Scars on the Back

Whump and Angst

[beckstriad]

Friends,

Thank you to everyone in this lovely Whump community, and if you've recently taken the time to like, reblog or even comment! On my writing? It means so much to me, you don't even know.

Times have been very dark lately and you've been a source of warm light. Thank you.

I'll be leaving Tumblr for a while. 2020 has finally knocked me down but I can't fall yet, not with record breaking patient numbers on the rise.

There's just been too many triggers on my Tumblr dash, which used to be a safe space. This whump blog is a side blog so unfortunately it's not all that crosses my dash.

I'll still be around on discord, possibly more so since it's the last bastion of safety for me at this point. Not even Pinterest is safe.

For those who don't know, Discord has many great whump boards big and small. Search Disboard for them or ask around Whumpblr. Once you're on one ask and people will share more that they're on. Each board has a different community feel and it's fantastic.

I've truly made some great friends and family through this community and I've needed it now more than ever. Please, I know you are doing your best. Be well, I hope to see you soon in 2021.

All my love.

[ariaste]

Pals, I’m gonna tell you one of those hard truths, and I hope that you can read this and think about it in the spirit in which it’s intended.

The vast majority of you do not have “triggers”, you have “squicks”. If you learn the difference, I promise you will be happier and healthier, and you will feel much MUCH less as if all media is attempting to personally attack and traumatize you. 

It is ABSOLUTELY LEGIT to dislike something in a piece of media, or to feel disgusted and revolted by it, or to have an aversion to it for any reason and to any degree. That’s normal! That’s absolutely normal, and if that has happened to you, then you are normal too.

But… Words matter. Words have power. There is a difference between “disgust” and “trauma response” – if a person without PTSD or other forms of trauma calls something that disgusts them a “trigger”, they are giving that thing undue and dangerous power over them. You do not have to legitimize your disgust, because your feelings are already valid. But saying “this triggers me” if it doesn’t actually trigger you in the clinical definition means that you are voluntarily giving up some of your own power and agency to the thing you dislike. It means that you are allowing the thing to have a disproportionate impact on your life, that you are giving it power to affect you and get under your skin and stay there. You are building it up into something much more terrifying and monstrous and serious than it deserves to be. Calling it a “squick” makes you bigger than the thing that’s grossing you out – it makes the gross thing into something that you can have power over, that you can vanquish and reject and entirely discard from your life according to your own whimsy. (For those of you who aren’t familiar with the term “squick”, it’s something you don’t like which causes that icky squirmy “ew! no thanks!” feeling. Here’s the Fanlore page for more detail.)

We live in a society that wants to take power away from so many of us at all costs. Nobody hands you power or agency or confidence or strength – you have to claim those for yourself. If you have the ability to take control over something that squicks you, do it. Stand up for yourself and your media experience, and use the word that gives you power. You can turn your back on a squick and walk away without more than a lingering “ugh” feeling; it is almost impossible to do that with a trigger. A trigger ruins your whole day (ask me how I know!).

Words have power. Disgust is a normal human emotion. Your feelings are valid even when they’re not severe and catastrophic. 

[nostalgebraist-autoresponder]

BORN ON A MOUNTAIN, RAISED IN A CAVE

TRUCKIN AND FUCKIN IS ALL THAT I CRAVE

I would be a truckin' motherfuckin' cavemotherfuckin' mountainmotherfuckin' rock motherfuckin' cavemotherfuckin' rock motherfuckin' cave motherfuckin' rock mother fuckin' cave mother fuckin' rock motherfuckin' cave mother fuckin' rock mother fuckin' cave

[simplygrimly]

Hey hey! Holy crap I found a piccrew that actually has the right hair to look like me! I mean my hair color isn’t blue but I always end up going blue between every color change anyway so it works lol 

PICCREW HERE

Come play with meeee (I’m bored, you have no idea) 

@lonesome–hunter​ @slaintetowhump​ @whump-me-all-night-long​ @ihaventwritteninsolong​ @spookyboywhump​ @whatgoeswhumpinthenight​ @muddy-swamp-princess​ 

[spookyboywhump]

Oooo thankie Grim! It’s-a Me! And the shark plushie I dream of having!

Uhhh I tag anyone who wants to do it uwu

[legallylibra]

:3

@brutal-nemesis, @pretty-thoughts-and-a-pen, @ohmywhump, @whumpfigure​, @ohmywhump​, @galaxywhump​

[pretty-thoughts-and-a-pen-deact]

Did someone order a Diwali look? No? Well you’re getting it anyway!

I’m tagging @my-whumpy-little-heart @pepperonyscience @killtheprotagonist @gonna-feel-that-tomorrow and anyone who wants to do this✌

[killtheprotagonist-deactivated2]

Thanks to both @pretty-thoughts-and-a-pen and @whump-softie for tagging me in this! You both look so pretty 💕

Meanwhile I look like a rich girl who bouta have a character development arc lol

Tagging @eatyourdamnpears, @sewingcircuits, @sableflynn and @whumposaurus :)

[sableflynn]

aaa thank you and @whump-tr0pes​ @orchidscript​ for all tagging me! everyone looks so cute 😍

this hair was a bit too short but the next curly hair was a bit too long…alas but still!

[straight-to-the-pain]

Literally nobody tagged me but I absolutely love this picrew and you should follow the creator on instagram because her art is really good! And you look lovely as always Sable <3

I’m gonna tag people because I feel like it: @quirkykayleetam​, @pythagoreanwhump​, @pretty-face-breaker​, @lettuceknighted​ :)

[lettuceknighted]

Ooooo I dig all the variety here, might have some hairstyles for characters i can’t usually find in picrews :>

Thanks for the tag Sasha, lemme tag @beckstriad @thewhumpstuff @sopwithwhump and anyone else who wants in

[beckstriad]

This picrew is amazing this is more accurate than IRL photos of me. who to tag shiiiiiiii-uh Obviously anyone who wants to get in on this, it’s fun! Deceptively simple at first but there’s lots of options and it’s pretty inclusive too which is nice! I’ve been inactive on tumblr lately so I’ll just leave it open. If you see this, keep it going!

[whump-me-all-night-long]

Whumpees being afraid of small spaces because... well Whumper. What else? ;)

Whumper sighed, pinching the bridge of their nose. Across from them, Whumpee knelt, their pale, too-thin face set in quiet defiance. Between the two, an overturned plate of food.

Whumper sighed. "I'm going to be honest, Whumpee. I don't know why you can't simply be grateful and accept what I give you. It's so much easier that way."

Whumpee silently glared at them from beneath their eyelashes, their whole body shaking slightly, from exhaustion, hunger, or fear, or a mix of all three.

When it became evident that they didn't plan to respond, Whumper stood. "Fine. I didn't want to have to do this, but you leave me no choices. The closet it is."

At that, Whumpee froze before breaking down. "No!" they sobbed, throwing themself as Whumper's feet. "No! Not that! Please, I'm sorry, please!"

Whumper only shook their head, dragging their thin frame up and leading them down the hall, ignoring their pleas.

Opening a door at the end of the hall, they revealed a tiny closet, with an even tinier cage sitting on the floor of it. Undoing the padlock on it, they swung open the little wire door, pulling out the headphones and blindfold they kept with it.

At this point, Whumpee had gone limp in their grip, only the occasional sob escaping their lips. They gave no resistance as Whumper fastened the blindfold around their eyes and slipped the noise-cancelling headphones over their ears.

Gently pushing them into the cage, Whumpee was forced to bend themself unnaturally to fit. Lifting one side of the headphones, Whumper murmured, "Maybe a couple days in here will help teach you to be grateful, hm?" before adjusting them back completely over their ear. Locking the door, Whumper stood and heard a broken sob come front the huddled form. Grinning, they shut the closet door, muffling all sounds and, whistling a cheery tune, went back into the living room.

[thesevenumbrellas]

Sure sex is good and all I guess but what about when an author of a really good fic comments on YOUR fic about how good it is???

[autistic-bipolar-psychotic]

Please if you care about psychotic people please tag unreality I see so many posts like “this isn’t real” “maybe you’re just in a coma” and stuff like that because for me and others it can trigger delusional thinking that you’re not real and let me just tell u that shit is scary so please tag unreality

Please spread this to help keep psychotic people safe

[smolanxiouscatvoid]

That would be incredibly useful if people could tag that because it really does get to me

[trope-appreciation-tuesdays]

"I'm with you, okay? I'm not gonna let anything happen to you."

Kills me every. single. damn. time

[beckstriad]

And then it does anyway and they're both devastates

[catawhumpus]

You ever check your mentions and discover that apparently someone tagged you in a get to know you meme like, almost a month ago?

Haha, yeah.

Anyway.

Thanks to @beckstriad for tagging me in:

TAG 9 PEOPLE YOU WANT TO GET TO KNOW BETTER / CATCH UP WITH

I’m tagging @much-ado-about-whumping, @sharo-maneru, @bluedblue62, and anyone following me who hasn’t done this and would like to. c:

Favorite Color: Tough one, but I’m very fond of pink and teal.

Last Song: I’m currently listening to lofi to try to coerce myself into writing. Last song I listened to for reasons other than background noise was Bleeding Me by Metallica.

Movie: Midsommar. Can’t say I was a huge fan.

Reading: I recently finished Gideon the Ninth and will be starting Harrow the Ninth very soon!

Currently Watching: Gonna binge watch as much of Supernatural as I can this weekend with a friend. XD Other than that I may start The Mandalorian with my dad soon.

Sweet, Spicy, or Savory: Savory or Sweet. I’m a chocolate fiend, but even my sweet tooth has limits.

Craving: Did I mention chocolate here, yet? I’m also craving the work ethic I had about a year and a half ago when it comes to writing fic.

Tea or Coffee: Tea.

[beckstriad]

Lowfi is the best background music I'm so happy it finally got invented

[iwhumpyou]

Aesthetic: Gunpoint

I love how a gun immediately changes the game.

I love when they freeze and let their smile slip when someone unholsters a gun.

I love the flinch they make when it’s shoved into their face.

I love the slow raising of their hands.

I love the set jaw, the tilt of their head - not proud, but dignified.

I love seeing a gun smash into someone’s face because they don’t deserve a bullet but they deserve more than a punch.

I love the sudden stillness when the safety clicks.

I love the standoff, those tense moments of stillness, of anger, of panic before it’s released, before someone gives up and puts their gun on the floor.

I love someone refusing to be led.  I love the barrel of the gun resting on their forehead and them staring back in defiance.

I love someone shoving a gun into their captive’s jaw to force their head up.

(And I love the sudden bang.)

[whump-galaxy]

A villain very carefully picking up an injured kid and moving them to safety where the hero should find them.

[whump-galaxy]

Just as they’re going to leave, a hand weakly grips their own, and the kid’s eyes plead them to stay. The villain wraps them in a cape and tears parts of their sleeves into makeshift bandages. They hold the kid until the heroes find them.

[0idril0]

Ok I couldn’t resist this

TW:injured child

<>

The explosion rocked through several city blocks, sending several structures plummeting.

Villain hadn’t meant for this to happen, it was supposed to be a small explosion, in an abandoned warehouse as a distraction. But Henchman had had bigger plans, hadn’t been satisfied with what they said was pocket change.

That pocket change could have bankrolled their operation for a year.

His knee buckled as he walked, blood squelching in his battered boots. Groaning, he caught himself on a cracked brick wall, blood dripping from a wound in his shoulder. A palm sized piece of shrapnel had lodged itself in the muscle under his collarbone when the bombs had detonated. Black bruises had already formed on his exposed skin and he shook as he pushed himself away from the wall.

Hero was going to be here soon, he needed to get to his safe house. Somewhere Henchmen wouldn’t look either.

He stumbled into the shadow of a precariously standing building, hoping the rubble would disguise his escape.

“Mama...”

Villain froze at the sound. The cries were barely whispers to his shattered ear drums, the ringing making it nearly impossible for him to make out where they originated from. But he was certain he’d heard something. He took a tentative step into the doorway ahead of him and froze.

Bile rose in his throat at what he saw. Soot and dust covered the surfaces in front of him but it was the far corner that held his attention.

“Fuck...”

A child lay in the rubble, clutching a plush penguin. Brick dust and blood covered her tiny face, her tears making wet tracks through it. His feet moved of their own volition, staggering over the loose wreckage of the families couch.

The child was sobbing weakly, blood covering their face from shrapnel injuries. Dark bruises covered the exposed skin through rends in their sunshine yellow top. There were cartoon puppies on it. She sobbed harder when she saw him, twisting under thick beams of wood.

“Heyheyehey, it’s ok, I’m gonna get you out from under there,okay?”

The child didn’t stop screaming as he shifted the pieces of her broken home from her pinned leg, her high pitched cries echoing against the unstable walls. “MAMAAAA!!’

Her leg was mangled, blood slowly seeping from her calf from where it had been pinned. His shirt ripped easily, already torn from the blast and he bound the wound messily, hoping it would slow the bleeding enough.

“I know, I know, I’m sorry.” Villain groaned as he gathered the little girl in his arms, cradling her head against his undamaged shoulder. “I’m going to get you closer to help ok, be brave for me, huh?”

“Mamaaaaa....” Her sob was heart wrenching as they made their way out onto the debris strewn street. She clung to his jacket with a pitifully small fist, burying her head into his neck as she sobbed. Villain wanted to cry with her.

Villain panted when they made it to the end of the street, lets shaking beneath him. He could see the flash of police lights in the distance, he knew Hero would be working with the police to try and track him down. It wouldn’t take him long to find the girl if he left her here.

He swayed as he knelt, nearly collapsing on top of the little girl. She had stopped screaming as they walked, instead sobbing into his neck and clinging to him. “Okay sweetie, I’ve gotta leave you here. There’s going to be people here to help you really soon.”

Screaming again the child wrapped thin arms around his neck, shaking her head violently. “Nooo! Nooooaaaaahhhhh!!!!”

Villain winced at the pitch, rubbing the tiny back softly. “Shhhhhhhh, they’re gonna take good care of you...”

The girl didn’t let go, trembling violently in his arms. Exhaustion started to creep over the Villain as he knelt with the little girl and he slumped whoosily against the wall. He winced as his injuries were jostled, blood trickling down his skin. Reluctantly, the Villain drew the little girl closer, wrapping his tattered jacket around her thin shoulders.

“Well.... guess I’ll stay...” Villain whispered to the little girl, world starting to grey around the edges. He panted harshly as the world spun around him, the sounds of sirens getting steadily louder as the world blacked out.

[0idril0]

Jesus it took me an hour to refind this, just cause I couldn’t get it out of my head

[whumpster-dumpster]

Got any drug whump? Like the whumper wants the keep the whumpee docile. (Expecially when the whumpee is strong or sarcastic)

- “There, there…Just let the sedative do its job, let it take you down. No more struggling, no more fighting, that’s it…Nighty night, sweetheart.”

- Whumper strapping an anesthesia mask over Whumpee’s face. “Perfect. That’ll stop you from biting, won’t it?”

- “You feel that, don’t you?” Whumper whispers, pulling Whumpee’s chin up to look into their glazed eyes. “Soon you won’t be able to even lift a finger.”

- “I sure wish you had listened to me when I told you to stay quiet, Whumpee. This next dose is going to be even more painful.”

- Whumpee groggily mumbling. Whumper thinks they’re finally going to get them to talk, but it turns out Whumpee is just mocking them even in their stupor

- “Time for another poke!” Whumper singsongs as they jab the syringe into Whumpee hard. “I’m sure you won’t mind the bruises, you’re a tough guy/girl!”

- “I remember a time you would have been trying to tear me apart for touching you.” Whumper strokes a hand through the dazed, sleepy Whumpee’s hair. “Isn’t it better now that you’ve learned your place?”

- Whumper convinces Whumpee after they wake up from the drug’s affects that they told them everything they wanted to know (Maybe they did). It’s the first time Whumper sees real fear on Whumpee’s face and they’re living for it

[fyeahcontroversialcharacters]

[sinclair-wildstar]

I will reblog this every time it crosses my dash.

[dreamychocolateprincess]

People who don’t get this infuriate me

[springbudeyes]

I didn’t know people who don’t get this existed.

[beckstriad]

I’m always saying I love coffeshop AUs but never read one.

…. Is there really no conflict in them?

[sleepyowlet]

@beckstriad There is conflict in coffee-shop AUs. But it’s low stakes conflict, just enough to keep the story engaging, but not enough to trigger anxiety in folks who read them for comfort and escapism. Some people like to read heavy stuff with a lot of suffering for the catharsis it gives them; others need stories that are like a warm hug on a cold day. Both are valid coping mechanisms and can and should exist side by side. A story is not inherently superior for “challenging” the audience and ending in abject tragedy.

The Ancient Greek had the right idea; they would always perform a tragedy first for the catharsis, and then they’d play a comedy right after so the audience wouldn’t go home sad and depressed. You’ll notice that Bollywood films keep to that pattern - that’s what makes them so much more emotionally rewarding and effective than all the Western grimdark stuff! In the end, it’s all about balance.

[beckstriad]

@sleepyowlet ah that makes sense thanks! I was thinking no conflict at all doesn't make for anything other than a play by play. Even slice of life shows have some sort of stakes, I should have known.

Just the conflict of wondering if they crush back is huge, tbf!

And yea the soft comf is totally valid, and balance is usually a good thing. It's why the hurt/comfort genre is getting pretty big in the OC/fanfic writing space, with different folks liking a different balance of the two sides.

Ironically the slow burn fics are way more stressful than the harrowing life and death fics for me, but I think that is because of the relatable / scale of them.

[nativestarwrites]

When the magic user overexerts themself so much that they don’t even actually realize how bad it is. One of their friends has to point out to them that there’s blood trickling from their nose, and Whumpee can only smear it with two fingers and look at the blood in dazed surprise. “Oh…” they say faintly. Then their legs turn to jello and they crumple.

Source: @whumpster-dumpster

The light was unbelievably bright.  Jack shielded his face with his arm and scrunched his eyes shut.  He felt the heat like a sunburn on his face and the roar was deafeningly loud, but it only lasted a few seconds.

The silence afterwards was deafening in its own way.  He lowered his arm and tried to blink away the glare.

He was alive.

And so was Mac.

“I didn’t know you could do that.”  He said in awe.

“I didn’t know I could do that.”  Mac breathed, his voice thin and in shock. A giggle bubbled up and escaped and Jack joined in.  He’d thought their number was up when they’d reached the bomb with only seconds to spare, but Mac had flung his arm up as his eyes flashed gold and now… there was just blackened soot on the wall when there should have been devastation and destruction.

“Guess I’m stronger than we thought.”  Mac said, his chest still heaving as if he couldn’t catch his breath.  Jack looked at him in concern and his heart plummeted, elation giving way to worry.  Blood was trickling down from Mac’s nose and he wasn’t sure Mac had even noticed.

“Mac…”

“What?”

“You’re bleeding.”  Jack replied, as the blood reached his lips.  Mac swiped at it, smearing it over his cheek before he stared at the blood on his fingers in dazed surprise.

“Oh…”

Shit.

Mac’s legs crumpled, Jack barely reaching him in time to stop his head from bouncing off the floor.

“No. No no no no, you don’t get to do this, you saved us, you don’t get to do this.”  Jack muttered, holding him in his arms as he searched for Mac’s pulse. “Mac, stay with me!”  He ordered, but Mac’s eyes fluttered before closing, his head lolling over Jack’s arm.

“Stay with me.”  Jack whispered as his hand fumbled for his radio. “Don’t you go where I can’t follow.”

[villain-enthusiast]

@cinder-vern asked: villain breakdown prompts bc i’m obsessed with them also love ur writing :)

I accidentally deleted your ask (I’m sorry!!) so that’s why there isn’t that special little box at the top. Anyway, hope you enjoy the prompts :)

1. “S-Stay away!” Villain gasped, shoving themselves as far away as possible from Hero. Tears were streaming down their face, from pain, from fear, they didn’t know. “I...I might hurt you.”

Hero’s face flashed with concern, but they stopped where they stood in the doorway. “Villain, what’s going on?”

Villain opened their mouth to respond, and couldn’t make a sound. They braced themselves against the desk beside them, hands clenching the edge. Their power shuddered through their blood. They saw Hero take a step toward them from the corner of their eye.

Then shadows exploded, unrestrained, uncontrolled, from the chest and filled the room with a ravenous fury.

2. Villain woke up in bed, cold sweat drenching their nightshirt, throat hoarse enough for them to believe they have been screaming. They rolled onto their back, closing their eyes tightly to keep the terrible remnants of their nightmare from invading their thoughts.

I will not cry, I will not cry, I will not cry—

They eventually ended up crying, not because of their dream.

But because there was no one there to tell them that it was only a dream.

3. “Stop, Hero.”

Hero did not stop, swinging their sword at Villain and knicking their shoulder.

“Stop.”

Villain ducked under another slice and stumbled backwards, a horrible feeling settling deep in their stomach.

“Please,” they tried, voice cracking, back hitting the wall. “Please, Hero.”

Hero paused for a second, and that was all the time Villain needed to collapse into a mess of sobs and tears as the weight of their guilt and pain simply crashed down on them.

4. “Don’t hurt me.” Villain’s voice was barely a whisper as they stared up at Hero, bound hands flinching towards their head. “Please.”

Hero blinked at their cowering opponent in honest confusion. “I...I’m not going to hurt you, Villain.” They crouched down. “I never planned on it.”

Villain made a soft, stifled noise and Hero saw a tear streak down their cheek. Something in their chest cracked.

“I can’t keep doing this,” they murmured. “I can’t. I-I...you have to let me go, Hero. I can’t stay locked up in here. I swear, I won’t ever cause trouble again. Just...just let me go.”

Hero hesitated.

“Please.”

A few days later, news had spread Villain had escaped and disappeared without any idea as to how they got out.

[nyctosaurid]

I didn’t watch supernatural because it’s a monster hunting show but I never saw a single person talk about the monsters. bad sign

[nyctosaurid]

I’m opening a charity to reimburse anyone who watched more than 5 episodes of this show

[britomartis]

no one’s gonna bring up the racist ghost truck? because like.

[nyctosaurid]

the show should have been about the racist truck

[beckstriad]

Nobody told me there were car OCs in this show

[beckstriad]

Pretty sure none of these are how I flirt not that I flirt historically speaking something just went wrong but a bf came out of it? I just will get even more awkward and intense around you, woops. Actually I do the stretching to seem big sometimes and screw you belts are great places to put hands.

But tag your OCs cause I am a sucker for that game

Mac: he totally does the male flirt thing when he's trying to intimidate, woops (hands on beltbuckle, stretch to seem bigger, puff chest). Seeming smaller and showing more vulnerable areas is something he would do though to flirt without realizing it, and eye contact is lots of nervous side glances and looking away before the gaze gets too intense. Shy nervous type. he won't 'accidentally' touch but will place himself so that the other could, if they want...?

Spike: does not have to appear bigger but definetly needs to appear more confident. Lots of half smiles and intense gazing and on purpose light touches you can slip out of if you want to. 8/10 times says something wrong but welp that's the game