#febuwhump day six

[chaotic-orphan]

Febuwhump: Day Six

“You lied to me” — @febuwhump prompts

TW: bruises, blood, captivity, kidnapping (implied), betrayal

*~*~*~*~*

Hero was the first through the door, racing down the steps to the basement. Villain was hot on their heels, but Hero had to see for themselves. They had to see Vigilante make sure they were okay. Hero grabbed the railing and vaulted over it to the landing between the staircases below. Then sprinted down the rest of the steps and barrelled through another door.

“Vigilante!” Hero screamed, their eyes searching the darkness. Their heartbeat pounding double rhythms in their chest. “Shit,” they said when they ran to check behind the wall jutting out and found no Vigilante. They whirled, frantically checking the other side and searching for a door or a hatch, or anything— anywhere Supervillain could be hiding Vigilante. “SHIT!”

The door flew open again and Hero whirled, shaking their head as they walked towards Villain. “Villain, I checked Vigilante isn’t here. Supervillain must have—”

“Wait what?” Villain said, slightly breathless. They brushed passed Hero and checked everywhere that Hero did searching high and low, pressing their hands against the wall looking for a secret button, for anything. “No. No, no, no, no! They have to be here!”

Hero started walking over to Villain who kicked some empty boxes over and let out a strangled: “fuck! FUCK!”

“Villain—” Hero began dejectedly but Villain wasn’t listening.

“They couldn’t know,” Villain muttered to themself, shaking their head. “There’s no way they could know I was so careful. So subtle.”

Villain bent to a crouch, wrapping their arms around themselves and let out a loud cry of frustration. Hero froze, stopping in their tracks. What could they even say to Villain to make them feel better? Hero didn’t even feel better. They still had no clue where Vigilante was being kept, so their reassurance died on their tongue and instead they let out a defeated sigh.

Villain huffed out a breath and straightened into a standing position. Their eyes went to Hero’s then the door as they ran their hands aggressively through their hair. They started walking towards Hero, grabbing their arm at the elbow and turning them to walk with Villain as they stalked towards the door.

“Villain, what—?”

“We need to get out of here now!” Villain said, reaching for the door handle. Before they reached it the door open in front of them and Villain and Hero both froze in place. Supervillain grinned at the pair of them from the other side of the door.

“Hero. Villain, what a delightful surprise.”

Hero glanced at Villain to see their lips twisted up at seeing Supervillain. They weren’t expecting Supervillain to come, so they didn’t set Hero up… Hero glanced back at Supervillain as they stepped into the room. Hero and Villain backed up a step, Villain not taking their hand off of Hero’s arm, keeping them slightly behind Villain as they stared down Supervillain.

“Where’s Vigilante?” Villain demanded.

Supervillain smiled. “Don’t worry about Vigilante, Villain. You should focus on the positives. We have what we need right here,” Supervillain said, their eyes sliding to Hero.

Villain stepped in front of Hero protectively, pushing them fully behind Villain now. “You’re not laying a finger on Hero until you tell me where Vigilante is.”

“That was the original deal, Villain,” said Supervillain conversationally with a shrug. “I upheld my end of the bargain.”

“Except for the part where you told me where Vigilante was!” Villain huffed, tone biting. Hero glared daggers into the back of Villain’s neck. “You lied to me!”

Supervillain took another languid step closer with their smile growing. They shook their head lightly, like Villain’s anger was amusing.

“Come now, Villain. Do you really want to accuse me of lying when you are working with a Hero? Besides, I did tell you where Vigilante was,” said Supervillain pointedly. “I’ll even show you where they are right now. Look.”

Supervillain reached up to something and pulled their hand down. A single light illuminated a small patch of the floor in front of Villain and Hero. Hero glanced down and saw blood stained on the concrete floor. They raised their head, setting their jaw.

“You tell us where Vigilante is right now or I swear to God,” Hero yelled, going for Supervillain. Villain extended their arm to keep Hero back from doing something rash and brave and stupid.

Supervillain held up a finger, a secretive smile on their face. “I can do you one better little hero,” said Supervillain and he pulled his phone out of his pocket. He tapped lightly on it a couple of times before turning the screen to Hero and Villain.

It was a video of Vigilante. They were tied to a chair, his arms locked down to the arms of the chair with thick ropes looped many times over their wrists. Their head lolled on their chest. They were covered in blood, blood on their head, in their hair line, Hero could see the bruises on their cheek from this angle.

Their heart cracked and broke in their chest.

Supervillain grinned. “Oh this is a live feed, I probably should have said that, right? Henchman.”

A hand crossed the screen and yanked Vigilante’s head up by their hair. Vigilante groaned and Villain lurched forward.

“Don’t fucking touch them!” Villain growled while Hero gasped at the state of Vigilante’s face. A gag cut into their cheeks, something stuffed in their mouth made sure Vigilante couldn’t do more than let out pathetic groans and whines from the back of their throat. One of their eyes were swollen, half closed, a palate of black, red and purple.

“Ah, ah, ah,” Supervillain said holding a finger up, effectively stopping Villain in their tracks. Villain’s hands balled into fists at their sides and they were shaking, but they stopped. “You two are going to do exactly what I say and then I will let Vigilante go.”

“You can’t be serious!” Hero cried. “They need a hospital.”

Supervillain‘s expression darkened. “Then you better work quickly.”

#febuwhump6 #febuwhump day six #delayed febuwhump #writblr #hero villain writing #hero villain snippet #hero villain story #hero #villain #writing #orphan writing #whump writing #orphan #kidnapping cw #Cw kidnapping #captivity #captivity whump #blood #bruises #violence #betrayal #villain betrayed #betrayal Whump #hero and villain #hero whump #villain Whump #emotional whump #whumpblr #whump #whump scenario

[fanfictasia]

Febuwhump Day 6

Secrets Revealed 

Spoiler: This is an excerpt from The Chosen Twins

Ahsoka Tano

I sense something wrong though, a prickle of warning that something is going to change, that something is wrong. It’s not until after I’m on the way back that it happens. one of the food carts entering the city – similar to the one we had used to sneak inside back in the Clone Wars – hits as speeder. No one would’ve been in danger if not for the fact that someone was standing beside the cart in question.

It's instinctive, more than anything else, just like when I rescued Trace from the droids back in the underworld, that I reach out, pushing the load aside. People are staring. Both at the mess, and… yes, there are some people looking at me. I drop my hand instantly, but not fast enough. Of course, it’s not – and what did I expect? I might be well-respected by the people of Onderon, but not by everyone. I just used the Force in public. I’ll need to leave.

It's predictable, really. I was just starting to think I can settle down.

I can feel the emotions of many, mostly fear. But the person I saved is looking at me in a wide-eyed awe. I can sense that from a few, but others shock, and some… wariness. They don’t trust me. And I would have to leave even if everyone did, but the chances of me being reported are too high. I can’t risk that, Lux, and everyone nearby, no matter how much it hurts to leave him. I just got him back.

It’s taking way too long, though, I think, heart racing as I walk down the streets. I gather whatever belongings I can, shoving them in a backpack along with my lightsaber. I dropped my shoto back on Coruscant, and I really wish I had it here with me, but we were fighting Sidious and all I could do was run. My injuries had taken a while to fade as it was.

#star wars #star wars fanfiction #fanfiction #febuwhump #febuwhump 2023 #febuwhump day 6 #febuwhump day six #day six #day 6 #ahsoka tano #ahsoka #onderon #ahsoka needs a hug #secrets revealed #angst #whump

[sissytobitch10seconds]

Febuwhump 2: Isolation

Fandom: Grishaverse: Six of Crows Summary: The Crows always knew that they would end up in jail, but separating them is probably worse than caging them. Warnings: Anxiety attacks, PTSD, canonical backstories, mentions of child abuse, and isolation Word Count: 2,967 Ship(s): Kaz Brekker/Inej Ghafa/Matthias Helvar/Nina Zenik/Wylan Van Eck/Jesper Fahey

Archive link!

Jesper turned his head to look down the hall just as the door closed and locked him inside. The person that was closest to him was Matthias, in the cell across from him. The others were being brought to the others further down the hall. He could see Wylan quivering while the other three kept their bodies firm and their heads held high to prevent the others from thinking that they could possibly be scared.

The cell that they had marched him to wasn’t the worst one that he had ever been in, though that was kind of a low bar. He had been detained in a number of bars and transport vehicles when he had been caught in the streets being a little too drunk or hadn’t been able to pay his tab. The walls were dripping with moisture from the storm outside, but there was a bed that seemed relatively dry. The bucket was going to be the least pleasant part of that experience.

He collapsed down onto the firm structure that made up the cot and then stared at the window. He could see the flickering of the sconces on the wall and if he really focused, he could also hear the others. The doors swung shut one after he other and cut him off from them. The inside of the cells was made out of stone and wood, things that he hadn’t worked with enough to be able to track with his powers. He would never admit it to the others if they asked, but he had been following them using his Grisha abilities since they had gotten arrested.

Jesper wondered for a moment if Nina had been doing the same thing, if she still was. It would be just like her for her to reach out with her abilities and keep track of their heartbeats while she wasn’t able to see them. Then again, the walls of their cells were really thick so it was possible that she wasn’t able reach them. 

The entire world began to feel hollow as he realized just how far awya they were from him. Even if he was able to warp the lock of his own door, there was no guarantee that it was going to let him be free. With his luck, he would just end up sealing himself inside so that they could never get him out. Just the mental image of that was enough to make it feel like the walls were closing in on him.

He jumped up and began to pace as he tried to quiet the rapid beating of his heart. The only thing that he could do to get himself out could just as easily seal his fate and keep him trapped from his partners forever.

Matthias turned around just in time for the door to close in his face, the same way that it had when he had first come to Hellgate. He knew that this prison was different, that this one was used for smaller crimes like the petty theft that Kaz had planned for them to get caught for. 

Just remembering the plan that they had concocted for their newest heist made him wonder about his motivations. He wasn’t sure why he had agreed to this, after everything that he had been through the first time that he had done it. Back then he had been trying to get his freedom so that he could reunite with his brethren and go back to the life that he had known. Now he was so deeply in love with people that were dangerous, both to others and to those that held their hearts. 

The walls of the cell smelled like the ones in Hellgate had, but without the burn of the salt. Everything in Kerch seemed to be wet, other than the apartments that Kaz kept for them to live in. The cell walls dripped with moisture that collected from the stones, seeping into the blanket and mattress that made up the bed they had provided for him.

Matthias paced the length of the cell as he heard the other doors slamming shut and locking the others inside. He knew that this wasn’t exactly what they had thought was going to happen since they didn’t know this prison as well as they had known Hellgate. Kaz had to have a plan, though, he always had a plan.

Being back in prison reminded him of what he had been before they had broken into the Ice Court. His first visit to Kerch was less than ideal and had resulted in him feeling like he was completely isolated from the world. No one had spoken his language, he had barely been able to speak theirs. His religion was the one that everyone made fun of or knew nothing about, which meant that he was unable to pray on the holy days.

Before he had gotten thrown into Hellgate, before he had betrayed from the one person he thought was capable of understanding him, he had been surrounded by people that were exactly the same as him. They had all trained and learned together, they had grown up alongside one another, they all thought the same way.

Coming to Kerch was the best thing that had happened to him because it taught him that he had been indoctrinated and that the way that he was taught to live was wrong. He knew that he had hurt people and almost caused the downfall of an entire people. He knew that and yet he still longed for that sense of community that he had never been able to replicate outside of the Druskelle. His partners helped, giving him a feeling of family amongst a people he at large did not understand. It was never going to be quite the same, though.

The lock clicked into place as soon as Inej stepped into the cell. She was a slippery one, she had already removed her hand from one of the cuffs. The guard that was leading her must have been able to tell that she was prepared to bolt at the first sign of her freedom ahead of her. She would have, if she had been able to get his brutish hands off of her arm.

She and Kaz had talked about what they were going to do if they were separated into male and female holding cells like they would have been in Hellgate and had been in the Ice Court. Unfortunately, the town that they were running their heist in happened to be small enough that there was no such thing. They tried everyone that they caught for a crime the next day, which meant that they all had to be in a single cell so that they wouldn’t colaborate together and come up with some kind of plan.

Overall, it was actually the smart move to make. It was going to be much harder for them to slip away from the prison and continue going about their business now. They were where they wanted to be but they were alone.

The cell was only big enough for her to lay down flat either way, though there was another two feet in the back along the bed. She couldn’t imagine how cramped the others had to be feeling given the walls closing in on her. 

She had loved enclosed spaces before because that as what the top of the tent became, what her wagon was when she was burrowed in her bed, what the caves and brambles that she and her brother discovered while they were playing.

That was until she had been stuffed into the hull of a ship. They had kept a piece of cloth over her eyes and the top of her head the entire time that they were transporting her, but she had still been able to tell how tightly packed she was to the other bodies. She had heard her brother crying out or her but they were all jammed into a back compartment of a boat meant to look like it was transporting vegetables. It had stunk something fierce, like illness and unwashed bodies and waste.

It was worse than when she was kept on the Eil Komedie, cramped in a dark room that had a single vent. She still had dreams about the both of them, that she was being kept immobile inside of the hull of a ship or moments away from getting stuck and dying inside of a vent, just moments away from freedom.

Her heartbeat was already picking up in her chest as she manuevered the bones in her wrist around so that she could remove her hand from inside of her cuffs. She had to be free, she had to get away. She couldn’t do this any longer. She couldn’t be trapped again.

Wylan was no stranger to small rooms, but he was a stranger to prison cells.

The door clicked and locked behind him with a noise so loud that it rattled through his head. He always thought that something was louder when it was supposed to be keeping him in a certain place. He had grown very attuned to the sound of a door closing after his father had discovered that he was going to be unable to read for the duration of his life.

 A door slamming meant that his father was upset, that he had to run and hide underneath his bed or in the back of his wardrobe. A door closing quietly meant that one of the maids was coming to let Wylan know where his father was and what was expected of him. A door clicking at the normal level was the entrance of his tutor and the promise of an aching, bleeding wound on his back. A door closing just barely above the normal level was usually his father on a good day, come to make fun of him and reiterate why he was such a disappointment. The worst noise of all was when a door closed while he was staring at it, the lock falling into place like the slowest thing in the entire world.

That was the sound of the door closing behind him now, reminding him just how doomed he was. He didn’t have Inej’s lithe body and grace, Kaz’s tricky fingers and hidden lockpicks, Matthias’ strength and brute force, Jesper’s ability to warp metal and wood, nor did he have Nina’s charm.

He was only himself and he had never once been able to escape from a locked room.

He turned himself around in a circle as he examined all of the things that they had left him. The walls were damp from the storm outside, there was a single bucket in the corner, and the bed was nothing more than an alcove in the wall that held a single woolen blanket. He supposed that at least he could stand up and walk around, so it wasn’t the worst place that he had ever been in.

The worst had been when his father had come in to hear him trying to read with one of his tutors. He had actually liked her too, she was patient and kind. She listened to him struggle and then tried to help him with the noises that she thought were harder for him to do than the others. Then his father had gotten frustrated with his inability to get the sounds out as quickly as he wanted.

He had grabbed Wylan by the back of the neck and dragged him all the way down to his study. Wylan had stood as still as a deer in the headlights as he emptied out his bureau and then shoved his son inside of it. That was the worst locking sound known to man.

Nina didn’t turn around as they closed the door. She had been told not to flirt with the guards so that she could get out of her bonds. She was supposed to wait for the others to come and get her. Then again, the plan had also been for Inej and Nina to be locked up in the same cell. They hadn’t anticipated being separated from each other.

She felt almost like she had when she had been thrown into the bottom of a Druskelle ship. She had her hands pressed together instead of the special Grisha cuffs that separated them, but that brought her no comfort. She couldn’t reach out to her partners if she wasn’t able to see them, that was the one thing about her powers that she didn’t like.

Nina had dealt with many kinds of isolation in her life. She had been a stranger to her family before she had been moved to the orphanage after they had passed away. She had been an enigma when she was at the Little Palace because she strongly disagreed with the forced service that they had to do for the king. After that, she was the youngest and most naive person that had been on the missions with Zoya. She had then been a stranger in a land that she didn’t understand with customs that she didn’t approve of. 

She had spent the majority of her life holding opinions and feelings that other people didn’t agree with. She should have been used to being alone, trapped with her thoughts and nothing else. She supposed that it was different that she had found people that she loved now. She had Matthias, who had been the first person to really touch her soul as they walked across the endless expanse of whiteness. Then she had met Inej and Jesper who had also come from somewhere else and were able to teach her the way of the land so she felt less alone. She had Kaz and Wylan to keep her company when she was conducting business below and above board as well.

But now they were all trapped in rooms around her. She also realized, with a crushing wave of panic that threatened to pull her feet out from underneath her, that she had never been alone with this kind fo quiet before. The walls were thick enough that she wasn’t able to hear their heartbeats. That had been a constant presence in her life unless she had specifically gone somewhere that didn’t have any people. She knew that her partners were around her and yet the silence was threatening to drown her.

She felt as though she was suffocating on it, how alone she was. She didn’t have the thrum of their pulses to calm her down, she couldn’t hear their breathing like a distance echo, she had nothing. She was well and truly alone this time, not even just metaphorically.

Kaz’s first time in prison was when he was in ten. That kind of thing was expected for a boy that knew nothing about the Barrel and the way of life that it demanded. He had gotten too greedy too quickly and was caught before he could learn how to avoid that. The next couple times he had gotten caught and arrested, he had learned and then made sure to never make the same mistake again.

By the time that he was an adult, he had vowed that he would never get thrown in another prison again. That, of course, immediately went out the window when it was called for in a mission. He didn’t value his work over everything else in his life the way that he had when he had first gotten together with his partners, but he did put a priority on his work over his own vows to himself.

He knew that he would be able to escape from whatever cell they threw him into. He knew that the picks digging into his cheek would result in his escape, but he had to worry about the others as well.

Kaz had spent much of his life alone, in one way or another. He had been the youngest person on the farm that he had lived on and thus spent a lot of his days playing on his own. It was a lonely childhood, but he had been joined by Jordie when they went to Ketterdam and promised many friends. 

That had of course before he had opened his sick-veiled eyes and found that he was floating on the barge meant for only the dead. He had been alone there and yet not, at the same time. He had been surrounded by the bloating, sick bodies of the dead and his brother’s voice had been screaming at him in a way that he would never forget. He had never been truly alone since, Jordie’s ghost had been snapping and snarling at him in the back of his head for the rest of his life.

It had been silent since he had found his partners and started the new area of his life, though. He had found a couple moments where he had been truly alone the same way that he was when he was a child. It had let him rest, let him find the joy in his own thoughts more than just trying to keep one step ahead of his own manufactured demon.

Now, that voice was back. Telling him that he had doomed his partners, that he had gotten them stuck in a place that was going to bring back so many bad memories for all of them, that they hated him now. Most of all, it was telling him that he had once again failed in the promise that he had made to Jordie. He had put Pekka Rollins away and gotten their revenge, but he had never become the man he should have been.

#fanfiction #fanfic #writing #ao3 #archive of our own #soc #six of crows #shadow and bone #sab #polycrows #jesper fahey #nina zenik #inej ghafa #wylan van eck #matthias helvar #kaz brekker #febuwhump #febuwhump2024 #febuwhump day 2 #isolation #child abuse #child neglect #anxiety attacks #panic attacks

[genuineformality]

Febuwhump Day 12: Semi-Conscious

#febuwhump #febuwhumpday12 #six of crows #kaz brekker #jesper fahey #unnamed zowa healer I'm making up because no one can stop me from making up characters #magical healing is great #it's especially great when it has limits #which I'm going to address later #But day 12 is in the books!

[whump-about-it]

Constant Pain

@febuwhump Day 5: Rope Burns.

CW: angst, description of injuries, dissociation.

"Whumpee, those are never going to heal if you don't stop touching them."

Whumpee startled out of their mindless stupor to find Caretaker leaning on the door frame watching them with an expression of concern. Their eyes were flickering between Whumpee's sallow face and their hands, which they had in their lap, each picking absently at the scabbed rope burns on the opposite wrists.

"Sorry," Whumpee murmured and moved their hands to either side of their legs. This wasn't the first time Caretaker had caught them picking at the scabs, or the first time they had cautioned them about re-opening the wounds. "They just..."

Whumpee let their voice trail off. They couldn't tell Caretaker the rope burns still hurt. They couldn't explain why they hurt so much. Whumpee had so many other injuries that reasonably should have bothered them more. They couldn't put weight on one of their legs. There was a six inch gash in the back of their head that had required being stapled. Their were bruises around their neck had made breathing so uncomfortable that they had developed a chest infection by the time they were rescued. The welts on their back hadn't healed yet, and they couldn't move to much for fear of ripping the multitude of stitches all over their body. Yet, despite all of that, the rope burns, the most innocuous of their injuries, hurt the most.

Actually, that all made sense to Whumpee. When they had been rescued, Caretaker had told them Whumper had held them for a little over month. But it had felt like a year. Every day had been different. New pain. New torture. New fear. Nothing had remained the same day to day. Nothing Whumpee could look forward to or dreed. Not even food or water. In that whole time the only constant had been the rope. Their hands had been tied the whole time.

The rope burns had been Whumpee's first injuries. Their oldest and deepest. And the ones that they had cried over the most, hopelessly trying to wriggle their way out of their bonds and watching blood trickle into their useless hands. Of course those wounds hurt the most. But how were they supposed to say that? How were they supposed to explain in?

Whumpee nearly jumped out of their skin when Caretaker brushed their uninjured knee. They were now kneeling in front of Whumpee, looking even more concerned than they had before. Whumpee hadn't noticed they were dissociating again.

"Is everything okay?" Caretaker asked gently.

"Yes." Whumpee lied. "They itch. My wrists. They itch and I keep forgetting not to touch them."

"I know."

They both knew Caretaker was lying too.

#whump #febuwhump #febuwhumpday5 #rope burns #tw injuries #recovery whump #angst #whumpee x caretaker #whumblr #whump drabble

[skyward-floored]

Febuwhump collab alt day - “I love you”

And here’s the last febuwhump fic (...on the 27 of March lol. what can I say, I get easily distracted).

This one was suggested by @webhead3345, and it’s really more hurt/comfort then anything, but after the last one some comfort is probably nice XD I hope you enjoy it!

And thanks to everyone who suggested characters/prompts for these! I appreciate you all so much <3

Today’s lovely art

Ao3 link

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Having six kids could be a challenge sometimes, Malon was willing to admit.

It would be difficult enough normally, but with five of them having superpowers, two being adopted, and all of them rambunctious boys who sometimes forgot their house was on the small side... it could be a lot sometimes.

But Malon always did her best, and Time along with her. Even when it got overwhelming, even when they disagreed, even through the sleepless nights and stress and fear and countless other worries from essentially living underground, they both tried their hardest to raise their kids well, and keep them safe and happy. Malon could only hope they were succeeding.

Especially in regards to their two adopted boys.

Hyrule and Wild had both been through such awful things, both due to factors they couldn’t control. It wasn’t always obvious, and they were both so strong for their ages, but sometimes the scars that had been left on them both reared their ugly heads, and one or the both of them would fall apart for a bit.

Malon always tried to pay attention and help when one or the other of them was stuck in a bad period. She had plenty of practice with Wild, and usually knew how to comfort him, but Hyrule could be a bit of a mystery still. She was still figuring out what tended to set him off, how he acted when he was upset, how his reactions tended to differ from Wild’s, and most of all, how to help.

And at the moment, she was at a bit of a loss as to what to do.

Hyrule had been acting quieter then normal recently, fading to the background of the typical chaos his brothers brought with them. He mostly just nodded if someone asked him something, and seemed a little more distant, taking longer to respond to things, and keeping to himself.

Malon wouldn’t have worried too much about most of that, but then she noticed the shadowed circles appear under his eyes, ones that only seemed to get darker with every passing day. It soon became obvious Hyrule wasn’t getting nearly enough sleep with the way he began to stumble around, and Malon’s worry doubled.

And then Wild started to act in a similar way, unusually quiet and withdrawn, tired-looking and cranky, and that really got her worried.

Malon just wasn’t sure how to go about getting to the root of the problem. Wild and Hyrule were both tight-lipped when things bothered them, and got defensive if pushed, and Malon knew a direct confrontation could be disastrous. She’d tried some light prodding, but hadn’t been successful in the slightest.

She could guess what it was that was bothering the two of course, and had a pretty good idea of what it might be, but she also didn’t want to assume and end up making things worse. Time didn’t have any ideas either when she discussed the problem with him, but he’d been swamped at work lately, and was barely thinking straight.

So Malon was left to try and figure out the problem mostly by herself, her worry growing by the day.

It finally reached the point where it was affecting her own sleep, and Malon found herself startled awake late one night after a week had gone by from the start of her sons’ odd behavior, and found herself completely unable to fall back asleep.

Time was snoring softly beside her, and Malon laid there for a while, trying to let the sound lull her back to sleep. She didn’t have any luck though, her brain too full, her mind too awake. She finally sighed, getting nowhere, and carefully slipped out of bed and pulled on her bathrobe. She made sure not to disturb Time at all, then walked down to the kitchen to try making herself a cup of tea.

The kettle didn’t take long to heat, and Malon yawned as she set her tea to steeping, walking into the living room with it to sit and wait for it to finish.

Then stopped in her tracks, realizing she wasn’t alone.

Malon hadn’t noticed on her way in, but there were two odd lumps huddled on the couch, both quiet and still. She stepped closer to study them, and realized one was Hyrule, wrapped tight in a blanket and staring silently at the ground.

He wasn’t the only there either, but whoever it was beside him was bundled up so tightly that Malon had no idea who it even was.

She could certainly guess though.

Worry crested over her, and she set down her cup, walking forward and shuffling her feet just a little to make sure Hyrule heard her coming. He startled a little anyway when he noticed her, but didn’t shield or run, just went back to staring at the floor.

The lump next to him shifted a little, and Malon saw a strand of long blond hair fall free of the blanket.

“Hyrule? Wild?” she asked gently, and Hyrule swallowed, wiping his sleeve across his eyes. Wild didn’t move. “It’s awful late you two, what are you doing down here?”

Hyrule didn’t look at her.

“Sorry, it’s nothing,” he whispered.

“If it was nothing, you both wouldn’t be out here and not in your beds,” Malon gently pointed out, sitting down on the couch beside them both. “What’s eatin’ you?”

Hyrule kept looking at his feet, a few sniffles escaping him.

“I-I, we just can’t sleep,” he whispered, not meeting her eyes. “That’s all.”

“That’s all?” Malon asked gently. Hyrule gave her a tiny shrug. “Well... is there a particular reason you two can’t sleep?”

Hyrule went silent.

The lump at his side shifted, and Wild poked his head out, Hyrule moving so he was more tucked against his side then before.

“...bad dreams,” Wild whispered after a few minutes, voice shaky. “‘Rulie too.”

Malon’s heart sank.

“Both of you?” she asked worriedly, and Wild nodded, rubbing at the shadows under his eyes.

“Sorry,” Hyrule whispered even more quietly.

“Honey, you don’t need to apologize,” Malon said, and turned so she could meet his eyes. “Neither of you do, it’s okay. Do you want to talk about them?” she asked in a softer voice.

Wild shook his head, and Hyrule shrank down in his blanket.

“No.”

Worry prickled at her, but Malon nodded, and didn’t say anything for a moment, Hyrule still letting out an occasional sniffle. Wild shifted where he was curled up again, and somehow he and Hyrule ended up snuggled against Malon, Wild’s head in her lap, Hyrule’s resting on her arm.

A shuddering sigh escaped Wild, and Malon ran a hand over his head, fingers ghosting past his scars.

She let out a quiet sigh of her own, looking at them both. She’d finally gotten the answer to what was bothering them (and had been bothering them), but she felt no better knowing the reason.

The nightmares must have been especially bad as of late.

Malon adjusted Hyrule’s blanket, continuing to run her hand over Wild’s head. She dearly wished she she could take away what was troubling them both, and let them get a full night’s sleep for once, but unfortunately that wasn’t a power she possessed.

Malon wished it all the same though.

Hyrule sniffled again, and Malon shifted her arm so it was resting around him, loose enough he wouldn’t be nervous, but tight enough to offer comfort. He leaned into it, and Malon ran her hand over his hair as well.

“Mom?” Wild whispered after a bit, and Malon hummed questioningly. “Why’re you awake too?”

“Did we wake you up?” Hyrule asked worriedly, and Malon shook her head.

“No sweetie, you didn’t. I just couldn’t sleep either,” she admitted, and Wild peered up at her, worry shining in his eyes.

“...was it cause of nightmares?” he asked softly, and Malon ran her hand over his head again.

“No, not tonight. But... sometimes I have them.”

“...What about?”

Malon sighed, thinking for a moment before she spoke. Wild and Hyrule certainly didn’t need to know everything about nightmares she’d had, especially the worst ones, but maybe a few details would help them feel better.

“Well... I worry about you boys, and your father. All sorts of things, really. And sometimes my dreams take my worries and just twist them up and make them worse then they really are. It’s hard,” she said gently, “to remember they’re not real sometimes.”

Her boys seemed to think about that for a minute, both staying quiet.

“...Mine’re like that,” Hyrule whispered. “With the mostly real things.”

“I never remember mine,” Wild admitted, voice still shaky. “Just... just how bad they were.”

“Oh boys,” Malon said softly, and Hyrule sniffled again, hiding his face in her arm.

She’d thought the ache in her chest couldn’t get any worse, but apparently it could, and Malon held both of them tighter, running a soothing hand across both their heads. Hyrule and Wild relaxed at the motion, and Malon kept it up, beginning to softly hum.

She couldn’t take her sons’ bad dreams away. And she couldn’t take away the memories that brought them on, and continued to plague them even afterwards. But she could comfort them now, let them know everything was okay and that they weren’t alone, no matter what their nightmares tried to tell them.

Not on my watch, she thought as she continued to hold them tight.

Wild and Hyrule’s eyes began to droop as she hummed her family’s song, and Malon watched as they both slowly nodded off, still snuggled tight against her.

After several minutes, both were soundly asleep, faces relaxed from the tension that had been there before. A part of Malon wanted to just stay here with them all night, but she knew her back wouldn’t like it if she slept upright on a couch, and they’d all be more comfortable in their own beds. So once she was sure they were both asleep, she shifted Wild and Hyrule around, careful not to wake them. Then Malon pulled them both up into her arms, standing and walking back to their rooms.

Despite her efforts not to jostle them, both Hyrule and Wild’s eyes blinked open as she moved, and they watched her walk up the stairs, barely awake.

“You can carry us both?” Wild murmured doubtfully, and Malon smiled as she easily reached the top of the stairs.

“Darlin’ I’ve lifted cows twice your size before, this is nothing.”

Hyrule giggled. “Really?”

“Really.”

Hyrule and Wild both let out sleepy giggles at that, and Hyrule set his head back against her shoulder, eyes slipping closed.

Malon dropped Wild off first, setting him down in his bed and attempting to fix his blankets. Somehow they’d gotten all tangled around and folded in on themselves, and it took her a moment to straighten them out enough to tuck Wild in.

“Goodnight hon. Sleep well,” she said softly.

“You too,” Wild mumbled sleepily, and curled up under his blankets.

Malon gave him a kiss, and noticed a furry head poking up from Twilight’s bed, blue eyes shining at her. She put a finger to her lips, then carried Hyrule out of the room, hearing pawsteps cross the floor after she was gone.

She brought Hyrule to the room he shared with Four and Wind, stepping lightly so as not to wake anyone. Malon set him down once she crossed the room to his end, and tucked him in like she’d done for Wild, adjusting his blankets around him, and fetching the stuffed rabbit he usually slept with that had fallen halfway under the bed.

Hyrule watched her sleepily the whole time, still clinging stubbornly to consciousness. Malon lingered a moment even after she finished getting him settled, running a hand over his head, and Hyrule relaxed into the touch.

“Goodnight honey,” she said softly as his eyes finally drifted shut, and she stood and began to walk out the door.

“...Mom?”

The whisper made her pause, and she looked back at Hyrule, his eyes open again.

“Yes sweetheart?”

Hyrule blinked sleepily, barely hanging on to wakefulness, but Malon heard his next whisper loud and clear.

“...Love you.”

Malon looked at him in astonishment, warmth blooming in her middle at the sound of the words from her son. She blinked back a bit of a sting in her eyes, then walked back over to Hyrule, smiling at him.

“I love you too honey,” she said softly, and kissed the top of his head. “Sleep well.”

Hyrule smiled back at her, and his eyes closed again, Malon knowing he was truly asleep this time.

She adjusted his blankets just a little more, then straightened and crept out of the room, back to her own bed. The anxiety and tightness that had been keeping her awake had finally settled, and her eyes felt heavy as she slipped back to where she and Time slept.

“...Everything alright?” Time whispered as she got back into bed, looking at her sleepily. “You’ve been gone a while, I was about to come looking for you."

Malon smiled as she got under the covers, and nestled up to Time with a sleepy sigh.

“Yes. Everything’s fine,” she replied, setting her head under his. “Nothing to worry about.”

And something to celebrate, she thought as she closed her eyes, Hyrule’s whisper still warming her heart.

#Hyrule doesn't vocalize his feelings like... ever #so this was a big deal for Malon #she'd never heard him say I love you before #incredibles au #linkeduniverse #linked universe #lu malon #lu hyrule #lu wild #febuwhump #alt prompt #linked universe fanfic #writing from the floor #and that's (finally) a wrap! #thanks y'all XD #if you have an opinion on what I should work on next for this au do send it my way #I've got a couple things in progress but I never know what to work on lol

[luci-in-trenchcoats]

Febuwhump - Day 26

Pairing: Endverse!Dean x daughter!reader

Prompt: "Help them"

Warnings: language, apocalypse, big angst vibes

A/N: So this one got away from me and didn't end up being a drabble (more like 2K). Whoops!

_________

Your dad hadn’t been in a good mood since you got up. You didn’t exactly blame him. You were going outside the compound for the first time since you’d been born. Well. They took you on occasional hiking trips around the place in school and dad had insisted you be in the Rangers program so you’d probably been outside more than most other eighteen year olds there. But you’d always been close. The high compound walls visible. A few armed guys from security with the group. Never more than a ten minute walk away.

Today though? Today you were starting your job and that meant going outside of the walls, far outside of them.

“You don’t have to do this you know.” You finished tying your work boots and stood up, your dad frowning from the small kitchenette in your shared cabin. “Be a Ranger.”

“You’re the one that put me in that after-school program in the first place,” you said, shrugging into your hooded jacket. You frowned, his face blank. “Nothing to say?”

“I did that so you’d have more survival skills, not join them. You’re too damn smart to risk your neck. We need you to help run this place when the rest of us get too old to. Croats I can handle but other communities? It’s going to be an issue someday. We fucking need someone with a level head to negotiate-”

“You’re a Ranger and on the council so clearly I can do both,” you said, going to the ladder that led to the loft. He sighed, leaving you to climb up and grab your pistol from beside your bed along with your backpack. When you dropped down, he was right beside the ladder. “Dad. Every other kid I graduated with has been working their job for months. My job is being a Ranger and you cannot stop me anymore.”

You shoved your pistol in your thigh holster, slung your bag over your shoulders and took off for the door.

Two hours later you were still fuming. Your dad decided he just had to go on your first run. Sure, it was standard to have more experienced team members out with new Rangers their first few months on the job, but your dad? 

“Alright, everyone,” said your team lead for the day, motioning to the group of eight of you when you slipped out of the two vehicles. “I know we’ve picked over this area pretty good in the past but we’re looking for raw materials, things we might have skipped over in the past. Shingles, nails, plumbing equipment. Home maintenance items. Groups of four and we’ll reconvene at the vehicles in an hour. Stay sharp.”

You headed towards the group leader when your dad’s hand caught your arm. You huffed but didn’t want to make a scene in front of your new co-workers. Besides an annoying amount of staring, he let you work and pile items into a cart, making a few trips back to the cars where the team leader was organizing everything.

“Shit, where’d you find tires in a hardware store?” he asked.

“The forklift,” you said, earning an eyebrow raise. 

“That is the out of the box thinking that I like,” he said just as you heard a loud crash. You both turned with guns drawn, seeing no less than eight Croats rush into the store. “Fucking hell.”

You both rushed forward, taking out the two stragglers in the back but six made it inside where the others weren’t expecting it. Loud, angry shouting came from in the store as you rushed in, shots firing off. 

On the right you saw a large group of Croats and your people, your dad’s shout coming from the far left. You felt the group leader turn to go left with you but you grabbed his arm.

“Help them!” you shouted. “I got this.”

“Do not do anything stupid,” he said, letting you go and breaking off to help the others. You cleared the aisles as fast as you could before you saw your dad on the ground, a Croat on top of him. A loud shot rang out from your weapon and the Croat went limp, your dad panting hard. His eyes flashed wide as he shouted, a great force shoving you to the ground. Snarling in your ear told you it was a Croat on top of you, your gun going flying across the floor. He scrambled to grab it, another Croat rushing around the corner and going for him. He must have fired off a whole clip while you tried to get the damn Croat on your back off.

Finally, you managed to grab your switchblade from your backpocket, swinging wildly and slicing something on the creature. You spun when it faltered, stabbing the knife into it’s side, searing pain rippling through your arm. You stabbed again, this time in the neck, the thing going limp as something grabbed your hood and yanked you backwards.

“Get off!” you screamed, the grip suddenly gone, a hand pressing a finger to your lips. You caught your breath as your dad scanned the area, the shooting dying down. 

“Winchesters! You good?” shouted the team leader from the other side of the store. He relaxed briefly.

“We’re in one piece!” he called out. He sighed, grabbing his own gun from the ground before turning around to hand yours back.

“Thanks,” you said, taking it from him, his eyes wide. “I know you’re pissed I came in to save you but…”

Your gaze traveled down to where his laid, to the red bite mark on your exposed forearm where it pulsated in pain. Your gaze flickered back up, his head shaking.

“No,” he whispered, still shaking it. “No.”

“S’okay,” you said quietly, strangely calm despite the fact in a few hours you’d be just like one of those things. He just stared and you offered him a smile. “Dad, it’s alright. Just don’t let me turn into a Croat. Please.”

“I can’t…” he trailed off as footsteps approached. He yanked your sleeve down hard over your wound, giving you a stern look. “Keep your mouth shut.”

“Hey,” said the team leader, coming down the main aisle. “You guys hurt?”

“We’re fine,” said your dad, pulling you to your feet. 

“Let’s get the gear and get out of here,” he said. 

“I’d like to keep one of the cars and Y/N out a bit longer, get her a little more used to the outside world one on one.” Your team leader pursed his lips but nodded.

“Just be back before dark. It’s not always like this Y/N. You did good today,” he said, smiling before he headed back for the others.

“What are you doing?” you whispered, your dad, grabbing your bicep. “Dad-”

“Later.”

After twenty minutes, you were alone with the car, packed full of supplies you had a feeling your dad never intended to bring back to the compound.

“Dad. What are you doing?” you asked. He ignored you, instead pushing up your jacket sleeve and taking his med pack out of his bag. “It’s a damn Croat bite. You can’t patch-”

“You weren’t supposed to die!” he shouted, glaring at you with tears in his eyes. He tore open the pack roughly, dabbing the wound with an alcohol soaked cotton ball before gently wrapping it in gauze. 

You slowly took your hand away, squeezing the thrumming flesh with your other hand. He packed up silently, slamming a fist on the hood when he finished.

“You should have left me,” he grit out. “You should have let me die.”

“Ranger or not, I wasn’t going to let you get ripped apart by that thing. I got bit, okay? I got bit. Now we can either spend my last two sane hours fighting or we can spend it together before you get in this fucking car and go back home.”

He was silent, giving the far off treeline a death stare. 

“Why didn’t you tell them?” you asked quietly.

“They’d have killed you. It’s protocol.” He slammed his fists again, turning his anger on you. “You know I can’t be changed. You fucking know about Lucifer and what he did to me. I am safe from this bullshit so my whole life can be one long torture fest but you? You-”

“Dad.” You grabbed his hands, the fight leaving him. “Today’s my last day and I don’t want to spend it arguing. Please can we just…I don’t want to die in a fucking hardware store parking lot. Can we just go somewhere? Somewhere nice?”

“Okay. We can do that.”

The car ride was silent, your bite itchy under your skin as he drove. It took nearly thirty minutes but eventually he pulled off the road to drive through some trees, coming to a stop. 

“Can you walk?” he asked. You hummed, following out and through some kind of hiking park or something. Certainly not one you’d been to before. It only took ten or so minutes before you came to the top of a trail, a wide expanse looking out at the valley below, full of orange and red leaves.

“Wow,” you said. He guided you to take a seat on the ground, his body nestling in behind yours. “It’s so pretty up here.”

“I always thought I’d take you camping up here one day when you were old enough.” His chin rested on the top of your head, his breathing hard behind you. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s not your fault.” You were quiet for a few minutes, enjoying the breeze on your face. “Promise you’ll go back tonight after it happens. Promise you won’t do anything stupid.”

But he didn’t answer, only kissed the top of your head. “Daddy, please don’t…”

“I don’t want you to worry about what happens after.” But he refused to make that promise. 

“Dad.”

“Just sit with me, baby girl,” he said quietly, voice cracking. “Just let me have one more hour with you.”

“Okay,” you whispered. “Okay, dad.”

_________

#febuwhump #Day 26 #Dean x daughter!reader #Endverse!Dean #Dean Winchester #SPN #Supernatural

[hotcheetohatredwastaken]

Febuwhump 2024 Day 1 — Helplessness

Time wished he’d listened to his gut.

A portal had dropped them off in Hyrule’s Hyrule that afternoon. It was a blighted land—wilted grass and trees, a dark sky, riverbeds empty of both fish and water. There wasn’t any civilization nearby, at least none that Hyrule disclosed, so the rest of the boys grumbled underneath the baking heat of the sun and slapped at mosquitos—the only thing that seemed to live in this particular section of the wasteland that was Hyrule—as Hyrule led them on towards “somewhere they could find some shelter until they figured out where they were going.” Time looked over them all, counting heads: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, himself making nine.

It had been a hard day—a hard week. Running from hordes too large and too dangerous to fight, little injuries and little arguments that piled on and on until all of the boys seemed like they’d shatter underneath them. Wild and Twilight walked apart, some spat about dinner the night before driving them away from one another. Legend hung at the back of the group, brooding over something Hyrule had said when they’d been first dropped into this world. Four seemed lost inside his head, so much so that Time had to occasionally prod at his back to keep him from going off of the trail or falling behind. Each time he just mumbled, swiped at his eyes, and corrected his course until he went off it once again. Sky’s near-permanent smile was absent from his face, and his expression was twisted into a tight frown. Even Wind and Warrior were silent, their usual banter absent from the air that seemed to drone and drone in a high-pitched whine. They'd all had a fight earlier that day, one that Time had stepped out just in time to miss, but it left the atmosphere tense and bitter.

As they walked, they were given a reprieve from the sun by dark clouds that rolled in from the south. Some of them seemed relieved; others, Legend particularly, flinched at the first frigid raindrops and the rumble of thunder in the distance. Time noted it.

“We’re close,” Hyrule promised. “Just a few more minutes out, and we can all take it easy for the night.”

“Where are we going, anyways?” Legend snapped from the back of the group. “We’ve been walking forever, and there’s still not a building in sight. Gonna park us under a tree or something? Got nothing better out here?”

“No, no.” Hyrule let out a little strained chuckle, like he was trying to play it off like a joke, but it was clear that the jab had cut him deeply. Time shot a disapproving glare at Legend, but he just rolled his eyes and looked away, crossing his arms over his chest. “There’s a cave ahead we can stay in while we wait for the storm to pass.”

“Cave?” some of the travelers sounded dubious.

“Yeah, just a cave, not some dungeon. I’ve stayed there many times—it’s perfectly safe, unless we run into some rogue Keese.”

Even that sounded like too much to deal with. But the rest of the boys’ protests petered off under the strengthening rain, and they trudged in miserable silence, scarves and sailcloths and cloaks held over their heads, until they reached the cave—a dark opening in a cliffside. As predicted, a few keese flew out to confront them, hissing and flapping their wings so loudly there seemed to be millions of them instead of just a few in an enclosed area. The boys dealt with them, then ducked into the dry cavern, complaining of aching joints and wet clothes as they started a fire and set down their equipment.

It was a convenient cave. Almost too convenient.

“When were you here, Hyrule?” Time asked, standing in the mouth of the cave as he did another headcount. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine. Good. “You know this place well?”

“Oh, just here and there,” Hyrule answered, looking up from setting out his bedroll. Time couldn’t help but notice that he and Legend had set up on opposite sides of the cave, as had Twilight and Wild, as had Warrior and Wind. Time would have to talk to each pair. But tomorrow. “It’s perfectly safe. There’s even an air draft up that a way, so if something did happen to block the opening, we can all still get out.”

If only that had been true.

That night, they all settled down to sleep, and it was peaceful for the first time in days. Unnaturally so. Time took first watch, and he sat facing the opening of the cave as his boys snored. Some of them, at least. Legend’s eyes shone from the opposite side of the cavern, and he seemed to get smaller with each concurrent flash of lighting, followed by an earth shattering peal of thunder. It was getting rough out there.

With the next rumble of thunder, Time stood and crossed to Legend’s side of the cave. The boy didn’t look up at him, so Time didn’t say anything as he lowered himself down next to him with a groan. Wind or Wild or Hyrule he could’ve broken with a simple “are you all right?” Sky or Warrior or Twilight or Four would’ve cracked under whatever horrible pun he managed to come up with in the moment. But this was Legend, so Time sat, and he waited for him to be the first to speak.

“They’re all just a bunch of kids, you know?” Legend mumbled into his knees at last.

“I know,” Time answered, because there was nothing else to say. They were, to Hylian standards, all still children.

“And I know that, and I still get surprised when they act like it. Wild was picking at Hyrule for not knowing how to read, and Wind joined in, and I just lost it on them. If you want to know what happened earlier,” Legend offered up. “Pissed Twilight off for yelling at his kid, and Warrior scolded the rest, and now everybody is mad at each other, apparently.” He buried his face into his knees, hugging his arms around his shins. “How do you do it? I just seem to treat them like they’re fully functioning human beings when they’re just little shits.”

“It’s an art.” Time said, “Doubt I would have found that balance without Malon. You know you aren’t much older than them yourself, you don’t have to be a leader.”

Legend looked like he was going to scoff and launch into some tirade about responsibility and the number of his quests, but a peal of thunder that seemed to shake the whole world cut him off. Instead he chuckled drily, dragging a hand up through his bangs. “Yeah, I guess… I just... this world and all... I'm supposed to be the hero before Hyrule... but..;”

The thunder was still rumbling, growing louder and louder, shaking the walls and the very air itself. Time and Legend looked at one another with wide eyes, realizing what was happening at the same time—an earthquake.

“Boys, get up!” Time shot to his feet, clapping his hands. Heads raised blearily, some of the travelers reached for their weapons. “We’ve gotta get out of—”

The ceiling exploded. Rocks fell down onto their fire, dust clouded the air, and everything was cast into darkness.

Screams followed Time into the darkness.

When he woke up sometime later, it was quiet, so quiet.

It was dark. For a moment, Time couldn’t tell if he’d opened his eye or not, met with such an inky blackness as he was. He blinked a few times, then, groaning, tried to raise a hand to wipe at his eyes. He couldn’t—it was stuck firmly at his side, weighed down by something pressing against his back.

Time furrowed his brow, closing his eye to think. His thoughts felt sluggish, dragging through molasses to reach him. There had been… a cave in? The boys had been situated towards the center of the cavern, sleeping soundly through even the largest peals of thunder outside. They hadn’t even been able to stand before the ceiling caved in. Legend… Legend had been just to his right, hadn’t he?

Time tried to draw a breath to call out to him, but something in his chest caught painfully, and he choked. He tried to move, but found that he couldn’t—his left side seemed to be pinned down to the floor of the cavern, and he realized then that he could feel nothing, nothing at all, on that side of his body. Not pain, not cold, not even pins and needles. The absence of half of his body unnerved him. He still had feeling in his right arm, though, and he could move it. Gasping shallowly for air, he grasped blindly with it, feeling around his surroundings blindly. Rock below him, rock to his left—had he been hit by a falling boulder? He’d still been wearing his armor, when the cave-in occurred. Had his armor protected him, and he was merely pinned? Or had the weight turned the metal of it into a weapon against him, which was why he couldn’t feel his own body? Finally, his fingers hit the soft texture fabric.

“Legend?” Time managed to draw enough breath to wheeze. There was no response. He gripped onto the fabric and pulled. “Legend!”

A hacking cough—the most blessed sound Time thought he’d ever heard—filled the air, and then that fabric pulled out of his grasp.

“Time?” Legend’s voice asked. “Time, where are you? What happened?”

“Down here.” Time shifted with a breathless groan, testing how trapped he was. Little bits of debris spilled down onto his head, clattering against the stone floor. He stopped moving before he brought whatever was holding up the rest of the cave. “I’m a bit… indisposed, at the moment.”

Legend gave a little inhale. It seemed so loud in the small place they were trapped in. “Is everyone else okay?”

Time… didn’t know. He went back in his mind to where everyone had been positioned, before the ceiling fell. Wild and Wind had been on the far side of the cave, sulking after their respective scoldings, apparently. Hyrule had been curled up near the back of the cave, his back turned to the fire. Twilight and Warrior and Sky each had been around the fire, dealing with their armor and swords. Four… he didn’t remember where Four had been. Why couldn’t he remember where Four had been.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine with himself sitting with Legend on the near side of the cave. Now reduced to two.

“GUYS!” Legend called. The sound reverberated around the tiny space they were in, making Time’s ears ring. “GUYS! Rulie? Warrior! Can anyone hear us? Are you guys okay?”

In the wake of his shout, stifling silence fell. No one called back.

“They… maybe they… got out,” Time managed to gasp out, though he didn’t believe it. It was getting harder to breath, and his side was starting to hurt now, with pins and needles so fierce that they made his teeth chatter. “Do you… do you have… have anything? A light… or… or something.”

“No, no, I don’t.” Legend sounded so small. “It was all on the other side of the cave, with the rest of my stuff. D-do you?”

“Same… same situation here… I’m afraid.” Time swallowed with difficulty. “I think… I think we’re going… going to have to wait for rescue.” The sentence left him completely out of breath, and he struggled to regain it. His own breathing seemed so loud in the small area they were trapped in.

“No, no no no no.” Time heard Legend’s breath speed up as he started to hyperventilate. “We can’t be trapped here, there must be something we can do, we have to make sure that the others are okay, if we just…”

He heard fabric shift as Legend stood, then a curse as he apparently hit the ceiling of their stone prison. Time just focused on nothing other than breathing. He could feel some sort of metallic liquid pooling in the back of his throat, and he determinedly swallowed it back down without giving it another thought.

“What if the others aren’t okay? What if they’re trapped too. What if some of them were killed? Time, we’ve gotta get out of here.” Legend paced and paced around their stone prison, growing more and more frantic. But eventually, he ran out of energy, and he collapsed back down to his starting position by Time’s head. “Are you okay? I-I can't see you.”

“I’m fine, don’t—” a wet cough interrupted him, and his mouth suddenly tasted coppery. He spat out the taste. “Don’t worry about me,” Time finished vaguely. It was a lie, they both knew it. “Just… just pinned.”

“O–okay. Time, I don’t know what to do. There has to be something that we can do, isn’t there?”

Time didn’t answer, and they didn’t speak to one another again. The silence was deafening, the air thin, the darkness all-consuming. Time was suddenly overcome with a feeling of helplessness to help his boys he knew must also be trapped. So he laid his head down, listening for any sign of life, and he prayed they were all right.

#linked universe #lu #linkeduniverse #cheetowrites #febuwhump 2024 #febuwhumpday1 #febuwhump #linked universe fanfiction

[occasionallyprosie]

"A Song On Repeat"

Chapter 2

Legend may have passed out, but he was also now accustomed to staying awake for three days straight. He didn't stay down long, and he wasn't going to sleep until he knew for certain that the loop was over.

Febuwhump 2024 | Alt Prompt 7: Last Words

<<Previous

Event Masterlist

Read On AO3 Warnings: Panic attacks

----

Legend couldn't sleep the night after he woke up. The magical exhaustion had knocked him out to start with, but once he could wake up he did and falling back asleep was a hard no.

The others didn't question him immediately, clearly he looked worse than he thought if they were all shooting him concerned looks.

They made camp in the same place as the night prior, and Legend ended up staying vigil the whole night despite the clear reservations and opposition.

"You need rest, vet," Sky told him softly. "You passed out, we don’t know what's going on but we know that something happened... at some point, and the Old Man knows what, even he says you need to rest."

"I'm fine," he said in an equally low voice. "I just... I need to make sure."

What if the moldrum wasn't the answer? What if that horde was a distraction? What if--

He startled as a weight settled around his shoulders and another presence took up the place on his left, opposite of Sky.

"Then let us keep you company," Warriors said, Legend realized it was his scarf that was settled over his shoulders and he couldn't help but stare before huffing softly.

He redirected his attention to the wider area, letting out a steady breath and just waiting, watching.

He knew it wouldn't prove anything to himself, this was a defendable camp, there was a reason why he never had to fend off the ambush within the first six hours of the seventy-two.

He'd stay up tonight, and he'd let them get to the original second night camp, the original scene of the slaughter. He'd stay up then too, none of them could or would stop him.

Nayru may have released her hold on him, Farore may have promised that it was over, but Legend wasn't going to let his guard down until these three days were up.

He wasn't sure if he'd dare explain anything beforehand, he wasn't sure he could share it multiple times.

Warriors stayed by his side, Sky too, Sky got up and woke Twilight and Time before he returned to his side and slipped into a half sleep. Warriors did well at staying up, settling in a restful state that wasn't quite sleeping. Twilight shot Legend worried looks but Time was the one to approach.

"Veteran," Time crouched down in front of him, drawing his attention, "is it over?"

Legend gave a bitter smile, he felt Warriors shift at bit at his side. "We'll find out, won't we?"

"What can I expect?"

"We'll find out," he repeated because he didn't know. He slaughtered the horde, they killed the moldrum, but was that enough? Did the Shadow have more up in the wings to drop on them through a portal? Would another battle begin that didn't count for the three days? He didn't know what would happen.

All he knew was that he had to make sure they all survived the next 54 hours.

"Will you rest?" Time asked this time.

"When it's over," he promised. "When it's done, I'll rest and then I'll explain, I promise."

"Alright," he agreed quietly. "I'm sorry--"

"If you say you're sorry for cursing me with this terrible fate, I'm going to stab you."

Time startled, he stared at him in surprise before he laughed weakly. "Why am I not surprised."

Legend glared. "I don’t think you realize how many "terrible fates" I've been apologized to about. I've experienced worse, even if this is up there."

Koholint and it's un-reality would continue to be the worst experience of his life, the ideality of it, he would've loved that life. Koholint and Marin, living on a quiet island but maybe having a ship to go and explore with, an ever-changing and ever dangerous ocean to traverse, a lover who would voyage with him, who had just as much wanderlust as he did. Koholint had been perfect, but what made it the worst thing he'd ever experienced was the fact that he experienced it and it wasn't real.

He had been given what he wanted only to have it stolen from him. Even then, this time loop thing also didn't compare to the people who he had lost and couldn't save. 

The second day, Time spoke to everyone individually, quietly, and nobody demanded answers from Legend, they only pestered him about his health.

He let that slide, he ate the food Wild shoved into his hands every hour of the day, he let Hyrule cast diagnostic spells and Sky hover. Twilight would appear often and Wind hadn't left his side, but he was chattering on about various stories that Legend always enjoyed listening to.

Warriors hadn't taken back his scarf, and Legend wasn't going to give it back at the moment. He'd seen the captain get strangled and killed for it more than once that he didn't mind seeing it absent from his shoulders... it was also extremely soft, comfortable, and warm, he found he couldn't fault the Captain for always wearing it.

The day went by smoothly, as Legend was used to at this point, and they made camp in the questionably defendable grotto.

Legend took up vigil again, much to the dismay of his companions but Time somehow had stopped them from bothering him.

The night went by the same way the previous had, quickly, quietly, and surrounded by the other heroes.

The day repeated and Sky told him he needed to rest when they stopped for lunch.

He didn't have the energy to argue, he just shook his head. Twelve more hours, only twelve more.

Legend found himself beside Warriors and Time that night during second watch. Time seemed a bit anxious but as nothing happened. He counted down to midnight.

"How long, old man?" He muttered, head dropping against Warriors shoulder.

"It's midnight now, veteran," Time reported. "Is that it?"

His body said yes, that it stayed awake the whole time like he'd asked of it. It begged for reprieve, to finally rest.

"It better be," he huffed. "I don' think I can stave off the rebound of cutting off how much rest I got after getting magical exhaustion much longer."

"You can get some rest then," Time told him. "Time's up, you’re done."

Legend hoped it was, because he couldn't keep his eyes open anymore. He passed out on Warriors.

Legend woke up to being carried. He tried to move only for whoever was holding him to tighten their grip.

"It's alright--I got you vet, it's okay. You can sleep."

He was frankly too tired to actually make a coherent response, much less be coherent, and just hoped his curl tighter into the warm arms and chest translated to: I'm trying.

The chest rumbled as they laughed. "Alright--hold on then, we're headed through a portal."

He didn't get the chance to process that before he was hit by the dizzying slam of a portal and its magical drain.

The next time Legend woke up, he was someplace soft and warm and listening to murmuring and chatter.

They turned out to have arrived at Time's Lon Lon Ranch by noon after Legend passed out.

Malon all but force fed him a meal that he willingly ate, although a bit reluctantly considering how much meat filled the plate. He held back the usual nausea that came with that and just sat back as she went to let the others know he was up... and that dinner would be ready soon so they better clean up.

Soon enough, everyone cleaned up and fed, Legend sat perched by the warm hearth and waited until they settled.

They did so quicker than usual, which wasn't too surprising to be honest.

"So, do we get an explanation now?" Wild asked. "Because I really want to know about the giant worm in the ground and why you jumped into it."

Legend blinked and realized... did they even know about the horde inside the moldrum?

"Yes," he said before anyone could comment on Wild's choice of focus. "It's... simple, honestly. Temporal magic is very powerful and provides a lot of options. Certain items are good focuses for temporal magic, I have a harp that is one, and I used an item that allowed me to travel back in time and retry after... after things went wrong. I did it to such an extent that it set a loop, seventy-two hours from midnight to midnight, that would remain until I achieved what I aimed for."

"Which was?" Warriors asked.

Legend faced the fire, the burning hearth and its warmth was welcomed, it also let him hide his face from the others.

"Making sure everyone survived."

Someone made a strangled noise, Wild--Twilight too, Legend was fairly sure. Sky inhaled sharply.

"How many times?" Time asked.

Legend hummed. He pulled out the three journals, flicked through the one of everyone's last words.

"I... I'm not sure. I lost count at some point, and... And I never tried to track how many."

He worried that if he knew how many, then he would lose hope of it ever ending.

"What's that?" Wind asked, he had moved the closest of everyone.

Legend glanced at him, then the page in front of him.

"I promised Aryll I'd teach her how to fight with a sword. I'm sorry..." -Sailor, axe in side pierced spine.

Legend let out a shaky breath. "I... I don’t know if you want to see this one, Sailor."

Wind frowned, more confusion than indigence. "Why?"

"Because..." Legend tried to take in a steadying breath but all it did was hitch and make him shudder. "Because it's your last words. I... I wrote them down."

It let him cling to sanity, keeping track of their unfinished promises, their wishes, making note of things asked of him, of goodbyes to make...

Of people to take care of if it happened to end without everyone surviving.

"Oh," Wind breathed. "I... Can I see mine?"

"I don’t think that's a good idea," Warriors intervened.

"No, it's not," Wind agreed, but he met Legend's eyes. "But I know you, and I know you'd feel responsible for anyone and anything we said. So I want to know what I said, even if it might be a bad idea, because I don’t want you thinking you can take my responsibilities from me."

Warriors faltered from pulling Wind back.

Legend stared at him, then he let out a laugh. "You’re not supposed to call me out like that, Ocean."

"It's my job dumbass. Now tell me."

Legend shook his head. "I can't. It's not just your words."

"Does anyone have a problem with anyone else reading theirs?" Four spoke up, eyes flashing blue.

Legend was quick to speak before anyone else could. "I-I didn't include secrets in that one."

They all looked at him, confused.

He moved his hand to one of the other journals. "I kept things separate... just in case. This... This one is more carefully partitioned and I was going to share it with everyone individually, but--This is of secrets, information, that I didn't previously know but that got revealed at some point. I... I figured you'd want to know exactly what I do, but it's also sectioned off so nobody else might read yours when reading their own. T-The last words doesn't really include much of that kind of information aside from names and vague references... goodbyes and the like."

They stared at him, all of them, varying degrees of surprise, concern, and some guarded wariness.

Sky was the only one with pity, somehow that made it worse.

"We'll do that one later," Sky said gently. "Individually, like you said. How about we all work through the other one together?"

"What for?" Hyrule asked.

"Trust, and so we aren't sitting here for ages just reading the same things over and over. It saves time, and then we can all address anything that needs to be addressed with everyone."

"Of course you're willing," Wild breathed shakily. "You don't have any secrets."

Sky didn't react but Legend snorted.

"Throw whatever idea you have about everyone here and how many secrets they have out the window, Champion. I promise you it's inaccurate. Everyone surprises you, in quantity and quality. There's no ranking."

Wind promptly burst into laughter. "Why did three people look at me?!"

Legend snorted while Hyrule, Four, and Twilight all startled.

"You're always telling us stories! I figured you'd run out of stuff to tell us!" Four protested.

"Well if that's how this will go," Time spoke up, "then I am fine with it."

"Me too," Hyrule agreed. "I... I have a feeling I know what mine are."

Legend bit his tongue. He moved over to the coffee table and dropped the journal onto it. Everyone shifted to gather while Sky took the book.

Legend moved back to the fire, other two journals tucked close and away.

""You better fix it this time," from the Smithy," Sky read. ""Please save them next time?" also the Smithy... "Please burn my body, please.""

Hyrule flinched.

"That one was the Traveler, and there's a tally underneath it... five--ten--seventeen sets of five."

Legend watched them, Hyrule looked at him and he just looked guilty.

"I'm sorry," Hyrule said softly.

"Everyone has a right to a final request, and to dictate what happens to their body after they die," Legend responded. "Keep going, Chosen. We'll be here all night at the rate you’re going."

He did, Legend noted he adjusted his position and everyone was leaning to read with him as he spoke one from everyone every now and then.

Legend could vividly remember every single moment.

"I don’t want to die." Spoken by Wild, a blade impaled in his chest and blood filling Legend's vision.

"Take care of the Champ for me?" Spoken by Twilight, he was the first down. Wild survived that time.

"I'm sorry, Malon... I'm so sorry." Time, he didn't know Legend was there, he was already too far gone.

"I'm sorry, Zelda." Wild again, thirty-seven times. 

"If you keep going, tell my Grandma I'm sorry. And tell Aryll that I'll watch her." Wind, his whole arm cut off and legs mangled, the blood loss had take him.

"I've cursed you with a terrible fate, haven't I?" Time, eighty-eight times.

"My world isn't your fault." Hyrule, fifty-three times.

"Tell Zelda I'm sorry." Sky, one-hundred fourteen times.

"One more. Just one more, come on Link." Warriors, three arrows in his back and one in his chest. He took out seven more before an arrow to the throat took him down.

"I'm not done yet!" Twilight, a deep cut in his side and his guts threatening to spill out. He did manage to take out a few more before he was decapitated.

"Come and get me!" Hyrule, he charged the horde... Legend didn't see how he died.

"Fucking try me you sons of bitches!" Wind, he took out fourteen more before he was overwhelmed... and screamed when he was killed. A lot of Wind's last words were spoken with a lot of profanity.

Voices and scenes echoed in Legend's mind, Sky reading the ones that Legend had actually written down faded to the back of his awareness while the ones he never wrote down came to the forefront.

"Please--Vet please, I can't."

"Sailor no!"

"CUB! NO--GET AWAY FROM HIM!"

"I can't die--I can't--I can't leave Malon alone with this."

"H-Hey, Scholar? I-I don’t think... I don’t..."

"Mi...Mipha?"

"I-I promised Ilia I'd come back, I promised, vet." A bitter laugh. "I should've known better."

"Shit... Linkle's gonna kill me." Blood fall from his mouth. "Well... She might not have to."

"Link! No! Don’t--" an arrow through the skull.

"S-Sprite?"

"Hey--Hey no, don’t cry. It'll be okay, you did so well just now. You've done it before, right? You're our veteran, I... I'm sorry... I'm sorry we had to... leave you to finish the job. But... But I know... I know... you... you can do it."

"No, no, why are you crying? I'm fine. It's okay--O-Oh... I-I guess it... I guess it isn't okay, is it Vet? Huh... adrenaline's pretty insane, isn't it? I didn't... I didn't... even..."

"GET OUT OF THERE!"

"No--SMITHY MOVE--"

"There's a Hinox! Look--"

"You’re repeating... That sounds like hell. Have we really not survived? ...Not even once? Oh Hylia..."

"Linebeck? What are... oh..."

"Link! Captain, no, no, no-- where's my-- ...Vet?"

"VETERAN MOVE!"

"Look--Look, you g--you go back and... and you... You kick their asses, you hear me?"

"Make sure you win this one."

"N-Navi?"

"YOU WANNA FUCKING GO?!"

"Alright... Alright. One more time, let's go."

"Please, for once in my life I'm begging you... make it stop."

"Th...Thank you."

"I'm so sorry, I'm sorry, please--Please, I don’t--I'm sorry."

A thousand apologies.

A thousand battle cries.

A thousand names whispered with last breaths.

A thousand last words left unwritten because it explicitly revealed a secret.

Suddenly, something was touching him and his mind snapped into gear.

He jerked back, knife in his hand and he moved blindly, on instinct--

"Gah!" That voice--

Legend dropped his knife, horror shooting through him as he realized it was Warriors who'd touched him, it was Warriors who now had blood dripping from his cheek from Legend's blade. He had drawn blood from his brother.

He tried to move back but painful heat shot up his palm, his hand hitting the heated stone of the hearth and burning him. He yelped and jerked away.

"Oh s--Scholar no!"

He hit his head against the stone fireplace, and against everything, tears welled in his eyes. A damned head bump just made it all boil over, voices in his head growing loud but at least the visions to accompany them only flickered.

"No, no, hey." Warriors took his hand from the heat and wrapped a hand around the back of his head. "No, it's okay. You’re alright--ohhh, Sky? Hey, he burned his--Scholar, it's okay, just breathe, you’re alright."

"I'm sorry--I-I--"

"No, it's okay. I'm fine, I swear. I shouldn't have touched you, I'm sorry." Warriors stopped him from trying to pull away again, instead gently moving him away from the fireplace and making him give his hand to Sky, who'd appeared with a cold rag in seconds.

He was shaking, why was he so shaky? What was wrong? Why was he wrong? Why did he break from a touch? Why--

"Link," Warriors said firmly and he looked up fast. "Breathe... Do you need to take a break?"

Break--No.

"No, sorry," he forced out, struggling to wrangle his emotions back. His hand hurt. He hated burns. "I'm fine. I'm sorry, I just--zoned out."

"We noticed," Sky said, a note of softness to his tone. "But that's alright, we don’t mind. How about we all just head in for bed now? We can pick up the secrets tomorrow. I don't think we need to read the rest of that book."

"So many names," Four muttered in a voice that Legend barely heard. "I hadn't even thought of half those people in years..."

"You were about to die," Time said in equal volume. "Being so close to death puts things into perspective."

Legend nodded shakily. "Tomorrow, yeah--If that's what you want, okay."

Sky gave him a soft smile, Legend was distantly aware of the worry behind it but that wasn't what was keeping his attention as he stared at the two older heroes trying to help him.

He was more focused on the blood trickling down Warriors' cheek. If he blinked, the blood was coming from eyes that had been gruesomely carved out by keese.

If he listened, the screams of his brothers still plagued his thoughts. Their last words echoing in his mind.

#linked universe #febuwhump 2024 #lu legend #linkeduniverse #legend lu #fanfic #lu warriors #lu hyrule #lu wind #lu sky #lu wild #lu time #lu twilight #lu chain #linked universe fanfic #linked universe fanfiction #lu #lu four #lu fanfiction #guys can we condense these to one tag plsss #aftermath of whump #aftermath #angst #last words #prosie writes

[chaotic-orphan]

Febuwhump: Day Nineteen

Prompt — “please don’t.”

*~*~*~*~*

Hero let out a sigh as they got home, closing the door behind them then turning to rest their head against the wood and decompress. They only needed a moment before they righted themselves and dropped their bag at the door and took off their shoes.

They just needed to see Lover right now, and then everything would be fine. The shitty day would turn good and Hero could smile freely again.

“Lover? You home?” Hero called. They shedded their coat in the living room and left it on the back of the couch. It wasn’t like Lover to be home after Hero, their job finished at five everyday. Hero’s finished at six. Hero frowned and switched on the light in the living room.

Then they heard Lover’s voice flowing from the kitchen. “Yeah, we’re in the kitchen!”

We?

Hero wanted to groan and curse the sky, they really didn’t want to entertain any of Lover’s friends right now, but it couldn’t be helped. They sucked it up and walked into the kitchen with a smile on their face.

“Hel—” Hero began but the words and smile died on Hero’s face, fear gripping their heart.

“There you are, you didn’t tell me your work friend would be joining us,” Lover chided lightly.

“Hello Hero,” said Villain with a pleasant smile on their face. Hero was frozen in the doorway, eyes locked on Villain who was sitting at their kitchen island with Lover, a cup of coffee between their hands. “Such a lovely home you have.”

Hero clicked into a more confident posture, walking towards their Lover and kissing them before they walked to the kettle.

“How was your day, Lover?” Hero asked idly, thumbing down the switch and grabbing a mug from the cupboard above the kettle. Hero swallowed, they had a weapons stowed around the house, they could fight if they had to, but Lover was here.

Villain had taken it too far. Their relationship is strictly professional.

“Oh you know, same old, same old!” Lover said, voice light and airy. They had no idea what monster they had welcomed into their home.

“Does anyone need a refill?” Hero asked, pouring their coffee and immediately turning to sit beside Lover.

“No,” said Villain. “Thank you.”

“What are you doing here, Villain?” Hero asked once they had Lover within their grasp. “I thought you were working late tonight.”

Villain smiled, but it was anything but friendly. It looked so strange on Villain’s face that was sculpted from alabaster, cold and beautiful. The smile didn’t put Hero at ease, in fact, it put them on guard. What were they doing here? How did they find Hero’s house?

Hero had to remain calm. They had to if they were gonna get Lover out of this.

Villain didn’t look at Hero, instead they touched Lover on the arm with their smile that hid so much danger.

“Hero’s always getting on me to stop working late, but I can’t help it. I’m a night owl,” Villain said with a blasé shrug. Lover laughed and turned to smile at Hero.

“Yeah, that sounds like something they’d do. Always worrying about other people more than themselves.”

Villain’s cold eyes fixed on Hero’s, and Hero thought their heart was going to stop in their chest. “Yes. It’s something of a weakness I’ve noticed in them too. You care too much, Hero.”

Hero’s heart pounded against their temple as Hero swallowed, their mouth going dry. They didn’t know what to do. Lover didn’t know. They didn’t know who Hero was, well… the Hero that Villain knew Lover didn’t. They didn’t know they risked their life to save the city, they thought they worked as an accountant.

“I thought it was a quality you liked, Villain,” said Hero tightly, their knuckles turning white from their grip on their mug.

“It was,” said Villain, tilting their head to the side, soulless eyes staring through Hero’s into their soul. “Now it has become a nuisance.”

Lover sat back, eyes flickering between Villain and Hero before glancing at Hero, brows furrowing in question.

“Lover, you need to get out of here.”

“On the contrary, Lover, darling, you should stay.”

“Hero?” Lover asked, their hands shaking as they tried to stand but Hero realised with a sickening clarity that Villain had compelled them to stay sitting.

“Please, don’t,” Hero pleaded, eyes on Villain’s as they spoke. “Please let them go, you can have me. I’ll do whatever you want, just… please.”

Hero was no match for Villain right now. They could barely string two sentences together but seeing Villain in their house. Their sanctuary and Lover having invited them in, Hero didn’t know what to do other than beg.

“Hero?! What’s going on?” Lover asked, fear now dominating their voice. Then they looked at Villain, that stubborn expression that Hero loved so much on their face. “You absolutely will not have them! Now tell me why I can’t move?!”

“Do you want to tell them, Hero? Or shall I?” Villain asked with a smile exposing their fangs. Hero’s eyes stayed on Villain, helplessness rendering them speechless. They didn’t want Lover to ever find out about vampires, let alone like this!

“Hero?” Lover asked, fear clouding their voice and it dragged Hero’s attention from the lethal monster at the end of the table. Lover’s face was too much for Hero to bear. “What’s going on?”

Hero swallowed hard. “Villain… is a vampire,” said Hero, their voice defeated. “They— fuck, Lover, they compelled you not to move.”

“What?” Lover asked, voice too high, too shrill. “What? That… what is this twilight?!”

“Oh god no,” said Villain with a smile, resting their cheek in their hand. “I was team Jacob the entire time. The Cullens… blegh! Vegetarian vampires? Boring. Although if it helps you to compartmentalise, Lover, you can think of me as a carnivore.”

“Please just let Lover go,” Hero said, voice hard. Villain stood from their seat and walked to where Lover sat, brushing their hair from their face. Hero could only watch as Villain did it because they couldn’t do anything against Villain when they were dangling Lover’s life in front of them.

“Don’t touch me,” Lover spat. Cold eyes met Hero’s desperate ones, a horrible smile on Villain’s face.

“I’m sure you’re wondering why Hero knows so much about me and my kind,” said Villain casually. “And since they told my secret it’s only fair that I tell theirs, right? Your partner is a vampire Hunter, Lover.”

Lover went stiff, frightened eyes going to Hero’s, searching for any hint that this was all a sick prank or a hoax… or— or some fucking game! Instead Hero didn’t quite meet Lover’s eyes and that said… well that said everything.

“They are a very good vampire Hunter,” Villain purred, leaning into Lover’s neck and sniffing before letting out a happy sigh. “Mmm, sorry. Adrenaline and cortisol just smells… divine… mmm, where was I? Ah yes, Hero is one of the best vampire hunters around. You should be proud of them.”

“Please. Just leave us alone,” Lover pleaded, their bottom lip beginning to wobble.

“Oh but I can’t do that, Lover. If you weren’t such a sweetheart and didn’t invite me in I wouldn’t have been able to put Hero is this awkward little situation, would I have Hero?”

Lover’s wet eyes found Hero’s. “I didn’t know,” they whispered.

“I know,” Hero said, putting a hand over Lover’s shaking ones. “I know. I’m sorry. I should have told you before, I’m sorry.”

“Apologies, apologies. You humans love to throw that word around. Sorry. Especially when you don’t mean it. If Hero was given the opportunity again they wouldn’t tell you about vampires, would you Hero?”

“If I knew that—” Hero began, but Villain cut them off with a hiss, moving their mouth to Lover’s neck.

“No lying, Hero,” Villain growled. Then they repeated the question again, slower this time. “Would you tell Lover, if the facts were the same until now?”

Hero whispered a defeated “no.”

Villain grinned. “Wonderful, wow. We are all getting along so well! It’s crazy what threatening the life of a loved one will do for you, huh, Hero?”

“Please, Villain, please! Let them go, they’re innocent.”

Villain chuckled darkly, stepping around where Lover was sitting to get closer to Hero. Hero forced themselves not to flinch away when Villain was but an inch away from their face.

There was an ephemeral other about them. They were beautiful, their skin flawless and pale, but not gaunt and dim. Their skin seemed to glow with health, as if they had been dipped in moonlight. A stark contrast to Villain’s dark hair that they kept swept off their face, highlighting the shadows of their cheekbones and eye sockets.

Beautiful. Dangerous. Deadly.

“I won’t keep us all in suspense any longer, Hero. The reason I’m here is because you’re a little too good at your job. You slaughtered my family, so now I have to make a new one, hmm?”

“Villain—”

“Speak again, Hero, and Lover dies,” Villain said calmly. Hero screwed their lips shut. “Good. I came to give you an offer. For the start of my new family I’d like to give you the honour of becoming my new fledgling.”

Hero’s eyes widened in horror, shaking their head because they didn’t know if they could talk or… Villain couldn’t possibly be serious?

Villain reached a hand up to cup Hero’s cheek, their touch like cool marble on their skin. “Come on, Hero. It’s not like you haven’t thought about it before. You could be stronger than your wildest dreams, young forever. We could see the world together. I could show you all my old haunts. We’d be unstoppable.”

Villain’s honeyed words floated through Hero’s ears like a whimsical song, almost nostalgic. Then Hero heard Lover whimper beside them and it snapped them out of their own thoughts.

Hero opened their mouth to reply, but Villain’s finger rested on Hero’s lips. “Ah. Wait, I wasn’t finished.”

Hero swallowed, glancing at Lover, then back at Villain and nodded.

Villain’s next words destroyed them. “If you do not become my first new fledgling, then your darling Lover will.”

Hero stared up at Villain, shock flooding their system. Lover cried out a desperate: “no! No! Hero don’t you dare! I’ll never forgive you if you do!”

Hero didn’t realise but Villain gently manoeuvred them so Villain was between Hero and Lover, Hero’s hand pulled from Lover’s as Lover wailed behind Villain. Keeping all of Hero’s attention on Villain, just how Villain liked it.

Villain smiled down at Hero, and for a moment it looked genuine as they brushed hair from Hero’s head.

“I can make Lover forget. Make it like you were never here, they don’t have to know about me. About vampires, about you… you could save them an eternity of questions and hatred, on the run from hunters.”

“Hero don’t listen to them!” Lover said very distantly.

Hero opened their mouth then closed it again. They licked their lips, trying to get moisture back in their body but they just felt numb and cold.

“Can… can I say goodbye?”

Lover cried out as if they just found out that Hero was dead, like a mourner at a funeral. “No! No! No! Hero, I’ll know! I’ll know and I’ll never forgive you,” Lover wept, sobs wracking through their entire body.

Villain didn’t move or let Hero go.

“Is that a yes, Hero?”

Tears formed in Hero’s eyes at the question.

“Please… just let me say goodbye.”

“Is that a yes Hero?” Villain pressed.

“Yes!” Hero cried furiously. Then again meekly, “yes. Please, just please don’t hurt them.”

“If I have your word, Hero. You have mine.”

Lover’s sobs sent chills down Hero’s spine.

Hero swallowed, then tried their best to steel their expression. “You have my word.”

#febuwhump #febuwhump19 #febuwhump day 19 #febuwhump day nineteen #febuwhump2024 #febuwhump prompts #febuwhump prompt #please don’t #writblr #hero villain writing #hero villain snippet #hero villain story #hero #villain #writing #orphan writing #whump writing #orphan #Vampire x Hunter #vampire Hunter #vampire villain #villain x hero #hero x villain #vampire x vampire Hunter #vampire hunter Whumpee #vampire whumper #forced turning #ultimatum #ultimatum Whump #self sacrifice

[fanfictasia]

Read onChapters: 1/1 Fandom: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Bad Batch (Cartoon) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Hunter & Omega (Star Wars: The Bad Batch), Hunter & Wrecker (Star Wars: The Bad Batch), CT-21-0408 | CT-1409 | Echo & Hunter & Omega & Tech & Wrecker (Star Wars: The Bad Batch) Characters: Clone Trooper Hunter (Star Wars), Omega (Star Wars: The Bad Batch), Clone Trooper Tech (Star Wars), Clone Trooper Wrecker (Star Wars), CT-21-0408 | CT-1409 | Echo Additional Tags: Whump, Hunter Needs A Hug (Star Wars: The Bad Batch), Omega Needs a Hug (Star Wars: The Bad Batch), Everyone Needs A Hug, and a nap, Parental Hunter (Star Wars: The Bad Batch), Protective Tech (Star Wars: The Bad Batch), POV Hunter (Star Wars: The Bad Batch), Family, Febuwhump, Febuwhump 2024, Prompt: "Help Them"

Summary:

Hunter is used to seeing his brothers hurt. He's used to being hurt, and he never liked it, but he never saw anything wrong with it, either. They're soldiers. It happens. Omega doesn't see it that way, though.

Read on: 

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14331670/1/Febuwhump-Day-Twenty-Six-Help-Them

https://www.wattpad.com/1425950505-the-bad-batch-one-shot-collection-febuwhump-day

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[sissytobitch10seconds]

Febuwhump 6: Her Eyes

Fandom: Grishaverse: Six of Crows and Shadow and Bone Summary: Inej never spoke with her mouth, she spoke in other ways. Kaz had learned to listen and understand them long ago. Now, though, he wishes that he had not. Warnings: Lying and heavy mental angst Word Count: 386 Ship(s): Kaz Brekker/Inej Ghafa

Archive link!

It was rare that Inej ever spoke to him about something that she was upset about. She used her body to convey her message in a much more effective way than any word ever could.

Not long after Kaz had recruited her into the Dregs by buying out her indenture, he had learned the language that she used for her own secrets. He already knew the language that she spoke to him when she was telling him the secrets of others. She would perch near his window and whistle to the birds in a language neither of them understood, too, but that wasn’t useful to him.

Kaz made sure that he knew everything he could about the people that he was working with, but he made extra sure with Inej. She was a performer above all else, and that meant that she was used to conveying herself through the motions of her body. He would watch the way that her shoulders raised and fell when she was preparing to do something grand. He would watch the way that her eyes fell down to her hands while she prayed, like she was making sure that they didn’t stray too far from her body. He watched the way that her nose wrinkled at the top when she was upset and at the bottom when she was happy.

He knew every motion that she made. Which meant that he also knew what she looked like when she was upset with him for doing something he told her he wouldn’t do.

She was showing it to him now, though he had seen it a million times before. Her brow was furrowed and her dark eyes had turned nearly black, a fire burning in them that held no passion and only anger. The edges of her mouth were turned down into a frown that made Kaz’s heart ache. The line of her spine that was normally smooth and fluid had turned rigid so that she was as straight as she could be. She had also turned slightly away from him, like she was preparing to look away at the first chance she could get.

He had lied to her, he deserved the lack of warmth that she was sending to him. And yet, that knowledge didn’t make it hurt any less.

#fanfiction #fanfic #writing #ao3 #archive of our own #soc #six of crows #sab #shadow and bone #kaz brekker #inej ghafa #kanej #kaz x inej #inej x kaz #febuwhump #febuwhump2024 #febuwhump day 6 #lying

[staycalmandhugaclone]

If you're new, this all starts with Touch Starved - Echo! You can read this little chunk as a standalone, or head back to the beginning for the full experience!

Febuwhump Day 1 Part 3

Touch-Starved – Wrecker - An innocent request leads Doc to a horrifying discovery that she's quick to remedy.

Warnings: Reference to child neglect/ starvation, star wars cursing

WC: 3,452

Still slightly dazed, I watched my hands gather the last of the medical supplies littering the floor from Tech’s evasive maneuvers. He’d sent the Marauder rocketing between incoming fire and tumbling boulders too quickly for my eyes to even keep up with. Hunter had ordered me to stay aboard the ship for my own safety, but the death-defying stunts we’d had to make in order to meet the others at the rendezvous left me certain I’d have been safer with them.

But then we came into view of the very tail-end of their escape. The Separatist forces were staggering. If not for the unforgiving terrain of massive caverns and towering cliffs, the soldiers would have been overrun. Kriff, as it was, they should have been overrun, but the lethal efficiency driving their movements was… nearly inhuman.

Echo danced between flurries of red bolts, the pistol in his hand firing ceaselessly with frightening precision. Even from above, I couldn’t make out where Crosshair lay nestled against the stone wall, somehow anticipating his brothers’ actions well enough to not only avoid hitting them by mistake, but managing to build off their attacks to setoff explosives midair to cover a greater range. Hunter flitted between the targets so quickly, their own computers weren’t able to keep up, lining up enemy fire to take out handfuls of their own numbers between attacks of his own. And Wrecker…

Wrecker was terrifying in the most amazing of ways. I’d seen him toss 100Ib B1’s like they were nothing, but the B2 droids weighed over six times that, and, still, he heaved them about like it was a game. I could practically hear his booming laughter over the screaming engines, knuckles gleaming white as I clung to the flight harness trapping me into the copilot’s seat. Tech hadn’t even slowed down as we skimmed dangerously close to the ground, strafing low enough for his brothers to leap onto the lowered ramp as we soared past.

Of course, they were given the most dangerous missions – each one of them was a far cry from sane, but armed with the mental and physical prowess to rend reality into whatever truth they deemed fit. Maker, I was glad they were on my side…

“H-hey, Doc?” The hesitation in that gravelly voice instantly drew my attention back to the present, glancing over my shoulder to find Wrecker tentatively shifting his weight between his feet just beyond the doorway in a blindly stark contrast to his earlier display of might.

“Yeah, Wreck? Something I can help you with?” I asked softly, offering a gentle smile that I hoped might sooth his lingering unease.

“Ah, well… not really, just…”  Maker, this man was going to be the death of me. It took every ounce of control to keep from melting into a unprofessional flood of affection amidst the display of sweet innocence before me.

“Why don’t you come in here, big guy? I promise that door won’t lock behind you.” I murmured in as gentle of an invitation as I could manage. His gaze shifted briefly, almost as though he was studying the doorway to ensure I hadn’t added some hidden locking mechanism.

“Right, no – I know that.” He said dismissively, but his movements were still stiff as he walked forward enough for the sensors to automatically slide the door shut behind him.

“Alright, you want to tell me what’s going on? Did you get hurt on that last mission?”

“No-no; nothin’ like that!” He answered quickly, hands shooting up to wave away my concern. I leaned back against the cot, hands resting lightly atop the padding in full view as he chewed absently on his lip for a moment.

“Is this about one of your brothers?” I guessed, eyebrow raising slightly.

“Uh… no?” The tilt in that word finally drew an almost exasperated chuckle from me that finally pressed him to speak, though he still stammered over the words slightly, cheeks flaring red. “Well… so, Hunter an’ Echo mentioned what you’ve been… yuh know, that you’ve been helpin’ ‘em, that it was real’ relaxin’ and…” My face lit up, understanding finally dawning on me.

“Wrecker,” I called quietly, “are you asking for a massage?” The instant I said it, his eyes flew open, lips shifting quickly around some excuse that he hadn’t quite worked out. “Sweetie, I would be more than happy to. Is there a spot that’s been bothering you?” The eagerness in my voice seemed to alleviate some of his nervous energy, shoulders sinking slightly as he watched me step away from the bed.

“No-not, not particularly? Just… sounded nice, I guess?” I had to bite my lips to still the way my heart soared.

“Okay. How about I start on your shoulders and back, and if anything feels tender or you want me to focus on anything, you just let me know?” The warmth in my offer was evident even to my own ears as I gently rested a hand over his arm to guide him toward the cot.

“Sounds o-okay, I guess.” He answered in something of a mutter, that earlier hesitation just granting him the briefest of pauses before taking that first step forward.

“Great,” I whispered, letting a grin stretch across my face. “Are you comfortable taking off your armor and shirt?” I asked, stepping away to retrieve a bottle of oil from my personal supply before adding quietly, “It’s okay if you’re not.”

“S-sure.” I wasn’t used to this side of his normally boisterous personality but was eager to reward this step out of his comfort zone with the utmost care. He quickly shed the outer shell of plastoid and shamelessly pulled the top half his blacks off without bothering to loose the clasp stretching down the left side of his chest, and I felt myself pause.

I’d known the man was strong – all of the clones were careful to keep themselves in peak physical condition, but… the way his amber skin sunk against him to overemphasize the peaks and valleys of each muscle was… excessive. With his focus absently tuned to free his legs of the heavy plates, Wrecker, thankfully, didn’t notice that moment of distraction, and I quickly returned my attention to warming the lightly scented oil. That was a concern I would have to address. Soon. But not now.

“Go ahead and lay down on your stomach for me.” I said, drawing that gentle gratitude back into my voice. “Sorry if it’s a little cold.”

“I run pretty warm, so that don’t bother me.” He replied, infectious smile finally returning to those plush lips as he settled onto the cot, corded muscles shifting with painful clarity beneath his skin. Pushing back that fresh concern, I moved to stand at the head of the bed, pouring the oil generously over my hands.

“Mind if I ask what they told you about my messages?” I started at the base of his neck, gently dragging my hands down his spine before shifting up around the curve of his shoulder blades.

“Didn’t say much, I guess – just that you didn’t need to give ‘em any shots to make ‘em stop hurtin’.” The words were muffled against mattress, but the resonance of his voice still carried easily throughout the room. I fought the initial dismissal, searching for a way to ensure he didn’t grow to expect miracles when moments were dire.

“Certain kinds of pain, yeah.” I said, letting the rhythm of my speech fall in tandem with my movements, gradually adding weight to the heel of my palms to begin working the thick mass of muscle. “If you overwork something, or pull a joint wrong, that’s something I can help with.” His shoulders slowly began to sink further into the mattress. “It’s not a magic cure for everything, but I like to think it helps.” He hummed quietly, the sound rumbling against my fingers.

“Don’ think ‘nything’s helped like that when Hunter has one of th’s episodes.” His mumbling was getting worse, and it nearly drew a huff of laughter from my lips.

“I was really touched with how considerate the rest of you were for him - you could hear a pin drop in this thing.” The light praise flowed softly from my lips, shifting slightly to focus more pointedly on the swell of tissue sweeping from his neck down to his shoulder.

“Hm, when he gets like that, nothin’ we do c’n really help, so only thing we can do is not make it worse.” The subtle groan dragged through his words. “Wha’ver you did’s the first thing tha’s worked.” The heartbreak his absently mumbled comment shot through my chest brought with it the too real threat of tears, and I had to take a slow breath to steady myself.

“I’m really glad I could help.” I whispered as though it was a secret shared just between us. “And I’m really happy you’re giving me the chance to help you, too.” A shy laughter shook through him. “Did Hunter tell you about the breathing technique I had him do?” His head shifted slightly as though to glance back at me before going still once more.

“Don’t think so.” He replied, and I could feel some tension return to his shoulders as his attention tuned in on me.

“That’s alright. Would you mind if I walked you through it?” He shrugged lightly with a hesitant, ‘sure,’ and I fell into that trance-like cadence. “All I want you to do is breathe in for five seconds, and then slowly breathe out for eight seconds.” With Hunter, I’d offered no forewarning, anticipating his own assumptions to throw him off-balance enough to disrupt that impatient reluctance, but, with Wrecker’s willingness to follow my lead, I didn’t want him unbalanced. I wanted him calm and confident, fully aware of what to expect.

“Breathe in for 5…” He readily lost himself in the quiet meditation of those guided breaths, occasionally letting out a small groan as my touch dug between his shoulders. He tensed slightly at the sound, but quickly relaxed at the steady continuation of my count.

As I worked, straining my own muscles to push deep into his, I couldn’t help but cringe at the mass of knots lining his spine and tangling beneath his shoulder blades, certain that the only reason he couldn’t pinpoint a problem area earlier was because everything hurt and found myself wondering if it was a pain he’d grown so accustomed to, he’d simply learned to ignore it. Driving by that fear, I meticulously soothed out each ball of kinked tissue until my sweat-soaked hair stuck to my forehead, straining to quiet my own breaths as I continued quietly guiding him through his.

The unruly mess of knots was only a part of my worry, however. His body was painfully wiry, dense muscles void of almost any protective fat. I knew how readily he devoured his rations, and had seen no telltale signs of illness that might impede digestion, but the man was desperately in need of at least another twenty pounds. The question of ‘why’ settled painfully in my chest. Nothing mattered more to Hunter than his brothers, and I couldn’t doubt that he was both aware of the issue and just as troubled by it as I was. Mind racing over the implications, I tried to keep my mind from wondering too far from the man eagerly turning to puddy beneath my hands.

I’d only just begun leisurely revisiting the worst spots when that deep rumble sounded low in his throat, briefly biting my lips against the threat of laughter, but his next breath shook with an even louder snore, and I couldn’t help the way my slow exhale faltered. Movements unrushed despite how deep in slumber the man was, I slowly worked my way over the broad expanse of Wrecker’s back and shoulders once more before stepping quietly away from the bed to retrieve a spare blanket. He didn’t so much as twitch as I draped the fabric gently over him and silently left the room.

-

“He finally got around to asking you?” Echo was leaning against the wall just a few meters from the medbay entrance, eyes shining with a mirth I couldn’t help but mirror, lips instantly pulling into a broad smile.

“He did.” I confirmed happily, chest puffing out in a little dance of pride. “He just might sleep all the way back to Kamino.” The arc chuckled quietly at my glee, lips shifting with a response, but my expression fell when I caught sight of movement behind him, and he went quiet. Shooting him a grimace of a fleeting smile, I quickly tread passed him.

“Hunter?” I called softly, freezing the Sergeant mid-stride. Eyebrow cocking slightly, he glanced over his shoulder at me as I paused barely a meter away. “Can I talk to you for a minute?” His gaze darkened at the way my troubled words whispered on a hushed breath, giving a short nod before motioning me into the rec room and purposefully closing the door behind him.

“What’s wr”

“Will you take your shirt off?” I interrupted, teeth nervously working over my cheek as my fingers fidgeted against the plate of armor stretching around my thigh. Any other day, the sudden shock that shot over his face, brows arching high above his eyes as his lips fell just slightly open, would have granted me no end of laughter, but the worry twisting through my chest robbed me of that. His expression twitched into a frown, gaze burring into me with that normally unsettling intensity, but, at that moment, I barely noticed it.

“I’m not going to like where this is going, am I?” His voice dragged past his downturned lips with a deep reluctance.

“Please.” I whispered, head tilting slightly, shameless of the desperation in my voice. His gaze turned pointedly away, jaw jutting forward as he released a deep sigh, but with a subtle shake of his head, relented, quickly piling his armor into a neat stack beside him before undoing the clasp of his shirt and pulling it over his head. Fabric still dangling in his hand, he crossed his arms impatiently over his chest and let his eyes sweep back to mine, but I didn’t notice the sharpness of his gaze.

Maker, I could see the outline of ribs connecting to his sternum. Throat shifting to swallow back the sudden stiffness, I stepped closer to him, ignoring the elegant tattoo overlaying his left side as I studied the wretched slenderness of his waist, hips far too visible against the stretch of his blacks.

“Get what you need?” There was a harshness in his voice that only deepened the guilt sinking through my gut.

“Yeah – just lost a bet with Jesse about that tattoo.” I muttered but found no relief in my own wretched joke. “If I drag Crosshair and Tech in here, am I going to be able count their ribs as easily as yours?” I asked, eyes finally dragging up his painfully lean body to see the defensive anger flare through him. The muscles balled against his jaw, tendons gleaming white as his hands tightened into fists.

“Maker, I’ve been with you for months!” I had to turn away from him, hand dragging through my hair as I fought to steady my own breaths. “Kriff, I’m so sorry.” Exhale fleeing in a tense huff, I forced myself to look back at him, to let him see the depths of my guilt and sorrow, and I saw the hesitation tentatively replacing that anger.

“Will you tell me why?” I begged. His tongue darted over his lips, that burning intensity of his gaze studying me anew.

“Can I put my shirt back on first?” Some heartbreaking mixture of laughing and sobbing shook through me, eye slipping closed as my head dropped to my chest with a small nod, absently listening for the shuffle of fabric to cease before looking back at him. He’d turned that glare toward some distant point beyond the far wall, arms once more looped over his chest as his jaw ground stiffly for a long moment.

“The Kaminoans were never particularly considerate when it came to our… differences from regs.” He started quietly, fingers absently thrumming against his forearm. “Wrecker was nearly twice our weight even as cadets, but they barely gave him any extra rations. The rest of us have been… making do – splitting our shares with him.” I went painfully still as he spoke, horrified at what he’d just told me.

“You’ve been… this has been going on since you were kids?” The words barely flitted across my tongue, reluctant to even grant them that much voice. A flash of that anger flared through him as those dark eyes briefly darted back to me, but whatever he saw when he looked at me quickly stifled it, gaze dropping to the metal floors beneath us.

“I haggle for extra food where I can, but, between the regs and the long-necks, there’s not exactly a flourishing network willing to share with us.” He growled, clinging to what safety his anger granted him. Swallowing back my own disgust at that revelation, I turned resolute eyes up to him.

“Thank you, Hunter.” His brow hitched up at my words, but I was already turning away from him, mind churning over how to fix this because if I didn’t, if I let myself fall into the despair of not noticing it sooner, I’d be no good to any of them.

-

I’d spent the next hour rapidly typing out messages and quickly sent them in the brief lapse between lightspeed travel as Tech changed hyperspace lanes, and, the instant we landed, darted quickly down the ramp with barely a word of explanation to the others. They’d be busy with standard debrief for at least an hour, and there was every chance we’d be taking our leave again shortly after. I had to make sure everything was finalized by then.

The last delivery had just arrived when the squad made their way back to the Marauder, and they all stopped short, looking over the half dozen crates stacked up around me.

“That better not be some useless nat-born-” I interrupted Crosshair’s snarled comment by silently tossing a ration bar at him. He easily caught it, gaze lingering over the wrapper for a moment before turning back to me.

“Oh, kriff yeah! It’s all food?” Wrecker boomed, snatching the bar out of his brother’s hand before trotting quickly forward to dig through the open box beside me. I’d didn’t have time to answer, lips only just pulling into a small grin before he shouted, “It is! Aww, these are my favorite, too!” The impressed surprised on Tech’s face sent a flush of heat up my neck.

“How did you manage to requisition so much?” He asked, glancing briefly over the wealth of supplies before looking back toward me.

“I’m your medic.” I started simply. “Regretfully, an oblivious one, but my orders still carry some weight. I pulled rank where I could and called in a few favors to update your base inventory.” The darkness that replaced the fleeting glimpse of confusion lingered for barely a heartbeat before his expression went carefully blank. His head dipped in a small nod before turning to his still exhilarated brother.

“Wrecker, let’s get these loaded. We will need to rearrange the supply room in order for them to fit.” Even the loathsome task of organizing couldn’t dampen Wrecker’s joy, and, before he moved to help, the towering man darted toward me, mischief gleaming in his eyes. I barely had time to tense before his arms darting around my waist, iron hold locking me against him as he hoisted me up in a fit of laughter. My hands darted out to his shoulders, loud gasp tearing from my throat.

“Thanks, Doc!” He set me back down and darted away so quickly, I had to grab onto one of the crates to steady myself, cheeks burning at Echo’s quiet laughter.

“Impressive.” The arc murmured warmly as he tread passed me into the ship to help Tech, the sniper following him with barely a glance toward me.

“I’m not sure if I should be grateful or offended in how quickly you were able to get all this.” Hunter said, stepping quietly toward me. My jaw tensed, again feeling that resurgence of guilt.

“This isn’t a one-time thing,” I murmured, gaze carefully burring into his, “I swear. Hunter, if it’s not enough, you tell me.” He watched me in silence for a long moment, but finally replied with a small nod.

Next Chapter

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[ghoulfriendfangs]

Febuwhump 23 - “Let Me Be Nice to You Just Because”

Day Six: “Kind Words” with Wanderer (Genshin Impact)

You try to comfort your traveling companion after a severe injury, but he doesn’t exactly make it easy for you.

{WC: ~1,600} {Wanderer x reader, but could be read as platonic or romantic, traveler!reader, injury, body horror}

@febuwhump

  “Let me see that arm,” you tried, starting off in a soothing and warm tone. You’ll try honey before you try vinegar.

  Wanderer gripped his sleeve, covering the arm in question as he turned away from you. “It’s fine- nothing worth stopping over. We need to get out of here.”

  Bullshit. Both of you knew the risk of going this deep in the abyss- how even a minor injury could snowball into near death. Even for someone as resilient as the Wanderer, it wasn’t worth risking his life to save face.

  Especially considering what had happened.

  Your heart still feels like it’s been struck by lightening. You felt a new kind of powerlessness when the lawchurl suddenly grabbed him out of the air by the arm, sending torrents of electricity through your companion. He threw him across the chamber like a rag doll- and he struck the wall, sinking to the floor like a discarded toy. He didn’t move- you had thought for a moment you lost him- but now the lawchurl’s attention was on you and you had to fight for both of your lives.

  By the time you staggered- exhausted but with only superficial wounds and covered in the beast’s blood- over to your traveling companion, he had returned to consciousness. You know for a fact the impact knocked him unconscious because he was wiping his eyes. You know he still cries in his sleep. He recovered inhumanly quickly, coming to his feet and rushing over to you. You watches his eyes flicker over your body- not doing a good job at all of hiding his concern. That’s when you noticed the way his left arm was hanging limply.

  Back in the present, you tried some not so subtle tactics.

  “Wanderer I swear to the Gods that if you don’t show me your arm…”

  “We’re in the Abyss- the Gods aren’t listening.”

  “Wanderer!”

  “It’s not Important.”

  “That’s your arm! ‘Oooh it’s not important’ you cast spells with that arm!”

  He looks at you with a surprised, detached expression. His lips contort into an awful scowl. “I assure you, this isn’t going to interfere with our expedition.” His words are cold, robotic, rehearsed. “I can keep fighting- there’s no need to reprimand me.”

  “No- no that’s not what I meant. That’s not what this is about- I don’t care if you can fight or not!”

  He won’t make eye contact with you. You try again.

  “I’m worried that my closest friend is hurt.”

  That surprises him- he looks up at you with poorly disguised shock. He laughs.

  “You know, it’s just the two of us down here. I wasn’t kidding about the Gods not hearing you- and I’m certainly not going to judge you for making the most optimal decisions. You don’t have to put on a morality play… I ruined your whole treasure hunt. It’s only expected that you’d be angry with me for my failure.”

  “There’s always going to be more treasure- but there’s not going to be another you.”

  “Wow, that’s.. actually disgustingly sappy. Please- I’d rather you be blunt with me if the alternative is so saccharine. What’s are you, a bard?”

  “Then how’s this- Nahida and I practically had to dig you out of Irmunsul and I’m not letting you throw it away over a fucking lawchurl.”

  He laughs- still forced, but more real than the one before (he rarely really laughs). “See? Doesn’t that feel a lot better?” He finally turns so you can see his arm. “It’s not like your words are gonna hurt me, anyways.”

  Something is wrong.

  Whatever has happened is covered by his sleeve- but already your stomach is sick. His arm is… hanging lower than it should be- and at an odd angle. At first, you think he’s pulled his elbow out of socket or something. Maybe his shoulder. He lets you pull up his sleeve- and flinches as you jump in shock.

  His arm is shattered above the elbow. Shattered. The space between the curve of his arm and his shoulder is just splintered- it looks like teeth or a cracked geode. If you peer into the wound (is that even the right word) you can see some sort of cable or rope. You suppose that’s what moves his body in place of muscles, and perhaps the only thing keeping his forearm somewhat attached. You don’t know- you don’t want to keep staring because he’s noticing your staring.

  “Don’t touch that,” he warns. “You’ll get cut- the edges are like glass.”

  “You say that like this has happened before?”

  “Plenty of times. Especially back when I joined the harbingers. That’s when I first broke my arm- it’s been weak ever since.”

  “Then it can be fixed?”

  “Not really. Not back to how it’s supposed to be.”

  “…tell me,” you ask. Wanderer doesn’t usually open up about his past, but lately you’ve realized he rarely turns down whatever you ask him to do.

  He sits on the polished blue floor by your side. “…you know, up until I received divine knowledge, I wasn’t even sure what I was made of. I still remember the first time I broke my arm- It was actually in the abyss, too. I had never even had a scratch before- and suddenly my body was coming apart. I actually thought I was ruined.”

  He picks up the remains of his arm, and starts to fiddle with the strings. You aren’t sure if he’d feel more comfortable if you look away, or more normal if you watch.

  “…my body is supposed to be a divine vessel. It isn’t meant to break or crack- but it did. Typical, isn’t it? And the cherry on top- mortals don’t have any way of recreating this… “shell.” The doctor managed to come up with something kind of close- enough to seal the cracks and put my body back together plenty of times.”

  “And… what do you do without him?”

  He looks away in shame. He utters it like a dirty word.

  “Plaster.”

  He pulls aside his robe- this time showing off a spiderweb above his collar bone. You can see where his original body stops and is replaced by the plaster- it’s a bit more rugged, and less convincing in it’s imitation of human flesh. When you touch Wanderer’s skin, it’s colder and less elastic than your own, but still stretchy. You can’t imagine how imbedding plaster into the cracks would feel.

  “It’s cheap, I can find it anywhere, and I’ve gotten pretty decent at applying it. It holds me together ok… but it’s imperfect. And once I’ve broken something, it’s never going to be as good as it was. In that way… it kind of fits me perfectly.”

  He forcibly laughs again, but frowns when you make the most horrified face ever. Fuck- he thought laughing would put you more at ease, it usually does… Why can’t humans just be straightforward?

  …you pull up your own shirt, revealing a deep puncture wound

  “An arrow hit me really bad here. Paimon freaked out about it, so I just pretended it didn’t hurt. I don’t like showing anyone the scar because it’s weird.”

  “…I don’t think that’s on the same level as my arm. It doesn’t look bad at all-“

  “And this,” you interrupt, pointing to one over your forearm, “I actually got this one in the abyss, too. Pyro abyss mage. Set my arm hairs on fire. Looks kind of like raw chicken, right?”

  “Only if you say it does, now I can’t help but see it… but you-“

  “This is from a hilichurl ambush, this one’s from a fatui debt collector, don’t ask me how but I got it from a slime, this one is from breaking my ankle trying to glide from Dragonpine to Mondstat Cathedral…”

  You carried on, revealing every scar you’d earned on the road.

 “You know, most adventurers would retire after just one near death experience. I can’t say if that makes you brave or especially foolish.”

  “I’m just trying to say, everyone has scars. Doesn’t mean they’re broken.”

  “…do your scars maker your body weaker?”

  “Yes,” you answer without hesitation. “..some of them affect my abilities. Some of them… still hurt. But it doesn’t make anyone broken- that’s just what scars do. And hey- anyone who tells you otherwise probably has slime for brains.”

  He contemplates it for a minute, then he moves closer to you. He looks from the spiderweb pattern on his chest… to the arrow puncture in your stomach. Both look painful, both are painful, and both carry a story with them.

  “And here I thought this was just another thing that made me less divine, and less human… at least its only one of the two. Only a hopeless optimist like you could ever make me feel better about cracking my arm off.”

  “That’s the Wanderer I like to hear. No more saying awful things about yourself- lets go find someone else to bitch about.”

  “You don’t want to finish this floor?”

  “Pfft- the floor can wait. Hey, I know this alchemist in Mondstat- maybe he can cook up something for your arm. I’m sure he can at least make decent quality plaster!”

  “Fine. But you need to eat before we head back to Mondstat. I’m not carrying you there with one arm- but don’t worry. I can still cook just fine.”

  “Wait a minute… I thought it was my turn to cook?” You tease.

  “So much for trying to be subtle… I want to cook for you…”

  You help him to his feet.

  “I need to repay you for… all of this.”

  “No, you don’t. I can be nice to you just because, remember? You don’t owe me anything for it.”

  “…then let me be nice to you just because.”

#whump #febuwhump #febuwhump2023 #angst #wanderer #scaramouche #genshin impact #genshin #genshin x reader #genshin x you #wanderer x reader #scaramouche x reader

[shade-pup-cub]

Febuwhump 2024, Day 18: Four - Too Weak To Move

Fandom: LOZ/Linked Universe

Summary: The welcome home was not at all welcoming to Four as he walked through the next portal. The Shadow paid his home a visit.

This wasn’t what Four thought he was going to see when he walked through the next portal that ended up leading him home. The villagers were never a nice bunch of people to him ever since he took up the Four Swords. People feared what they couldn’t understand and that fear led to hate. He couldn’t blame them really since it was a struggle at first to not talk to himself. They all thought he was mentally unstable. In a way he was, but not how they assumed.

It wasn’t an all the time kind of thing, just when he was alone walking the streets. None of them had the spine to do it when his Father walked near or was simply in town on the rare occasion he didn’t have to be ‘Captain’ and could just be a normal man spending time at home.

Four didn’t hold a grudge for any of it, so when he did step through the portal and into the place he called home, he raced to defend it. Their enemy led an army of black blooded monsters through the village, burning and killing all the way through. Not a single place was left untouched in some way.

“Search and rescue first. Taking out monsters will be a bonus.” Four ordered as he took off towards the nearest burning shop to help anyone in need. No one questioned him and raced in different directions.

He was thankful that no one was in the building, but he still saw that there was a struggle leading up to the current event taking place. Sparing a second glance around, he rushed to the next place. Business after business he searched for people, none found. He prayed that they all made it to safety.

He and a few others met up in the street, swords at the ready. “Has anyone checked these houses?” Four asked, pointing his sword to the six houses in a row.

Warriors rubbed his face against his sleeve. “I checked the first three, got everyone out that was in them.” Sky said the same for the other three homes.

Four looked at the house in the center, remembering that the family there had added a hidden compartment in the kitchen for times like this. Four looked at Sky, “Did anyone come out of that house?”

“No, there was no one in there.”

“The kitchen, was anything heavy on the floor?”

“Y-yes. A hutch had fallen over. I called out, but no one answered. Four, what are we missing?” Sky asked worriedly.

“Hidden room, I’ve got it. Go help the others, I’ll catch up with you soon.”

Warriors took a step closer, “Four-”

“We don’t have time to argue, go!”

Entering the house was tricky since the front door was on fire. Running around back, he saw that there was a window near the kitchen where he could crawl through if he could get it open without causing the fire to ramp up. He took his shield and rammed the window, ducking behind it just in case the flames took to the new oxygen he let in. when it didn’t, he charged forward, ignoring the edges of glass scraping his arm.

Sure enough, the hutch was over top of the opening for the family to get out of the house. They had signed their death when they hid there. Everyone thought that it was a wonderful idea, they would be changing their minds after this day.

Seeing that he wouldn’t be able to move the hutch alone due to how heavy it really was, Four split, quadrupling the help. With a ‘One. Two. Three.’ all the Colors managed to lift, then push it out of the way before remerging together. Four flipped up the exterior handle, pulling with all his might on the door. When it swings open, he sees the faces he has known his whole life.

“Link?” The man asked, seeing him.

“No time for questions. Come on!” Both parents had children in their arms, covering their faces from the smoke. “Go through the window and get to the center of town where it is safe.”

He would have followed, but as the family of five made their escape, the rafters groaned and collapsed, blocking the only exit Four had. The fire surrounded him, smoke stinging his eyes and making him cough as it entered his lungs. He tore off part of his under tunic and placed it over his nose and mouth, giving him some relief.

The flames were roaring all around when Four saw something enter the house, a Lizalfos. Not any Lizalfos though, the Shadow. Four pulled his sword, standing off with the monster. It took him by surprise then the monster changed forms, turning into his original Dark Link.

“Looking for an exit are you?” Dark asked with an all too pleased smile. “You won’t be finding one.”

“Are you just going to stand there and talk or are you going to fight?”

“Fight? I have no need to fight you when you have already beaten yourself.”

Four knew he was right, but still engaged with the enemy. His vision swirled as he swung his sword. He was barely getting any air in and the air he did get was burning his lungs. He was getting weaker, sloppier and couldn’t stop coughing as this so-called fight kept up.

Dark grabbed the back of Four’s tunic and threw him backwards into the nearest wall with all he had. Four landed on his knees first before falling forward, laid out. Dark used his boot to roll Four onto his back so he could see him.

“Be sure to tell Shadow I said hello. It has been a long time since our last reunion.” Dark looked up at one of the semi fallen rafters, then gave a small jump to hang from hit, letting his weight finish the job.

Four covered his face as best he could as the log came crashing down with part of the roof. It all landed on top of him from mid torso down, pinning him there. He let out a strangled scream from the crushing weight. With every exhale it seemed like the materials sank further on top of him and he desperately needed fresh air. Attempting to push the log up and off of himself, he started to cough, choking on the fire's fumes and smoke.

“HELP!!” he screamed out without knowing if anyone could hear him.

“SOMEONE PLEASE!!” He violently began to cough, sucking more fire into his lungs until he was wheezing.

It was hot, so very hot. Four was getting tired, drained of all energy. He was quickly becoming too weak to move, to holler, to speak or even breathe. His eyes were heavy with tears and they dripped as his eyes fluttered closed. He accepted his fate as he watched the fire consume everything around and on him.

“L-?!”

“F-R?!”

“L-NK?!”

“He w-t in th-!”

Four could hear voices getting closer, but maybe that was his imagination playing tricks on him.

“LINK!!”

That wasn’t his imagination and neither were the hands on his shoulders shaking him. His eyes were clouded, but could see the silver armor, blond hair and facial hair. He groaned helplessly as the burning log was thrown to the side, freeing him. He curled into himself, wanting to protect himself.

“Hey, easy, don’t move too much. Let’s get you out of here.” the man said and he lifted Four from the ground. A long cloak was wrapped over him, then they were moving.

Four felt himself slip into that space between sleep and awake more than once, but was jolted awake by the heavy footsteps of his rescuer. The light of the Sun blinded him when the cloak came off and all voices became too loud, too much, too close.

“Link, I need you to open your eyes for me. Can you do that for me, son?”

Son?

A familiar calloused hand cupped his cheek, gently patting it to wake him more.

Ooh… Oh!

Four opened his eyes to see the scruffy faced man holding him close. “H-he-ey.”

“Hey kiddo. When are you going to learn not to go into burning buildings?”

Not being able to answer, Four gave the best smile he could before going into a coughing fit again.

“Easy, come on, sit up and drink.”

Hating the idea of drinking a potion, Four groaned painfully, making it clearer that he really did need one. The burns, cuts, and inhalation damage slowly receded and Four could finally see clearly too. “I’ll stop when there are no more buildings on fire.”

“Well lucky for you, your friends are putting out the last of the homes.”

“Everyone okay?” Four asked his Father as he passed the empty bottle back.

“Soot and bruises, that’s all.” The father sighed when Four smiled and leaned into him. “You rest for now my crazy child.”

Four gave a hum, closing his eyes and finally allowing the drain from the day’s hero work slip him into a deep sleep. He was home, he was safe and so was everyone else.

#ao3 writer #febuwhump 2024 #febuwhump #linked universe #hero of four swords #four linked universe

[forgotten-daydreamer]

day two of febuwhump!

my friends are forcing me to hang out so I won't be able to post day three today, but I will post day three and four tomorrow, and write up until day six tomorrow. Pinky promise.

Edit: I wrote the post while I was running to the bus stop and WOW it shows. I edited it. How could any of you think it made sense is beyond me.

#batfam #batfamily #febuwhump #jason todd #dick grayson #batman #robin