#whumpay 2022

[fanfictasia]

Whumpay Day 16

“How did you get out?”

Spoiler: This is an excerpt from an unnamed fanfic

“How did you get out of there?” Ahsoka asks, leaning forwards. She wants to hear more – she always does, unknowing of the dangers that are out there. She’s nearly died countless times and it hardly phases her. It bothers Anakin more than he can say. Obi-Wan would throw it back at him with a ‘you are the same, padawan mine’ which… is the truth. It’s not like that with Ahsoka, though. She’s… she’s important.

“If I tell you,” Anakin replies with a feigned lightness. “It will be on the condition you never try something like that.”

“Not unless you’re there,” she agrees readily.

“Your idiot master thought it would be brilliant to use a fuel tank as a shelter,” Obi-Wan declares, breezing into the room. How long has he been outside listening to this?

“The idiot saved your life,” Anakin grumbles – and that is not how it happened. …with half the details cut out, maybe.

Ahsoka laughs. She’s so bright and innocent, it’s unfair she’s being forced to grow up in a war like this. “Sometimes you really are, Skyguy,” she says, patting his arm. “I’ll go check out the status with Master Plo.” She sprints out of the room with way too much energy, more than Anakin remembers having when he was young.

He finds himself staring after her, wishing this could be different, that none of this had to happen. He loathes how the war may someday take her innocence, how it puts her life to risk every single day. He doesn’t mind the fighting – he never has – but he hates the destruction and the loss that comes with it.

“She’s so much like you,” Obi-Wan remarks.

“I… worry for her,” Anakin admits finally. “She enjoys fighting, more than she should. I don’t know when she’ll push herself too far.”

“You know,” Obi-Wan replies. “I could say the same about you.”

“She’s just a child,” Anakin argues, shaking his head. “She’s a padawan. It’s different.”

“You’re little more than a child, too.”

“I’m not that young anymore. I’m a Knight, Obi-Wan.” He turns his head to meet his gaze firmly despite his exhaustion. He’s still tired. He’s always tired, but no one has time to rest as much as they’d like. The galaxy needs them. “I already have a padawan. I know what I’m doing.” Not always. Not usually, but it’s not as if Obi-Wan needs to know that.

“You could have died,” Obi-Wan replies sharply. “I cannot forget that.” His expression softens again, and he moves closer. Anakin finds himself remembering again how it felt when he touched him, and he wants that again. He wants his master to hold him, like his mother would when he was young. He forces that thought away, anyway.

“I’m sorry,” Anakin says, though he’s not quite sure why.

Obi-Wan seats himself on the edge of the bed Anakin’s lying on – he doesn’t need to be stuck here, but Kix insisted. “It’s alright. I understand why you did it, but you should be more careful.”

It was that or let Obi-Wan be hit by the explosion, and he definitely doesn’t regret his choice. “I’ll try, Master,” he promises, but he knows if it came down to it, he would do the same again.

“I don’t want this to happen again,” Obi-Wan murmurs, his hand dropping to Anakin’s arm.

He reaches up, briefly squeezing his master’s hand. “It won’t.” It’s a lie and they both know it. This is war. It isn’t something either of them can truly control.

[veryrealimagination]

Whumpay Day 01

I didn’t do all of them, likely won’t. But I will post the ones I managed.

Murdoch Mysteries - Appendicitis, William Murdoch

There was pain radiating from Murdoch’s side as he walked in the Station House. Julia had jabbed him in the side during the night, and he seemed to be still feeling the effects of that. He was also warmer than normal, and he hoped he wasn’t coming down with the sickness that had been passing through Toronto for the last month.

George and Henry weren’t around, which he took to meant that they were out on patrol. Detective Watts was clacking away at Henry’s desk. He caught a quick glance at Murdoch and frowned. “Detective, should you be in today?” he inquired, “You’re paler than normal.”

“I’m fine,” he said, looking over several notes and letters that he had gathered from the front desk. A particular spasm forced him to stand still for a few seconds before continuing to walk, breathing through the pain as he made his way to his office. Watts narrowed his eyes at the move, but didn’t do anything except turn back to his own reports.

Staying at his desk did nothing to stop the pain in his side, or the heating of his body. Murdoch even felt nauseous, grabbing a bucket and keeping it nearby in case he was sick. Which he did, when everyone started getting lunch and he smelled some of it wafting in his office. Watts, who had been looking every fifteen minutes, was particularly disturbed when he started coughed up the last of his breakfast and stood up to dump the contents and wash it out. The pain in his side flared with a burn, and he silently gasped before grasping the offending side.

Watts jumped up and entered his office without a knock. “Detective-” he tried, before the man was feeling his forehead before placing a hand on his bad side and pushing in. This time, his yell wasn’t silent and his knees buckled before he was grabbed and gently lowered.

“Constable McNabb, call for a wagon!” Watts ordered, getting attention from the rest of the bullpen.

“What are you doing to Murdoch, Watts?” Brackenreid questioned, seeing the younger man holding Murdoch off the floor.

“Checking my suspicions,” he said, watching McNabb ring up a wagon and another coming in after Brackenreid, “Appendicitis. I pressed on his right side and the pain got worse, evident by his scream.” The two of them hoisted the man back to his feet.

Murdoch didn’t like that implication. “I didn’t scream,” he defended.

“Scream and yell are roughly the same in meaning,” Watts stated, turning back to their superior, “Someone should alert Doctor Ogden that her husband will be heading into surgery.” The prospect didn’t agree with Murdoch, who somehow went even paler.

“Watts!”

He turned to the Inspector. “Words cannot be minced at this time. He has appendicitis and he will need to be operated on soon.” The constable and himself supported Murdoch to a waiting wagon that was told to rush if possible. “We will be back after seeing him in and making sure the doctor knows.” He got in with a returning Crabtree, who was shocked at the sight of the older detective and went along with them.

The bumps and drops that they encountered caused a never-ending amount of pain to go through his right. At least he hadn’t tried to be sick again, instead curling to protect his side.

Those at the hospital must have been warned about their arrival, taking Murdoch almost immediately. Julia was also waiting for the two in the waiting room. “Detective Watts, George,” she greeted.

“Hello, Doctor,” George greeted back.

“Doctor Ogden,” Watts nodded.

“I have you to thank for my husband’s quick diagnosis,” she said to Watts. He ducked his head in slight embarrassment, the novelty of being praised for his knowledge instead of admonished still new and shiny. “Although, I must admit, I’m curious as to how you figured it out.”

He straightened out his back, if not his gaze, keeping it down to the floor behind them. “There was a man, a Doctor Blumberg, that came to Temple while he was traveling through Canada. He talked about it to a couple of medical professionals. It was fairly interesting.”

“Blumberg?” she asked, “Oh, he’s a gynecologist, recently talked with him about some of the less than legal aspects of our line of work.”

“Doctor!” George said, mockingly scandalized.

“Oh, hush, George,” she waved off, smiling. “I believe the two of you will need to head back to the station if William is bed bound for two weeks. Cases will start piling up.”

[fanfictasia]

Whumpay Day 29

“I know it hurts.”

Spoiler: This is an excerpt from A Padawan Found

The pain is making it hard to focus on much of anything, but the clone next to her catches her attention as he swats away a giant beetle trying to crawl into his ear.

Seriously.

Ears must be such an inconvenience.

She does recognize him. “Tup?”

“Yes ma’am?” he asks.

“How are you feeling?” she queries. They don’t have a whole lot to talk about, and she isn’t sure how seriously he’s injured.

“I’ll be back on my feet in no time,” he insists.

“That’s good to hear.

“It’s good to have you back with us, Commander,” Tup tells her.

“It’s good being back,” she reiterates. Although she wishes she could be doing something a little more useful than sitting here with a broken leg.

The distant sound of blaster shots starts to die down, before the forest goes almost entirely quite, except for the occasional sound of animal, and the wind rustling the trees

“Looks like we won this one, sir,” Tup observes.

“Sounds like it,” she agrees. Or at least she can hope so. The battle was… not going that well, so even if there’s a temporary pause in the fighting, she doesn’t know for how long. “You should get some rest, while you can.”

Tup nods, closing his eyes, and she thinks he’s asleep almost instantly.

She can feel people approaching, and the sound of crunching leaves grows louder, before Anakin, Fives, and a number of the other clones step into view.

“Snips?” he calls worriedly, hurrying over, kneeling next to her.

“It’s not bad,” she assures as he frowns down at her injury. “What’s the situation?”

“We’re holding ground for now, but we will not be able to get more supplies to return to the cruiser unless Obi-Wan gets here with reinforcements,” Anakin replies, settling next to her.

Fives circles around them, sitting next to Tup. They’re close, she remembers.

Kix finally approaches her, kneeling to inspect the injury. “I should be able to set it,” he observes, “I know it hurts, but we have limited pain medication left.”

“I’ll be fine without,” she replies, grimacing. This is going to hurt, but they might as well just get it over with and save supplies for actually critical situations, especially since they might be here indefinitely. She’s used to this, even if she’s far from excited about it.

Ahsoka shifts her position away from the tree, moving to lay down on Anakin’s lap. It will make this a lot more comfortable, at least, even If it will change nothing. They do this all the time. She rests her head against his leg, making herself as comfortable as she can, despite the pain.

“Go ahead,” she tells Kix, who nods, crouching next to her.

[fanfictasia]

Whumpay Day 13

Nightmares

Spoiler: This is an excerpt from Judgement Day

The room around him is dark, and Luke suddenly realizes with growing dread that it looks exactly like the Emperor’s throne room. “Now you will die, Skywalker,” hisses the far too familiar voice, and he spins around, heart pounding to see the Emperor stepping out of the shadows.

This can’t be happening!

He doesn’t have the chance to look for his lightsaber or think past his panic before the Sith starts electrocuting him. All he can feel is the blinding agony burning through him.

It feels like it drags on for an eternity, like it’s never going to end, before it finally does, leaving him struggling for breath on the cold floor. Everything hurts unbearably, and where is Vader –

“Father,” he chokes out, desperately.

The Emperor laughs. “Your father cannot save you.”

A quiet moan escapes him and he tries to lift his head, but instead of Vader standing near the Sith, it’s Anakin.

The Emperor circles again, another wave of terror crashing through him, his heart pounding wildly – though how much is from his panic or the electrocution, he doesn’t know.

“Stop,” Anakin protests, frantically.

“If you will not join me, you will be destroyed,” the Emperor hisses, and

Lightning strikes Anakin next, throwing him to the floor, screaming.

“Father,” Luke chokes out again, trying in vain to push himself up. They can’t be about to die here. He has to do something to stop this –

Somehow the Emperor’s cackling rings out above everything else as another wave of electricity strikes him, burns white hot agony consuming all his senses.

Luke finds himself jolting awake, panting. He’s safe in Padme’s apartment, but it still takes a few minutes for him to calm down. He still hasn’t fully healed from his last encounter with Sidious. He can’t deny to himself that he’s scared to encounter him again, but it’s inevitable. Anakin will be beside him again, but… how does he know Anakin won’t die a second time? He tries to force those thoughts from mind as he lays back down again.

But it’s hard when he knows everything is about to fall apart, and he still doesn’t know how to stop it.

[fanfictasia]

Whumpay Day 31

“I’m here now.”

Spoiler: This is an excerpt from A Padawan Found

Maybe, Ahsoka can’t help but think, she’s starting to enjoy her new perch a little bit too much. Well, she’d much prefer to be walking on her own two feet, but at least she isn’t stuck in the medbay.

And the boys are unsurprisingly more than happy to take turns in carrying her around. Anakin even did for a short while himself, except then he had to go into a Council meeting, and they both agreed that might look… odd.

So, he passed her off to Jesse in the meantime.

“Are you… comfortable up there, Commander?” Jesse asks uncertainly, as he makes his way through the cruiser hall.

“Perfectly,” she chirps. She hasn’t felt this… light, since before everything happened with the Trandoshans in the first place.

“I believe this makes the Admiral… uncomfortable,” Jesse comments.

Ahsoka snickers. She can’t help it. “Oh, of course it does. Come on, then let’s go back up to the bridge.”

“If that’s where you want to go,” he agrees, heading back down the hall.

“I do have to help. I can’t just sit around,” she points out.

“Of course, sir,” he agrees, amusement obvious, as they step onto the bridge.

“I’m here now,” she calls cheerfully.

Unsurprisingly, Yularem does look decidedly uncomfortable, but Jesse moves closer so Ahsoka can see the holomap properly and join in discussing the battle plans with Anakin and the Admiral anyway. Honestly, this is worth it in and of itself because of how awkward it makes everyone else around feel.

Although, Ahsoka would like to know what Anakin seems to unusually amused about, but her question is promptly answered when the doors to the bridge slide open again and Obi-Wan walks into the room.

Jesse promptly freezes, looking like he has no idea what he’s supposed to do now.

“Hey Master Obi-Wan!” Ahsoka calls cheerfully, reaching down to pat Jesse on the head. “Don’t worry. You’re just doing your job.”

Fives and Hardcase are radiating obvious amusement, and so is Rex though he manages to keep a straight face.

“What in the blazes is going on in here?” Obi-Wan demands, crossing his arms.

“Don’t worry, Master,” Anakin replies cheerfully, “There’s no fires in here this time.”

[fanfictasia]

Whumpay Day 26

“Let me help you.” / Long-term Captivity

Spoiler: This is an excerpt from The Wrong Time-Travellers

Ahsoka is pressed against his side as if he’ll disappear if she lets go, not that Anakin can blame her. They’ve been together only a couple weeks after not seeing one another for months. Ahsoka may not have been in total seclusion, but Anakin was, and after having seen the next half-decade or so without each other, there’s nothing either of them want more than this.

He still doesn’t understand how they saw these… visions. He can’t figure out who caused it, if anyone at all, or if it were simply meant to happen.

It’s nice to have Ahsoka here – it gives him someone else to focus on. He would do anything for her, because he loves her, and nothing else. It’s… not the same with Obi-Wan. It never has been, but that’s truer now. No matter how many times Anakin reminds himself over and over that his master would never hurt him and that was just part of a possible future, he still finds himself tensing anytime he moves too fast.

Obi-Wan finally reenters the room – he’d been off on Council meetings or something of that nature. Once Ahsoka would have had the sense of mind to pull away, but she doesn’t now. Neither of them moves, and quite honestly Anakin doesn’t care what his master thinks about it anymore.

“Anakin,” he says on greeting, pausing before slowly approaching them. Their relationship is awkward now, like they don’t know how to be around each other. It’s like they’ve forgotten how to interact.

“Master,” he responds quietly.

“You can call me Obi-Wan. I am not here as you’re superior anymore. I’m here as your friend.”

“I don’t really have friends,” Anakin mutters. A year ago, he would’ve appreciated hearing that. Now, he doesn’t know. He also knows how he’s spiraling down a pit of depression from which it feels like he can never come back.

Ahsoka leans a little closer, and Anakin lets her. She’s warm against him and it feels so… right.

Obi-Wan settles down on Anakin’s other side, gently laying a hand on his arm. “Anakin, let me help you.”

“I don’t deserve your help.”

[fanfictasia]

Whumpay Day 27

Choke-Hold

Spoiler: This is an excerpt from Whirlwind of Chaos

The other clones tackles him from behind again before he can stop him, and they both fall to the floor. The clone moves before he can get up, wrapping his arm around his neck, strangling him.

The air is freezing already, and they don’t have time for this. He struggles to throw him off, finally knocking him to the ground, slamming him over the head.

Jumping to his feet, Anakin struggles to catch his breath – the freezing air makes it harder – before he throws the clones on Cody back into the wall with the Force, knocking them out.

Cody stumbles shakily to his feet, and they bolt.

The halls are growing steadily colder; the air is clouded so it’s hard to see, but he forces himself to keep moving. They haven’t quite reached the bridge when Cody collapses.

“Cody!” Anakin calls urgently, half-panicked, crouching next to him. His hand and feet feel numb already, and he hardly has the energy to keep moving, but he can’t go unconscious right out here. It’s cold enough that there's a risk of everyone freezing to death, but he’s too cold to be scared of that right now. But logically, he knows the safest option for anyone is if they stay as warm as they can snuggled with each other.

He grabs Cody’s arm, groaning quietly as he drags him into the bridge – which definitely would hurt him, but he doesn’t have the strength to do anything more and at least this way he won’t risk freezing to death. Please don’t let the whole crew die because of this.

“A-Anakin.” Anakin can hear the relief in his voice. His master is seated on the floor, positioned the furthest away from the vents pouring out cold air as he can get – which isn’t very far, but still.

“You s-s-ent the m-message?” Anakin asks, and he nods.

He pulls Cody across the room, over to Obi-Wan. He moves closer, ignoring the awkwardness of it, and climbs into his lap.

“What are you doing?” Obi-Wan yelps.

“’s cold,” Anakin whines, not bothering to attempt saying more than that. He doubts he could even if he tried. He twists slideways, snuggling himself up against his master and wrapping his arms around him.

Obi-Wan seems… hesitant at first, but he returns it with surprising fierceness. Maybe, Anakin thinks, his master cares for him as much as Anakin does for him. Maybe. It occurs to Anakin suddenly, that if they did die here, he’s not sure how bad it would be – at least they’d be together, and he’s too tired to be horrified at how casually he thinks of it.

“You’re warm,” Obi-Wan tells him, faintly amused.

Anakin makes a sound that he hopes is as grumpy as he feels about that. Everyone tells him that, and it’s so not fair because Obi-Wan isn’t and Anakin has to freeze for both of them now.

He’s so, so tired, and Anakin suspects that’s because his body is shutting down, preparing to slide into some sort of status state until it can return to normal. That’s usually what happens, but he’s tempted to fight it anyway. Just to stay here, in this moment, a little bit longer. He wants to remember this, wants to engrave it into his mind forever.

Obi-Wan shifts the slightest bit, so he’s pressing his cheek to Anakin’s forehead.

He wants them to stay like this longer. Maybe forever. He craves more, for the feel of home and family he’s been lacking since he last saw his mother. Obi-Wan reminds him of her sometimes. It’s in a strange and very different way, but it’s similar, and maybe the difference is that Obi-Wan can protect him, unlike his mother.

Exhaustion threatens to pull him under, but he forces himself to stay conscious just a little bit longer, to ingrain his mind the feel of this, of his master holding him like this, because even if – when? he’s too cold to care which anymore – they get out of this, he never wants to forget it.

Obi-Wan is his… father, in so many ways, and Anakin's definitely thought that before, but he doesn’t remember consciously putting that label to him. Or maybe he did and he’s just too tired to remember.

It’s the last thing he registers before everything fades away.

[fanfictasia]

Whumpay Day 28

Fever

Spoiler: This is an excerpt from Countdown to Revolution

“His stress levels are unusually high,” the clone medic reports, when Obi-Wan heads over to the cruiser as soon as he has the chance. He’s finished with his own mission for now, so he has time to drop by and check on Anakin.

“This has happened often in the past after a serious physical injury,” Obi-Wan comments.

Kix frowns. “Even when he is otherwise healthy, he still appears… unusually stressed. It… concerns me. I have never seen this on anyone before, not even among the other clones.”

Well, that is odd. All of this is not something Obi-Wan has been able to understand either. For one, it’s probably a result in part because of his poor emotional control. Obi-Wan tried to train him to control himself better, but he still struggles with it. And with the war going on, that’s definitely adding to it.

Of course, there’s Anakin extremely low pain tolerance level. That probably pays a part too. When he first came to the Temple, Obi-Wan had thought his reaction to being hit by the training droids were simply because he wasn’t used to it – every other youngling pretty much grew up that way – but even if it got a little better with time, he always has a hard time with injuries.

On one of their first mission, the first time Anakin had been shot, he’d hardly been able to move for a while afterwards and it could almost have cost them the mission. The injury wasn’t that serious. It was excusable because it was one of his first missions, and he was only ten at the time, but still.

Obi-Wan has always found that aspect of Anakin a little surprising, though, simply because of where he was from. Being a slave, he would have thought he was used to pain, especially with how much he would flinch when he was younger – presumably out of fear of being hit. It wasn’t something he’d realized at the time, but eventually he’d figured it out.

If even Kix noticed that Anakin’s always under a lot of stress, though, is a little concerning. “Can I see him now?” Obi-Wan queries.

“Yes, but not for long. He needs to rest.”

Obi-Wan nods, slipping past him, heading into Anakin’s room.

The boy is lying on his side and pushes himself up on his elbow as Ob-Wan approaches. His face is flushed, and there’s still some bandages around his head, from where he was apparently injured in the crash.

“Hey, Master,” he croaks.

He does not look good.

“Anakin,” Obi-Wan greets, stopping next to the bed, “How are you feeling?”

“I am… getting better,” he replies unconvincingly, which answers absolutely nothing.

Obi-Wan reaches closer, pressing a hand to his forehead. It’s burning hot as expected, but it still worries him.

“You don’t look like it,” he says, dryly, gently pushing Anakin back down on the bed, before taking a seat on the edge of it next to him. He looks so young in this moment, and it reminds Obi-Wan of how old he truly is. He’s only twenty, and Obi-Wan still had years left of being a padawan at that age. He’d thought Anakin would be able to handle it, but sometimes like right now he almost wonders. Especially if his stress levels are as high as Kix says.

Obi-Wan reaches over, brushing the hair out of Anakin’s face, then gently runs his hand through the boy’s hair for a moment, until he starts to relax. He’s always... extra touchy whenever he’s sick, for whatever reason.

He hates seeing Anakin like this, but he’s gotten used to it. “How are you really feeling?” he asks

“I have been worse.” Why can he not give him a straight answer about that? His answer always boils down to ‘I’ll be fine!’ or ‘I can still help!’ even when it’s clearly not true.

He finally pulls his hand back, and Anakin snuggles a little closer to him, so they’re still touching, like he’s afraid he’ll disappear.