Almost ready to start taking requests again! Thank you to everyone who’s submitted an idea! I promise I’m working through them 💖
Send the ideas you'd like to see me write to my ask box (anon is totally fine). For the sake of my sanity and ever-growing fic queue, please only make one request at a time!
Whump that centers on a dedicated "whumper" character
AUs (I try to stick as close to canon as I can)
Pure fluff
*These are all just personal preference on what I like to write. There's a gray area with all of these things, too. If you're unsure whether an idea fits, ask anyway! I don't bite :)
When giving a request, please include:
Fandom
Characters
Trope/idea - feel free to be as general or as specific as you want!
Fics will be posted to my AO3 with a link shared here as well. I'll include the original prompt in the author's notes of the fic along with the username of whoever requested it (unless you ask me not to).
I also have a Bad Things Happen Bingo card that I would love to fill out! You can leave a comment on that post or submit an ask with the above information (and let me know it's for BTHB) and I'll start filling in squares again! There are some really great prompts on it that I just haven't gotten around to.
No promises on the length of the fic or completion, but my oneshots tend to be ~2,000 words.
I’m all done with WWevent this year! I was going to write a fic for the prompt All Hands On Deck (yes, as in all LIs caring for MC) but I:
1 - ran out of time
2 - realized the idea wasn’t very “whumperless”
3 - could feel the idea growing too big to be a oneshot (shocker!)
4 - felt weird about writing it when all of this stuff is happening with Valko’s release
Regarding the Zayne whump requests, YOU GUYS HAVE SENT SO MANY GOOD IDEAS!!! So now I think I’m going to instead make soup out of them. I’m seeing common themes in a lot of the requests so I’m going to pull out my favorite elements from them and make a hybrid!
But first, I’m back into writing the ongoing Rafayel human experimentation fic! Poor fishie has been in feverish limbo for over a month…
So, current (loose) roadmap is:
Rafayel fic > Whumptober > Zayne whump soup > final fic request > maybe the all hands on deck idea?
It’s all up in the air right now but I’m determined to get this Raf fic done before those whumptober prompts drop in September! Idk if I can physically do that but we all just have to believe, okay?
And finally, in honor of this special day, I am publicly coming out as an applesnow main <3 🍎❄️
Well, what did I say at the end of my last Zayne fic?
"I swear if I end up pulling and get anyone besides Rafayel they're liable for getting the whumping of a LIFETIME!"
And look who decided to show up...
So go ahead! Send your best Zayne whump ideas and I'll pick my favorite one for a oneshot. The heavier the whump the better. Nothing is off the table as long as it's Zayne whump. (And if you don't want to comment on this post you can also send me an ask :3)
Whumperless Whump Day 13 (Love and Deepspace) Part 2/2
Part 2 of my Appendi-Sylus fic is up for Day 13 of @whumperless-whump-event For the Waking in a Cold Sweat "Midnight hospital Visit" prompt
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Read Part One
Ariadne doesn’t really worry when Sylus starts to feel unwell, but it might be more serious than either of them think.
Read on Ao3
Lads Masterpost
Lads Whump Masterpost
Tag List
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Weakness
Part Two
When they finally reached Akso hospital Kieran pulled up at the emergency room loading door. Luke and Ariadne got out and between them, helped Sylus out of the car. He was slightly unsteady, but he only rested his arm across Ari’s shoulders, nodding for them to move.
“I’ll park the car,” Kieran said.
“Masks off,” Ariadne murmured to the twins.
Luke instantly yanked his off, finally revealing the worry on his young face before he tried to school it.
Ari helped Sylus inside and urged him to sit as she crossed to the front desk to check him in.
“Hi,” Ari said awkwardly, suddenly nervous. “Um…we think my boyfriend has appendicitis. He’s in a lot of pain right now.”
The nurse nodded and started to type something into the system. “Alright, I’ll need you to provide details and insurance information.”
Ari instantly felt tongue-tied, but Luke walked over and nudged her arm, pressing several cards into her hand.
“Here,” she said, handing them to the nurse. “His name is Skye.”
She felt like she was sweating more than Sylus as the nurse checked the ID and insurance but she didn’t seem to show any suspicion. Ari still breathed a sigh of relief when she handed the information back with a clipboard to fill out.
“Please fill out the information and bring it back.”
“Okay. When will the doctor see him?”
“There’s a couple patients ahead of him,” was all she said.
Ari looked over to where Sylus was slumped in a chair with Luke and Kieran hovering worriedly, looking ready to catch him if he fell.
“Okay.”
She went to sit next to him, looping her arm through his. Sylus leaned slightly against her shoulder, but his whole body felt stiff. Ari looked at the form, bewildered.
“Um…any medical history?”
He huffed. “Just fill it out at your discretion, sweetie.”
She pursed her lips, but did her best. Sylus stayed hunched over, breathing through his nose. But as she looked at him, his whole body was tense and defensive, eyes darting around, his jaw clenched.
She frowned, handing the finished form to one of the twins before turning her attention fully to Sylus, squeezing his arm. “Hey, look at me.”
He reluctantly turned to her, eyes narrowing slightly.
“It’s going to be okay,” she told him quietly, just for him to hear.
Sylus’s jaw ticked. “I shouldn’t have come here.”
“You’re getting help,” she insisted. “That’s what normal people do.”
He huffed, then his breath hitched as he curled into himself again. Ari squeezed his hand and pulled out her phone, opening her texts to Zayne as she typed one-handed.
I’m at Asko, in the ER waiting room.
It was only a second before she got a reply.
You better not be injured again.
I promise it’s not me! It’s Sylus. we’re pretty sure he has appendicitis.
Are you sure it’s a good idea to bring him here?
Ari glanced at Sylus.
I didn’t have much of a choice. He was threatening to take it out himself. I’ve never seen him in this much pain before, Zayne. And we have no idea how long we’re going to have to wait.
You say he’s in a lot of pain—nausea and fever too?
Ari confirmed and waited for Zayne to reply.
How long has he been feeling sick?
About three days that I know of.
It’s possible the appendix could have ruptured. Give me a moment and I’ll make sure someone sees him quickly.
Relief flooded through Ariadne. Zayne was always able to reassure her.
Thanks, Zayne. Um…are the people working here discreet?
Dr. Madison will be the one performing his surgery. She’s very capable and she will not pry outside of anything involving her patient’s health.
Feeling much better after the conversation with Zayne, she thanked him, and only a few minutes after the last text, they called Sylus back.
“Mr. Skye? They’ll see you now.”
Sylus tensed impossibly further, but Ari coaxed him to stand up, supporting him as they followed the nurse back to one of the exam rooms.
“The doctor will be in to see you shortly.”
They were left alone for the moment and Ari urged him over to the exam bed.
“Lay down.”
“I’ll sit.”
“Sylus…”
He didn’t look at her, brows drawn together. She sat him down on the exam bed and took his hands in hers, feeling the tension running through him.
“I promise it will be okay. I’m gonna stay here with you.”
He didn’t reply, simply focused on breathing through his nose. Ari reached up to take his face between her hands. “I know you have a hard time letting go of control, I get it, but the doctors are just here to help you.”
He huffed. “I’m aware. But I don’t like people touching me.”
“I promise I won’t let them do anything you don’t want them to.”
“Yes, I suppose I have my brave kitten here to protect me.” A small smile quirked his lips before it turned into a grimace.
“Please lay down, Sy.”
He finally acquiesced, laying against the slightly elevated bed as she sat on the side of it, still clutching his hand. She had never seen him this nervous before. Sylus wasn’t good at being vulnerable, at least not around anyone but her. She knew how hard this was for him.
“I don’t want to be put under,” he finally admitted.
Ari’s heart tugged. “I know, but it’s necessary.”
“I’m fine with the pain.”
“Sylus,” she chided gently, taking his face in her hands. “I don’t think they’re legally allowed to cut into you without anesthesia, even if you asked them to.”
He scoffed. “Why do you think I didn’t want to come here?”
“You’re telling me you’d rather go to some back-alley doctor in the N109 zone and risk getting your organs stolen than experience top of the line medical care?”
He snorted and looked away. Ari stroked his hair out of his face.
“You won’t even know it happened. You’ll just feel like you’ve woken up from a really nice sleep.”
His fingers twitched and she slid one hand into his again.
“I’ll be there when you wake up. I promise.”
He stayed silent, a muscle in his jaw ticking, before the door was opened and the doctor came in.
“Mr. Skye,” he said, nodding a greeting to Ariadne as well. “And Miss Celest—Dr. Zayne just told me you were here with your boyfriend.”
Ari gave Sylus a brief smile and leaned over to speak in his ear. “See, I have connections too.” She stood up, but stayed by the bed, still clutching Sylus’s hand.
“Let me take your vitals to start. If you can explain your symptoms?”
Sylus refused to speak up so Ari explained what she knew as Sylus grunted in agreement, eyes pinned to the doctor as he checked his blood pressure and took his temperature.
“You are running a fairly high fever, your blood pressure is also rather high,” the doctor said and picked up his stethoscope to check his heartrate, gaining a warning glower from Sylus.
“He doesn’t really like hospitals,” Ari commented.
The doctor nodded, not taking offense as he took the stethoscope out of his ears. “Understandable. Mr. Skye, if you could please lift your shirt so I can check your abdomen.”
Sylus’s nostrils flared as his brows knit, and Ari squeezed his hand briefly, already reaching for the hem of his shirt. Her eyes met his, less asking permission and more making sure he would behave. Sylus’s pupils wavered in a way they never would for anyone else as he exhaled slowly out his nose.
Ari pulled his shirt up and Sylus shivered slightly as the air hit his fevered skin.
The doctor set to work, but as soon as his hand landed on Sylus’s right side, red mist caught his wrist and squeezed.
“Ah—”
“Sy—Skye!” Ari snapped, catching herself at the last second.
Sylus let out a shaky breath, and Ariadne pushed a little of her Evol against his, trying to ease him with the resonance.
“My apologies, I should have given better warning,” The doctor said, rubbing his wrist as Sylus dispersed his Evol. “Please tell me on a scale of one to ten how bad the pain is.”
“It’s pretty damn near a ten,” Sylus snapped.
The doctor nodded and palpated the area slightly. Ari felt Sylus tense, teeth grinding together and squeezed his hand harder.
“There is some swelling in the area. We’ll do a scan to be sure, but I believe you’re most likely right about the appendix.”
He stepped aside to write something on a tablet before giving a reassuring smile to Ari. “A couple nurses will be in shortly to see him to the exam room. In the meantime, Miss Celest, if you can help him get into a gown?”
He pulled a clean hospital gown from a cupboard and handed it to her. Ari bit her lip as the doctor left, turning to see Sylus giving her a baleful look.
“I’m not putting that on.”
“Sy—”
“No.”
She sighed. “If you refuse they’ll just cut your clothes off while you’re unconscious.”
He scoffed. “I’m not happy to be here to begin with, I’m going to be a hell of a lot less happy to be here with no pants.”
Ari had to fight back the urge to laugh a little. Sylus just looked both petulant and weak at the moment, like a forlorn, sick child. She wasn’t discounting his discomfort—not at all, in fact. She was actually surprised she had gotten him this far. But she was well aware of how stubborn he could be.
“The leader of Onychinus doesn’t have anything to hide under his clothes,” she said with a fond smile. “Nor does Skye the fruit seller. Not even any suspicious scars to show off.”
He continued to glower at her, so she softened, reaching out to stroke his hair. “Please don’t make this difficult, Sy. I just want you to be well again as quickly as possible.”
He huffed and pushed himself up with a wince. “Fine. Help me put the damn thing on.”
Ari helped him undress as quickly as possible, slipping the gown on and tying it for him. She then took his watch and the companion ring to the one she wore on her finger—a gift he’d given her on the first anniversary of the day they met. She slid it onto her thumb to keep it safe.
By the time the nurses came to get Sylus for the scan he was exhausted and wan, a little less fire in him, making it easier for Ari to convince him to get in the wheelchair the nurses offered.
Ariadne still stayed with him during the scan, and then joined him at one of the curtained-off beds in the ER area after.
“The doctor will be back shortly, there’s blankets if he needs them,” the kind nurse said as she bustled away.
Ari took one of the offered blankets and put it over Sylus who was still shivering a little from the fever. She tucked him in and sat on the side of the bed since there were no chairs there.
“I gotta admit, you look pretty bad,” she said teasingly.
He huffed. “I don’t exactly feel fantastic.”
She rubbed his hand soothingly. “Have you ever…been in pain this long before?”
He thought, brow furrowing. “I’ve been sick. The core in my eye bothers me, but that’s more an indescribable pain of my being, my soul, it’s not…strictly physical like this is.”
Ari nodded in sympathy. “You seem to have a pretty low pain tolerance.”
He scoffed. “Try having appendicitis.”
“I’m not judging, I’m saying it makes sense. You’re not used to being hurt for a long time. You can heal yourself from even the worst injuries within minutes for the most part so it doesn’t usually matter.”
He grunted, shutting his eyes. “I guess you have a point.”
She didn’t say what she was really thinking. That she hated seeing him like this. She hated him in pain, and worse, hated seeing him have to be vulnerable in front of anyone but her. She knew how much he hated that. She would be his shield as long as she could.
The doctor from before came in with his tablet and nodded to them.
“Well, with the scan results, we can confirm that you do indeed have appendicitis, and on top of that, it’s ruptured.”
Ari felt her heart skip. “That’s really bad, isn’t it?”
“It’s not as bad as it could have been, considering,” the doctor reassured her. “There’s only a small perforation currently, but that has led to the excessive pain and ensuing infection. It also means we need to take it out immediately, before it can get any worse.”
She felt Sylus’s fingers tighten around her, worrying her palm.
“We’ll start getting you prepped for surgery, Mr. Skye. I promise you’ll feel a lot better after all this is over.”
Sylus gave him a bland look as the doctor left the room. Ari turned to him, reaching out to brush his warm, pale cheek.
“It will be okay, I promise.”
She didn’t have the chance for more words before the nurses came in to prep him, getting him hooked up to various monitors. Ari stood to one side to let them work, but still close enough for support.
As they were finishing up, Ari glanced at a surgical marker that had been left on the tray. She turned to one of the nurses.
“Can I write something on his hand?” she asked.
The nurse smiled. “Sure, it won’t hurt anything.”
Ari took up the marker and drew the smug kitten Sylus always teased her with on the back of his hand. His eyes softened slightly as he saw it.
“Is this my little protector?”
“Yes,” Ari replied. “This kitten will make sure you have someone watching over you.”
One of the nurses stepped forward. “We’ll be taking him into the OR now, miss.”
Ari took a deep breath and turned back to Sylus, catching the very tiny hint of panic in his eyes.
She leaned over and kissed him softly. “I love you. I promise I’ll be there when you wake up.”
He let out a shuddering breath and nodded.
After that all Ari could do was watch him be wheeled away.
She took a deep breath to steady herself before heading back to the waiting room, knowing Luke and Kieran would be looking for news.
She found them pacing the waiting room, making everyone else there nervous. But they instantly ran up to Ariadne as they saw her.
“Boss La—er—Miss Ari!”
“How is the Boss?”
“They just took him in for surgery. It’s his appendix.”
They pressed their lips into a thin line at the same time, an identical look of unease passing between them. Ari realized she was going to have to be the one to reassure them now.
“You both know he’s going to be fine. He’d be pissed if he knew you were worrying over him.”
“Right.”
“Yeah, we know.”
Ari urged them to sit down to stop making the other people nervous, but she ended up being the one bouncing her knee. She knew it was going to be a few hours at least before they heard anything, but she was still nervous. What if Sylus didn’t react well to the anesthesia? What if his Evol activated on its own and he hurt the doctors and himself in the process?
She worried his ring around her thumb, hating the thoughts that were running through her head. Then she heard a familiar voice call her name.
“Ariadne.”
She looked up to see Zayne walking over with a couple take-out boxes and a tray of drinks.
“Zayne!”
She stood up and hugged him as he held his arms out to save the food, giving a soft laugh.
“What are you doing here?”
“I’m on break, so I thought I would bring you something to eat from the cafeteria.” He handed off the containers to the twins and set the drinks down on a small side table.
“Hot milk tea. It will do you all good.”
“Thanks, Doc,” Luke said, taking one of the drinks as Kieran inspected the cartons of food.
“Yes, thank you,” Ari repeated gratefully.
“Keep your strength up,” Zayne told her gently as she hesitated when Kieran handed her one of the containers. “He’ll need you when he’s in recovery, but there’s nothing you can do now but get some rest. If you need to sleep, there’s a spare room at the end of the hall that the staff will sometimes use to crash for a couple hours.”
“I’m not that tired yet, but I appreciate it. Thank you, Zayne.”
“Of course,” he said. “I also made sure he’ll get a private room after he comes out of recovery.”
“Zayne, you’re the best.”
He huffed a laugh. “I know he can pay for it. Tell him I expect a large donation to the hospital once this is over.”
Ariadne smirked, feeling a little better as she waved goodbye to Zayne.
She and the twins ate the food and she had to admit that the warm milk tea was indeed soothing. Her nerves felt less jangled after she ate and she wondered how much of it had been from hunger to begin with.
The night stretched on, and pretty soon it was only her and the twins in the waiting room, idly watching the television that sat in the corner until finally a doctor made an appearance.
“Miss Celest?”
Ari instantly shot to her feet, the twins beside her. She faced the middle-aged woman in scrubs who smiled at her.
“I’m Dr. Madison, I was the one who performed Mr. Skye’s surgery. He did very well—no complications with the appendectomy. He’s currently in recovery but we’ll be moving him to his own room sometime later this morning.”
Ari let out a breath of relief. “Can I see him?”
Dr. Madison nodded. “You can come sit with him while he’s coming out of anesthesia. Dr. Zayne told me that would likely be best considering his Evol could be unstable from the medication.”
Ari once again silently thanked Zayne and turned to the twins. “You two should go home and get some sleep. I’ll make sure he’s okay.”
They squirmed a little, hesitant.
“Is it okay if we just see him?”
“Then we’ll go.”
Ariadne’s heart softened and she looked at Dr. Madison.
“Only for a minute. More than one person in the recovery room isn’t allowed, but it will be okay if you just peek in.”
They thanked her and the group hurried toward the recovery area. Dr. Madison pulled back the curtain of Sylus’s space and Ari stepped inside.
He was hooked up to multiple machines and IV drips, the steady beeping telling her that his heartrate was normal. An oxygen canula was in his nose and his chest rose and fell with heavy breaths.
Her stomach flipped a little at seeing him so completely vulnerable and she instantly crossed to the bed, touching his hair.
Luke and Kieran seemed relieved to see Sylus alive, and agreed to head back to the base to sleep. Ari promised to call them when Sylus was in his own room.
She barely heard Dr. Madison tell her she would get her a chair, already reaching for Sylus’s closest hand where it sat on top of the blanket. She smiled as the kitten she’d drawn smirked up at her as if to say ‘I promised he would be fine.’
Dr. Madison brought the chair and Ari sat in it gratefully.
“Thank you. When will he wake up?”
“The anesthesia will wear off within an hour or so. The nurses will be checking in every thirty minutes, but if you need anything, just hit that call button over here.”
Ari nodded in thanks and turned her attention back to Sylus as the surgeon left.
She held his hand, listening to his breathing and the beep of his heartbeat as the minutes stretched on.
Eventually, his breathing seemed to become more shallow and uneven, his brows pinched together and his jaw tightened. She took his hand more firmly and stroked his hair out of his face.
“Sylus?” she called softly as she saw his eyes flutter.
He let out a soft grunt, eyelids flickering open as he stared up at her blearily. “Hm?”
She smiled. “There you are. I promised I would be here when you woke up.”
He looked slightly confused, glancing around at the equipment, brows knitting together. “Hospital…”
“You had your appendix out, remember? You now have one less body part to worry about.”
He grunted, eyes fluttering. He shifted in the bed with a wince. “Mph…ow…”
“Don’t move around,” she chided. “You just barely woke up.”
She got up briefly to press the call button, before trying to calm Sylus down a little.
A nurse came in quickly, smiling as she saw Sylus awake.
“Right on time.”
She checked Sylus’s vitals and wrote something on a chart.
“He seems to be in a bit of pain,” Ari said.
“He’s ready for a dose of morphine.” The nurse prepped the syringe and inserted it into the IV line.
Sylus seemed to relax a little as it entered his system and Ari thanked her as she left.
She stroked Sylus’s forehead, feeling a little residual fever. He nuzzled into her touch with a sigh, eyes closed.
“Stay,” he murmured.
“I’m not going anywhere,” she promised, leaning in to kiss his cheek.
His fingers twitched and she reached for his hand, clasping it in hers, watching as he was unable to keep from falling back into a deep sleep.
Ari had to admit that she was slightly relieved he was taking it so well, but he also still had the heavy drugs and the residual anesthesia in his system. She was bracing for him being more of a problem later once it wore off.
She didn’t realize she had fallen asleep with her head on Sylus’s bedside until she woke up to the morning nurse coming in to check on him.
“Good morning,” the nurse said kindly, inputting Sylus’s vitals on her tablet.
Ari yawned, glancing toward his still sleeping face. “How is he?”
“Everything looks normal,” the nurse said. “We’re going to start him on a regimen of antibiotics today to clear up any residuals from the infection but by tonight we should be able to move him into his own room.”
Ari nodded gratefully, rubbing at her tired eyes as the nurse left. She texted the twins to update them.
Before she could get up, there was a soft knock on the wall beside the curtain and Zayne stepped through with a smile.
“Good morning. How is he?”
“Nurse said he was doing well,” Ariadne replied, gratefully accepting the coffee and the bag with a pastry in it that Zayne handed her. “I’m kind of glad he’s still asleep.”
Zayne smiled in amusement. “I’m sure he’ll find plenty of time to cause trouble later. But right now, it’s good he’s resting. His body is healing.” He briefly checked the reads on the machines Sylus was hooked up to and gave a satisfied nod.
“Thanks for breakfast,” Ari replied, taking a long drink of the coffee.
“Of course. And if you need a place to lie down and rest later, you can always come to my office. But I’m sure you would rather stay with him.”
Ari nodded, smiling gratefully.
Zayne promised to bring her lunch before he left to see to his duties.
Ari waited, texting the twins to let them know that Sylus was still doing okay then reading some magazines until the nurse returned on her rounds.
Sylus woke briefly, still groggy, and they informed him he was cleared to be moved to his own room.
Ari let them get him settled, grabbing a drink from the vending machine, then headed over to his room.
Sylus looked slightly less pale, but his eyes were squinted from the late afternoon sun coming in through the wide-open window, a furrow of discomfort on his brow.
Ari quickly crossed the room to draw the shades, returning to his bedside to smooth her thumb across his forehead.
“Better?”
“Mm, thanks, sweetie.”
“The room is nice,” she commented, looking around. It even had a small couch in one corner. “Zayne said he expects a large donation to the hospital for helping to get you a VIP spot.”
Sylus let out a breathy chuckle. “I’m expected to give them even more money for taking something out of my body?”
Ariadne smiled softly, stroking his hair. “It would be a nice gesture. After all, they didn’t steal any of your good organs.”
Sylus scoffed, but his eyes slitted like a pleased cat’s as Ari’s fingers scraped across his scalp.
“Can I get you anything?”
He reached out to tug her even closer. “Just you. You’re exhausted, kitten.”
“I did sleep a little.”
He gave her a look, and wrapped an insistent arm around her waist. “Come here. You can’t expect me to sleep well in this place without my little tigress to protect me.”
Ari huffed, but slid her shoes off and curled up next to him on the bed, careful not to get tangled in the IV line. She would risk a scolding from the doctors for this. Sylus’s arm folded around her, hugging her close to his side as he fell into an exhausted sleep once more.
He rested all night, sleeping off the residual fever. The antibiotics seemed to be working though, and he already looked better by the next morning, sitting up to eat breakfast.
“You’re getting me out of here tomorrow,” he told Ari in no uncertain terms.
“We’ll see what the doctors say,” she replied.
“Sweetie…”
She smiled and poked his cheek. “Aren’t you glad to have a few days off?”
“I would rather spend them at the base with you where I can actually sleep and heal. I’m not going to get any rest with doctors coming in to poke at me every hour.”
She gave him a sympathetic look. “Just hold on a little longer. Dr. Madison said she would check your wound this morning and if she thinks you’re good to go, then I’ll take you home.”
Sylus scoffed, giving her a baleful look. Ari glared back pointedly.
“You know you scared the hell out of me, right?”
His eyes flickered down as he sighed.
“I’m sorry I scared you, sweetie.”
Ari paused a moment. She hadn’t intended to bring this up until Sylus was more recovered, but she couldn’t wait any longer to vent her grievances. “Why didn’t you tell me how bad it was?”
Sylus looked away, jaw tightening. “I guess…I was in denial myself. I’m not used to showing weakness, vulnerability. You’re the only one I’d ever admit any of that to, but it’s still difficult sometimes.”
“You know I won’t think less of you for showing weakness,” Ari told him gently. “You’ll always be Sylus to me.”
He gave her a fond look. “It’s not even so much pride as it is…proving it to myself. Sometimes it’s easier to lose a fight to someone else, than it is to yourself.”
She took his hand with a sigh, threading their fingers together. “Promise me next time you’ll let me know before it gets this bad?”
He took a deep breath and reached up to cup her face, smoothing his thumb across her cheek. “For you only, Ari, I suppose I have no choice but to promise.”
She smiled and turned her head slightly to kiss his hand before the door opened and Dr. Madison came in.
“Good morning, Mr. Skye—Miss Celest. How are you feeling?”
Sylus sighed. “Better. Ready to leave.”
Dr. Madison gave him a longsuffering smile. “We’ll see once I’ve finished my examination.”
Ari stepped back as Dr. Madison carefully checked Sylus’s vitals herself then peeled back the bandages to check his incision.
“This seems to be healing cleanly, and the fever is gone—both good signs.”
“So can I leave?” Sylus asked bluntly.
The doctor changed the dressings. “If you are still on an upward trajectory by tomorrow morning then you may leave to continue bed rest at home.”
Sylus huffed in annoyance but Ari thanked Dr. Madison and soothed the restless patient.
“There’s no use in stressing over it, Sy. Just rest.”
Despite his annoyance Sylus’s body seemed to have other plans and he fell asleep again shortly after. Ari entertained him that day with old movies and took several naps with him between the rounds.
By the next morning, he was still doing well and Dr. Madison gave him the okay to leave.
“You must rest in bed for at least the next three days though, Mr. Skye,” she instructed firmly. “Your Evol will still be unstable due to the post-surgery medications so it will likely be a few days before you can heal yourself again. I would also like to recommend a check-up appointment one week from now so I can check on your healing progress.”
Sylus nearly rolled his eyes, but Ariadne stepped in. “I’ll make sure he takes care of himself, and he’ll be here next week.”
She listened as Dr. Madison gave her the care instructions for the incision and dressings then finally they signed the discharge papers.
Ari called Luke and Kieran to come pick them up and while they were waiting, she helped Sylus into his clothes. Even the act of dressing seemed to exhaust him and he was less volatile about being given a wheelchair to leave the hospital than Ari had expected.
He slumped tiredly into the back of the car, only grunting in greeting to the Twin’s relived hellos.
Ariadne took him directly to the bedroom once they got back, Mephisto circling happily to see his master returned as Ari let Sylus lean heavily on her shoulder.
“I’ll get you something comfy, then you can get into bed,” she promised.
He grunted, leaning against the wall as she went to find him some pajamas. “I stink of the hospital. I want a shower.”
She turned from his dresser. “You can’t take a shower with the incision, but…I can help you wash instead.”
Sylus’s eyes flicked and his expression softened. “Alright, sweetie, that sounds like a fair compromise.”
A few minutes later she had sat him down in his large shower, turning on the steam feature. Sylus practically melted as she took her time with a soft cloth to wash the grime of fever and hospital off of his body, careful around the incision. She finished by washing his hair, massaging his scalp with her nails, leaving Sylus slack and groaning in contentment.
She gently patted him dry when she was done, changed the dressing and blow-dried his hair until it was soft and fluffy.
He was nodding off by then and Ari quickly helped him change into sweat pants and a loose button-up sweater. He was completely compliant by that point, allowing her to lead him to bed and tuck him in before climbing in beside him.
Sylus sighed in contentment, pulling her close.
“This is much nicer with my little kitten nurse looking after me,” he said, burying his nose in the top of Ari’s head. “I don’t mind being laid up if this is the treatment I have to look forward to.”
She smiled, tucking her face into the crook of his neck. “I might be happy to spoil you once in a while, but don’t make a habit of this, though, okay?”
He chuckled. “Hm, well, I’m guaranteed not to get appendicitis again, at least.”
“No major injuries either.”
He huffed. “I’ll do my best, sweetie. But you’ve always been more than enough to make me want to overcome anything.”
She smiled against his skin and pressed her lips to his shoulder. “As long as you always come back to me, that’s all I ask. Love you, Sy.”
“Love you too, sweetie.”
~~~~~~~
Tag List @hilliserose @itsmeaudrieee @regalillegal @carpet-worm @nevers109 @jeepangel @lumi-s-garlic @monarchthefirst
Part 2 is done! HOORAY! Again, thank you to @sailsflyseaward for the fic request, this idea was killer!
Prompt fill for @whumperless-whump-event day 10: "You scared me so badly..."
Also a prompt fill for the @badthingshappenbingo square: Near-Death Experience
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Poison can be slow. Silent. Tired muscles after an extended mission are normal. A numb pinky is nothing to freak out over. They aren’t indicators that something is going horribly wrong inside your body.
Zayne was suspicious, but you shut him down. After all, all you need is rest.
Ahhhh tyty I'm so honored :> (and I am ABSOLUTELY patiently waiting on the next chapter for our poor poor fishie)
I was thinking of near-death experience for romantic!ZayneMC where MC is the one who goes through it. You've written physical trauma very well (which is maybe a very weird thing to say but it's the highest compliment!!), but my mind was going down the path of poisoning? Like a delayed response to repeated Myst encounters or EVER trying to get rid of the incredibly dogged thorn in their side once and for all. A situation where the symptoms/red flags might start creeping in slowly and then things go south all at once. Maybe MC is taking time off *voluntarily*—which she is very bad at doing!—and then at some point Zayne finds her at one of their apartments or in their home.
I am a sucker for Zayne openly desperate and scared and needing to cede control to someone else 🥹 I'll be thrilled with whatever way you decide to go about it!
IT'S (partially) DONE!!! I hope you love it <3 Like I said in the author's notes, I'll do the actual BTHB prompt fill in the second chapter.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Poison can be slow. Silent. Tired muscles after an extended mission are normal. A numb pinky is nothing to freak out over. They aren’t indicators that something is going horribly wrong inside your body.
Zayne was suspicious, but you shut him down. After all, all you need is rest.
Prompt fill for @whumperless-whump-event day 5: Poisoned
Cancelling plans with Caleb is always a gamble. Give him a vague excuse, and he’s almost guaranteed to show up anyways to check on you. In the middle of an hours-long battle with food poisoning, you forgot that telling him you’re “just tired” was never going to be enough.
Prompt fill for @whumperless-whump-event day 4: “Can you drink some water for me?”
Welcome to the 2026 Whumperless Whump Event, where we celebrate all kinds of situational, accidental and environmental whump! If this is your first time, welcome in--if you've been here before, thanks for coming back!
FAQ and text version under the cut!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: Where can I find the prompts list?
A: @whumperless-whump-event on Tumblr.
Q: How are the prompts divided?
A: Each day has a "title" or a vague theme, followed by two tropes and one dialogue prompt.
Q: Can I use the title as a prompt?
A: Absolutely.
Q: Do I have to use all of the prompts?
A: Not at all.
Q: Can I use all the prompts?
A: Absolutely.
Q: If I'm writing a chronological story, can I swap days to fit the timeline?
A: Yes, just make sure you tag your days and prompts appropriately. If you're writing for day 6, but you post it on day 12, tag day 6, not day 12.
Q: Can I have early or late entries?
A: Yes. This is a very laid back event, and meant mainly to inspire lots of whumperless whump. It's not a strict writing challenge.
Q: Is there an Ao3 collection?
A: Yes! This year's collection is linked here. The parent collection also includes 2024 and 2025--make sure you select 2026.
Q: Can I write [insert anything here]?
A: Yes. However, this blog will not reblog certain topics (ex. nsfw or suicide), so please tag your works appropriately, so anyone can filter out anything they don't want to see.
Q: Can I use AI?
A: No.
Q: Can a whumper be included in the prompt fill?
A: The short answer is no. The long answer is that you cannot have the role of whumper in your prompt fill (aka: no whumper-on-whumpee); however, if the character you want to be a whumpee or a caretaker happens to be a whumper, then as long as they are not fulfilling the role of whumper, it's fine. Also, if there is a whumper, it must be totally impersonal and faceless. Here are some examples for clarification:
A character's drink is spiked at a party.
OKAY: The whumper who spiked the drink is never mentioned and is completely faceless, and the story is directly about whumpee recovering.
NOT WHUMPERLESS: The whumper who spiked the drink kidnaps the whumpee.
A character is left alone in a storm.
OKAY: The character is stranded or lost.
NOT WHUMPERLESS: Whumper tied them to a post and left them in the storm.
A character is mugged on the street.
OKAY: The whumper is a stranger, faceless, and the focus is on Whumpee.
NOT WHUMPERLESS: The whumper is a stalker and there to kidnap Whumpee.
All in all, if your goal is to fulfill the event, then try to avoid a whumper. If you're using the prompts elsewhere, then ignore this, but in the spirit of the event, no whumper roles please.
Q: How do I tag my posts?
A: Tag with #whumperless whump event, #wwevent 2026 and #wwevent day [x](Don't just tag wwe, that's wresting.) Make sure to tag the fill type (art, fic, music, etc) with #fic, #art, #et cetera. Then, tag triggers and content warnings. Please put these first in the tag order! It just makes it easier to reblog.
Q: How do I get reblogged?
A: Mention this blog in your post! It's the easiest way for me to find you. Otherwise, I won't reblog it. (This also means if you do not want your post reblogged to the event, just don't mention the blog, and it'll stay private.)
Q: I disagree with something/have an issue with a prompt/want to address a problem. How should I do it?
A: Send me an ask and we can fix it. I am more than willing to work through any problems--I am human, and not without fault.
I think that's about it. That's a lot, so if you've got any other questions that aren't on the list, feel free to shoot me an ask. I'm happy to help!
Plain Text:
Like a Baby Seal to Water: Fishtailing / Near drowning / "I thought I was going to die."
Somebody's Gotta Do It: Unexpected caretaker / Touch starvation / "You don't have to hide from me."
A Lull in the Chaos: Bedside vigil / Checking vitals / "Can you… sing? Until I fall asleep?"
How Are You So Oblivious: Unknowingly feverish / Falling asleep at work / "Can you drink some water for me?"
Wilderness Experts: Poisoned / Caught in a trap / "I don't know where we are."
Down The Wrong Pipe: Choking / Seizures / "Call an ambulance, tell 'em they're not breathing."
Wrong Place, Wrong Time: Panic attack / Overstimulated / "Get me out of here."
Are You Sure This Is Normal: Natural disasters / Scared of thunder / "We're safe in here, okay? I think."
Dropping Like Flies: Multiple whumpees / Caretaking while sick or injured / "I'll get some rest soon, I promise."
A Warm Welcome: Coming home from the hospital / Cuddle piles / "You scared me so badly…"
Bodily Betrayal: Stomach sick / Carried to bed / "…Yeah. I can call in sick for you."
You Make Me Lose My Breath: Wheezing / Altitude sickness / "You're not making sense."
Waking In A Cold Sweat: Midnight hospital visit / Allergic reaction / "I thought you were getting better."
The Final Straw: Grief / Mental breakdown / "You don't need to be okay right now."
I've taken two weeks off of writing for packing/moving/unpacking and YEESH it's so hard to get back into the groove! I return to work tomorrow, so I'm hoping that'll help me get back into routine. Also I feel so bad because I feel like I've been saying I'm gonna take fic requests "soon" for MONTHS! So let me be transparent---this is my current plan regarding writing:
Work on the Rafayel fic until the Whumperless Whump Event prompts come out -> work on said prompts until the end of the event (July) -> finish the Rafayel fic -> work through the fic requests I've had sitting for forever (💀) -> HOPEFULLY TAKE SOME MORE FIC REQUESTS before Whumptober prompts come out (which will be in September I guess?)
And please... let's not acknowledge the fact that sicktember prompts are being released tomorrow........ help.....
Hi there! I stumbled on your LaDS fics on AO3 and you're a *wonderful* writer! Your characterizations are BEAUTIFUL—probably some of the best I've read :> I know you have a fic queue going, but if you're ever ready to take more whump requests I would love to submit one for the Zayne girlies~
Omg that is so sweet thank you 🥺💕 ykw go ahead and send it and I’ll stick it in my queue! Once I finish this Raf fic (which will probably happen in like… idk two months 😭) I’m gonna get back to filling the requests that have slipped through and THEN officially open them back up. But go ahead and I’ll stick it in, it’ll just be a hot minute until I get to it!
Remembered to post about another multi-chapter fic before it's almost over this time 🤩
This one spawned from Rafayel repeatedly alluding to being captured (like in Your Fragrance) and me needing more on that. Basically what happens when EVER decides to recapture Rafayel, specifically focusing on the messy aftermath/recovery.
It's currently around 11k words and 3 chapters in (out of maybe 10?).
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Summary: Rafayel is missing. His house is a disaster, signs of a struggle everywhere. The only direction you’re pointed towards is his disappearance having something to do with EVER.
After over a week of dead ends and sleepless nights, you finally find out where they’re keeping him and break inside to bring him home. You get him out alive, but the barely conscious man you carry out is a shell of the one who was taken.
Prompt fill for @badthingshappenbingo: “Losing Their Temper”
Thank you @phoenixacrosstime for picking Zayne for this prompt! (Also tagging @space-grl02 since I saw you also wanted this prompt for Zayne)
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
After having a close call in a no-hunt zone that luckily left you with only one manageable wound, you promised Zayne you’d rest at home. When you show back up in Akso’s ER with new injuries one day later, he’s less than happy to see you again.
stormborns
tangentwithtanner
blakekathryn
yousharknotpass
discoholicmusic
