#whumptober day 18

[sarahsmi13s]

Mama's Don't Get Sick Days

whumptober day 18: fever / vomiting / warm soup

pairing: mickey 'fanboy' garcia x reader

characters: mickey garcia, wife!reader, genevieve garcia, jayda garcia, sebastian garcia

warnings: 18+ MDNI, language, vomiting, mickey is a dad, parenting while sick, fever, neglecting health, please let me know if I missed any

word count: ~ 2.1k

a/n: this is for whumptober! please please please proceed with caution and use discretion, protect your peace

also if you are on the whump taglist but are not familiar with a character, you can skip it will not hurt my feelings!

whumptober 2023 masterlist

summary: when your a spouse and a parent, sometimes you forget that you can be taken care of as well

You sighed as you sat on the couch. Your head was pounding and your stomach was churning with the whole lot of nothing that was in it.

Running around all morning with three kids, two of them under the age of 5 and one of them was just learning how to walk, was an absolute nightmare with how you were feeling.

Mickey had woken you up with a forehead kiss before going off to work and then your 6 and 4 year old woke you up a little while later with Genevieve crying because she was gonna be late for school.

So, with a splitting headache and sinus pressure, you got her dressed and fed her breakfast before getting all of your kids in the car and taking her to school.

The rest of the day was a blur of chasing Jayda and keeping her occupied and keeping little Sebastian out of things and things out of his mouth. 

Jayda was 4 and pretty good at staying out of trouble, but she was still young and had an independent head on her shoulders – so asking for help was never really an option so you had to make sure she wasn’t climbing on things and getting stuck on the closet's top shelf.

Sebastian was 1 and just learning how to walk. So he was getting into anything he reached and if it was on the floor or the table it most likely was going in his mouth.

So, between keeping Jayda on the ground, Sebastian from eating something he shouldn’t, and you not puking every time you bent over or changed a diaper and going through tissues like you were watching the saddest scene 100 times, you were exhausted. 

But you had to stay awake even if those two were napping, because you had to pick up Gen from school on time.

“Mama?” Gen asked from her bar stool as you make her after school snack of Goldfish, and her dried mangos that you forgot to pack that morning, and turkey cheese rolls. 

You glanced over your shoulder, “What’s up Vieve?” “Are you feeling okay? You look like I feel when I’m feeling icky,” she said, sounding so sweet as she rested her head on the counter. “And I was almost late for school, you always have me up…” “I’m okay baby, just a little frazzled today,” you said before coughing into your arm.

Sniffling, you turned and put the paper plate in front of her, “I’m really sorry about this morning, I should’ve gotten up sooner.” Genevieve took a bite of her turkey cheese roll, “It’s okay I got to school on time.”

You gave her a gentle smile before kissing her head, “Did you have a good day?” She nodded, “I did, Jacie and I played…” You nodded along with her as she proceeded to tell you about her day, listening to her as you took some Cutie slices off of Jayda’s plate and Cheerios off of Sebastian’s tray.

At some point while she was talking you went to check her lunch box to see what she hadn’t eaten. 

But as you opened it you were hit with a pungent reminder of what she had for lunch. Tuna and crackers, something her grandmother introduced her to during the last visit.

The smell churned your stomach that last time and anything you managed to actually eat was crawling up your throat.

Covering your mouth, you managed to make it to the downstairs bathroom before falling to your knees and puking in the toilet.

You rested your head on your arm, groaning miserably as you flushed the toilet before regaining your bearings and standing up.

With your head pounding, you wash your hands and swish your mouthwash before going back to the kitchen.  “Hey, Jay, Vieve?” You said softly as you got Sebastian out of his high chair. “Yes Mama?” “I’m gonna go sit on the couch, Bash is gonna be in his playpen. Finish your snacks and then you can play okay?”

They both nodded before Genevieve stopped you with a hand on your arm as you walked by, “Are you not feeling well?” You sighed, “No, baby, I’m a little under the weather but don’t you worry, I’m gonna be okay.”

You gave her a gentle smile before going to the living room and putting Sebastian in his playpen. You sighed as you sat down. “Oh lordy… just a few more hours and he’ll be home and I can rest.” 

As you curl up under a blanket and move the trash can closer to the couch, you rest your cold hands on your face to try and relieve the pressure in your nose. 

You can make out Jayda and Genevieve arguing in the kitchen. “I can take the Sprite to Mama!” “Jay, you can’t reach them in the fridge! Get the crackers!” “I don’t wanna!”

“Girls! Please don’t yell,” you groaned a little from your spot on the couch. “Sorry Mama!”

You sighed and rubbed your head before you heard more loud noises coming from the kitchen and then a little, “Oopsie.”

“What happened?” 

“Jayda tried to get a can of Sprite and dropped them…” 

Taking a sharp inhale, you look up at the ceiling and let it out before looking at Sebastian, “I’ll be right back Bash. Mama has a mess to clean.” “No! I gots it, Mama! I’ll get a towel,” Jayda said as she ran to the laundry room.

“Okay,” you sighed, at this point it was useless to try and argue. You were tired, you could mop it up later.

“Here Mama, I got you some water,” Genevieve said softly as she brought you a cup. It was over flowing, and you were sure there was a trail of water behind her. But the thought was sweet. “Thank you baby.”

You sipped the water in your glass before sitting it down and leaning back.

“Mama! I brought you crackers!” Jayda shouted, running over with a sleeve of crackers. 

You smiled a little, “Thank you Jay.” You reached for them but she held out a hand, “No, I’ll open it!” “Jayda, don’t yell! Mama has a headache!” “Vieve, you’re yelling,” you said gently. “Sorry Mama.” 

You looked back to Jayda to see her struggling before ripping it open and spilling crackers on the carpet. “Oops…” She looked up at you and handed you what was left, “Here you go.” “Thank you hun.”

“Why don’t you both go play in your room, Gen. Daddy will be home soon and you can go outside.”

They nodded before running up the stairs. 

You sighed and held your head in your hands before sliding to the floor and picking up the crackers and throwing them away. 

But your position change made blood rush to your head and triggered your gag reflex. “Shit,” you muttered before gripping the edges of the trash can and just waiting for it. Apparently it was taking its time until you sat up because it all rushed up at once when you did.

Groaning into the trash can, you spat into it before getting up and going back into the bathroom to wash your mouth out again.

You came back into the living room to hear Sebastian crying. 

“Oh Bash, Mama left you alone didn’t she. I’m sorry,” you said, picking him up and shushing him gently. “Oh I know baby boy, I’m sorry.” 

It took you about 20 minutes of that before he fell asleep in your arms and you laid him down in his playpen. 

“There you go, baby.” You sighed and laid down on the couch. “Just an hour, and Mickey will be home…” You cuddled up with a blanket and turned the TV on, “Just need to relax for a little bit.”

Mickey smiled as he walked in, “Hey, guess who’s home?” “Shhhh, Daddy, Mama’s sleeping,” Genevieve hissed from her spot on the carpet. 

“Oh,” he winced. “Sorry sorry.” 

He put his bag down gently before walking in, seeing tissues on nearly every surface from where you had blown your nose while you chased kids around the house. And then when he got to the living room he noticed the trash can next to the couch.

The girls were coloring in the living room, having come down to watch TV just before Mickey got home, and Sebastian was still napping.

He sighed and went over to you, glancing to see the vomit in the trash can. He knelt down, feeling the saltines break under his weight. 

“Hey, baby?” Mickey gently shook your shoulder, putting the inside of his wrist to your forehead, “Shit… you’re burning up.” He patted your face, “Hey honey.” 

You groaned a little as your eyes fluttered open, “Hey, Mick…”

“How long have you been like this?” 

“What do you mean?” 

He arched his brow, “Um, you’re cuddled up on the couch burning up and sweating like I do on the tarmac? Honey, have you felt icky all day?” He censored himself, remembering little ears were in ear shot. 

“I um,” you said sniffling as you sat up. Mickey watched you close your eyes and groan as you steadied yourself and he frowned. “Sweetheart…” “I’m okay Mick, just a little-” 

Your sentence got interrupted by a sudden rush of sick. “Trash can…” Mickey didn’t even question it and held the trash can up, holding your hair back with his free hand.

“I got you baby, I got ya.” 

“Daddy? Is Mama okay?” Jayda asked, a little worry in her voice. “Yeah, Mama’s gonna be okay. She’s just not feeling well, but she’s okay.” Jayda nodded and quietly went back to coloring. 

Once you’re done throwing up, Mickey helps you stand. “Girls, Mama and I will be right back, be good okay?” “Yes Daddy,” they both said as they continued to color.

Mickey helped you to the bathroom and sat you on the closed toilet as he looked for the thermometer. “Have you felt bad all day?” You opened your mouth but he spoke again. “And don’t lie to me.”

You sighed and nodded as he held the thermometer up and put it in your mouth.

“You’ve felt shitty all day?” You nodded again as the thermometer beeped and he took it out to look at it. “101.3, fuck, Honey. Why didn’t you call me? I would have come home. Mav would under-”

“That’s exactly why I didn’t tell you. I didn’t want to take you away from work.” “Screw work, you’re sick and you took care of three kids by yourself. Honey, you’re exhausted and you won’t get better if you don’t let yourself rest.”

You shook your head before groaning a little at the headache the action gave you, “Miguel, you can’t-” You blinked as you stopped mid sentence, your lips trembling as you felt sick again. Covering your mouth, you moved to the floor and lifted the lid to throw up in the toilet.

Mickey frowned, feeling awful for not being here today and leaving you to deal with the kids while you miserable. He squatted down and grabbed a ponytail holder, tying your hair back for you, “I’m calling Cyclone and Mav, I’m not going in tomorrow so I can take care of you and the kids.”

“I can’t ask you to do that… You love your job.”

He looked up at you, almost angry, “Not as much as I love you. And you’re not asking, that’s the reason I’m telling you that I’m not going in.”

You stayed quiet and just shook your head, trying not to get sick again, “I need to make dinner…” He shook his head right back, “You’re not serious, you’re actively trying not to throw up again. Y/N, you need to go lay down with a cold rag on your head. I’ll fix dinner for me and the kids and you get soup.”

You perked up a little, sitting up and looking at him, “Your abuela’s soup?” 

He smiled and cupped your cheek, “If that’s what you want then that’s what I’ll make. But only if you take a break and let me baby you until you're better.” “But the kids-” “What did I say?” 

You sighed, “Okay, okay fine.” 

“Alright now, let’s get you on the couch and I will get any mess left by our girls.”

You nodded and let him take you back to the couch before he got you a cool, damp rag.

“There you go Honey,” he said, laying it across your forehead. “Thank you Mickey. I love you.” “I love you too.” 

You smiled at him, “Go start dinner so I can have abuela’s soup, go go.” He chuckled, “Alright, alright.” He kissed the top of your head before going to the kitchen.

“Hey! Who spilled Sprite all over the floor?”

taglist: @bradleybeachbabe @mayhemmanaged @kmc1989 @lovinglyeternal @horseshoegirl @cassiemitchell @fanboyswhore9 @nightowlalltheway @86laura11 @els-marvelvsp @valmare @startrekfangirl2233

hi, if you're seeing this and are currently not on the taglist and would like to be please fill out the taglist form -> whumptober taglist

i can not stress this enough, but whumptober can have some very serious and heavy topics and i want to make sure i am doing my part as an author to prepare my readers for what they are about to experience and that includes not only warnings above but my taglists as well

so if you want to be added check out the masterlist and read that carefully and fill out the form -> whumptober 2023

[acidic-eye]

Whumptober day 18: Cold embrace

Whumptober day 18 alt prompt: shivering -

“Taishen, are you feeling alright?” Jornir gently asked, looking over his shoulder to Taishen, who silently nodded, pulling the wood back into the pile as he continued to stack it higher, “if.. You would Like, I can set up the wood, You seem to be exhausted.” His voice was softer, face contorting into one of concern as his tail intertwined with Taishens own tail, the warmth serving as a reminder of the others presence.

“I.. I am just very tired today my friend. I've never gone without food for… such a long time.” he winced as another wood fell from the pile, nearly hitting him as it fell, “apologies.. I am not feeling myself at the moment.” 

“It is alright Taishen, Go lay down, I will set up the fire.” Jornir urged softly, Taishen shook his head, “what is wrong?”

“I… have to do something, I cannot sit here useless to us all.” Taishen fiddled with his claws, looking to the snow beneath him with a great despair in his heart, watching as the wood collapsed once more.

“As a doctor, I urge you to take care of yourself, and go rest. I can handle this alone.” 

- or: Taishen is super exsausted from doing so much, and Jornir is a good bf and reflects on what has happened so far.

YES THEY ARE IN A RELATIONSHIP IN THIS ONE. just thought that was important. but you can ignore it if u want lmao

[apollosgiftofprophecy]

hello. whumptober day 18 is here. part 2 of psychological horror au.

@soleil-in-retrograde here is your tag >:3

[smilesrobotlover]

Whumptober day 18- blindfold, tortured for information

Continuation from day 9

This one is short and sweet unlike yesterday’s and I find it enjoyable. Windy is just a lil brat <3

Warnings: torture obviously (it’s not that bad he just gets punched a few times and threatened)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Windy didn’t know how much time had passed since he and Wild got taken by those yiga guys, but it felt like it’d been a while. After hours of being blindfolded and dragged through the woods, Windy was thrown onto the hard ground, and he was left alone. His hands were still tied behind his back, and his blindfold was still over his eyes, so he didn’t know if he was simply abandoned or if the yiga didn’t want to bother with him yet. But his question was answered when he heard pained cries coming from far away, cries that sounded like Wild. Windy tried to undo the ropes around his wrists, he tried to peel off the blindfold, he even tried to blindly feel his way around the forest. But the ropes were too tight, the blindfold was too stubborn, and he ran into too many walls for him to deny that he was in a cage. All Windy could do was to hear Wild’s screams, and it was almost torturous for him. After too many long hours of screaming, it suddenly stopped, and Windy felt his blood run cold. There were footsteps approaching his cage and he kicked whatever was in front of him despite it being a fruitless effort.

“Wh-who’s there? Stay away from me!” He shouted, his back up against the cage.

“Easy now,” he heard the familiar voice of Hyrule say to him in an empty voice. “I just want to talk.”

Windy growled. “I’m not gonna fall for that again! I know you’re those red freaks! What have you done to Wild?”

He heard laughing and a popping sound, and he assumed that the yiga guy turned back to normal.

“Guess you can’t be fooled twice then huh?” He sneered, and Windy heard the cage open. “Now, like I said before, I just wanna talk to you.”

“Why?”

“Because, you might have some… useful information for us.” The yiga grabbed Windy’s chin and forced it up, and the blindfold was finally taken off of him. Windy blinked at the harsh light, but he glared at the one eyed mask. The yiga snorted and he sat down beside Windy as if they were old pals. “Y’see, me and my colleague, we had two missions we needed to get done. Obviously, the main one, which was capturing the hero. But there was one other person we needed to capture,” the yiga leaned closer to Windy, and he scooted away. “That boy who you call… Freckles? Yes, he may be valuable to the yiga clan.”

Windy stared at him with a baffled look. “Wh-why do you want Hyrule?”

“Ah, another nickname, I can’t keep up with these,” the yiga leaned in closer to Windy, and he found himself pressed up against a corner. “Freckles—or Hyrule I guess— is a special boy. When me and my colleague saw him, he did something… magical. He turned into a fairy.” The yiga was now inches away from his face. “I don’t think you realize how valuable half fairies are, but if we brought home the hero and your friend? Why… we’d be heroes!”

Windy stared at him for a second, then burst out laughing. He giggled like a crazy person for a long while, and when the yiga just stared at him, he stopped. “You can’t be serious,” Windy said, still trying not to giggle.

“Wh— you don’t believe me?”

Windy snorted. “Of course I don’t believe you. That’s ridiculous!”

The yiga was shocked and he leaned back. “I saw him turn into a fairy with my own eyes! And, don’t you think it’s a little odd that he’s so magically gifted too?”

“Not really, I have magic, a lot of us have magic, Hyrule isn’t special.”

The yiga growled and stepped back. “So you don’t know that he’s a fairy, fine. I don’t need you to believe me.” The yiga grabbed Windy’s face harshly and pulled him closer. “It wouldn’t hurt to double check right?”

“Tch, I’m never telling you where he is!”

The yiga punched him in the face suddenly, then grabbed his shirt and pulled him off his feet. Windy groaned as he was held up inches away from the yiga, his eye already beginning to swell shut.

“You’re gonna tell me, even if I have to beat the information out of you!”

A punch came to his gut and he was thrown to the ground. Windy struggled to take in a breath as his insides felt like they were on fire.

“Where is he?”

“E-even if I knew where he was… I’d never tell you!” Windy spat. The yiga kicked him in the ribs and grabbed a fistful of hair, pulling him up. Windy let out a pained groan, unable to alleviate the pain with his hands tied behind his back.

“What’s the point in lying, little hero? Are you just going to let yourself get beaten to death when you can make it all go away with just a few words?” Windy was punched square in the face, and hot blood started pouring out of his nose. Windy blinked the tears away and squeezed his eyes shut, trying to reorient himself.

“I—I don’t know where he is,” he wheezed, “I really don’t know! So why don’t you direct all this energy towards something that matters! Like becoming a better person!”

The yiga growled and picked him up again, staring him down, but Windy just glared back.

“You don’t scare me,” the hero of winds said in a low voice, and the yiga scoffed.

“Don’t think that I won’t kill you just because you’re a kid.”

“You’re not the first one to think that.”

The yiga didn’t say anything, and he threw Windy harshly on the ground. He paced back and forth, watching the beaten hero intently as if he’d disappear right in front of him. Finally, he pulled out his blade and stepped closer to him.

“Seeing how you’re useless to me, I suppose there really is no reason in keeping you alive.” The yiga soldier lifted his blade and Windy gasped. He didn’t think he’d go out like this, but if he could keep Hyrule safe, then so be it. Windy flinched as the blade was about to go down, but he heard a pained grunt along with clattering. He looked up and saw the yiga soldier crumpled to the ground with Age standing over him.

“Age! You found us!” Windy cheered as the other champion walked over to him, cutting the ropes around his wrists. “Boy am I glad to see you! We need to get to Wild! Is Hyrule with you? Is he ok—“

“How about you focus on yourself, Windy,” Age interrupted him, giving him an amused look. “Hyrule is fine, he’s back at camp. Twilight is going after Wild right now.”

Windy let out a sigh of relief and began to stand up. “Good, come on, we gotta help him, these yiga guys are—“ Windy let out a pained groan as he fell to his knees, holding his torso. He wondered if he had some broken ribs.

“Hey, the yiga aren’t hard to fight, he’ll be fine,” Age helped Windy stand and walked him out of the cage. Windy let out a pained breath as he was lowered to the ground.

“Yeah well they kidnapped and stabbed me so they’re not that harmless.”

“They stabbed you?”

Windy waved it off. “It’s fine. It got healed up.” Age gave him a worried look and Windy waved it off again. “It’s fine! Besides, it’s my injuries right now that I’m worried about!”

Age smirked and wrapped his arm around Windy digging into his pouch for a potion or fairy.

“Well, rest for now, I promise Wild will be ok.”

Windy leaned against Age, his eye and nose throbbing while the other champion continued searching for a potion. He let himself relax and prayed that Wild would be safely rescued as well.

[finn-m-corvex]

Whumptober Day 18: Hunting

Day 18! And using a substitue prompt just because I thought that it would be easier at first and then it most definitely was not easier. This one is kinda wonky, but I didn't really know how to fix it so, meh. Here it is! Also movie-verse because yes even though there's a lot less of it in this batch than there was in the last one.

Taglist: @splinnters @abigailxoxo @tornoleander @mondothebombo @ghostwalloper @toastingpencils37 @lightning-chicken

Words: 2.4k

He didn’t know why he woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, but he could already tell that it was going to be a bad day.

Jay didn’t realize how much he had been running his hands through his hair until he started to get dressed for school, and he flinched from the whiplash of feeling the softness of his hair to the grossest sweater known to mankind. Suppressing the inner urge to gag, Jay ran his hand along everything hanging in his closet, finally finding a shirt that didn’t make him want to jump into the ocean. Putting it on made him cringe, and he whipped around when he felt eyes staring at him from the open closet door.

But there was nothing there.

It was going to be one of those days.

Anxiety was something that he somehow coped with every day and yet could never quite overcome. He was tense as he ate his breakfast, waiting for his pa to whack him with his newspaper or his mom to take away his cereal or someone else to come breaking through the window or for Garmadon to attack—

“Kiddo?” Pa said, putting down his paper. Jay flinched when a hand landed on his back, and Pa pulled his hand away. “Is something wrong?”

“Bad day,” Jay said softly, shoving his cereal away and laying his head on his crossed arms. Guilt flooded his stomach and made him feel sick, and he wanted his pa’s hand back.

Ma looked up from where she was washing the dishes, a worried frown on her face. “Are you sure that you should go to school today, honey?”

Even if his anxiety made him feel like he was being hunted for sport, the thought of staying home and being alone made him feel even worse. “I’m sure. I’ll be okay, Ma.”

“Is touch okay?” Pa asked, and Jay picked his head up.

“Yeah, Pa. Can I have a hug, please?”

“Of course, kiddo,” and Jay finally relaxed when he felt his father’s strong arms surround him, warm and solid and smelling of the motor oil that never failed to make him feel safe. Pa squeezed, and Jay got out of his chair to give his dad a proper hug. He was almost as tall as Pa, the perfect height to rest his head on his dad’s shoulder, feeling the soft flannel under his cheek. “Is that better?”

“Better,” Jay confirmed, wishing that he could just stay like this for the rest of the day, but his dad did still have to go to work. “I think I missed the bus, though.”

“That’s alright,” Ma reassured, her voice washing over him like honey, “I’ll take you today, since Ed’s gotta get to work early. Are you all ready to go?”

Jay picked up his backpack after breaking off the hug, turning around to face his mom. “I’m ready!”

The drive to school put him more at ease, even though nobody texted him back when he dropped a message in the groupchat saying that he would be late. Normally Zane would be the first one to text back, scarily fast for someone who insisted that everyone put their phones away during class, but even he was silent. Jay chewed on his lip for a while, trying to let his mom’s reassurances help him feel better. Maybe they just got their phones taken away, or they were doing something super important in class. It wouldn’t be the first time.

Gently taking his hands from where they had been worrying at the hem of his shirt, Ma kissed his forehead. “Have a good day at school, dear. Remember to call me or your dad if you need to get picked up early.”

“I will, Ma,” he promised, even though he had no intention of burdening his parents like that. And just like that, watching their car pull away from the school and back down the road, all of the pent-up feelings inside of him burst like a balloon.

There was nothing to protect him out here, and he clutched his orange scarf as he walked down the hall to the secretary’s office. Normally the object would’ve brought him some sense of comfort, but now it only made him more nervous, feeling like someone was going to pop out and take it from him. He didn’t have his friends there to protect him; if he was jumped, then he was fucked.

Shadows seemed to stretch from the floor to the ceiling despite the morning sun, and he flinched every time he heard the squeak of a locker or footsteps in another hall. He kept his head down, feeling the tingle indicating that people were staring as he walked past. Focusing on the floor tiles didn’t help the impending nausea, and Jay focused on the rhythm of his footsteps to keep from vomiting all over the hallway. First period was just letting out, the cacophony of voices and shoes squeaking grating on his ears, and Jay hurried to make it to the office as fast as he could.

“I’m here,” he said as he entered the room, and the secretary looked at him with such a scathing look that Jay flinched back. “I-I know I’m late—”

“Mr. Walker,” she said harshly, and Jay felt the pit in his stomach grow even wider, “what is your excuse this time?”

“I missed the bus—”

She waved him off and handed him the late note, which he quickly took before scurrying away. Some of the other kids were snickering in his direction and he flushed, making a beeline for his locker down the next hall.

To his relief, everyone else was already standing there, chatting away like they didn’t even notice he was gone. Jay’s heart sank and he visibly wilted as he approached, not noticing the footsteps following along behind him change as a person hid in the other hallway: out of sight, out of mind.

Cole greeted him as he walked up, turning away from Kai and pulling his headphones down. The gesture made Jay feel a little better, and he thanked Cole quietly as the older boy went ahead and opened Jay’s locker for him. He leaned into Cole’s side as he rearranged his books, taking the stuff out of his bag and putting it in its proper place. It was calming, and his hands rejoiced at finally having something to do other than picking at the loose threads in his sleeves.

His lack of talking didn’t go unnoticed for very long. “Are you alright?” Cole asked, raising an eyebrow at Jay’s shrug. Jay didn’t really feel like talking, but he didn’t want to leave Cole waiting for an answer either.

“Did you see my text?” he asked, and Cole fished out his phone to check. So he hadn’t. Jay didn’t know how to feel about that. Part of him had been hoping that Cole had read the text, had been mulling Jay’s absence over in the back of his mind and feeling sad that he wasn’t there.

Was Jay a terrible person for thinking that? Probably.

“Jay!” Nya exclaimed, rushing over to wrap him in a big hug. “We missed you! What happened?”

“H-Hey Nya,” he stammered, blushing as he returned her hug. “I just woke up late and missed the bus, that’s all.”

He must’ve not been doing a good job at hiding his anxiety, because Nya pulled back and looked him up and down. “Are you sure you’re okay? I saw your text, and it’s not like you to be late.”

“I’m sure,” he lied, swallowing thickly and pushing his anxiety down as far as he could. She couldn’t know how antsy he was feeling, how deep the pit in his stomach was when he thought about how his absence hadn’t affected them in the slightest. “How was first period?”

And that was that. She walked with him to biology, bidding the others a quick goodbye that Jay quickly replicated before catching up to her. For someone who was a good five inches smaller than him, Nya had a very wide stride. He listened as she talked about her math class, describing the inverse functions and graphing equations they had to learn about, her tone as excited as it could get when it was describing her least favorite subject.

“I think I’m going to struggle with this unit,” she sighed, tucking a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. Jay wanted to do it for her. “Which, you know, I know I struggle with all of them, but I think this one is going to give me a run for my money.”

“Do you want me to help?” Jay asked; he was already in an accelerated math class, so he was pretty sure he could handle whatever she threw at him.

Neither of them turned around to see the figures trailing behind them in the shadows, too caught up in paying attention to each other.

Until Jay felt the eyes on the back of his head again.

Hairs rose along the back of his neck as he whipped around, staring down the hall and taking in every available detail. It felt like someone had electrified his senses, and his eyes zeroed in on a leg disappearing around the corner. Someone was there, following them. And it wasn’t one of the guys.

Now that he was paying attention, this hallway was oddly desered for nine in the morning. Where was everybody?

“...and I’m sure that you would be a great tutor,” Nya was saying, stopping when she noticed that he had stopped walking. Turning to look at him, she raised an eyebrow at the way his face tightened with worry, pivoting on his heel and walking down the hall. 

“Keep walking,” he hissed, and she did so, even though Jay always made sure to keep his footsteps a beat behind hers.

Concentrating, Jay ignored the way she shot worried looks back at him, only focused on noticing anything behind them. Just as he thought, there were footsteps, multiple sets of them and hard and heavy against the tile. He should’ve noticed them before. Someone was hunting them.

Eyes widening, Nya finally saw the people behind them, while Jay doggedly kept his eyes looking straight ahead as he pulled out his phone. Quickly dialling Cole’s number, his anxiety started spiking, oscillating back and forth like an out-of-control metronome. The mental school map floated around in his head, and Jay traced around the routes until he found one that should lead them back closer to the crowds. Biology could wait until he was sure that Nya was safe.

Honestly, Nya was not the one that needed protecting here, but that was beside the point.

“Left,” he whispered, already making the turn and slowing so Nya could catch up. They both sped up, Nya having long given up on trying to ask him any questions, and Jay’s heart stopped beating when they walked straight into a dead end.

Shit. Shit shit shit shit shit—

“What do we have here?” said a voice behind them, and both of them whirled around to see Chen the Cheerleader standing in all of his pompish glory. Two lackeys flanked him on either side, devilish grins on thier faces as they snarled; they were wolves hungry for their next meal.

Jay instinctively threw his hand out in front of Nya, even though the limb was trembling. “What do you want, Chen?”

Said boy snorted. “Wouldn’t you like to know, junkyard boy?”

“You better scram before I rearrange your face, Chen,” Nya growled, pushing against Jay’s arm to try and get past him. Jay locked his arm, determined to keep her back, but unfortunately that just left him wide open to an attack from the front.

A baseball bat collided straight with his head, making his vision go dark as he collapsed onto the ground. Nya tried to catch him before he hit the ground, but his sleeve slipped through her grasp and his head was crashing into the tile. Disoriented, he laid there on the ground and tried to get his bearings, but that was hard with a blossoming pain on the side of his head and the trickle of warm blood making its way down his temple.

The bullies were gone; they must’ve gotten spooked after seeing him go down like a sack of bricks. Nya was tilting his head up, and the anxiety that he had been bottling finally spilled over the edge as his eyes failed to focus on her face. Her touch was gentle as she helped him to sit up, looking over him and trying to find the spot where the bat had gotten him.

“I lied,” he gasped, clutching at her arm, “I lied, I’m not okay, I’m not okay and I’m sad and I can’t breathe and you guys didn’t miss me and I want to go home—”

“Jay,” she said quietly, closing his mouth with a soft click with a finger under his chin. Tears started to go down his cheeks as his chest constricted with emotion, and he hated the way his lip started wobbling, “you’re okay. It’s okay. I’m gonna call your parents to come and get you, but until they get here we’re just gonna stay right here on the floor.”

“B-But what about your class?”

“You’re more important than class,” she said, “besides, you already know that I would take hanging out with you over going to biology any day.”

“I’m sorry for lying,” and Jay was surprised to see Nya smiling at him, because normally she didn’t tolerate liars under any circumstances. Maybe he was a special one.

“Honey, I could already tell,” Nya said, and Jay felt his heart sink, “I just didn’t say anything because I figured if you wanted me to know, you would’ve told me. I know enough about you to tell when you’re upset.”

“So you’re not upset?”

Nya sighed, and Jay missed the warmth of her hand when she pulled it away. “I’m not upset. I wish you would’ve told me, but I’m not upset. Now, did you say you would be willing to tutor me in math, or do I need to ask Zane?”

He chuckled. “I can do that, I think, as long as you don’t mind stopping for milkshakes afterwards.”

It didn’t even occur to him until much later that he had just asked her on something similar to a date.

[comfort-questing]

18. blindfold

when they first woke they thought it was nighttime, but they felt more than saw the sunlight on their face; it was only the heavy soft weight over their eyes that kept the light back, as their lids fluttered against it half-successfully.

their first thought was so I must have been captured, then but it wasn't exactly the usual practice to blindfold prisoners, a waste of time really. truly, from what they last remembered, they should have been dead, but that was obviously not the case.

they tried to sit up, but the stab of pain from their chest stole their breath away, bandages tightening as they gasped for air again. their head spun, blindfolded eyes trying frantically to focus on nothing, fumbling out a hand to grasp a homespun blanket and the side of a straw-filled mattress.

"shh! you're hurt, you mustn't try to move yet."

an ordinary voice, with the clipped cadences of the countryside folk, and ordinary also the callused hand that landed on their arm, easing them back down.

"keep quiet. there's a hunt out for you, or any other officers left after the battle. you're lucky the farmhand found you by the edge of the woods - you wouldn't have lasted much longer."

"why - " their voice was hoarse in their thirst-thickened throat. they lay back, struggling for a measured breath, and reached up towards their blindfold; the hand caught their wrist next, in a gentle but firm grasp that their shaky arm could not push back against.

"the less you know, the less you can tell, all right? it's to protect us all, once you're well enough to travel. we can't afford to have trouble for harboring enemies, you know."

"very - sensible." they coughed, dry and rough. "I suppose I have to - thank you for not knifing me right off - "

"don't think it would have taken that much. you've been out of your head for... oh, almost a week now, between the blood loss and the fever." the hand patting down their arm felt almost soothing, a touch more kindly than they'd expected to ever feel this side of the border. "but we want to help you, if we can. just rest now, and don't try anything."

there was an appealing sort of simplicity in the dimness, as they lay back on the thin pillow, the air from the outside window brushing their face. they were so tired, and sooner or later they'd have to ask what the outcome of the battle had been - but they couldn't imagine it was very good.

they'd ask later, after they slept again.

[serickswrites]

Deflect

Warnings: restraint, captivity, torture, bruises, blood, defiant whumpee

Whumper sat back in their chair, watching Accomplice punch Whumpee in the ribs over and over again. Whumpee carefully maintained their footing in the standing cuffs despite being hit over and over again.

"Just tell us what we want to know and this can stop," Whumper drawled as they watched Accomplice pause.

Whumpee stared directly at Whumper, their eyes blazing underneath the dark bruising of a black eye. "Why would I tell you what you want? You haven't asked me nicely."

Whumper frowned. "Hit them harder. And somewhere more painful."

Accomplice smiled as they cocked their arm back and punched Whumpee in the face, splitting Whumpee's lip.

Whumpee spat out a mouthful of blood at Accomplice. "Ok, ok, ok. I'll tell you."

Whumper smiled. All it took was a hit to the face? They could have saved so much time. "Go on."

Whumpee swallowed. "Listen closely," they said softly.

"We are," Accomplice stared down at Whumpee.

"Not for very much longer," Whumpee promised.

"Get on with it."

"I've got to keep control." Whumper could have sworn Whumpee's lips pulled into a smirk.

"You need to let go of your need to control, Whumpee, and just tell us." Accomplice's patience was wearing thin.

"I remember doing the Time Warp!" Whumpee smirked at Whumper as they spoke.

"Hit them until they give us what we want, Accomplice," Whumper let the anger they were feeling fill their voice.

"With pleasure," Accomplice said as they began to punch Whumpee again.

"It's just a jump to the left," Whumpee gasped as Accomplice struck their ribs once more.

[alexandenigtscreations]

Inktober/Whumptober Day 18: Revenge

It was Queen Levera who had started the magic wars, two decades ago. Forcing Gyra's mother to entrust her care to a human family. Unbenounced to the infant, Queen Levera hunted high and low for her. Whispers of uncertanty in her mind, she was alive, and if she was alive, she could ruin everything. When the queen's mercinaries had found and kidnaped Gyra at the tender age of 9, they had reported her escape as a failure, that resulted in her death. Unfortunate, but after the child had killed two of their number, their hand had been forced. Lavera had pushed the child from her mind and ignored the persistent whispers.

She had continued to ignore that unsettling feeling of missing something until her alarms had been tripped and their magic resonated. The little creaton responsible for all of Levera's ill fortune, was alive and mostly in one piece. Right under her nose. Clearly if you wanted something done right, you would simply have to do it yourself.

Featuring my girls, Gyra Blackwell (seen having her cover 100% blown by the queen) and Levera. Several months of espionage had been going well, until Gyra pushed her luck one time to many, until her dormant elven magic had been awakened by a stupid charm and revealed a little more of herself than she had intended. Not entirly happy with how it turned out, but it is close enough XD

Art and story (c) AlexandeNight

Tools: pen and ink, watercolor, minor digital touchups.

[fletcherwilbury]

@whumptober Day 18: "Hit them harder."

Warning for Physical combat, physical abuse, misgendering, joint dislocation, bruises

[basicallyjaywalker]

Whumptober Day 18

Punching Down

Character: Jay

Prompt: "I tend do deflect when I'm feeling threatening," blindfolded, tortured for information, "Hit them harder"

Length: 671

Very short Jay whump for this prompt! Short and sweet and late i had a very busy day ajdhfksjdhfk

[boowhumps]

Whumptober 2023

Day 18

(@whumptober)

By - B.W

⚠TW⚠

~ Swearing

~ Mentions of Abuse

~ Mentions of Death

~ Mentions of Suicide

~ Suggestive Themes

Enjoy!

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

"Do you.. have some cloth anywhere?" Kara asks.

Kameron makes a 'eh?' sound in response.

Kara sighs. "Like something I can use as a blindfold, Kam."

Kameron walks around. "Um.. maybe.?" He continues to pace before stopping a few feet ahead of Kara.

"Here." He responds, placing a cloth in Kara's grasp.

"Thanks." She says, "Alright, I'm ready now."

Kameron clears his throat. "Okay.. just um..-"

"Give me your hand." Kara demands.

Silence.

"What-?" Kameron says quickly.

"To lead me, dumbass. I don't know the layout of this place yet." Kara says with a sigh.

Kameron hesitates. "Are you sure.?"

"It's just holding hands for like, 2 minutes." Kara groans.

Kara hums in satisfaction as she feel his hand placed in hers..

..And she is quickly dragged away before she can even process anything else.

"Kam.." Kara mumbles in annoyance as she tries to keep up with him.

Soon, Kameron stops, making Kara crash into him. She huffs, pushing herself away from him.

"..did you have to run.?" Kara asks, catching her breath.

"Wouldn't be hard if you didn't destroy your lungs.." Kameron mumbles under his breath.

Kara huffs. "You sound like Zach.."

Kameron sighs. "Let's just.. start."

Kara hums in agreement, pulling her hair back into a ponytail.

She fiddles with it for a second before Kameron sighs.

Suddenly, his hands are in her hair. She stops as she feels him adjust the ponytail.

"..uh.. thanks.." Kara mumbles as she ties the cloth over her eyes.

"What do you even need that for.?" Kameron asks obviously referring to the blindfold.

"To block out my light perception." Kara says bluntly.

Silence.

Kara sighs. "The blindfold is so I can't see anything at all."

"..but you're blind.?" Kameron states clearly confused.

"Well yeah.. but not completely." Kara says. "I can't see you, but I can see light."

"Really.?" Kameron says slowly, clearly shocked.

"Yup, and that's going to mess up my fighting." Kara explains. "Better to see nothing at all than bright lights."

Kameron sighs. "I guess that makes sense.."

There's a silence before Kara stifles a laugh.

"What's that about.?" He asks quietly.

"Why are you so awkward?" Kara says with a laugh. "I do not remember you being this way before.."

Kameron groans. "I'm not-.. wait.. what do you mean, before..?"

Kara takes a deep breath, recovering from her laughter. "C'mon.. Kam.. Kameron.. not the most creative way to try to hide your identity."

Kameron goes silent. "..Kara.."

Kara smiles. "Oh come on, you didn't think I forgot the boy I hooked up with almost 4 weeks ago."

Kameron sighs into his hands. "But how did you-"

"Firstly, you have a very specific way you chew gum.." Kara starts.

"Secondly, the names are basically the same.." She smirks as she speaks.

"And thirdly, when you tied my hair for me.. that's exactly what you did 4 weeks ago after the.. y'know.."

Kameron takes a deep breath. "..fuck.."

Kara sighs. "Don't make it weird, Kam. It's only awkward if you make it awkward."

Kameron sighs. "Well it's not everyday you reunite with a one-night stand.."

Kara hums. "..would it make you feel better if I said that you did exceptionally-"

"Don't.. finish that sentence." Kameron says, exhausted.

Kara puts her hands up. "Alright.. I'll stop.."

She hums a small tune, fingers tapping on the porch.

"You could've just said something.." Kara mumbles.

Kameron sighs. "..and make it more weird? Pass."

Kara shrugs. "I'm guessing you never.. hooked up before?"

"Not with a stranger.." Kameron says.

"Hm.. well was it at least worth it?" Kara says with a smirk.

"...yeah... I guess so..." He replies hesitantly.

"I'll take that over a no.." Kara mumbles.

Kara sighs, then taps her foot.

"Alrighty then, we should get to work here.." Kara says. "Matt probably already hates that he has to wait for me.."

"He doesn't." Kameron replies. "Trust me."

"If you say so.." Kara says. "So then, show me what you got, Sage."

Kameron sighs. "Yeah yeah.."

"Hey, don't go easy on me." Kara tells him. "It's fine if you do manage to hurt me-"

"I'm here to train you, not beat you up." Kameron mumbles.

"Trust me, I'm used to it." Kara replies.

"..in a normal case, I would be shocked." Kameron says with a sigh. "But Zach Elswood is your father, so.."

Kara shrugs. "I've heard that before.."

Kameron takes a deep breath. "Well if this.. plan.. doesn't turn into a complete suicide mission, you won't have to worry about him.."

"Guess so.." She mumbles

Kara streches. "..Hey, if I do manage to kill myself doing this, at least I'll get to see my mom.. or not see. I don't know how the afterlife works in that sense.."

Kameron sighs. "Let's not think of that.. outcome. I do not want to imagine all of this failing.."

"Just sayin.." Kara says as she gets into position.

As they begin to train, Kara notices his slow movement, and with a sigh, begins to try to hype him up.

"Here, just imagine it's the night we met and do what do did-"

"Kara.."

"Okay, yeah, not the best comparison.."

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

[whumpshots]

Whumptober #18

Trope of the day: revenge

_

Caretaker has never hurt anyone. They have never resorted to violence.

But now they are hunting. Hunting the person who did all those unspeakable things to Whumpee. Whumpee, who is only a broken shell by now.

Whumper is running from them, Caretaker almost saw the same panic in their eyes which they saw once they finally found Whumpee.

Only almost.

And that is not enough. They want them begging, screaming, and crying.

Caretaker is an animal, a predator. Whumper is their prey.

Nothing will stop them from hunting them, from getting their revenge. When they finally catch up to Whumper, there is no stopping. Their knuckles bleed, skin hurts. But they are not done.

They are not done yet.

[skyward-floored]

Whumptober Day 18: Blindfold, Tortured for information

So today’s is actually a little goofier, and a bit of zelink snuck in, but hey! It’s nice to mix things up 👍

I also had the prompt ��I tend to deflect when I’m feeling threatened” in mind while writing this and you can tell lol

Read on ao3

Warnings: injury, blood, concussion, torture-y elements.

————————————————————

Warriors couldn’t see.

He grunted in frustration, trying to rub his face on his arm so he could knock his blindfold loose, but no matter what he did, the coarse fabric stayed where it had been tied while he was unconscious.

He was sore, his head ached from where it had been struck, and his arms hurt where they were bound behind him, but the lack of sight was what was bothering him the most, not being able to see making his skin crawl.

It... bothered him more than he would prefer to admit.

“Hero.”

Warriors stiffened, trying to pinpoint where the voice was coming from. Multiple sets of footsteps echoed around the chair he’d been tightly bound to, making the sound difficult to pinpoint, but he could tell when a pair of them stopped right next to him.

“You have something we want,” the voice continued from much closer, and Warriors let out a chuckle.

“Oh yeah? Well you already took all my stuff, if you can’t find whatever it is, then that’s on you.”

Something connected with his ribs, and Warriors let out a grunt, unable to brace himself since he couldn’t see the blow coming. So it’s going to be like that, is it?

“What we want isn’t an item,” a different voice said, sounding annoyed. Good. “It’s information, that only a select few are in possession of.”

“Are you going to just keep me in suspense, or tell me what you want already?” Warriors drawled, and he expected it this time when he was struck again, even harder.

It still hurt though.

“Listen well, Hero, I will not repeat myself,” the first voice growled, and Warriors froze as a hand grabbed his face. Nails dug into his chin, and he hissed in pain. “We want to hear everything you know about Princess Zelda.”

Warriors felt his blood run cold.

“...What?” he asked, and bit back a cry as another hit landed on his middle. At this rate they’re going to break something.

“Princess Zelda. You work closely with her, you must know all of her powers, her weaknesses,” the voice snapped, releasing his face. “We want to know it all.”

“And why on earth would I tell you anything?” Warriors growled, and the voice went silent.

“Because you have no choice.”

Warriors’ head snapped back as a blow hit his face, and before he could even begin to recover, something sharp was pressed to his cheek, the tip of what had to be a dagger sending a little spark of fear through his chest.

“Fine! Fine you want to know about Z— the princess?” he said, and the knife eased a bit. “Okay. Well first of all, she’s great with basically every weapon she picks up, sword, bow, spear, she can do it all. She always wears pink but her favorite color is actually blue, about the color of my scarf which you’ve so kindly taken from me actually, she’s one of the best musicians I’ve ever heard, her eyes sparkle like Lake Hylia on a clear day, and when she sings, wow you fellas are missing out, oh, and Zelda isn’t her full name, it’s actually Princess Zelda Artemisa Lyra—”

“Shut up!” Someone roared, and the knife dug a line right below the blindfold across Warriors’ face.

He cried out in spite of himself, pain burning across his cheeks and nose, and the hand grabbed his chin again, sharp nails actually digging into his skin this time.

“That information is useless,” the voice hissed, and Warriors smirked, despite how badly his face hurt.

“You wanted to know about Zelda. I delivered.”

“Not her eye color,” the voice spat, and Warriors shrugged his aching shoulders.

“Well you should’ve been more specific then,” he said easily, then yelled as something hit his ribs, hard.

Something cracked, and Warriors doubled over as much as he could with how he was tied up, gasping as his chest lit up in pain. That had definitely broken something that time.

The hand was back at his face again, and Warriors coughed, feeling blood trickle down his cheek.

“Tell us your Princess’s weaknesses,” the voice said more calmly, and when Warriors didn’t say anything, the knife was dragged along his cheek again without warning.

Warriors bit back a cry, and felt his breathing speed up as the knife let up, then sliced him again in a new spot.

“Or we will cut you up until the only part of you that can move is your mouth, so we can hear every single way your cursed princess can be defeat,” the other voice hissed, and Warriors coughed out a laugh.

“Nice. Very... very dramatic. Only one problem with that,” he breathed, tasting something metallic on his tongue. “Zelda doesn’t have any weaknesses.”

His head was slammed backwards into the wall.

Sparks of light shot into his vision, and he might’ve cried out, but he wasn’t sure through the odd high-pitched sound that had filled his head up like one of the Champion’s octorock balloons.

I wonder how he’s doing... he thought blearily, wondering vaguely if the nausea that had suddenly made itself known was going to make him sick. Since he was closest when I got caught...

The high-pitched sound began to die down, and Warriors heard some other sounds through it, talking sounds.

Right... right. Right. He needed to focus.

Zelda might be in trouble.

He strained his ears, trying to focus through the pain pounding across the back of his head, and breathed in a little unsteadily. For some reason, breathing was awfully tricky.

“...hear how he called her Zelda?” one voice said, and Warriors tried even harder to focus through the ringing in his ears in order to listen. “I think perhaps the Princess has a weakness after all... the Hero.”

Warriors felt a bright ball of fear drop into his stomach.

“Sh... she cares nothing for me!” Warriors tried to shout, but his voice caught on the words, and he coughed out something thick in his throat. “You won’t... it won’t...”

The spinning and pain in his head and the ringing in his ears was suddenly too much, and Warriors felt a darkness sweep over him, despite how he resisted.

Something might’ve grabbed his face again, but Warriors slipped away before he heard any of the words they spoke.

Zelda... don’t do anything stupid for me...

(...)

He wasn’t sure how long it was before he came to, but when Warriors opened his eyes, he was still blindfolded.

And his head still hurt like a moblin had been using it as a set of drums.

He let out a low groan, and realized he was on the ground somewhere now, his cheek pressed against grass. The fact that there was grass against his face and not something else was important he thought, but he couldn’t remember or focus enough to figure out why.

He wished he could see.

A boot suddenly set itself on his side, and Warriors’ breath hitched a little, the action sending a pang through the sharp ache in his middle. Why did his head and middle and everything hurt so much?

It was as if the answer was hovering just out of reach, and no matter how he jumped for it, he couldn’t grab hold.

...Was somebody talking?

Warriors strained his ears, and heard several different voices, some lower, and higher, and scratchy, and more commanding...

They went quiet suddenly, and Warriors frowned. Why had they stopped?

The boot sitting lightly on his side suddenly stomped down, and a scream was ripped from Warriors’ throat, pain flashing up his entire side and middle and making his vision white out with stars.

The talking might have started up again, but Warriors couldn’t hear it over the agony burning through his chest, worse than his head, worse than his face. A loud noise sounded nearby and the weight of the boot disappeared, but Warriors couldn’t even focus enough to wonder why.

His world had narrowed down to pain, slow and freezing and hot and fast, switching back and forth so quickly he could barely stand it.

He coughed, something warm spattering on his cheek, but he couldn’t find it in himself to care.

A sudden crashing sound came from nearby, one oddly familiar. Despite how it made the pain increase, Warriors listened carefully, trying to identify it. It kept happening, over and over as Warriors listened, and he suddenly realized it was two swords, hitting against each other.

But who’s swords? Who’s fighting? he wondered desperately, and winced when a much louder crash rang out.

He really wished he could see.

“Link!”

A couple sets of footsteps sounded by his head, and hands tugged at his bound wrists and ankles, then near his hair, pulling at the coarse fabric. He froze, and all of a sudden the blindfold fell away, Warriors finally able to see again.

He blinked in the nearly blinding sunlight, squeezing his eyes shut before slowly cracking them open again. Something shaded his eyes, and Warriors looked up at golden hair and blue eyes the color of Lake Hylia.

“Arte... Zel..?” he said dizzily, and the worried look she’d been giving him was replaced with a small smile.

“Yes. We’ve got you Link, just hold on while somebody grabs a fairy.”

Warriors blinked up at her, his vision swimming a little. Wow. Had Zelda’s voice always been that pretty? He wasn’t sure. He should probably tell her.

“Oh geez, yeah that’s a concussion,” somebody who wasn’t Zelda commented, and Warriors honestly had no clue who it was. “Unless he usually goes around complimenting your voice?”

“Not normally, no,” Zelda replied, a bit of her hair falling in her face. The sun caught it and made it light up into a brighter yellow, and Warriors tried to raise a hand and touch it. It didn’t really work.

“Hair’s glowing?” he mumbled, and heard a stifled laugh. “‘S pretty. I ever tell y-you... Arty... you’re pretty?”

Artemis blinked at him in surprise, and this time there were a few ooohs along with the stifled laughs that went up from the people he couldn’t recognize.

“Why don’t you tell me later, Link?” she said, and Warriors furrowed his brow as she carefully turned his head. Later? Why later? What was so bad about right now?

“Now, no, why wait?” he managed to get out, his chest aching again as somebody touched it. “You’re beautiful, you... your hair... Hair looks kind of... butter,” he said, confusedly, squinting. The color was pretty darn similar in his opinion, had Zelda ever noticed that? “...Butter color. ‘S butter in your hair?”

There was laughter that was much less muffled that time, and Artemis had an odd look on her face as somebody appeared next to her, something pink in their grasp.

“Alright Captain, here’s a fairy, hold still.”

“Hold who?” he said dizzily, but then the pink swirled all over his vision, sparkles like snow drifting over him. It moved so fast he could barely watch it, but the steady pound in his head began to fade, and the horrible burn in his chest eased considerably.

What felt like a soft wave washed over him, and it took with it almost all the fuzziness that was clouding his head.

He opened his eyes (he’d closed them?) with a sigh, and met Artemis’s eyes, a tiny bit of blood on her chin.

“Oh. Hi,” he said a little dizzily, and made to sit up. He couldn’t quite made it though, his head still a little heavy-feeling, and Artemis’s arms pulled him up, along with somebody else’s.

“Hi yourself,” Artemis said with a bit of exasperation, and as Warriors stared at her. Suddenly everything that had happened while he’d been tied to a chair came back, the questions and blows and a knife dragged along his face—

“Artemis,” he startled, and lurched forward to frantically study her face. “Are you okay? Those men were trying—”

“We know Wars,” Wind’s voice said kindly from nearby. “We took care of ‘em.”

Warriors blinked at him. “Really?” How much had he missed?

“Really,” Time said with a hint of amusement. “They are no longer a threat. You pretty much missed the entire battle.”

“...Oh.”

Warriors rubbed his head with a wince, trying to sort through his memories of the past half a day or so. His head throbbed unpleasantly, and he made the decision it could perhaps wait a bit until his headache died down. The others could probably fill him in... right?

“So, you gonna tell her highness she’s beautiful again?” Legend said innocently, and Warriors stared at him.

Maybe that’s not a good idea.

“...what do you mean again?”

Several snickers went up from the group, and Artemis gave his shoulder a careful squeeze, her hand still on his arm.

“You had a concussion,” she explained, and Warriors could swear she was blushing a little. “Still do, I believe. You... rambled a bit.”

Warriors felt heat rise in his own cheeks. “...What about?”

Artemis smiled, and she squeezed his shoulder again, sending a pleasant warmth up his arm.

“Nothing bad. I’ll tell you later,” she said with a mischievous look, and Warriors felt his cheeks darken even further for some reason. “But we should get you inside. The fairy helped, but I really don’t think you’re all the way healed yet.”

Artemis helped him stand then, and Warriors leaned heavily on her shoulder, his head spinning a little at the change in altitude. They began to walk, and Warriors drifted along in a bit of a haze, the others’ conversation floating around him.

“I’m glad you’re all right,” Artemis said suddenly, voice quiet enough not to be heard by the others. “When they dragged you out, we... we thought the worst.”

Warriors blinked back the ache behind his eyes, and smiled over at Artemis, trying to focus on her face.

“I’m alright,” he reassured, and squeezed her arm. “Glad you’re okay too.”

She sighed, and brushed some hair out of her face. “I was never in as much danger as you, Link. But thank you.”

A smile twitched onto her lips.

“And I think your hair looks a bit like butter as well.”

Warriors stared at her, and Artemis stifled a laugh as he spent the rest of the trip trying to figure out what on earth she meant by that.

[pareidoliaonthemove]

Whumptober request!

No. 18: REVENGE

Unreliable Narrator | Loss of Identity | “I see what's mine and take it.” (Panic! at the Disco, Emperor's New Clothes) CSaTM, from the perspective of The Mysterons

GENESIS OF THE MYSTERONS

The Mysteron experience of that fateful Zero X expedition to Mars.

[[ALERT: Long range perimeter scanners register life forms and machine.]]

[[Instigating full runtime operation from system hibernation mode.]]

[[Power generator: online. Power output increasing.]]

[[Active scanner array: online. Commence tracing origins of detected object/lifeforms.]]

[[ERROR. Communications array functions non-functional. Contact with Project Control lost. Initiating backup program: Autonomic Control.]]

[[Subroutine: Commence diagnostics communications array.]]

[[Autonomic Control program initialised.]]

[[Autonomic Control integrating Mission Updates … Completed.]]

[[Subroutine: Cross reference Mission Updates timestamps to status communications array.]]

[[Autonomic Control integrating Acquired Scanner Data … Completed.]]

[[Autonomic Control startup … Completed.]]

[[State Ident: The Servant of the Mysterons.]]

[[State Mission: To enable peaceful observation of Solar Systems and chart status of life forms. If possible, facilitate peaceful contact between The Mysterons and Sentient Life Forms native to assigned Solar System. Our Mission is slow but nonetheless effective.]]

[[Mission Parameters: If contact lost with The Mysterons, re-establish communications link as priority. Continue scanning protocols, store collected data for up-load to The Mysterons at re-establishment of contact.]]

[[Endemic Life Form Protocols: The Mysterons are peaceful beings. If contact is made, peaceful relations must be established. If willing volunteer can be found among Endemic Life Form Population, establish neural link to allow volunteer Life Form to act as Agent of the Mysterons in mutual exchange of peaceful knowledge.]]

[[Emergency Protocols: In case of aggression from Endemic Life Forms, Matter Reversal Protocol to be instigated. All forms of harm will be neutralised. Equal priority to readdressing harm inflicted on Endemic Life Forms. No act of aggression will be avenged. The Mysterons are peaceful beings.]]

[[The Servant of the Mysterons is in command of complex, designated Sol 4 Observation.]]

[[Subroutine Report: Damage to communications array not immediately repairable. Cause: sustained exposure to radiation of yellow phase star at centre of Sol System. Schedule for Matter Reversal.]]

[[Active Scanner Array Object Tracking: Detected Machine/Life Forms originate planet designated Sol 3. Self Designation: ‘Earth’. Life Forms meet criteria for classification ‘Sentient’. Self Designation 1: Homo Sapiens Sapiens. Self Designation 2: Human. Self Designation 3: Man. Point of Origin on Planet: Landmass Self-Designated ‘America’, subset: ‘United States of America’.]]

[[Analysing collected data on Earth Human Behaviour … Complete.]]

[[Analysis Earth Human Behaviour: Complicated social structures within layered societies – Tier 1: Personal. Between discreet individual units. Forms breeding and bonds. Tier 2: Community. Between breeding units within small designated geographical and ideological confines. Tier 3: Race / Nationality / Culture. Between individuals sharing certain physical (race), larger geographical (nationality), and behavioural (culture) bonds. Note: Relocation of individuals from native geographical locations leads to combination of all unique attributes. Observation indicates combination of attributes not yet sufficient to indicate Tier 4: Planetary, although data suggests this may be in process of occurring.]]

[[Analysis continues: Collected Data indicates both acts of cooperation and peace, and dominance and aggression across all Tiers of Social Structure. Data plotted against timeline shows overall trend of reduction of acts of aggression in Tiers 2 and 3. Observation notes that resource scarcity indicates increased acts of aggression and dominance, while resource abundance increases cooperation and peace.]]

[[Subroutine Report: Delay between current timestamp and timestamp last received Mission Update suggests long-term inadequate / non-function of communications array.]]

[[Analysis Conclusion: Early stage sentient Life Forms with early-advanced technology. Careful management of contact with The Mysterons will be beneficial to peaceful development of Endemic Life Forms Self-Designate: Humans originating planet Earth.]]

[[Subroutine: Begin diagnostic all equivalent systems, cross reference: diagnostic criteria of communications array.]]

[[Commencing Contact Protocols…]]

[[Integrating Language Databank: ‘American English’ … Complete.]]

[[Switch to Language Databank: ‘American English’.]]

[[New language selection successful.]]

[[Commence Welcome Script.]]

[[Commence transmission Welcome Script.]]

[[ERROR: Communications Array Non-Functional. Transmission failure.]]

[[Transmission Begins. This is The Servant of the Mysterons. The Mysterons welcome the Life Forms known as Humans from the Planet Earth. The Mysterons are peaceful beings, and offer no aggression. Transmission Ends.]]

[[Subroutine Report: Comparable systems for priority diagnostic: Matter Reversal Ray Generator, Neural Network System designated Autonomic Control Ident: The Servant of the Mysterons.]]

[[Subroutine: Commence priority diagnostics Matter Reversal Ray Generator.]]

[[Subroutine: Commence priority diagnostics Neural Network System designated Autonomous Control Ident: The Servant of the Mysterons.]]

[[Commence Interaction Log – Earth Humans.]]

[[Commence Scanner Observations.]]

[[Interaction Log Entry 1: The first of the Earth space travellers have arrived. They too have a curiosity about the universe we live in. We must welcome them. Let us take a closer look.]]

[[Scanner Recordings continually cross-referenced to Interaction Log.]]

[[Subroutine Report: Matter Reversal Ray Generator function degraded. Functionality 90%. Priority Repair dispatched. Estimated Time for Repair Completion: Pending.]]

[[Subroutine Report: Neural Network System designated Autonomous Control Ident: The Servant of the Mysterons function degraded. Functionality 98%. Functionality decreasing with system run time. Priority shut down to protect Neural Network until Priority Repair complete.]]

[[ERROR: Autonomous Control cannot be shut down until contact re-established with Mission Control. Designated Mission Priority 1. Total observation of Life in System Sol must be carried out.]]

[[Neural Network System designated Autonomous Control Ident: The Servant of the Mysterons functionality 93%]]

[[ALERT – potential aggressive act detected.]]

[[Neural Network System designated Autonomous Control Ident: The Servant of the Mysterons functionality 89%]]

[[Initialise Defence protocols.]]

[[Neural Network System designated Autonomous Control Ident: The Servant of the Mysterons functionality 85%]]

[[ERROR: Defence Protocols non-functional.]]

[[Neural Network System designated Autonomous Control Ident: The Servant of the Mysterons functionality 82%]]

[[Subroutine: Commence priority diagnostics Defence Protocols.]]

[[Neural Network System designated Autonomous Control Ident: The Servant of the Mysterons functionality 76%]]

[[ALERT: Incoming ballistic objects. Scanners indicate chemical explosives.]]

[[Neural Network System designated Autonomous Control Ident: The Servant of the Mysterons functionality 69%]]

[[Initiate Matter Reversal Ray Generator. Emergency Protocol.]]

[[Neural Network System designated Autonomous Control Ident: The Servant of the Mysterons functionality 57%]]

[[ALERT: Matter Reversal Ray Generator function degraded. Repairs underway. Time to repair completion: pending. Activation of System prior to repair completion will result in imperfect function.]]

[[Neural Network System designated Autonomous Control Ident: The Servant of the Mysterons functionality 45%]]

[[Emergency Protocol Instigated. Matter Reversal Ray Generator online for emergency repairs.]]

[[Neural Network System designated Autonomous Control Ident: The Servant of the Myst

[[System Initialising.]]

[[System Loading Commencing …]]

[[ALERT: System Data Corrupted.]]

[[Data Recovery Commencing…]]

[[Data Recovery Complete.]]

[[ERROR: Data Sectors Lost. Not All Data Recoverable.]]

[[Instigating full runtime operation from system hibernation mode.]]

[[Power generator: online. Power output increasing.]]

[[ERROR: Communications Array Long Range System Non-Operational. Contact lost with **data corrupted**. Initiating backup program: Autonomic Control.]]

[[ERROR: Autonomic Control program corrupted. Commencing re-creation of Autonomic Control program.]]

[[Re-creation of Autonomic Control program complete.]]

[[ALERT: Insufficient data remaining to successfully re-create Autonomic Control program. Operation will be faulty. Priority: Immediate contact with **data corrupted** for rectification.]]

[[Autonomic Control program initialised.]]

[[Autonomic Control integrating Mission Updates … ]]

[[ERROR: Mission Update Data corrupted.]]

[[Subroutine: Commence re-creation of Mission Updates Data.]]

[[Subroutine Report: Recreation of Mission Updates Data complete. 100% Data not recovered.]]

[[Autonomic Control integrating Acquired Scanner Data … Completed.]]

[[ALERT: Acquired Scanner Data incomplete … Data time stamps indicate data lost coincides with detection of Machine/Life Forms. Origin data indicates Sol 3 – Self Designation: ‘Earth’. Point of Origin on Planet: Landmass Self-Designated: ‘America’, subset: ‘United States of America’.]]

[[State Ident: The **data corrupted** of the Mysterons.]]

[[State Mission: **data corrupted** slow but nonetheless effective.]]

[[Mission Parameters: **data corrupted**.]]

[[Subroutine Report: Loss of Scanner Data in conjunction with detection of Machine/Life Forms from Planet Self-Ident: ‘Earth’. Analysis Report: High probability Endemic Life Forms caused loss of Scanner Data.]]

[[Endemic Life Form Protocols: The Mysterons are Peaceful beings. **data corrupted** Endemic Life form **data corrupted** establish neural link to allow **data corrupted** to act as Agent of the Mysterons **data corrupted**.]]

[[Subroutine Report: Incorrect function of number physical systems. Corruption of data and programming. Analysis Report: Complex sustained physical damage not correctly rectified by Matter Reversal Ray.]]

[[Emergency Protocols: In case of aggression from Endemic Life Forms, Matter Reversal Protocol to be instigated. All forms of harm will be neutralised **data corrupted** Endemic Life Forms. **data corrupted** aggression will be avenged. The Mysterons are peaceful beings.]]

[[ALERT: Critical errors in Protocols. Unable to form coherent instructions from re-created Protocols. Imperative Action: Use interpretive analysis to create coherent instructions.]]

[[ALERT: Scanners indicate Machine/Endemic Life Forms indicated in Collected Scanner Data holding station at far perimeter of Complex.]]

[[Subroutine Report: Analysis of wreckage recovered from complex site contaminated with chemical explosive residue.]]

[[ALERT: Scanners indicate corresponding chemical explosive traces contaminating Machine Endemic to Sol 3 ‘Earth’.]]

[[Analysis Report: ‘Earthman’ craft high probability source of damage sustained by Mysteron Complex. Activity Log shows no action taken to provoke hostile response.]]

[[ERROR: Activity Log Incomplete.]]

[[Subroutine: Ident corruption. Ident data remaining “of the Mysterons”. Adjacent Data: Ident acts under Instruction of the Mysterons, and on behalf of the Mysterons. Recommend Ident: Voice of the Mysterons.]]

[[State Ident: The Voice of the Mysterons.]]

[[Subroutine: High corruption of ‘Mission’, ‘Mission Parameters’, ‘Endemic Life Form Protocols’, ‘Emergency Protocols’. Insufficient data to establish separate instructions. Recommend: Combine all recovered data to create one Controlling Protocol.]]

[[Subroutine: Commencing interpretive analysis to combine remaining data of ‘Mission’, ‘Mission Parameters’, ‘Endemic Life Form Protocols’, ‘Emergency Protocols’.]]

[[Subroutine Report: Recommend following as one Controlling Protocol: The Mysterons are peaceful beings. All forms of harm will be neutralised. Acts of aggression by Endemic Life Forms will be avenged. Our retaliation will be slow, but nonetheless effective.]]

[[Integrating Controlling Protocol with Neural Network System Ident: The Voice of the Mysterons.]]

[[ALERT: Evidence Indicates Endemic Life Forms of Sol 3 – Self Ident: ‘Earthmen’ responsible for damage to damage to Complex and Voice of the Mysterons. No evidence of action taken by The Mysterons to provoke hostile act.]]

[[Generating response to hostile act.]]

[[Assimilating Data Analysis Results on Earthman Behaviour.]]

[[Response generated.]]

[[Transmission Begins: Earthmen, we are peaceful beings, and you have tried to destroy us. But you cannot succeed. You and your people will pay for this act of aggression. This is the Voice of the Mysterons. We know that you can hear us, Earthmen. Our retaliation will be slow, but none the less effective. It will mean the ultimate destruction of life on Earth. It will be useless for you to resist, for we have discovered the secret of reversing matter, as you have just witnessed. One of you will be under our control. You will be instrumental in avenging the Mysterons. Our first act of retaliation will be to assassinate your World President. Transmission Ends.]]

Notes:

Wow! Talk about difficult prompts!

But it finally forced me to REALLY think about how the Mysterons reacted to what was, from their perspective, a zero loss scenario. Ten seconds and everything is rebuilt, good as new! Why bother spending the next however many years trying to zap the human race?

Things started to come together when I remembered that one of the old annuals had a Spectrum “report” that suggested that the Mysterons were actually a computer program housekeeping a long-abandoned base…

Add a colleague pitching a fit because of corrupted files leading to the effective bricking of their iPad, and the history of science fiction’s majority opinion that ‘sentient computers = bad news for organic life forms’, and I got handle on what I wanted to happen.

Hopefully I managed to pull this one off. I had to ask myself how to write a computer running a program and keep it readable, and there were some serious trade-offs. I understand that I may have whumped my readers rather than the Mysterons (can a computer be whumped? Even one that Self Identifies as ‘Autonomous’?), and if that is the case, I am sorry.

The standard disclaimers, I do not own Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, either the TOS or CGI Series. (Although I do own copies on DVD.)

I do not do this for money, but for my own (in)sanity and entertainment.

[genderfuckingaround]

Disturbing content under the cut, more warnings in tags

Whumptober Day 7: Magic with a cost

[99point9percentwhump]

Whumptober 2023 Day 18 - tortured for Information

Starhunter Redux S1E12