#whumpee with illness

[mj-iza-writer]

I did something extra special for my birthday, I just turned 28.... I'm getting old. Anywhoo, I went to an aquarium today and had so much fun.

Warning: mentions one main character with terminal illness, innuendo that said character is dying. Character death at end. I almost started crying writing this. I need to stop doing this to myself.... this was supposed to be happy. 😤

Whumpee watched some fish swim in a small pool.

Caretaker stood at the counter, purchasing tickets for them both.

"Is there any issues a wheelchair user should be concerned with?", Caretaker asked the cashier.

"Not really. Our facility is wheelchair friendly, except around the shipwreck area. Some of the wooden boards may be a little harder to get through", the cashier frowned, "I apologize."

"Not a problem", Caretaker smiled, "thankyou for your help and letting me know."

Caretaker walked over to Whumpee's wheelchair.

"Are you ready to go inside?", Caretaker smiled at Whumpee.

Whumpee excitedly nodded.

Caretaker saw that Whumpee's oxygen line was crooked.

"Please don't play with your oxygen line Whumpee", Caretaker adjusted it.

"Sorry, my cheek was itchy", Whumpee giggled, "I tried to fix it."

Caretaker looked over Whumpee.

Even in the warm summer heat, Whumpee was dressed in thick pants and a cozy cardigan. Their illnesses made them look like a skeleton of a person.

"Alright here we go", Caretaker unlocked the chair.

Whumpee was instantly amazed by the first room.

"Wow this is amazing", Whumpee awed.

"Look up Whumpee", Caretaker pointed.

Whumpee looked up.

A giant skeleton hung overhead.

"What is that from?", Whumpee looked back at Caretaker.

"I believe a whale or something along that line", Caretaker winked.

Whumpee nodded.

The next room was a tunnel, all sorts of fish swam along the sides and overhead.

"I can't believe I almost left this life without seeing an aquarium", Whumpee's head swiveled as they tried to see every fish they could.

Caretaker felt their heart sink.

"I know Whumpee, we will get as many adventures in before your body gives out on you", Caretaker gently rubbed Whumpee's shoulder.

Caretaker's mind drifted to their last doctor's appointment. The news wasn't great, Whumpee's illness they had been battling had turned terminal.

"Caretaker look at the shark", Whumpee pulled Caretaker from their thoughts.

"Whumpee, there's a bathroom up here, I'm gonna pop in there really quick", Caretaker turned the chair, "do you need anything?"

"Can I have my water before you go in?" Whumpee smiled, "I think I'm okay."

Caretaker handed them their water before going into the bathroom.

Whumpee had only taken a few sips when the water suddenly went down the wrong way.

Caretaker heard Whumpee start coughing and rushed to finish.

Whumpee had managed to catch their breath. They looked for their water bottle, and realized it was on the floor.

"Crap", they sighed.

Someone came by and saw Whumpee's struggle.

"Here let me get that for you", they bent and picked it up.

"Thankyou so much", Whumpee grinned.

"Are you okay. I heard you cough. It sounded pretty bad", the person questioned, "I'm a nurse, I don't mind."

Caretaker hurried out of the bathroom, "oh thank goodness", they breathed a sigh of relief, "can't leave you alone for a minute can I?"

"Water went down the wrong way", Whumpee whispered hoarsely, "they helped me pick up my bottle", Whumpee reached up to their nose, "I think I got a nose bleed from that though."

"Yep that is easy to do with your oxygen drying you out", Caretaker hurried to their bag and started pulling things out.

"Would you like some help? I'm a nurse", the person offered again.

"I appreciate it, but I think I have everything I need", Caretaker smiled, "thankyou for helping them also, I really appreciate it."

"Of course", the person turned, "I hope you feel better soon."

"Thankyou", Whumpee grinned.

Caretaker pushed Whumpee to an empty bench and set to work.

They squirted on some hand sanitizer, before sliding gloves on and sanitizing the gloves. Caretaker gently removed the oxygen chord and handed it to Whumpee.

"Hold that to your nose while I clean you up", Caretaker sighed as they pulled out some tissue.

"Not too bad Whumpee", Caretaker grinned as they finished up with the bloody nose, "you should be good to go."

"Can we sit here for a little while? These fish look cool", Whumpee looked around, then let Caretaker replace the oxygen.

Caretaker packed the care bag up then pushed Whumpee to get closer to watch the fish.

"I'll be back on that bench if you need me, just let me know when you're ready", Caretaker patted their shoulder, "don't hurry though, just enjoy this."

Caretaker quietly watched Whumpee, who was giggling at the fish. They saw the stranger from earlier in the corner of their eye.

"May I?", the nurse questioned.

"Yes absolutely", Caretaker scooted over a little.

"I know you probably can't talk much about it, but are they okay?", the nurse pointed at Whumpee, "I know it's none of my business, but they've been on my mind since I saw them earlier while you were buying the tickets."

Caretaker glanced at Whumpee before turning to the nurse, "they have been fighting an illness for a long time. Unfortunately, we just found out it is terminal", Caretaker sighed, "they don't have much longer unfortunately."

The nurse looked at Whumpee sadly, then at Caretaker.

"We are doing different adventures. As much as their body will allow at least", Caretaker sighed, "they've never been to an aquarium, so this is what we decided on today."

"Will you both be okay?", the nurse fought tears from falling. This wasn't the time for them to cry.

"We are both living each day like its their last. We are both scared for that day, but I am also scared for the next days to follow. I uh, I don't want to be alone, I don't want my dear friend to leave me. I know that sounds horrible of me. Because I don't want them to be in pain any longer. They don't deserve this. They are the kindest human you could have ever known. So full of life", Caretaker wiped away a tear, "I apologize for saying all of this to a complete stranger."

"It's okay, it's not easy to be someone's caregiver. You take on so many responsibilities, and often don't get to talk about your needs", the nurse patted Caretaker's hand, "you are doing amazing things for them though. I'm glad they have a friend like you."

Whumpee watched the fish. They didn't let on to the fact they could hear the whole conversation.

That night, Whumpee lay in bed and watched Caretaker get their monitors set up for the night.

"Caretaker?", Whumpee whispered.

"Yes Whumpee?", Caretaker looked at them with concern, "are you uncomfortable?"

"I heard your conversation earlier with the nurse", Whumpee whimpered.

"Oh you did?", Caretaker sighed, "I'm sorry."

"I-I'm sorry Caretaker, I know this has been hard on you. I'm sorry that you have to watch me die in front of you", Whumpee was almost crying.

Caretaker knelt down, "Whumpee I don't.... Whumpee I get to take care of you. It's hard yes, but I couldn't imagine letting someone else do it. It's not a chore to take care of you... I hope you know that."

Whumpee nodded, "I'm sorry still that you have to do this..... I-I don't want to die.. I don't want to leave you either", Caretaker wiped away tears from Whumpee as they spoke.

Caretaker then wiped their own tears, "it's okay Whumpee, "I know", they forced a smile, "what should we do tomorrow? Hmmm, no more talk about dying."

The night nurse came into Whumpee's bedroom and started getting ready to watch over them.

"Can we go for a walk in the park tomorrow?", Whumpee smiled at their nurse.

"Absolutely", Caretaker nodded and nudged Whumpee's cheek lovingly, "goodnight Whumpee, sleep tight."

Caretaker jumped out of bed when they heard the monitor make the sound no one in that house wanted to hear.

Caretaker raced into Whumpee's room and saw the nurse trying to get Whumpee back.

Caretaker went to Whumpee's side and grabbed Whumpee's hand.

"Whumpee come on", Caretaker cried as they buried their face into the thin hand, "we need to go to the park tomorrow."

Their thin hand was already cold.

"They're gone", Caretaker sobbed as they looked at the nurse, "they're gone."

"I'll call the ambulance", the nurse wiped away tears as they left the room.

"Whumpee", Caretaker's voice cracked, "I love you so much Whumpee."

At the hospital, the nurse had started their shift. They still had the conversation with Caretaker fresh on their mind.

Suddenly a gurney was wheeled pass.

The nurse overheard someone saying the person on the gurney needed a pronouncement of death.

The nurses heart sank as Caretaker walked in following the gurney.

Caretaker saw the nurse and nodded as they walked past.

Whumpee was pronounced dead.

Caretaker was given a private room to wait for the paperwork to be finished. They hadn't collected Whumpee yet, so Caretaker sat beside the bed and gently held Whumpee's hand.

The nurse came in in time to see Caretaker wipe their eyes on their sleeve.

Caretaker turned to see them.

"I-I'm sorry", the nurse whispered, "I am so sorry."

Caretaker nodded, "thankyou", their voice stuck in their throat, "I think they knew today was their last day. They didn't want to say it though."

The nurse nodded, "do you have anyone coming up here for you or them?"

"Yes a few friends will be up to mourn with me for a few moments. One of them is the transport for Whumpee's body."

Caretaker sighed, "we already had everything set up for when this happened, Whumpee was happy they got to pick their own casket and funeral playlist. I was always amazed they could find some humor in this."

The nurse nodded as they stepped closer, and patted Caretaker's back.

"I'm going to miss them", Caretaker smiled weakly, "they wanted to go to the park for a walk.... today I guess it's early morning. I haven't even looked at the time yet."

Some people came into the room.

"Hey Caretaker", they greeted then looked at Whumpee.

"I'll leave you to be with your friends and family", the nurse started to go.

"Thankyou for helping them earlier today, and mourning with me", Caretaker gave a small grin, "I really appreciate your caring for them."

"Yes of course", the nurse smiled weakly.

The nurse hurried to their station and started to weep.

They told some of the other nurses what had happened at the aquarium and about the deceased patient.

Friends and family surrounded Caretaker and Whumpee.

After Whumpee was taken, Caretaker decided to walk home... making sure to take a long stroll through the park.

Are you crying yet? For some light heartedness, please scroll down and enjoy some pictures from my aquarium trip.

I will not lie. The Sting Rays and Sharks were my favorite. In the video, see if you can find the sea turtle, I didn't even realize I filmed them until later. There were two sea turtles. They were both rescued and were not able to return to the wild.

Taglist. As always please let me know if you want to be added or taken off of the list. It's not a problem at all. @villainsandheroes @the-beasts-have-arrived @sacredwrath @porschethemermaid @monarchthefirst @generic-whumperz @bloodyandfrightened @freefallingup13 @notpeppermint @cyborg0109 @idontreallyexistyet @thebejeweledwatercat @painfulplots @whumpbump @everythingsscary @skittles-the-whumpee @expressionless-fr @theforeverdyingperson @legendarydelusiongoatee @candleshopmenace @whumpanthems @lavndvrr @ivymyers @starfields08000 @a-living-canvas

[seth-whumps]

weakening curses disguised as expensive gifts. rings that suck out the life force of the bearer. bracelets that seep a sickness into their veins. chains that drain magic out of the prisoner to use as a conduit. innocent looking runes that nullify healing. a brooch siphoning energy from the heart. swords that drink the wielder's blood as much as their foe's. knight whumpees faltering and stumbling, royals leaning on walls through surges of dizziness and illness and unstoppable fatigue, a servant's hands halt their collapse, struggling to stay awake...........

[whump-in-the-closet]

weak in the knees for situations where a stoic whumpee allows someone to help them. they don't say a word of acceptance but they don't protest either. Too injured to say no and too tired to deny they need it. Just grudgingly letting a gentle hand guide them to a bed or to wrap a wound. Then a quiet, "thank you." in between sharp breathing as they try not to break down in front of someone else. Love love love shielded vulnerability

[spinzolliii]

My favorite whump trope is utter confusion. It’s just so innocent and also a big “oh shit, this is bad” indication. Nothing shows helplessness more than confusion or even amnesia as the result of illness, injury, or deprivation.

When a whumpee wakes up ill or rouses from passing out and they have no clue what’s going on, what happened, where they are, or even who they are. They might not recognize familiar people. Maybe they feel affection, safety, relief, or fear towards the person/people above them, but can’t recall names.

Alternatively, a whumpee gets more and more confused as their condition progresses. This can be from blood loss, intense pain, shock, concussion, hypothermia, heat stroke, dehydration, starvation, and exhaustion as well as fever.

Always remember to give your whumpee slurred, spacey dialogue. Here are some examples:

“….ngh….w-wh’re m’I…..?”(a classic. It’s especially good when the whumpee is in their own bed)

“…wha’s…goin on….?” (when they don’t want to open their eyes and/or people are freaking out over them)

“…wha hppnd...? (When the floor/bed/cold bath/hospital/person’s arms they’re on/in is very different from the last thing they remember)

“…m’scared…” (because that’s their reaction to knowing nothing)

Of course, Caretaker will have to collect themself enough to explain to Whumpee in simple sentences what happened in a way that lessens the severity of what’s really going on. For example:

“It’s okay, it’s me. You had an accident, but we’re patching you up.” (Whumpee’s body is completely broken)

“You’re in bed. You’re not feeling well” (Whumpee passed the fuck out)

“Hey, shhh shhh… We’re just getting your fever down” (Whumpee wakes up thrashing in a cold bath)

I need more examples.

[loreleiloon]

"Come to me, darling," whumper says, unable to rise from their bed. Whumpee kneels down next the bed, eyes bleary. "Please--please don't die--" "Shhh, shhh, I just need rest." Whumper caresses whumpee's cheek before their hand falls limp. Whumpee catches the weak hand, pressing it to their tear-stained face, "I'll make you something, I can--I can get you soup--just tell me what to do. I can do it!" "Shh, lie down with me," Whumper smiles as their eyes close. Scrabbling under the covers, whumpee buries themselves against whumper's feverish body. Sobs wrack their shoulders as they feel whumper slip away into a broken sleep. "Tell me what to do," they whisper, "I don't know what to do..."

[esbee-daisy]

One of my fave sickfic scenarios:

✨Sickie fainting in the shower or bath✨🥰

Shower has been my lifetime favorite. Sickie with a ragingly high fever (that no one else knows about) wants to take a shower to warm up because they are freezing. They can barely make it from their room into the shower, stumbling and swaying the whole way, but they’re too delirious to be logical. Then unsurprisingly the heat of the shower combined with their body heat and lightheadedness results in them collapsing. (Likely hitting their head on the way down as a major bonus, or injuring something). But the best part is they’re unconscious and under the spray of the shower for so long it eventually turns ICE COLD. And that’s where Caretaker finds them…already terribly sick, now laying fully exposed under ice cold water for an undetermined amount of time.

And now lately I have this totally unrealistic dream scenario of Caretaker getting Sickie in the bath and while laying in the bath, Sickie faints…and in this unrealistic scenario Caretaker is distracted for a moment or goes to get something, and that’s all the time it takes for Sickie to slip below the water. They’re fully unconscious and they inhale water before Caretaker sees what’s happened and frantically has to get a completely limp and soaking wet Sickie out of the bath. Maybe the shock of being pulled out of the water starts to pull Sickie from unconsciousness, but their eyes are fluttering and rolling back and they are terrified and disoriented and suffocating and barely hanging on.

Just so many possibilities 😍🤤

[redd956]

Chronic Pain Whump Prompt List

Whumpee rolled over in their bedding, hissing through their gritted teeth. Thunder shook the house. Quick flashes of lightning brightened the room sporadically. Their face flushed as if feverish, and sweat beaded against their forehead.

Leader sat themselves down suddenly, running their fingers through their hair, trying to push any fleck of warmth off their sweltering face.

Hot coals. That was the best description for what walking started to feel like. Whumpee found themselves breaking into a limp, still they continued to drag their feet, daydreaming about someone lifting them into a carry.

Whumpee curled in on themselves, shuddering in the corner. Every pore of their skin stung as if hail was being pelt against them. They brush their hand against their fine hairs? It felt like someone was yanking a wax strip. They try to chew food? Their gums ached, sore and useless. They just wanted it to stop, but even through their uncontrollable shivering, they just hurt.

Red splotches started to form across the back of whumpee's shoulders. They gulped, feeling the tightness of their chest as their esophagus worked. Here soon every sensation would burn.

"Caretaker?", Whumpee leaned forward in bed, looking failing to hide the sheepish expression forming on their face. They tried to reach back to their shoulders, but the pain was too much. "Can you... massage my shoulders?"

"Let me just sit down for a moment. I'm just feeling a little shaky is all." Caretaker lied through their teeth.

"Is there something wrong with my face?" Whumperee gave an awkward smile, not yet feeling the redness that tinted their nose and cheeks.

Caretaker kneaded stoic whumpee's back, hearing them give deep breaths of relief. Whumpee tried to remain silent. They weren't doing the best job, and finally gave in, snaking their hand back to catch Caretaker's. This was perfection, starting.

[whispers-whump]

love a good forehead fever check as much as the next gal but like we’re sleeping on so much fever checking potential here

overly warm hands, palms just beginning to sweat

a rapid pulse throbbing under glistening skin

feeling the warmth radiating off of whumpee through a thin t-shirt

even better, cool hands against the overheated skin of a bare, aching back

grabbing whumpee’s forearm and finding the unnatural heat there

a loved whumpee’s legs resting across caretaker’s lap, limbs hot on their thighs

the top of a head, hair damp and scalp burning when caretaker rests their chin on whumpee’s head

the back of a flushed neck, cupped tenderly in a hand

overheated thighs, maybe gripped through loose sweatpants or mostly bare because whumpee felt too hot for anything but shorts

squeezing a shoulder comfortingly and discovering the warmth there

feel free to add on!

[whumpitisthen]

Imagine keeping Whumpee in a cursed/magic display case 24/7. They're fed, they don't need to use the restroom, but there's not enough room to lay down, and they're completely deprived of human contact, and even if Whumper completely abandoned them, they can't die while they're in there, but is it really living, when they're trapped behind glass?

I thought about this a lot and I've come to the conclusion that this would be like being bound to an object entirely. Like living in a mirror, or being inside an amulet kept close around someone's neck. Caged, only ever being able to watch, but never even being allowed not to, never being able to sleep, or experience anything themself. All they have is what they see.

It would be indescribable torture to exist like that no matter what. If they are somewhere busy, watching over a street or something, all they can think about is how badly they want to be one of those people, free and happy. Meet with family, have dreams, goals, things to do, food to eat, hobbies to try.

But if they are abandoned, forever locked away somewhere where nobody goes, nothing happens, for years... Imagine setting free a whumpee like that. One that not only hasn't had an ounce of control over their life, but also not even a body to really speak of. How could a whumpee like that live? How would they act around others? How would they know that they need to eat and sleep eventually?

And what if its the worst of both worlds. What if they are fortunate enough to be stuck in a busy space — it's just unlucky that that place is a front row seat to the most demented torture of others, perhaps even people they personally know. They have something to watch, but they wish they didn't, they wish they didn't have to see all the suffering, they wish they could just close their eyes or stop existing altogether.

But also, being put on display is just a whole other flavour of awful. Imagine a fallen king... The kin of a rare species... The snitch... An example... So many reasons they could put somebody on display for, and have others stare at them all day.

[unhonest-iago]

Psychiatrist! Caretaker flipping through Whumpee's drawings

They're in the room while this happens, sitting across from them on a couch with their knees pulled up to their chest. Hands in their hair, twisting and lightly pulling at the strands. Not to feel pain but as a means to not slip into their mind. Knowing Caretaker wants them to explain a certain set of drawings.

It shows an aimless figure, sitting criss-cross apple sauce. Adorned in a strait jacket. The next being the same figure hanging by a hook. Their legs appeared to dangle under them. Flailing.

'Ready when you are.'

'You asked me to show you,' tapping beneath their eye, 'what goes on in my mind.' The same hand then moved to the side of their temple. Whumpee seemed to have the appearance of an agitated animal. Like they might dart away at any second if Caretaker made one wrong move. Said one wrong thing.

'That's what I see currently. Usually I can explore the ideas, undo the strait jacket. Like how Houdini did it, just have to move your body a certain way. But sometimes it gets stuck—stuck—stuck in a loop.' The drawings had words written in the background. Crudely overlapping. Some, Caretaker could make out. Making out the words to the one Rudyard Kipling poem; boots—boots—boots.

'Can't escape it, it's like my feet are entrenched in mud. Sinking mud. And someone's telling me to run but the thing is, it's the same rules as quicksand. The more you struggle, the quicker you sink.' Hearing Whumpee's words, Caretaker could see they were tail spinning into a relapse of prior self-destructive behaviors. Aware that it could/would happen as it happened with many of their patients. Simply put, their work was cut out for them.

[knappend]

Safety

Aaron holding Gage’s hand through an emotional flashback, Gage being present and grounding for Aaron during a paranoid episode. Ashes is an ever-looming threat in their lives, and Gage’s past and present haunt him every waking moment. a moment of reprieve in the storm.

(click for quality)

[chaotic-orphan]

Delirious Villain x Hero Caretaker (5)

Read part one here // Continued from here

Heed the TW (and mind yourselves please <3):

TW: emotional abuse, physical abuse, mental abuse, vomiting, forced vomiting, violence, elements of psychosis, psychosis episode-like symptoms, vulnerable whumpee, intimate whumper, older brother whumper, young sibling whumpee, gaslighting, manipulation, sick whump, sickness whump, illness whump, reuniting with whumper, PTSD, facing whumper who gave PTSD, bad family relationships,

~*~*~*~*~*~

Villain eyed Superhero wearily. Despite all their training, all their progress, Superhero had a height and weight advantage over Villain. His broad shoulders stood proud, supporting his stupid head, with his smirk that made Villain’s stomach crawl. They needed to get out of here, to get help.

They wouldn’t make it to the door in the condition they were in, so that was out of the question. His eyes flicked to the couch where he was asleep not a few minutes ago, which felt like a lifetime now. He couldn’t see his phone. He needed to call Hero, but maybe it was tangled in the blankets?

“I can see the cogs turning, Vil,” Superhero said with a happy sigh. “If you’re hoping that your precious Hero comes to save you in time, don’t. They’re too busy saving someone worth saving.”

“Shut up!” Villain growled, pushing at Superhero’s chest with their free hand. “Get off of me!”

Superhero chuckled, tsking and shaking his head at Villain’s outburst. Villain’s heart didn’t forget to beat after that, the guilt at his Brother’s disappointment didn’t still affect him. It didn’t.

“Where are your manners, Vil? Jeez, does Hero just let you run wild? That must be so annoying for them.”

“Hero loves me.”

Superhero leaned in, dark eyes glittering with malice. “Oh yeah? Then why aren’t they here looking after you?”

Villain’s face scrunched up. “Because you sent them away!”

“Or are they just so tired with you that they had to get out of the house for a while. It seems like the latter to me. God, I remember how annoying you were. Nobody, not even Hero has enough patience to handle you.”

“Hero loves me,” Villain said again, this time a little quieter.

“No. They don’t. They probably just feel sorry for you and how pathetic you are. Like a wounded baby bird whose wings are too weak to make it fly.”

“My life doesn’t concern you anymore! You don’t have to interact with me on a daily basis! Please let me go. Please, Brother, please.”

Superhero pressed a finger to his lips. “Shush. No begging yet, Vil. It’s unbecoming.”

Without warning, Superhero yanked Villain off the wall and was about to throw him to the floor when the pair froze. Villain’s ringtone played mutely from the bedroom. Villain’s eyes widened.

Hero.

Superhero recovered quicker than Villain, a cruel grin on his face as he started dragging Villain towards the bedroom. He got a hand on the back of Villain’s neck and shoved him down so Villain had to walk awkwardly bent over. Superhero opened the door to the bedroom and saw the phone lighting up on the bed.

He threw Villain to the ground beside the bed, laughing as Villain stumbled before he hit the floor with a groan, grabbing Villain’s phone off the bed.

“Aww, Vil. It’s Hero. Probably calling you to tell you that they’re leaving you.”

“Shut up,” Villain hissed, rubbing their hip that took the brunt of the impact.

Superhero turned Villain’s phone to Villain so they could see the picture of Hero laughing, ice-cream in hand, a dollop of mint chocolate chip on the tip of their nose.

“Cute,” Superhero said with a scoff, then put his finger in his mouth and mimed vomiting. Superhero waited for Hero to hang up before scrolling through Villain’s phone. Superhero raised their brows, glancing at Villain over the phone. “You seriously don’t have a passcode or something?”

“Don’t need it.”

Superhero scoffed, turning his attention back to the phone. Villain moved to get to their feet when Superhero’s stare snapped to them. “Don’t move or I’ll kill Hero.”

That froze Villain in their movements, their heart hitching at Superhero’s easy threat. Superhero didn’t seem too bothered by it and soon his face split into a wide smile.

“Aww, look Vil. Hero text: Superhero,” Superhero paused, grinning down at Villain pointing to himself. “That’s me.” Then went back to reading. “Superhero said that he was short staffed, and sent me to West-point so I will be home later than usual. Sorry for leaving you again, there’s soup in the freezer if you feel up to it. I love you. xx.”

Villain tightened their hands into fists by their sides, clenching their jaw against every word that Superhero read. Hero was going to be home later than normal? West-point, that was at least an hour by metro from here and who knows when they’d get home… especially because—

Villain raised their gaze to Superhero who was grinning above them. “You weren’t short-staffed, were you?”

“Of course not,” Superhero said with a smirk. “I just had to get Hero away from you for a while. Hell, even Other Hero and Sidekick should’ve gone to central hospital but I asked for them to be transferred to West-point so we could have some long overdue family time.”

Superhero tapped on Villain’s phone a little longer and grinned after locking the screen, pocketing the phone in his back-pocket. “Just in case you get any ideas.”

Villain glared at him from the ground, a sudden overwhelming helplessness returning to him that he hadn’t felt since he was a kid. Since he moved out of his family home. Now it came back with a viciousness that threatened to drown him and left him clawing against it just to keep his head above the water and his breathing even.

“Now,” Superhero said, inspecting Villain with his piercing gaze. “What to do with you.”

“Just leave,” Villain tried. “Please. I don’t— I’m not apart of your life anymore. You don’t— you don’t have to do this.”

“Vil, Vil, Vil,” Superhero sighed walking towards Villain. “Family doesn’t quit on each other. They never give up on you. I know I don’t have to try and fix you, the truth is I never did. I just wanted what was best for you.”

“Yeah right! You just wanted what was best for you! Can’t have your little brother embarrass you in public!”

Superhero, to Villain’s surprise, softened at that. Villain didn’t trust it for a second.

“You’re right,” Superhero said with a breath. “I was so worried about what kind of shame or embarrassment you would bring on me. I didn’t want people associating failure with us.”

Superhero crouched in front of Villain, tilting his head to the side. A strange smile on his lips, that Villain couldn’t quite discern. It looked whimsical and yet sad, wait— was that a genuine smile? No. It couldn’t be.

“It’s because I saw our potential, Villain,” Superhero said with a scoff. “Y’know, it’s stupid, but when I worked so hard to be Superhero, to become the best and bring prestige to our family name… well, I pushed you hard too because I always imagined that it would be something that we’d do together. Something we’d achieve together. The best brother Superhero duo in history.”

Villain’s heart cracked a little, a swarm of guilt spilling out like a leak in a dam, constricting his chest. Villain longed to reach out, to close the distance between them to apologise for not being able to live up to Superhero’s expectations.

To tell him that Villain tried. He really fucking tried, but Superhero was always stronger, faster, better than he was and he couldn’t be the same.

He didn’t though. He tightened his hands into fists and stared at Superhero who looked six feet deep in fond memories and regrets.

“I’m sorry, Vil.”

It felt as if time stopped. As if the Earth stopped turning, and the world stood frozen. The moment right before a car crash, or something inevitable happening; the cusp that hides between moments like a trapdoor spider, waiting until you lowered your guard before attacking and killing you.

Villain’s voice was a whisper: “what?”

Superhero swallowed, forcing himself to meet Villain’s gaze. “I’m sorry, Villain.”

There was no joke or humour in Superhero’s face as he said that, again. Apologised? Again! But— but— Villain’s brain was fried from their flu because this must be another trick? Another hallucination. Superhero being sorry for something? Feeling remorse?

“I’m sorry about what happened on the outside, how people perceived us, what you said and did outside the house that I didn’t even think about how it all must’ve effected you. I’m sorry that I wasted all that time trying to correct your behaviour outside the house when really,” Superhero’s hand shot out like a viper to grab Villain by the throat, slamming him back against the wall. “Really I should’ve focused more on your manners and knowing your fucking place.”

Superhero stood, bringing Villain with him and threw him across the room. Villain tried to catch themselves before their face hit the wall by throwing their hands out, but they landed awkwardly on their wrist and the pain ricocheted down their arm. Villain hissed, retracting their arm but they didn’t have time to react before a hand was in their hair and bashing their skull against the wall.

Once. Twice. Three times.

Villain went dumb from the impact, their brain struggling to comprehend what was happening, but the pain. They felt the pain spread like wildfire through their skull.

The hand in their hair tightened and Villain cried out as they were dragged across the bedroom, back towards the kitchen. They tried to gain purchase on the ground with their knees, but Superhero was moving too fast for them to keep up.

Superhero paused two feet from the doorway. Villain didn’t know why, they just slumped to the ground like a dog in shade during a heatwave. They just needed to catch their breath. Or pass out. Either was a good option.

Superhero didn’t seem to think so. He lifted his hand suddenly, dragging Villain’s head up to look Villain in the eye. Villain hissed, hands clawing at the strong grip on his hair. Superhero grabbed Villain by the throat, slamming his head back into the wall.

Villain groaned at the impact, moving his hands to try and dislodge Superhero’s hand from his throat. “God. You really are pathetic, aren’t you? Did I not teach you anything?”

Superhero stepped back, dropping all contact from Villain who struggled not to slump down the wall to the floor.

Superhero took two steps back, running a hand down his face, pinning Villain to the wall with a harsh glare. Villain’s entire body was trembling at them, struggling to keep themselves up in case they needed to bolt. But Superhero’s eyes caught every tremor, every flinch or wince.

“You’re still fucking ruining everything. It’s all you ever do, isn’t it?”

“Fuck off.”

“You really don’t know, do you? You make people weak, Villain.” Villain froze at the emotion colouring Superhero’s voice. “You make people weak, because they feel like they need to look after you, or take care of you. For fuck’s sake, you can barely stand by your-fucking-self! You needed Hero to take days off of work to mind you while you were sick, like some fucking child! Do you know how embarrassing that is!”

“My life doesn’t concern you anymore,” Villain spat, tears pinpricking their eyes.

Superhero scoffed. “Doesn’t concern me?”

Superhero studied Villain’s face, the wince after Superhero spoke. Then recognition flashed on his face, putting two and two together.

“You didn’t tell Hero that we’re related,” Superhero said, tilting his head to the side, a smile gracing his lips at Villain’s silence. “Oh that is… that is hilarious. The person you love the most? You’re keeping secrets from them?”

“We are not related,” Villain said, their voice coming out stronger than they felt in that moment. “You are nothing to me. I left you and Mom, and Dad. I left. I made a life for myself, a life where I’m loved by somebody. Why can’t you be happy for me?”

“What, you think Hero actually loves you?”

Villain flinched at the words. “Oh you do, don’t you?” Superhero cooed, walking towards Villain again and grabbing their face in his hands. “Oh. You poor fucking idiot. You have no idea how much Hero hates you, do you?”

Villain’s eyes glistened with tears. Superhero slammed Villain’s head back into the wall.

“Do you?”

“Just leave… leave me alone,” Villain begged, tears finally spilling over his eyes. “Please.”

Villain’s hand reached up and curled his fingers around Superhero’s wrist, weakly tugging at it.

“I can make them love you again,” Superhero whispered. “I know how. I can make you worth something in their eyes, isn’t that what you want?”

Villain sniffled, nodding. Superhero cooed, brushing the sweaty hair back from Villain’s face. “I know. I know you’re scared, but big bro’s here now, hmmm? Come on.”

Superhero pulled Villain away from the wall gently, taking Villain’s wrist in his hand. “Come on.”

“Where are we—” Villain asked, their voice hitching, wiping away their tears with the sleeve of their shirt. “Where’re we going?”

Villain’s mind only registered they were walking towards the bathroom when Superhero opened the door. Then they started pulling against Superhero’s hold.

“No! No, no, no, no, no!” Villain cried, going limp and yanking backwards. Superhero dropped Villain, cursing at them for the sudden weight. Villain took the opportunity to roll onto their stomach, pushing themselves to their hands and knees and rushing forwards. They threw themselves to their feet, stumbling slightly, almost rolling on their ankles but they were standing. They bolted for the door to the bedroom, slamming their shoulder into the doorframe as they propelled themselves out and towards the front door.

A hand caught the back of their shirt and Villain cried out. They were yanked backwards, their head slamming off the doorframe to the bedroom. Villain fell like a sack of bricks and Superhero let them.

Villain blinked up bleary-eyed at the ceiling, the world swimming in a whirlwind of colour. Two Superhero’s appeared above Villain, shaking their heads, as if they were disappointed parents looking down on an unruly child.

“Look at what you did,” Superhero said, the words coming in and out of focus like pulses. He leaned down, crouched above Villain. Then a hand passed over his face and Villain’s head whipped to the side. They whimpered. “Ah. There you are,” Superhero said, only one of him now. “Still with me, Vil.”

Another slap and Villain whimpered, weakly pushing their hand against Superhero’s. Superhero easily batted it away, opting to instead pinch Villain’s cheeks between their thumb and forefinger and dig their fingers in until Villain’s mouth formed an O and they cried out.

“Listen runt, I didn’t want to hurt you! Don’t you see? I’m trying to help you. You’ve clearly let yourself go since the last time I saw you, and nobody, not even Saint Hero will love you if you’re fat and disgusting. You want to be worth Hero’s love, don’t you?”

Tears welled behind Villain’s eyes and they tried to turn their head away, not wanting to face Superhero and the truth in his words. Superhero didn’t even let Villain flinch in any direction before his grip tightened.

“Don’t you want to be someone worthy of love?” Superhero asked, his voice imperceptibly soft. Villain let out a pathetic yes, their voice muffled by Superhero’s hold on their face. Superhero’s features smoothed out and he nodded sympathetically. “I know. Come on, let’s get you up. I’m just trying to help you be worthy of Hero.”

Superhero helped Villain to sit up, openly crying now. Superhero nodded his head compassionately. “I know. I know. Shh. It’s okay. Big bro’s here now. He’s going to make everything better. Ssh. Don’t worry. Come on, runt.”

Superhero helped the wailing Villain to their feet, guiding them towards the bathroom again. Villain, resigned, followed along because they didn’t want to get hit again. They didn’t want to try and fight back and get beaten again. They didn’t want to be ugly for Hero, they wanted to be worthy of them. Hero was brilliant, perfect, why would they settle for anything less than that? God, Superhero was right.

Superhero gently pushes Villain to their knees, and tells them to: “open up.”

Villain felt the familiar fear creep back up their spine, making their hair stand on end. They shook their head, making to stand up but Superhero kept a hand on Villain’s shoulder, keeping them in place.

“Come on. You said you wanted to be worthy of Hero, right?”

Villain deflated. A part of them wanted to be perfect, to listen to Superhero and just give in, save themselves the pain. The other part was screaming at them, telling them they were worth more than this. That they hated this, and that Hero loved them no matter what. Strangely the voice telling them to fight sounded an awful lot like Hero’s.

“It’s okay, you don’t have to do anything. I’ll do it all, remember?” Superhero coaxed, his fingers tracing Villain’s jaw and resting at their bottom lip. “Come on, Villain.”

Villain didn’t protest, but they didn’t fight Superhero either, so when his fingers pushed past Villain’s lips, Villain didn’t move. Only when they went far, hitting Villain’s gag reflex did Villain start fighting him.

They shot up from their knees on instinct, but Superhero’s hold kept them down, his other hand going to the back or Villain’s hair and pulling it, yanking their head back so he could shove his fingers down further.

Villain whined, shaking their head. They didn’t want this, they didn’t want this! Villain felt bile climbing his throat and he jerked forward, but Superhero didn’t move his fingers and they hit the back of Villain’s tongue. Villain felt the warmth climbing his throat, gripping the toilet seat and ready to vomit.

Superhero pulled his fingers out at the last second, and Villain heaved. It was only bile that came out, green-hued see through slime, because Villain hadn’t eaten in days.

Superhero clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. “Hmm. That won’t do. We’ll go again.”

Before Villain could protest, Superhero’s fingers were in his mouth again, unmerciful as they shot to the back of Villain’s throat. Villain grabbed Superhero’s wrist, pulling his fingers out. “Don’t fight me, Vil. We agreed.”

Superhero’s fingers hit Villain’s throat again, and they felt the muscles in their neck contracting as another wave of nausea hit them. Panicking and wanting Superhero to just let them go, Villain clamped their jaw around Superhero’s hand.

Superhero yelped, then roared and yanked their hand out of Villain’s jaw. “I’m—” Villain gasped, but Superhero cut them off with a punch to the face. Villain’s head veered down, hitting off the edge of the ceramic toilet bowl with a dull thump.

A hand in their hair and their head was wrenched back. Superhero’s fist flashed in the corner of their eye, and struck the same place in their jaw, keeping them straight.

“I thought we agreed that I—” punch. “Know” punch. “Better.” A sharp slap deafened Villain as Superhero released them again, their head snapping to the side. “I don’t want to hurt you, but you force me to, Vil. I hate to see you like this, but as your older brother I’ll do what I have to do, to make you a better person.”

A sharp kick to the stomach, once, twice, three times and Villain lurched forward, crying out and swallowing hard to keep the rush of liquid crawling like a tidal wave up their throat. Superhero grabbed Villain by the throat. Leaning his face in closer to them.

“Come on, Vil,” Superhero said sweetly. “You want to look your best for Hero, don't you? You want to deserve them, right?”

“Pl—please,” Villain stammered, choking on Superhero’s tight grip. “Just lemme— go.”

“Stop fighting me, runt, I'm just trying to look out for you.”

Superhero pinched Villain’s jaw between his thumb and index finger, his nails digging into their cheeks, drawing blood, and forcing their mouth open. His fingers found the back of Villain’s throat, pressing down on Villain’s gag reflex.

Villain felt the muscles in his throat tighten, the bile burning acidic up their throat and they lunged forward, Superhero withdrew his hand from Villain’s mouth, but kept pinching their cheeks so Villain couldn’t swallow. Only when he was satisfied that Villain was about to hurl did he let go, grinning down as Villain spewed into the toilet.

A lot more than last time, their stomach ached as they vomited. A momentary pause and then another bout reared its head and tears streamed down their face, sobbing as they let the feeling run its course out of them.

Superhero patted Villain’s hair like a dog. “Good, see. You did so good.”

“What are you doing?”

Villain froze at the voice. Superhero’s hand stopped rubbing Villain’s hair, but he didn’t remove it from Villain’s head. Hero rushed in, going to Villain’s side and get grabbing their face in their hands, thumbing away the tears.

“Villain, shhh. Shhh, it’s okay.” Hero cooed. Villain sobbed against Hero’s hands, the gentle touches. They weren’t worthy of this kindness. They didn’t deserve Hero’s caring love. This was pity. They pitied Villain, that’s why they looked so caring in that moment. Not out of love. Why was Villain so weak to melt at the kindness, they should be worthy of them! Hero shouldn’t have to see Villain like this. “I’m here now. It’s okay.”

Hero glanced back at Superhero, eyes narrowed into a glare. “What are you doing here?!”

“I knew you would be away for a while today, Hero. And I knew you would be worried sick about your ill partner so I thought I would come and look after them for you.”

Hero’s eyes found Villain’s, searching, scanning for any sign that Superhero was lying. Villain was skittish and heaving, not meeting Hero’s eyes. There was something wrong, was it just vomiting? Being sick? No, this was different. Villain was incoherent and violent last time, now they were just… subdued and lifeless and terrified.

“You stepped over the line, Superhero,” Hero said firmly, eyes burning down at their lover. “Please wait in the living room while I help them to bed.”

Superhero’s eyes met Villain’s over Hero’s shoulder, a sadistic smile on his lips. He brought a finger to his lips and pointed down at Hero. Then drew a line across his throat and mimicked Hero being killed.

“Of course, Hero,” Superhero said easily, while Villain’s trembles intensified. Hero waited until Superhero had walked out the door before looking back at Villain.

“Vil, oh my god, I’m so sorry. Are you okay? I’m so sorry, I should have never left you.”

They’re just saying that because you’re weak, Villain thought.

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t ask Superhero to come. I didn’t know they would do something as crazy as this!”

They’re tired of you. They don’t love you, if they did they would have never left. You’re exhausting, you wear people out.

“Come on, Vil. Talk to me.” Hero said, leaning forward and pressing their forehead against Villain’s. Villain could feel Hero’s warm breath fanning against their face. They weren’t even worthy of this. “Shhh. Vil, it’s okay. I’m here now and I’m not leaving.”

When Hero wrapped their arms around Villain, Villain couldn’t hold it together anymore and they broke down into sobs that wracked their entire body. Their fingers turned to claws in Hero’s shirt, bunching it and holding on and not wanting to let go.

They were weak, they were so weak that they made the people they loved weak for them. It bled through from Villain into them, and now they were breaking Hero’s heart. They didn’t deserve Hero’s heart. They didn’t deserve any of this comfort and warmth and love.

Hero held them tightly and kissed their hair and cheek and anything their lips could reach, whispering reassurances and telling them that they loved them.

When Villain’s sobs had calmed down to mere whimpers and sniffles, Hero moved them, putting one hand under their legs and the other under their shoulders and lifted them like they were a baby. Villain curled into Hero’s embrace, a deep red blush filling their face with warmth.

Hero shouldn’t have to do this, to be the strong one. Villain was the strong one! God what happened to them?! Why couldn’t they just be perfect for Hero?

Hero put them into bed, lying beside them under the covers. They tilted Villain’s head down to lie on top of Hero’s chest, hearing their heartbeat. They were a tangle of limbs.

“What about,” Villain sniffed, “Superhero?”

Hero’s eyes darkened. “Let him wait. You’re my priority, Villain. You always will be. Never forget that.”

Villain sniffed, fresh tears streaming down their cheeks. “I love you Hero.” They said even though it broke their heart to say that. Weak! So weak!

“I love you more than you’ll ever know,” Hero whispered into Villain’s hair, kissing the top of their head.

*~*~*~*~*

[whumpster-dumpster]

Whumpees who are each other's caretaker, both hiding an illness/injury to take care of the other because they're both stupidly self sacrificial 😅

[spinzolliii]

DISCLAIMER: I HAVE NO CLUE IF THIS IS MEDICALLY ACCURATE

Something that whump writers don’t consider:

IVs feel cold. Can you imagine a room temperature liquid going directly into the bloodstream of someone who’s 97-104 degrees? It’s hellish. You can’t get warm no matter how much external heat you receive.

Imagine a delirious whumpee whimpering and clawing at an IV while being restrained and reassured by Caretaker.

“No no no, that stays in”

“Hey, hey. I know it hurts, but it’ll help you feel better”

Maybe the whumpee’s hallucinating, thinking that they’re being tortured. When Caretaker’s words fail to get through, they have to use gentle touches and singing. Or, if you want to be mean, you can have the Caretaker being forced to restrain Whumpee to prevent them from hurting themselves until they run out of energy and pass out.

[angel-of-whump]

Okay but consider

Autistic whumpees.

[befuddled-calico-whump]

(and feel free to drop a suggestion in the comments for what to do to whoever's chosen! We'll do a vote ;) )