#recovery prompt

[jordanstrophe]

Caretaker: "Hey, how are you feeling?"

Whumpee collapsed across the couch: "How do I look?"

Caretaker: "Absolutely awful."

Whumpee: "Yes, that feels accurate."

[redd956]

Recovery showing in appearance my beloved...

Characters scars fading or healing. Characters who have come to hate their scars and hide them, slowly learning to be confident in their new appearance and allowing the scars to show.

Characters becoming their comfortable weight once weight. Underweight characters finally reaching their healthy weight goals. Feeble muscled characters finally being strong enough to lift their own children, wearing tight fitting clothing to show of their new defined muscles.

Trans characters transitioning or getting trans affirming accessories.

Characters learning to live with any newly obtained disabilities, not being ashamed of their mobility aids, and similar.

[whumpshaped]

also stubborn whumpee mid recovery who keeps insisting they can do things and mildly exasperated caretaker being like "no. No don't do that. I've got you "

i specifically love this when whumpee only listens to caretaker. for whatever reason. so caretaker HAS to be brought in every time whumpee is acting up

[martyr-inthedark]

Washing wounds hurts. Washing scrapes and scratches hurts. Rubbing over torn apart skin with a soapy sponge hurts. Cleaning out a pus-oozing infection hurts. A cold shower while having muscle cramps hurts. It all burns and throbs, pain radiating from each and every little opening. Open blisters on the feet light on fire as soapy water runs down off the legs—this almost impossible to stand comfortably and getting in or out of the tub creates a fall risk.

Burns sting like a nest of bees as water pummels the withering flesh. Injuries on the fingers make it hard to thoroughly wash the hair, even as blood, skin, and debris crumble away under the water. Turning your head just the wrong way can get water in your ears or nose or can encourage shampoo to run into the eyes. Plucking shirt fibers from sores with tweezers is a tedious and agitating exercise.

Perhaps even the unraveling towel catches on a loose stitch or staple. Perhaps Whumpee can't recognize themselves the first time they see their reflection in the mirror. Perhaps all Whumpee feels is the aftermath of all they've endured. Perhaps Whumpee has to do it all by themselves, including redressing their wounds.

Bathe your Whumpees, lovelies ✨

[justwhumptypethings]

realistic ptsd in whump from someone who has (undiagnosed) ptsd

tw: flashbacks, mention of sh, whumpee in denial

whumpee who can trigger a flashback in themselves just by thinking about it, sometimes entirely unprompted

after that happens whumpee feels like this can’t be a flashback and they can’t be triggered bc there was nothing that triggered it they just thought about it

whumpee’s flashbacks and the subsequent panic attacks aren’t loud and noticeable, to the outside perspective it looks like their just staring off and breathing really slowly

flashbacks aren’t as much hallucinating that you’re back in the whump as it is just feeling the sensations you felt

like literally ANY mention of it makes whumpee freeze up, this works especially well if they aren’t dealing with their whump and are instead like. ignoring it and hoping it miraculously goes away

whumpee who’s body physically reacts to it whenever they try to talk about it, breaking out in goosebumps and shivers

whumpee who’s ptsd makes it virtually impossible for them to make progress in recovery

whumpee who has a lot of trouble grounding themselves out of their flashbacks and asking for help during their flashback bc it doesn’t look like you’d expect a flashback to look, they aren’t crying curled up in a ball or anything, but they can’t think or breathe

maybe whumpee ends up taking up sh to ground, digging their fingers into their palms or scratching at their arm or biting at the inside of their cheek

whumpee who’s caretaker doesn’t even realize they’re having flashbacks or trauma responses because they don’t look how they expect them to

somwtimes things trigger them or make them anxious that wouldn’t have before and it doesn’t actually necessarily put them back into the whump but instead just make them deeply uncomfortable. for ex if your whumpee was kept in a cage now they are claustrophobic about hugs. but it doesn’t necessarily remind them distinctly of the whump, like they aren’t like ‘oh I’m claustrophobic because I was kept in a cage’ it’s more ‘why is this freaking me out?? I’ve never been claustrophobic before’ and it’s not obvious it’s happening bc of the whump

whumpee in denial that anything is actually happening to them. it can’t be ptsd. why not? it cant

[the-bar-sinister]

Recovering whumpee returning to a place where they were badly injured and being unable to shut out the memories of what happened to them.

Whumpee's eyes drawn to the spot where they lay, huddled and bleeding. Is there really still a mark there on the ground? Or are they imagining it?

Why can't they stop hearing the sounds of their own screams and pleading echoing in their ears?

Whumpee, shaking and swallowing repeatedly, telling themselves they should be stronger than this, they have to be stronger than this.

Whumpee jolting in surprise and whirling around in fear at a touch on their shoulder; caretaker coming to check on them.

[chiharuuu22]

Shhhh! Keep your voice down and don't be loud. Whumpee is sleeping (or has just fallen asleep).

In Caretaker's arms after being rescued.

In a hospital bed in a recovery ward (or perhaps an ICU) after receiving care and treatment or perhaps emergency surgery.

On a bed in a room in a recovery house. Bonus points for the house are that the house belongs to the Caretaker and the bed BELONGS TO CARETAKER (AND CARETAKER'S BEDROOM)!!!!

In the passenger seat. Sleep on your back in the back seat or sleep in a half-sitting position after the seat is lowered slightly on the driver's side seat. Bonus points Caretaker puts on the jacket or coat to cover Whumpee.

On the sofa in front of the fireplace.

In a wheelchair while taking a leisurely walk.

On the couch on the terrace.

On the Caretaker's lap. Bonus points with the accompaniment of Caretaker's soft voice lulling Whumpee to sleep and caressing Whumpee's hair.

Sleep leaning on the Caretaker's shoulder when sitting side by side. Bonus points when they are in a discussion with the team members and Whumpee suddenly falls asleep exhausted.

Anything you want to add?

[whump-in-the-closet]

when a living weapon whumpee only takes orders from ONE person. They’ve been conditioned to ignore everyone else’s orders. This means that after rescue, the team can barely get whumpee to drink or allow them bandage their injuries. One of the teammates manages to imitate whumpee’s handler by deepening their voice.

They stay out of whumpee’s line of sight, standing behind their hospital bed. “Drink this,” they snap, hating how they have to command this broad-shouldered ghost of a person. Without their armor, without their mask, whumpee looks like a wraith. There’s nothing behind their eyes. They play with the hospital blanket with twitching hands that have strangled and maimed.

When whumpee hears the order they stiffen to attention and take the cup offered with those still-shaking hands. But the cup slips through their fingers and lands in a puddle on the tiles.

They immediately tense up, shoulder blades flung so far back they touch. Their breathing quickens, waiting.

But nothing happens.

They give whumpee a new glass of cold water. This time, they lift the cup to whumpee’s lips and hold it steady, with one hand behind their head for support.

[floral-comet-whump]

I love living weapon whump where whumpee is so conditioned they genuinely view themself as an emotionless tool BUT consider living weapon whumpee who is lying about it. they refuse to give up and be nothing but a mere object to whumper, but they're also aware of their own powerlessness, so they act how others want. they follow protocol, they're efficient, they use "sir/ma'am" for everyone.

all while internally seething, running on nothing but pure hate. one day, they'll kill whumper. one day, they'll be free. but that day is not today, and they're not in a position to be pushing their luck.

[spinzolliii]

People forget that recovering from an injury takes so much energy. It’s not just pain, but a constant exhaustion as your body dedicates all of its resources to repairing itself. This can last weeks or months.

The same is true in the aftermath of a severe illness. You’re not necessarily “well” after the infection passes. Your body has to recover from the damage done by the infection. It leaves a person weak and lethargic well after they’ve “recovered” from their illness.

So, imagine a Whumpee being forced to work again immediately after an illness or injury.

[jordanstrophe]

Whumpee's first real outing took a bit more from them than they expected. They found caretaker chatting at a table as whumpee slugged their arms over their shoulders, burying their face into caretaker's neck from behind.

"Hey sweetheart." Caretaker hummed a chuckle, having to reach behind them to cup their cheek.

Their smile disappeared when they felt a fever.

[whump-galaxy]

A silent Whumpee that hasn’t talked in years, either through force or fear, speaks their first words. It’s quiet, hoarse, and their caretaker barely catches it.

“Thank you.”

[whumpshaped]

one of my favorite whump comfort tropes is whumpee cuddling with caretaker, especially when the big whumpee is the tiny spoon. especially especially when it’s with a pet / conditioned whumpee finally feeling safer in their master‘s caretaker’s arms than anywhere else!!

— honey :) <- girlie who has written this like. three separate times at this point. and eats it up every single time aghfskh

YEAHHHHHHH BIG WHUMPEE BEING THE LITTLE SPOON!!!! BIG WHUMPEE CRADLED AND HUGGED AND LOVED.

[martyr-inthedark]

There's just something so cathartic about a Whumpee who collapses into someone's arms, clinging to them as if this is their last chance at comfort.

I love a Whumpee who are just so worn down that all they can do is lay in someone's lap, sobbing at the warmth, even if it is just Whumper's lap.

A Whumpee whose chin fits perfectly in the crook of Caretaker's neck as they struggle to stay upright on shaking legs is exactly where it's at.

Perhaps Whumpee needs a weighted blanket or one of those heatable stuffed animals to sleep without nightmares.

[a-crumb-of-whump]

Content: Recovery, PTSD/trauma.

"What on earth are you doing on the kitchen bench?" Caretaker asked curiously as they stuck their head into the kitchen to see what was making noise. There, Whumpee sat on the island with their legs crossed, grinning from ear to ear despite their clear nervousness.

"You told me I was allowed to break Whumper's rules. They never let me sit on counters, so that's what I'm doing."

Caretaker's confused frown curved up into a smile, pride no doubt evident. They took a few steps into the room and leaned against the nearest wall behind them. "Yeah? How's it feel up there?"

"Great!" they chirped. "I always used to sit like this, before. It's only a small aspect of the freedom I'm trying to reclaim, but one I'm excited to have back nonetheless."

[justwhumptypethings]

tw; dehumanization, disassociation, aftermath of conditioning

whumpee who’s just.. blank after. staring off, quiet like the dead.

they don’t only not speak unless spoken to, they don’t speak unless they’re asked a question. They could be having a conversation, and even then their answers are barebones and vague enough to not get them hurt. and as soon as caretaker says something that’s not a direct question, whumpee doesn’t answer.

they sit there in the back of the room silent. caretaker forgets they’re there sometimes. maybe they start panicking if their nose is clogged or their breathing is audible for some reason, because they can’t stop making noise.

their eyes are dull. they’re exhausted, nearly always disassociated or derealized, not focusing on their body or the world around them because they expect the people around them to pay as much attention to them as they would an object.

they don’t understand when people talk to them. they don’t react unless someone says their name like an order.

the way they talk is always vague enough that it could agree with whatever the person who’s talking to them says. they are hesitant to take any real stance. maybe they seen confused when someone asks them what they want.

they never really get comfortable with talking again. not the same way they were before.