writing prompts

side blog to store writing prompts

[taemartist]

Something that always gets me in ships is the sunshine x grumpy trope — except it has the delicious twist of the "sunshine" actually not being very sunshine at all, just good at pretending, and the "grumpy" being the softest person you've ever met — they just have a rough way of showing it.

That exact dinamic will make me climp the walls of my room at 3 am while reading.

[whumpshaped]

whumpee who has no one to spend the holidays with. whumpee who doesn't decorate because what does it matter? estranged or dead parents, no friends, most definitely no significant other or spouse, not even a pet, just them, alone, in their tiny apartment. again.

[whumpshaped]

content: emotional whump

Whumpee sat on their bed, staring out the window. From where they were, they could see into the other apartments in the building across the street. Several windows had blinking Christmas lights, and through the curtains, Whumpee could tell there were either families living there, or the people had guests.

Once again, everyone seemed to be accounted for. Everyone but them.

It had been years since they'd last spoken to their parents. The last thing Whumpee had ever said to them was 'go to hell'. Their parents didn't try to contact them after that. Never even sent a Christmas card. It was like Whumpee, their only fucking child that they should've fought tooth and nail to keep in contact with, didn't even exist anymore. What parent didn't want to even try to mend their relationship with their kid? Was Whumpee worth that little?

They sat there and thought about the fact that even their parents had each other to spend the holidays with — unless one of them died and the other didn't bother to invite them to the funeral. Whumpee didn't have a spouse. Not even a partner. Their attempts at finding love never went further than a couple exchanged messages on dating apps, maybe — if they were lucky — a first date.

Whumpee sighed. They never decorated anymore. Would it have helped with the winter blues if they had? They would never know, because they actually got rid of their decorations ages ago. All the lights, the advent wreath, the santa figurines... All in the trash, in a landfill by now.

They watched, through the window, as the people directly opposite from them welcomed guests into their apartment. Whumpee didn't have friends to invite. And nobody invited them. They didn't understand how to make friends. Their friendships were always shallow and uninteresting, and they ended up drifting away from them all.

They didn't even have a fucking pet or something. A pet cat, or a pet dog... Someone to take care of. Would it help? They didn't know. They didn't know anything. Why was Christmas even such a big deal? Why did it have to be a whole month-long ordeal? Why did they get time off work to 'celebrate'? If they could've drowned themself in work, that would've at least helped a little... if only they didn't have to stare at everyone's ugly Christmas sweaters all month.

"Fuck's sake," they groaned, lying down. It didn't do anyone any favours to keep spying on the neighbours. "Nobody likes you. That's the issue. Not your family, not your friends, if you got a fucking dog, that wouldn't like you either."

The apartment was deathly silent. Nobody answered, nobody argued. Maybe the stillness was the answer.

Whumpee tried not to cry. They really did. Hell, they even considered calling their parents to ask if they could drop by for dinner sometime. But they quickly slapped themself, reminding their stupid brain that they were estranged from their parents for a reason.

"Get yourself together," they whispered. "It's just a stupid holiday."

[whumpshaped]

this came to me in a dream: chronically sleep deprived android whumpee. how can an android be sleep deprived you may ask. they're kept on 5% battery all the time

[whumpshaped]

content: android whumpee, robot whumpee

"Please charge me," Whumpee said for the hundredth time. It wasn't voluntary — they'd long learned that Whumper simply wasn't going to let them go above 10% on the battery. It was a programmed response to their battery dipping below critical, 5%.

"Music to my ears," Whumper said with a great big smile. "I'll charge you when you go below 3%."

Keeping me like this damages the accumulator, they wanted to say. And every other system. Keeping me like this is not only annoying, it's literally damaging the product you spent hard-earned money on.

There was no point. Whumper didn't care.

"P-Please charge me." There they went again, but this time, their voice broke. Their voice box hadn't been upgraded in months. Nor cleaned.

"I didn't know robots could stutter."

"Me neither," they admitted. It scared them. Robots weren't supposed to stutter.

"Well, then we're learning together!" Whumper exclaimed, clasping their hands together in pure delight. "I wonder what else can break in you."

"Everything in me is breakable," they said quietly. "But why would you want to break me? Don't humans buy us so we'd be useful?" What use am I on 5% battery?

"Everything, you say..." they mused. "Well, I don't want to purposely break things."

Yes, you do. "I understand."

Whumper reached out and playfully pinched their cheek. The rubber had good elasticity and snapped right back into place as soon as Whumper let go. "But I can't be held accountable for natural deterioration."

[whumpshaped]

gruff old-timey 'i'm gonna do it by myself and with my own hands' caretaker x super modern helper android whumpee they didn't want but was gifted to them

[whumpshaped]

content: nonhuman whumpee, robot whumpee, android whumpee, dehumanisation, it/its to dehumanise, phobia whump, gruff caretaker, even bad caretaker for a while, emotional whump

This was stupid. This was so stupid. They didn't even use an electronic handmixer to do what a simple, trusty whisk could do without being plugged in, and their friend thought it was a good idea to gift them this?

Had it still been in its box, Caretaker would've simply slapped a return to sender note on it and sent it back to the company. But their friend must've known that, hence they'd unboxed it for them, only leaving the android at their doorstep with a sticky note that said: 'The future is now, and I'm not leaving you behind.'

Caretaker was just about to close the door again in the android's stupid, silicone face and forget about the whole ordeal, when the thing whirred to life. Caretaker almost got a heart attack when its eyes opened, looking around briefly before settling on them, and it smiled.

"Good morning. You must be Caretaker."

"How do you know my name?" Caretaker demanded, even angrier now.

"I've been told I will be helping someone named Caretaker. I don't know who it was that told me that." Its smile was unwavering. Was it unaware of humans' emotions? Was it unaware of anger and resentment? That must've been a blissfully ignorant life.

"Well, I don't need help. Use your little metal legs and walk back to the company that made you. Goodbye."

That got a reaction. The android's smile fell. "I can't go back there," it whispered. "If I do, they'll take me apart."

"Not my problem."

Despite saying it, Caretaker found it hard to ignore the... fear in its eyes. They wanted to close the door and forget about it, but they just couldn't make themself. The android didn't say anything else, just looked at them with those unnaturally big eyes — the commercials they saw in the newspaper said they were designed that way to give a more friendly appearance — and Caretaker swore they saw tears gathering in them. Just how realistic were these things?

They sighed. "Come inside," they grumbled, stepping aside for the thing to go in. It lit up, wiped its eyes, and marched inside to look around.

"Thank you," it said as it looked around the hallway. "I can do a lot of things! I can be very useful. I can speak a multitude of languages, I can do household chores, I can—"

"Let's be very clear," Caretaker cut in, and the android turned around to look at them instead of the paintings hung up on the walls. "I don't need you. I won't use you. You'll be left in my closet where I can't even see you, out of sight, out of mind. The friend who bought you is an idiot and makes a sport out of annoying me, but this was their most extravagant prank yet. That's all you are: a joke."

It looked at them silently, throat bobbing as it swallowed. "But you'll..." It trailed off. It thought more. "You'll charge me occasionally, right?" it ended up saying. It wasn't demanding; it was pitiful. "I really can be very useful. If you just give me a chance—"

"I'm not big on chances. Up the stairs you go, and into the closet."

It said nothing as it turned around and made its way up the stairs, and with how stiff its movements looked, Caretaker wondered whether it could even disobey direct commands like that. Was it struggling to disobey, with no success?

"My room is the first to the right," they said, and it walked inside, opened the closet, and sat down between clothes.

"I really can be very useful," it repeated. "If—"

"I won't give you a chance! And if you try this again, I won't even charge you!"

It perked up just a little. "So you'll charge me?"

"The solars on the roof don't always give enough power for me to charge everything I want, and I don't even want to charge you, so don't get your hopes up. I mean, why would I even want to charge something I'm gonna be keeping in my closet, buried under unused clothes? This is so stupid."

It got that look on its face again. The one that made Caretaker want to reconsider and let it out of the closet. "I really can be very—"

"That's it," they said, slamming the closet door shut. "Be quiet in there."

With that, they stomped back downstairs and got their newspaper they wanted to pick up when they opened the door and found themself face to face with an android. They sat at their kitchen table and slowly flipped through it, sipping on their morning tea.

New line of androids, now with an advanced emotions unit!

Caretaker flipped past, not even wanting to read about the stupid things today. But then they thought about its big, teary eyes, and they hesitantly turned back a page to read the article in full.

Android lovers asked for it, and we delivered! The newest model of androids have something as close to a human personality as we could get with the tech at our disposal. Each android is unique in this sense — some, as we've tested them, even developed natural likes and dislikes, some even fears!

Caretaker set down the newspaper. Their tea was growing cold.

This was stupid. This was the stupidest thing they'd ever done in their life — and they'd done a lot of stupid things — but they got up and went back upstairs, opening the closet to a mess of tears and hiccups.

"What happened?" Caretaker asked, and they hated how concerned they sounded. This was a piece of machinery, nothing more.

"I'm afraid of the dark," it sobbed. "And I'm afraid of not being useful. And I'm afraid of being sent back. I was sent here to help, and I was so happy— But now I'm useless and unwanted."

Caretaker crouched down to be at eye-level with it. "I'm not well-versed in all this tech stuff," they began, and it listened intently, "but maybe it's time I got out of my comfort zone a little. You have to help me in telling me what you need, though."

It reached up to wipe its eyes and face, and it gave them a hesitant smile. "I can help. I can be very useful."

"Out of the closet you go," they said, grabbing the android's two hands and pulling it out, then standing up with it. "I don't know what jobs to give a sentient tin can— Sorry, that might've been rude."

The android didn't think so. It laughed, and Caretaker found themself smiling as well. "Any job!" it declared cheerily. "I can handle anything!"

"Well, your first job is this: tell me what to call you."

"Tech support and staff at the facility called me Whumpee."

"Whumpee... Okay, Whumpee. I'm going back down to reheat my tea—"

"I can do that for you!"

"Don't get overzealous," they warned, and Whumpee shrank back a little.

"Sorry."

"As I said, I'll reheat my tea, drink it, then we'll make the rounds feeding my animals. You can help haul the bags of food."

Whumpee saluted them. "Understood! I'll carry the bags of food so well, you won't regret—"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just follow me. Man, I got a chatterbox of an android."

Whumpee opened its mouth, then closed it again. It looked torn.

"What is it?"

"I have a mute button," it said quietly, almost like it didn't even want Caretaker to hear. "If I'm... really annoying, you can mute me by pressing the button on my throat."

Now that it mentioned it, Caretaker could see the outline of a small button on its throat. But they waved it off. "Mute button? I can't mute my annoying friends, I won't mute my annoying android."

Whumpee lit up. "Are we friends?"

"I just made the distinction between my friends and you—"

"We're friends!" it enthused. "You're my first friend!"

Caretaker sighed. "Right... What have I gotten myself into...?"

[urfriendlywriter]

specific tropes in romance that always heal something in me that it never broke

like, forehead kisses, soft love confessions, peppering kisses all over the lover's face. promises that are kept, hands those are held with a gentle love, and hugs that engulf the heart too.

or when they rest their head on your chest, or lean on you for support.

"your tears kill me," kinda thing. or when a sunshine character finally cries and bawls their entire life's hurt out into their comfort grumpy character (plus point, if the grump feels guilty thinking if they had done something to trigger this emotional outburst)

communication. no matter hard the topic is, how big your differences are.

listening to the other person yap

admiring their facial features and seeing not just the outer structure but the person that they really are.

them getting angry on ur behalf

cradling each other in hugs basically

feeling emotional walls break when you're with that one person particularly

gentle communication. yearning to do more for your lover (!!!!)

affectionate smiles and eyes crinkling with a smile that's directed specially at you.

finding their laugh contagious.

the feeling of being accepted, despite flaws and all

silent domestic acts like being in the kitchen together, dressing up together, them drying ur hair while u sit between their legs

occasionally stolen kisses

or one deep kiss that just lights your world and fulfills your soul and heart.

sleepily nuzzling into each other!!

reaching for each other despite being asleep, with mumbled endearments and whispers of need!!!

laughter coming easily by their side, like happiness is just another day to day thing (this can also be about self love. when u truly love urself and prioritize your own rights and cherish the fact that you're you. happiness becomes beautiful even in solitude)

their fingers buried deep in yo- OOPS.?! :)

[leneemusing]

a tender glimpse beneath the surface

❝ i'll always protect you. ❞

❝ i never meant to get this close, but now that i have i can't let you go. ❞

❝ i live for the moments when you look at me. the rest of the time i'm just existing. ❞

❝ i don't like how you make me feel. but i like not being around you even less. ❞

❝ i wish you wouldn't look at me like that. when you look at me like that i...it makes me wanna do things i shouldn't ❞

❝ there's no line i wouldn't cross for you. don't you realize that? ❞

❝ i did this for you. no one else. ❞

❝ i don't like it, but i'll do it for you. ❞

❝ i wonder how much of myself i'll have to give to you—how much i have to lay bare—before you realize how much you're taking. ❞

❝ i'm not trying to fix you. i'm just trying to be your friend. ❞

❝ i'm not um, real good at thank yous. or sorry's. but if you ever need me, i'm there. i owe you one. ❞

❝ i've seen you at your worst and i'm still standing here. ❞

❝ you've seen me at my worst but you're still here... ❞

❝ you can be mad at me, i can take it. i'd rather you be angry than shut me out. ❞

❝ i'm not angry, i'm just scared. ❞

❝ i know you love me, but do you like me? ❞

❝ do you think i'm a good person? ❞

❝ do you think i care for you so little that betraying me would make a difference? of course i'm helping you. ❞

❝ tell me what i can do to show you how i love you. i will give you anything you ask for. ❞

❝ you don't have to keep apologizing. just be here. day in and day out and prove that you're gonna keep showing up. that's all you have to do. ❞

❝ i only sleep well when you're next to me. ❞

❝ i don't want an apology i just want to understand. ❞

❝ i could actually use a hug right now. ❞

❝ i want everyone else to go away, but you can stay. ❞

❝ i actually do care what you think about. you're probably one of the only people whose opinion matters to me. ❞

❝ you always seem to know what i need. ❞

❝ you always seem to know just what i need to hear. ❞

❝ i want you to call me when you need someone. i want to be here for you. ❞

❝ you're the one i wanna call when i need someone. ❞

❝ seems like i always want you around when everything feels all fucked up. guess that means something. ❞

[whump-about-it]

I’m writing a story where one of the side characters is non- verbal and it got me thinking about the angst of a recently non-verbal whumpee (either by choice or injury) trying to navigate life after escaping Whumper:

The struggle to figure out how to communicate in a way that people will understand, and the frustration trial and error brings.

The inability to explain what happened to them, or ask for help when they are hurt or scared.

The loneliness and isolation that not knowing how to communicate brings, on top of the loneliness and isolation that going through something traumatic already leaves them with.

Maybe they start missing being with Whumper. Because as horrible as it all was, they at least knew how to communicate with Whumpee.

Bonus points if Caretaker really does care, and really is trying to help Whumpee, but they've never been in this sort of situation either, and can't even begin to figure out what "help" looks like.

[sl6sha]

pls what’re ur thoughts on omega vi? i think she might be a little ashamed about her second gender :(

i agree! vi as an omega could go one of two ways; either she is overtly proud of her secondary gender, completely secure in her identity, an unapologetic crusader for omega liberation, revels in the fact that she doesn’t fit the stereotypical archetype of how an omega is “supposed” to be.

or, vi is quietly ashamed of her secondary gender; worried that she’s not soft enough, sweet enough, nor inherently maternal. feels like an imposter in her own body, doesn’t bother correcting anyone who assumes she’s an alpha. spends her heats alone because she is far too embarrassed of the needy, delirious, debauched creature she becomes while under the influence of her heat-muddled mind.

[whump-and-what-not]

talkative whumpee going completely silent and nonverbal after their trauma. caretaker and friends try to help them, but the most they get is a blank stare, short nods and head shakes, and the occasional tap on the shoulder.

[whumpshaped]

Whumpee being assigned a formal caretaker. Someone disconnected from the tangled web of whumpee's personal life, if there are any, to help rehabilitate a healthy mindframe.

And whumpee can't tell if this isn't just some elaborate trap by whumper

#271

content: anger as a trauma response, aftermath of whump, paranoia whump, rocky recovery, recovery fic

"Pancakes or bacon?" Caretaker asked, and Whumpee shrugged. It had been a week since they'd been assigned a formal caretaker, someone to help them reintegrate into society after the trauma they'd gone through. This person, Caretaker, had no affiliations with anyone in their previous life. They were completely new. And that… that scared Whumpee. "Why not both, right?"

"Right," they mumbled.

Because a person that hadn't been vetted by Whumpee's friends — messed up as they all were — meant trouble. It could've been Whumper's guy, Whumper's little henchman, Whumper's helper, part of Whumper's elaborate trap to get them back. And yet, Caretaker did nothing of the sort. They just turned back towards the counter top and started whipping up pancake batter. They gave no signs of wanting to hurt Whumpee.

But that had to be part of the plan, to get Whumpee to let their guard down. So they would never let their guard down.

"You seem a little on edge today," Caretaker commented, still with their back turned. It was insane, how they just let Whumpee out of their sight, like Whumpee was nothing to be worried about. Whumpee was a cornered dog. They would lash out and bite sooner or later, yet Caretaker seemed completely fine with that possibility.

"I'm not," they lied, and their 'caretaker' hummed.

"Okay," they said, and Whumpee didn't understand why they just let it go when it was a clear lie.

"Okay, I'm done waiting for the other shoe to drop," Whumpee said, pushing their chair back and standing up. Caretaker turned around just in time to see Whumpee take one of the knives off the counter, which they then held up to Caretaker's throat. "What's your deal?"

Caretaker remained calm. "Whumpee, put the knife down."

"I'm not putting it down until you've told me everything."

"You know my deal. I'm in a program to foster young people who have gone through traumatic events."

"Yes, that's the cover story. What's the real deal?"

"Whumpee, put the knife down. We can talk, but not like this."

Whumpee pressed the blade into the soft flesh of their neck. Blood bubbled to the surface. Caretaker didn't even flinch.

"If you want answers, you have to put the knife down," Caretaker said slowly.

Whumpee hesitantly lowered the knife. Caretaker stayed neutral; they weren't mad that Whumpee had done that, or at least they weren't showing it. It was insanity. What did it take to get a reaction out of them? And why did Whumpee want a reaction so bad?

"That's good," Caretaker praised, like Whumpee was a dog. "Why don't I put a band-aid on the cut and finish up breakfast? Then we can talk."

[kira-the-whump-enthusiast]

I think one of the reasons I love institutional whump so much is that it necessitates a large number of people who are involved with and actively complicit with the institution in some way. There’s a very potent horror in the idea that everyone involved knows what’s happening and no one is trying to help.

[whumpster-dumpster]

Whumpee resorting to unhealthy attention seeking behaviors to get comfort. They went so long without support, they can't bear to go without it again even if they know they're being damaging and setting their real recovery back

[justbreakonme]

Mm, then do you have caretaker go along with them, caving to their unhealthy habits because they do want to give whumpee what they want and need, and don’t know how to do so otherwise? Or do you have caretaker have those hard conversations and boundaries, even though it clearly is rough on whumpee but it’s the right thing to do?

[whumpster-dumpster]

Whump Words #70:

“I can’t even begin to explain what I’d do for you. How far I’d go. How many lines I’d cross without a second thought, if you asked me to.”

[whumpster-dumpster]

Self indulgent trope of the day: Whumpee A and Whumpee B get sick/injured at the same time but it’s obvious that Whumpee A is Caretaker’s favorite so B gets brushed aside even though they’re obviously in worse condition (Bonus points if Whumpee A cares more for B than they do and calls them out on it)

[whumpster-dumpster]

yk whats more annoying than that moment in tv shows where injuries are brushed off easily ? when one character is injured but other characters dont give a shit and are just standing there like " this is happening " fhfheqhfhqufq fucks sake, panic, scream, run to their rescue, catch them before they collapse and hold them in your arms and gently pet their face while begging them to stay awake you coward

Yeah, it’s like what’s the point of having teammates/loved ones there if they don’t even care to react when they’re in trouble? That’s when I look for the fic writers who make the situation even more angsty by calling out how little the people close to them care and having the hurt character feel worthless and unloved and broken and betrayed about it

[whumpster-dumpster]

Caretaker perceives Whumpee A as a threat to Whumpee B. In their efforts to protect B, they end up becoming a whumper to A. 

[whumpster-dumpster]

A caretaker who shields Whumpee from a beating with their own body, who holds them tight and chokes out “I’ve got you, I’ve got you” through gritted teeth in between yelps of pain, who finally just passes out on top of them when it becomes too much. Does Whumper take advantage of the opportunity and drag the limp Caretaker aside to get a shot at Whumpee now, or are they already walking away, leaving Whumpee to deal with the bloody aftermath?