secretive whumpee who always appears calm and put together. who keeps people at arm length. who is haunted by their past but does everything to not let others know. who sits there while other people share funny stories from their childhood or shenanigans from when they were younger, and know they can't tell anything without disclosing too much of their trauma or secrets they don't want to share. the team eventually notices that whumpee is silent, and someone asks them, "whumpee, you're so quiet. maybe you'll tell us something? i'm dying to learn more about you."
they force a confident smile and shake their head. "i'm afraid i don't have something to add. continue your fun, it's really entertaining to listen to."
"but it's unfair!" a teammate cries. "you know so much about us, and we know almost nothing about you!"
whumpee tenses. their smile become tense and frozen. "i'm not in the mood for… stories." they pretend to look at the clock and get up. "excuse me, i have some responsibilities to attend. if you don't mind—i'm leaving now."
nobody gets up to stop them, but everyone follows them with their eyes.
"does anybody else think it's strange?" asks one of the teammates, and receives several concerned nods.
a character who has bottled up something terrible that happened to them. maybe it's something they saw, maybe something done to them, whatever it is it's profoundly traumatized them. they keep going, pushing it down, dismissing concerns, or even having suppressed it long enough nobody even knows to be concerned at all. and then one day they talk. one day, because they finally can't take it anymore, or they were so triggered they can't keep it in, or something messed with their control (fever, drug, etc) that they just spilled it out.
and the entire time they're talking, they're shaking so hard it makes it difficult to speak. their friends/teammates/whoever try to listen and try to help, extremely alarmed with how seriously they're affected, but the shaking just keeps getting harder. they're not crying, they're just. shaking.
Nicole!Reader(zzz one) with your favorites please? I love this chaotic gold digger with a heart of gold, she's so dumb, but smart where it counts.
“Profit Isn’t the Point, But It’s a Damn Good Excuse”
Synopsis: In a world where every decision feels like a gamble, alliances form in the most unexpected places. A cunning leader burdened by their past collides with those who guard their secrets tightly, and together they navigate a delicate balance between ambition, redemption, and the haunting weight of survival.
Tags: Sunday x Reader, Aventurine x Reader, Dan Heng x Reader, Nicole Demara!Reader, Slow Burn, Emotional Baggage, Found Family, Enemies to Allies, Strategic Flirting, Hidden Trauma, Power Dynamics, Mutual Respect, Angst with Hope, Subtle Romance, Unresolved Tension.
Warnings: Emotional Manipulation, Survivor’s Guilt, Implied Past Abuse, Trauma Mentions, Psychological Conflict, Mild Violence, Power Imbalance, Emotional Vulnerability, Implicit Death/Destruction in Backstories.
A/N: NOOO I HAVE TOO MANY OF THEM!!! 😭🙏 So, I only did three...
You burst into Aventurine’s office, suitcase in one hand and a grin plastered on your face like you just won a jackpot. He’s leaning back in his chair, that ever-present smirk playing at his lips as if he’s already two moves ahead in a game you barely understand.
“You’re late,” he says smoothly, voice dripping with that sly amusement you’ve come to expect. You flash him a playful eye-roll, tossing a folder on his desk. “Yeah, well, the last job had me running circles around debt collectors. Thought I’d bring you a little something to brighten your day.”
Aventurine’s sharp eyes scan the papers, flickering with interest and maybe a hint of respect. “Only you would gamble with lives and money the way you do. But I suppose that’s what makes you valuable.”
You cross your arms, smiling wider. “Luck? Nah, it’s all strategy. You and I? We’re not so different.” You catch him subtly hiding his left hand behind his back and tilt your head, teasing. “You scared to show your cards?”
He chuckles softly, that low sound of a man who’s spent a lifetime hiding more than just hands. “Maybe. But unlike you, I never bet without knowing the odds.”
The game between you crackles like electricity. You, the reckless gold digger with a heart stubborn enough to fight; him, the master strategist wrapped in enigmatic smiles. He offers you a rare moment of genuine warmth when he slides a gold ring across the desk—a silent acknowledgment of the chaotic bond you share.
“Keep your friends close, and your debts closer,” he says, voice low and teasing.
You snatch up the ring, pocketing it. “And always leave them guessing.”
Because with Aventurine, it’s never just business—it’s a dance on the edge of a knife, and you wouldn’t have it any other way.
You find Sunday perched quietly near the observatory window aboard the Astral Express, wings folded neatly behind his ears and his golden eyes distant in thought. You lean against the frame, suitcase by your feet, watching the soft flutter of his wings.
“You look like you’re chasing stars again,” you say with a smirk, stepping closer.
He turns, a faint smile touching his lips—gentle but weary. “Sometimes, the stars are the only truth we have left.”
You chuckle, shaking your head. “You and your dreamy philosophies. Look, I don’t have much time for illusions, but I do know one thing—life’s gotta have a little chaos. Otherwise, what’s the point?”
Sunday’s eyes soften as he studies you. “You see the world as it is, not as you wish it to be. That… is both a blessing and a burden.”
You shrug, fiddling with the strap on your bag. “Maybe. But I’ve learned to turn my messes into opportunities. You could try it sometime.”
His wings flutter nervously, a subtle sign you’ve touched something beneath the surface. “I admire your courage. It takes strength to embrace the chaos rather than hide from it.”
You grin, stepping close enough to brush your fingers lightly over his hand. “And it takes someone like you to remind me that even dreamers need to wake up sometimes.”
For a moment, the weight of his regrets and hopes hangs between you—fragile, yet real. And maybe, just maybe, in this strange orbit you share, you both find a little light.
You spot Dan Heng leaning against the corridor wall, spear slung casually but eyes sharp and watchful as always. You drop your heavy suitcase nearby and approach with a confident grin.
“You’re as quiet as ever,” you tease, sliding beside him.
He glances your way briefly, expression unreadable. “And you’re as loud as a thunderstorm.”
You laugh, undeterred. “Yeah, well, someone’s gotta balance out the brooding loner.”
Dan Heng’s gaze lingers on you, almost like he’s weighing your worth. “Why do you stick around?”
You grin wider, hands on hips. “Because someone’s gotta keep you on your toes. Besides, you’re not as invincible as you think.”
He narrows his eyes, a hint of a smirk breaking through. “You think you can understand the weight I carry?”
“Maybe not. But I’m good at finding cracks in the armor.” You glance down at the wrist he subconsciously shields. “Everyone’s got something they hide.”
Dan Heng sighs quietly, the stoic mask faltering for just a heartbeat. “It’s dangerous to get close.”
You cock your head, daring. “Danger’s kind of my thing. Besides, even the strongest need someone who sees them.”
The silence stretches comfortably, an unspoken agreement blooming between the guarded spear-wielder and the chaotic, cunning force who refuses to back down.
Give me more whumpees whose torture was hell but never left any physical scars. Give me whumpees who look like nothing ever happened. Give me whumpees whose bodies just don’t reflect the pain they went through.
The moment when A notices character B isn't quite as ok as they're pretending to be. Like when B never slows down. Ever. A slowly realizes B is using work to avoid dealing with their emotions; it's unsustainable. How many sleepless nights were behind B's "Just tired"? (if A admits any amount of fatigue)
A starting to notice when B gets quiet and pulls away from the larger conversation and it dawns on them that maybe the topic was a trigger? Maybe B is the ray of sunshine character but today their laugh seems fragile and makes A realize their smile is a dam waiting to burst. Moments like that.
OUUUUUGH I LOVE THIS YES….. the only thing better than a character hiding how Not Okay they are is when someone else notices
and then you wonder what A is going to DO about this realization. do they say anything? talk to someone else? compare notes? try to look after B in whatever way they can? and then there’s what B’s reaction is going to be - does B notice A noticing? if A says something, does B get defensive or angry? do they just… crack? do they just try and shore up the facade of being fine even harder, raise the walls higher?
I find that aspects of the signs of trauma feel like they should resonate within me, and there's a part within that feels like it wants to shake and vibrate, and resonate, but it can't and it doesn't.
And, at first glance, I cannot see where any abuse or trauma was. There was never anything explicitly harmful, whether in my family of origin or social experiences, and yet, when I reflect on med school and residency, on marriage and parenting, there are so many things that say dysregulated trauma, traumatized kidult, etc.
And there's the neurodivergent component, the American growing up abroad during the War on Terror component, the good grades because our family is smart component, the our family didn't have money so you don't ask for things or renege on opportunities or complain about your lot component, the we must maintain a degree of propriety because it's good and moral and we live on donations component, the it's not as bad as what my parents went through component...
Maybe there is plenty there to unpack, but it's so hard to see. On the surface, everything looks and looked normal and good. It's hard to find where to begin, to accept trauma as a reality. It's identity-warping and I didn't know how to begin
Because I'm Good. I've Always Been Good. I Don't Have Problems. I'm Always Acceptable And Worthy
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Chicago PD (TV)
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Kevin Atwater & Kim Burgess
Characters: Kevin Atwater, Kim Burgess
Additional Tags: Friendship, Trauma, Family Issues, Support, Hidden pain, Missing Scene, 10X11 Long Lost
Series: Part 13 of Eddies
Summary:
Kim and Kevin spend time before the church shooting hiding things from each other.
