#day 13 recovery

[thedomesticanthropologist]

On another note, I've made it through day 8 sober 🙌🙌

If anything was gonna make me fall off the wagon it was that last round of anon hate because holy shit if anything was going to make me want to smoke a joint it's that silliness 😂

But actually? I'm almost 99% joking right now about wanting to smoke, and do you have any idea how cool that is?! I'm 8 days sober and not about to fall off the wagon over internet gooberness. I also had a huge confrontation with someone irl yesterday (important but very difficult) and ALSO didn't get a strong desire to drink or smoke.

I mean the desire is there, the cravings are there. But I'm managing it so, so well!

And that's worth celebrating !!! 💕✨️💕✨️

I'm so proud of myself guys. I'm feeling stronger than the last few times I've really tried to get sober. I really, really want to make it 365 days and scratching off day 8 was a huge stepping stone for me.

[hurtmyfavsthanks]

Febuwhump Day 13: "You weren't supposed to get hurt,

The first thing Whumpee saw upon being reactivated was Caretaker’s face standing over them. They looked tired, deep shadows resting under red eyes. A quick check of their internal clock told Whumpee that it was late into the night.

And yet Caretaker was smiling.

“Oh thank god–,” A relieved giggle burst from their lips, a hand reaching to grab one of Whumpee’s. “You’re okay! Thank god, I was so worried…”

Whumpee’s eyes scanned the room, system slow to respond. They were in Caretaker’s lab, body laid flat on top of a metal table. They could see various pieces of themselves scattered around, twisted and ruined metal plating tossed aside, damaged limbs in the process of being replaced.

Error warning flashed across their vision, making them aware of the various forms of damage they’d sustained. They did not recall being damaged.

They took a moment to look through their memory. There had been an attack on the base. As a safety and recovery unit, Whumpee fulfilled their duty by extracting non-combatant staff to a safer location.

They’d been found on the way. Whumpee remembered a mask figure shouting at them to freeze, lifting their weapon before anyone could comply. They remembered the weapon aiming for Caretaker–

Whumpee forced their error messages away, wincing at the unpleasant sensation. They ignored the discomfort and launched their scan protocol. Caretaker froze on instinct as the warm green light emitted from Whumpee’s eyes and ran across their body, searching for injury. Bruised skin, wrapped in a thick layer of bandages, were hidden underneath Caretaker’s oil stained shirt. Two of their ribs appeared on their scan, highlighting them as cracked.

They’d been hurt. Whumpee was supposed to protect them. “You were not supposed to be injured. I apologize.”

“Whumpee, it’s okay. I’m fine–,”

The wound seemed to already be tended to, but that was not enough. They were injured, they should be resting in the medical bay.

Whumpee moved to transport Caretaker to the medics. Or, they tried. Their system was still running slowly, still readjusting to their limited functionality. And so they didn’t realize their legs had not been fully reconnected until they’d tipped off the table.

“Hey hey hey, slow down!" Caretaker caught them, body trembling with effort. “I just needed to make sure your AI was undamaged; I haven’t fully repaired you yet,” With a strained hiss, Caretaker pulled Whumpee back onto the table. Whumpee did their best to assist, uncoordinated limbs pushing themselves back into place.

When Caretaker let go, they were panting, one hand moved to carefully hold their ribs.

Whumpee’s protocol screamed for them to act. “You should be resting. You are injured.”

“Whumpee,” Caretaker huffed, “I’m fine. Your legs are currently half attached to your body.”

“You have two broken ribs. I do not consider that ‘fine’, Whumpee countered. “Further, I could have waited until after your recovery. My damage was not enough to put my system in jeopardy, and leaving me deactivated would have done no harm.”

“Your chest was torn open. I wasn’t just going to leave you like that while I waited for a few injuries to heal!” Caretaker hissed, turning away. The gingerly sat themselves down at their computer table, the slightest sigh of relief leaving them. They focused their attention on the screen.“Now hold still, I need to run some tests.”

Whumpee did as commanded, body locking. “I would have been fine. I am not human, despite my appearance. An injury such as that is not fatal for me. You should have begun repairing me after you recovered.”

Caretaker didn’t respond. They began entering commands into the module, brow furrowed with an expression Whumpee was unable to decipher. As they worked, Whumpee could feel the tests running through their system, warning signs fading one by one.

They fell into a peaceful silence, the only noise the gentle clicking of Caretaker’s typing. After several long minutes, the clicking stopped. Caretaker paused, staring at the screen, expression contemplative.

“You saved my life, you know,” Caretaker suddenly spoke. “When they turned their weapons on me, I froze. I would’ve died if you hadn’t stepped in.”

“Yes.” Of course they had. It was their duty.

“You put yourself on the line for me. You could’ve died doing that. How could I leave you carved open, collecting dust while I sat around waiting to recover?”

“I did not nearly die, I simply sustained too much damage to be functional. Waiting to repair me would have done no harm.”

For a moment, Caretaker looked prepared to argue. But then they sighed, shoulders slumping, a hand coming to run through unwashed hair.

They turned to face Whumpee. Distress was written on their face, brows knitted. Whumpee longed to comfort them, but did not know how.

When Caretaker next spoke, their voice was slow, words chosen carefully. “I’m not here because fixing you now is the smartest thing to do. I’m here because I care about you, and seeing you injured hurts me.”

Whumpee flinched at their words, immediately beginning to run a new scan on Caretaker to find any new injuries. Without looking away, Caretaker pressed a button on the module and canceled their scan. “Emotionally, Whumpee,” they clarified. “It upsets me to see you hurt.”

Whumpee paused, considering. They knew they were limited in emotional reactions. It wasn’t beyond inorganic life, but it was something they had to learn, not a skill that could be programmed into them.

It wasn’t logical, but Whumpee knew better than to dismiss Caretaker’s words simply because of that.

They recalled how it felt, saving Caretaker. The programming that caused them to move without regard for their own safety. The blaring warning signs that flashed through their vision, the sight of their body tearing apart, crumbling. They remember feeling themselves fall apart, and only feeling joy knowing they’d protected Caretaker.

If they hadn’t shut down after that, wouldn’t they have used their damaged and struggling body to tend to Caretaker’s wounds? Is that what Caretaker felt now?

The situation was not the same. Whumpee was designed to protect Caretaker, not the other way around. A human should never hurt themselves for an inorganic.

Caretaker’s distress was illogical, but Whumpee would not say as much. They knew that continuing to argue would only upset Caretaker further. And that outcome was…unacceptable.

(nothing in their programming stipulated Caretaker’s emotional well-being as a priority. It was just something Whumpee knew-)

“I understand,” Whumpee said. They weren’t quite sure if that was true. But the smile that came to Caretaker’s face, twinged with exhaustion and yet full of relief, made that uncertainty feel unimportant.

[whumpsmith-participates]

Medwhump May 2024

Day 13 - "You've been very sick"

TW: Minor whumpee (17), hospital setting, hospital equipment, bacterial infection, resistant bacteria, meningitis

@medwhumpmay

"...Erick? ....Daddy....think...waking up..."

Erick had never had so much trouble opening his eyes before. It felt like his eyelids had been weighed down and glued shut with dried up eye-gunk. He couldn't lift his arm to rub his eyes either, his limbs felt weighed down as well. But they were also resting on a soft mattress, so he wasn't too bothered. He was comfortable...until he wasn't.

As he slowly returned to the land of consciousness, he started noticing all the uncomfortable things. The increasingly itchy feeling on the inside of his right, lower arm; the irritation and raw feeling in his nose; the slight cramp in his middle finger which he couldn't bend to alleviate for some reason; the light tickle over his chest.

He finally gathered enough strength to pry his eyes open, only to be met by a very blurry figure hovering over him. A waterfall of brown hair cascaded down, causing the tickle on his chest and someone's face and name came to mind.

"...Jaime?"

"Hey dumbass."

Yup, that was definitely Jaime. Erick smiled, but only briefly, the movement feeling like it took more effort than opening his eyes, but it was worth it. He was glad to see Jaime, even if he wasn't entirely sure what was going on yet.

Jaime Fetcher was Fetch's daughter. She was roughly the same age as Erick, and they'd always gotten along well. It probably helped that Jaime had no idea what her father actually did for a living and how Erick ended up living with him, but also because she was just a very nice person.

Fetch had told Jaime the same cover story that they had told anyone; that Erick was the son of an estranged relative and he'd taken him in to get him out of a bad situation. They'd been introduced as cousins, but Jaime had always treated Erick like a sibling.

She didn't live with Fetch, so he didn't get to see her often enough. She lived with her aunt in a sleepy town in Kansas, much to Jaime's chagrin. She didn't get along with her aunt, and she and her friends were treated as outcasts simply for being...different.

To be honest, when they first met, Erick wasn't entirely sure what to think either. She was the type of girl that he'd rather avoid at first glance; ripped jeans, fishnets, steel-toed boots, leather jacket, studded bracelets, dark makeup, black nailpolish, a new piercing every time he saw her...

But her tough exterior was just that. On the inside she was a massive softie, as evidenced by the somewhat teary smile she returned, her gentle grip on his hand, the soft tone in her voice...

"Take it easy," she said, "you've been very sick..."

"I'm fine," Erick said reflexively, "wait...what?"

His eyesight was finally beginning to catch up. He could see Jaime more clearly now, as well as the room around them. Brown, paneled walls, suspended ceiling with light panels, large windows letting in a lot of light...

"W-where am I?"

"Hospital."

Erick hadn't even noticed Fetch until now, as if he'd suddenly appeared at the foot of the bed. Erick gaped at him, then looked down, noticing the pale blue sheets covering him, the pulse ox clip on his middle finger, the IV line in his arm. He reached up, feeling another tube run past his nose and tucked behind his ears.

"You had meningitis, dude, you could've died!" Jaime said.

"I...what?"

"It's a bacterial infection that affects the membranes and such around your brain," Fetch explained, "to make things worse you managed to get a drug resistant kind too. It was out of my hands, so I took you to hospital."

"But..."

"Don't worry about it," Fetch said, "how are you feeling?"

"...I don't know," Erick admitted, "I don't even remember...how long was I out?"

"You slept for like three days, dude," Jaime said, "I only arrived yesterday and you didn't even notice."

"T-three days?" Erick asked, surprised.

"I got back from picking up your prescription and found you passed out on the floor," Fetch said, "but they didn't work as fast as they should, and you didn't regain consciousness. I took you to the ER and thankfully they diagnosed the problem fast, and the secondary treatment did what the first couldn't."

"...okay," Erick slowly said, struggling to keep up.

"Daddy, he's still tired," Jaime said, "battling infection takes a lot out of you. Besides, you said it affected the brain. He's a little dumber now~"

"Hey!" Erick said, pouting a bit.

"Just kidding~" Jaime said, pressing a kiss on his forehead, "I'll go find a nurse to let them know you've woken up."

She smiled and headed off, leaving Erick alone with her father. He looked back up at the man, before glancing around the room.

"Won't you...get in trouble?" he quietly asked.

"I already called Tito," Fetch said, "don't worry about it. Just focus on recovering. You'll probably be out of here by the end of today or tomorrow morning."

"Did you...did you call Jaime so they wouldn't question our cover?" Erick asked.

"No, but her being here definitely helped avoid suspicion," Fetch said, "no, she called asking for money for a new piercing, and noticed something was up. I told her the truth and she came right over."

"I hope she wasn't too worried," Erick said, "she'd never let me live it down..."

"Neither will I," Fetch said.

"You were worried~?"

"Do you have any idea how much all of this is going to cost me?" Fetch said, "even if Tito can foot the bill or make it go away some other way, he's going to ask me to do stupid jobs to repay him for it!"

"Whatever happened to just focusing on recovery?" Erick asked.

"You need to focus on your recovery so you can start repaying me for all the trouble you make me go through! Fucking meningitis...were you not vaccinated as a kid? Now I have to try and dig up your records to check! When Jaime gets back, I'm taking a smoke break!"

"Yes sir," Erick just said.

"And drink some water, you need to get your gastro-intestinal system back up and running," Fetch continued.

Erick just nodded and complied. It seemed Fetch really had been worried.

Wah, finally got the chance to introduce Jaime!

This part is kind of a continuation of Day 11 - Passing out

Masterlist Main Account

Taglist for the dynamic duo: @lavndvrr

[walker-extended-universe]

Worst Case Scenario, Chapter 3

Relationship(s): Cordell Walker & Stella Walker, August Walker & Stella Walker

Tags/Warnings: Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced torture, Mental Health Issues, Trauma, Trauma Recovery, Physical Recovery, Disability

Summary: August is back home and everyone is adjusting, but no one is okay. Not just yet.

Written for @angstober Day 13: Shaking

Taglist: @theladywyn, @ihavepointysticks, @klaatu51, @itsjessiegirl1, @neptunium134

--------------------------

August’s return home was a grand affair. Well, not too grand; they didn’t want to overwhelm the poor boy. But some cake and August’s favorite dinner was more than acceptable.

Everyone had gone to the hospital the week before to get a rundown on what to expect. August was still mostly independent but he would need help with some things, especially his physical therapy routine. They would also need to be patient with him speaking due to his stutter. His motor issues and his stutter would never fully go away but they were encouraged to help him improve.

The moment his son came back home, Cordell felt like a crushing weight had been lifted. It was no longer a question of “if” things would get better, but “when”. August’s condition could marginally improve over time, but he would still be able to (mostly) live his life regardless. This experience wouldn’t be a horrible stain that ruined his life, just a small setback.

As he sat at the table, watching August carefully use his fork despite his shaky hand, he had hope for the first time in weeks.

They were going to be okay.

—------------

Stella thought having August home would make her feel better. August coming home meant he was getting better. August coming home meant everyone else would be distracted and leave her alone.

Everything was supposed to get better.

Only, it didn’t.

If anything, having him home made it worse. She got a front row seat to his condition and what that meant for the rest of his life.

She felt awful. If she hadn’t been so stupid, if she hadn’t fallen for Shannon’s lies, if she’d just waited for Uncle Larry and the rest of the rangers to come back….

None of this would be happening. August wouldn’t have brain damage, Dad would look her in the eyes, and she wouldn’t be having these awful nightmares.

She just wanted things to go back to normal, for the problems to be over. But she knew it wasn’t that simple. It never was with their family.

“Stella? What are you still doing up?”

She whipped around and flinched when she saw her dad. “Uh, hi. I… I couldn’t sleep.”

That wasn’t entirely true. She could sleep; she just didn’t want to. She didn’t want the nightmares, the memories, to come back. And she knew they would. They always did.

Dad’s eyes softened just a bit. “Still having nightmares?”

She nodded silently. Was this a good sign? Was he finally going to give her a break? Would he give her advice so she didn’t have to ask for it?

“It’ll be okay, Stell. You just need some time.” Cordell put a hand on his shoulder on his way past her into the kitchen. She did her best not to flinch. “Maybe we can get you one of those white noise machines. That used to help me.”

She slumped. “Yeah, maybe.” That wouldn’t help. The problem was never about falling asleep; it was about what she saw when she got to dreamland.

“Alright. Why don’t you head on to bed, butterbean? Tomorrow’s a new day.”

Stella slunk up the stairs, not willing to risk another argument if she tried to stay up later. She slid under her sheets and tried scrolling on her phone to distract herself. If she just didn’t sleep, she wouldn’t dream. Right?

But, inevitably, her body gave in to exhaustion, and she fell into the darkness.

You want your meal? You gotta earn it.

You know, I’m almost glad your dad’s being stubborn. We’d have to let you go if he gave in, and I like having your pretty face around.

Don’t push it, sweetheart. I know your birth control’s worn off by now.

Open wide, darling.

Stella woke up gasping for air, choking on something that wasn’t there. She clenched her shaking hands as she tried to get her breathing under control.

“You’re fine. You’re fine, you’re fine, you’re fine,” she muttered to herself. “You don’t have brain damage, you’re not pregnant, you’re fine. It’s just a bad dream. Get over it. You’ll be fine.”

She had to be fine. She didn’t deserve to ask for help. This was all her fault anyway.

She would be fine.

—------------

They were starting to develop a routine at the ranch. Which was good, as Stella would be returning to school soon and Cordell had approval to go back to work in the next couple of weeks. They needed to get August ready for spending more of his day alone.

Cordell wished he could send him to school, just for the sense of normalcy, but he didn’t think August was quite ready for that. He knew how highschoolers could be, and August didn’t need relentless bullying on top of everything else he was dealing with. So Cordell had worked out a deal with the school so most of his work- outside of a few tests- could be done online. It was much safer and less demanding. And August could still hang out with any of his friends on the ranch if he really wanted to. This was just the better option, even if August didn't seem to appreciate it.

“I-I c-c-could go t-t-to sch-chool….”

“I know you could, bud,” Cordell said gently. “But I just don’t think we’re ready for that yet. Maybe we can talk about that for next year, but right now you’re still adjusting and it won’t hurt to do it online for now.”

August pouted but nodded. “F-Fine….”

Cordell clapped him on the shoulder. “There ya go. And don’t forget, you can ask Mawline or your Uncle Liam for help while Stella and I are out.”

“I kn-kn-know. All-All three-ee of y-y-you t-t-tell me ev-ev-everyd-d-day.”

Cordell chuckled. “Well, we just want to be sure you know. We all just need a little more adjustment time I guess….”

August rolled his eyes. “Yeah, what-t–tev-ver.” He picked up his laptop and started heading upstairs, probably looking for a little peace and quiet while he got used to his new school portal.

Speaking of upstairs, Cordell hadn’t seen Stella all day. Well, not since breakfast, at least. He’d been meaning to talk to her since he caught her staying up late in the living room the other night. Geri’s words from a few weeks ago still bounced around in his mind. He’d started lightening up a little bit around her, but there was still a ways to go with their relationship. He wasn’t so far gone that he couldn’t recognize that.

And, after that talk, he’d started to recognize her pain more. It was just hard to talk to her about it.

It was hard, when all he saw when he looked at her was August in a hospital bed. He couldn’t help but think of the “what ifs” and how much smoother all this could’ve been if she hadn’t been so stupid.

He elected to ignore the voice in the back of his head that reminded him he pulled much stupider shit back in his day.

Sighing, he started heading upstairs too. He had to try, at least.

“Hey, butterbean…” He rapped his knuckles on her door, gently pushing it open. “You’ve been kind of quiet today. Everything okay?”

Stella looked up from where she was writing in a notebook. Her eyes widened and she quickly closed the notebook. “Uh- yeah. Everything’s fine. Just- getting ready to go back to school.” She smiled weakly and her eyes shifted away from him.

If he didn’t know any better, he might think his daughter was scared of him. But he knew she was just traumatized in other ways. She was just having a little trouble bouncing back. “You know, you don’t have to go back yet if you’re not ready. We could work something out with the school and get you a little more time.

Stella’s smile wavered but she shook her head. “No, I’m okay, really. I’ll probably feel better once I’m back to normal. Being stuck in the house for all this time probably hasn’t done me any good….” She trailed off with a strained laugh. 

Cordell nodded. “Yeah, I know the feeling. I can’t wait to get back to work….” Man up, Walker. She needs you. “You know, if you ever wanted to…talk…about what happened… We can get you a therapist. I’ve never been a therapy guy but I’m not exactly a paragon of mental health.” He chuckled. “If you think it might help, we could definitely find someone for you.”

Stella stared at him silently for a moment, then shook her head. “No, I think I’m okay. I mean, I’m not like ‘okay’ but…. You don’t need to do that. I’ll be fine. I just need some time.”

Cordell nodded. He knew the feeling well. “Okay, then. Let me know if you change your mind.”

“I will. Thanks.” Stella then turned away from him and opened her journal again.

He slowly backed away, closing the door as he went.

He thought that went pretty well, all things considered.

Things were going to be fine.

—-----------

August wasn’t the same. He knew a lot had changed, about himself and about his family.

He saw more than they all realized. He understood more than they thought he could.

He hated that he couldn't express it properly. He knew all the right words (most of the time) but he couldn't say them right.

When Dad babied him and treated him like he can’t do the basics by himself, he wanted to scream. When Uncle Liam tried to treat him like he was still normal, he wanted to cry. When Aunt Geri slowed her speech around him, he appreciated the effort but hated that she had to.

When Stella avoided him, he just wanted to hug her like he used to.

He wanted to tell her he didn’t blame her for anything. He wanted her to know he was still there for her. He wanted her to know he still saw her pain.

He just wanted to help. But she wouldn’t let him.

And August knew why. He wasn’t stupid or blind. He knew Dad was being too harsh on her, making her retreat every time she so much as opened her mouth.

August hated that more than he hated Dad treating him like an invalid.

He may not be able to do anything about Dad directly, but he could still help Stella in his own way. Or, at least, try to. So, one night, he snuck into her room, and tried something. “H-Hey…”

Stella sat up quickly in her bed, shoulders slumping when she saw who it was. “Hey, Augie. What are you doing up?”

He shrugged and sat on the edge of her bed. “I w-wanted-d t-to t-t-talk t-t-to you.”

“About what?”

“Y-You. Y-Y-You’re s-s-sad.”

Stella looked away. “I’m fine, Augie. You don’t need to worry about me.”

“I still d-d-do.”

She sighed. “I- I appreciate that, but I’m fine, really.” She tried to smile at him, but he saw right through that.

“I-I’m not-t-t st-t-upid.”

She flinched. “I know, but you still shouldn’t worry about me. You’re the one that got brain damage because of me. I'm still walking and talking, I’ll be fine.”

August frowned. “B-But y-you’re not. Y-Y-Y-You-” He stopped and forced himself to take a deep breath. 

You’re not fine. You’re hiding all the time, you flinch when anyone gets near you, and you never talk to anyone about it. I miss you. I wish Dad treated you better. I wish I could actually tell you all this.

“Hey, it’s okay….” Stella grabbed his hand and squeezed it gently. “I know…. I know I’m not okay. I wish I was. I just- I don’t know who to talk to.”

“T-T-Talk t-to me,” he pleaded. “I l-l-l-love you.”

Stella smiled sadly. “Augie, my shit isn’t your problem.”

“B-B-Bullshit.”

That made Stella laugh. “Okay, okay, if you insist…” She trailed off. “I don’t want to tell you everything. I’m not there yet. But… This is nice. If you want to keep doing it, I mean.”

August nodded. This was all he wanted.

“Okay then. Just- Don’t tell dad.”

“I-I-I won’t-t-t. Pr-Promise.”

She smiled again, for real this time. “Okay then. Thanks, Augie.” She kissed his cheek softly. “Now go to bed. Dad’ll worry about you.”

August rolled his eyes but did as she asked. He just hoped she wasn’t lying to him.

He just wanted things to be okay again. Was that too much to ask?

[befuddled-calico-whump]

Jailbreak

for Angstpril, Day 13: Recovery

cw: adult language, death mention, implied suicide attempt (mentioned)

two weeks prior ///// masterlist ///// next

•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•

"Just calm down and we'll talk—"

"I will burn this building to the fucking ground."

Lex had woken up in a panic. It hurt to move, it hurt to breathe, and his arms were gone. Again. He was in a strange place, with the door closed, locked, again. For a moment, it didn't matter where he was, only that he was trapped.

Then the door opened, and it was Spyglass on the other side. That gave him enough pause to realize he was in a bed, a real bed, and the now-familiar weight of his collar was absent.

But that meant nothing.

She'd locked him up. Taken his arms. Taken his choice, he remembered, recalling how it felt to step off the railing, to crash into the water.

Terrifying. Freeing.

He'd thought it was over, but now he was awake again, and sure, Spyglass always seemed to want to talk his ear off about helping him, and teaming up against Uriah, but if she thought she could keep him captive to make that happen, she had another thing coming.

"You wanna burn this place down?" Spyglass snapped. "Then what's stopping you?"

(Dropping, mopping, sopping.) Nothing. Even as he thought it, he knew the fire wouldn't come, but he couldn't say why. He had no loyalty to the rogues. He'd already risked enough just for the pleasure of leaving them alone.

Spyglass watched him for a moment, as if waiting to see if he'd accept her challenge. When he didn't even move, she let out a heavy sigh. 

"Your collar's gone," she said, and it sounded like she was making an effort to sound calm. "It started malfunctioning when you hit the river, but we got it off."

(Scoff. Cough.) Lex rolled his neck, felt the bandages there, the sore flesh beneath. She was wrong about that one. It wasn't a malfunction, someone had activated his collar as soon as his foot left the ledge. He'd blacked out before he even hit the water.

"Keystone's jailbreaking your arms so Fox can't track you," Spyglass continued. "Soon as he's done, you're free to go."

"Free to go, huh?" He scooted backwards on the bed, until he was leaning against the headboard. "No conditions?"

He was sure she was about to start spouting more bullshit about joining the rogue team and 'making up for his crimes', as if he hadn't paid for them in blood already.

But she shook her head. "No conditions. Just a question." She met his eyes. "What are you gonna do, when you aren't a puppet anymore?"

"I…" What was he supposed to say to that? It seemed like a new tactic. A way to get him angry. Make him swear revenge.

"Don't tell me you'll go crawling back to Uriah anyway."

"No." Never. Uriah probably thought he was dead, and if he had a choice, it'd stay that way.

"That's a start. I'm not trying to make you my friend. But I don't wanna be enemies either." She squeezed her eyes shut. "Just… I don't know. Think about what it is you want."

And then she left, closing the door behind her. He didn't hear it lock.

What I want. What did he want? All he'd wanted for the past year and a half was to get away. From the Tower, from the people who wanted to control him, from Uriah. If everything Spyglass said was true, if he was free, what came next?

He could go back to the Underneath (wreath). Find Chopper. Take new contracts and get back into killing (blood-spilling). He imagined everyone he'd known in Neath thought he was dead too, by now. That's what the headlines had spouted (undoubted), and Lex had never been given a chance to tell them otherwise. (Demise, surprise, surmise, unwise, disguise---)

A knock on the door pulled his attention away from the topic. Another new oddity. When was the last time someone had bothered to knock at all?

The sentiment faded somewhat when the door swung open without waiting for a response.

It was pajama girl. Firebrand. She had two styrofoam cups in her hands, and a vaguely apprehensive look on her face.

"Smoothie?"

It was the last thing he'd expected to hear from the kid who'd launched fireballs at him a few months ago. "What?"

She shrugged. "Me and Celeste just came back from Banana Bash. Figured you might be hungry. You've been asleep for-ever."

Lex eyed the cup. The logo seemed legitimate, but that didn't mean anything. They could have easily mixed in some kind of drug. Maybe 'rescuing' him was a ploy. Maybe they wanted to knock him out and hand him over to Uriah as a peace offering. It'd be the easiest solution to their problems, for sure.

Firebrand rolled her eyes when he didn't answer. "Relax, I'm not trying to poison you." She set one of the cups on the nightstand. "Besides, if we wanted you dead, we would've killed you by now."

Lex almost snorted at the casual way she said it. "Hear that one on TV?"

She scowled. "Maybe I did."

"Think you could?"

"Think I could what?"

"Kill me." How many successful missions had he run by the time he was her age? Young as she was, she'd still had a contract with Titanium.

Firebrand shrugged again. "Maybe not. Bet I could beat you in a fight though."

Lex was struck by a strange urge to laugh. Risked his fucking freedom to save the kid and her team, and now she just wanted to one-up him.

"You think so?" He glanced sideways at the styrofoam cup. He was kinda hungry… "You know I'm fireproof, right?"

"So am I."

"What gives you an edge?"

Firebrand smirked. "Wouldn't you like to know." She took a long drink from her smoothie. "So your name is Cinder, huh?"

"Yes." Lex was unsure where she was going with this. The sudden casual conversation had thrown him off guard. Maybe that's what the group wanted. Maybe they were trying to unbalance him—

"When I first picked my name, I almost picked 'Cinderella'," the kid continued. "So I thought it was funny. Obviously I went with something cooler, but it's funny, right?"

"Sure." Cinderella. She'd better not—

"Maybe you should change yours. It'd be easy. Just add a few letters."

Motherfucker. "Why are you here?" he asked.

"Told you already. I was bringing you a smoothie."

"Why are you still here?"

The shrugging was almost irritating at this point. "Only ever saw you when you broke in that one time. Just wanted to say hi, I guess."

He sighed, leaning back on the headboard. "I attacked your friend, and you 'just wanted to say hi'?" Maybe the smoothie was drugged after all. Maybe she was trying to lull him into a sense of ease, or confuse him, or distract him.

"Don't get me wrong, I was ready to kick your ass back then." She paused, looking down at the cup in her hands. "But when… after y'know, after the other guy left… you just looked kinda sad."

So that's what it all came down to. Another person who felt sorry for him. Seemed that was all Lex could be anymore. A tool to be used, or an object to be pitied. He was sick of it.

"Here's a tip, kid. You can't just feel sorry for every criminal you see who looks sad. You'll lose a lot of fights that way."

"Yeah, whatever. And I didn't say I felt sorry for you." She leaned against the doorframe. "I guess I kinda do, but not because of Uriah Fox or anything." Her hand closed around the doorknob, and she pushed it open, half-stepping into the hall outside.

"It's because you're alone."

וווווווווווווווווווווו×

@whumpacabra @enteredin2eternity @kixngiggles @whumpsday @kiichu @whump-for-all-and-all-for-whump @shywhumpauthor @distinctlywhumpthing

[autobot2001]

On The mend

Author: Autobot2001 Genre: Fanfiction Fandom: Transformers Rating: E Warning: None pairing: none Description: Jamie is recovering from sickness. Continued from day 20 & 21.

@medwhumpmay day 13; "You've been very sick."

When Jamie is in the ICU, the three medics always feel as if they have three patients due to Crosshairs’ and Drift’s past trauma related to Jamie’s medical condition. The two would neglect themselves and often struggle with anxiety. While seeing Jamie’s sickness, they’re doing better than usual. Ratchet still demands that Prowl give the two mechs two weeks off. The Autobots and soldiers Crosshairs and Drift work with are understanding. They persist in not leaving Jamie alone but return to their room at night. While Jamie sleeps, Crosshairs and Drift would rather stay in the room. They do what they can to help her feet comfortably. They warm blankets in the dryer and put cooling clothes on her forehead. Jamie hasn’t eaten for the past four days, which they know is normal. They update their friends on Jamie’s well-being but prefer not to allow visits.

Ratchet checks on Jamie in the morning. She’s awake and watching him. He sits on the chair by the bed. “You’ve been very sick,” he says, “but you are improving. You’ll be discharged soon.”

Continued with day 23.

[milkstoner]

Bit of a life update, though

[thechaoticfanartist]

still hope

Angstpril Day 13: Recovery

Fandom: Star Wars

Gen

Characters: Grim Kennet (OC), Obi-Wan Kenobi, Master Yoda

Relationships: Grim Kennet & Obi-Wan Kenobi & Master Yoda

Additional tags: Post Order 66, Post Mustafar

Summary: The Jedi have lost everything. Yet hope remains. The newly knighted Jedi reminds the Masters of this.

They were staying longer than Grim had assumed they stayed in canon. She had a feeling it was because of her. They were allowing her time to recover from the loss of her limb, and get a feel for her new metal replacement. Something she was thankful for.

Yet she still felt she did not deserve this. Or the new rank she now held, which meant nothing in this new galaxy but everything to her. Master Kenobi and Master Yoda had made her a Jedi Knight. Despite her failure to change the ending. Despite that she never stopped the Sith. She felt undeserving of it, but she also welcomed it. She knew the significance of it.

Grim also knew she would not be allowed to be a Jedi Knight. The Empire, the SIth, had taken away any chances of her to be so. Soon, Grim would not even have the right to her name. Because to survive she would have to change that too.

But for just a moment, before even more could be stolen from her, she would be Grim Kennet, Jedi Knight.

Obi-Wan and Yoda watched from afar as the newly knighted Jedi practiced with her lightsaber. Going over all the simple movements she had been taught during The Clone Wars. “She knows we can’t use our lightsabers anymore. Why is she practicing?” Obi-Wan asked Yoda.

“A Jedi Knight she is now, Master Kenobi. A Jedi Knight, she can not be,” Yoda replied. “Allow her this, we should. Soon, no longer will she be able to.”

Obi-Wan knew he was right. He couldn’t imagine what it must be like for her. To be knighted only to never be a Jedi Knight.

As Grim fell into the simple dance she always loved, she could forget about the darkness that had overtaken the galaxy. She could let herself be free of her grief. The Force was her guide, as it always was. Although now it was dark, Grim found the light deep within and connected to it. A small peaceful smile found its way onto her lips.

Obi-Wan smiled too. She was much different now from when he started training her. She had grown and become such a wonderful Jedi. Even now despite the dark, Grim shone with light.

Only hours ago the dark had threatened to kill that light. He remembered what she had said at the Jedi Temple, before leaving to kill Anakin in a pursuit of revenge. He remembered how hopeless she had been in the hours before they had lost everything.

He now understood why she had felt that way, she had known this would happen. Of every life they would lose. It would be hard for anyone to remain hopeful in the face of that.

Yet, despite the hope she had lost in the hours before they had, Grim had seemed to recover it.

Her hope seemed to spread to the Jedi Master, who had felt his own begin to fade. So much had changed in only one day.

“A great Jedi she has become,” said Yoda.

Obi-Wan smiled softly, “yes, she has.”

Grim deactivated her lightsaber, the last time she would do so for many years. She saw the two Jedi Masters watching her. She gave them a sad smile as she clipped her lightsaber to her belt and walked over to the two of them. “Masters,” she greeted, with a bow.

“Grim,” Obi-Wan replied. “I am so very proud of you. You have become a greater Jedi than I, and I am sorry this is how things ended.”

Grim smiled sadly at the man who up until an hour ago had been her Master. She embraced him in a hug. “Don’t be sorry, it wasn’t your fault, and you didn’t know.”

“You fault it also is not,” Yoda reminded her.

“I know, but it’s hard to not feel like it is,” Grim replied, letting go of Obi-Wan and looking at Yoda. She touched her metal arm, it was cold and she was unused to it still. “I knew it would end like this.”

Yoda shook his head and gave the young Jedi a gentle smile, mixed with sorrow. “An ending this is, young Kennet, but over our story is not.”

“Yes. Our story is far from over,” she agreed. She understood exactly what he had meant, perhaps she understood more than the Jedi Master himself.

Hope still lived on.

Tag List (let me know if you want to be added or removed) : @padme--amygdala @soclonely @mrfandomwars @jgvfhl @starlonkedd @milfspectre1 @togrutanduin @jedi-valjean @one-real-imonkey @traygaming @roseofalderaan @keoxus  @tranakin-thighhighwalker @veiled-in-stars @sentineljedi @spicysucculentz @amelia-song-pond @kohtoyah @saturnsokas @thejediprincessqueenofnaboo @veradragonjedi

[febuwhump]

FEBUWHUMP 2025 PROMPT LIST

this year's prompts were chosen through an open suggestion poll (in which we received over 4,000 prompts) and a subsequent vote, where 5,019 votes were submitted. the top 28 make up the core prompts, and the febuwhump mod's favourites that remain have become the alternates. the first prompt in the 28, "vocal chords", was our number one prompt of the vote, with 1,625 total votes.

i am so insanely excited to see what you all create with these prompts, and i hope they're inspiring enough to trigger a whole month's worth of creativity for you!

as an extra added challenge, some creators will be undertaking another, smaller goal, of including apples in each of their prompt fills as an ode to the wildly popular prompt suggestion of "apples" that didn't make it through to the poll. this is totally optional, but is a good extra challenge if you'd like to take part in it!

if you have any questions, please check out the faq before sending an ask, or skim the blog's previously asked questions to see if your question has already been answered.

please note: notifying the blog of completionist status will happen through a google form released towards the end of febuwhump, and if you are interested in joining the febuwhmp discord server, the link will be available to do so for one week towards the end of january.

full write-up of prompts and rules under the cut:

FEBUWHUMP 2025 PROMPTS:

DAY 1: vocal chords

DAY 2: holding back tears

DAY 3: pinned down

DAY 4: hivemind

DAY 5: not trusting reality

DAY 6: forced to stay awake

DAY 7: alternate timeline self

DAY 8: bleeding out

DAY 9: necromancy

DAY 10: magic exhaustion

DAY 11: demonic possession

DAY 12: used as practice

DAY 13: “i don’t trust anyone else”

DAY 14: becoming the monster

DAY 15: icarus

DAY 16: eaten alive

DAY 17: power instability

DAY 18: living weapon

DAY 19: death wish

DAY 20: “i did good right?”

DAY 21: put on display

DAY 22: “grab the little one”

DAY 23: gunshot wound

DAY 24: forced to beg

DAY 25: bound and gagged

DAY 26: concealing an injury

DAY 27: post-victory collapse

DAY 28: recovery

ALTERNATE PROMPTS:

is there a specific day’s prompt you don’t want to fill? here are ten alternatives you can switch them out for!

ALT 1: major character death

ALT 2: blowtorch

ALT 3: pick who dies

ALT 4: body swap

ALT 5: die a hero

ALT 6: emergency surgery

ALT 7: body horror

ALT 8: on the run

ALT 9: in another life

ALT 10: feeding tube

RULES:

soft rules:

prompts should be answered in the form of whump

creators can produce any kind of media they want

you don't have to complete all the prompts to take part

you can use the prompts after the event ends

you can complete them in tandem with any other event

you can post to any platform you want, however this blog will only be sharing links and prompt fills posted to tumblr

if you want to be featured on the hall of fame, you must inform this blog by the 3rd of march that you have completed all of the days using the provided form

if you have questions, consult the faq before asking

hard rules:

to be a completionist, you must complete all 28 prompts, in order, in whatever medium you want, before the end of the event

(specifically for being featured on the blog)

when uploading febuwhump content to tumblr, please use the tags:

febuwhump (or febuwhump2025)

the relevant day's tag e.g. febuwhumpday1, febuwhumpday2...

nsfw (if relevant)

any important trigger warnings

you can also tag the blog: @febuwhump

I cannot guarantee your work will be archived on the blog. a random selection of properly tagged works will be reblogged every day of february.

[sennamybeloved]

⛧ SELFSHIPTOBER 2024 ⛧

HELLO ALL! welcome to another year of selfshiptober. i've noticed this is pretty much the 'official' selfship tober event now, which honestly warms my heart! i love seeing what this wonderful community does with my prompts :)

this year, i'm doing things a little differently. EACH DAY HAS TWO PROMPTS ASSIGNED TO IT. the first set is SHIPPY, while the second set is SPOOKY. you may either COMBINE THE TWO PROMPTS TOGETHER or CHOOSE ONE OF THE PROMPTS. the spooky prompts are a bit on the grittier side and probably won't appeal to most, so if you'd like to only use the first set of prompts and completely ignore the second, be my guest! on the other hand, if you prefer the gritter prompts, you can only use the second set of prompts, you can do that too! if you want an extra challenge, you can create a piece that incorporates both of the day's prompts. you can also change your approach depending on how you feel that day!

there are no hard rules for this. YOU CAN START WORKING ON THIS CHALLENGE EARLY, but i encourage you to wait until october to post anything. YOU CAN ALSO CONTINUING WORKING ON IT AFTER OCTOBER ENDS! you can drag this shit out into december for all i care. just DON'T OVERWORK YOURSELF PLEASE.

without further ado, LET US PROCEED TO THE PROMPTS!

#1. confession  |  night.

#2. blanket  |  flame.

#3. embrace  |  blood.

#4. apple picking  |  fog.

#5. all dressed up  |  blade.

#6. carnival  |  haunted.

#7. rain  |  infection.

#8. swim  |  terror.

#9. music  |  masquerade.

#10. warmth  |  claws.

#11. comfort  |  recovery.

#12. married  |  ritual.

#13. party  |  magic.

#14. date night  |  vampire.

#15. games  |  hunt.

#16. candy  |  illusion.

#17. heart  |  feast.

#18. pining  |  violent.

#19. shared hobby  |  potion.

#20. trust  |  experiment.

#21. snuggle  |  nightmare.

#22. kiss  |  scars.

#23. movie night  |  slasher.

#24. baking  |  empty.

#25. rest  |  bandages.

#26. beautiful  |  grotesque.

#27. decorations  |  cemetery.

#28. brush  |  forest.

#29. pumpkin  |  lantern.

#30. flowers  |  snow.

#31. halloween  |  death.

TAG YOUR CREATIONS AS #SELFSHIPTOBER 2024 AND TAG ME IF YOU'D LIKE ME TO SEE! i cannot guarantee interaction as i struggle socially, but i promise i'll look at everything! HAPPY CREATING ♡

[awzominator]

Day 13 Scars

the amount of effort I had to put into these and they still don’t look how I want is frustrating but alas time is not on my side

ramblings under the cut

Mikey: Gave Mikey Lichen Burns from that one time he got disintegrated and then reanimated via electricity. He died n got better and honestly it is one of the most violent injuries that I recall for him. Like he plays it off so easily cuz he has super powers and all that jazz but that’s so messed up. Also Raph yelling for him OOOFFFFF will never forget how filled w rage and hurt that dude was. He was ready to kill ❤️ Such a wild episode and I love how Mikey was so depended on in order for the plan to succeed. It was Mikey’s turn for the Self sacrificing bit and he crushed it

Leo: Get Shreddered idiot!!! The fucked up knee and throat from when he got beat up and thrown thru the window. This is def my fav event to happen which is a wild thing to say. It’s the most obvious thing to go for but I personally loved the farmhouse arc and Leo’s need for recovery. That dude is still not well and is repressing stuff but they don’t have time to heal. Their lives are too chaotic, too much is on the line, and Leo can’t afford to take the time to heal 100% none of them can tbh. I know a lot of ppl hate how 12 handled his knee injury but I loved it Bc it’s obviously not better but he’s a stubborn idiot who chooses to push everything down and out. He is the healthiest turtle for sure. I’m pretty sure in later episodes his knee gives out a few times don’t quote me tho it’s been a few years aha

Raph: His broken shell! After watching Lone Rat and Cubs and seeing where it came from, I always wondered if Splinter looks at it with loads of regret. A physical sign of his short comings that one time they almost got caught by the Kraang. A warning and a constant reminder they’ll never be safe, that splinter wont always be able to protect his babies no matter how hard he fights. I also like to HC he becomes the most hovering and overprotective of Raph while he’s still recovering Bc that shell broke so easy. Honestly seeing screen shots of close ups of Raphs shell is awesome to see both shell and plastron are broken.

Donnie: UGHHH THIS DUDEEEE !!!!! Literally had the hardest time Bc he goes thru a lot also but it’s more emotional and mental dude is fuked up in the head fr. I asked several ppl for help Bc I didn’t want to do another lichen burn thing from Karai’s trap. In the end I played around w the suggestions to see what would look most appealing to me. The scars on arm are from Slash (such a good episode thank you for the suggestion 🙌) as his arm was injured and in a sling at the end of the episode. The head scar def a big creative liberty Bc he does get injured there a lot ahah. I was thinking of Fourtrap again which lead to thinking about the time that Leo blew him up accidentally during is emo phase XD

[fanfictasia]

Angstpril Day 13

Recovery

Spoiler: This is an excerpt from Wartorn

Anakin can only be grateful that Luke is alive when he hurries down to the hanger, after giving their cruisers orders to pull back. The sudden Separatist reinforcements took them by surprise, and they’ll have to come back with a better plan. Especially with the amount of damage they’ve already sustained.

He’s sitting on the wing of his fighter, clearly disconsolate from his expression and how he’s sitting half-slumped over.

Anakin has… had his own moments like this in the past. He’s struggled. He’s used to it, but he was never like this, exactly. He never fought in a war as a child. He never had to worry about trying to lead when he was in his teens – not short of brief planetary squabbles. He doesn’t really… know what this is like, and that makes it so much harder to handle. This was why he never wanted his children to be Jedi like him – so they didn’t have to deal with this responsibility. But in the end, the Force chose to give it to them, and Anakin had no way of stopping that. “Luke,” he calls finally, gently.

He looks up, miserably. “We lost so many of them.” And it’s not something they can ever recover from. They can only keep moving. It’s never that simple, though. Anakin tries to remember all the clones he can, because at the very least, at least they’ll be remembered. Even if sometimes, it feels as though though their deaths were for nothing.

“It’s the reality of command,” Anakin says softly, stopping next to him, “And it was a trap. It wasn’t your fault. There was nothing you could have done.”

Anakin should have seen that coming – he doesn’t entirely understand how he didn’t. He sensed something was wrong, but he didn’t stop this

[glenandbrisketpowellsdogpack]

As Def Leppard Drummer, Rick Allen would say, "Today Is My Alive Day". Eating Disorder Recovery Est. January 13, 2010

I Wear These Three Recovery Tattoos With Pride.

[patience-hope-strength-courage]

Day 13 of 2023 - 13/01/2023

Today I am grateful for:

Seeing my Step-Mum

Having a nice day with my daughter

Talking to my Husband

Sorting some bits out at home

The sunshine

Today I have felt:

Tired

Lonely

Fed Up

Insecure

Tired

I’ve struggled with my negative thoughts today and my mind, it’s left me feeling a bit rubbish but I’m hopeful to make tomorrow more positive.

Today’s Self Care:

Watched some tv

Get into bed early

[elicathebunny]

HEALTH SHOULD ALWAYS COME FIRST! PRIORITISING HEALTH BEFORE EVERYTHING ELSE TO LOOK GOOD + FEEL GOOD.

People always leave out the basics when it comes to trying to improve their looks. Prioritising health is so important before going in and tempering with your body. Your base is what you work with and you can definitely level up with what you've got naturally.

DIET

Your diet also depends on what your goals are. Someone who wants to build muscle will obviously eat differently from someone who just eats relatively healthy. So identify what your goals are and work your meals around that.

Here are some videos to give you a better insight: HOW I LOSE FAT AND KEEP IT OFF MEANS, WORKOUTS + EVERYTHING ELSE PROTEIN EXPLAINED, STRENGTH, MUSCLES, FAT LOSS & ENDURANCE HOW METABOLISM WORKS

Diet not only makes you feel better from the inside, but it also reflects on your outside. Your skin is a huge display of how you eat.

When you consume junk food, it can show up on your skin as breakouts or dullness. Your skin is one massive organ which soaks up everything put onto it and reflects everything you put inside your body. Fix the problem from the inside before getting confused about why your skincare routine isn't working.

FITNESS

Again, your fitness will differentiate from your goals. So work out your goals and make a plan around that. There are so many forms of fitness, some more intense than others and with different results. Working out in general is good for you, our bodies are meant to move. So even if you don't have a goal, staying active is always recommended.

HOW TO CREATE THE PERFECT WORKOUT PLAN

THE BEST WAY TO GAIN MUSCLE, SCIENCE EXPLAINED SIMPLY

Low-intensity workouts:

Yoga: Focuses on flexibility, strength, and relaxation through various poses and breathing techniques.

Pilates: A low-impact exercise method that strengthens muscles, improves flexibility, and enhances posture.

Walking: Simple yet effective, walking is a great way to improve cardiovascular health and boost mood without high impact.

Swimming: Provides a full-body workout with minimal stress on joints, making it ideal for people with joint issues or injuries.

High-intensity workouts:

HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training): Alternates between short bursts of intense exercise and brief recovery periods to maximize calorie burn and improve cardiovascular fitness.

CrossFit: Combines elements of weightlifting, interval training, gymnastics, and other exercises to build strength, endurance, and overall fitness.

Sprinting: Short, explosive bursts of running at maximum effort, often performed in intervals for cardiovascular conditioning and leg muscle strength.

Circuit Training: Involves moving through a series of exercises targeting different muscle groups with minimal rest in between, combining strength training and cardiovascular exercise.

These are just a few examples, but there are plenty of other workout styles out there to explore depending on your preferences and fitness goals. Walking every day is just a simple way to stay toned.

SLEEP

Sleeping is important for rest and recovery after workouts and energy-consuming activities. Sleep is needed for the brain to function, mood regulation and performance + productivity. Lack of sleep deprives you of all of these things, so getting your beauty sleep is absolutely needed.

School-age children (6-13 years): 9-11 hours per day.

Teenagers (14-17 years): 8-10 hours per day.

Young adults (18-25 years): 7-9 hours per day.

Adults (26-64 years): 7-9 hours per day.

HYGIENE

Upkeeping good hygiene is always needed anyway. Making sure you are clean (smelling good is a plus). Make sure you always wash your hands and take daily showers to remove any dirt on your body (clean those feet and your back well, don't forget them!). Taking care of your oral health must not be forgotten. Oil pulling and brushing your tongue for a healthy mouth. Make sure your hair is also getting the attention to keep it as healthy as you possibly can make it (this also depends on diet). Doing the extra things like spending time on your nails (making sure there isn't that stuff underneath them), making them pretty.

BODY CARE ROUTINE | FOR SMOOTH & GLOWING SKIN, TREATING KERATOSIS PILARIS, SHOWER ROUTINE

ENVIRONMENT

Having a stress-free environment is obviously the best to thrive in. But clearly not even being lucky enough to live like that constantly. So make sure you have that space to be on your own and have some alone time to really recharge. Keeping your space clean for a clear mind. Surround yourself with like-minded people and really set boundaries for those who prey on your mental clarity (energy vampires). Spending time in nature is one of the best ways to detach, rest time should not equal spending time on your devices. Let go and truly let yourself decompress. Mental health will improve how you carry yourself.

EMBODY YOUR POTENTIAL.

[nasa]

Moonbound: One Year Since Artemis I

On this day last year, the Artemis I rocket and spacecraft lit up the sky and embarked on the revolutionary mission to the Moon and back. The first integrated flight test of the rocket and spacecraft continued for 25.5 days, validating NASA’s deep exploration systems and setting the stage for humanity’s return to the lunar surface.

On Nov. 16, 2022, the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket met or exceeded all expectations during its debut launch on Artemis I. The twin solid rocket booster motors responsible for producing more than 7 million pounds of thrust at liftoff reached their performance target, helping SLS and the Orion spacecraft reach a speed of about 4,000 mph in just over two minutes before the boosters separated.

Quite a few payloads caught a ride aboard the Orion spacecraft on the Artemis I mission: In addition to a number of small scientific satellites called CubeSats, a manikin named Commander Moonikin Campos sat in the commander’s seat. A Snoopy doll served as a zero-gravity indicator — something that floats inside the spacecraft to demonstrate microgravity. 

During the mission, Orion performed two lunar flybys, coming within 80 miles of the lunar surface. At its farthest distance during the mission, Orion traveled nearly 270,000 miles from our home planet, more than 1,000 times farther than where the International Space Station orbits Earth. This surpassed the record for distance traveled by a spacecraft designed to carry humans, previously set during Apollo 13.

The Orion spacecraft arrived back home to planet Earth on Dec. 11, 2022. During re-entry, Orion endured temperatures about half as hot as the surface of the Sun at about 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Within about 20 minutes, Orion slowed from nearly 25,000 mph to about 20 mph for its parachute-assisted splashdown. 

Recovery teams successfully retrieved the spacecraft and delivered it back to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center for de-servicing operations, which included removing the payloads (like Snoopy and Commander Moonikin Campos) and analyzing the heat shield.  

With the Artemis I mission under our belt, we look ahead to Artemis II — our first crewed mission to the Moon in over 50 years. Four astronauts will fly around the Moon inside Orion, practicing piloting the spacecraft and validating the spacecraft’s life support systems. The Artemis II crew includes: NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen. 

As we look ahead to Artemis II, we build upon the incredible success of the Artemis I mission and recognize the hard work and achievements of the entire Artemis team. Go Artemis!

Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space!