Ao3: LadyWallace | Instagram: @ladyofinkandpaper Hey there! I'm LadyWallace (30+) I write fanfiction and drink coffee. Check out my blog for whump content, art, and fanfics mostly for JJBA, Hellsing and LaDS. (I do commissions!)
New Plushie preorder in town! If you want your own little Johnny or Gyro (or both) you can preorder these between today May 14th and June 15th (guaranteed to get to you before Episode 2)
I'm running a preorder deal (save $10) if you buy them as a pair as well.
How to Order
I have the preorder up on Etsy, but considering they are very bad about taking down my JJBA stuff, I would prefer you order from my Ko-fi or my order form. That will also get you a little discount on shipping because I will only charge you what I pay. If you want to pay outside of the options I have available on my form, or if you are outside the US, you will have to order through Etsy however.
Submitted by @swimmingturkeycrossointrebel - thanks!
The whumper has installed themselves in the heroes' team and targets the whumpee for "correction", falsely telling them they've been given the authority to discipline them for "misbehaviour" and does so at the smallest "slight" or just whenever they feel like it. This, obviously, isn't how the team works at all. The whumpee, for whatever reason, believes this is how things work and wouldn't dare bringing it up with their teammates for fear of further punishments/disappointing them.
Welcome back to the Whumperless Whump Event of July, where we celebrate the situational and environmental side of our community via beating the shit out of our blorbos!
FAQ and plain text prompts under the cut!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How are the prompts divided?
Q: Where can I find the prompts list?
A: @whumperless-whump-event on Tumblr.
A: The title is a âthemeâ for the day, followed by two tropes and a dialog prompt.
A: Absolutely.
Q: Can I use the title as a prompt?
A: Not at all.
Q: Do I have to use all of the prompts?
Q: Can I use all of the prompts?
A: Absolutely. If it's fun, go for it--don't feel pressured to finish them all, but do follow what's inspiring you.
Q: If I'm writing a chronological story, can I swap the days to make it fit the timeline?
A: Yes. Just make sure you tag each piece with the prompt and day you're filling.
Q: Can I have early or late entries?
A: Yes. Early and late entries will not be reblogged to the event account, though.
Q: Is there an Ao3 collection?
A: Yes! This year's collection can be found here, or through searching whumperless_whump_event_july2025. Please remember to submit this year's prompts to the 2025 collection and NOT the 2024 one!
Q: Can I write NSFW?
A: You absolutely can, but the event blog will not reblog any prompt fill rated Explicit. Please ensure you tag NSFW appropriately.
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 2025 and #wwevent day [x](Don't just tag wwe, that's wresting.) 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.)
I think that's about it. That's a lot, so if you've got any questions, feel free to shoot me an ask. I'm happy to help!
PROMPTS:
INSULT TO INJURY: Infected wounds / Hurt and ill / âFate really has it out for you, huh.â
PUBLIC MISINFORMATION: Presumed dead / Search party / âThere's a hand, I can see them!â
IT'S NOT YOU, IT'S ME: Left behind / Attempted Martyr / âGet out while you can, and don't look back.â
LIKE A KALEIDOSCOPE: Numbness / Dissociation / âCan I hold your hand?â
AT LEAST IT'S NOT MANUAL: Trapped in a car / Stranded / âYou can't drive like this.â
DOOMED BY THE NARRATIVE: Scheduled execution / Near death experience / âThat was too close.â
AHOY THERE MATEYS: Motion sickness / Washed ashore / âI hate the ocean.â
CHEF MIS-STEAK: Hot stove / Slip of the knife / âI swear, I'm usually better at this.â
SCHEDULE YOUR MAINTENANCE: Lack of self care / Sick day / âJust take a nap. I can handle the rest.â
Back with another Mortality's Tenderness fic because I recently went back through these cards (I just love them so much) Xavier and MC in this AU were so peak.
~~~~~~~
(Mortalityâs Tenderness AU) Xavier seems to have no regard for Ariadneâs feelings. Every time she thinks she understands him he goes and makes her mad again. But ignoring him becomes difficult when he comes down with a wound fever.
Lads Masterpost
Lads Whump Masterpost
Tag List
Read on Ao3
~~~~~~~
Ariadne marched through Zuiyue Pavilion, a restless energy sparking under her skin, brow furrowed in annoyance. Xavier had already disappeared on her, likely running away from her intent to tend to his wound. She had been unsuccessful in finding him in his room when she had brought him medical supplies.
She decided to go fetch food instead, knowing Xavier would likely be hungry if he hadnât already sought out dinner. Running into Ms. Liu on the way, she inquired of the woman if she knew where Xavier might be.
âI believe some of the girls are tending to his injuries,â the proprietress told her. Supper became a second thought as Ariadne decided it was time to go track him down.
She hated the feeling of the women from the establishment watching her as she made her way through the halls, whispering under their breath and shooting patronizing smiles at her from behind their fans. After the giggling answer she got from the dancer she asked Xavierâs whereabouts from, she was just about ready to drag him outside and kick him down the street, injured or not.
She had been against coming back to the Pavilion at all, had begged Xavier to find an inn instead, but he had insisted that it would be the best place and they would get a good discount on their rooms because he knew the proprietress.
Of course heâs getting a good discount on a room if heâs sharing it with someone, Ariadne bitterly snapped to herself, her fists clenching tighter around the tray of food. She doubted Xavier would be so lucky for her to find him in the presence of a rabbit this time.
She made her way to the room that had been indicated to her. She reached out to knock when she heard surprised gasps and titters coming from within, punctuated by Xavierâs soft, slightly hesitant voice.
âHere, weâll help you with your clothes!â
âAhâŠitâs alright, I can do it myself.â
âNo, no! Youâre hurt.â
âLay down, Xavier, weâll take care of you.â
âThatâs quite unnecessaryâohâŠâ
âMy, my, what a fine form you have, Xavier!â
âBuilt like a man who wields a sword!â
âAnd I bet he wields it well indeed!â
âOh, undoubtedly!âBoth swordsâŠâ
The accompanying giggles had Ariadne pushing the door open without preamble, stopping in the doorway to cast a disparaging look at the scene in front of her.
Xavier lay against a pile of luxurious pillows, surrounded by no less than five of Ms. Liuâs beautiful girls. His outer robes had been taken and cast aside, while his undershirt had been opened and pulled down to his waist. One girl was holding a bowl of water, another was applying a cloth to his wound, while yet another tore bandages. One held his hand tenderly, and other braided his hair back, stroking the luxuriously locksâa sight which made Ariadneâs fingers twitch in envy. Fury boiled up inside of her.
They all looked up as Ariadne came in, anger obvious on her face. The girlsâ heckles raised and Xavier stared at her with an astonishingly pitiable look as if he were begging her to come help him.
Ariadne swallowed hard, wetting her lips. She hated to admit how much the sight of his bare torso was affecting her. Her eyes trailed briefly down hisâindeedâfinely formed chest and abdomen before dragging back up to his face as her resolve returned.
He could perish for all she cared.
She stepped forward and set the tray of food down on a nearby table so hard that some of the soup spilled and the clatter echoed pointedly through the room.
âI brought you supper,â she said shortly. âBut I see you already have enough attendants to make sure you have what you need, so Iâll take my leave.â
She spun on her heel, not wanting to see another second of this ridiculous scene.
A rustling and sharp breath from Xavier came behind her. âAriadneâmmph.â
âLay down, Xavier!â
âDonât move, we need to finish cleaning the wound.â
âYou poor thing, here, let me feed you.â
The sound of the women fussing made Ariadne see red and she shut the door a little hard behind her. She stood there for a long moment before heading back to her chambers. Xavier could suffer the consequences of his own actions. She would give him no aid. Itâs what he deserved for allowing those woman to fawn over him like that.
It had already been bad enough when he had been injured in another one of his ridiculous duels that she had warned him against engaging in, aware the opponent was a man known for tricks. And sure enough, Xavierâs skills and confidence had only gotten him so far, leaving him with sand in his eyes and a gash across the ribs.
The injury had indeed been shocking in the moment, Ariadne had rarely seen Xavier injured since he was so skilled with the blade, but her worry had been blown away in the wind as Xavier shook off her attempted care, insisting they return to the town instead. And then he only made it worse by insisting they stay at Ms. Liuâs.
Why am I so upset? Ariadne wondered in annoyance, splashing cold water on her face once she got back to her room before angrily throwing her sword belt and outer clothing to one side, planning to dress for bed. Her eye caught on the trunk sitting against the side of the wall and her stomach twisted slightly. She recalled the beautiful dresses Xavier bought her last time they were here. She turned her nose up at it. Sheâd never let him see her in something like that again. He could eat dirt if all he wanted to do was pay attentions to women like Ms. Liuâs girls.
But her clothes were dirty from travel and she felt grimy. The temptation to wear something clean overcame her anger, and she opened the trunk, rummaging around the fine materials until she pulled out a delicate nightgown. Her fingers slid across the silky material and with a sigh, she set it on the bed, washing up a little before slipping into it.
The silk felt luxurious against her skin and she briefly caught sight of herself in the mirror, barely recognizing the young woman standing there. Her eyes widened in shock as she saw the delicate purple nightgown on her bodyâshe actually lookedâŠpretty.
Would Xavier think so too?
She instantly flushed, turning away, wanting to take the nightgown off again at the very thought of him seeing her in it. She knew she still wasnât as pretty as any of Ms. Liuâs girls. Her skin had been touched by the sun from her travels and her hands were rough from years of practice with the sword; she was sure Xavier would find their tending to his wounds much more pleasant.
She huffed as she slumped down onto her bed, punching the pillow rather violently before yanking the covers over herself.
She hoped he would recover swiftly so she could beat him for all the annoyance he put her through.
Despite her tumultuous feelings, she was quite exhausted and fell asleep easily. The moonlight shining on her face through the window.
***
Xavier watched as Ariadne stormed out of the room, an odd feeling settling in his gut before he was instantly swarmed again.
âHere, your wound is cleanâdoes it hurt?â
âItâs fine,â he tried to reassure them, glancing at the bloody water smeared across his skin with little skill as his wound was gently dabbed. He made to push himself up, only to have his hair tugged.
âCareful! Youâll hurt him!â
âXavier, Iâm still braiding your hair! Stay still!â
He squirmed, flushing as one of them approached with bandages, practically embracing him as she began to wrap them around his torso, hands connecting with his skin far too often.
âYou poor thing, youâre so brave, Xavier, enduring this injury with the utmost manliness.â
âWell, itâs not so badâŠâ
âHere, please drink some of this for the pain.â
âOh, no, Iââ
Before he could finish his protest, a small cup of strong wine was pressed to his lips and he was forced to drink it down or choke. The liquid burned down his throat, settling into his stomach.
âHave another glass, wine is medicinal!â
âI reallyââ
Delicate hands grabbed his chin, holding him still as he was forced to drink yet more wine to the light giggles of his captors.
The girls made it impossible for him to get up, fingers tangled in his hair, rubbing his shoulders and arms, one practically sitting in his lap as she fed him the food Ariadne had brought him.
AriadneâŠhe needed to go find her.
âIâm terribly sorry, but I need to go find my juniorâŠâ
âOh, sheâs fine,â one of the girls said quickly. âIâm sure sheâs already asleep.â
âYes, you wouldnât want to disturb her, would you?â
âBesides, Xavier, you need to rest! Your wound wonât heal if you donât!â
âHere, have some more wine to help you sleep.â
Another cup forced on him. His head was starting to feel fuzzy.
âHow about a bath?â
âOh yes! We can bathe you right here so you donât even have to move!â
âNo, thank you, IâŠwould rather rest.â
He yet again tried to get up only to be pushed back against the cushions.
âRest here, Xavier, you shouldnât be getting up.â
âNo, please, sleep here. Weâll look after you tonight.â
Another cup of wine was forced between his lips as he decided laying down was the only option. His body did hurt anyway, and Ariadne was mad at him. She wouldnât be any less mad if he went to find her tonight. Best to wait for tomorrow morning.
His eyelids fluttered as he felt warm bodies press close to him. Part of him wished it was just one woman, but he had made Ariadne mad and would be unlikely to get this kind of treatment from her, ever. He would have to make it up to her somehow, but for tonight, he would rest.
***
Ariadne slept deeply despite her tumultuous mind. Yet something woke her in the dead of night when the rest of the Pavillion was silent.
A fumbling at her door, accompanied by heavy, shuffling steps.
Her hand reached unconsciously for her sword where it rested beside her mattress and as she felt, rather than saw, the figure looming over her, she rolled over, about to brandish the blade whenâŠ
âAh!â
The figure simply collapsed onto her mattress, familiar silvery hair glowing in the moonlight as the heavy figure wrapped his arms around her legs, nuzzling his face into her knees like a pillow.
âXavier!â
âMm, found youâwas looking everywhere.â
His words were slightly slurredâwas he sleep walking? But no, the telltale scent of wine drifted up to her.
âAre you drunk?â she demanded in disgust.
âHm? Oh, yesâŠthe girls made me drink.â
Ariadne huffed and shoved him off her legs. He sprawled to the side and let out a small, pained grunt.
Brief guilt washed over her as she remembered his wound. âYou should go back to bed,â she said, starting to get up. âCome here, Iâll help you.â
She threw back the covers, and only as Xavierâs eyes fell on her figure with slight, drunken surprise, did she remember what she was wearing.
âIt looks nice on you,â Xavier said softly, suddenly not sounding drunk enough.
She snatched the blanket back up to her neck. âI-I didnât have anything else clean!â
Xavier swayed closer, practically crawling on top of her. âPlease donâ make me leave,â he murmured. âToo tired toâŠâ
His head drooped dangerously close to her chest and she reached out to grab his shoulders before he made a soft landing against her breasts.
âXavier, youâŠâ she trailed off as she felt the heat pouring off of him. She reached up to press a hand to his forehead, finding him indeed fevered.
âXavier, you have a fever,â she murmured.
âMmm,â he moaned a little, trying to chase her hand as she pulled it away and shifted so she could lay him down on the mattress, giving up the idea of getting him back to his room at the moment.
âStay here.â
She got up to light some lanterns, finally illuminating the room. It revealed how flushed Xavierâs face was, and she knew it wasnât all from the wine now. Sweat beaded on his brow and he curled slightly onto his uninjured side.
âIâm going to go get some things for you. Stay here.â
He looked forlorn lying there, and it was almost enough to make her sorry for her feelings toward him earlier. Almost. She wouldnât forget that he only bothered to seek her out second.
She was quick to fetch what she needed, coming back to the room with bandages, cloths, a bowl of water as well as some salves and a brewing cup of tea that would help reduce his fever.
âLet me see it,â she said.
Xavierâs brow furrowed but he dutifully rolled onto his back. Ariadne carefully undid the ties on his loose undershirt and opened it up, revealing the haphazard bandages, blood already soaking through them.
She clicked her tongue. âThose girls did nothing for you.â
âThey were only trying to help,â Xavier murmured.
âThe only thing they did was get you drunk,â Ariadne snapped.
She reached out to undo the bandages and Xavier hissed as the dried blood stuck to the bandage from a lack of proper cleaning, leaving the little scabbing that had occurred to be ripped off, causing the wound to bleed again.
Ariadne lips formed a thin line as she pressed a cloth to the wound once she had finally freed it of the soiled bandages.
âYou must have a wound fever,â she said, brows pinching in slight worry. âYou should have let me tend to this first thing!â
Xavier looked away, avoidant. Ariadne ignored him and reached for a wet cloth, wringing it out before she cleaned the wound properly. Xavier flinched and whined, the wine making him more honest.
âIt stingsâŠcan you be more gentle?â
âNo,â Ariadne replied. âYou might have gotten gentler ministrations from those girls, but they didnât do you any favors. A wound needs to be cleaned properly.â
His brows scrunched as she refused to stop and coddle him. Ariadne ignored him for the most part, but she couldnât deny his pain hurt her. The wound was a lot worse than she had thought too. It stretched about five inches across his left ribcage and was quite deep. Not deep enough to need stitches, she thought, but enough that it would need tending and proper care.
She reached for a salve and started to spread it on before bandaging him again and he flinched and grabbed her wrist.
âHurts.â
âYes, I know. That means itâs healing.â
He frowned and turned his face away as she continued. When she was finally done, she set a clean cloth over the wound and reached for the bandages.
âI need you to sit up for a moment.â
He sighed and tried to push himself up. Ariadne helped him, getting him into a sitting position and started to wrap the bandages around his torso when Xavier slumped against her.
She froze in shock at the sudden proximity, his hot, bare chest pressed against her as he nuzzled his nose into the crook of her neck, seeming to be completely shameless at the moment.
She swallowed hard, reminding herself that he was drunk, and it was better to just get this over with. She easily wrapped the bandages around him, trying to ignore the touch of his bare skin. Why was she just thinking of it now when she didnât have his wound to occupy her?
Finally, the agonizing event was over and she let him slump back against the pillows, quickly tying his shirt up again so she didnât have to be tormented by his well-formed figure.
âOkay, now I have some medicine for your fever. You need to drink all of it.â
He moaned, trying to turn his head away as she picked up the teacup and pressed it to his lips.
âDonât be difficult.â
He cringed and coughed as he swallowed the first mouthful. âItâs bitter.â
She was unrelenting though, making him drink the rest of it. âYou drank their wine, now you have to drink my tea.â
He coughed again, pulling a face, but she was satisfied that he swallowed it.
âMay I have some sugar now?â
âNo, youâre a grown man. You donât been to be pampered like a child,â Ariadne told him firmly.
âMy Junior is indeed cruel,â he sighed, settling back against the pillows.
Ariadne pressed her lips into an angry line as she tossed the soiled cloths back onto the tray. âYou need to rest.â
âYouâre angry with me. Why?â
Ariadne scoffed. âYou donât know?â
âIâm sorry I fought the duel when you told me not to.â
She spun around to face him. âYou think thatâs the only reason?â
He stared at her with those wide, too-innocent eyes in the darkness.
âIt was bad enough you didnât explain to me who Lady Rong was when we first came here, but this time, you ended up precisely where I thought you would be then!â
He looked away slightly, eyes flicking to watch the flame dancing in one of the lanterns.
âI thought I would give you time to cool off.â
âCool off!â Ariadne demanded, suddenly incensed. âAnd let me see you with a bunch of random women fawning over you and touching you like that?â
âI see it really bothered you,â Xavier said slowly.
She loomed over him. âI just donât understand what you want from me, Xavier! I never have. Youâre so incredibly infuriating that Iââ
He tugged on her arm and she suddenly found himself pulled toward him. She barely caught herself before she fell on him and injured him further, but Xavierâs hand was already on the back of her neck, pulling her in.
âWhat are youââ
His lips met hers. All breath left her body, as she stared at his closed lids, her own eyes wide. She was too much in shock to pull away, the soft, warm press of his lips with the lingering taste of the tea and wine were all she knew for what felt like an eternity.
Xavier finally pulled back, opening his eyes halfway. âThe taste is less bitter now,â he whispered.
Heat flushed through Ariadne like a tidal wave. How could he just say something like that?
âWhaâare youâare you trying to seduce me to make me less angry?â
He looked genuinely confused this time. âNo. Iâve just wanted to do that for a while.â
An embarrassing sound left her throat. She had to remind herself that he was drunk and fevered, that this was a result of that combination. She should certainly not be thinking too much about it. But before she could reprimand him further (or say anything to make this worse) his eyes fluttered and he let out a genuine sound of discomfort.
âXavier?â
She pressed the back of her hand to his forehead and found his fever still rather hot. It would take a while for the tea to work.
She fetched a clean cloth and wrung it out in the fresh bowl of water before pressing it to his forehead, bathing his face and neck.
He seemed to relax slightly and reached up to take her hand. âThank you for taking care of me anyway. Even if youâre mad.â
Her resolve wavered. She refused to admit that it was partly due to the kiss. At the end of the day, she just hated seeing him hurt like this.
She sighed and resigned herself to letting him have her bed that night, pulling the blanket up over his shivering figure.
âDonât worry about it, Xavier. Just rest.â
She was about to get up, but his hand was still clutched around her wrist.
âStay,â he murmured.
She shouldnât allow this. It was highly inappropriate. And yet, he shouldnât be left alone that night, in case his fever took a turn for the worst.
Either way, he was already tugging her down onto the mattress, and Ariadne ended up allowing it, despite her better judgement.
She curled slightly awkwardly onto her side, facing away from him as Xavier settled in, cuddling against her back as he wrapped his arms around her waist. His breathing evened out quickly into deep sleep.
It should have been uncomfortable, it should have been awkward, but all she could think of was how warm and nice it felt to be like this.
His warmth and breathing lulled her to sleep before she could even fight the urge.
***
Ariadne slept deeply, and woke to an impossibly warm blanket and sunlight filtered through the window, accompanied by singing birds.
She blinked a few times, before fully realizing that Xavier was sleeping with his head on her chest. Her stomach flipped slightly as all the memories of the previous night filtered in. Particularly the kiss. Had that even happened? It was too real to be a dream, she decided. The memory of how his lips feltâŠ
But reality crept in and she reached a hand to his face to check his fever. His brow and neck were damp, and she was relieved to see that he was less warm, his fever had finally broken.
Taking advantage of his sleeping state, she brushed his hair away from his face, stroking the silky strands between her fingers. There were several mussed braids left in from the girlsâ ministrations the night before and Ariadne spitefully started to undo all of them, smoothing Xavierâs hair against his back.
A soft murmur came from him as he nuzzled closer to her, pressing his nose against her collarbone. Ariadne froze instinctively, heart flipping as an unbidden affection rose up, stronger than she had ever allowed herself to feel before.
Xavier blinked his eyes open and shifted so that he could stare at her blearily. âGood morning,â he said hoarsely.
It took everything in Ariadne to keep her cheeks from heating. âGood morning. How do you feel?â
âMm, tired, my wound aches a little and my headâŠâ he cringed.
âWell, you drank a lot last night, apparently, so thatâs understandable.â
He furrowed his brow as Ariadne reluctantly got up, shifting him back against the mattress.
Xavier frowned at the loss of warmth as she got up to get him a cup of water.
âIâll check your wound in a moment,â she told him, handing him the cup.
Xavier downed the water thirstily as Ariadne gathered fresh bandages and salve.
When he set the empty cup aside, she knelt beside him. âOkay, let me look at the wound.â
He nodded and pushed the blankets down, fumbling to untie his shirt.
Ariadne glanced away briefly. This was not the same as it had been last night when he was drunk and fevered. When he hadâŠ
She bit the inside of her cheek to stop thinking about the kiss. Xavier probably didnât even remember that. He hadnât been in a clear state of mind anyway.
When she turned back to him, she was glad to see that he hadnât bled through the bandages again. But the fever breaking had left them damp so she decided it best to change them.
She braced herself for the close proximity, trying to be ambivalent about Xavierâs muscled chest and stomach, especially as she felt those lean muscles shift under her fingers as he flinched at her application of the salve.
She was sure her face was red all the same by the time she had finished bandaging him up.
âThereâŠitâs looking good.â
âThatâs good,â Xavier replied simply.
Before she could help him tie his shirt back up, voices could be heard in the hallway outside, leaving them both to freeze.
âI donât know where he is! He was gone when we got up.â
âWhy would he wander off?â
âWhat if heâs lying hurt in a dark closet somewhere!â
âXavier! Where are you?â
Ariadne swore and one desperate look from Xavier had her shoving him onto her mattress and yanking the covers up over his head as she slid in next to him.
It was hot under the blanket with his shared warmth, his breath grazing her chin, hair tickling her cheek. Her heart pounded impossibly fast and it had nothing to do with the possibility of being found out.
The footsteps stopped outside the door, whispering ensued until finally a knock came on Ariadneâs door.
Her and Xavier both jumped. Xavier grabbed her wrist, as if begging her not to give him up.
Ariadne waited for another knock before she called out, âWhat is it?â
âMiss Ariadne, have you seen Xavier anywhere?â
âNo,â she replied simply.
âAhâŠnever mind.â
Their footsteps retreated, leaving Ariadne and Xavier to both sag in relief.
âUgh, we should get out of here today, theyâre not going to leave you aloneââ
Her words were halted as Xavier pulled her back under the blankets and pressed his lips to hers. She was just as shocked as she was the night before, staring at him blankly as he pulled away, eyes slightly shadowed underneath the blanket.
âXavierââ
âSorry,â he said in a way that made it clear he wasnât sorry at all. âI just wanted you to know that I remembered last night, but figured you thought it didnât count since I was drunk and fevered. I wanted to make sure you understood my true feelings.â
Ariadne flushed, covering her face with her hands as Xavierâs lips curled up.
âYouâre impossible,â she said.
âYou didnât like it?â
âI didnât say that!â
âMm,â he hummed and snaked an arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him. âThen let us stay like this for a while longer? Iâm tired and injured. I donât want to face those girls again right now. I didnât intend to get caught by them originally, you know. I would always rather have you tend to my injuriesâeven if you arenât the most gentle.â
Ariadne laughed despite herself. âThen make sure Iâm the first one you ask to tend your injuries in the future. No more seeking attention from other women.â
âDonât worry,â Xavier said, pressing his forehead against hers. âI only want the attention of one. Nothing will ever change that.â
I know I haven't written as much as I'd like this year, but my creative drive remains strong, and I'm still enjoying this wonderful community of writers and whump fans. So, using the fact that I'm celebrating Chimeras' 2nd Anniversary in August and Feathers and Flames' 1st Anniversary in July as an excuse, I've decided to bring this little event to everyone interested!
I've decided to include some of my favorite prompts (those who know me know what I'm talking about, hehe), and the event will run throughout August! Even so, anyone interested in participating, even outside of the designated timeframe, is welcome! The important thing is to have fun and use this activity as a possible motivation to write ;)
Prompts and rules under the cut!!
Day 1: Shackles / Found Family / âDon't listen to themâ
Day 2: Monster / Nonhuman whumpee / âThat's not a childâ
Day 3: Kidnapping / Bound and Gagged / âShut them upâ
Day 4: Captivity / Used as bait / âBetter start runningâ
Day 5: Blood / Magic with a price / âI don't want to go backâ
Day 6: Pet / Psychological manipulation / âYou're just an animalâ
Day 7: Fangs / Found unconscious / âDo you still love me?â
Day 8: Hunting / Parental caretaker / âIt's over, you'll be okayâ
Event Rules:
1. Anyone can participate! Your works may or may not focus on whump.
2. For personal reasons, no explicit NSFW QwQ. Implicit content is okay.
3. Any creative format is welcome: writing, drawing, moodboards, photography, poetry, GIFs, movie or series recommendations, etc.
4. Fandom and OC content are both welcome. No AI-generated content.
5. Please identify the prompt youâre using at the beginning of your post. Youâre free to mix prompts from different days or combine them with other whump or writing challenges.
6. Tag your creations with #Melpomenewhumpevent so I can reblog your work ;)
7. The event will take place in August to celebrate the 2nd anniversary of Chimeras, but you can post your creations at any time, and Iâll reblog them as long as you use the event hashtag.
This is a recent OC whump commission fic I wrote for @fluffyblueblanket123 about their german shepard hybrid OC Rhys. I had such a good time getting to write him in this! Hope you all enjoy :)
(If you would like to commission me, you can find the info HERE)
CW/TW: Inplied captivity, abuse and torture - medical trauma
~~~~~~~
Natalia got the call on her pager as the ambulance pulled up to the ER loading doors. She made her way there at a fast clip to help out with the new arrival, feeling the collected calm that usually ascended over her whenever an emergency patient was brought in.
As she got ready to start taking information from the paramedics for Dr. John, she could already hear the sound of protests coming from behind the doors as they swung open to reveal the gurney being wheeled into the hospital.
âPlease untie me! I-I can walk, let me go!â
Natalia stood back as another nurse joined her, watching as the paramedics had to halt their progress for a moment to try and calm the figure writhing on the gurney against the medical restraints.
âThatâs Rhys,â the other nurse said softly, surprise and concern in her voice.
Natalia watched the hybrid fight against the paramedics. She had never met Rhys, but she had heard about him. The young German Shepard hybrid was known by pretty much everyone around as one of the few hybrids who had lived on the streets, not having a caretaker. Natalia had heard that he helped the other homeless hybrids a lot as well, but he hadnât been seen in about two years now. Most people had thought he had moved on or perhaps found someone to take him in. Seeing him like this, thoughâŠshe wondered what had happened to him that could put him in such a state.
It took her only a moment before she stepped forward.
âRhys?â she called and the young hybrid flinched slightly at the sound of his name.
âWhoâs asking?â he asked, voice sharp, but holding a fragile undertone.
She provided a smile. âMy nameâs Natalia; youâre at the hospital in Tulsa now, Rhys.â She glanced up at the paramedics. âAre the restraints necessary?â
âHe kept trying to refuse treatment,â one of the paramedics informed her. âHe was at risk of hurting himself. His lungs and heart are also weak, so weâve been trying to keep him calm.â
âI think it will calm him down more if you take the restraints off now,â Natalia said firmly.
The paramedics nodded and started to unstrap Rhys from the gurney.
Considering his current state, Natalia hadnât really been expecting Rhys to instantly push himself up and swing his legs over the gurney. He tried to make a break for it, but the second his feet hit the floor his legs started to fold under him.
Natalia and one of the paramedics stepped forward and caught him before he could fall. He flinched and instantly tried to pull out of their grasp, breath quickening as his eyes flashed in panic.
âRhys,â Natalia spoke with a firm voice, breaking through the growing panic. âI need you to calm down now. Take deep breaths and get back on the gurney.â
He was shaking and she could feel the shudders wrack through his thin frame. She could feel every bone under his tattered clothes. He seemed to be highly malnourished on top of everything else.
âDonât wanna go back there,â he gasped.
Natalia tried her best to soothe him, keeping her voice calm. âYou donât have to go back there,â she said, even though she wasnât sure where âthereâ was. âYouâre safe now. Weâre just going to get your wounds treated. All right?â
âDonât wanna be tied up again.â
It was then that Natalia noticed the scars around his wrists, new over old, telling a story of prolonged restraint and a picture began to form in her mind about what might have happened during Rhysâs absence.
âDo you promise not to fight the doctors?â
He was silent for a long moment, breathing finally evening out a little, before he nodded, jaw clenched.
âThen there will be no reason for restraints. They were only worried that you would hurt yourself.â
He finally looked away and nearly collapsed onto the gurney again, seeming to have very little strength. Natalia and the paramedic helped him onto it fully then started to wheel him toward an examination room.
âIâll inform Dr. John,â the other nurse said as she walked quickly down the hall.
Natalia stood back until the paramedics got the gurney into the room and then she helped one of them lead Rhys to the exam bed.
He sat there, swaying, hands gripping the sides of the bed. His tail had curled around his leg in a nervous manner.
âLay down,â Natalia told him calmly. âYou can rest until Dr. John arrives.â
âDonât want to,â he grit out, even as he swayed, hands clenching tighter to keep himself upright.
Natalia narrowed her eyes at him slightly. âAre you experiencing any dizziness?â
He grunted noncommittedly and she held up a hand, not quite touching him, but guiding all the same. âPlease lay down if you feel like youâre going to fall off the bed.â
He seemed surprised when she didnât force him and stared at her warily as if he were waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Natalia, instead turned to the supply cupboards in the room and started to lay out the things Dr. John would need for the examination. As her back was mostly turned away, she saw the figure slump and finally slowly lower himself onto his side on the bed. She smiled a little to herself, but didnât acknowledge it.
She picked up a blood pressure cuff and turned, holding it up for him to see. âRhys, Iâm going to take your blood pressure and check a few other things before Dr. John arrives.â
He instantly went on alert again, his ears folding back on his head slightly. He shook his head. âNo. I donât want it.â
âIt will only take a minute and I promise it wonât hurt.â She assured him. âBut with your weak heart itâs important we take a look, okay?â
She watched as his breathing picked up, the sound rasping in his chest. It was starting to concern her and she quickly set the blood pressure cuff down.
âRhys,â she said, her voice sharp. âYou need to calm down and breathe. I promise you no one is here to hurt you.â
âYouâll just send me back there,â he gasped, a soft whimper in his tone as he shrunk away from her. âTook so long to get freeââ
He started to cough and she risked crossing boundaries to take a firm hold of his shoulder, keeping him upright as she hurriedly ducked in to get his attention.
âRhys! Look at me. Just take a deep breath.â
He fought against her, but he was incredibly weak, only managing to make himself topple over onto the bed again. His large brown eyes were panicked, mouth open as he fought for breath.
She was about to call for help when Dr. John showed up and instantly saw the scene in front of him. He rushed to ready an oxygen tank and, with Nataliaâs help, fixed it over Rhysâs mouth. He still fought, but once he realized that it would help him breathe and oxygen filled his lungs again, he seemed to calm down a little.
âYouâre good, youâre doing all right,â Natalia said softly as she eased him back against the slightly raised bed.
Dr. John quickly checked Rhysâs pulse, despite his attempts to squirm away.
âRhys, Iâm Dr. John. I have to admit itâs nice to finally meet you. Iâve heard a lot of stories about you from the hybrids around here.â
Rhys watched him with suspicion, but didnât offer anything else.
âIâd like to examine your injuries,â Dr. John said, calm but with no room for argument.
Rhys shook his head. âN-no! Donât touch them, theyâll hurt.â
âIâm sure they do hurt,â Dr. John said, not unkindly. âSome of these look to be infected.â
Rhysâs breath created condensation on the underside of the oxygen mask as he started to breath more heavily again. âJust leave me alone.â
âRhys,â Dr. John said, voice turning more stern. âWhile Iâm not sure what led you to be in this state, our job here is to give medical care to hybrids. I know it may be uncomfortable, but your wounds need to be tended to. I donât want to see you suffer more than you already have.â
Rhys looked away, but didnât protest as Dr. John reached for his left arm first, inspecting several lacerations, as well as the marks of repeated restraint on his wrists.
Natalia busied herself fetching what Dr. John would need on a tray, then helped him coax Rhys into undressing so they could see the rest of his injuries.
Rhys shivered, and fought at first, but as soon as Natalia fetched a clean pair of comfortable clothing to replace the ripped and filthy ones Rhys had been wearing, he seemed to calm down a little and resigned himself to a full exam.
Natalia was good at keeping her feelings under wraps when it came to her work. However, the sight of abuse on Rhysâ body made her stomach clench with pity. There was hardly a spot on his body that was not covered in bruises, particularly bad around his ribs and stomach. In addition to that, multiple cuts and lacerations in various stages of healing were scattered across his flesh, some very obviously infected. Under those were scars, telling the story of long-term torture. A hot flare of anger rushed through her. She hoped that whoever did this would be brought to justice.
By the time Dr. John finished cleaning and bandaging the final abrasion, Rhys was shaking with exhaustion.
âThere we go, thatâs all done,â the doctor stated.
âYou did very well, Rhys, thank you for allowing Dr. John to look at you,â Natalia told him.
His tail shifted a little on the bed, but his shoulders were still hunched.
Dr. John finished his exam, checking Rhysâs eyes and ears, and listening to his heart and lungs. He frowned a little as he heard the wheezing.
Once he had finished, Natalia offered Rhys help to dress in the clean clothes.
âYour injuries should all heal given the proper care,â Dr. John said. âBut youâre also suffering from malnutrition. What has your diet been like, Rhys?â
The hybrid glanced down, picking at the hem of his shirt. âI-I havenât eaten much. Only fed me o-once a day. If I was lucky.â
Dr. John nodded, not acknowledging the obvious for the moment. âWeâll put you on an IV drip and start with some easy and nutritious foods then.â
Rhys continued his nervous fidgeting. âHow long do I have to stay here?â
âThat depends on your recovery,â Dr. John told him. âConsidering your current condition and medical history I would like to keep you here under observation for at least a week, probably longer.â
That seemed that have a poor effect on Rhys. He started to push himself closer to the edge of the bed again as if he was going to try to leave right then. âI donât want to stay here that long!â
âAnd where would you be going?â Dr. John asked, pointed, but not unkind. âTo sleep on the streets? Thatâs no place for someone in your current condition.â
Rhys ducked his head, ears twitching in uncertainty. Natalia stepped forward, offering a smile.
âWeâll make sure youâre comfortable here, I promise,â she said. âOnce you regain your strength weâll even let you eat whatever you want.â
He remained silent, and Dr. John continued. âWeâll get you set up in a room soon. But first I want to send you for a chest scan and an EKG so we can properly determine the condition of your heart and lungs.â
Rhys seemed to balk at that again. âI donât want to do that.â
âIt wonât hurt,â Natalia told him.
âBut I donât want it!â
âItâs necessary for your proper treatment,â Dr. John said firmly.
âThen I donât want proper treatment!â
Seeing his agitation, Natalia cut in. âDoctor, maybe we should get him settled in his room first. We can schedule the tests for tomorrow, right?â
Dr. John pursed his lips, but relented. âI suppose we can wait until tomorrow. But if your condition changes at all during the night, Rhys, weâll need to do the scans immediately.â
The hybrid looked away, his thin frame trembling slightly.
âWe can put him in room 18,â Dr. John told Natalia. âIâll call Heather and David to come help you.â
Natalia nodded and a few minutes later the other nurses showed up with a wheelchair. Natalia coaxed Rhys to sit down despite his obvious stubborn reluctance.
She wheeled him down the hall toward the room he would be staying in and with the help of the others, got him tucked into bed. It took some coaxing to get him to stay still long enough for them to put the IV in, but once they did, getting the nutrients and pain medicine into him, Rhys seemed to lose all the strength he had left and finally fell into a fitful sleep.
Natalia watched over him for a moment before leaving the room to go see to other patients. Throughout her shift though, Rhys was at the forefront of her mind. She wondered what had happened to him in the time he had been missing? It had obviously been traumatic, considering this was not the cocky, kind troublemaker she had heard about from the other local homeless hybrids. She really hoped that eventually he might be able to heal from whatever horrible experience he had been forced into.
Dr. John found her as she was finishing up her shift, giving her a smile.
âYou were very good with Rhys today, Natalia. He seems to trust you.â
Natalia shrugged. âI did the best I could. I know itâs not going to be easy. Heâs obviously been through a traumatic event.â
The doctor nodded solemnly, his pinched brows the only crack in his professional mask. It wasnât the first time heâd treated an abused hybrid of course, but there was something particularly sinister about the things Rhys had said in passing.
âConsidering the current circumstance, Iâve decided to make a report to the police,â Dr. John said. âA detective is coming tomorrow morning to take Rhysâs statement. Iâd like you to be there with him.â
Natalia nodded. âOf course, doctor. Iâd be happy to.â
Dr. John smiled. âThank you. I wanted to make sure the interview happened before his tests so he might have a little more energy.â
Natalia completed her tasks and talked to the nurse on duty to make sure she would keep an eye on Rhys until she got back in the morning.
The thought of the terrified hybrid refused to leave Nataliaâs mind as she went home to shower and get some sleep. She of course knew that there were people out there who abused hybrids just as there were those who abused people and animals. But Rhysâs case was the most severe she had seen since she had started to work for the clinic. It just made her heart ache in the worst way.
The next morning, she woke as refreshed as possible and headed back in to start her shift.
The first thing she did upon clocking in was head to Rhysâs room. He was awake and sitting up, picking at some breakfast. He looked up at her as she came in, tail shifting slightly as she smiled.
âGood morning, Rhys. How are you feeling?â
He shrugged. âFine, I guess.â
Natalia motioned to the barely touched food. âI would have thought youâd be hungry.â
He pressed his lips together, ears drooping slightly. âEating too much makes me feel sick.â
âHmm, well, if you didnât each much for an extended period than itâs best to go slow. Let your stomach adjust.â
She checked his vitals and noted everything down on his chart.
âDid they tell you a detective was going to come talk to you this morning?â
He shifted uncomfortably, hunching his shoulders, and nodded. âYeah, butâŠI donât want to talk to them.â
Natalia turned to him with a reassuring look. âIâll be here with you the whole time. No one is going to force you to talk, but it is important that you tell us whatever you can aboutâŠwhat happened to you. That way we can make sure it doesnât happen to anyone else.â
Rhys fidgeted with the blanket on his lap, his tail curling around himself. âO-okay. Iâll try.â
Natalia nodded gratefully and took the tray from him after he ate a little more.
It wasnât long before the detective showed up. A kind-looking middle-aged woman with red hair tied up on her head. She gave Rhys a friendly nod as she pulled out her notebook.
âHello Rhys, Iâm Detective Rebecca. If itâs okay, Iâd like to talk about what happened to you.â
Natalia took a seat near Rhysâs bed, staying in his line of sight.
Rhys continued to fiddle with the blanket, looking down at his bandaged wrists.
âHow did you end up in this condition, Rhys?â
He shrugged.
The detective was patient, coaxing. âDid someone take you off the streets? There were several reports of hybrids going missing around the same time as you did.â
Rhys took a little shuddering breath and his heartrate monitor spiked slightly. âIâŠyes. I wasâŠwalking one of the younger hybrids back to their sleeping place one night. SomeoneâŠpulled up in a van, and theyâŠâ He clenched the blanket between his hands. âI pushed the other hybrid away but I wasnât quick enough to get away too.â
The detective nodded, taking down notes. âDo you know where you were taken?â
Rhys swallowed hard. âI donât knowâŠIâŠI was knocked out. Woke up in a dark basement andâŠâ
The heartrate monitor spiked again and Detective Rebecca glanced over at Natalia, waiting for her okay.
Natalia reached out to pat Rhysâs arm. âJust breathe. Youâre doing well. I know this is hard, but what youâre saying is very important.â
He swallowed hard, breathing through his nose, and finally calmed down. Natalia nodded to the detective.
âYou donât have to go into detail unless itâs relevant, Rhys,â Detective Rebecca said kindly. âWas it just one person who took you?â
His brow furrowed as if he were trying to remember. âThere were more than one in the van. But once I wasâŠthereâŠit was only ever one man.â
The detective nodded, writing more notes. âDo you know his name?â
Rhys shook his head. âI never heard it. He always made me call him âmasterâ.â
Nataliaâs brows pinched.
âDo you think you could describe what he looks like?â Detective Rebecca asked.
Rhys thought for a moment and then nodded. âYeah. I think so.â
Detective Rebecca turned to Natalia. âWeâll send a sketch artist over later today, if thatâs okay?â
Natalia nodded. âYes, that would be fine, as long as heâs not resting.â
âUnderstood.â She turned back to Rhys. âRhys, were there other hybrids with you?â
His hands clenched tighter in the blanket again. âY-yes. I never saw them butâŠI heard them, sometimes.â
He shook a little, and Natalia put a steadying hand on his arm again. His tail flicked a little as if in gratitude.
âHow is it that you were able to escape?â
Rhys pursed his lips, shutting his eyes briefly. âI was taken in the vanâŠsomewhere. He said something about a âbuyerâ.â
Natalia let her hand clench in her lap. The man was likely some kind of black-market hybrid trafficker then. A lot of homeless hybrids were unfortunately victims of similar crimes all too often, no matter how careful they were or how cautious they were about staying in groups.
âIâŠhonestly donât know how I escaped. I just remember him leaving me in the van, and I was able to get my restraints loose and escape out the back. I justâŠran. I didnât even realize where I was until I ended up here.â
Detective Rebecca finished taking down her notes. âThank you, Rhys. That was very helpful.â
Natalia smiled and patted his arm again.
âWeâre going to do our best to see that your kidnapper comes to justice,â the detective said as she stood up.
âAnd theâŠother hybrids?â Rhys asked hesitantly.
âIf we can find him, weâll find them,â she said.
He seemed to relax just slightly as the detective took her leave, leaning back against the pillows.
âDid I really help?â he asked.
âYes,â Natalia promised. âAnd youâll help even more when the sketch artist comes.â
The hybrid shivered a little. âI definitely remember what he looked like,â he said softly.
Natalia gave him a sympathetic look. âItâs very brave of you to talk about it. I know itâs hard.â
He looked away, shrugging as if pretending nonchalance, but she could still see the tightness in his muscles, the consistent inability to relax. It was understandable. Anyone who had gone through prolonged abuse like that would be untrusting of apparent peace.
âIs there anything I can get you?â
Rhys shook his head. âNo.â
âAlright. I have to check in on some other patients, but Iâll be back later.â
His ears drooped just a little, but he again shrugged indifferently.
Natalia left, going on her rounds before finishing with some quick paperwork before heading back to Rhysâs room. They would be taking him for the tests soon, so she wanted to make sure he was settled.
Before she could even get there though, alarms blared from his room and her heart kicked into overdrive, sprinting the rest of the way.
She expected to find Rhys in some kind of catatonic state of distress, but instead, he simply shot his head up at her arrival with a guilty expression as wires from the heartrate monitor hung from his mouth.
âRhys!â Natalia snapped.
He instantly dropped them as she went to turn off the machine.
âSorry, sorry, Iâm sorry,â he babbled, genuine fear in his eyes.
Dr. John rushed in a second later, frowning. âWhat happened?â
âHe chewed the wires,â Natalia explained.
The doctor gave Rhys a stern look. âRhys, we talked about that last night.â
âI know, I know, Iâm sorry, I promise I wonât do it again!â
The genuine terror in his eyes, burrowed into Nataliaâs heart. Dr. John softened as well as he set about checking the wires.
âRhys,â Natalia said gently. âBreathe. No one is going to hurt you, we were afraid you would electrocute yourself.â
âAnd we need this machine working properly to make sure your heart is okay,â Dr. John added.
Rhysâs breathing started to rasp slightly again and Natalia prepared the oxygen mask again, getting it over his twitching ears with some difficulty. He finally started to breathe better and settle. Natalia pulled the blanket up to his waist again.
âIâll find you something else to occupy yourself with,â Natalia said kindly, stepping back and allowing Dr. John to press the stethoscope to Rhysâs chest. The hybrid flinched at the cold bell, but stayed docile.
âYes,â Dr. John added. âYou can tell Nurse Natalia what youâd like after your tests. It would be good for you to have something to do between resting.â
Rhys flinched a little at the mention of tests again, but he was mostly concentrating on breathing. Dr. John finally stepped back, taking the stethoscope from his ears.
âI know the aftermath of an event like this is difficult, Rhys,â he said. âBut you do need to be careful not to overexert yourself.â
The hybrid looked away.
âWeâll take you back for the tests in half an hour. In the meantime, just try to rest a little.â
Natalia stayed with Rhys during that time, finally removing the oxygen mask when his breathing evened out again.
âI promise the tests wonât hurt,â she told him. âTheyâre just going to look at your heart and lungs. It will just be a few more wires than you already have on.â
âI wonât chew them,â Rhys muttered, looking away as his ears lowered.
Natalia laughed lightly. âGood. If you do what the doctors ask it wonât take long at all.â
He still didnât look at her, but she sensed him relaxing a little.
One of the other nurses came to help her bring Rhys to the room where they would run the tests. First, they did a scan on his chest to see if there was any damage to his lungs. Rhys squirmed a little, but for the most part complied.
He was a little less compliant as they attached all the nodes and straps to his chest for the EKG test, but once he realized they werenât going to actually restrain him, he seemed to calm down a little. Natalia spoke to him the whole time, trying to keep him distracted so the reading could be as accurate as possible.
He was exhausted by the time it was finally over and went back to his room without trouble, falling asleep almost instantly.
Natalia went to finish up some other work, then headed to Dr. Johnâs office when he called her.
He glanced up from some papers he was looking over as she came in, nodding to her.
âDid you get the results?â Natalia asked.
âYes,â he replied. âRhys is exhibiting a slight arrhythmia which I would like to keep a close eye on. Itâs not serious currently, but any added stress will be an unwanted strain that could lead to more serious issues. The same goes for his lungs. They are slightly damaged. His records show that he had weak lungs already, but with his captivity, abuse, and what I would guess to be repeated use of inhaled sedatives, the issue has grown worse.â
âSo, basically, we need to keep him as calm as possible,â Natalia noted.
Dr. John nodded. âYes. Iâm going to be putting him on a regimen of medication for the issues, but it will likely be a little bit before we see positive results. In the meantime, itâs important to relieve any potential stress.â
Natalia nodded. âWeâll do our best, doctor.â
âIndeed.â Dr. John smiled. âI intend to see him back to his former self before this is all over.â
Natalia hoped that Rhys could indeed heal to a state that he was before.
She was glad that the police sketch artist didnât show up until the evening, after Rhys had eaten dinner. The man was patient and worked with the hybrid, sketching and resketching when Rhys said the face didnât look right.
Finally, the face of Rhysâs abuser sat on the page.
âItâs him,â he said firmly.
The sketch artist thanked him. âIâll get this back to the station.â
The hybrid was tense afterward and Natalia tried to distract him with some things she had brought for him, puzzles and such. He dutifully engaged, but it seemed like his mind was elsewhere.
His condition thankfully improved by the day, though he was still suffering from hyperawareness, skittish around most everyone expect Natalia. She was glad he was at least eating more, a little color coming back to his skin. It was still difficult keeping him from stressing himself to his limits, even Rhys didnât know what might trigger a memory, in which case he would react defensively on instinct.
He seemed to be doing better for the most part, though, which gave Natalia a sense of relief. She had grown fond of a lot of patients over her time as a hybrid vet, but she had never gotten so attached to one like she had Rhys.
Then one night, while it was Nataliaâs turn on the overnight rotation, she stopped by Rhysâs room to check on him, only to find he wasnât in bed.
A quick look toward the small adjoined bathroom told her it was also empty soâ
Panic instantly rose in her throat and she was about to go alert the nurseâs station when she heard a soft whimper.
âRhys?â
She flicked the lamp on in the dark room and stepped around the bed.
Rhys was sitting on the floor against the wall, curled up against the side of the chair that sat under the window. He was shaking, arms wrapped around his knees as another whimper escaped him.
Natalia crouched, reaching out but not touching. âRhys? Whatâs wrong? Are you in pain?â
He shook his head, burying his face in his arms.
Natalia didnât press, she simply sat down next to him, giving him enough space, but close enough to comfort.
âWhy arenât you in bed?â
âDonât want to sleep anymore,â he muttered.
âDid you have a nightmare?â
He nodded.
Natalia remained silent for a long moment before she said. âYou can talk about it if it will help.â
His tail curled around him, coming to rest over his tucked in feet. He didnât say anything for so long that Natalia didnât think he would speak at all, but finally he took a breath and said, âI keep thinking about them.â
âWho?â
âThe other hybrids.â He raised his head slightly, large brown eyes wet and reddened. âI wishâŠI could have gotten them out too.â
Natalia carefully reached out and settled a hand on his shoulder. Rhys stiffened but didnât pull away.
âSometimes you have to save yourself before you can save others,â she told him gently. âYou said you made sure your friend got away when you were captured. That was very brave and selfless.â
âYeah butâŠIâm not even good for anything anymore. I used to take care of the other hybrids, make sure they were safe and had what they needed, but now I canât even take care of myself.â
A helpless tear slid down his cheek and he buried his face in his arms again. âIâm justâŠuseless.â
âYouâre not,â Natalia said firmly. âThe amount of hybrids I heard mention you since I came to this clinicâI always hoped to meet you some day.â
âYouâre disappointed, Iâm sure.â
âNot at all. Youâre exactly what I thought youâd be like.â
âYouâre lying.â
Natalia shook her head. âI can see more than what youâre going through at the moment. I know itâs hard now. I canât even imagine what you went through, Rhys, but that kind of thing doesnât go away overnight. It doesnât go away after a week, a month, sometimes even years. But things do get better. It gets easier to stop thinking about it. Especially when you start to feel better and you can more easily distract yourself with other things again.â
âBut what if I can never go back to who I was before?â
âThen you find a new Rhys to become,â Natalia told him. âAnd that starts with you allowing yourself to heal.â
He stayed silent this time, contemplating her words. Natalia finally stood up, reaching down a hand to Rhys.
âWould you like to get back into bed or would you like to take a little walk to the vending machine?â
He took her hand after only a second and let her pull him to his feet. Instead of answering, he surprised her by wrapping her in a hug, his tail wagging slowly behind him.
âThanks, Miss Natalia,â he said, genuine and warm. âI really donât think I would have been able to get through this much without you.â
She smiled fondly and patted his back before he pulled away. âI look forward to seeing you heal a little more every day.â
She knew there would likely be setbacks, both mentally and physically, but the Rhys she had seen tonight seemed like he was on the right track and that was a good place to start.
Natalia knew that no matter what, she would be there to witness the rest of his journey.
And with that, we are getting things started! As a brief reminder for those new to the event -- AU Roulette is a casual fic-writing challenge encouraging fanfic authors to play around with different types of alternate universe stories, which will be randomly assigned to each participant regardless of the fandom they sign up with.
Writers will be able to sign up from May 10th-31st with a fandom of their choice. At the start of June, each participant will be assigned three AUs from a masterlist using a random number generator. Each author will then have the choice of completing the challenge one, two, or all three of the AUs. Any fic exceeding a 500-word minimum will be considered a completion, so long as it employs the AU premise. Fics can then be posted at any point during the month of June.
As a reminder: The fandom you signed up with is used to filter AU assignments, in order to minimize re-rolls! (For example, someone signing up with "The Lord of the Rings" will not be assigned a High Fantasy AU). Please only sign-up with one fandom.
The sign-up link can be found here. Please feel free to spread it around and get the word out about this year's event!
We're thrilled to reveal the fantastic cover for Cosmic Consequences, illustrated by the supremely talented Nicole Alessi!
The theme of this anthology is whump ... but in space! There are over 30 space-whump themed stories, covering everything from equipment malfunctions to hostile aliens. The table of contents includes:
Shield Fall by Kras Nebula @scrawlingmouse
Between Darkness and the Void by John M. Campbell
Subject 371 (Homo Sapien) by Scarlett Skyes
Plutchikâs Wheel of Emotions, As Interpreted by An Ex-Space space station, by Yasmeen Ambro
The Specimen by Dr. Suvajeet Duttagupta
A Lesson in Cooperation by Marti @galaxywhump
Thunderstorm by Marti @galaxywhump
The Gamble by Nox Spacey @not-a-space-alien
In the Event of Total Annihilation, Please Take Some Calming Breaths by Scarlett Skyes
Flesh and Bone, Wires and Steel by LadyWallace @lady-wallace
Test Mission by Moss @mossteriouslydrawn
Shine Bright For Us by Scarlett Skyes
Courier by Nate Jaros
Adrift Among a Quiet Sea of Stars by Lorelai Deasy
World Eatersâ Return by Booker G.A. Feniks @up-in-flames-writing
To Take an Order (to take a life) by Scarlett Skyes
Microbial High by Sarina Dorie
It Can Still Play Card Games by Nox Spacey @not-a-space-alien
Last Night by Zi Trone @whumpshaped
Sneezes and Space Pirates by E.J. LeRoy
Celestial by C.L. Urbana @pigeonwhumps
The Rediscovery of the Starship Aurora by Kay Hanifen
Martian Wallpaper by Wen Wen Yang
Echoes of the Lost by A. E. Pillow @nature-wants-you-dead
Insults from the Universe by Leanne Albilar
Ananke by T. Lane @t-lane-writes
Kenophobia by Booker G.A. Feniks @up-in-flames-writing
Specter by Aiden E. Messer @aidenemesser
The Great Red Frontier by Asidian Morris @asidian
The Cost of a Life is Measured in Blood by Lux Thorn @whump-me
Lost by Zi Trone @whumpshaped
Found by Mil Cohen @whumpsday
Cosmic Consequences launches on BackerKit on May 28, 2026! You can check out the project here.
The Whumpy Printing Press books are available on many different platforms and retailers. Here's a handy overview of where you can pick up your next whumpy read!
Public libraries
Did you know that you can read WPP books for FREE through your local public library? Our books are available in ebook through hoopla and Overdrive/Libby. You can suggest that your local library purchase a WPP ebook right in the Libby app. Just search for the title and click the "Notify Me" button. This lets your library know that you're interested in them acquiring a copy!
You can also suggest that your library purchase a paperback. Each library has a slightly different process, so search "suggest a purchase" on your library website to find instructions. The majority of our books are distributed through Ingram, which is the system that most libraries order from.
Ebook Retailers
Our books are available on most major ebook retailers, including Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Smashwords, and Bookshop.org. Select titles are also available on Amazon and Google Play.
Subscription Services
You can also grab WPP ebooks through subscription services such as Kobo Plus and Everand. Both of these programs offer free trials.
Paperback Retailers
The best place to purchase WPP paperbacks is bookshop.org. Full disclosure: we are a bookshop.org affiliate, so we receive a small commission for any books purchased through their site using our link, at no extra cost to you.
Our paperbacks are also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, Booktopia, Foyles, Thalia, Waterstones, and more!
Direct
We offer paperbacks and ebooks of select books over on our ko-fi. We also hold crowdfunding campaigns on BackerKit for larger projects like anthologies.
New Plushie preorder in town! If you want your own little Johnny or Gyro (or both) you can preorder these between today May 14th and June 15th (guaranteed to get to you before Episode 2)
I'm running a preorder deal (save $10) if you buy them as a pair as well.
How to Order
I have the preorder up on Etsy, but considering they are very bad about taking down my JJBA stuff, I would prefer you order from my Ko-fi or my order form. That will also get you a little discount on shipping because I will only charge you what I pay. If you want to pay outside of the options I have available on my form, or if you are outside the US, you will have to order through Etsy however.
AHHH this turned out so good! Thank you so much đđ Honestly the muzzle is always a good choice LOL. You did such a good job on him this really made my day đ đ«¶
My piece for the @whump-art-exchange ! This is for @whumping-valentine of their OC Val in elf form :) I had so much fun drawing them, I hope you like how this turned out <3
whumping-valentine is also currently working on a story featuring Val so please go check out their blog!
I have a big shop update with LaDS goodies (and will be doing another update later this month with a bunch of new original art as well so keep an eye out for that!)
There's a bunch of new Sticker and Button designs as well as some softbound notebooks and stationary sets!
Check them out HERE!
Buttons
Stickers
Stationary
Notebooks
Some Zayne Hurt/Comfort today because this idea popped into my head after reading Zayne's story from the hot springs event where MC was able to feel his emotions. I made it worse so we can make it better <3
~~~~~~~
After being exposed to a strange Protocore, Ariadne and Zayne discover that they can now feel each otherâs pain. They plan to just wait it out until a bad day for Zayne leads Ari to discover just how much his Evol hurts him the hard way.
Lads Masterpost
Lads Whump Masterpost
Tag List
Read on Ao3
~~~~~~~
âThere it isâdo you have the containment unit?â
Ariadneâs colleague passed her the capsule which she used to place the Protocore in, sealing it with a sigh of relief.
âIâll take this back to HQ with me when I make my report,â she said. âThanks for all your hard work.â
Her fellow hunter gave her a two-finger salute. âAnytime. Thank Dr. Zayne for us too. He was a lot of help today.â
Ari smiled as she glanced over to where Zayne was tending to the few civilians and Hunters with minor injuries after the Wanderer attack.
âIâll definitely pass on your thanks,â she promised.
Clutching the Protocore, she made her way over to the makeshift medical area that had been set up next to the parkâs fountain.
Zayne was kneeling in the grass putting a bandage on a little girl who looked like she had scraped an elbow falling down.
âYou were very brave,â he told her. âThis isnât too bad, and should heal up nicely within a week or so.â
She nodded, but her eyes caught on Ariadne as she came up, widening with excited awe.
âMiss Hunter! You were amazing fighting all those Wanderers!â she said enthusiastically.
Ari smiled, a little self-conscious. âOh, well, itâs all part of the job.â
âI wanna be a Hunter too when I grow up!â
The girlâs mother thanked Zayne and took her daughter by the hand as she turned to Ariadne.
âThank you for all you and your colleagues do,â she said sincerely.
Ari ducked her head a little, then heard Zayne chuckle as they walked away.
âYou shouldnât look so bashful, you did protect these peopleâs lives.â
âIâm not bashful, I justâŠit feels weird being praised for my job.â
âHm.â Zayne hummed as he closed the box of medical supplies before he turned to her. âAnd you? Are you injured?â
âOnly a couple bruises; nothing to write home about,â she replied, allowing Zayne to rub his thumb over some dirt on her cheek. âSorry our lunch date was ruined.â
Zayne smiled. âWe have to expect it will happen sometimes. After all, both of us work jobs where we are often on call.â
One of the other injured civilians started to stand up from the bench, holding his head where Zayne had applied a bandage a few minutes earlier. The doctorâs eyes instantly flashed as he saw him stagger.
âSir, please sit, the paramedics will be taking you to the hospital soon to properly see to your concussion.â
âSo dizzy,â the man muttered as he swayed.
Ari was the closest, so when the man reached out and started to fall, he crashed into her shoulder.
Zayne somehow steadied her and caught the patient at the same time, but the container holding the Protocore slipped from Ariâs fingers, cracking against the flagstones.
âDammit,â she hissed.
Zayne forced the man to sit back down, glancing over at her. âAre you alright?â
âYeah, justâŠthe container broke.â
Luckily the paramedics had finally arrived and were taking the more heavily injured civilians to Akso hospital. Zayne gave them brief rundowns before joining Ari as she bent to pick up the Protocore.
âHere, you should use gloves,â he said quickly and bent to help her.
They touched the Protocore at the same time and it sparked, causing them both to drop it.
âThe hell?â Ari yanked her hand back.
âIs thatâŠnormal?â Zayne asked.
Before she could answer, her Hunterâs watch started to beep, giving off metaflux readings.
âWe need to get this thing contained again.â She tapped into the comms. âDoes anyone have another containment unit for the Protocore?â
Luckily, she was able to get it contained again within a few minutes, but still had a weird feeling about it.
âThis was the cause of the disturbance, no?â Zayne asked as Ari studied the crystal now that it was secured again.
âI think so. Sometimes old Protocores can be unearthed and cause issues. The park has been undergoing some renovations soâŠâ She glanced at Zayne a little apologetically. âI need to get back to HQ and see this taken care of.â
âOf course, I also need to head back. My break went unexpectedly longâI have patients who will be waiting for me.â
She straightened up, feeling a slightly uncommon ache in her lower back and feet as if she had stood for a long time. She didnât think much of it though.
Zayne leaned in to give her a quick kiss. âNext time, weâll hopefully have a more relaxing lunch.â
She smiled and turned, only to trip over a flipped bench, smashing her shin.
Ari swore, bending to rub her leg as she heard Zayne grunt in surprise.
âI just canât win today,â she growled.
As Ariadne turned back to Zayne, she saw him looking down at his leg, confused.
âZayne?â
He stayed silent for a moment, then shook himself. âNothing. Sympathetic pain, I suppose.â
Ari laughed a little. âHope you donât share that with all your patients Dr. Zayne.â
He smiled, and gave her a wave as they parted ways. âOnly you. Be more careful.â
Ariadne dropped the Protocore off at Hunterâs HQ and made her report to Captain Jenna. After finishing up some paperwork, she went home for the evening, taking a nice hot shower and going to bed.
She was tired after the long day and the slightly odd scene from earlier didnât even cross her mind again. She simply texted Zayne goodnight and fell asleep.
The next couple days she felt abnormally tired like she had gotten far less sleep than she was used to. Her eyes hurt too like she had been looking at a computer screen for far too long and her right wrist ached a little. Weirdly, one of her teeth also ached. Maybe she should take the advice she was always giving Zayne and cut back on the sugar a little.
She chocked it all up to poor sleep, even though she had gotten her normal amount of hours.
However, she woke one morning to a familiar pain in her lower belly and back and groaned, dragging herself out of bed to find some pain pills. That explained the tiredness, then.
She shuffled into the kitchen to make herself some ginger tea, when her phone rang. She turned the kettle on and grabbed her phone.
âHello?â she asked groggily.
âGood morning,â Zayneâs voice came on the other end, slightly tight. âI hope I didnât wake you.â
âI was already up,â she yawned, fumbling for the tea in the cupboard.
âMenstrual cramps?â
She frowned. She knew she was pretty regular but⊠âHow do youâ?â
Zayne huffed a sigh. âI didnât think much of it at the park the other day. Itâs common to experience phantom pain when you see someone hurt themselves, especially someone you care for. But I am certain something is going on now, and I believe that Protocore was the cause.â
Ariadne tried to make sense of what he was saying. âZayne itâs too early, I donât understandâŠâ
âI felt it when you hit your shin at the park,â he stated. âAnd yesterday you strained a muscle during your workoutâI did tell you not to do such vigorous exercises near your periodâand then of course today, wellâŠit would be quite odd for me to experience phantom pain in an organ I do not have, and I have ruled out every other possibility.â
Ari blinked, finally understanding. âYou can feel my cramps?â
ââŠYes,â the soft sigh came over the line.
Everything clicked then. âThe toothache! I should have known.â
âAh, yesâŠI apologize for that.â
âThis is really weird. Iâll call HQ today to see if they have any info on that Protocore.â
âIâll come over to your place. IâmâŠgoing to take a sick day.â
Ari couldnât help but laugh a little. âToo much for you?â
âI am quite uncomfortable.â
âWeâll get through it together then,â she said good-naturedly and ended the call before pulling out another mug and bag of tea.
While she waited for Zayne, she sent a quick message to Nero to ask him to look into the Protocore and find out if there was precedence for this kind of thing.
Zayne showed up before long, and Ariadne took one look at his slightly hunched figure, his jaw set tightly, and pulled him toward the couch.
âPoor Dr. Zayne. Do you want a heating pad?â
He handed her a shopping bag. âI was planning to take care of you todayâbest to treat the source of the problem.â
âWell, letâs just hope this isnât permanent,â she replied and went back to the kitchen. âI made some ginger tea.â
Zayne accepted the tea as they curled up on the couch together.
âI asked Nero at the Association to look into the Protocore. Hopefully heâll be able to find something. Itâs really strange though, isnât it?â
Zayne hummed, sipping the hot tea. âThereâs still a lot we donât know about Protocores and their effects on the human bodyâand mind, for that matter. This seems to lie somewhere between a mental and physical influence.â
Zayne set the tea down and leaned back against the couch, one hand over his abdomen as his brows drew together. âIs it always this painful?â
Ariadne leaned against his shoulder, patting his stomach in sympathy. âSometimes itâs worse than others. Iâm sorry you got a bad month.â
âWell, at the very least I have gained new medical insight about female physiology that would not have been possible otherwise,â Zayne said with a wry smile, leaning over to kiss her forehead. âAnd I get to take the day off to look after youâeven if I canât do it to my full capacity.â
âWell, your toothache isnât fun either,â I muttered, rubbing my jaw. âWhen we figure out how to reverse this, youâre going to the dentist.â
Zayne grunted.
Ari retrieved her heating pad and plugged it in, surprising Zayne by pressing it against his stomach.
âYou shouldââ
Before he could finish his protest, Ariadne pushed him back against the couch and laid down on top of him, pressing the heating pad between them. She nuzzled contentedly into his chest and Zayne huffed a laugh, wrapping his arms around her.
âThat works too.â
They spent a wonderfully lazy morning watching TV and napping. Ari got a text from Nero saying he was looking into the Protocore, but they didnât hear back until later that afternoon after Zayne made rice porridge for lunch.
She was almost asleep again when the phone rang. She yawned and picked it up.
âHey, Nero.â
âAriadne, I ended up finding a case from a few years ago thatâs similar to what you and Dr. Zayne are experiencing. In this one, two Hunters who were exposed to the Protocore ended up experiencing each otherâs emotions, but the Protocore from that case had the same protocurve as the one you found yesterday at the park. One of the Hunterâs was also an Anhaunsen Class Evolver, which I think has something to do with the fact that it effected both of themâand would obviously be the same in your case.â
Ari glanced toward Zayne, who had his brow furrowed. âInteresting. So, how did they reverse it?â
âThey didnât, it simply wore off after a few days,â Nero said. âSorry, Ariadne, but I donât think thereâs a way to speed this up. We can just hope that it has a similar lifespan to the previous case.â
Ari sighed. âAlright. Thanks for your help, Nero.â
She groaned as she dropped her phone back on the coffee table. âWell, good to know itâs probably not permanent, I guess.â
âThese kind of effects from Protocores are rarely permanent,â Zayne reassured. âBut we should be prepared for it to last at least a week.â
Ari sighed and curled up on the couch again. âThis sucks. Iâm sorry, Zayne.â
âAt least one of us isnât badly injured currently. It could be worse.â He cleared his throat though and still shifted a bit uncomfortably. âTime for your next dose of pain medicine?â
âOh, yeah. Guess Iâll take it for both of us,â she replied and dutifully took the pills before turning the TV on and laying back down against Zayne.
He pulled her against him, spooning her from behind as he gently massaged her stomach. âJust relax for today,â he murmured into the top of her head. âWe canât do anything about it, so we may as well enjoy a well-deserved day off.â
She hummed, comforted by his gentle ministrations as they watched movies and napped for the rest of the afternoon.
After ordering takeout for dinner, she convinced Zayne to stay over so they could suffer together. Despite napping a good portion of the day, she still fell asleep easily, happy to sleep off the worst of the cramps with Zayneâs warmth beside her.
She slept so deeply, in fact, that she only barely woke when she felt Zayne shift, and heard him talking quietly.
âThatâs fine. Iâll be there soon.â
Ari pried her eyes open. âMmâŠZayne?â
He leaned over, stroking her hair gently. âYouâre feeling better.â A statement, not a question. She laughed sleepily and he smiled. âI need to go into the hospital. But Iâll call you on my break. Donât do anything to tax yourself today.â
âI promise Iâm used to this,â she said fondly. âBut you should take more time to sit down too. My back has been hurting for days in places in never does.â
He chuckled and leaned over to kiss her forehead. âIâll do what I can. Take it easy today, Ari.â
She curled into the warm spot he had left, knowing she would be taking his advice since she was rarely in top form the first couple days of her period. At least the cramps had subsidedâgood for both of them.
She slept a few more hours before getting up and lounging around, catching up on some paperwork and doing some light cleaning around her apartment.
While she was vacuuming, however, she stubbed her toe and swore loudly. It was only after the pain subsided that she recalled her current predicament and grabbed her phone.
Iâm so sorry. Iâll stop cleaning for now.
Zayne replied to the text a few minutes later with a pointedly staring Happy Snowman.
Itâs all right. Luckily, I wasnât in a surgery. The patient I was seeing at the time was probably wondering why I suddenly jumped, however.
Ari couldnâtâ help but laugh as the pictured the scene.
I guess I underestimate how many times I obtain minor injuries during the day.
You are rather accident prone. Perhaps you should refrain from more physical activities until this wears off. Try reading a book.
She huffed a little, but took his advice, searching for one of the books she rarely had time to read as she texted him back.
By the way, you should use your wrist brace, your carpel tunnel is acting up again.
âŠYes, thank you for the reminder.
She plucked one of her sadly abandoned books and curled up on the couch to read for the rest of the day. She dozed off sometime late in the afternoon and didnât wake until it was dark outside.
Checking her phone, she saw it was already almost 10 PM
âAgh, my sleep schedule,â she moaned. At least she was on leave from work until further notice. Jenna said that she wasnât allowed to come back until the symptoms from the Protocore wore off.
She was starving, having missed dinner, and made herself a quick meal, seeing a text from Zayne from about an hour ago, saying he was heading home for the night and to let him know if she needed anything.
She didnât reply since she figured he would probably be trying to sleep by now, and turned the TV on to keep her company while she ate.
She was engrossed in the drama, watching it as she cleaned up her dishes more slowly than usual, eyes wide as the plot unfolded.
She was just reaching up blindly into the cupboard to put away a bowl when pain seared down her right arm.
Ari gasped in shock, the bowl falling to the floor with a crash.
The pain didnât stop. It only crept further up her arm from her wrist to her shoulder, like thorns digging into her flesh.
She staggered back against the counter, nearly blinded by the pain. It felt like it was boring straight into her bones, sharp, aching and....
Cold.
âZayne,â she suddenly gasped as some form of reality returned to her. She hugged her arm to herself, staggering toward her phone and hitting Zayneâs contact.
It felt like an eternity before he picked up, and when he finally did, her worst fears were confirmed as she heard his labored breathing on the other end.
âZayne? Are you alright?â Ariadne demanded.
There was a long pause before he gritted out, âIâmâŠsorryâŠâ
âD-donât apologize. Iâm coming to you.â
She didnât give him a chance to protest, simply ended the call and ordered a taxi instead, knowing she wasnât going to be able to drive by herself right now.
When her driver got there, he gave her one look and instantly turned concerned.
âAre you okay, miss? Do you need a hospital?â
âN-no, IâŠplease just take me toâŠâ
She gave him Zayneâs address and tried to hide the pain still digging into her arm and shoulder as he drove her to Zayneâs apartment.
When she finally stepped out of the car, she rushed to his door, fumbling with the key code.
âZayne!â she called as soon as she got inside, looking around.
He wasnât anywhere in direct sight, so she headed back to his bedroom.
There was a dim light coming from under the door. She pushed it open and frowned as she still didnât see Zayne, but a shuddering breath finally helped her locate him.
She rounded the bed and saw him on the floor, propped against the side of the bed frame. His body shuddered as he curled into himself, clutching his right arm tightly. Foggy vapors swirled around him and she could feel the drop in temperature increasing the closer she got to him. Her feet crunched in the hoarfrost that was already forming on the carpet.
âGod, Zayne,â Ari gasped as she saw him, instantly kneeling as she gritted her teeth against the pain she was also feeling.
He panted, jaw tight as he gave her a wan glance. âIâm sorryâŠAriâŠI didnât wantâŠuuugh.â His features twisted in agony, head tilting back. Ari felt the brief surge in pain as well, unable to help a gasp. âI never wantedâŠyou toâŠexperience thisâŠâ
For some reason, the fact that he was more concerned about her when she was just feeling his pain second hand broke something open inside of her. Tears slipped down her cheeks as she reached out to put a hand on his chest, the other cupping his cheek.
âDoes it always hurt like this?â she asked, voice breaking as more tears slipped free.
Zayne took a deep breath, gritting his teeth. âYes.â
She bit back a sob, trying to gather herself. Zayne reached out with his good hand and stroked the back of her head, pulling her toward him. âIâm sorry it hurts so muchâŠgive it aâŠfew minutes.â
âZayne,â she fought back another sob as he tried to comfort her, pushing away from him slightly to take his hand in hers, squeezing. âIâm not crying because it hurts, Iâm crying because you never told me it hurt this bad. This isâŠawful.â
He let out a shaky breath. âI-Iâm used to it now. MmhmnâŠâ
Ariadne watched the ice start to creep up his neck, feeling it as it burrowed further.
She slid her hand over to the shoulder ravaged by the ice. âLet me help, please, Zayne.â
His eyes shot open with a brief glint of fear. âNoâŠitâs tooâŠdangerous.â
She shook her head. âIâll go slow.â
She gathered her Evol, concentrating through the pain, and reached out to Zayneâs familiar signature. It felt jagged, tumultuous like an ice storm. She felt another flare of pain, but gritted her teeth against it and pushed her Evol into Zayne. She heard his gasp, his body stiffening. The ice crackled under her hand, dissipating. She could feel the pain start to subside from her own shoulder, working its way down her arm before a dull ache began in her chest.
Zayne grabbed her wrist and pulled her hand away, panting. âThatâs enoughâŠfor nowâŠâ
She nodded and let him pull her closer to him, both of them taking a moment to breathe through the pain. Zayneâs breaths puffed against the top of her head, his good arm curled around her waist.
âWhat happened, Zayne?â Ari finally asked.
He let out a long breath. âIt wasâŠjust a nightmare. It happens sometimes.â
âThis seems worse than usual.â
He shrugged with one arm. âSometimes certain things exacerbate it. But thatâs not always the case. Sometimes it just jumps on me. I didnât want this to happen while we were connected, but itâs possible the effects of the Protocore made me more susceptible....â
âStop apologizing,â Ari chided, sniffing wetly, pulling away to take his face between her hands, forcing him to look at her. âMaybe this was for the best. After all, would you ever have admitted to just how much this hurt otherwise?â
He sighed, brow furrowed. âI hate to see you cry over it. Itâs not your burden to bear.â
She reached down and placed her hand over his still icy wrist. âIt is tonight,â she reminded him.
Zayne took a shuddering breath, tensing again. âI supposed youâre right.â
She gently coaxed her Evol to resonate with him again. Zayne grunted as she forced the rest of the ice away, feeling little more than a dull ache in her lower arm now. She threaded her fingers through Zayneâs cold ones, squeezing as he collapsed back against the bed, breathing more deeply as the pain subsided.
Ice crystals still attempted to form on his hand, breaking his skin, but Zayne seemed to be able to force them away himself.
âIs there anything else I can do?â Ari asked softly.
Zayne shook his head and pulled her close again. âJustâŠstay with me.â
Ari straddled his lap so she could lean more comfortably against his chest, letting him wrap his arms around her. His hands still trembled against her back, but the crystals stopped forming and he seemed comforted by her warm weight against him. She closed her eyes as she focused on his heart beating against her chest, feeling it even out and sync with hers as the pain continued to subside.
They stayed like that for a long time before Ari finally murmured, âZayneâŠyour back isnât going to get any better sitting like this.â
He huffed a laugh, squeezing her more tightly against him. âPerhaps not, but I am comfortable.â
âThe bed is literally right here.â
âMmhm,â he hummed, still making no move to rectify their position.
Ari found she cared less as Zayneâs temperature evened out and the chill went away, replaced by warmth seeping into her. Her eyelids drooped.
She was only vaguely aware of Zayne eventually tucking both of them into bed with her still held tightly to his chest.
***
The next morning Ariadne had the rare opportunity to wake before Zayne, finding herself blessed by his soft, unbothered expression as his even breathing tickled her hair.
She quickly checked to make sure all the traces of ice were gone, but Zayne seemed to be at his normal temperature, sleeping peacefully.
She couldnât quite resist the urge to lean in and kiss the tip of his nose. Zayne snuffled in his sleep and subconsciously pulled her closer. Nuzzling into her cheek.
âMm, good morning,â he murmured.
Ari smiled. âGood morning. How do you feel?â
âHmm, considering I have my best medicine with me, I believe my recovery will be swift.â
âGood.â
Zayne held her for a long time, both of them simply enjoying the quiet moment before Zayne said, âI didnât thank youâŠfor last night. Iâm used to dealing with it myself, but itâs significantly easier with you.â
Ari reached up and traced her fingers across his cheek. âHow long would you have been suffering last night if I hadnât known to come help you?â
Zayne shrugged, trying to avoid her gaze but she caught his chin and forced him to look at her.
âNever hesitate to call me. Next time, I doubt weâll be tethered by this Protocore. Zayne is going to have to use his words.â
Zayne took a slightly shaky breath but the fondness in his eyes showed through.
âYouâre not going to take no for an answer.â
âAbsolutely not,â Ari replied firmly and pushed herself up as Zayne frowned. She smiled. âIâll be back. Iâm just going to make coffee.â
Zayne reluctantly let her go. As Ari slid out of bed, she accidently tripped over Zayneâs slippers and bumped her knee against the bed frame.
âAghâjeez I canât believe Iâm so clumsy lately.â
She bent to rub her knee as Zayne sat up.
âSorryââ
âNo, IâŠbelieve our issue might be solved,â he said.
âYou didnât feel that?â
Zayne shook his head and pinched his forearm. âCan you feel that?â
Ari shook her head. âNope. Actually, canât feel your toothache anymore either.â
Zayne huffed a wry laugh. âAh. Well, I can, so I suppose that concludes our diagnosis.â
âIt has been about a week, it must have just run its course. Or maybe resonating last night kind ofâŠreset it?â
âPerhaps. Whatever the case, Iâm glad to be rid of it. I now feel more prepared should you be seriously injured.â
âWhy do you just assume it would be me?â
He gave her a baleful look. âDo I really have to explain my reasoning?â
Ari wrinkled her nose at him and hurried to the kitchen to make some coffee. While it was brewing she set up a breakfast tray with some cut fruit and toast as well, carrying it all back to Zayneâs room.
He smiled fondly as she set it between them on the bed.
âI donât usually get to enjoy breakfast in bed,â he said.
âWell, you deserve to be pampered every once in a while. Especially when you had such a rough night.â She glanced at him, unable to hide her concern. âYouâre really okay?â
Zayne sighed, leaning back against the pillows with his coffee. âI really am used to it. Though the backlash was particularly bad last night.â
Ariadne took his right hand in hers, massaging the meat of his palm, and running her thumbs gently along the fresh scars on the back of his hand and wrist.
âI told you not to look so sad,â Zayne chided. âI canât control it any more than you can your menstrual cycle.â
âI know, but itâs not natural,â she replied, still frowning. âVery few people have their Evol hurt them like this. I hate that you have to deal with this.â
âPerhaps someday I will be able to find a proper cure,â he said, before enfolding her hand in his slightly cool fingers. âBut until then, youâre good medicine to help ease the pain.â
She leaned against his shoulder, threading their fingers together. âJust promise me that youâll call me from now on. Even if I canât physically come to see you every time it happens, I want to know that youâre suffering. I donât want you to keep it from me. You donât have to go through it alone, Zayne.â
âI suppose thatâs a promise I can make,â he agreed and leaned over to kiss her head. âI am hungrier than just fruit and toast can suffice, however. Would you like to go see what we can make for a heartier breakfast?â
Ari smiled and slid out of bed, still holding his hand. âI would love to.â
He knew he should have told Thomas to cancel his appearance. He knew it was too close to Ebb Day for comfort. But he thought he would be fine. That was until Rafayelâs flight gets delayed and Ariadne finds out too late after coming back home from a mission. Stranded at the airport, a supposed âgood Samaritanâ offers Rafayel help but it turns out that her intentions are anything but charitable.
(TW for non-graphic attempted non-con in this chapter)
Lads Whump Masterpost
Read on Ao3
~~~~~~~~
He didnât know how long he was unconscious this time, only that he woke to an empty room. In fact, the whole house seemed quiet. He craned his aching head upright, making sure, before he tugged at the restraints.
He could not use his Evol when he was like this, and he had little strength, but he wrapped his hands around the connecting chains and worked the cuffs against the headboard, using his bodyweight, until the chain weakened.
They gave with a triumphant snap and Rafayel exhaled sharply as he pulled his arms down, shoulders singing with pain.
He rolled over, forcing his feet over the side of the bed, pushing himself up shakily.
His head instantly swam like he was being tossed in a rough current and he nearly passed out. He slumped back down, head in his hands, until he caught his breath, forced the dizziness aside.
On the desk across the room, he saw his phone where Clara must have left it. Relief swam through him as he forced himself up again and nearly collapsed against the desk, grabbing it.
His fingers shook, making it hard to even touch the familiar contact, but when he did, the dial tone followed by the call picking up felt like pure relief.
âRafayel?â the urgent voice sounded on the other end.
He let out a shuddering breath. âAri,â he croaked. âI made aâŠstupid mistake. Need help, please.â
âIâm already on my way, it shouldnât be much longer now.â
He blinked trying to offer help. âClaraâŠsomething.â
âHeartfield, I know. I promise Iâm coming for you, honey. Just hold on a little longer.â
Heartfieldâthat was the name he had been trying to remember. Dr. Heartfield, a man he had made to drown himself in his own bathtub, lured by a siren song.
The door slammed open and Rafayel staggered back, tripping over the desk chair.
âWhat the hell?â Clara demanded. âHow did you get out of bed?â
Rafayel could hear Ariadneâs worried voice on the phone and Claraâs eyes snapped over to it. She stormed over and picked up the phone, smashing it against the wall,
Rafayel hauled himself to his feet and lurched for the door.
Clara grabbed him around the waist and hauled him back. She was small, but he was so weak right now, he could barely fight against her. They both fell, his shoulder striking the desk painfully. Rafayel curled on the ground, gasping for breath. Any exertion made it even harder to breathe right now. Blackness danced at the corners of his vision.
âYou think you can run back to her? No, I caught you fair and square. You will be mine, Rafayel. My Lemurian husband. Iâm not missing this chance.â
His lips parted and he attempted to use the only defense he had, his song. But he was no better than human right now, and the attempt instantly flayed his throat.
He choked, doubling over with a cough as flecks of blood dotted his palm.
Clara darted across the room, dumping the contents of a bag out and grabbing a small spray bottle.
âI didnât want to have to use this,â she said. âBut youâre forcing me to drastic measures.â
Rafayel pushed himself up just in time to see her lift a small spray bottle, spritzing whatever was in it andâ
His world suddenly narrowed to helpless terror. As soon as the scent hit his nose, his eyes dilated almost painfully, vision blurring, heartbeat picking up as he became intoxicatingly light-headed.
âN-no, please donât,â he rasped, trying to crawl for the door.
She grabbed the waistband of his pants and hauled him back. He collapsed, smashing his chin on the ground. The scent became more overwhelming the closer she got to him. He remembered when Ariadne had accidently put some of it on, how someone had obviously been attempting to set a trap, weaken him. But it was ten times as strong now when he was already so vulnerable.
He could barely think. She hauled him back onto the bed, restraints tightening around both his wrists and ankles this time, barely able to move.
The heat that always simmered in his lower belly during Ebb Day came to a boil, an almost painful arousal that made his whole body sensitive to even a wisp of air. He was barely conscious, writhing against the restraints, feeling like he might go up into flames. Too much, it was too much. He couldnât control his bodyâs reaction.
âYou poor thing, I told you I didnât want to have to do that to you.â
He barely paid attention to the voice, a whimper escaping his throat.
Rafayel could feel someoneâs touch approaching his face, and instinctively leaned into it, desperate.
But the instant it connected it was so wrong. This wasnât who he needed. His bond mark burned in protest, his whole body in agony. He tried to pull away but he couldnât. he was trapped as unwanted hands slid down his body.
âDonât worry, Iâll help,â a voice said, an attempt to soothe that only made him want to flee. âIâll make you feel better.â
âN-no, donât,â Rafayel begged as he felt hands unbuttoning his pants. As he tried to fight, another strong whiff of the abhorrent scent hit him, stealing all his faculties again until everything was just sensation.
A tear of frustrated desperation slid down his cheek. Iâm sorry, Ari, Iâm sorry.
In a last-ditch effort, he tried to use his song again, even if it destroyed his throat for good, but a hand covered his mouth and a cloth was shoved between his teeth, making him choke.
âBe a good boy and Iâll help you through this.â Her fingers stroked his cheek, mockingly kind, as her other hand slid down his body. âYouâll learn to love me. I promise.â
Darkness closed in again as if his body were attempting to protect him from the coming trauma. Part of him wanted to keep fighting, but another part of him recognized the futility. This was the constant fate of his people, forever at the mercy of humans. Perhaps nothing would ever change that. It was like being caught in a riptide and having nothing else to do besides let it take you.
***
The call ended abruptly with a âphone out of serviceâ warning. Ariadne swore as she tossed her phone onto the passenger seat and pressed her foot harder into the gas pedal.
The GPS read five more miles. It wouldnât be long.
âHold on, Raf, please just hold on a little longer,â she begged under her breath.
As soon as she pulled into the driveway of the rather large estate, she could feel a subconscious tug. She remembered Rafayel saying once that because of their bond he would always know where she was. She hadnât realized it worked both ways, but she just automatically knew that she was sensing Rafayel.
She approached the house, peeking into the windows. She couldnât see anyone directly and used a device to spoof the lock code to open the door.
She stepped in and was instantly drawn toward the back of the house. A door sat ajar, sounds of distress and shushes came from inside. Ari drew her gun and pushed the door open. The scene before her caused her to freeze.
Rafayel was bound to the bed and a young woman with blue streaks in her hair loomed over him, attempting to undress him as Rafayel did his best to fight her weakly. Protective fury instantly boiled up in Ariadne and she raised her gun.
âGet away from him.â
Clara froze, head whipping up, genuine surprise on her face. Rafayelâs head lolled to the side, eyes blinking before going wide as he saw her.
âHe needs my help,â the girl said firmly.
Ari cocked the gun. âTouch him again and I will shoot you.â
Her hands finally left Rafayelâs body and he shuddered with an exhale of relief. Ari rushed around the bed, pulling cuffs from her belt. âTurn around.â
âHe wants this, this is all a misunderstandingââ
Ariadne grabbed her shoulder and spun her, slamming her face-first against the wall. Clara cried out, reaching for her nose before Ari yanked her hand back down.
âDonât give me that bullshit, you know you assaulted him.â A vaguely familiar scent caught her attention and she leaned closer to Clara, sniffing her clothes.
âYou used that on him too?â she asked, low, dangerous.
âHe wouldnât obey me. He said he was bound to you.â
âHe is,â Ari said firmly. âAnd he can trust me not to use that bond against him.â
She locked Claraâs hands together and forced her to sit against the wall.
âThe police are already on their way.â
âYou donât understand! Heâs mine, I caught him fair and square! Thatâs how the stories work!â
Ariadne really had to fight the urge to kick her. Instead she ignored the woman and turned to Rafayel, pulling out her knife to cut him free. She pulled the gag from his mouth before fixing his clothes, buttoning his pants and shirt back up. He shuddered, flinching slightly every time her fingers grazed his skin.
âRaf,â she whispered as she worked, throat closing up at the look in his eyes as he reached for her weakly. She pulled him into her arms, feeling him shiver, breath rasping against her neck. He breathed in her scent with a relieved shudder.
âGod, youâre burning up,â she said worriedly. âWeâre gonna get you out of here. Let me help you to the car, we just have to wait until the police show up.â
âPlease donât take him from me!â Clara shouted. âYou have no idea how long Iâve wanted this!â
Ariadne and Rafayel both ignored her. Rafayel clung to her as Ari attempted to get him off the bed. His legs completely gave out and she simply turned around and, with some coaxing, heaved him up onto her back. Rafayel moaned a little in protest, but rested his head against her shoulder, seeming to acknowledge that he wasnât getting out of there without help.
She carried him out to her car, getting him settled into the passenger seat just as the police sirens sounded and the cop cars pulled up in the driveway.
Ari reluctantly left Rafayel to go talk to them, showing her Hunterâs ID and explaining the situation. The detective wanted to interview Rafayel but one look at him made the man decide to wait.
âLet us know when Mr. Rafayel is feeling well enough to give a statement.â
Ari handed him Thomasâs card. âYou can contact his manager. Heâll let you know.â
The detective nodded. Another cop came up with a suitcase.
âMiss Celest, this is Mr. Rafayelâs. We found it in the back of the rental car. Itâs been cleared so you can take that with you.â
Ari nodded in thanks and loaded it into her own car.
The other cops were hauling Clara out of the house as she continued to protest that she did nothing wrong. Rafayel shrank further into the seat and Ari closed the door, turning to the detective.
âI need to get him medical care. Weâll be in contact when heâs well enough to speak.â
The detective nodded and Ariadne got into the car, starting it up as Clara screamed in frustration, trying to fight against the cops forcing her into the back of one of the patrol vehicles.
As soon as Ariadne pulled out of the driveway, Rafayel slumped against the window with a long exhale. Ari reached over to squeeze his hand briefly. He barely squeezed back with a weak twitch of his fingers. His breathing sounded labored, like each breath took a lot of effort.
He wasnât going to make it back to Linkon, so she made the executive decision to get a hotel room in town.
Luckily it was easy to find a hotel as soon as they drove into the city. As soon as she got the room, she went to fetch Rafayel, having to piggy-back him again. She was sure that as soon as he felt better he would ask her never to mention this again, but he was so out of it there was no other way she would be getting him to the room. It was still more dignified than loading him onto a luggage cart.
Luckily there werenât that many people around right now and she got him into the room without any odd stares, instantly calling in a shopping order for some things they would need.
âBath,â Rafayel rasped and Ari nodded, practically carrying him into the bathroom. She started the tub and carefully undressed him to his underwear before sitting him down.
Rafayel gasped in relief as the water hit his skin. He seemed to breathe better the longer he soaked.
Ariadne knelt by the too-small tub, using a cloth to soothe where the water couldnât reach. He was still burning up, but the fever seemed to have gone down by a couple degrees. The first thing she did was gently wash off any of that scent that clung to his skin, opening one of the packets of complimentary hotel coffee for him to smell. That had seemed to calm him down a little.
She checked him over, soothing the bruises and scrapes. There was a scab on his neck where it looked like one of his scales had been ripped out. Ari gently dabbed over the area, feeling Rafayel shudder. She didnât want to ask right now, but she wished she had punched that bitch in the face now.
She was slightly worried about the fact heâd pretty much gone non-verbalâeven tired, Rafayel usually wasnât this quiet. But when he coughed with a wince, rubbing his throat, she coaxed him to open his mouth had saw how raw it was.
âWhat the hell did she do to you?â Ari demanded, cradling his head in her hands.
His eyes pinched. âWas stupidâŠshoulda known IâŠcouldnât sing right now.â
The breathy rasp took her a moment to decipher but once she understood what he meant Ariadne had to bite back her fury yet again. Rafayel had felt so backed into a corner that heâd tried to use his voice as his only weapon.
âDonât try to talk too much. Iâll make you some tea when you get out of the tub.â
He nodded and closed his eyes again, head tilted slightly away from her, resting against the cool tiles of the wall.
Ari left him there for a few minutes to ready the bed, putting the kettle on to brew some tea. The grocery order was delivered and she called down to the front desk to ask for honey and milk.
Finally, she took a moment to call Thomas and update him on the situation.
âWeâre at a hotel right nowâhe needed rest and I didnât want to stress him out with the drive back to Linkon until heâs feeling better.â
âUnderstandable, I trust you to do whatâs best for him,â Thomas said, relief in his voice.
âThe local police will likely be calling within a day or two to set up an interview with him. Donât set anything in stone yet until you let me know. HeâsâŠlost his voice too so we want to make sure he can even talk.â
âOf course, donât worry, Iâll handle all that,â Thomas promised. âAnd Iâll call Talia, but I canât promise she wonât call you herself. I didnât give her all the details, but I think she knew I was leaving something out.â
âThatâs fine. Iâm sure Rafayel wonât mind too much,â Ariadne said as she ended the call. A knock on the door heralded the room service arriving with the honey and milk. Ari thanked the hotel worker and made sure to lock the door after him.
She turned down the covers and plumped the pillows, making sure everything was ready. It wasnât going to be comfortable like Rafayelâs room, but it would have to do.
Checking her phone, she saw they would be approaching the highest point of the tide in about an hour. She wanted to get Rafayel tucked into bed in an attempt to sleep through it.
Heading back into the bathroom, she smiled at the listless figure in the tub, retrieving a towel.
âAre you ready to get out?â
Rafayel nodded and shakily tried to push himself up. Ari helped lift him out of the tub and dabbed him dry. She wrapped the towel around his waist before carefully helping him remove the wet underwear. Normally neither of them would be shy, but considering the recent events, she wanted him to be comfortable even when it was just them.
âIâll get you something dry to wear in just a second. Is there anything else you need?â
As she turned to go fetch his clothes, she felt his arms snake around her shoulders, pulling her back. Rafayelâs weight pressed against her back, damp, fevered skin seeping through her shirt.
âRafayel?â
âYou,â he murmured against her shoulders. âJust need youâŠnear me.â
Her heart ached and she reached up to rub his arm gently as he nuzzled his face into her neck, inhaling her scent.
âIâm not going anywhere Rafayel,â she replied, a little choked up despite herself. âLetâs go lay down.â
She pulled his arms from around her with a kiss on one wrist, then wrapped her arm around his waist to help him out to the bed.
She helped him into new boxer briefs and offered pajamas too but Rafayel shook his head.
âToo much,â he croaked. âThe rubbing is uncomfortable.â
Ari nodded in understanding, knowing he was overly sensitive and probably overstimulated already.
She helped him into bed, propping him against the pillows as she made him a cup of tea with a ton of honey and lemon in it.
Rafayel sipped it gratefully, shutting his eyes briefly in relief.
It was only after she was about to jump into bed with him when she realized she was still in her filthy hunterâs gear.
âHoney, will you be okay if I take a shower really quick?â she asked.
Rafayel looked up, lips parting as his eyes wavered, but Ari quickly reassured him.
âJust enough time to rinse off. Iâll leave the door open if you need anything.â
He nodded reluctantly and she hurried to clean up as quickly as possible.
Once she was out of sight, the emotions she had been fighting to contain finally exploded. She gave herself a few minutes to cry silently under the shower, letting out all the fury and horror at what had been done to Rafayel when he was at his weakest. She would see Clara put away for a long time if she had anything to do with it. Rafayel was supposed to have been with her, getting all the best care like he deserved. Instead he had been taken advantage of, kidnapped, tied up, and molested by someone he shouldnât have had to expect to be a threat.
Once again, Ariadneâs ability to care for Rafayel on Ebb Day had been taken away from her. She would be lying if she said she wasnât deeply hurt and angry about it. But more so, she regretted that Rafayel had to be put through something like that, especially when he was emotionally and physically at his most vulnerable.
She wiped her tears and forced her emotions down as she turned the water off. Regardless of what had happened, she would do everything she could for Rafayel during the rest of it.
Ari hadnât packed anything for herself considering her urgency to leave Linkon, but sheâd snagged an oversized hoodie from Rafayelâs suitcase and put that on.
She saw Rafayelâs eyes soften as he saw her in it and smiled. She reached out to touch his forehead, feeling how warm he was. He moaned a little.
âI have medicine for the fever,â she said. âI know it probably wonât do much but it will be better than nothing, right?â
He acquiesced to taking the medicine and Ari took the mostly empty mug from him before finally slipping into bed.
Rafayel was on her immediately, clinging to her with all four limbs. She couldnât help but huff a laugh, reaching up to pet his hair.
âYouâre like an octopus,â she said fondly.
He nuzzled further, pressing his nose into her neck as he breathed her in. He seemed to relax almost instantly, some of the tension easing from his body. She traced her fingers gently down his back, careful not to overstimulate his overly sensitive skin. He shivered a little, but only leaned into her touch.
âIâm sorry,â he finally whispered, just barely loud enough for her to hear.
Ari frowned and reached down to tilt his chin up. âWhat do you mean?â
âSorry I was too weak. Sorry I couldnât stop her. You know Iâm yours only, and Iâm sorry I let her touch meââ
Ari had heard enough. She simply caught Rafayelâs lips with her own, swallowing his words. He still tasted of honey from the tea, inhaling sharply from the sudden kiss.
When she pulled back, Ariadne took his face in her hands, forcing him to meet her eyes.
âRafayel, donât you dare apologize,â she said firmly. âIt was thatâŠthat bitch who took advantage of you when you were at your weakest. Donât apologize for her actions.â The tears pricked in her eyes again. âIâm sorry because I wasnât there. I will never leave you during Ebb Day again. I donât care if the world decides to fall apart and Wanderers destroy Linkon, I will be by your side, no matter what. She knew exactly how to hurt you and I will never forgive her. Iâll make sure sheâs locked up for a long time.â
Rafayelâs eyes dilated a little, his scales shimmering more prominently. Ari gently stroked his cheek, brushing her thumb across the slightly raised scales. âI love you, Rafayel. And I am so sorry this happened.â
He pulled her closer, his lips finding her cheek, kissing a tear away.
âI donât blame you,â he whispered, resting his forehead against hers. âBut I will hold you to thatâŠfor next year.â
He winced a little, and Ari frowned. âAre you okay?â
He moaned softly, nuzzling his face down against her shoulder. âHead hurtsâŠâ
She kissed his eyelid gently and pulled him closer to her. âJust try to sleep through the worst of it, honey. Iâll be right here. Iâm not going anywhere.â
Rafayel hummed and wrapped his arms tighter around her, pulling her flush against him. He was almost too hot, but Ari wasnât about the push him away.
He seemed to fall asleep quickly enough though Ariadne stayed awake for a long time after, stroking his hair, listening to his breathing, grateful he was with her. She didnât want to think about how much worse it could have gotten. She was just thankful he was safe and sound in her arms and that was all that she could ask for.
***
Rafayel woke late the next morning, almost at noon. Ariadne had expected that and had asked for a late check out when she got the room.
âGood morning.â She laced her fingers through his hair, checking his temperature, and was happy to see the fever had indeed dissipated. âHow are you feeling?â
âMmm, tired, a little sore, butâŠmostly just my throat hurts.â
âHow bad is it?â Ari asked.
Rafayel shrugged. âIt will heal. Using my song always takes a toll, but itâs not permanent. Just likeâŠa really bad sore throat.â
Ari frowned at how rough his voice sounded, but finally pulled away. âIf youâre feeling up to it, we can drive back to Linkon. If not, I can ask for another night here.â
Rafayel shook his head and sat up slowly. âI want to go home.â
She nodded. She couldnât disagree with that sentiment.
They had a quick breakfast in the room, then drove back to Linkon. By the time they got back to Rafayelâs house in Whitesand Bay, he was exhausted again and collapsed on the couch as soon as they got inside.
âAre you sure you donât want to lay in your bed?â Ari asked him.
âLater,â Rafayel replied tiredly, arm over his eyes to shield them from the afternoon light. âJust wanna stay here for now.â
âCan I get you anything.â
He reached out and snagged her sleeve, pulling her toward him until she was lying on top of him.
âThis is good,â he murmured into her hair.
Ariadne resigned herself to napping with him for the rest of the afternoon and had to admit that it wasnât a bad idea at all.
***
The next day, Thomas coaxed Rafayel to do the interview with the police and the detective Ari had seen briefly at Claraâs place that day, came to Rafayelâs studio and spoke to him about the incident.
Ari sat there at Rafayelâs side, listening to him tell the story, slowly and quietly. She let him hold her hand when he was having trouble getting the words out, but the detective was patient and didnât push him more than he needed to for clarification. She was more on edge hearing about the details than Rafayel was telling them.
Before the detective wrapped up the interview, he asked, âMr. Rafayel, Miss Heartfield has continuously insisted that youâre part of the Lemurian race and that gave her the right to âcaptureâ you in some sort of forced marriage. Do you have any idea why she would think that?â
Ariadne stayed silent, hoping she wasnât showing any tells, but Rafayel stayed completely calm, shrugging, as his brows drew together in confusion. âI was just as confused as you are detective. I only know a little about Lemuria from the news and all that. I guess she thought my artistic ability made me something Iâm not. I just feel inspired by the sea, so I paint it a lot.â
The detective nodded and closed his notebook, standing up. âThank you, Mr. Rafayel. As of now, that is all. The fact you pressed charges is really all we need. The girl appears to be clinically insane.â
âI hope sheâll be able to get the help she needs,â Rafayel said quietly, shaking the detectiveâs hand before showing him out.
As soon as he left, Rafayel collapsed into Ariâs lap on the couch, seeming completely drained.
âAre you okay?â she asked softly.
He nodded against her stomach, nuzzling closer. Ari petted his hair. âDo you want to talk about it at all?â
âNo,â he replied. âI donât want to think about it again.â
âThen letâs not,â Ari said decisively as she shifted on the couch to a more comfortable position, letting Rafayel settle against her. She reached for a book on the coffee table. âLet me read to you. We can just take it easy today.â
Before she knew it, she had dozed off. Rafayelâs warm weight on top of her was like instant comfort. She woke late in the afternoon, chilled and without her Lemurian body pillow.
She yawned and looked around for him.
âRafayel?â
She sat up, figuring she would start getting something ready for dinner. He had to be hungry.
Her phone rang and she sat up, hurriedly answering it. It was the detective from earlier, letting her know that Clara had officially been sentenced and had pled insanity. Ari didnât feel the best about that. She would have rather had the woman behind bars than in a psychiatric hospital, but she supposed it was better than nothing.
She thanked the detective, then went to search the dimly lit house for Rafayel.
She finally found him in his bedroom. The light from the setting sun cast a firelike glow through the room. Rafayel sat on the floor next to a wooden chest that looked like it had seen better days. He was turned away from her, bent over something in his lap.
âRafayel?â
Ari stepped quietly over to him and knelt at his side, sliding a comforting hand down his back.
Rafayel didnât look up. He seemed fixed on a small book that sat in his lap, flipping through the worn pages. She could recognize his flowery handwriting on the pages. Some of the entries had been struck out, while others remained untouched.
âWhat are you looking at, honey?â
âI kept a record of all of them,â Rafayel said quietly, pausing on one page. His finger slid over a name that was crossed out but Ari could still make out âChristopher Heartfieldâ underneath it. She couldnât help the shiver that went through her body at the sight.
âYou kept a hit list,â she said carefully.
He huffed wryly. âYeah. I did. It started out that way, anyway. ButâŠit was just something for me to obsess over. I donât like who I was back then and I donât want to go back to that. I was justâŠdrifting. Consumed by revenge.â
She remained silent, letting him sift through his thoughts as he flipped to the back of the book where there was a new list.
âAnd then I found my anchor.â He smiled briefly up at her. âAnd she made me see all the brilliant colors in this world again, not just red. So I stopped writing down the people I wanted to kill and started writing down the ones I wanted to remember.â
Ari bent over his shoulder, reading through the names that were accompanied by little descriptions, or surviving family members.
âThese are all Lemurians?â she asked.
He nodded. âEveryone we lost to EVER. Itâs more important that theyâre remembered than our enemies who deserve to be forgotten.â He slid his long fingers lovingly over a duo of names, before he closed the book. âI donât regret what I did and I never will, but I donât want that to be my peopleâs legacy.â
Ari wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her chin on his shoulder. âIt wonât be. All the Lemurianâs Iâve ever met donât seem to let that define them. They always seem to live life to the fullest.â
Rafayel smiled softly. âYeah, I guess youâre right about that.â
âBut they wouldnât be able to without what youâve done for them,â she continued. She leaned in to kiss his cheek. âI will never think less of you for doing whatever you had to to protect your people, Rafayel. Never stop being you.â
He let out a shuddering breath and turned around enough to wrap an arm around her waist, pulling her into his lap. She was slightly surprised when he burrowed his face in her neck, hugging her close until she could almost not breathe.
âRafayel?â she asked softly.
âThank youâŠfor loving every color of me.â
Ari returned the embrace, kissing the top of his head. âI couldnât stop even if I tried,â she told him fondly. âAnd I look forward to discovering more colors of you in the future.â
