This was my first year doing Whumptober and I managed to write something for every day! The full collection is available on AO3. If you are looking for a particular fic, they’re listed out below by fandom with content warnings as needed. In total I shared 75,908 words worth of writing across 31 different fics!
9-1-1
Day 1: give me a lifeline | depression, suicidal thoughts, discussion of self-harm
Day 5: because i know you | PTSD, guns, nightmares
Day 6: cocoon | drugging, kidnapping, restraints
Day 8: Wanted to Save Someone | guns, restraints, violence, bank robbery
Day 9: love me the way i am | body modification, religious undertones, self-hatred
Day 13: Deeper Than Skin | PTSD, panic attacks, lightning strike
Day 16: my hands are not my own | breaking and entering, choking, murder, dissociation
Day 17: just give me a moment | grief
Day 18: Out of Reach | canon-typical violence
Day 19: I’m Sick and Tired of Living in LA | depression, self-isolation
Day 20: grand canyon | migraines
Day 22: animal | kidnapping, restraints, muzzles, guns, some mental instability, hospital
Day 23: someone has to get chris | blood, discussions of death
Day 26: Save Yourself (Fall Out of Love) | home invasion, blood, injury, knives
Day 30: How Did We Get Here?
Day 31: my blood is yours | blood, vampires
Daredevil
Day 2: The Usual Distraction | violence, blood, guns, grief, religious themes
9-1-1 + Superman
Day 3: Super Secrets
Day 21: Seeing Red | mind-altering substances
Call of Duty
Day 4: angels don’t sleep | body modification, heavy religious themes
Day 10: learn your lesson | blood, guns, violence, stitches, needles
Day 14: you, me? monsters | werewolves, body horror, depressing thoughts, blood, murder
Day 28: because you were pretty | magical compulsion
The Flash
Day 7: You Can Make a Second Last an Hour | blood, murder
Teen Wolf
Day 11: Everyone Needs an Anchor | PTSD, issues with reality, hallucinations
KPop Demon Hunters
Day 12: Rotten | demons, unrequited love
Jason Todd
Day 15: refusal | blood, violence, threats of torture
Day 24: if i were an angel | wingfic
Hannibal
Day 25: how would you have me? | depression, trauma
Supergirl
Day 27: Open Your Eyes | paralysis, coma
Batman + Superman
Day 29: Like a Neon Light | drowning, attempted murder
“And if you’ll give me 40% of the MOST POPULAR VOTE, I’ll give you my SPECIAL REWARD... A year’s supply of NON-GLOOBY SLIME!!! Never or BARELY used!!!” Tenna concluded his speech with a huge smile, jetting his hands up in double peace signs.
The crowd roared in confused enthusiasm as Tenna gave a gracious flurry of low-FPS bows, pausing only for the occasional stink-nose at his audience plants who weren’t throwing enough 3D roses.
Eventually, the room fell silent. It was Senshi’s turn to speak.
He puffed out his chest, took a long, sweeping look over the audience… and shook his head.
“I can see not all of you are eating properly.”
The crowd murmured with embarrassment.
“I don’t know who needs to hear this, but it’s time to take the turkey out of your icebox. I have seen the ingenious technology with which your people store food... and I have also seen the waste which results from such convenience.
“The food you take had a life. Beasts grew fat on the grass of the field, plants grew from the sun’s rays, and mushrooms grew from minerals in the cracks of caves. And yet, it sits in your iceboxes, collecting moisture until it perishes.
“Eat what is given to you. Because its life will make you stronger, too.”
Without another word, Senshi left his podium and stepped away from the stage. The crowd murmured in confusion. “Is he really like that?” somebody said. “I only remember reblogging the photosets of him tripping and showing ass.”
--
Back in the Green Room, Tenna wrung his antennas nervously.
“Y-y-you think they liked me!? They HAD to!! I mean, I don’t know what Asgore was thinking, getting that weird haircut and running that food waste campaign, but… YOU thought I did good, didn’t you, Kris?”
Laios nodded aggressively, a streak of blue face paint peeling from his forehead.
“You did AMAZING, Tenna! By the way, now that we’ve seen all your insider campaign secrets, do you have any more videos of Susie? Especially her tail... If I could get a look at that, I could finally tell if she’s a dinosaur or --”
THWACK. Fake antlers butted Laios’s head.
“LAIOS?? Weren’t we dressed up to help SENSHI???” Marcille hissed, gesturing awkwardly with her hooves.
Suddenly, Tenna turned to the two adventurers.
“Hey, WAIT a second. SOMETHING’s not right here...”
Laios and Marcille held their breath.
“Where the heck are my POINTS!?”
Just then, the door opened. Chilchuck took one step into the room, whistling and holding a large bag.
Everyone turned to him.
Chilchuck paused, took a step backwards, and closed the door.
“CHILCHUCK!!!” yelled Tenna.
“How come Chilchuck got to stay Chilchuck!?” yelled Marcille at the same time.
--
Meanwhile, in outer space somewhere, some guy was making out with a rock.
CW: self injury (in a ritual context), blood, body horror
@whumpgiftswap
Characters used: Varalda, unnamed friend character, unnamed shopkeep character
i hope you like it!!! i did my best interpretation of the character description, so hopefully it's ok lol 😭 your character seems very cool and she was fun to write btw :)) anyways it's under the cut :D
· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·
"..by the gods.. and will this be all, Miss?”
Varalda pretends not to notice the muttered comment preceding the question the shopkeeper asks her, as she digs around in her bag for her bag of coins. It’ll take everything she’s scraped together for the past two years, but hopefully, it’ll be worth it. “Yes, it will. Thank you.”
With that, she gathers up her large bundle and heads out the door.
As she turns in the direction of her house, a few mile walk, she runs through the plan in her head.
In her bundle, she has an assortment of ingredients, (some poison, hopefully she remembered gloves last week..) some gems, tools, and then back home she has the final piece, a very special piece of enchanted rock that she’d purchased a couple months back for.. way too much. We’ll just say that.
And when she gets home, she’s going to set everything up, and then wait very (im)patiently for the moon to rise.
Tonight is the night she brings back a dragon.
· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·
Back home—a circle of gray stones (all carefully selected from various creeks and rivers) in a circle. Her ingredients next to her. The mortar and pestle. Her collection of gems surrounding the mortar. And the ceremonial blade in front of it.
It’s dark, the only light coming from the candlelight glow all around her. It’s finally time to begin.
Without wasting any time, Varalda starts the careful (but slightly rushed) measuring of ingredients into her mortar. She focuses on the scrape of pestle against mortar as she starts to grind. Then, it’s time for the final step.
With shaking hands, she lifts her blade, in her left hand. Wait, no, goddamnit, right hand. The sacrifice has to come from her left.
Then she pauses. Anxiety builds in her chest, along with hope—that desperate, scared kind of hope, the kind that doesn’t know if it’s going to be crushed yet.
Is she really ready to do this?
Could it actually work?
..is she ready for it to work?
She shakes her head hard. She can’t hesitate any longer, can’t give herself any more time to overthink this.
She presses the blade to her palm. Then digs a slow, careful slit down, from her middle finger to her wrist.
Fuck, that hurts, but she completes it. Blood wells up in her palm, thick and red, and she winces a bit as she carefully tilts it over the bowl and lets her blood pour over the crushed ingredients.
Nothing happens.
Disappointment rises in her chest.
No. No, this has to work. It has to. Because if it doesn’t—well, if it doesn’t, she’s out of options.
But she only stews in her rising feelings of panic for a couple seconds longer, thankfully, before, so faintly she might’ve missed it, a red glow starts to emanate from the pool of her blood.
Her eyes widen. Her body goes cold, then hot.
She chalks it up to excitement at first. She’s done it! She’s going to be the one who brings back dragons!
But that excitement is short-lived, because the hot feeling spreading through her body is suddenly overwhelming.
She jerks back as she hears a sizzle, then looks down in panic to see a blister forming across her hand, in the path of the blood dripping from her still wet cut.
Oh fuck. Oh fuck. Oh god what’d she do?!
She scrambles to her feet—to do what, she’s not sure, maybe run? Maybe get help—but before she can move she suddenly finds herself collapsing to her knees, hunching over and hugging herself, a choking cry escaping her lips as burning pains radiates through her entire body.
She’s dying. She must be dying.
She forces her eyes open as she falls onto her side, trying desperately to see through a sudden blur, a sudden red tint. Her veins are starting to glow, a faint orangeish red that looks as hot as it feels. Then she watches in horror as her own blood starts to bubble through her skin.
She’s suddenly screaming without really choosing to make the sound. It rings in her ears, making her head ache, which is just really not a fun feeling when added to the searing AGONY radiating through her entire body. There’s something dripping out of her eyes, then her nose, and her ears.. it might be blood?..it’s definitely hot enough.
Her skin starts to bubble and melt away. She’s literally boiling from the inside out.
GOD, this hurts. It HURTS. IT HURTS, HOW DOES SHE MAKE IT STOP?!
Her vision blurs even more, making it so she can’t really tell if it’s her imagination or not as something dark, blueish, starts to form underneath her melting skin. Her screams—she’s still screaming, although the noise fades into the background—almost sound like they’re starting to lower in pitch, take on more of a snarling quality.
When she opens her eyes next, the trees look a lot smaller.
Then she blacks out.
· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·
A sharp pain cuts through her head. A shout.
“Varalda? Varalda, where are you?!”
She calls back—but then a chill runs through her as her voice comes out in an incomprehensible, animalistic roar.
And she comes face to face—her vision suddenly very sharp and crisp—with her best friend. Who are a lot smaller than she remembers them.
Their face is pale, their eyes wide. They start to back up.
Then their gaze drops to the ruined ritual circle.. the blood.. the scraps of ruined clothes on the ground that Varalda suddenly registers.
“..Varalda..?” Their friend says. Softly. Gently. Too gently. “..that’s.. that’s you?”
She manages a tiny nod. Her head feels a lot clumsier, more hefty than it should.
Her for some reason very tiny friend carefully approaches, and very tentatively lays a hand on her.
“..Varalda, what happened?” They murmur.
She tries to answer, but again, only a growl escapes.
They rub her shoulder. “Shh.. it’s alright.” Their touch is more soothing than it’s ever been. “We’ll fix this.. I-I’m sure we can fix this. I’ll get a healer. M-maybe we’ll travel, to those healers in the East. They’re better versed in magic.
What HAPPENED?! Varalda screams in her head.
But the answer is no further than her own twisted body as she looks down.
And instead of seeing her familiar, pale flesh, her humanoid hands, she sees dark blue scales. Claws.
She’s a dragon.
The spell backfired so terribly.
Or maybe it didn’t backfire. Maybe it worked exactly as it was supposed to, and she shouldn’t have torn ‘dragon spell’ out of an old tome and attempted the spell all by herself, without even consulting anyone.
Whumpee clutches their side, feeling hot blood seep through their shirt. The wound is much deeper than they thought it was. Or maybe that was just wishful thinking. In their haste to escape, Whumpee accidentally triggered one of the traps set by Whumper around the cabin; a crossbow hidden in the brush of the forest. The bolt fired, tearing mercilessly through Whumpee’s flesh. They didn’t have time to think. Still don’t. If they dare to stop, Whumper will catch them. So Whumpee keeps running as fast as they can. The movement jostles their body, aggravating the wound further. Whumpee grits their teeth and ignores the pain coursing through their veins, the dark spots clouding their vision. This is their only chance to get away.
It’s hard to tell what direction they’re going in the evening light, which is fading faster by the minute, but Whumpee can’t see the light of the cabin anymore, so they’re counting it as a win. The only thing they can hear is the sound of their own breathing and their footsteps as they travel across the forest floor. It’s a fight for survival, and Whumpee knows they have to sacrifice stealth for speed.
Whumpee squints through the branches blocking their vision, spying light. Terror strikes their heart for a moment. It’s quickly quelled when they get closer, realizing that it’s not the light from the cabin. Whumpee is seeing streetlights. They’ve reached civilization at last. All they have to do is find someone who can help. Fresh blood gushes over Whumpee’s fingers, coating them in thick red liquid and bringing forth a new wave of pain. They stumble forward even faster, spurred on by the sight of buildings.
The street is devoid of people, though cars are parked on the sides of the road. Whumpee slows their pace, peering into the buildings one by one. The lights are on inside, but every door they try is locked. It doesn’t matter how hard Whumpee rattles the handles; no one answers. Their heart speeds up again as panic threatens to overtake their senses. With the sun gone from the sky, the cold of the night is quickly dipping toward the extreme.
Thankfully, the last door they try is unlocked. Whumpee didn’t check the sign before entering and is unexpectedly bombarded by the strong smell of coffee. Soft pop music plays over the speakers. The tables and stools are all empty. Not a person or cup of coffee in sight. Whumpee breathes out a sigh of relief when they notice a barista standing behind the counter. She hasn’t noticed them yet, instead engrossed in her phone, arms crossed over her uniform.
“E-excuse me? Can you h-help me?” Whumpee stutters out, stumbling forward. This brief moment of respite has made them realize how exhausted they feel. Their body betrays them. Their limbs feel like lead as they fall forward, torso hitting the counter. It’s only by instinct that Whumpee braces themselves with their hands at the last second.
The barista, whose name Whumpee can’t quite read on her nametag, finally looks up. Her eyes widen as she takes in Whumpee’s state. Anyone would be startled by a half-dead person in a blood-soaked shirt showing up out of nowhere and shivering out of their bones. She tightens her grip on her phone.
“Please, just call the police,” Whumpee begs between heaving breaths. “There’s a crazy person who’s been hunting me. I barely managed to get away.”
She eyes him up and down. Then her gaze softens. “I’ll call. Why don’t you wait in the back office until they get here?”
“What, don’t want me chasing away any customers?” Whumpee jokes. To their surprise (or maybe not), the barista’s face looks ashen and her face turns stoic. She doesn’t reply as she rounds the counter and helps them to the back.
Whumpee groans as they sit down in the lone chair by the back. They rub their left arm with their free hand, feeling goosebumps rise on their skin. The whole office is a mess, with papers strewn everywhere. There’s a corkboard on the wall that looks very heavily used and is adorned with various papers. Whumpee faces a computer that’s turned on with surveillance footage from four cameras visible. The blood flow from their wound is slowing, though the chair they’re sitting in won’t make it out unscathed.
“Here, take this,” the barista offers, picking up one of the coats from the pile on the shelf in the corner. “One of our new hires left it behind and quit after two days. I doubt he’ll want it back.”
“Thanks,” Whumpee says, accepting it with a smile. They tug it on over one arm after much maneuvering. It hurts too much to try to move their left side, where they were hit by the bolt, so they quickly give up and lay the rest of the coat on top of their torso. It’s soft and warm; something Whumpee hasn’t felt in a while. They hear a sigh and look up. The barista is still standing in the doorway, half-turned toward them. Just watching. Whumpee tilts their head. More spots crowd their vision. “Are…you going to dial 9-1-1?”
“Oh. Yes,” the barista says.
She vanishes from the doorway and shuts the door behind her. There’s a brief moment of silence. Then Whumpee hears the snick of a lock. They shoot out of the chair almost instantly, rushing toward the door. The coat dangles off of their arm, nearly dragging on the ground. They put their hand on the knob and jiggle it. The door doesn’t move. Whumpee tries with one, two hands, covering the knob in their own blood as their fingers slip over and over again. Nothing changes.
“Let me out!” Whumpee pounds on the door. “What are you doing?”
They get no reply.
Whumpee thunks their forehead against the door and slowly slides toward the floor. It seems like all they’re good for lately is bad luck. Wrong place, wrong time, trusting the wrong person; someone really has it out for them.
It feels like an eternity listening to the fan humming in the background and the occasional wistful note from the music playing in the front of the café. Whumpee is so, so tired of running. Just a little break. Maybe if they close their eyes and sleep just for a second…
The lock on the door clicks and Whumpee jolts back, scrambling on their hands and knees. A shadow falls over them. Human. Whumpee looks up only to see a hunting vest, the shine of a familiar knife, and a wide grin. Their heart drops in their chest.
“No, no, no,” Whumpee murmurs without thinking. They continue to back away, running into the chair. It’s sent spinning across the floor behind them. The chair stops with a clatter as it runs into something Whumpee can’t see. They refuse to look away from Whumper (really, they couldn’t if they wanted to).
“Yes, actually,” Whumper replies with a smile. “I’m impressed. You got farther than I thought you would. If it weren’t for that young lady, who knows?”
“Why can’t you let me go?” Whumpee asks, sounding meeker than they hoped. It doesn’t help matters that they’re forced to look up to meet Whumper’s gaze.
Whumper shrugs, casually dragging the tip of the hunting knife across their fingers. “I like the chase. You make it fun.”
“Have your fun with someone else,” Whumpee spits out with vitriol. All they want is to go home, sit in their bed, and watch a movie with their partner. With any luck, this is all a bad dream.
Well, Whumpee knows how their luck is. They shift slightly, wincing as their wound presses into the floor. Whumper’s eyes dart down to Whumpee’s side. Whumpee moves the coat to cover their bloodstained shirt, scooting even further back, until their back presses against the wall.
Whumper steps forward, boots sounding like thunder with every step. They get as close as they can before crouching down. Whumpee can feel Whumper’s breath ghost across their face. Whumper’s grin doesn’t fade as they press the tip of their hunting knife to Whumpee’s Adam’s apple, using the flat side of the blade to force their chin up.
“I doubt there’d be as many who are as fun as you,” Whumper says. They tilt the blade, trailing it across Whumpee’s throat just sharp enough to draw blood. It beads up, lining the edge of the knife and dripping lightly down Whumpee’s throat. They tremble.
Sitting on the grimy floor of a coffee shop with only someone who wants to hurt them as company, pride is all Whumpee has left. If that. “I’ll do whatever you want. Just let me go. I have a family. People are looking for me.”
“You said that before,” Whumpee says. “That doesn’t matter to me. You know I’m not going to let you go; not when we’re just getting started.”
Rating: Explicit just in case for violence and crime (high mature)
Word Count: 4102 words
Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/84783256
Summary:
"Who I am is unimportant. You have a decision to make and only a limited time to make it, before it's too late for your fellow firefighter."
Buck spares a short glance at Eddie, the sallowness of his skin and shallow raspy breaths belaying what Buck already logically knows - Eddie needs medical attention, and quickly.
"Please, he's got a son," Buck pleads.
"They always do. That has no bearing on the decision that must be made. Only one of you will be making it out of here alive and that decision will be made by you."
Wrong place, wrong time - Buck and Eddie unintentionally fall into a saw trap of life and death. A choice needs to be made and sacrifice is the aim of the game.
This was a part of the Same Prompt Challenge for the 911Writer's Discord. I chose the Ultimate Level and so needed to include the trope and two quotes.
- Forced Proximity Trope
- 'Don’t - Don’t touch it, please it hurts.'
- 'Normal people don’t go around destroying other people.'
I've had some horrendous writer's block recently so this challenge broke through the inertia for me. It's probably a bit choppy but it did the job.
Don't forget to check out the other submissions in the collection.
Tags below the cut as usual - ask for addition or removals
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Relationships: Albert Han/Ravi Panikkar
Additional Tags: POV Ravi Panikkar, AU, superhero au, Minor Injuries, Canon-Typical Violence, Angst, Secret Identity, Secret Identity Fail
Summary
Ravi falls from the sky and crashes through not one, not two, not three, but four levels of his apartment building. Dust settles around him, coating the fabric of his suit in a thin layer of grey. He groans. Darkness surrounds him. Only the small sliver of tonight’s crescent moon peers at him through the opening; an unwelcome sight.
Or: Ravi unexpectedly crashes through a familiar roof and learns just how bad he is at keeping secrets.
I NEED Christopher to refer to Buck as his dad in some way at some point. I need someone to ask about his parents and for him to go “I have two dads” or SOMETHING even if Buddie isn’t canon at that point. Even dad-adjacent. I want him calling Maddie his “aunt” or even just Eddie slipping up and referring to Maddie as his aunt in some way and Chris not denying it. CRUMBS PLEASE. Maybe even like Chris being in public with Eddie and Buck and getting separated and he spots Buck and shouts “Dad!” Until Buck runs over. Or imagine Buck is watching him and Chris accidently calls Buck dad while asking for something and they brush it off as just an accident.
Also I love the whole thing where Buck gets referred as “his buck” instead of “his dad” for Chris. But I just need the father son thing put into clear actual words just once yk.
SOMETHING PLEASE I YEARN FOR MORE BUCK AND CHRIS FATHER-SON MOMENTS GRRRRR.
After the events of 9x5, Eddie visits the graves of people he’s lost. In a tragic turn, he’s only able to tell the important things in his life to Shannon, Bobby, and Abuela once they’re gone. His journey begins with the past, present, and future, where their ghosts help him on the journey of coming out.
Maddie never got to experience Jee-Yun at the age that Baby Nash is, so she gets as involved as she can now. Meanwhile, she and Chimney independently know that Buck is in love with Eddie, and that Eddie is in love with Buck, and must keep these facts from each other. A lot of fluff and some shenanigans ensue.
Caretaker pulled on Whumpees hand, trying to remind them to keep walking with them when they got distracted by a beam of light falling throught the leafy ceiling of the handful of trees lining the edge of the park. Always so keen on drinking in all the beauty of the world around them. Every since…What had happened to them…
Caretaker swallowed and shoved the thought away. It was too excuruciating to think about now.
"Keep up, Whumpee. We can't be late for this meeting."
"Where are we even going, Caretaker? You still haven't told me.", Whumpee retorted warily. "You know I don't like surprises."
"I know, Whumps, I know."
Whumpee wanted to speak up again and remind them that they also didn't like getting called by that stupid nickname. But they remembered just how much Caretaker has done for them these past months, they owed them. And so they shut their mouth again.
And in the next moment they were already getting pulled into a sketchy alleyway.
"Okay seriously, what the fuck Caretaker?"
Caretaker opened their mouth, mind racing to find another thing to stall Whumpee with again, as they got inerrupted by a cheery voice.
"Is that my Whumpee's sweet voice that I hear?"
Whumpee froze mid-step with their eyes blown open. The same fear clearly had also gripped Caretaker since their hand clamped down on their own now.
"Caretaker, we have to run. Right now."
"I'm sorry Whumpee…But we won't run."
Whumpee blanches as their darting eyes now settled on Caretaker. Caretaker who was not panicked. Who didn't even seem in any rush. Who held their hand steadily not to feel safe but to keep them here.
Caretaker who had set this up!
"You piece of shit." Hate festered in Whumpees words, the same way that it now festered in their heart. How stupid of them to trust someone again. They were so foolish.
"Oh don't be too hard on the poor dear. They really didn't have much of a choice.", Whumper said as they now parted from the shadows of a doorframe to their right.
But instead of approaching Whumpee they walked past them and to a car parked there to open the back door. Reaching inside muffled grunts could be heard as Whumper dragged a tied up and clearly roughed up person to their feet next to them.
"As promised, Caretaker, one Partner, nearly completely unharmed.", they presented smoothly.
It felt as if the air got punched out of Whumpees lungs once again.
Caretaker traded their live for Partners?! That dick that treated Caretaker like trash? That's whom they've doomed them for?!"
"Tick Tock, Caretaker.", Whumper reminded them.
"Right.", Caretaker murmured and grabbed Whumpees arm with the other hand as well now.
Unfortunately even after those couple months of rehabilitation Whumpee was stil significantly weaker than Caretaker and so they could just stratch and trash as they were dragged over to the object of their day-terrors.
They trashed and kicked and cursed under their breath all the way until a hand settled on their shoulder, fingers brushing the side of their neck.
That's when they calmed down, or rather, froze.
"So good, to have you back, Whumpee.", Whumper murmured into their ear before throwing Partner down on the wet cobblestones like he was nothing more than a bag of trash.
Finally Caretaker let go of Whumpee and quickly cowered down to untie Partner.
Whumper now snearked their arm around Whumpees shoulder and started pulling them towards the car door, nudging them to sit inside.
Over their shoulder they looked at Caretaker once more. "Pleasure doing buisness with you, Caretaker. And once again, thank you so much for not calling the police. That was a big help." They smiled broadly at Caretakers helpless expression before fully shoving Whumpee inside and cuffing their hands to the grab handle above.
Someone who didn't know Whumper would probably assume that they were in a cheerful mood. An easy smile on their lips, open eyes, and lazy movements. But Whumpee did know Whumper. And so they could tell that Whumper was furious.
And that that prophesied them blood.
Anger, fear, self-loathing and grief warred inside them, making it hard to pass jdugement on anything. And in fear of further upsetting Whumper Whumpee decided to say nothing at all during the entire ride and just stare outside through the tinted windows while the blood drained from their hands.
------
Whumpee only snapped back into reality when the car finally came to a stop in front of Whumpers house. That wretched house that they had hoped to never have to see again!
Their door was opened by Whumper and cold eyes silently reminded them not to struggle as the cuffs were opened and Whumpees wrists slid out only to drop like bags of sand.
"So docile now.", Whumper mused as they "helped" Whumpee out of the car and to the front door.
Whumpee heard the familiar sound of the door locking through the fog in their mind, felt the sinking feeling of knowing that they were now in this place and that it would be very hard to impossible to escape. Again.
And as if Whumper had read their thoughts the feel of a cold blade touched the skin underneath their shirt.
"You know where to go.", was all Whumper said.
And Whumpee did know. And next thing they knew they were back in their cell room.
"Kneel!", Whumper ordered quietly. Not withdrawing the knife, merely adjusting it to have to blade facing upwards.
Something, some piece, in Whumpee broke when their legs gave out and their knees hit the tiled floor.
The fabric of their shirt tearing on Whumpers blade in the process. Leaving only a thin bloody line in its wake.
"Good. Very good.", Whumper praised. "Now. Whumpee. Maybe you can repeat for me your rules, hm?"
Whumpee gulped. Their worst fear unravelling right in front of them. They'd been right. Of course Whumper wouldn't look past this punishment.
"Kneel-Kneel when ordered to do so. Uhm. Uhm. Well generally obey what you command. Don't presume privileges without being clearly allowed them. Don't lie to you." Whumpees voice grew quieter and quieter with every rule. "Don't try to loophole rules and don't. Don't try to escape." The last words were barely above a whisper.
"What was that last one, Whumpee?", Whumper asked, voice thin like a blade itself.
"Don't try to escape.", Whumpee conceded, hanging their head low.
With slow steps Whumper walked to face Whumpee, reaching out with the knife to tilt their returned plaything's chin up until their cold eyes met terrified ones.
"Clearly I didn't get that one to stick last time did I?"
A trick question. Don't answer, you'll only get punished for speaking out of turn.
"And since you broke that rule so blatantly, and stayed away for so long I think its only fair to assume that you broke every other rule in my absence as well."
Whumpee gasped. No. No they couldn't possibly. They wouldn't.
But in Whumpers cruel calm they had already read that they would. Of course they would.
"Whumper, please. I know what I did but please. Please let me make it up to you. Please don't.", they started begging quietly.
"Ssssh.", Whumper shushed them, knife tip now dancing over their captive's lips. "Its the fastest way for you to learn, dear. And the most fun one."
Whumpees horror clashed together over their head like waves in the ocean when Whumper kicked them in their now unclothes chest and straddled them on the floor, crushing their hands underneath their knees.
"Hold on to that for a second, will you.", Whumper said as they set the large knife down on Whumpees torso, instead grabbing something from their pockets. It looked like metal finger tip overlays with sharpened tips. Putting those on they grabbed the knife again with their right hand. Their left hand closing around Whumpees waist, metal "nails" digging into the sensitive skin there was Whumper started carving lines all over their torso.
The room started to reek or iron as more and more of the stone tiles stained red with Whumpees blood, and the air got drenched in their groans and screams.
The carvings Whumper gave them were seneless violence. Lines, zigzags, doubles or long diagonal lines. Special patterns weren't for punsihments after all. Those were only for the fun sessions. Not that Whumper wasn't enjoying this as well. An easy smile on their lips and estatic eyes.
Their fingers dug deep into the side of Whumpees waist every so often, tearing previously held-in screams from their plaything's lips. And colouring their metal fingertips in lines of red.
Just when Whumpee was about to mercifully mentally slip away Whumper removed the blade from their skin and laid it to the side. Whumpees head lolled to the side in relief, black encroaching on their vision.
Until a sharp pain jerked them up, filling their body with new adrenaline. Whumper had slapped them, hard, and the metal tips had cut into their cheek in the process.
"Don't pass out on me now.", Whumper warned as they took their knife and left the room.
Whumpee wined, they tried to move out of the small puddles of blood but it hurt too much so they just stayed where they were. The stench nearly making them sick and the pain buzzing in their entire being. This was all their life was going to be from now on. Again. Tears started squeezing out of the corner of Whumpees eyes slowly.
They hoped Caretaker was happy! But they doubted it...And they were in too much pain to be angry still.
It felt like an entirety before Whumper returned, a first aid kit in one hand and a bundle of thick ribbons in the other one.
They sat back on their hunkers in front of their Whumpee and started expertly sanatizing their work.
Once that was done and the spray had mixed with the blood on their skin and the tears had dribbled down Whumpees pained face Whumper took out their smartphone and snapped a detailed photo of the sight.
Then they continued to bandage up the wounds tightly, not letting the opportunity to press their fingers into some of the wounds, to hear those sweet sweet noises of Whumpees pain, slip away. Once they were fully looked after Whumper helped them sit up with gentle movements.
"Now Whumpee.", they spoke just as gently. All gentlessness about them now, it was a jarring contrast. "You know the deal. -They held up the ribbons- Either you choose freedom of movement and isolation or you choose the ribbons and...You get more of this." Whumper slowly stroked their warm hand over Whumpees un-injured cheek.
Whumpee whimpered, they were in so much pain and grief, and of course they knew that Whumper had just done all of this to them but this felt so good. So, so good. And they felt so, so bad.
Before they even consciously came to a decision something had already slipped past their lips. "Please."
"Whumper smirked but remained oh so gentle. "Please what, Whumpee. I need to know what you want so I can give it to you."
Whumpee whimpered again, but quietly this time. "Please. The, the ribbons." They coughed and the motion pulled on their fresh cuts.
How predictable. "Of course, Whumpee.", they responded, moving a few strands of their plaything's hair out of their face. They unitentionally closed their eyes against the motion of Whumpers fingers.
So desperate for comfort. Nearly more than when they were first with them. No doubt they didn't let Caretakers efforts ever really get to them.
With soft but steady hands Whumper started tying the ribbons around Whumpees ankles, knees, wrists elbows and throat, finishing the knots into little bows each time.
"There, all done.", they murmured into Whumpees hair-crown. Pressing a little kiss into their hair as they propped them against their front comfortable. Now using both hands to gently stroke over Whumpees non-bloodied up skin. Covering all of Whumpees known most touch-starved areas and alllowing them to cuddle their head againt their chest. Allowing them to try and hide in their soft sweater and the darkness. To lose themselves in the soft touch and comfort and ignore who was giving it to them.
"You did so well, Whumpee. You are perfect.",they praised quietly just before they noticed Whumpees breathing even out.
“Adam. Adaaam. Adam.” A voice breaks through the darkness in Adam’s mind, sing-songing his name. He’s been having the most delightful dream. Of course, it’s starting to fade now, thanks to this minor annoyance. “Wake up, Adam.”
The final sentence snaps Adam out of his stupor. His eyes fly open and he shakes himself awake. Immediately, he can tell that something is wrong. Every part of his body feels sluggish. Even his brain isn’t moving as fast as it should be. It’s as though the whole world decided to speed up in the time he was asleep.
Adam doesn’t recognize a single thing in the room he’s in. It looks rather cheery, with sunlight filtering in amongst the clutter. There’s a small bed shoved into the corner, fully made. Next to it is a wooden desk with various novels piled atop it, all with cracked spines and looking very loved. If he had to hazard a guess based on the titles, he’d say they were romance novels. Every space in the room is filled. Even the walls.
Most intriguing of all, aside from the fact that Adam doesn’t fit in this room, is that he is currently tied to a sturdy chair while a young woman brandishes a knife at him.
Her brown hair is a bit scraggly, and she looks like she hasn’t slept in days. She seems erratic, picking at the sleeve of her faded sweater with her free hand, all while mumbling to herself and keeping the knife trained on Adam.
The rope keeping Adam restrained is scratchy, rubbing on his arms and shirt when he tries to move. Adam’s done plenty of kidnapping before on his own time, but he’s certainly never been kidnapped himself. Definitely not by someone this disorganized. He wonders who could have caught him off-guard enough to take him like this. When his eyes lock on the woman’s, she almost lights up with glee. Adam blinks hazily in reply, trying to force his vision to cooperate.
“Adam! I was so worried I got the dose wrong. I’m so glad you’re not dead yet,” she gushes, pacing around. The knife catches a beam of sunlight. It glints in Adam’s direction.
With the only visible threat being the knife, Adam keeps his eyes on it and the woman as best he can.
“Wh—what d’you want?” Adam slurs out. He feels a bit more coherent than he did when he first woke up. It’s not enough for his body to work exactly the way he wants, though.
The woman pauses her pacing. Her arms fall to her sides. “You don’t remember me? Not even a little bit?”
Adam cocks his head. He takes a good, long look at her. She looks so earnest, as though it’s absolutely vital to her existence that he knows who she is.
“Why should I?” He replies.
Something in her face darkens almost instantly. Her grip on the knife becomes tighter, her knuckles turning white from the strain. Adam shifts around in the chair a little, testing the give of the ropes. There isn’t much.
“My name is Ruby. Remember me now?” She spits out, practically tearing off her sweater and leaving only a tank top on.
Adam lets his gaze flit over Ruby’s body, assessing every wound visible on her arms. They’re all healed, in various colors of pink and white skin. Each one is in a straight line. No hesitation, no shakiness from the one who inflicted the damage. For as good as they look compared to how they looked initially, Adam knows the psychological scars run much deeper. A smile makes its way across his face. “Ruby. I do remember you.”
Ruby looks a mixture of pleased and angry all at the same time. As soon as Adam says the words, she scrambles to hide the scars. It’s as though she only just remembered what she looks like.
“I never forgot about you. I think about you every night before I fall asleep. Every time I see the color red, it reminds me of your hair.” A small smile makes its way on Ruby’s face before quickly falling away. “But you left me, Adam. You broke me. You made me believe I was yours. And then you never came back. Not one look.”
She looks almost on the verge of tears as she pours her heart out. Poor girl.
“I barely knew you, Ruby. It was only a few days,” Adam says, keeping the annoyance in his tone as restrained as he can. It’s not his fault she couldn’t handle it. The pain, the torture, the hurt. To him, Ruby was a drop in the ocean. A job to get what he needed.
“‘Only a few days?’” Ruby practically screeches. With almost inhuman speed, she races forward, knife in hand.
Adam hisses in pain as the blade drags across his arm. It’s only a shallow cut, but he can’t help his instinctual reaction. He jerks against the rope, trying to loosen it. Unfortunately for him, it seems as though Ruby is a real threat, especially in his slightly-drugged state. She slices a few more times, up and down his left arm, small, painful cuts.
Finally, Ruby pulls the knife away, now red with blood. The color stains the ropes holding him in place. She cups the right side of Adam’s face with the palm of her hand. It’s almost like she feels…apologetic.
“Forgive me,” she whispers, closing her eyes and pressing her forehead to Adam’s. “You just made me a little mad, is all. Don’t say anything stupid, and everything will be okay.”
Her grip tightens on his face. If Adam knows how to get into anyone’s head, it’ll be hers. Ruby was easy enough to figure out before. This is child’s play.
“I won’t say anything stupid,” Adam tells her, letting a smile cross his face. “You took all that pain for me, didn’t you? It’s only fair that I do the same.”
His honeyed words do the trick.
Ruby moves away, only a bit, and nods furiously. She keeps her hand on Adam’s cheek and slowly slides the other one on his shoulders. “Exactly. I knew you’d get it. You’ll be happy to have more, right? So we match?”
The smile freezes on Adam’s face. He’d rather not, actually. Certainly not with this insane person. He’ll have to tread much lighter if he wants to get out of here alive. And without many scars as decoration. He wonders if Ruby can smell his fear.
“What if we do something else, first?” Adam suggests gently.
“What do you mean?” Ruby cocks her head.
“I mean, let’s play a game. You and me. Twenty questions. I’ll think of something, and if you guess it right, you win. If you don’t guess it, I win.”
“I don’t—“ Ruby’s brows furrow in confusion. “But—“
The ringing of a phone interrupts her words. Ruby crosses the room to find the source of the noise, while Adam takes the opportunity to loosen the ropes. His heart pounds, and he barely manages to free part of his right arm. Ruby fiddles with a bag thrown in a corner, which Adam recognizes as his own. When she turns around, there’s a look of pure murder on her face. The phone keeps vibrating in her hand.
“Who the hell is Lyra?”
Adam grimaces. There was only a small chance the game could keep going, and he’s almost disappointed. Now, though, he can finally let loose. The smile falls from his face and his true feelings show in his expression. At the same time, he lets the rope fall to the ground and rises from the chair. “Someone much better than you’ll ever be. Now, I have to get back to her. Leaving you alive was a mistake.”
“You left me for her?” Ruby yells. “I thought we had something.”
“You thought wrong.”
Ruby rushes at Adam. She’s all emotion and no tact. It’s easy enough to dodge. In one swift move, Adam reaches for her arm and twists it behind her back. Ruby grunts and thrashes, but she’s no match for someone much larger than her. Each of her movements is filled with terror. She’s a wild animal, filled with anger and a fear of death.
“Please. Just one more chance,” she begs. Almost sobs. It’s pathetic.
"I wasn't sneaking around, I was running from the Grounders."
"Stop lying!"
"He's not lying... His fingernails were torn off. They tortured him."
...
"The Grounders know we're at war. What did you tell them about us?"
"Everything."
"Don't tell me you trust him now."
"Trust? No. I do believe in second chances though."
CWs: Military, gun violence, held captive, restraints
@whumpgiftswap
The sergeant didn’t find it all that strange that he’d been sent on a solo area recon mission. He went on them all the time. Preferred being alone to being with a group, actually. There may not be a lot of action, but he didn’t have to pretend that he was like everyone else in his squad. The sergeant was the reckless type. Bad at taking orders, yet still good enough to be an asset. He knew what kind of reputation that earned him among the others. People never came easy to him, and eventually he gave up trying. It wasn’t worth the effort of trying to fit in.
He adjusted his vantage point, surveying the surrounding area. The sergeant was sent to watch for a terrorist group that was said to be gathering in the area. There weren’t any civilians nearby. If things went sideways, he wouldn’t have to worry about collateral damage.
By this point, it had been hours without a single bit of movement. That was perfectly alright. It’d be days before the sergeant felt even a hint of fatigue. Some would say it made him good at his job. Others, inhuman. A freak. He didn’t have a preference either way. The only sign that he’d been working at all was the sweat building up under his uniform and the sand dusting his clothes.
Something caught the sergeant’s vision toward the edge of a group of run-down buildings. It could very easily be an animal making its way through the area, but he was the one to take that chance. The sergeant adjusted his scope and increased the magnification. If anything moved again, he’d be able to see exactly what it was.
This time, when a dark shadow moved across the sandy landscape, he was sure it was a human.
Just as the sergeant rose from his position, intent on getting closer, he heard a rustle close behind him. Too close. He grabbed his gun, turned around, and was met with a thwack to the head. The sergeant grunted, keeping his grip tight and ignoring the pain blossoming in his head. He shook his head briefly. The enemy slipped just out of his line of sight. It was barely a moment, but it was enough time for them to land another blow. The sergeant felt a dull throb echo through his skull as he fell to the ground. His gun skidded away. He tried to force himself to his feet, moving through the growing nausea in his stomach, but it was pointless. The sergeant’s opponent hit him with the butt of their gun, turning his world to black
…
When the sergeant awoke, he was in a dusty room. He wrinkled his nose as he felt the need to itch it. The only light he could see was seeping under the door; barely enough for his eyes to adjust to their surroundings. He jerked at his arms, planning to grope around in the dark, but he found them bound behind his back at his wrists, keeping them crossed behind his back. Zip ties, most likely. Not as easy to get out of as duct tape, especially in the dark. His legs were still free, so that meant his captor, or captors, weren’t all that bright. The sergeant smirked. He shuffled around, using all his energy to bring himself to his feet.
The door opened just as the sergeant found his footing. Light spilled into the dark room. Now, it was clear that he was in a storage closet. Military-grade weapons and supplies were all within his grasp. It was almost like whoever caught the sergeant was begging him to escape.
“Sorry about that,” a deep voice said. Footsteps entered the room. “Well, I’m not all that sorry. We didn’t have another space for you. It’s only temporary. You understand.”
The sergeant gritted his teeth and lifted his head. “Captain.”
“Bingo, kiddo.”
“What the hell are you doing? Let me out of here. Now,” the sergeant ordered. His penchant for disrespect made him unpopular to superiors, but it wasn’t about that right now.
“No can do. See, you have a nasty little habit of sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong. I warned you to stay out of my business. You should have listened.” The captain clucked his tongue.
“So, what now? You’re going to kill me? Keep me quiet? I wasn’t fully certain of your betrayal, but I am now,” the sergeant snarled. He tried to move his arms, but it would be too obvious if he attempted to escape now.
“On the contrary, I want you on my team. You’re bad at taking orders, but that’s an easy remedy. No one I have now even comes close to your skills as a sniper. How about it, son? Your only other option is—“
“Death. I know.” The sergeant sighs, looking at the ground. He steels himself and stares at the captain. “It’s almost embarrassing that you think I’d even consider your idiotic request. I’m not a traitor, no matter what you people think of me.”
The captain clenches his jaw. He’s practically trembling with anger. Good, the sergeant thinks. He’s always been good at pissing people off.
“It’s not a request. Hell, it’s barely even a choice. I could do more than just kill you, you know. I’ll get you demoted. Maybe even dishonorably discharged. Your name will be a stain on your family’s name. Are you sure you want that?”
The sergeant grunts. “You’re a bastard, you know that?”
A shot rings in the distance. He tilts his head, listening as more gunfire sounds. The captain spins on his heel, facing away from the sergeant. It’s in that moment that the sergeant makes his move. His hands may be bound, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t a formidable opponent.
He kicks his foot out, sweeping underneath the captain’s forward leg. Caught off guard, the captain falls to the ground with a thud. The sergeant smirks. He can hear the sounds of fighting getting closer. Someone must have realized something was off. Or maybe, just maybe—
“Sergeant!” Someone calls out, running toward the sergeant’s location. He steps backward into the closet, just in case he’s in the line of fire. The person slows down, their shadow approaching the closet. He peers inside, face visibly relaxing, though he keeps his weapon ready. “Sergeant.”
It’s a captain from another squad. He’s much older than the sergeant is, with far more experience. If it weren’t for him putting in a good word, it’s unlikely that the sergeant would have gotten as far as he has in the ranks. They make it a habit of keeping contact when they’re not out on missions, and even have a code meant for check-ins. The sergeant must have been out for hours, long enough for the older captain to realize something was amiss.
“Man, am I glad to see you,” the sergeant says. “I’d greet you, but my hands…”
The older captain smiles. “No worries. I’ve got you. There’s no gear, but we’ll get you out of here.”
He produces a knife and motions for the sergeant to turn around. The sergeant obliges, feeling the blood flow return to his arms as he’s freed. He waits as the captain radios in to confirm where he’s at.
“Plenty of gear in the closet,” he says with a nod. “And my captain—“
“Don’t worry,” the older man reassures him. “We’ve got him.”
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Additional Tags: Medieval AU, Royalty AU, Knight Buck, Prince Eddie Diaz, Secret Relationship, Eddie Diaz Has Bad Parents (9-1-1 TV), Buckley parents Bashing, Implied Sexual Content, Weddings, Mentioned Eddie/Ana, Stabbing, Blood and Injury, Angst, Whump, Ambiguous/Open Ending
Summary:
Helena rises from her seat, smoothing out her dress. Candlelight flickers dangerously in her eyes. “I’ve put up with your childishness for far too long. This little affair was something I could ignore, but it appears it is more than I assumed it would be. You think you’re in love.”
Evan Buckley, a knight, and Eddie Diaz, a prince, have been in a secret relationship for months. Queen Helena Diaz finds out and confronts Buck on the eve of Eddie’s wedding to Princess Ana Flores.
the way buck looks at eddie is fucking insane. like, oliver stark, dude, you NAILED IT. it's something like the excitement of seeing something new and wonderful mixed with a fair dose of 'ah, im coming home' and man. it gets me every time