#used as bait universe

[derryqueenx]

Crashing Down

Used As Bait fic

Word count: 2563

You could have heard a pin drop.

No one dared to make a sound, and even if they did it would have probably gone unheard by the two souls that were currently locked in on one another from across the room, both of them taking in the person in front of them, almost scared to blink in fear that they’ll disappear right before his eyes like some cruel illusion.

Vince felt sick.

His stomach dropped and his breathe caught in his throat, he couldn’t move. Had Lyle drugged him again? Why couldn’t he move?

He took in the scene before him, allowing him a moment to decipher if this was real or just an illusion. Naboo stood there, staring at him with the most emotion he’d ever seen the shaman deliver aside from the time Bollo accidently burnt their hash brownies 10 minutes before they were scheduled to leave for a shaman retreat – he looked a mix of hurt and guilt. Guilt probably because he’s the one who sent you into the underground club to begin with, Vince’s inner thoughts spoke up with venom, but Vince shook them away. That wasn’t a bad thing. Sending him to investigate is what led him to Lyle, and Lyle was kind and nurturing and wanted to take care of him… take care of him more than Naboo ever did who only ever seemed inconvenienced by Vince’s existence.

And in Naboo’s hand was a clear small bottle with a corked lid containing some sort of blue glittery liquid, but that was quickly forgotten when Vince glanced to who stood beside the smaller man.

“Vince.. Oh gosh, Vince.” Howard repeated from where he stood on the opposite end of the living room from Lyle, daring himself to take a step closer to his lover, who in turn, took a step further away.

Ah, so he could move. Good to know.

Howard looked awful. And not his normal levels of awful by fashion standards, but just awful. He carried deep bags under his eyes like he hadn’t gotten a proper nights sleep in weeks, and was he shirt loser than normal? Since when did Howard start going to the gym and losing weight? Now that you’re not around he has time for himself instead of worrying about all the time, his voice returned, but Vince let it remain this time. It was right after all. That’s what Lyle always told him – Howard didn’t care about Vince. He probably couldn’t wait until he was finally out of his life.

Howards features shifted, a flash of hurt cascading across at Vince’s choice of movement, his lips thinning in determination. “Hey, please… It’s me.” He softened, like trying to convince a child that he wasn’t trying to steal their candy from their Halloween bag. Vince watched as the other mans smaller eyes started travelling down, taking in the scene before them as they locked on the raven haired man for the first time in god knows how long. Vince subconsciously followed them, looking down at himself to see what would have gotten their attention. “Oh my god..” He heard Howard mutter out in disbelief.

But Vince couldn’t understand why.

There was nothing there? Did he accidently spill some food on him earlier? Oh no, he better not have or else Lyle won’t be very pleased with him. Vince kept searching but he found nothing – just his chest and torso which was normal because Lyle didn’t like him wearing shirts, a few scattered bruises and scars from previous mishaps and punishments that Vince deserved, and the ever prominent ‘L’ that was marked on his chest to let the world know who he belonged to. Vince saw these things every day. He was proud of them because Lyle wanted them there.

“What did he do to you?” Howard spoke up again, and Vince was definitely getting a little overwhelmed now. Howard can’t just show up to his and Lyle’s house, unannounced, and start throwing around accusations without further elaboration. “What did you do to him?!” His voice was louder, more sudden, and it made Vince jump where he stood, worried for a moment that it was Lyle shouting at him from displeasure, fortunate that it was instead Howard, his attention turned to Lyle now with an expression Vince wasn’t even aware was possible for the northerner to express. Further solidifying that this was certainly an illusion.

“You’re not real.” He finally muttered out, mostly to himself, as he clenched his eyes shut, waiting for them to go away as he concentrated hard. His brain was playing tricks on him, obviously. Cruel tricks. But when his eyes opened once more, they were still there. Still looking as lost and fragile as they did only moments before. Okay, maybe this wasn’t his brain. “This is a test, right?” He turned his attention to Lyle, pleading with him from across the room to please put an end to this torment.

Lyle never let his gaze go from Vince. “Vince, listen to me very carefully..” He started, the sound of his voice an instant soothe for the other man to hear in this trying time, but he never got a chance to finish.

“Don’t you ever talk to him again!” Howard shouted, his eyes flashing a viciousness to them that Vince had never seen before, nor knew Howard would be even able to conjure. “You don’t get to speak to him – do I make myself clear?” Howard seethed, venom lacing his words.

Lyle didn’t stir from where he stood, simply eyeing down Howard in a stance of determination and confidence. “I think you’ll find, dearie, that you’re the one frightening him at the moment. Not me.” He snapped back, a small smirk appearing from the corner of his mouth.

Howard’s attention went back to Vince for confirmation, regrettably greeted to the sight that Lyle was fright. Vince looked absolutely terrified as he was frozen in place. Those eyes so wide it was like they were nearly about to fall right out of their socket, his knuckles gripping onto the bag he was carrying so tightly that they were turning white, the rise and fall of his chest so rapid it was clear he was on the verge of a straight up panic attack. Howard felt so helpless, exactly how he’d been feeling for the last several months of this torture, he just wanted to make all of Vince’s pain go away. He just needed to get through to Vince. Whatever Lyle had done to him was evident enough, and he was never going to let Vince feel that pain or fear ever again in his life. Never. “Vince, please.” He tried once more, taking a small step closer to the dark haired man, watching as he once again took a step back to keep the distance between them. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

“Oh, but you have, Howard.” Lyle spoke up. “Do you know how much work I had to do to undo the damage you’d done to him.” Howard’s eyes clenched shut, trying to shut out Lyle’s voice. “He cried for you. Begged for you.”

“Shut up.” Howard seethed, so softly that barely anyone could have even heard it.

“He craved you, Howard. All because you made him think that you would protect him. Keep him safe from any harm. So when he needed you the most, that’s what he relied on.”

“Stop it.”

“Every night he spent alone, or in pain, or crying, was because of you. Because I needed to show him that you weren’t coming for him! That it was all a lie! That Howard Moon never cared about him!”

“Howard-“ Naboo spoke up for the first time, warning in his tone as he eyed off Howard very carefully, waiting for the reaction that Lyle was very clearly trying to get from him.

“And when he finally was able to accept that truth…” Lyle paused, the tension in the air rising. “That’s when he realised what true love felt like with me.”

“I said shut up!” Howard finally snapped, turning on his heels and aiming straight for Lyle with an animalistic snarl that one would never even thought possible for him to make. He practically jumped the couch that separated him from his target, arms outreached to grab whatever he could get a hold of from the other man. All the while, Lyle never moved. He had a decent amount of time to dodge or defend himself, and yet he didn’t. He stood perfectly still, that same cocky smirk on his face as he watched Howard charge at him, allowing the other man to grab a hold of his suit collar roughly with both hands, giving him a decent shake around as he continued shouting. “You shut your mouth!”

“Howard, stop!” Naboo tried his best, but there was no point. Howard was livid. Nothing was bringing him down right now. This was months of agony and torment and worrying all pent up, wishes and ‘what ifs’ of what Howard could’ve done differently, how he could’ve prevented all of this, all of that coming to a crashing halt and narrowing those emotions onto just one. Rage.

Targeted at only one person. The person that had haunted his dreams, his days, his thoughts.

Howard had his sights set on Lyle and there was no going back.

“You did this to him!” He shouted, surely spit particles flying out and landing right on Lyle, who he clutched onto and held tightly.

Something in Vince shifted at the sight of Lyle being manhandled like that. No… Lyle needed him. He needed to keep him safe! Just as Lyle always did for him. “Leave him alone!” He managed to say, remembering how to move his feet as he dropped the bag he was still holding, charging towards the group of now 3 men all scrambling around for the higher ground, Howard brushing off Naboo with ease as Lyle began trying to pry his hands of his freshly ironed shirt. Vince made his way to the others, unsure what to do now that he had made it this far – no one had acknowledged his outburst or even his presence now he was here, and he definitely couldn’t lay a hand on Lyle to help him out without his permission, even in these circumstances, right? That’s what he was always trained for... Howard was too dominating for him to even try to pull him away, and Naboo was too distracted with trying just that. “Hey!” He opted to try again, but he went unheard.

Howard was shouting, screaming at Lyle with threats and warnings, Naboo’s voice barely audible over it, whilst Lyle remained silent. Eerily silent.

Vince didn’t like this. He needed to help Lyle. If this was a test, maybe Lyle wanted to see what Vince would do in this situation? Wanted to see if he would help. Vince had to do something..

“Howard, that’s enough!!” Naboo shouted, still trying to grab at the other mans arm to yank him away to no avail. However, as Howard brushed Naboo off this time around, he must have been a little too rough as the smaller man stumbled where he stood, tripping over a footstool behind him as he began the crash course down to the floor, the bottle of blue liquid flying out of his hand mid-fall. “Shit-“ He started, trying to catch it as he fell, before it landed with a clink and rolled.

Rolling

Rolling

Stopping right at Vince’s feet.

Vince stared down at the bottle dumfounded for a moment, his brain unable to keep up with everything happening. What was he meant to do?

“Careful!” Naboo spoke up over the rustling of Howard and Lyle, trying to scramble to his feet to reach the bottle.

That seems important. Vince thought. Then, the lightbulb moment. That’s what he had to do! Not even realising what it was or did, Vince grabbed it before Naboo could, holding it up high and out of reach of his smaller frame, a look at pride on his face as he finally did something of worth for Lyle. “I said let him go!” He gave one last try, bringing out his best booming voice to get the others attention. Surely enough, it worked.

Howard spared a glance to Vince, seemingly remembering he was here, and within the split second it took him to see what Vince was holding, his eyes widened in fear, his grip releasing from Lyle as he let him go and instead brought his hands up in an attempt to try to reason with Vince. “Be careful with that... We need it!”

Vince thinned his lips in determination, holding the bottle higher as he took a few steps away to show his authority in this moment. “Get away from him.” Howard glanced to where Lyle stood by his side, a look of uncertainty behind his eyes as he seemed to ponder exactly who Vince was talking to. “Now.” Vince spat out for extra measure when Howard didn’t seem to be working fast enough for his liking. “Or I’ll smash this on the floor.” He added. He didn’t know what this did, but Naboo and Howard surely seemed to want it, therefore Vince had leverage.

He watched as Howard’s heart skipped a beat at that implication, his hands showing surrender and compliance. “Okay, okay.” He repeated, eyes never leaving Vince nor the bottle as he stepped away from Lyle to cooperate with the other mans threats. “Vince, you don’t understand..” he began, but Vince didn’t let him finish.

“No, you don’t understand! You can’t just barge into our house and start attacking us!” He swallowed, sparing a glance to Lyle who seemed to be watching him with… pride? That made him falter for a second. Was Lyle proud of him? Was he doing good? He was doing it… he was really doing it. Something to make Lyle happy and proud of him.

“Very good, Vince.” Lyle spoke up once again, extending his hand out. “Now, pass me the bottle.”

“No!” Both Howard and Naboo cut in, fear plastered across their faces. “Don’t do it. Please, Vince… That’s going to get you home.” Howard softened, pleading from across the room. “Don’t you want to come home?” He offered him his best attempt at a smile, trying to get Vince to see reason and come to his senses.

Vince paused. Home. “I am home?”

Again, he saw Lyle smile from his peripheral. A genuine smile. Unlike the pitiful one Howard was attempting right now. He was truly making Lyle right now, and in turn, that made Vince happy. He only ever wanted to make Lyle happy… and now he finally was. This must be what Lyle wanted him to do.

“That’s right my love, you are home.” Lyle cut him off, taking a few steps closer. “Now, give me the bottle and I’ll protect you. Like I always have. I won’t let them take you away from me.”

That sounded nice. Vince didn’t want to leave. He liked it here. With someone who actually wanted him and was proud of him and took care of him. Unlike Howard and Naboo who only ever showed their displeasure and annoyance with everything he did. He wanted to stay here with Lyle.

It’s where he belonged.

-

TA DAAAAAA. What do ya think is gonna happen?!!

[derryqueenx]

WHUMPTOBER 2023 IS HERE

For shits, giggles and Inspiration for a potential comeback, send through any ideas you have/wanna see for any of the above prompts and if I be inspired enough I just might give this a go 👀👀

Whumptober 2023

Welcome to Whumptober 2023 — the sixth year running!

To those of you who participated last year, welcome back! To everyone joining this year, welcome!

Please make sure to read the Event Info carefully, as most of your questions will be answered there already. For everything else, you are welcome to come to our ask box or ask questions in our Discord server here.

This year’s AO3 Collection can be found here.

And this years playlist can be found here.

There are 139 prompt options in total this year - this is including the alternatives list! A special thanks goes out to those who took part in our trope vote back in July. From the 1526 responses to our list of 223 tropes, we looked through the popularity results, as well as your honourable mentions, and were able to produce this years prompts list. Stay tuned, as we will be posting some of the results at a later date!

We’re very excited to see the community come together once more and be a wild, chaotic bunch of creators and consumers of whump. Go wild with the prompts, and support your fellow creators - we wish you all the fun!

Best of luck and happy whumping,

Mods Vanne, Yenn, Kitty and Surro

(All 31 Themes + Prompts, Event Information and FAQs are posted below the cut!)

Whumptober 2023 Prompt List

No. 1: “But now this room is spinning while I’m trying just to fill in all the gaps.”

Safety Net | Swooning | “How many fingers am I holding up?”

No. 2: “I’ll call out your name, but you won’t call back.”

Thermometer | Delirium | “They don't care about you.”

No. 3: “Like crying out in empty rooms; with no-one there except the moon.”

Journal | Solitary Confinement | “Make it stop.”

No. 4: “I see the danger, It’s written there in your eyes.”

Cattle Prod | Shock | “You in there?”

No. 5: “You better pray I don't get up this time around.”

Debris | Pinned Down | “It's broken.”

No. 6: “Do or die, you’ll never make me; Because the world will never take my heart.”

Recording | Made to Watch | “It should have been me.”

No. 7: " “I paced around for hours on empty; I jumped at the slightest of sounds.”

Alleyway | Radio Silence | “Can you hear me?”

No. 8: “I’ve got soul, but I’m not a soldier.”

Overcrowded ER | Outnumbered | “It’s all for nothing.”

No. 9: “Learning everything ain't what it seems, that's the thing about these days.”

Polaroid | Mistaken Identity | “You're a liar.”

No. 10: “Can’t you see that you’re lost without me?”

Broken Phone | Stranded | “You said you'd never leave.”

No. 11: “All the lights going dark and my hope’s destroyed.”

Animal trap | Captivity | “No one will find you.”

No. 12: “I haven't slept in days but who's counting?”

Red | Insomnia | “I’m up, I’m up.”

No. 13: “It comes and goes like the strength in your bones.”

Cold Compress | Infection | “I don’t feel so good.”

No. 14: “Feed me poison, fill me ‘till I drown.”

Flare | Water Inhalation | “Just hold on.”

No. 15: “I don't need you to help me I can handle things myself.”

Makeshift Bandages | Suppressed Suffering | “I’m fine.”

No. 16: “Would you lie with me and just forget the world?”

Gurney | Flatline | “Don’t go where I can’t follow.”

No. 17: “You’re the lump in my throat and the knot in my chest.”

Collar | Touch Aversion | “Leave me alone.”

No. 18: “I tend to deflect when I’m feeling threatened.”

Blindfold | Tortured For Information | “Hit them harder.”

No. 19: “I’ll take one final step, all you have to do is make me.”

Floral Bouquet | Psychological | “I’m not as stupid as you think I am.”

No. 20: “People don’t change people, time does.”

Blanket | Found Family | “You will regret touching them.”

No. 21: “See the chains around my feet.”

Vows | Restraints | “Don't move.”

No. 22: “They never saw us coming, ‘til they hit the floor.”

Glass Shard | Vehicular Accident | “Watch out!”

No. 23: “It’s gonna get me by the end of the night.”

Shadows | Stalking | “Who’s there?”

No. 24: “I’ve got a head full of chemicals; mouth full of ridicule.”

Goodbye Note | Neglect | “I thought they were with you.”

No. 25: “You’re not delivering a perfect body to the grave.”

Storm | Buried Alive | “They’re not breathing!”

No. 26: “Sometimes I get so tired; I don’t even know myself.”

Seeing Double | Working To Exhaustion | “You look awful.”

No. 27: “You drew stars around my scars; But now I’m bleeding.”

Matches | Scars | “Let me see”

No. 28: “We might not make it to the morning; so go on and tell me now.”

Bloody Knife | Sacrifice | “You'll have to go through me.”

No. 29: “I only sink deeper the deeper I think.”

Scented Candle | Troubled Past Resurfacing | “What happened to me?”

No. 30: “It’s okay, just to say, ‘I’m not okay’.”

Borrowed Clothing | Bridal Carry | “Not much longer...”

No. 31: “I thought that I was getting better.”

Emptiness | Setbacks | “Take it easy.”

Alternatives List:

Betrayal

Aftermath of Failure

Brass Knuckles

Decoy

Body Modification

Playing Cards

Examination

Hunting

Drugging

Shaking

Panic

Broken

Miscommunication

Lab Rat

Reluctant Whumper

Event Info & Rules

~ Please read our extensive event info posts before sending us an ask ~

WHUMPTOBER is a month-long, prompt-based creation challenge (think: Inktober, but whumpier). There are 31 official themes this year - one for each day of the month - which can be used, skipped, or combined in any way you’d like. The 'theme' of each day is the line of lyrics.

The prompts are merely to serve as inspiration without being taken literally (e.g. you don’t have to include the exact wording of prompts into your work). Feel free to run rampant on interpretation. For example, if the prompt is "flame", you could create something with reference to a candle/campfire, your character could have suffered a burn, or the flame could be related to the 'spark' of a relationship. It's truly up to you!

In total, there are 4 prompts for each day: there's lyrics, an object, a trope and a line of dialogue to choose from.  We want to give everyone as much creative freedom as possible, as well as increase event accessibility for folks with triggers and squicks.

Creators can PRODUCE work in any media they choose, including but not limited to: writing, visual artwork, photo/video/audio edits, paper crafts and elaborate recommendation lists (not just a list of links). Creators can PARTICIPATE as much or as little as they want (i.e. you don’t have to do ALL the prompts if you don’t want to) and prompts can be used in any order. They are also free to use even after the event ends.

When uploading Whumptober content to your blog, be sure to tag the with:

#whumptober2023 …..(the event tag)

#no.1, #no.2, #no.3, …..(day number)

#lyric, #bruises, #stabbing,  …..(the theme or specific prompt you chose)

#fandom or #OC, … (ironman, originalcontent, oc …)

#medium …..(gifs, fic, podcast, art, etc.)

#teeth, #gore tw, #etc …..(trigger warnings & any additional tags. Add "tw" AFTER the trigger/content warning. )

#nsfwhump …..(only for nsfw content)

#your own tags go here

PLEASE BE DILIGENT WITH YOUR TAGGING. Only properly tagged posts are considered for archiving on the official @whumptober-archive blog. They must be tagged in the order above. An elaborate post about our tagging system can be found [here]

Unfortunately, due to the sheer number of participants in recent years, we cannot guarantee your work will be archived. A random selection of properly tagged posts from all genres will be reblogged each day.

Whumpers who produce content for 31 total theme days are considered event completionists and will be tagged in a masterpost at the end of the month. A form will be published at the beginning of November asking you to tell us if you completed the event. You do not need to post anything you have created, we rely on trust and we will not check this.

Questions not addressed in one of our many event info posts can be directed to this blog. We will not answer any questions that have been answered in the FAQs or rules already.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. How does this year’s prompt list work? What do I have to choose?

You can create something based on:

The overall theme/lyric of the day

Prompt 1, 2 or 3

One or several of the alternative prompts

A combination of the above

Q. Is [specific anything] allowed?

When in doubt: JUST DO IT!

Q. Do I have to do all 31 days?

Participate as much or little as you like! Just be sure to tag your posts properly (ex. #no.7, #radio silence). If you create works for 31 total theme days you will become a completionist. But apart from that, there are no repercussions if you don’t fill prompts for each day.

Q. Can I post early/late?

Yes, you can post whenever you want. We will only reblog posts during October, but you can use our prompts all year round. The day you post will only affect your probability of being reblogged.

Q. Will you reblog my post?

Due to the sheer number of content posted during Whumptober we can’t promise to reblog every single post. We will make a random selection trying to capture a wide variety of content. The following will increase your chances at being reblogged:

tag your post properly

post within 2-3 days of the theme you want to fill: if you fill the prompt for Day 1 your chances of being reblogged during October 1st to 3rd are highest and will go towards zero afterwards.

Q. What if I don’t understand a prompt/theme?

Send us an ask! We’re happy to help with wild, unhelpful clarifications or brainstorming. That being said, the themes are entirely up for interpretation. Don’t take them too literally. For example: You can be choking on a cherry, someone else can choke you or you could be choked up on emotions, etc.

Q. What kind of content can I make? Can it be NSFW?

This is a MIXED MEDIA event! You can write fic, post meta, doodle or paint, create a gifset or photo edit, link a song, or get crafty with video - anything goes. As for NSFW, make what you like, we just hope that you’ll tag your work accordingly so that others participating in the event can stay safe.

Q. Can I combine Whumptober with other creation challenges?

Absolutely, as long as the other challenges allow it too.

Q. Can I upload/repost my Whumptober content to other social media platforms?

Of course! You can post your own content wherever you like (or you can opt to not publish it at all). Additionally we’ve created an AO3 Collection to archive any fics posted there. It can be accessed here. The tumblr blog @whumptober-archive is the official archive, so please respect the boundaries of any closeted whumpers in your social circle.

Q. Can I use prompts to write a new chapter for an existing fic?

Yes.

Q. An existing fic I am currently writing contains many of the Whumptober prompts, can I use it?

If you are actively writing this fic at the moment with the Whumptober prompts in mind, yes. If you’ve previously posted something that checks the boxes, we ask that you not include it retroactively for this current year. You can, however, add new chapters relating to one or more of the prompts.

Q. What kind of characters can I write for?

Fandom characters, OC characters, human, furry, alien, cyborg, RPF, whoever you like. You can use the generic “whumpee” character or have specific ones.

Q. Does it have to take place in a specific fandom?

No, you can create works for your own worlds or for fandoms or for both. You can also create more generic or pan-fandom works. You can do cross-overs or use OCs, whatever you want.

Q. Can I use a prompt multiple times?

Yes, but it only counts once towards being a completionist.

Q. If I’m not comfortable with one day’s prompts can I use a prompt of a different day as a substitute and still be a completionist?

No, you can’t exchange prompts for different days. However, if all four prompts of a specific day make you uncomfortable, we have created an alternate prompts list that you can draw from. You can exchange any prompt with these, but please make sure not to use them twice.

Q. Where can I post my work?

Post where and how you want. You don’t have to (cross)post it to Tumblr or at all. Just keep in mind if it’s not on Tumblr we will not be able to add it to the blog archive.

Q. Can I start posting early?

You can, but this is an October event and wouldn’t it be more fun with everyone doing it at the same time? That being said, you can post early, but we won’t be reblogging any work predating October 1st.

Q. Do I have to finish a fic I started/can I post WIP’s?

Yes you can post WIPs. And you’re not obligated to finish it in October for it to count towards being a completionist.  

Q. Is co-writing allowed?

Yes, absolutely, and it would count towards being a completionist for both/all of you.

Q. Do I have to create 31 standalone pieces to be considered a completionist or can I write one continuous story?

One continuous story is fine.  The challenge is to write something for 31 prompts. If that’s spread over 31 fics or just one, you are still considered a completionist. (The same goes for every other media you choose.)

Q. Is there a min/max limit on word count?

There is no limit.

Q. Can I combine prompts? Is there a limit on how many?

No limit and combine as many as you’d like.

Q. Is a hc/angst/emotional whump focus ok?

Of course! We are not going to establish a threshold for whumpiness. If you think it’s whumpy enough, then it’s whumpy enough. It can be physical, psychological, emotional, or any combination of the three.

Q. What’s considered nsfw?

See this post

Q. What is whump?

Typically the genre includes situations where a fictional character is hurt, be it emotionally, psychologically, or physically. Fanlore provides information here.

Q. My interpretation of the prompt isn’t whumpy at all, does that count?

If you don’t think your interpretation is whumpy, then it doesn’t count for Whumptober. Remember that whump comes in many forms, though, and that we don’t have a whump-checker or a threshold for how much whump needs to be included. If you think your interpretation contains enough whump to count, then it does.

Q. Can I start working on the prompts before October?

Absolutely! That’s why we post the prompts a month in advance. We recognise how difficult it can be creating for 31 days in “real time” so feel free to start creating early!

Q. How do I tag triggers?

tw at the end of the word, ex. #gore tw

Q. Do I have to use your tags?

Yes, if you want your work archived on the blog. If not, feel free to use whatever tags you want. 

Q. Does combining prompts count towards completion?

Yes

Q. Can we @ you?

Yes but we mostly rely on the #whumptober2023 tag.

Q. Is there anything we are absolutely not allowed to write?

There are no rules, but please make sure to properly tag your trigger warnings. And keep in mind Tumblr’s policies if you are posting it here (or the policies for whatever site you use).

Q. Where can I go for brainstorming help?

Here on Discord or come into our ask box.

Q. My characters are minors, is that ok?

Yes, but as with everything else, use clear and descriptive tags.

Q. Can I cross post on other blogs?

Yes, multiple platforms and blogs are perfectly acceptable. You can also post different works to different accounts under different names, without posting them everywhere at once.

Note: This is a creation challenge, please don’t repost your old work under our tags (unless it’s been changed or edited for the event).

Thanks for reading, and happy whumping!

[mrkida-art]

I don't remember that much of my childhood, but today I suddenly remembered that one time when I started a Tolkien inspired war at my school when I was 7-8 years old.

The war lasted for a week, the entire elementary and middle school joined. We had different armies, all inspired by different characters (I was in the Mickey Mouse army, we had a "general" who was an older boy who would wear a Mickey Mouse hat on the "battlefield", I was his right hand man lmao). We fought using sticks and by throwing chestnuts which we collected in great hordes, the army who stole all the chestnuts from the opposing armies won.

Then the teachers learned of it and they were horrified. They rushed to break it up and got hit with our chestnut artillery in the process. I don't remember how it ended, just that we were sad about it and we had to talk to therapists (???) afterwards.

Idk why I was like that

[estelian-01]

Chapters: 1/2 Fandom: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms Rating: Not Rated Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Twilight & Wild (Linked Universe) Characters: Twilight (Linked Universe), Yiga Clan (Legend of Zelda), Wolfie (Linked Universe), Wild (Linked Universe) Additional Tags: Ambushes and Sneak Attacks, Kidnapping, Blood, Blood and Injury, Blood and Gore, Blood and Violence, Animal Attack, Competent Yiga Clan (Legend of Zelda), Poisoning, Fainting, Whumptober, Whumptober 2024, Used As Bait, Chains, Self-Sacrifice, Self-Harm, but like, not intentional, Linked Universe (Legend of Zelda), voiceless, Muzzles, Ambiguous/Open Ending Series: Part 11 of Sticks and Stones - Whumptober 2024 Summary:

Twilight is ambushed as Wolfie by the Yiga clan. Overall Whump Level: 7/10

[raycatz]

Wind and Legend at the Kakariko Market, Legend's era

Wind: Ooo they're selling orange juice. Let's get some!

Legend: We have apple juice at home.

Wind: But scurvy, Legend!

Legend, disbelieving of what he's hearing: We have been eating a veritable king's selection of fruits and vegetables on this adventure. What do you mean, scurvy?!!

[nopenototdaysatan]

Fire and Ice and.....Bait

(Whumptober Day 26(Alt): Used as Bait - WIld)

TW: Violence, Falling from high distances, rude use of an unconscious body

Hidden between leaves, High above the camp. Monsters of all kinds walking about. And one idea, one to save the day.

Pulling out an arrow with a flame at ti’s tip And an icy arrow cold to the touch. He had told Wars about this idea ages ago. It’s only now that he has the chance to try it.

One chance for it to work. One chance to show his skills. Bringing up his bow He remembers how long he has been memorizing this.

Constantly watching the Yiga’s use of smoke bombs. He wondered if he could recreate that with his ice and fire arrows. He just needs to hit the ice with his fire and create a mist of ice. As long as the mist comes up the chain can come in undetected.

With two arrows he could keep his team safe And make this a success. But….He’s never done this. Never tried out two different elementally aligned arrows.

Taking his stance to fly with Revali, Wild prepares himself For a once in a lifetime opportunity. As he flies with Revali’s skill, time slows. The brush of the string from his bow against his cheek As his face lights up with a cold blue and fiery red.

Aiming for the middle of the camp He shoots. Flying fast before they stick into the ground. There’s a spark and a chill of ice before Nothing. Not a single reaction. As if the two negated each other.

And yet everyone in the camp saw. Within seconds a wave of arrows head into the sky. He might be dexterous But even he can’t survive against a wall of arrows coming for his face.

Falling to the ground, He can only hope That the others will be okay. Splat. An unconscious hero for the taking. And they know the perfect way to use them.

Tying their new prisoner to a long stick. They use the blood ridden man As a lighthouse for more heroes. They’d never leave one of their own to suffer. Not like this.

[kirbyddd]

[poisonouspastels]

@beegswaz genuinely i think my favorite tags on any of my work ever. i fucking love when people talk abt my characters like this

[corallapis]

'oh, harry, please tell me you didn't.'

'a funny thing, friendship. i always thought it was about letting someone else into your life. letting them see the good and the bad.'

'it was you. it was you who knocked me out, wasn't it? and brought me here to the pier, if i'm not mistaken. your famous underwater escape. you're due to perform it here tomorrow, using this very crate, i suppose. why, harry?'

'you know all my secrets, doctor. you know all about my life and death. but how much have you ever shared with me in return?'

'you're angry with me because i won't show you inside the tardis? is that what this is about?'

'i met another old friend of yours. apparently you were at school together. he opened my eyes to you. i can see the truth now, doctor. you're just another fraud after all, surrounding himself with smoke and mirrors.'

'then i'd say we have a great deal in common,' rejoined the doctor.

'whatever it takes to keep your audience distracted, to keep them from ever seeing the real you behind the illusion. even your name — your true name — you hold close to your hearts.'

'and what about this chatty former friend of mine? i assume he has a name, hmm? or do you simply address him as master?'

houdini's eyes narrowed and his nostrils flared. enough to tell the doctor he had deduced correctly.

'of course it's the master,' the doctor muttered through gritted teeth. 'it's always the master.'

[yther]

Two (or was it 3?) years ago I spent "christmas" and the next week in the same pair of clothes on a bed with no sheet or blanket and I used a trash bag when I was too cold. I weighed 20lbs less but I had muscle still. I wish I knew then what I knew now. I would go back to absolute hopelessness and scarcity if I could save myself from the people I'd meet or the person I was with.

But mostly, I regret that I gave up, I thought I had nothing more to lose when in reality I had my whole life, still. I had my life. I had a FUCKTON more health, even though I clearly took it for granted. And as much as I feel like I did back then, that I have nothing at all to lose, I have learned It can always get worse! AlWAYS!

Suicide is not reliable, brain damage sucks. So... Shit really really sucks this year and I promised myself that I wouldn't endure another, but I should break that promise..? I should find a way to survive. But I am so tired and hurt and angry. So confused.

I miss humanity. I miss... so much and I'll never understand what has been done to me or taken from me (at least to the full extent). I need to find my way back to some community, somewhere somehow. I need to fight this vicious isolation and recover from the harassment and violation. I need to "fight" - I'm not sure what that means anymore. I need to survive, and that itself is a fight I'm losing.

I don't see any path forward, but I know there is one..? I also know I have been terrorized and traumatized for so long I can barely speak coherently irl. I didn't sleep or eat and terror as an energy source has a hell of a price. I don't trust myself to think. Really think and make important decisions. I desperately need that ability but I'm only getting more exhausted and malnourished and broken and afraid..

Survival is resistance but <forever blinking cursor>

[derryqueenx]

UPDATE:

Next Used As Bait fic should be posted this weekend! Woo!!

Also, I’m gonna start cleaning up my AOOO a little bit so I’ll be deleting the ‘hurt bingo’ series and uploading each chapter as it’s own fic, as I feel there’s some hidden gems in there that deserve their own spotlight 😉

[yllwcrtns]

why did i just see a rafe and barry edit on netflix’s instagram? do they not known the obx writers have never heard of queer people?

[casmasc]

if i was a supernatural writer i would have done a whole arc making it clear that the characters act different “offscreen” — meaning when nothing plot relevant is happening for chuck/the show’s narrative. the easy hunts, the stretches in between, the movie nights <3

ik that by no means is this an original concept (and you could argue there’s textual evidence that this is already the case in canon) but im genuinely surprised they didn’t ever run with this, mostly bc it explains a lot of plot holes and character elements that they later quietly retconned. it wouldve added to the meta they were aiming for while feeding the fire of their real money makers: extremely passionate hellers. PLUS it would have let them do their favorite thing of all time (making batshit insane out of character choices) without consequence

[kaluawoo]

Tbf there was one movie where a ridiculous amount of marketing was "HEY THERE IS A GAY CHARACTER IN THIS!"

Only for it to be a 20 second scene where some unnamed unimportant guy mentioned his husband or something. Disney's dozen First Gay Character Queerbait style.

Other than that the post is right though.

People accusing the MCU of queerbaiting has always seemed off base to me because queerbaiting implies a level of emotional character interaction that the MCU has overall staunchly refused to feature. Nobody is even friends 

[sinceyousawvienna]

maybe they escaped

[deadsetobsessions]

Danny Fenton is so damn sick of rich fruit loops. It’s worse now, since he’s one of them.

It’s not Vlad that he’s with, thank the Ancients, but Danny isn’t sure that this is better.

Because he’s Timothy Drake, a baby, and he’s been reincarnated after the Ancient of Reincarnation accidentally drank too much wine.

He’s going to kick their ass so hard when he gets back.

Danny huffs. He rolls over, ignoring the silent manor. Sure, he’s read the comics. Sure, he laughed and imagined being adopted by Batman- come on, Danny had black hair and blue eyes even back then, he was totally adoption bait- when his parents gave him reason to lose trust in their love. But that’s it, that’s all he thought it was. A day dream, a wish for a universe that didn’t exist.

Danny hadn’t understood the reality of the whole Infinite Realms thing, a place he was now the King of. Batman? Real. Danny? Reincarnated. Hotel? Trivago.

Like, this wasn’t what he meant, dammit.

And now he’s stuck as Timothy Drake, and Ancients, he was starting to see parallels.

——

Danny tried photography. He really did. He wanted to at least stick to the source material. But that’s not who he is. Even with the shiny new brain that memorized, catalogued, and put together clues at the snap of his fingers, but Danny’s never been one to take photos. It’s a respectable art, for sure, but Danny preferred to live in the moment instead of capturing it to remember forever. It’s just-

He watched the Graysons fall. He watched Dick Grayson turn into Robin. And Danny can’t and won’t ever betray his Obsession like that, ever again. He can’t let Jason die for his “story” to begin. That’s not how Danny works.

He’s there to protect.

Danny hasn’t ever been just Tim. Danny was also Tim and the Ghost King without a haunt. But now? Gotham is his haunt. He, in lieu of an actual city spirit, is Gotham. He’s also a Drake. And Drakes were meant to hoard.

Batman and Robin? They are his.

He claimed them, as a Drake. But that claim is weak. So he claimed them as their city, and that is a claim that will never be able to be challenged.

Danny’ll be damned before he allows some lanky starved clown beat the life out of one of his Robins. So, for the first time in his nine years on this planet, Tim-Danny goes ghost and flies.

“Who- who. Are you?” Robin slurred from his place in Danny’s hold. He is broken, yes. But not dead. Danny infuses some of his vitality, his ecto, into Jason’s injuries to help them heal.

“Gotham.” Danny replied, layering his ghostly voice with those of the city.

“Goth’m?”

“Gotham. Sleep, little bird. Your city has got you.”

When Robin, Jason, settled with a sense of trust that tugs at Danny’s core, Danny carried him to Batman, whose eyes were wild and manic. He glared menacingly at the green and white ghost in front of him, who was holding his broken and beaten son-

Well, it’d be menacing if Danny hadn’t watched him eat bricks and mortar, crashing into a building while using his grappling gun.

“You-”

“I am Gotham.” Danny cut him off. Despite his wary nature and natural paranoia, Batman settled at his city’s gaze rested on him. Danny knew that Batman recognized his city. Batman’s head bowed, but his eyes stayed on Robin. “You were supposed to take care of Robin.”

“I- I know.” And that voice was all Bruce Wayne the Dad instead of Batman the Vigilante. Danny gently placed Robin in Batman’s arms, taking in the tremors as he held his son close.

“Go back, Bruce. And make sure Jason knows how much you love him.”

He laughed as Bruce whipped his head upwards. “I am your city. You are mine as much as I am yours. I’ve known of you before you were born.”

Technically? Not untrue. But Bruce will chalk it up to weird magic shit. It’s not like it’s a secret that Gotham’s kind of curse. Besides, this way, Danny will be able to help out more often. And Bruce won’t be able to connect Tim Drake to the “Spirit of Gotham.”

“Return, my knight. This is not your city. I can not protect you as well as I can in Gotham.”

“Thank you… Gotham.”

Danny sighed. He wondered when he’ll have to field questions from a John Constantine. He’s pretty sure Bruce will call in magical help, even if it was his own city he was investigating.

Batman’s lucky Danny liked him enough to allow it.