#i paced around for hours on empty I jumped at the slightest of sounds

[iriel3000]

#000000

Summary: #000000 - Black, the absence of any color on a screen. Part 1 of 3

Whumptober day 7: “I paced around for hours on empty; I jumped at the slightest of sounds.” | Radio Silence

Natasha whump, light whump, emotional whump

AN: THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO READ, LIKED OR/AND COMMENTED ON Hurry, She Needs You. I appreciate your support so much !!💘💘💘

“Natasha.”

Steve was surprised to see her jerk at the sound of his voice. Rarely did anyone sneak up on the Black Widow.

Dressed in plain, black leggings and a purple sweatshirt that looked too big to be hers, Natasha sat with her knees up on the ledge of the Tower roof. Worry lines creased her forehead and the dark circles under her eyes stood out against her pale skin.

Natasha Romanov was the most determined, self assured person Steve knew, but right now, she looked...lost.

“I’m sorry, Nat, we haven't heard anything. I just came to check on you.” He sat down beside her, hating that he didn't have better news.

Seventy-two hours had passed since Hawkeye's last check-in. No word, no cryptic message, no ransom from the enemy. His comms were dead and their radar hadn’t been able to detect him or the signature from his arrows.

Steve held out an apple. Natasha refused.

“Name one thing you've eaten in the last two days.”

Reluctantly, she accepted it. But instead of taking a bite, Natasha drew her arm back and whipped the apple across to the opposite rooftop.

“They put a damper on me. I'm not allowed to leave.”

“I know.” Steve said.

"Word travels fast."

“I'm the one who gave the order.”

“What?!” She leapt to her feet. “How could you?”

Steve stood with his hand up.

“I would do the same to him if it were you. We sent a recovery team, Natasha. They will find him.”

“If it was Bucky, we wouldn't be having this conversation. I would be stealing a fucking jet for you!” She paced back and forth, glaring at him as if he betrayed her. "They don't know what they're doing. They don't know how he operates, or where his safe houses are. I’m his partner, I can find him.”

"Nat..."

Steve's phone chimed.

He hid the caller id, doing his best to put on a neutral expression.

"Rogers."

Natasha watched his face for the tiniest of clues.

"I understand. We'll be right down." He hung up.

"Fury?"

"Maria, she needs us downstairs."

"Why?"

"She'll explain when we meet her."

"Is it about Clint?"

"We need to go, Nat."

"Don’t. Don't do that to me, Rogers. What happened? Where's my partner?"

Steve had trouble meeting her eyes.

"Tell me what happened to my husband!"

part 2 cont'd on day 11

#whumptober2023 #lyric #no. 2 #I paced around for hours on empty I jumped at the slightest of sounds #radio silence #the avengers #clintasha #fic #emotional whump #hawkeye #black widow #steve rogers

[dresden-syndrome]

24/VI-1963. KGB division unit B-8, Saxony region, German Democratic Union Republic, EESU.

Tomasz turned his head towards the loud, rough sound of footsteps. For him, that meant danger. Someone's coming. Someone's coming for him. There's nothing good to enter.

As long as Tomasz was kept in the lab, the only times he'd feel relieved hearing footsteps were feeding hours. Back then, at the prison, nothing was ever known, fixed or certain. At times, he wasn't getting any food or water for a few days, having to drag his weakened, bruised, aching body to the faucet each time he wanted to drink. In the lab, on the other hand, life was bound by a strict schedule. This hour to eat, that hour to sleep. If you won't, you'll be fed and sedated the hard way. A few bulky books on the table and Radio Wrocław playing far in the hallway. Everything was painfully predictable, except for one little thing. Experiments. Nobody knew when the doctors would take them, as well as why, for how long and would they even return.

He couldn't stay in a locked room forever, yet even a slightest sound made him flinch. The footsteps were getting closer. Too late. No time to hide. He could feel his breath getting faster, body freezing with fear, bracing for what is to come.

The opening door made Tomasz flinch one more time. A neatly looking man in a Soviet uniform stood in the doorway, holding a weird blue stick in his right hand. The man had a rather relaxed, lively, even friendly appearance - nothing like the pale, scrawny, constantly tired scientists or the loud, gruffish officers in the detention. No matter what. It's a military man. He's not to be trusted.

-Good morning, little one. How are you doing?

The Soviet officer introduced himself. He spoke with a strangely light, calming voice with a notable accent - speaking Polish clearly was a struggle for him - yet Tomasz still couldn't move a muscle, still alert and afraid.

-Don't worry, sweetheart. You're not in the lab anymore, - he made a few steps forward, carefully observing his new possession, - I will take care of you from now on.

Tomasz stayed silent. What did it mean - take care of? What will he do? He couldn't believe his lab days were over, he was out of there, he made it out alive. Yet he wasn't released, neither he'd ever be. From the moment Tomasz got classified as a class 4, his life and freedom was over. He was aware of it very well.

-Listen here, - the officer stated, setting a first rule for the boy to know, - For you, I am the boss here. You will have to do what i say. Understand?

Failing to receive anything more than a little nod, he stared into Tomasz's eyes.

-You understand, little one?

-...Yes, sir - Tomasz muttered.

On the next move, the Soviet man pointed at the prod in his hand, slowly moving it towards his new pet's leg.

-Look at this.

A sudden bolt of pain struck the back of a leg, forcing Tomasz to let out an involuntary scream. It was burning to touch. Frightened again,he retreated to the bed corner, further away from the painful thing.

-Does it sting that much? - the officer condescendingly shook his head.

-Listen, if you don't do as told, if you act out, I'm afraid I'll have to use it on you. Now, be a good boy and stay quietly in the room. I'll be back soon.

When the door shut again, making a key-locking sound, overwhelmed and confused, with a stinging feeling on his leg as a new owner's reminder, Tomasz curled up on his bed as tears rolled down his eyes.

Day 4 and 7 of Whumptober

Prompt: Cattle prod / "I paced around for hours, I jumped at the slightest of sounds"

Art taglist: @painful-pooch @prismpanic @generic-whumperz @suspicious-whumping-egg @onlywhump

#whumptober2023 #no.4 #no.7 #cattle prod #i paced around for hours on empty i jumped at the slightest of sounds #oc #art #medical malpractice #electrocution #historical whump #pet whump #military whump #whump #whump community #whump art #whumpblr #whump oc #captive whumpee

[lithium223]

#whumptober 2023 #no.7 #i paced around for hours on empty i jumped at the slightest of sounds #transformers #moodboard #character moodboard #red alert #g1 #idw g1 #mtmte

[actress4him]

Whumptober 2023 - Day 7 - Obsession

Surprise! I haven't forgotten that this story exists lol. This piece takes place immediately after Cadence's first captivity, before she moves and changes her name and hair, so it's a prequel to the main canon. If you're new to this series, it does sound like I'm implying noncon a couple of times in this, but Oliver does not do noncon.

Taglist: @justplainwhump , @whump-ventures

Masterlist

No. 7: “I paced around for hours on empty; I jumped at the slightest of sounds.”

Contains: lady whump, long term captivity, conditioned whumpee, stalker, creepy/intimate whumper, fear of recapture

.

.

He’d let her go.

He’d let her go, and Cadence still can’t figure out why. Days and weeks and months of pain and torment and making sure that she knows without a doubt, in nearly every possible way, that she belongs to him, then he just…let her go.

It doesn’t make sense.

It has to be some kind of trick, right? There’s no way he’s done with her. He didn’t grow tired of her, he was still doing the same exact things up until this morning, including whispering in her ear how perfect she is and how she’ll always be his. In fact, he told her as he was dropping her off in the middle of this unfamiliar street that he’d see her again soon.

So it can’t be over. He’s watching her somehow right now, she has no doubt. This is just another one of his games. She never expected him to go this far, to actually let her outside the warehouse where he’s been keeping her all of this time, but he does love his games. Loves to find new ways to mess with her head, to watch her struggle and attempt in vain to hold on to the tiny little slivers of hope and dignity that she has left, only to fall further into his clutches each time.

This time, she gets the feeling he wants to build up her hope. He wants her to believe that she’s actually free, so that he can laugh and feel more powerful than ever when he swoops back in and snatches her up again.

Well, she doesn’t believe it. She’s not going to believe it, ever. He did his job well, she knows who she belongs to, it’s carved into her skin and the deepest recesses of her mind. There’s absolutely no way that he’ll leave her alone for long.

So she walks aimlessly, waiting for him to appear. The sun is far too bright, too warm. She hasn’t even seen the sun in…how long has it been, anyway? It doesn’t matter, because it isn’t over. She’s going back any minute now. There’s no need to count the days, to think about what could be, to try and find anyone to tell her story to. She knows better. If she tells anyone, they meet the same fate as her. 

A car drives by, and Cadence nearly jumps out of her skin. She nearly forgot that life existed out here, in the real world. That people were still driving around, going to work, running errands, going home to their families and friends and sleeping soundly in their own beds every night. She used to have that kind of life, too. She doesn’t remember what it was like, anymore.

The farther she walks, the noisier it gets, and she flinches at each sound. Every car she expects to be his. Every corner she passes, she’s sure he’s waiting around. 

Instead, she finds herself wandering alone down a street she actually recognizes. These stores and restaurants are ones she’s been to before. Back when she had a normal life. Back before she belonged to him. 

A real, live person passes her on the sidewalk, wrinkling their nose and eyebrows in her direction. She knows why. He likes to show her herself in the mirror. She looks like a ghost. She feels like a ghost, haunting her own past.

Cadence turns onto a quieter street and keeps waiting for him to show up. Only, he doesn’t. The too-bright, too-warm sun begins sinking behind the distant skyscrapers, but she’s still alone. This is lasting much longer than she’d expected. Then again, his games aren’t meant to be easily understood, and he has no reason to worry about leaving her out here. He knows just how well trained she is. He’s confident in his work, confident that she’ll behave even without his constant presence.

Darkness falls. She has no energy left, didn’t really have any when she started walking hours ago, but she doesn’t know what else to do. It’s only when she realizes she’s been slowly edging her way toward her old apartment that she realizes that’s probably where he is. He knows where it is, after all. He showed her pictures one time of himself inside of it - lying in her bed, sitting on her couch, eating at her table. That has to be it. He’s waiting on her to give in, to go home, to decide he’s not coming back and try to go back to life before him.

So that’s what she does. There’s no use fighting it. She’s not enjoying any of this taste of freedom, anyway, she might as well end this game as soon as possible so that she doesn’t have to suffer through the anticipation anymore. Doing what he wants is always the best solution.

It hurts, dragging herself up the stairs to the second floor apartment, but she arrives at the door and stares for a long moment. Her floral wreath is still on the door, her worn welcome mat sitting neatly underneath it. She’d half expected someone else to have moved in. Why hasn’t someone else moved in? Yes, she knew he’d been here at some point partway through her time with him, so it was clearly still hers then, but it hadn’t clicked until now that she hasn’t been paying rent for quite some time and there’s no reason she shouldn’t have been evicted. 

It has something to do with him, she’s sure. 

She has no key. If he dropped her off close enough for her to walk here and made sure that it still belonged to her, though, then he must have intended for her to get inside. She tries the knob, it’s locked. Stooping down with a cringe and hitched breath, she looks underneath the mat. Sure enough, there’s a brass key. 

The apartment is dark, and smells musty. Her heart is in her throat, waiting for him to step out and smile at her. She waits a moment in the darkness, then reaches over with a shaking hand and flips the light on, wincing at the sudden brightness. Almost immediately she turns it back off, then back on again. One is too dark, the other too bright. But she’d rather be able to see him coming, so on it stays. 

All of her things are still here. Besides the thick layer of dust, it looks exactly like she left it. Over there is the kitchen and the small table where he sat and ate his meal. Closer by is the sofa where he lounged, propping his feet on the coffee table. In the next room is the queen sized bed that he laid across, resting his head on the pillow. 

That’s probably where he’s waiting now. She walks in, heart pounding, and flicks that light on, too. But it’s empty. Her bed is made, her empty glass still sitting on the bedside table. She goes to the bathroom, there’s nothing there. Checks the closets, the back deck, under the bed and inside the shower, moving quickly and frantically now. 

He’s not here. She was sure he would be here waiting for her.

But again, he has all the power. Of course it wouldn’t be anything that she would expect. He’ll be here, though. He’ll come back for her. She belongs to him. She’ll never be free of him, he told her so. Refusing to get her hopes up is the only way that she can beat him, even if it does mean she’s playing right into his hand by continuing to believe everything he says about her.

It really doesn’t matter what she does. He always wins.

She might as well sit and rest a little while she waits for him. She looks at the bed, then the couch, then picks a spot against the living room wall to sink to the floor, hugging her knees to her chest. 

He’ll be back soon.

#whumptober2023 #no.7 #lyric #i paced around for hours on empty i jumped at the slightest of sounds #original content #fic #captivity tw #conditioned whumpee tw #stalker tw #creepy/intimate whumper tw #obsession fic #cadence the whumpee #lady whump #lady whumpee #long term captivity #whump series

[exquisiteagony]

whumptober, skydweller au, middy pov

#whumptober2023 #alt prompt #brass knuckles #sc fanfiction #fic #threat of violence #i speak! #rpf #my fic #ao3 #fanfic #fanfiction #skydweller #i paced around for hours on empty i jumped at the slightest of sounds

[em-writes-stuff]

Flufftober + Whumptober day 7

prompts: porch swing + "I paced for hours on empty, jumped at the slightest of sounds" + "Can you hear me?"

488 words

warnings: talking about passed loved ones, cursing

characters: echo song, nyks fyre

~

“What’re you thinking about?” Nyks asks, gently nudging Echo. 

He inhales sharply, like it’d just been woken up and shrugs, “Just…everything I think.” 

She chuckles softly and leans her head on his. She kicks her leg against the wall to keep the swing moving and laces their fingers with his. “What counts as ‘everything’ to you?” she asks. “Because I can guarantee that we have different ideas.” 

He almost laughs and shakes its head. “I don’t know. Just…how content I am. I never expected to be able to just sit somewhere like this.” 

She hums and rubs a thumb over its knuckles, “I get it. I mean, when I was little, I thought I’d have an easy life, y’know. Maybe someone would force me to marry them, but that was expected. 

“Then my sister…” she trails off and shakes her head. “Well, you know that story.” he nods and presses its head harder against them for a moment. “And after that, my parents left and…the village took me in.” 

Her brows knit together and she looks at him, “What do you mean though? I mean, I know about your boss, and the magic, but even with that, you didn’t think you’d get out of Terilace one day?” 

It shakes his head and scoffs, “Never. I thought I’d have to stay there forever. Or until I was caught and killed. Almost wanted to run away after Skrell was…but mom had just taken Frankie in and wasn’t able to take care of her. So, I told myself that I’d leave once she was old enough.

“And she got there quicker than I was ready for, so then it was after Liberty’s kids were old enough, then once I’d trained Ezran to take my place in the library.” he sighs and shakes his head. 

“I thought you didn’t finish training him,” Nyks says. “You had almost finished, but then…”

“Yeah,” Echo interrupts. “Fucking Spencer, ruining everything.” he says it playfully enough, so Nyks laughs. “Robert asked me to get him out safe, so I did.” 

She smiles faintly and kicks against the wall. “Fucking Spencer.” 

He chuckles and repeats, “Fucking Spencer.” it inhales deeply and sinks deeper into Nyks’ lap. “I’m glad to be away though. It wasn’t…good for me there. I’d barely sleep. I wore a trail in the floor from pacing, and it got to a point where I’d jump at my mom’s voice downstairs.” 

Nyks combs through his hair and slows the swing until it barely moves. “I’m sorry.” 

He hums softly and closes its eyes, turning its face toward Nyks. She traces small circles along his hairline and waits until his breathing evens out. 

“Can you hear me?” she whispers. It doesn’t reply and she exhales shakily, “I wish I could go back and make everything good for you. But since I can't, I'm glad we met. Because I can kill anyone who tries to hurt you.”

#flufftober2023 #whumptober2023 #can you hear me #porch swing #i paced around for hours on empty i jumped at the slightest of sounds #em writes #em writes stuff #my writing #whump #not to tag with ocs but #echo song #nyks fyre

[lilimonarch]

Doctor Hanahaki - The Memories that Never Return [7]

Doctor Hanahaki Prequel: Whumptober spinoff!

Whumptober day 7: Alleyway, "Can you hear me?"

~

I paced around for hours on empty, I jumped at the slightest of sounds

"Officer Sawamura? Daichi? Can you hear me?"

Daichi held his stomach as blood pooled down, his legs collapsing as he leaned against the alleyway wall, sliding down the edge. The words seemed so distant as his vision blurred, his coworkers looking after him as he fell under.

~

The last thing Sugawara wanted to hear at work was his fiancé being admitted to the hospital with a gunshot wound.

The last thing he wanted to hear was the love of his life was in surgery to get two bullets removed from his lower abdomen. The worst of it was he couldn't run to Daichi, watch him through the glass until everything was alright, he had a residency to work on, a shift to finish up. His boss overbearing, and wouldn't let him go when hospitalizations were on the rise, maybe he would let Sugawara go an hour or so earlier, but that's the best he would gift.

Sugawara tapped his foot, whispers of his current predicament flying through the unit. Those who knew updates, had friends in the Emergency Room or Operational Room Units tried to feed updates to Sugawara without any patient-trust violations as best they could. "Dr. Sugawara?" His boss on the floor called, Sugawara racing to the manager's desk.

"Yes, sir?"

"Go home," the man sighed, but there was an ounce of consideration in his voice. "You're worried sick over him, it'd be rude and illogical of me to keep you any longer. Go find him."

"Thank you, sir." Sugawara did not even hesitate before clocking out of the unit and grabbing his bags, not even bothering to change out of his scrubs and coat. From the unit he worked in on the fourth floor to pacing around in the waiting room belonging to the OR, jumping at the quietest of things, in hopes it would be a doctor to update him on Daichi's condition.

"Is he one of your patients, Suga?" The doctor walked into the room, appearing as if she expected a family. Sugawara did not blame her.

Sugawara simply shook his head. "Sawamura Daichi? No, he's my fiancé," Sugawara chuckled, the doctor nodding. She explained he would be alright, sleeping most of it off. Surgery went without a hitch, though the aftermath would be painful, along with the idea that Sugawara should go home and actually change and possibly get some sleep! He eventually conceded and went home, quickly returning.

He was back within an instant, sitting in Daichi's room typing up emails and paperwork he had to make up from his early leaving. The medicine industry never sleeps, and sleep was the last thing Sugawara could seem to do, not until he saw Daichi awake.

"God, that hurt like shit," Sugawara perks up at the raspy voice coming from the bed, seeing Daichi with a pained expression on his face, but awake. He quietly turns his head to face Sugawara, immediately relaxing. "Hey, Suga. Miss me?"

Sugawara rolled his eyes but immediately leaned in for a gentle kiss. "You jerk, of course!" 

#whumptober 2023 #i paced around for hours on empty I jumped at the slightest of sounds #no.7 #alleyway #can you hear me #fandom #haikyuu #haikyuu!! #fanfiction #doctor hanahaki prequel #the memories that never return #daisuga #sugawara koushi #daichi sawamura #haikyuu sugawara #haikyuu daichi #gunshot #hospital #whumptober

[jae-birde]

It took 19 steps to walk from one end of the Lair's primary living space to the other.

It was fewer steps than it took back in the old base, but Casey didn't mind. He could pace here, and that was all that mattered. He needed to move right now. He didn't know what would happen if he stopped. If he let his mind stop.

There was a sharp sound that echoed through the tunnels and he leapt into his battle stance, hockey stick held as ready as he whipped around to face the direction of origin. He lowered his weapon a fraction when he saw the cause of the sound was a small rock that he must've kicked by accident. Forcing himself to relax, he resumed his rounds, the time more aware of what was under his feat. Any sound had him at the ready, and he could hear every beat of his heart. Casey supposed that it was the conditions that he grew up in that made him so aware of his own body, but he took it in stride and was careful to acknowledge every sound that he heard and every step he took.

He could hear the steady beeping from within the medbay from the heart rate monitors inside the subway car, as well as the distant sound of movement from the surface. The sound of each footstep seemed to echo, and so he took a deep breath, took care to quiet his footsteps, and continued. Even if they'd beaten the Kraang for now, Casey couldn't help the part of his mind that refused to believe that they were actually gone for good.

And so he needed to make sure that no one would be alerted to their position,

He needed to make sure no one unwelcome entered the Lair.

He needed to keep them safe, even though he didn't get the chance to do it for his family.

Especially because he didn't get the chance to do it for his family.

Read More on AO3

#whumptober 2023 #whumptober2023 #no.7 #i paced around for hours on empty i jumped at the slightest of sounds #tmnt #rottmnt #rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #fic #tmnt fic #rottmnt fic #really wanted to get this one out today #and i finished editing! #hooray! #jae's fics

[jittyjames]

WHUMPTOBER DAY 7 (this was actually meant to be posted wayyy later but i needed to free up my psychological day lololol)

(i know a lot of you guys hate marius, but have you considered the fact he is indeed blorbo??? that he is indeed baby girl??? i'm a marius girl first and a person second.)

#whumptober2023 #no.7 #i paced around for hours on empty i jumped at the slightest of sounds #les miserables #les mis #les mis fanfiction #marius pontmercy #i'm still new to the fandom so if my characterization seems a bit off that's prob why #tw sa #tw csa #idk how i feel about this honestly #it feels very narratively incomplete which upsets me but oh wellllll #nyway pls clap #it's my traumaaaaaaaaaaa

[ohanahoku-ao3]

Wumptober Day 7

@whumptober Hope you all enjoy!

Teen & Up - Gen - Teen Wolf

Nogitsune in the Mirror

     Aiden died. So many people died. People that Stiles didn’t even know had been killed as casualties of a war curated by someone who wore his face. That war was over now, but it didn’t feel like it. It still felt like Stiles was just waiting for the Nogitsune to strike again. With Scott and the others rallied around him, it had been easier to ignore the feeling for the first few days after it happened. But life had to return to normal at some point, so here Stiles was, alone. A late night shift had his father out of the house, and the building felt too empty without him. Every creak of the old foundation, every whisper of a breeze at the window, and every squeaky floorboard beneath his feet filled him with restless energy and paranoia.

     Sleep wasn’t going to come, so Stiles was up. He paced around his room, making endless circles as he tried to exhaust himself. But the paranoia that was building in his mind had him jumping at the slightest of sounds, providing him with a steady stream of adrenaline to keep him on his feet.

     Footsteps in the hallway had him turning slowly to face his open door. He swallowed thickly, cautiously moving forward. "Dad?" He reached the doorway and peered into the empty hall. "Who's there?" He walked out of his room, wincing as he stepped on a squeaky floorboard. He moved with deliberate steps towards the stairs, whirling around at the sound of fabric brushing against fabric behind him.

     There was no one there. Stiles breathed out shakily, hands coming together as he started counting his fingers on each hand.

     One. Two. Three. Four. Five.

     One. Two. Three. Four. Five.

     One. Two. Three. Four. Five.

     One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six.

     One. Two. Three. Fo-

     Stiles started as he processed the number he'd counted, holding his hands up as he counted again.

     One. Two. Three. Four. Five.

     One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Or was it six?

     He did it again, but his brain was so scattered, mind so paranoid that Stiles couldn't keep track. Was it five or six? Seven? He couldn't tell, couldn't focus enough to figure it out.

     He gave up, instead rushing to the bathroom, hands slamming onto the edges of his sink and gripping tight as he looked into the mirror.

     Stikes' face stared back at him, but it wasn't him. This face had dark circles under its eyes, ghostly pale skin, and a smile that cracked its face apart in all the wrong ways that screamed unnatural to him.

     "Hi, Stiles. Miss me?"

     Stiles shook his head, stomach flipping as the reflection stayed still. "You're not real. You can't be; we got rid of you."

     The visage smirked, slowly shaking its head in disappointment. Stiles wanted to mimic the movement if only so he'd match his reflection. "You really think you could beat me at my own game, Stiles? You broke the rules, but cheaters never really win."

     "What do you want?" Stiles asked, voice shaking. "Why are you still here?"

     "Mm, good question," The image said, breaking their gaze as it looked around. "I want chaos, naturally."

     "Then why come back now? Why haven't you been killing anyone?" Stiles asked.

     "Are you sure I haven't?" The reflection asked, and Stiles paled at the question. A laugh rang out in the bathroom, and Stiles flinched at the sound of his own laughter. "I find I haven't the need to kill anyone. You see, as long as I stick with you, I'm sure to find chaos. This place, Beacon Hills, draws in chaos like no other."

     "But why stay with me?" Stiles asked, knuckles white where he gripped the sink.

     "Because you, Mieczyslaw Stilinski, have something inside you. A dark void that draws you to chaos the same as me."

     Stiles shook his head, pressing his lips together. It wasn't true.

     "Oh, but it is. If you didn't believe that, I wouldn't be here. Your despair and self-hatred provide plenty of chaos in your own mind alone, Stiles."

     "Leave me alone." Stiles whimpered, looking away from the mirror. He grit his teeth together as his fear and guilt twisted into anger. "Leave me alone!" He shouted, raising his fist and punching the mirror hard.

     The mirror cracked, the Nogitsune's image multiplying in the fractals, and Stiles recoiled at the sight as the bathroom was filled once more with his laughter.

     He woke with a hoarse scream, kicking the covers off him as he struggled to sit up. He panted, staring into the dark for a moment before feeling along his hands, counting off his fingers.

     One. Two. Three. Four. Five

     One. Two. Three. Four. Five.

     Stiles slowly breathed out, running a shaking hand through his hair. "Just a dream." He murmured, laying back down slowly. He looked out the window at the waning moon and forced himself to relax as he got his breathing back under control.

     He eventually fell back asleep, not once noticing his scratched and bloody knuckles.

#whumptober2023 #no.7 #lyric #i paced around for hours on empty i jumped at the slightest of sounds #teen wolf #Fic #Suspense tw #Angst #ao3 fanfic #read on ao3 #fanfiction #ao3 fanfiction #ao3 link #stiles stilinski #post nogitsune stiles

[whumpsday]

K&J: Kane's Whumptober Bites #7

Chronological masterlist / Writing order masterlist

content: vampire whumpee, captivity, stewing in fear, starvation, aftermath of torture

@whumptober Day 7: “I paced around for hours on empty; I jumped at the slightest of sounds.” / Radio Silence

-

Silence was safe at the hunters’ base. Silence meant that no one was coming for him, that he had time to rest. And more than anything, Kane valued his quiet time alone.

It was never a surprise when the hunters came for him. As a vampire, his hearing was exceptional, as was his sense of smell. He was meant to be the hunter, the predator. Now that he was the prey, it worked just as well to let him know when danger was on its way, not that he could to anything to protect himself from it.

Footsteps on a staircase, raucous laughter, angry muttering, a heavy metal object scraping against concrete. All sounds that now sparked an insurmountable terror within him, roused him from exhausted sleep so he could kneel in waiting or huddle in the corner.

There were false alarms, of course. Hunters socialized on the floor just above him, their voices familiar from his most painful memories even when they spoke of things entirely unrelated to him. He could make out the tone, but not the words. One stepped toward the stairs and his whole body locked up, waiting to see if their footsteps retreated upstairs, or validated his panic and descended closer.

Kane was a vampire. He was a predator. He was starving. His body urged him to get closer, closer, ignorant of the cell he was trapped in, crying as he turned up the feast waiting so near. His mind cried the opposite, praying for the sounds to fade away as the humans stayed as far from him as they could get.

Someone high-fived a friend, and he flinched below, alone in his cell.

#whumptober2023 #no.7 #i paced around for hours on empty; i jumped at the slightest of sounds #radio silence #oc #fic #captivity #starvation #kane and jim drabbles #kanes whumptober bites #whump #my writing #vampire whumpee #vampire whump

[serickswrites]

"Slightest of Sounds"

Warnings: explosion, injury

Caretaker clutched the radio in their hand. They hadn't let go of it since Whumpee had gone into the building to try and negotiate with Whumper. Hadn't stopped clenching it in their hands as the Whumper detonated the bomb in the building with Whumpee still inside. Hadn't let go of it as they screamed and screamed for Whumpee to respond. Hands around Caretaker's chest had stopped them from running in the building. But they never stopped calling for Whumpee.

But Whumpee's radio was silent.

That was hours ago and Caretaker still hadn't left the scene. It was clear that Whumper had never been there and it was a trap for Whumpee. Caretaker felt like they had been so stupid falling for this. For letting Whumpee go in alone.

Static crackled across the radio. And Caretaker thought they heard a sound. "Whumpee?" Caretaker whispered as the radio crackled to life in their hand.

"Can.........anyone.....hear......me?" Whumpee's voice was garbled and distorted by the radio, but it was Whumpee.

"Whumpee!" Caretaker shouted, relief filling them. "Whumpee, I'm here! I can hear you! Whumpee."

"Care......r," the radio cut out mid word, "I....don't.....know.....where........am."

"That's ok, Whumpee. Help is on the way, just hold on, Whumpee."

"'old...g," Whumpee's voice crackled across the radio.

#serickswrites #whump #whump writing #whumpblr #whump community #tw explosion #tw injury #whumptober 2023 #whumptober #whumptober day 7 #“i paced around for hours on empty i jumped at the slightest of sounds” #prompt: radio silence #prompt: “can you hear me?” #queue

[oxideblack]

#Blake's 7 #whumptober2023 #no.07 #I paced around for hours on empty; I jumped at the slightest of sounds #Roj Blake #Vila Restal #Cally #Don't You Dare Turn Away into the Darkness #illustration #art #whumptober

[evillittlebirdie]

Refuge: Tav/Rolan

Lia and Cal deserved better.

One day, they would have it. Lia and Cal could have stability and the resources to pursue if Rolan could provide for them. Most importantly, Rolan needed to protect them. And not let some flitting hero come in to save the day. Instead of Rolan, Tav was the one to save his siblings from Moonrise Towers. Tav even saved Rolan when he went out on his own. How he hated that sweet, clueless look on her face when he lashed out at her. That damn, lovable, dashing rogue did what Rolan couldn't do and she did it without breaking a sweat. 

And if Rolan needed to go through Lorroakan's education to ensure his competency, then he would. 

***

"Wrong." 

But Rolan knew he was right. 

"Master, I do not mean to disagree with you, but-"

Lorroakan raised his hand, and a sudden gust of wind left his hand. Rolan lost his footing and fell on the floor. His head hit the wood, causing a sudden ache. Lorroakan walked over to him, standing over the tiefling. "Now, I'll ask you again. What can disable an animated armor?" 

"Sussar Bloom," Rolan replied breathlessly. Even if Tav hadn't regaled her story of exploring the Underdark, he would have known sussar bloom was the correct answer.

"Wrong," Lorroakan repeated. Lorroakan delivered a vile, physical kick to Rolan's ribs. He could feel the trauma spreading along his side. Rolan let out a cry before scrambling to his knees. That was a foolish move. 

Once Rolan moved to his hands and knees, Lorroakan stepped on Rolan's left hand. Rolan hissed in response. Each move to pull his hand away caused Lorroakan to dig deeper into the extremity. 

"If you scratch my floor with your claws, I will personally rip every one of them out," Lorroakan threatened darkly. Rolan stopped moving, keeping as still as a statue. 

"I am your Master. And I am always correct. If I say the sky is purple, then it is purple. If I say that you are a pathetic tiefling, then you are not fit to lick my boots," Lorroakan pontificated, twisting his heel more and more into Rolan's hand.

"Master," Rolan struggled to speak despite his aching head, bruised ribs, and trapped hand. "I only just-"

Lorroakan interrupted him, "I don't recall asking you a question. I merely reiterated the reality of your situation. If you have an issue with my teaching methods, you can leave. You can hawk cheap magical items and whore out cantrips like the pathetic performers in the street. I'm very sure that you'll support your family that way." 

The facetiousness of Lorroakan's words dripped like venom from a snake. Lorroakan moved his boot from Rolan's hand. Instantly, Rolan stretched out his fingers and wrist. He could barely move. The pain shot from his dorsal up to his elbow. 

"You're welcome to resign if you don't want to be my apprentice. And you'll be just another refugee in this city taking up space," Lorroakan said, stepping back from Rolan. He gestured toward the study's door, "There is the exit. Go, and you'll be free. And I'll see to it no other wizard on the Sword Coast will take you on. You'll be lucky to find a job sorting scrolls in a library. However, if you decide to stop being a brat, you can get started on reading and memorizing the fifth volume of Fringe Philosophy." 

Rolan's eyes darted to the door and then to Lorroakan. The wizard had walked away, leaving Rolan on the ground. He walked to his desk and sat down. There was no further direction. 

Lorroakan didn't need him. There was a line of eager apprentices willing to subject themselves to his methods. Rolan was replacable. And Lorroakan knew that. Rolan swallowed bile and his pride. He stood up on his feet and ignored the stars in his peripheral vision. He walked over to the bookshelf to pull out the book and started reading.

***

Rolan should have met Cal and Lia for dinner hours ago. The night was pitch black and most shops were closed for the day. Rolan had been in Baldur's Gate long enough to know his way through the streets. The alleyways were dangerous, but private. He didn't have to hear the words of anyone passing by. He could lean his body against the stone wall and concentrate on the throbbing sensation on his belly. His fingers ran down his side, wincing as even the featherlight touch grazed the spot where Lorroakan kicked him. 

Lia and Cal were worried about him. And yet Rolan could not bring himself to face them. 

The drunks were stumbling on their way home. The barkeepers were hollering, "Last call!". Sex workers had claimed their clients. Thieves had successfully stolen their quota from witless victims. 

Rolan traveled through the streets, subconsciously rubbing his wounded hand with his healthy one. He couldn't face his siblings. Yet he could not return to the tower. 

"There you are!" 

Rolan pulled his staff off his back, putting himself in a battle-ready stance. Anyone who approached him in the middle of the night in an alleyway was looking for trouble. But instead, he came face to face with Tav's cheerful, pleased expression. Rolan could not control his reaction. He jumped back from Tav's body, almost knocking himself back into the alleyway. "Must you always sneak up on people?" Rolan asked, stilling his rapidly beating heart. He returned his staff to his back.

"I was worried you'd run off or something. You don't exactly like me," Tav stated bluntly, looking over the man.

Rolan swallowed uncomfortably. It wasn't that he didn't...like Tav. He just wished she would mind her own business. And stop showing him up. Otherwise, she was lovely.

Now, where did that adjective come from?

"Cal and Lia asked me to find you. You were supposed to have dinner with them about eight hours ago," Tav pointed out, shifting on her feet. 

"Well, you can tell them I am fine. I just...I was busy," Rolan gave a poor excuse, knowing that Lia and Cal would give him an earful when they finally got him alone in a room. 

"Ah, yes, busy hanging out in alleyways. Not even a nice alleyway. This one smells like piss. Don't tell me you're searching for ingredients for potions or whatever magic crap you wizards do," Tav rambled on, her eyes still on Rolan. 

That would have been a much better excuse. 

"Can't a man walk around a city? It's not like I was in any danger," Rolan commented, lashing out in self-defense. 

"No, we just have a serial killer roaming the streets. Other than that, Baldur's Gate is as safe as a garden meadow," Tav replied sarcastically. But her sarcasm was not biting. It was in jest. She gave Rolan a small smile, "Look, I know you can take care of yourself-"

"You must not. Given your rescue mission in the Shadowlands," Rolan pointed out. 

"Noted. The next time we find ourselves surrounded by shadows, I will wait patiently until you ask for my help," Tav stated, rolling her eyes playfully. She was still smiling. How could she still be smiling? "I'll just relay to your siblings that I found you and you're okay. And I'll leave you to..." She looked around the alleyway before setting her hands on her hips, "Whatever...sulking...wizard...male...tiefling shit you are busying yourself with." She avoided eye contact with Rolan before she commented, "You know...if you ever wanted company on these...brooding outings, I'm free."

Thoroughly insulted, Rolan responded bitingly, "I don't need a bodyguard."

Tav huffed frustratedly, "Not as a bodyguard, you ass. As a friend, a companion. Maybe someone who would guide you away from the alleyway and to a restaurant instead. At least the smell of piss comes from the beer. For an intelligent man, you are an idiot."

Rolan quite had it with being humiliated. "I don't have to stand here and listen to you berate me. Maybe that's why I want to be on my own," Rolan snapped before walking by Tav, leaving her behind in the alleyway. As he took a few steps, he mulled over what she said to him. 'away from an alleyway and to a restaurant instead'. He frowned, bemused, before turning back to Tav. 

Rolan smiled, amused, at the sight of Tav already beginning to climb the walls of the alleyway. She was taking her leave. 

"What did you mean exactly, by taking me to a restaurant?" Rolan inquired. 

Tav paused her hand on the shingle of the nearby roof. She stared down at Rolan, her smile now returning to her face. "You know...you and I haven't had a proper conversation. I thought forever that you hated me."

Rolan could feel his cheeks warm, "I...I don't hate you." 

"Well, I know that now. Your siblings made that clear."

Rolan fully blushed now. Cal and Lia teased him mercilessly. Whenever Rolan muttered about Tav, they giggled. They called it 'schoolboy love'. 

"That's why I suggested a restaurant. We could have a proper conversation. And if you don't like me, then at least you get a meal out of it. My treat," Tav offered, now swinging her body back and forth on the edge of the roof. There had to be a story behind Tav's comfort with Baldur's Gate. 

"Well, I suppose that we could..."

"I'll take that as a yes!" Tav called out, her voice loud with excitement. "It's a date. I'll pick you up from the tower tomorrow. No backing out. It's a date," She beamed before hopping up on the roof. And within seconds she disappeared into the night.

Between the events of the day and night, Rolan was swimming with emotions. Maybe it was some rational part of him that allowed him to smile. He rubbed his hand again. The pain had lessened. He would be able to write with it soon. Rolan could only hope to please Lorroakan and be free by the time Tav arrived for their date.

Wait...

What...

"...A date?"

#whumptober 2023 #no.7 #“I paced around for hours on empty; I jumped at the slightest of sounds.” #radio silence #alleyway #“can you hear me?” #bg3 #rolan/tav #abuse tw #fanfiction #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 fanfiction #bg3 rolan

[one-piece-aus]

Whumptober Day 7

Uta

"Uta." Luffy popped his head in the treehouse, smiling when he saw his friend there sitting against the bark. "Uta!" He climbed onto the platform, going over to her. "You won't believe the treasure we got today-" Luffy paused, seeing the girl has made no reaction. He pouted and began poking her cheek. "Uta... Uta... Can you hear me?"

"What are you whining about now, crybaby?" Ace grunted as he climbed into the treehouse, followed by Sabo.

"Uta sleeping so I can't tell her about the treasure we got," Luffy huffed, sitting in front of her with his arms and legs crossed.

"Just wake her up dumbie."

"I can't, she's a heavy sleeper."

"Eh? Seriously?" Sabo looked surprised. "But she always wakes up if we move too much in our sleep." He scratched his head looking at their sister.

"That's different," Luffy stated.

"How?" Sabo asked, only to receive a shrug from Luffy in response. Sabo deadpanned.

"Just yell in her ear like we do to each other." Ace went over to Uta.

"Wait, Ace don't-" Luffy tried to warn Ace but he already moved Uta's headphones.

"AHH!" Uta jumped awake, fearful eyes darting everywhere.

"Uta, Uta, calm down, you're just with us." Luffy reassured her while Ace rubbed his ears.

"Luffy?" The girl focused her gaze on him, slowly her heart rate return to a regular pace. She placed her hands over her ears, frowning when nothing were covering them. "Who took my headphones." All eyes fell on Ace who is currently finding that catapiller climbing the wall to be very interesting.

"Ace..." Sabo's tone hinted that the ravenette should probably apologize.

"Okay, I did it." Ace held out the headphones. "I didn't think anything bad would happen." 

He took a step forward, creaking a floorboard. Instantly, Uta hissed in pain as a thousand needles stung her ears. Using one hand to snatch the headphones as the other attempted to ease her ears, she hastily snapped the device back over her ears, sighing in relief.

"Don't do that again," Uta said, glaring at Ace.

"Why are they so important anyways?" Ace asked.

"Her ears hurt from all the noises everywhere if she's not wearing them," Luffy bluntly states pointing at her. Uta was about to protest but shut her mouth when Luffy technically explained it. The strawhat boy then turned the singer. "Can I tell you about the treasure we snagged today now?"

Uta nodded and Luffy cheered, leaving the other two brothers with more inquiries about their sister.

Tag: @roseoftrafalgar @bookandyarndragon

#Whumptober2023 #no. 7 #“I paced around for hours on empty; I jumped at the slightest of sounds.” #“Can you hear me?” #one piece #whump fanfiction #whump fic #whump writing #one piece au #one piece scenario #one piece uta #princess uta #Uta #monkey d. luffy #one piece ace #one piece sabo #asl brothers #saul siblings au #asl one piece #ace sabo luffy #headcanon to why uta is always wearing headphones #uta might be my fave character to write angst for #no 7

[bearsinpotatosacks]

I'll Haunt This Ship (To My Last Breath) - Whumptober2023

But now the room is spinning while I'm trying to fill in all the gaps - I paced for hours on empty; I jumped at the slightest of sounds

Scotty gets electrocuted on the job. It's lucky Bones is good at his job.

For day 1 & 7 of @whumptober . Also on AO3.

Words: 710

Bones tapped his foot as the turbolift landed in the engineering decks. As soon as the doors open, med kit in hand, he bolted off toward where the crowd of people had formed around Scotty. He pushed them out of the way, there were way too many people here, and saw where he lay, not breathing, on the floor. 

“Move back, all of you,” he said, kneeling to the floor and feeling for a pulse.

There was none.

“Has anyone done anything?”

The crowd shook their heads. Amateurs. You’d think a group working in one of the most dangerous parts of the ship would know at least some first aid. Even the security officers knew how to see to a phaser wound. 

He moved his head over his face to feel him breathing and felt nothing again. “How long has he been down?”

“Two minutes,” said an Ensign. 

He rolled up his sleeves. Despite all their medical advancements, CPR was still the only way to revive someone who’s heart had stopped. Apart from concoctions made from a mad mans blood, but resurrecting Jim was a one time thing, at least he hoped. 

“Right, Scotty, I’m sorry about the ribs.”

He placed his hands on the breastbone, the heels over where his heart was and began to press down hard. The crowd flinched when the ribs began to crack and splinter. He didn’t flinch. The only way CPR properly worked was if you broke a few ribs, it meant you were getting through to the heart properly. 

“Twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty.”

He focused on his head. Tilting it back, he pinched his nose and gave one deep breath, waiting to see if his chest moved, and it did. He did one more breath but didn’t see any signs of life. 

“Can you hear me?” He said as he carried on with compressions. “Scotty, can you hear me?”

No answer. He carried on with the compressions, starting to appreciate all the times Jim made him go to the gym, because without those horrible arm workouts, he probably wouldn’t have the strength to do CPR for too long. 

With Scotty still not responding, he lent his head back and did two more breaths. His chest rose but didn’t carry on. He didn’t open his eyes. 

“Don’t give up on me Scotty,” he said between compressions. “I think the Enterprise would stop working if you died, or you’d start haunting it, one of the two, and I don’t like the thought of either.”

As if the thought of anything happening to the Enterprise had pulled him from the brink, he jolted upright, eyes wide open and heaving in deep breaths. He lay a hand on Bones’ shoulder as he guided him on breathing easier. 

“How many fingers am I holding up?” Bones asked him, waving his hand in front of his face.

“Three?” 

Bones nodded. Scotty moved his hand to his chest as he tried to get up. 

“Why do my ribs hurt?”

Bones looked away, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’ll explain later.” He said. “Now to sickbay, come one.”

He put his arm around him as they headed back to sickbay. Scotty limped, still holding his ribs as he did. The doors opened with a swoosh, some of the ensigns shouted good luck and gave him thumbs up, it was nice to know Scotty was more well liked with his staff than he was. 

“Do I have to go to sickbay?” Scotty asked as the turbolift shifted upwards. 

Bones rolled his eyes, “You literally died.”

“I’ll be fine!”

“No, you’re at least getting a check up, if not a full night in sickbay, and tomorrow off.”

“But-”

“No buts, now come on.”

The turbolift dinged as they reached sickbay. Scotty sighed as he walked him in and placed him on the bed. A nurse came over and began doing some tests as Bones took some readings. 

“At least I can get caught up on my engineering journals.”

Bones just nodded and added a tourniquet to his arm. Tapping the IV bag, he made sure there were no bubbles in the bag or the tube, before pushing the needle into the vein and shutting him up. 

“Anything to get you sitting still, Scotty.”

Can you tell I've started watching ER? One of my main gripes with that show is how light their CPR is? In one episode they feel bad for breaking ribs when I swear that's the point. Also don't take any of this as medical advice, I have no first aid training apart from ER. I have learnt how they put IV's in, also from Wikihow. But between getting into Top Gun and 2023 whumptober, I've kind of forgotten what equipment is canon in Star Trek and what's made up in my mind, lol. Thanks for reading! @whumptober-archive

#whumptober2023 #no. 1 #no. 7 #but now the room is spinning while i'm trying to fill in all the gaps #i paced around for hours on empty; i jumped at the slightest of sounds #can you hear me? #how many fingers am I holding up? #fic #star trek #star trek aos #temporary character death #cpr #leonard mccoy #leonard bones mccoy #bones mccoy #bones aos #montgomery scott #scotty star trek #aos #alternate original series #star trek alternate original series #could be read as scones too #but also not #bear writes