shuffling towards the kitchen.

Their work colleague, Caretaker had made some soup and left it for them in the fridge, telling them to warm it up if they wanted any. When Whumpee hadn’t turned up to work a few days ago, Caretaker, knowing Whumpee lived alone, had come by to check in on them, finding them curled up in bed, delirious with the flu. Caretaker had then spent the past few days visiting them when they could, attempting to help nurse Whumpee back to health.

Whumpee had long suspected Caretaker had a massive crush on them. Caretaker would take any opportunity they could to talk to Whumpee, and Whumpee had caught them on many an occasion staring at them while they worked. Whumpee didn't mind, they liked Caretaker as well, maybe as a good friend or maybe something more, they couldn’t be sure…

Whumpee pulled open the fridge, shivering as the cold air washed over them. They found the small plastic container, filled to the brim with a thick, creamy soup. Whumpee lifted it out with both hands, not strong enough to hold it with just one. Carrying it their microwave, their blanket fell from around their shoulders.

Sighing in annoyance, Whumpee lifted the container into the microwave, trying to decide how long to put it in for through their hazy mind. '40 seconds should do.'

They pulled off the lid, punching in a number and pressing the 'START' button without even checking the time they had set it to. Bending down with their aching joints, they grabbed their blanket, pulling it back over their shoulders.

Whumpee stared out their kitchen window, zoning out as they waited, the buzz of the microwave droning on and on in the back of their mind. After a while they frowned, ‘That’s been in there for a while, maybe I should check it.’

Turning to the microwave, they gasped, rushing forwards. “No, no, no, no!” They begged, hitting cancel. They had pressed to 4 too many times, setting the microwave to 4 minutes and 40 seconds. Ripping open the door, they lifted the scalding soup from the microwave with the tips of their fingers, but as they tried to place it in their sink to let the soft plastic cool, the sagging bottom of the container split open, sending boiling soup splashing onto Whumpee’s bare legs. They howled dropping to the floor and watching in horror as their skin turned scarlet.

Thinking quickly, the grabbed their blanket, wiping off what they could, before rolling over onto the ice cold tiles of the kitchen, sighing at the brief moment of relief they provided. They moaned in pain as they inched across the kitchen, if they could get it to their phone, they could call for help except… a sinking feeling set in.

Whumpee had left their phone charging in their room, all the way on the other side of their house… Sobbing, they continued to crawl, making it halfway to their room, before they collapsed in a shaking ball. They couldn’t do it, they were too sick… their shins and feet were too painful. They could feel the large blisters forming as they curled up on their side and shut their eyes, accepting their fate, the hazy fever consuming them.

~~

Caretaker lifted the doormat, finding the key and opening Whumpee's front door. The smell of Whumpee’s home washed over them as they stepped inside, followed by the smell of something... burnt?

“Hey, Whumpee? It’s Caretaker.” No reply. “Probably asleep…” Caretaker murmured to themself. Whumpee had been asleep a lot recently, given their condition. It wasn’t unlikey that they were asleep now, but that burnt smell was worrying them. Caretaker crept to Whumpee's room, expecting to find them huddled under a mountain of blankets, but their bed was empty. “Maybe they went to the bathroom.” Caretaker reasoned out loud. They crossed the hallway, into the bathroom. Nothing. “Huh… Maybe they moved to the main room?”

But when Caretaker entered the main part of the house, they gasped in horror. Whumpee was collapsed on the floor, unconscious, a trail of soup behind them. Caretaker ran over to them, shaking them awake.

“Whumpee, Whumpee, what happened?” Whumpee mumbled something incoherent, raising their head to look at Caretaker, before letting it drop back down to the ground. Caretaker looked them over, finding the burns on Whumpee’s legs and feet, causing them to gasp in shock.

Large, angry blisters were stretching over Whumpee’s burned legs.

Caretaker immediately jumped into action, picking up Whumpee under their arms and dragging their heavy, limp body to the bathroom. They heaved Whumpee into the bath and turned on the tap, letting it flood Whumpee's skin with cool, flowing water.

Whumpee moaned in relief, letting their head fall back against the rim of the tub. Their skin was still quite pale and sickly looking as Caretaker watched them with worry. “Whumpee, what happened?”

Whumpee was silent for a moment, before mumbling some slurred nonsense and a microwave and a sink. They sat together in silence for minutes, letting the water run over Whumpee’s burns until they moaned quietly, their eyes squeezed shut, teeth gritted in pain. Caretaker watched in concern as Whumpee’s moans grew quieter, their shivering growing worse.

Resting their hand on Whumpee’s forehead, Caretaker felt their skin. It was ice cold. Caretaker shot up, running to Whumpee’s room to grabbing them a blanket, returning to Whumpee and wrapping the blanket around their freezing friend.

~~

“C-Care…” Whumpee mumbled, cracking open their eyes, turning their head slowly too look at Caretaker. “Too cold…” They whispered, shuddering as they wrapped their arms around their quacking body. They felt ice cold, unable to warm up, not even after Caretaker wrapped the blanket around them. Their lips were slowly turning blue, their eyes shutting as they slid down the edge of the tub, gasping and coughing as darkness began to creep into their vision. Their breathing grew faster as they tried to fight it off, but they were so, so cold…

Whumpee coughed, sliding down the edge of the bath, their body going limp as they fell unconscious. “Whumpee?” Caretaker asked, hauling Whumpee back up. Their head flopped back heavily, their skin cold and blue as Caretaker sat them up, shaking Whumpee to try and wake them. Whumpee didn’t move.

Caretaker felt sick, was Whumpee hypothermic? Had they done this to them? Whumpee was so cold and pale…

Pulling their phone from their pocket, Caretaker dialed the emergency number and waited for them to pick up. When Caretaker finally got through, they stumbled over their words as they explained to the operator what was happening.

Within minutes, paramedics had pulled up and were unpacking bags, asking Caretaker questions. “How long since they got burned, passed out, in the water, how long, when did, what is…?”

All the questions became a blur as they draped plastic wrap over Whumpee’s burns and lifted them from the bath, wrapping them in a silver sheet. Caretaker ended up in the back of the ambulance with Whumpee, watching their body jostle as the ambulance sped over bumps in the road. Whumpee looked so small and fragile strapped to the stretcher. Caretaker swallowed the urge to throw up as they watched their friend slipping away in front of them… and it was their fault.

~~

The ambulance pulled in the the ED and the paramedics carted Whumpee out straight away, leaving Caretaker to wander in behind them, dazed. They watched as Whumpee was treated, gripping their hands into tight fists, their knuckles beginning to ache until they released them.

A nurse invited Caretaker to sit by Whumpee and wait for them to wake up, which Caretaker did anxiously. Whumpee took ages to wake up, but when they did, the first thing they did was smile at Caretaker. “Whumpee, thank goodness you’re okay, I'm so sorry, this is all my fault...” Caretaker murmured, brushing some hair off of Whumpee’s forehead.

"No... it isn't..." Whumpee whispered, as Caretaker's gentle hands stroked their face.

Whumpee groaned softly, leaning into the pleasant sensation with a contented smile, before their face fell. “I feel… weird…” Caretaker sighed, trying to hold back a laugh. “It’s probably the drugs they put you on. They said you might feel a bit strange.” Whumpee nodded, before reaching for Caretaker’s hand gently stroking their face.

Caretaker’s stomach did a flip.

~~

Whumpee’s fingers brushed Caretaker’s, looking up at their friend's face, noticing how their cheeks were slightly pink. “Thank..you…” They grabbed Caretaker’s hand properly, pressing it into their cheek.

“If you hadn't…”

Caretaker’s eyes brimmed with tears as they leaned down and wrapped Whumpee in a massive hug. “I was so scared, Whumpee…” Caretaker whispered in their ear.

“I know, I was too, but when you were there, I knew I was safe…” Caretaker pulled back slightly, looking redder than a tomato. “What… what do you mean?” They stuttered, making Whumpee smirk as they shut their tired eyes.

“Later…” They mumbled, their hand relaxing as they passed out.

~~

When Whumpee checked out of the hospital, Caretaker was waiting there to pick them up. They hugged each other awkwardly, before getting into Caretaker’s car sitting in silence as Caretaker drove.

The curiosity soon got the better of Caretaker, and they turned to Whumpee. “Hey, so you said something back at the hospital… you never ended up explaining it.”

Whumpee frowned, “Honestly, I hardly remember anything, they had me doped up on so many drugs.” They laughed, running their hand though their hair nervously. “What was it?”

They glanced at Caretaker who glanced back briefly, before turning into the driveway of Whumpee’s house. “Oh, nothing, you just said that you were scared… until I was there…” Caretaker tried to sound casual as the car gently stopped in the driveway, but they began blushing hard, looking at their lap, embarrassed.

~~

Whumpee looked at them, chuckling, before getting out of the car. They waited for a second before bending down and looking in.

“Well, you coming in, or what?”

Caretaker’s eyes sparked with excitement as they got out of the car, helping Whumpee back inside, making sure they were comfortable lying on their sofa. Squeezing in next to Whumpee, Caretaker blushed again, stealing a glance at them as they lay back a little, supporting themself on their elbows. Whumpee noticed, sighing slightly and smirking at them.

“I meant it, you know.” They piped up, looking at Caretaker’s face. They watched their friend frown as Whumpee moved slightly closer, sitting up a little more. “I was scared, until I knew you were there. I couldn’t move, but I knew I was okay, because I could hear your voice and you…” Whumpee’s eyes searched Caretaker’s their faces slowly growing closer.

Before Caretaker realised what was happening, Whumpee’s lips touched theirs. They felt a zing down their spine as Whumpee’s hand made it’s way up Caretaker’s back and neck, settling gently in their hair. Caretaker reciprocated, leaning into Whumpee’s body and melting into their arms. They straddled Whumpee's waist, tilting them back onto the sofa, both of them completely engulfed in each other’s presence until Caretaker’s foot brushed Whumpee’s burned leg.

Whumpee felt a sting flash like lightning through their shin, pulling back and gasping in pain. Caretaker sat up, panicked as they watched Whumpee groan in pain.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry Whumpee, I didn’t mean to hurt you! I just got a bit carried away and... Oh fuck, are you okay?!” Caretaker stumbled over their words, getting off Whumpee's hips and sliding away, mortified.

Whumpee smiled moving into a sitting position, legs safely out of the way. “No, it's fine... I think we should just stay up right for now…” They murmured, pulling Caretaker on top of them again. Caretaker met Whumpee halfway, giggling through the kisses, fingers becoming wrapped in each other’s hair, the both of them oblivious of the world around them.

All that mattered was that they had each other, and that nothing, not even 2nd degree burns were going to take that away from them.

~masterlist~

[whumpshots]

Whump Snippet Saturday #31

Whumpee looks up when caretaker enters the room and scrambles to hide the wrappers and used bandages they just changed. Apparently too late because caretaker crosses their arms before their chest.

They don't seem angry, despite the look on their face, but whumpee swallows hard and takes a step backwards to ensure there is enough distance between the two of them.

"I won't scream at you," they say and sigh. "I never do. But I do want to know where you're injured." Whumpee averts their eyes and hugs their own torso, trying to keep their fight or flight response at bay.

"You don't need to tell me what happened. I just want to see if you're alright," caretaker adds with a smile of which whumpee only catches a glimpse. They are so different from whumper, but it still takes so much to trust them.

Whumpee takes a tiny step forward and caretaker waits a few seconds to catch up with them. They don't touch them immediately, ask where it hurts and if they can take a look. A few seconds pass until whumpee nods their okay and gets their wounds checked.

[aspergirl2022]

Gloves Whump

-Whumpee wearing gloves to hide an injury or an artificial limb

-Whumpee having mysophobia/germophobia (fear of germs) and wearing gloves as a consequence

-Whumper only touching Whumpee with gloves as a way of dehumanisation

-Medical Caretaker wearing gloves so they can treat Whumpee’s injuries safely

-Caretaker who put gloves to handle something dangerous for everyone (product or object)

-Caretaker or Whumpee force to wear gloves because of some allergies

[faofinn]

12. Old Wives Tale

Fred had to smile, taking the copy from her. It had been his copy, dog eared and worn, a gift from his brother years ago. She'd not managed to get much further than where they'd left; wanting to wait until they were back together, curled up and reading separately. She figured that her curled up on him and Fred reading to her was just as good (if not better), and she pulled out the puppydog eyes. 

He never could resist her, and opened the book to start to read aloud, his voice soft so she could fall back asleep if she needed. 

Sheila ended up dozing, content in Fred's arms. His voice was soft and home, making her feel better. The paracetamol had helped, too, bringing her fever down a little. When she woke, it was late afternoon, and Fred was nowhere to be found. She stretched out with a sigh, trying to build the energy to get up.

"Fred?" She called, padding through the house, her blanket cocooned around her. "Fred?"

"Kitchen!" He called, his voice carrying. 

"You left me." She grumbled good-naturedly; whatever he was cooking smelled too good to argue with him. 

"Oh, I'm sorry." He met her in the doorway, wrapping his arms around her. "How are you feeling at the moment?"

She leaned into him. "Mm, better. Still rubbish."

"That's a bit better, you look better than you did before." He said softly, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I'm just making some tea for us."

"It smells good."

"It's an old family recipe, it'll make you feel better."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, it’s chicken soup. It'll fix all your illnesses."

She laughed. "That's just an old wives tale."

"So you don't want it?" He teased. 

"No, no." She said quickly, her stomach rumbling. "I didn't say that."

He laughed. "Pull up a chair? I've gotta finish stirring."

She reluctantly peeled herself away from him, perching on the counter instead of a chair. "You'll have to teach me."

"Of course, when you’re better, though. It wouldn’t stick right now." He chatted away to her as he finished up, tidying away the pots and pans, and decanting a few portions into some tupperware. 

"Want some bread with it?" Fred asked, rubbing her knee.

"Mm?" She blinked at him, rubbing her eyes. "What?"

He laughed. "I thought you'd gone quiet. You'd fallen asleep up there."

"I wasn't asleep." She protested. 

He wrapped his arms around her, picking her up. She nestled into him, holding onto him like a koala. He carried her through to the living room, setting her on the sofa.

"Put something on the TV? I'll bring your soup through."

She grinned at him, tucking her feet up. "Thank you."

Fred returned to the kitchen, pouring her a glass of apple juice before carrying both their teas through. He settled the tray on her lap and curled up next to her. "So, what have we got?"

Sheila looked up at him with a smile, sheepishly taking the tray. “Just whatever I could find on.”

"Good enough for me. Careful, it's hot."

“Thank you.”

He stretched forward to steal a kiss, quickly settling back down to eat. "There's some for the freezer too, and enough for tomorrow."

“You shouldn’t kiss me.” She mumbled. 

"I'm gonna get sick anyway." He shrugged. "Well, I'm not, because this is gonna cure us both."

She made no effort to move away, snuggling against him the best she could with her bowl of soup. The first spoon was heaven, warm and comforting, and she sighed happily. 

"Better?"

“Much. You’ve cured me.”

[whumpingandsmilinglikeanidiot]

how do people think up stuff like these

Soft Caretaker & Tough Whumpee

Caretaker working up the courage to ask Whumpee if they want to have their bandages changed because they're too terrified of their ominous presence.

When Whumpee burns themselves and they don't feel the pain because of their high tolerance and it's Caretaker that freaks out and cries over it

When Caretaker is the one that has the dreadful nightmares of losing Whumpee

"What? Doesn't that hurt...?"

Reassuring Caretaker when they are so certain Whumpee has grown cold and distance after the torturous events

Whumpee that humours themselves using their trauma, and Caretaker growing uncomfortable

"Caretaker, this reminds me of when Whumper tried to brand me so I broke Whumper's wrist. It was hilarious, you should've seen their face."

When Whumpee is over the pain already and just wants to eat something while Caretaker is unable to comprehend how someone is so relaxed

Whumpee that has a revenge plan immediately after being freed and not afraid at all to go after their attacker(s)

Whumpee that slowly begins to act like their Whumper(s) and Caretaker is noticing it

Sitting alone together and Caretaker is too afraid of Whumpee to move a muscle

"I can do it myself." "But both your legs are broken." "I can still walk."

Slapping away needles and Caretaker just accepting that they won't listen

Punching, kicking, etc... when being touched out of reflex and then apologizing

"Yeah, Whumpee is a handful."

~~~

MASTERLIST

[basilhopewhumps]

ok buckle in lads today ive been thinking about cold whump and came up with a way too elaborate scenario that i actually think i might write into a whump story:

Whumpee has been living a happy life in a cozy, rustic cabin deep in the woods with their partner, Caretaker. but of course it all goes wrong when Whumper kidnaps Whumpee, leaving no trace, and the investigations eventually fizzling out leaving Caretaker forced to accept that their beloved Whumpee must be dead. Caretaker is grieving but meanwhile-

Whumpee is in the hands of the Whumper now, who kidnapped them with the intention of holding them hostage forever, having them just for the control and for the thrill of hurting someone etc etc

Whumper lives quite a ways away from Caretaker's house but in a cabin in the same woods; one could theoretically walk through the woods all the way to Caretaker and Whumpee's house from Whumper's cabin, which is similar to theirs, rustic and warm and can even be cozy, though the horrors it holds for Whumpee overrule that

of course, they are being subjected to all the usual whump. tortured and conditioned and subject to so much pain at the hands of Whumper. they are kidnapped in early spring one year and live out the whole summer and fall with Whumper, but early on in the fall the Whumper, who is very much enjoying testing the limits of what they can do psychologically to Whumpee, hatches a plan

see, after the first snow, it is always constantly cold and snowy in these woods, and won't thaw until spring

so Whumper makes a deal with Whumpee. during the winter months, when the forests are inhospitable with snow, they will be free to escape. they can go wherever they want. the doors will be unlocked, they will have an exit route from where they are usually held captive, they will not be punished for leaving the house no matter for how long. they are allowed to escape and go all the way home. but they are not given any of the things- warm clothing, food, anything to start a fire- that they would need to make it out in the cold.

Whumper's idea is to see how desperate they can make Whumpee to leave, that they would risk attempting the 24 hour trek from Whumper's cabin to the nearest cabin, which is theirs/Caretaker's, out in the snow. their torment of Whumpee is so brutal that Whumpee attempts it several times, only to become too weak and collapse in the snow, shivering, close to death, and have Whumper come back to find them, ushering them inside because they are begging to go back to Whumper's house just to not be in the cold.

but finally Whumpee manages to do it. through sheer teeth gritting determination they make it all the way from Whumper's house to Caretaker's. Caretaker tearfully embraces them, their supposedly dead partner alive on their front steps, and then rushes them inside to warm them up and the softest of both emotional and physical caretaking ensues as they wrap them in blankets, feed them warm homemade soup that is familiar and comforting, ease them into a hot bath, etc

[snaillamp]

Angry Kitten and Mumma Cat

Leader was standing at attention, their team being spoken too by Big Boss. He was rambling on about what a good job they had all done last mission and what not, his usual spiel. Leader’s head was pounding as they swayed slightly, bumping into Youngest’s shoulder, causing them to look over at them.

“Leader?” They whispered, frowning in concern. “You good?” Leader’s eyes fluttered as their head began pounding even more than it already had been, “Shh, pay attention” They murmured back. They stood straighter, their head protesting as they forced their eyes to focus on the words coming from Big Boss’ mouth.

Their head was pounding more now, they could hear their heart beating in their ears as a tiny moan escaped them, the blood draining from their face as their eyes rolled back, and they crumpled to the ground. The last thing they remembered was someone gasping and hands trying to grab them as they fell, before the green carpet rushed up to meet their face with a thud.

~~

Everyone in the room stared at Leader, collapsed on the floor. Big Boss opened and closed his mouth like a fish, unsure of what to do. Breaking formation, Medic and Right-hand rushed over to Leader, rolling them over and checking them out. “Damn, they have a fever, they’re burning up.” Medic mumbled as they checked for a pulse. It was racing.

“We need to get them to a doctor, now!” Medic ordered, their voice firm and controlled. Within minutes, paramedics had rushed in, scooping up Leader and carting them away to hospital. Everyone stood in awkward silence, before Big Boss nodded and dismissed them, mumbling something about a good job and getting back to work. The team members all looked at each other, they knew they weren’t going back to any work until they knew Leader was okay. Cramming themselves into a car, they drove to the hospital and were soon by Leader’s side, waiting for them to wake up.

~~

When Leader opened their eyes, they could see a light shining directly in them. “Ah, and you’ve finally awoken. How are you Leader?” A chipper voice asked them as they tried to remember what happened. All they could manage was a weak whine. “It’s alright, don’t speak if you can’t. Now, Leader, I’m Doctor Cass, and I want you to know you’re in hospital. You collapsed at work, okay?” Leader nodded, barely taking in anything Dr Cass said. Their head was still pounding.

“You’ve come down with a pretty bad case of the flu, but I’ll just observe you for a bit and then let you go home. There isn’t much we can do for you here, I’m afraid. Your friends will look after you.” Leader nodded, the movement making their head hurt as they shut their eyes again, trying to sleep. They lay like that for a while but they couldn’t do it, their head hurt too much.

“Hey Leader…” A quiet voice spoke up, making them open their eyes. “How you feeling?” Right-hand asked, leaning close so Leader could hear them. All Leader could manage was a groan in reply. It was all starting to come together for them, their team had all caught a light case of the flu a few weeks ago, after a mission.

Leader hadn’t been affected by it, so they had spent their time looking after everyone as they battled the light fever. It seemed like all that work had finally caught up with them. “I’ll let you rest, Leader. I’ll tell everyone you’re doing okay.” Right-hand patted their shoulder before leaving them to rest.

~~

A couple days later, Leader was feeling better. They still felt like death, but felt well enough that Dr Cass let them go home. They felt cold and shivery as they checked out of the hospital, held up between two teammates and then bundled into the car. When they got home, they were practically carried to their bed, tucked in and left alone to rest.

That was fine for the first couple of days, Leader lay there, delirious as their team took it in turns looking after them, but when they finally came back to themself, all they wanted to do was get back to work. They were almost a week behind in paperwork and they felt even sicker thinking about the late nights they’d need to do to catch up. Lying there, they felt fine, so they sat up.

Big mistake.

They moaned, falling back hard against their bed. Their head was pounding as they rested arm on their forehead, moaning in pain. Medic rushed in, looking worried as they went to Leader’s side. “You okay?” They asked checking Leader over in a rush. “Just… I wanna… get up ’n… work…” Leader moaned, trying to sit again. The world spun around as they lifted their head. “Stay there Leader. You need rest.”

Leader sighed, “But I have so much to do…” Medic rolled their eyes. “You and your damn work. It’s not going anywhere.” They sighed, looking around. “If I bring you your laptop, will you promise to stay in bed?” Leader nodded, feeling their head ache as they did.

“And early to bed tonight.”

“Wait, that wasn’t part of the deal!” Leader argued, only for Medic to smirk. “I know what you’re like, but I’m afraid it’s my rules or no laptop.” Leader frowned, agreeing with a grumble.

~~

The next few days they perked up a little more, able to sit up without feeling like they were going to faint and their sinuses clearing up a little. They still felt like road kill, but at least they were on the mend. Sighing, they heard their team laughing as they came back from the gym, presumably from training. “I wanna train…” They stared at the report they had been typing. Paperwork was always so dry, but this report was torture to try and write, especially with their mind the way it was right now.

Groaning, they pushed the laptop aside and stood, swaying a little, before shuffling toward the door. They... they just had to get out of this damn bedroom. They felt so isolated in there.

Leader stumbled down the hallway, making it half way before they looked up at the feet that had appeared in front of them. Medic pointed at the direction Leader had come, "Bed." they ordered firmly.

"I have the flu, I’m not dying.” Leader mumbled, turning and shuffling to back to their room. Crawling into bed and lying there until they passed out again, their body was heavy as the depression started to weigh on their chest.

~~

The next day they were able to think clearly again. The worst of the fever seemed to be over and they were almost back on their feet, so they decided to slip into their office when their team was out to get some stuff done.

After a couple hours of sitting at their desk, they began to feel the chills return and the headache start again. Groaning, they lay back, rubbing their eyes and trying to breathe through their blocked nose.

“I thought I’d find you here.” An accusatory tone came from their doorway. Medic was leaning on the door frame, looking smug. “You should be in bed Leader. You’ll only slow your recovery by working right now.” Leader shot them a look, but that only seemed to encourage Medic, who waltzed into the room and slung their arm under Leader’s own. “Come on, up we go.” They grunted, pulling Leader to their feet. “Home time, champ.”

Leader tried to pull away. “No, I’m fine. Just gimme a minute. I was about to take a break anyway.” They pulled out of Medic’s grip, only to stagger and fall against their desk. “Right.” Medic answered, definitely convinced. “And how long was this… “break” going to last?”

Leader sighed as Medic picked them up. “You’re coming home and resting. I won’t hear another peep about it from you.” Leader glared at them, but let them take them home. It was nice just to be in the presence of another person right now.

Leader lay in bed that afternoon, sniffing and spluttering. Their recovery had taken a nose dive due to their ‘escapade’ as Medic had called it, and now were under strict orders to stay in bed until they were 100% better. Leader rolled their eyes, half expecting Medic to try and spoon feed them chicken soup next. They didn’t even like soup! So instead, they stared at their laptop, watching a shitty rom-com, which was neither particularly romantic or funny. They looked up at the sound of their door creaking.

“Hey…” Right-hand murmured. “You awake?” Leader groaned, looking at the silhouette of Right-hand’s huge frame in the doorway.

Leader was short, even by short people standards, but they made up for it with strength, skill and personality. Right-hand on the other hand, was a huge, cuddly bear. Leader wouldn’t be surprised if Right-hand could actually beat a bear in a fight, they’d be pretty evenly matched, but for a huge, loud, scary looking person, they were softer than butter.

Coming over to Leader, they sat by the bed. “Whatcha watching?” They asked looking at the laptop screen. “Some movie… I haven’t really been watching to be honest…” Leader mumbled, turning to look at Right-hand, who scoffed. “I see. Hey, so you want dinner?” Leader shook their head, they couldn't stomach the thought of food. “Okay, call if you need anything.” Leader nodded, watching Right-hand leave.

At that moment, all they wanted was for them to stay.

The next morning they pushed themself out of bed, staggering into the main room, everyone was gone. Sighing in relief, Leader grabbed some shoes. They could sneak into work and get more done, they were feeling a bit better again, and if they could spend a few hours in their office, they could finally catch up and relax, like Medic wanted.

Big, strong arms wrap around their torso. “And where do you think you’re going?” Right-hand asked, scooping them up and cradling them. “Put me down!” Leader struggled weakly in Right-hand’s grasp. “Nope. Not until you tell me where you’re planning on going.” Leader glared at Right-hand as they began to carry them back to their room.

“No. I don’t have to explain myself to you! Right-hand put me down! I am your superior, I order you to let me fucking go!” They clawed and pushed at Right-hand’s chest as hard as they could, which wasn’t hard at all, before they gave up, letting their arm dangle limply by their side. Right-hand cradled them close as they hung floppy in their arms, rapidly losing energy.

“Medic told me where you went yesterday. I figured I’d stick around in case you tried to pull that shit again, Leader. And look who was right.” Leader huffed, crossing their arms, before trying to wiggle free. “You’re gloating.”

Right-hand smirked, “Yeah. And? You’re the idiot trying to sneak out.” Leader gave up trying to wiggle out of Right-hand’s grip as they got back into the room. They found themself leaning against Right-hand’s chest, listening to their heart. Right-hand sat on the bed, noticing Leader clinging to them. “You okay?” Leader was silent, pressing their body harder into Right-hand’s. “I don’t know…” They whispered, listening to the heart beat quicken a little. “Leader, what’s wrong?” Right-hand sat them on their lap and held them tight, feeling Leader’s fever wracked body start to shake.

“I just hate feeling like this…” Leader whispered through shuddering breaths, “So weak and… and…” A sob wracked their body. Being held like this felt so nice... They could stay like that forever.

“Hey, hey, hey, don’t cry, Leader. It’s okay. You just need to chill out and get better. You’ll be fine in a couple days.” Leader shook their head.

“No…”

Right-hand sighed, lifting Leader up and tucking them into bed. “I’ll go get you something to eat, you need strength if you’re gonna heal up.” Leader whined, grabbing at their hand. “Can you stay? I don’t want to be alone…” Their whispering voice wavered.

It all came crashing into Right-hand like a bus. “Oh, oh Leader… I had no idea you felt like that…” Leader pulled the blankets up higher, trying to stop their rising sobs. “I-I’m just sick of being so… so useless. I want to work, I want to be with you guys… I feel so isolated... so forgotten…”

Right-hand sat beside Leader, brushing some of their hair off their face. “I had no idea… Leader… I’m so sorry. Come on, I’ll set you up on the couch, you can hang with us tonight.” Leader looked up at them, shaking their head with teary eyes. “I just need someone right now. Here.” Right-hand nodded, climbing onto the bed and laying beside Leader, hugging them close.

They listened as Leader’s ragged, warm breaths began to slow, their body relaxing as they fell asleep. They knew Leader needed it. Leaving quickly, they set up a blanket nest on the couch outside, before carrying Leader 's limp form from the bed. Tucking them in, Leader coughed a little, stirring and making a sleepy sound before settling into their new sleeping spot.

One by one, the team came home after a long day of work and training, finding Right-hand sitting by Leader, watching them sleep. They would all frown, before nodding and going about their afternoons, quietly so they didn't disturb Leader.

~~

Leader woke to the smell of dinner cooking, the first thing they smelled in days. They suddenly realised how hungry they were.

Sitting up, bleary eyed, they looked around confused at the room they had woken up in. “This isn’t where I fell asleep…” They mumbled, rubbing their eyes. “Leader, you woke up! How you feeling?” Medic walked over, checking Leader’s forehead with the back of their hand. “Temp’s gone down. I think you’re finally on the mend.” They grinned as Right-hand came over with a plate. Perched on it was a small serving of lasagna. “Do you think you can manage this?” They asked as Leader eyed the food greedily, before they nodded, smiling.

With a little help, they made it to the table with the others, managing to eat half of their serving before losing their appetite. “Good start, Leader. Keep at it and you’ll be better in no time.” Medic patted Leader’s back as they gathered the plates up. “Wait…” Leader asked, reaching for Medic's arm to stop them. “Can you save it for later? I might have more in a while.” Medic gleamed. “It’ll go straight in the fridge, Leader!”

Leader frowned, “Why are you all acting so weird and... happy?” Their voice was rough and congested as they coughed, a large glop of goo coming loose in their sinuses and dripping down their throat. Leader swallowed it, wincing. “Right-hand said you missed us… We all felt a little bad about leaving you alone for days so we thought we’d hang out.” Youngest piped up, beaming. “Wanna watch a movie later?” Leader wiped their nose before looking up, “Sure…”

When everyone was finished, they all crowded onto the sofa, Leader sandwiched between Right-hand and Medic, wrapped in blankets as they watched Jaws.

Half way through, Right-hand felt something hot rest on their shoulder. Leader had fallen asleep against it, cheek smooshed into their shoulder, their warm breath dancing across it. “They seem to have been hit pretty hard by this flu…” Medic gestured with their eyes at Right-hand who looked up at them and nodded.

“They spent days looking after all of us at once, I don’t think they slept… Must have made them worse when they finally got it. You know what they’re like, they won’t say anything is wrong even if they’re bleeding out in front of you. I guess it finally just caught up to them.”

Medic nodded in agreeance, “We should probably move them to their room.” they murmured.

Right-hand picked up Leader, bundled in blankets, and took them to their room. They noticed Leader's face looked better, more peaceful and rested as they coughed lighty in their sleep. They mumbled something as Right-hand tucked them in, rolling over and smiling in their sleep.

"Get well soon, Leader." Right-hand whispered.

✨TAGLIST✨

@fj-is-a-dumbass

[aspergirl2022]

Cynophobia

Whumpee once loved dogs, they were their favorite pets and they had the wish of owning one some day.

Until Whumper turned it at their advantage.

Until Whumper used their dogs as a way to snatch Whumpee.

Until Whumper's dogs made a mess of Whumpee

Now Whumpee is terrified of dogs, they have cynophobia. They thought it would be like this their entire life but one day they meet Caretaker or more exactly Caretaker's dog.

Caretaker's dog is literally a ray of sunshine and they unilaterally decide Whumpee is their new best friend. Maybe Caretaker's dog is not a breed you usually see around (like a Xolo dog or an uncropped Doberman) or just a HUGE dog (a Irish Wolfhound or a Newfoundland dog for example). So Whumpee will be pretty uncomfortable at first before they remember the fact the bigger dogs are often the nicest dogs, because like master like dogs isn’t it?