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crash-bump-bring-the-whump · 7 hours

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Whumpril 2024 - Alternate 2 - Brain Fog

Just a little short something!! Just a Mariano POV on the smoothie incident from last whumpril! Also I haven't forgotten about day 25 I PROMISE you just know how it is sometimes

TWs: drugging, poisoning, collapse

The starting gunshot sounded miles away. Sweat was already pouring down Mariano's face, his heart already rabbiting in his chest as he kicked off a second too late. The others were already ahead of him by two paces, and his legs burned as he pushed himself to move faster.

Everything smeared around him, his shots of magic only connecting with the targets because of all the training they did. He didn't know why he felt so awful. He'd had enough sleep, seven and a half hours of solid rest. He'd had breakfast, and then Dimitri even made him a smoothie.

It had been so sweet of him, and now he was going to waste the good-will he'd finally earned by messing up the drill. They'd even gone easy on him. There had been no prank.

The others must've really wanted to impress the people watching.

He didn't remember climbing the wall, only hitting the ground. His wrists smarted as he kicked off again. A harsh, rasping static filled Mariano's ears, filled his mask, snaked in around the metal conductive bit between his teeth and slipped down his throat. He couldn't breathe. His heart skipped every other beat, every three beats. It couldn't make up its mind.

He couldn't breathe.

His chest was tearing itself apart.

They barrelled into the warehouse. They took out the targets. Mariano's knees almost gave out.

He couldn't ruin this.

Down the stairs. The metal pitched under him and it was impossible to keep his footing. He had to keep going. The world kept tilting.

Mariano's eyes rolled back as his legs finally gave out. Chaos roared around him as he finally stopped moving, stopped running, everything drowned out by soothing darkness that rolled over him. Someone touched him. Others were shouting.

Mariano didn't know what was going on. His limbs felt like lead. Someone had their fingers against his wrist. His mask was pulled away from his face. He couldn't get his eyes open. Mariano thought his lungs were going to burst.

He was going to die here.

He hoped the others wouldn't be angry.

He hoped Luis wouldn't be angry.

Everything gently fell away as he was swallowed up by warm silence, like water slipping over his face in a hot bath after a long day.

Mariano couldn't even be afraid.

@whump-captain @whumpr @whumperofworlds @lektricwhump @cyberwhumper

@bxtterflystxtches @inscrutable-shadow @honeybees-125 @i-eat-worlds

#whumpril2024 #whumprilalt2 #alternate 2 #brain fog #collapse #poisoning #drugging #mage of violence #dimitri #manuel #laredo #izan #the leader #just for consistency with last year's thing c:

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crash-bump-bring-the-whump · 1 day

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Nice whumpy thing: when people are intensely pragmatic about their injuries illnesses.

“Listen, if I pass out…”

“If you let up pressure, I’ll bleed out. So just, don’t move.”

“I know it ill hurt, just do what you need to.”

#YESSSS YES #manuel and marianocore #VERY very them unfortunately for everyone

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crash-bump-bring-the-whump · 2 days

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Whumpril 2024 - Day 24 - No Time To Rest

Miguel is @whumpr's, you know the drill, I love them both so much that I'll combust one day

TWs: Fever, exhaustion, blood, collapse

"I know, I know." Mariano said, breathless as he walked. Miguel whined, low and pained in his ear, arms draped around Mariano's neck. He still didn't know what had happened, but Miguel had woken up feverish and weak and needed help soon.

It was a long hike to the car, though. He'd just come back for the tent later. It was fine. "I think we're almost back to my car."

Miguel wasn't the heaviest load he'd ever carried, but the hike was uphill and neither of them had bothered to eat or drink anything since Mariano had woke up to find Miguel so sickly. He seemed to just barely have the strength to hang on to Mariano.

Breathing evenly, Mariano kept going. His boots were steady and didn't slip, even over the slippery leaves that had fallen after the last rainstorm. His biceps and thighs had started to burn thirty minutes ago. It was fine.

He leaned forward when Miguel's hold started to slip, feeling his calves ache. Mariano was hunched over, every step knocking his thighs against the backpacks he'd secured to his front, and the trail wasn't getting any easier. He'd been going since dawn and had been walking for hours. It had to be almost ten by how the shadows had shifted.

He was never letting Miguel convince him to hike out that far to camp ever again, it didn't matter that they were both ex-military and had done longer and harder. Neither of them were teenagers anymore, and neither had been on a Hell Hike in ages.

Mariano's glasses started to slip down his sweat-slick nose. He couldn't afford to let go of Miguel for long enough to push them back up, not on this hill. They couldn't afford to lose the progress he'd made.

Mariano's boot slipped. With a yelp his knees hit the ground and one arm flew out, fingers clutching at the long, sharp grass to anchor them both. It bit into his fingers, sending sharp sparks up his hand. Mariano's other hand flew to Miguel's wrists, keeping him secured on his back as he came to a stop.

His legs and lower back screamed with the relief of kneeling. The grass was still dewy and the aches that flew through his body were bearable if he just held still. He leaned his head against Miguel's arm, groaning.

But Miguel coughed, wheezing and rattling and weak.

Mariano couldn't rest yet. Miguel was depending on him. Taking a deep breath, Mariano centered himself. This was just a hike. He was just tired. He'd done harder, for longer, with heavier loads. He could handle two bags and Miguel uphill on a warm morning.

With blood dripping down his hand, Mariano hauled himself to his hands and knees, then looped a tired arm up under Miguel's thigh. Carefully, he shifted Miguel until he was draped over both of Mariano's shoulders, one arm and one leg held securely.

Miguel whined, but like this Mariano was able to get to slowly rise to his feet again. With all the weight distributed across his shoulders, the hill didn't seem quite as treacherous. The sun still beat down as it continued to rise, but he'd found his second wind.

He was exhausted, but that didn't matter. Miguel was heavy, but he'd carried him this far. The car was still an hour away, but that was only an hour.

He could do anything for an hour, if it meant Miguel would be okay.

Mariano's soles found gravel. His eyes stayed on the top of the hill. He'd just rest later. He'd have all the time in the world once Miguel was in a hospital bed.

@whump-captain @whumpr @whumperofworlds @lektricwhump @cyberwhumper @bxtterflystxtches @inscrutable-shadow @honeybees-125

#whumpril2024 #whumprilday24 #day 24 #no time to rest #exhaustion #blood #fever #collapse #miguel #mage of violence #I love miguel so fucking mUCH #HE'S SO GOOD

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crash-bump-bring-the-whump · 4 days

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Whumpril 2024 - Day 23 - Presumed Dead

I'm shameless and I'm not going to apologize for it. Miguel is @whumpr's as always!!

TWs: assumed death, blood, referenced suicidal ideation, grief, kidnapping, drugging/fantasy drug overdose resulting in coma

"Brat!" Dimitri's voice rang out in the tiny room, tight and horrified. "Bastian! Bastian, he's over here!"

Mariano lay sprawled on the floor, bruised, skin almost grey in the light of Dimitri's flashlight. He wasn't even restrained. There was almost too much blood to seem real.

Dimitri sprinted forward, gathering him up in his arms. "No--no, Mariano open your eyes." He pressed his fingers to a too-limp wrist, gripping Mariano tighter when he couldn't feel anything.

He wasn't making any move to wake up. There was no flutter of lashes, no little pathetic noise of him clawing his way to consciousness. There was nothing.

Bastian caught himself on the doorway, breathless from his run down the hallway. Distantly, Dimitri could hear the others fighting the people who'd taken Mariano days ago. The huge dragon fell to his knees beside Dimitri. "Dimitri--hey, he...Dimitri?"

When Dimitri looked up, his gaze met terrified silver eyes. Bastian's hands hovered near Mariano, like he was afraid to touch him. "They drugged him, right?" Bastian asked, voice shaking just so. "I can't feel him."

Dimitri swallowed hard. "I..." He didn't want to say it out loud. He didn't want to tell Bastian, to be the one to break the news to him about what had happened. About how this was the last place Mariano saw. About how he bled out in pain, in a little grey room, alone with people who wanted to hurt him.

Mariano hadn't wanted to die like that in a long time.

"They gave him pact dampeners, right?" Bastian pushed, his hand coming to rest on Mariano's chest. Mariano's head fell backwards over Dimitri's arm when he was shifted again, and he made no move to raise it to a more comfortable position. "That's what's going on, right?

"Right?"

"Bastian, I--" Dimitri started, voice failing. He tried again. "Mariano is--"

Something caught his eye. The glimmering scales on the back of Bastian's hand sparkled as they slowly, so slowly moved in the light. But he wasn't shaking. And neither was Bastian. Readjusting his fingers, Dimitri felt the smallest, fluttery heartbeat at Mariano's wrist. He laughed in disbelief. "I think so. Go get Manuel, he'll be able to tell."

Bastian didn't question it as he scrabbled to his feet, already out the door before he was even properly upright.

Dimitri held Mariano closer, pressing his lips to Mariano's forehead. "You fucking cockroach--" He laughed. Mariano didn't respond, but as Dimitri moved two fingers to press to his neck, he felt another blessed heartbeat. "Scaring us like that, you'd better be glad it was me and not Miguel. Just hold on, we'll get you home soon."

@whump-captain @whumpr @whumperofworlds @lektricwhump @cyberwhumper @bxtterflystxtches @inscrutable-shadow @honeybees-125

#whumpril2024 #whumprilday23 #day 23 #presumed dead #drugging whump #blood #grief whump #dimitri #mage of violence #dragon of diamond #mmm I'm not SUPER happy with this but this challenge is a game of fighting against perfection #so here we go!#Suicidal ideation referenced also #It's real quick though and in the past tense #Kidnapping also

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crash-bump-bring-the-whump · 4 days

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RUIN.

Just wanna say you're awesome, and seeing you pop up on my dash and seeing your OCs and such is always a joy to see ❤️ You're awesome and I love to talk to you more, and have us play our Barbies (our OCs haha). I consider you a great friend ❤️

Have a good one and keep on whumping! :D

-- @whumperofworlds

Your'e so sweet!! I love talking and playing barbies with you too, your ocs are so cute and I love getting to know all of them c:

I hope your day is nice too!! 💖

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crash-bump-bring-the-whump · 5 days

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just wanted to say i love how you have so many different snippets and aus with your characters, i think it's really cool!! i also write like that (lots of characters, lots of scenarios), and your blog is inspiring me to post all my aus without worrying too much about explaining everything 😅

YEAHHHHHH omg im so glad!! I like to think of my writing as a buffet, where you can start anywhere and figure things out as you go, whether that's with my reapers and angels and demons or my high fantasy universe or the modern au, or any of the others! People are clever, and I've found that if you trust your readers and offer like, a little clarification here and there then there aren't many issues at all

People like variety and it's fun to see others who like to write that variety!!

#MORE AUS MORE CROSSOVERS MORE FUN IN THE SANDBOX!!#I'm so sincerely passionate about this #I love short stories and pieces #I love snapshots that come together to form a cohesive story #It makes me feel like a detective #Gives me threads to follow and sleuth out how they connect

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crash-bump-bring-the-whump · 5 days

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Whumpril 2024 - Day 22 - Stoicism Breaks

I've been threatening to send Mariano to therapy so here we ARE! I reference a little RP I had with @comfy-whumpee that's been swirling in my brain ever since we did it c:<

TWs: self harm mention, suicide mention, anxiety mention, talk of a shooting, talk of captivity, this is real cathartic though I promise it's not bad

Ex-military, spent most of his twenties in foreign federal prison, history of anxiety, suicidal ideation, and self-harm. Stoic, highly traumatized, closed off, slow to open up. Hesitant to talk about intense experiences, needs reassurance. Overly concerned with others' needs.

Mary Barlowe looked over her notes before walking into the latest session with Mariano Cross. He wasn't her most difficult patient to talk to, not by a long shot. She never had to worry about calling security, or convincing him to leave when time was up. He was polite, punctual, and friendly.

But he was challenging in his own way.

He'd had a full decade of people telling him that he was an irredeemable monster, and he'd taken it all very seriously. Discussing anything heavier than everyday troubles was approached with the same caution that stray dogs approached an outstretched hand. He barely seemed to have even a basic connection to his own body or emotions, sounding detached whenever he spoke about them. They were things he needed help with, of course, but it was clear that there were things buried deeper than that.

The small, quick smile he gave her when she entered was a fantastic sign. "Good afternoon, Doctor Barlowe." He was already seated, back straight, both feet flat on the floor, and careful hands folded and resting on his leg.

"Good afternoon, Mariano." She returned the greeting easily, taking her own seat in the comfortable chair opposite his. "You mentioned wanting to talk about something difficult today, did something happen?" She knew the answer to that. He'd missed a few sessions due to being hospitalized from a robbery gone wrong.

He hesitated, dark eyes darting to the table between them. "Yes. I...there was something that happened." He seemed to close in on himself, just so, hands still clasped firmly together. She could feel the tension that crept into his voice. "But I understand if we can't."

There it was, the familiar beginning of withdrawal. "Why wouldn't we be able to talk about it?" She leaned forward, a small smile on her face. She kept her features soft, her posture relaxed. "You're paying to have a space to talk about the difficult things."

"I am, yes." He trailed off, not quite meeting her eye yet. "But it was...graphic. I don't want to overstep. I've accidentally done that before, and I...I don't want to find a new therapist. I like you."

"Oh?" Mary's voice softened. "Mariano, let me reassure you: You are not the first former prisoner I've worked with, or the first soldier. If I need a moment after hearing something then I'll let you know, but you're not going to destroy me by just talking.

"You deserve to feel safe enough to say what's on your mind. I'm sure it gets heavy holding it in, doesn't it?" She saw something in his jaw tense, the hold he had on his own hand growing tighter.

Mariano swallowed, nodding, eyes on the tissue box between them. "...It does. I have dreams about it sometimes."

"I'd imagine so." She said. "What happens in those dreams?"

When Mariano spoke again, his voice was barely louder than a whisper. "I can't call for help after I'm shot, and I wind up dying." He took a deeper breath, the sound just barely trembling. "It always feels...very realistic."

"Were you alone when it happened?" Mariano didn't move. His eyes never left the tissue box. "Mariano?" She had a feeling that he wasn't thinking about whether or not he needed a tissue.

He looked up at her, tension tight around his eyes, jaw set, and shoulders curled in on himself. "I...I don't want to hurt you."

"Have you hurt someone by talking about this before?" She spoke to him like he was backed into a corner, cowering away. He was, in a sense. It was like he was waiting for her to snap at him.

Mariano nodded.

"Can you tell me about it?"

Mariano hesitated, his grip shifting to his own elbows. He looked even smaller in the soft, pale green chair. "One of my friends asked me what happened, and why people weren't applying to the ad we put out for more managers. I said that I got shot during a robbery and almost died, and that it had gotten publicized--I don't think I went into detail, but he said that I...ambushed him?"

Mariano's breath caught. "I don't want to overstep again." He repeated. "He's a therapist and...I tried to keep things civilian friendly. It was why people hadn't been applying, and I tried to keep it brief, I...I don't really know what I did wrong. I didn't want to ask him to explain if I'd already hurt him."

A frown ghosted across Mary's face. "I see. Well, you don't have to worry about that, here. I have my own therapist, and I come to work expecting to hear about hard things."

She pushed the tissues closer, leaning forward to catch Mariano's eye. "And I think that I would've answered similarly, in your shoes. Maybe your friend was just having a hard time himself, and didn't communicate that well.

"But most people wouldn't consider that an ambush, just like you wouldn't consider it one if you asked a friend how they'd been and they said that they'd broken their leg recently, or lost a pet." She smiled softly when Mariano continued looking at her. "I think you'd just consider that surprising and unfortunate."

Mariano's jaw trembled. His eyes shone in the mid-afternoon light that streamed in through the window. "...I would."

"This hour is yours, Mariano. I'm not going to get upset at you." She plucked a few tissues and offered them over. "I've seen you for a while now. You don't have to be vigilant like that with me."

Mariano took them, holding them tight.

"Let me help you set some of that heavy stuff down." Mary offered. "You don't have to hold it all in on your own. You won't hurt me with it. It's safe."

Mariano's shoulders shuddered as he crumbled face-first into the tissues. A sob crawled out of him, escaping into his palms. It sounded agonized, like he'd been holding it in for months.

It was the most emotion he'd shown the entire time she'd known him. "It's okay to let people help you. You don't have to be a one man army anymore."

When Mariano had collected himself again, minutes later, Mary listened as he told her about the night that he almost died.

@whump-captain @whumpr @whumperofworlds @lektricwhump @cyberwhumper @bxtterflystxtches @inscrutable-shadow @honeybees-125

#whumpril2024 #whumprilday22 #day 22 #stoicism breaks #self harm ment #anxiety ment #suicide ment #talk of a shooting #talk of captivity #talk of imprisonment #murder mention #mage of violence #mary barlowe #I love when conflicts happen in rp and it informs how a character interacts with people #it's fascinating!!#mariano is so ready to accept that he's hurt someone and needs to change even if other people's trauma might be informing their reaction #He's so ready for more instruction on how to be better and how to dull any sharp edges

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crash-bump-bring-the-whump · 6 days

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Whumpril 2024 - Day 21 - "Just hold on"

"It's gonna be okay baby," Bastian's voice trembled as he held Mariano closer. "We'll get that shit off of you soon. Just keep holding on for me."

I found a "cheap ballpoint pen" brush and wanted to do something loose and low pressure, like I'd scribble into a legal pad at work!! This was so fun, I want to do more stuff like this. c:<

@whump-captain @whumpr @whumperofworlds @lektricwhump @cyberwhumper @bxtterflystxtches @inscrutable-shadow @honeybees-125

#whump art #whumpril2024 #whumprilday21 #day 21 #just hold on #blood #mage of violence #dragon of diamond #there are aus where mariano is a sheep boy bc sometimes I just wanna give him soft sad ears #we're all welcome

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crash-bump-bring-the-whump · 6 days

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Whumpril 2024 - Day 20 - Touch Starved

Evritt is @whumpr 's boy!! Thank you for letting me borrow him, you know I love a soft sweet golden boy elf c:< This is VERY early on in their relationship!

TWs: None!! Just some touch starvation and cuddling here

"This is okay? You're sure?"

Evritt's voice drew a laugh from Mariano, midway through tugging his shirt off. "I'm sure. I want you to sleep in my bed with me." His binder followed, then his jeans and he pulled one of Bastian's old tees on to cover his chest and boxers before turning back around to Evritt. "Are you okay with it?"

Evritt sat in the bed, shirtless and antsy, the blankets already pulled up to his hips. "I'm sure. I just don't want to make you feel obligated to do...anything."

"I don't." Mariano punctuated this by crawling into his bed and slipping under the blankets, settling in on his back with a sigh. "We're just sleeping, it's way too late for you to be on the road or in the skies."

"I know, I know. Thank you, by the way." Evritt leaned back into the pile of pillows and turned off the lamp, blanketing them in darkness before he rolled onto his side.

One muscular arm draped over Mariano's waist, and goosebumps ripped up Mariano's arms. He tensed, breath catching. Evritt's body pressed up against his side, and Mariano shuddered.

"...Mariano? Are you okay?" Evritt started to lift his arm up, and before Mariano realized what he was doing, his hand darted to grab Evritt's wrist.

"Yes." Mariano started, voice sounding strangled. "Don't, don't move please." He said, trying to catch his breath. "It's just been a...a very long time since anyone's done...this."

Evritt was quiet. "Since anyone's...held you?" His voice was low.

Mariano couldn't hear his tone past his own thundering heartbeat. It was impossible to breathe. His face heated up as he swallowed. "Yes." He said. "I don't want you to stop."

"Oh." Evritt's arm relaxed over Mariano, before tightening around him and pulling himself closer. One of Evritt's legs hooked over Mariano's, and his head came to rest on Mariano's shoulder. He wrapped himself around Mariano, snug and smelling like hawk feathers and sunlight and fresh air. "Okay."

Mariano felt the aches and stiffness melt from his muscles, slow and steady, melting into his own bed with every passing moment. Evritt's weight was heavenly, the breath on his shoulder and neck was more than Mariano had ever wanted. He was so warm. His hair was soft.

Held so securely in the arms of his favorite knight in the safety of his own room, Mariano wasn't awake for longer than a few more minutes.

@whump-captain @whumpr @whumperofworlds @lektricwhump @cyberwhumper @bxtterflystxtches @inscrutable-shadow @honeybees-125

#whumpril2024 #whumprilday20 #day 20 #touch starved #touch starvation #mage of violence #evritt #this is so soft I promise #I love evritt #he's so CUTE #I WANT MORE OF HIM WHUMPR PLEASE

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crash-bump-bring-the-whump · 7 days

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Whumpril 2024 - Day 19 - "I need you."

Chained, warded, unable to get to each other even at the very limits of their bindings, Mariano and Bastian still reached for each other. So close, but not close enough. Mage and dragon were still separated from the most basic need they had.

That was their captor's first mistake.

@whump-captain @whumpr @whumperofworlds @lektricwhump @cyberwhumper @bxtterflystxtches @inscrutable-shadow @honeybees-125

#whumpril2024 #whumprilday19 #day 19 #I need you #restraints #chained #mage of violence #dragon of diamond #hehehe this was so fun I love drawing hands

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crash-bump-bring-the-whump · 7 days

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yes yes characters doomed by the narrative always slap BUT what about characters saved by the narrative? characters who have already given up hope and don't know they have a happy ending? characters who believe they are a lost cause, characters who feel irredeemable, characters who think there's nothing left for them, but the narrative does provide a way out? what about the characters who don't expect anything good, who don't even remember how to wish for it anymore, who get the things they need anyway? what about the characters who actively run from being saved getting saved in a way they can't stop or control. what about being saved by the narrative!!!

#HAHAHAHA THE WAR MAGES #LITERALLY THE WAR MAGES #You WILL have a happy ending and relearn the softness and sweetness of the world because you ARE just human

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crash-bump-bring-the-whump · 8 days

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Whumpril 2024 - Day 18 - Broken Glass

Manager Mariano time c:

TWs: blood, hand wounds, ableism, glass in wounds, a teenager gets hurt and also scared

"Don't move."

Violet froze as her new manager's voice boomed through the empty coffee shop from the back office, right on the heels of a whole box-full of special, holiday-themed glass stirrers hitting the tile floor and exploding. Tears immediately sprang to her eyes as she tensed, hearing the quick footsteps of the man immediately starting towards her. She was so dead.

This was her first day and her first job and she'd been stupid to believe Abby when she said that this job was easy. Abby would kill her if Mister Cross didn't, she'd vouched for Violet and talked her up about being a good worker. Good workers didn't make a huge mess three hours into their first shift.

Hastily she crouched and started trying to scoop the broken pieces back into the cardboard box. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry--" She whimpered, gasping when the glass tore at her fingertips.

"Hey, hey, don't move." Mister Cross repeated, scooping the broom and a roll of paper towels into his hands as he arrived. "Just leave it there."

Violet pulled her hands tight against herself, nodding in acknowledgement. She watched as he swept around her, quick strokes of the broom collecting the biggest pieces of glass into a pile. Then he tore off some paper towels, got them wet in the sink they washed their hands in, and wiped a careful ring around her.

"There," He said, finally, standing to toss the now-glittering paper towels into the trash. "There, now you won't get glass on your shoes."

Violet watched, vision wobbling from the tears still gathering in her eyes, as he offered his hands out. She didn't want to take them. They were scarred, and weird looking and rippled like a brownie's surface, and the thought of them made her skin crawl.

"Let me get you to the office so I can get your hands cleaned up. I won't let you slip."

This close, when he'd taken off his hoodie and was just in his jeans and tee, she realized that his biceps were about the size of her head and that his arms were just as messed up as his hands were. He'd definitely killed people before. The thought made her stomach drop.

When she rested her wrists against his palms, she shuddered. His hands were warm, though, and he was steady when he helped her stand again. The office was quiet, and when he helped her into the computer chair she shivered. The chair was comfortable at least, even with his hoodie draped over the back of it.

He walked to the storage room and grabbed one of the plastic chairs, setting it over the weird stain on the carpet before taking a seat next to her.

Reaching into the desk drawer, Mister Cross pulled out a plastic case with a blue taped plus sign on it and a tiny bottle of rubbing alcohol. "I try to keep a first aid kit stocked in here, it has most anything you'd need and plenty you might not." He said, retrieving some tweezers from the kit and disinfecting them with the rubbing alcohol.

As he waved them in the air to dry them quicker, he held out one of his awful hands again. "May I see your cut? I want to make sure we get all the glass out before you go to an urgent care."

"I'm going to a doctor after this?" Violet asked, disbelieving. She hesitantly lowered one of her hands into his palm. He didn't squeeze or hold her tight, he just leaned a little closer and squinted like her mom always did when she had a splinter.

"Of course. You can call your parents after we get you bandaged up." He said, tilting Violet's hand slowly. She saw little glimmering shards in her fingertips, and groaned. "It's alright, just lean back. I'll do the hard part. It'll be over in just a minute."

"I can't do it, Mister Cross." Tears started to roll down her face as she felt the delicate scrape of the tweezers, and her eyes slammed shut as she leaned back. "I can't--it's gonna hurt too much." She didn't want him to dig into her fingers. She didn't want to feel him pulling at anything, she just wanted to go home. The biggest one looked so deep, there was no way he could get it out without making it worse.

"First one is out, you're doing great Violet."

"What?" That startled her, and when she opened his eyes she saw him delicately placing the biggest glass splinter onto a tissue. "How...?"

"None of them are deep at all, they just need a little help. I wouldn't do this if I thought I'd have to dig for them." He spoke with the same tone he'd used to explain how to make a frappe earlier that day, calm and flat. His eyebrows were furrowed just a little bit in concentration, and he tilted her hand back and forth before moving in with the tweezers again.

She didn't expect this process to be so gentle. She found herself watching as he removed the other two, and she wasn't as hesitant to let him take care of her other hand after he'd bandaged the first one. "I...I don't need to go to the doctor, I'm probably okay." She said, voice small as she watched Mister Cross work.

He clicked his tongue and shook his head. "No, no. You don't want to play around with the health of your hands. It's better to take an hour out of your day to make sure you get some decent antibiotics and a professional's opinion, at least." He set the tweezers aside once he got the last of the glass out, starting to bandage those fingers too. "Your family won't have to pay for it, either. There's a doctor not far from here who'll sort out the bill with us and give you a note if you need it."

Mister Cross treated her like she was made of glass. He didn't even sound angry, really. He wasn't slamming anything, or yelling, or huffing, or sounding frustrated with her. "Why aren't you firing me? Those stir stick things were special."

Mister Cross shook his head and laughed, quiet and just as calm as before. "Accidents happen. I've spilled a whole bag of coffee beans before and had to toss all five pounds. It wouldn't be fair to fire you over something we've all done.

"Plus," He started, a conspiratorial edge winding its way into his voice. "I probably would've tossed them myself anyway. They just seemed like they could snap in someone's drink if they hit ceramic too hard."

Violet let out a sob that she didn't know she was holding in. Mister Cross froze, looking startled as she dragged her wrist over her eyes. "I--Violet, are...do you want a...a tissue?" He hesitantly offered her the box of tissues, and she sobbed harder.

The wide-eyed expression on his face made her laugh, caught between the ache of her fingers, the emotional release of knowing she hadn't lost her job and the realization that Abby hadn't lied about Mister Cross not being that scary. She took one of them and nodded, pressing her face into it as the sudden rush subsided.

"Yeah! I'm...I think I'm okay." Violet took a deeper breath, letting it out and feeling steadier than she had all day. "Thank you for helping me, Mister Cross."

He seemed to need a moment longer to process what she'd said, hesitantly setting the tissues back on the desk. "Of course." He finally said, standing again and turning to leave. "Call home and hang out in here until your ride shows up, no need to worry about the rest of the day."

Somehow, Violet thought when Mister Cross returned for just a moment to set a freshly warmed muffin down on the desk next to her, she sort of understood why Abby didn't quit after that shooting happened.

@whump-captain @whumpr @whumperofworlds @lektricwhump @cyberwhumper @bxtterflystxtches @inscrutable-shadow @honeybees-125

#whumpril2024 #whumprilday18 #day 18 #broken glass #blood #hand whump #minor whump #glass in wounds #it's a pretty light little thing overall though #very low stakes with a happy ending #mage of violence #violet #she's just 16 and intimidated and it's her very first job and oh god she just broke something special #and Mariano is just huge and hard to read and ex-military and scary looking and surprisingly gentle #idk I had a NEED for gentle mariano today we're all welcome

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crash-bump-bring-the-whump · 9 days

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Whumpril 2024 - Day 17 - Hallucinations

Hehehe here you go Mariano, have a nice drive home

TWs: Hallucinations, gore, blood, death

Mariano hummed along to the radio, tapping his fingers along the steering wheel as he did. Izan sat in his passenger seat, sunglasses perched on his nose to block out the glare of the setting sun. "I don't know how you manage to drive eastbound in this lighting." Izan asked, leaning back in his seat. "This is migraine city."

Mariano reached over, squeezing his shoulder gently. "It's not so bad. The light doesn't hurt my eyes, especially when the mirror is in night mode."

Izan groaned, falling back into silence. "Weirdo." Mariano could hear the smile in his voice, even as he tossed his own discarded jacket at Izan to lay over his eyes.

A gunshot pierced the silence, as loud as if someone had fired a bullet directly outside of Mariano's window. Blood filled his nose, the iron tang clinging to the back of his throat. He swallowed. There was no blood running down his throat, even though there definitely was. There had been no gunshot, because they were on the highway going seventy miles an hour with no one else around and his window was completely undamaged.

"Everything okay?" Izan's voice filtered in through the rush of thoughts, breaking through the ache in his chest.

Mariano swallowed again. "Yes." He started to shift lanes to take the exit they needed. "Nothing's wrong."

Izan turned his head to look at Mariano more fully. "You sure?"

"Mm." Mariano nodded as he eased the car to a lower speed. "I might just be tired."

A corpse lay in the middle of the road, sliced in half. Mariano drove through the gore, the intestines. It wasn't safe to swerve. He would just rinse his tires off later.

He wouldn't need to rinse his tires off later. The body wasn't real. He saw one there every few weeks. There was never a news report. His tires were never dirty afterwards.

No serial killer could be so precise.

They parked in the gravel driveway, and Mariano got out of the car. He habitually glanced down at his tire. Clean, no blood to be seen. When he opened Izan's door and helped him up, the ache in his chest settled.

He was safe. No one had shot him. There was no corpse in the road. Izan's hand was warm and solid. Everything was okay, as always.

"C'mon Izan, we can order dinner. My treat."

@whump-captain @whumpr @whumperofworlds @lektricwhump @cyberwhumper @bxtterflystxtches @inscrutable-shadow @honeybees-125

#whumpril2024 #whumprilday17 #day 17 #gore #blood #death #hallucinations #I just thought Mariano deserved some hallucinations like I get #specifically the corpse in the road one he's a classic #and to react how you start to when you've had them for a while #they just stop getting big reactions and start being inconveniences #mage of violence #izan

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crash-bump-bring-the-whump · 10 days

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Whumpril 2024 - Day 16 - Coughing Fit

Oh I love this prompt, I do love inflicting An Awful Illness on my boys c:

TWs: Illness, fever

"Come on, just take a seat, nice and slow." Only Bastian's hands at Mariano's hips kept him from collapsing to the bathroom floor. He trembled as his knees gave out, and Bastian lowered him to the carefully constructed pile of blankets and pillows. "You need a steam session bad."

Mariano's fingers never released their grip on Bastian's shirt. "Thank you. I didn't think a flu could get this awful--" He was cut off by a round of coughing that ripped through him, each one raking its nails over his lungs and up his throat as his free hand clapped to his mouth. He couldn't fully manage to get any of the congestion up, stuck in the awful limbo of needing to cough and needing to breathe at the same time.

It felt like he was drowning in that military hospital bed all over again.

When he managed to wheeze in a breath and the roaring in his ears quieted, Mariano realized that Bastian was kneeling beside him. One hand slid along his back between his shoulder blades while the other braced against his chest to help keep him from falling into the blanket face-first. "You good?"

The question was less mocking than usual, and Mariano just nodded, holding out a thumbs-up.

"Good," Bastian's hand left Mariano's back and he felt him leaning and reaching into the bath. With the harsh rattle-scrape of the curtain rings sliding against the rod, Bastian fully spread the shower curtain and then turned the shower on full blast. He twisted back around and tugged Mariano up into his lap, ignoring the embarrassed squawk it drew.

Once Mariano was settled and his back was to Bastian's stomach, Bastian patted Mariano's chest affectionately. "Now, let's get some steam in here. It'll help break that crap up and maybe you'll get some sleep tonight."

"Don't even know why it hit me so hard." Mariano complained as he dropped his head back against Bastian's chest. His voice sounded like a rusty gate. He grimaced. "You were only sick for three days but we both got the flu shot."

"Yeah, and I didn't get tortured for two years and starved for like, eight more." Bastian said, kissing the top of Mariano's head as he started to slide his palm over Mariano's pact brand at the center of his burning chest. Mariano was in one of his old tees so the contact shouldn't have been too overwhelming--and just like he hoped, Mariano just relaxed into him with a sigh. "I think your body's earned being absolutely obliterated by a flu."

"Whatever." It was the closest Mariano was going to get to admitting that his idea that he was still nineteen and able to work through anything was less than realistic. "I guess it's best for me to stay home anyway. The kids don't need to catch this and neither do the customers."

Bastian laughed as steam really started to fill the air. He wouldn't voice the idea that Abby was actually the one who gave it to him--it was midterm season and she went to a public high school when she wasn't being a barista, after all. "Yeah, I don't think you'd last very long anyway. What's his face, Scary Regular? The paralegal guy? He'd have driven you home himself, or something. You look like shit."

Mariano laughed, and Bastian felt how his breath caught, his hand shuddering with Mariano's chest as he struggled against another coughing fit.

"Relax. Relax, this is supposed to help with that. I have you." Bastian murmured, wincing as Mariano fell into another strangling fit that forced him to curl in on himself. Bastian held him as he did, kissing the back of his head. "You're gonna be okay."

When it finally released Mariano, he leaned back with a hoarse groan. He didn't complain when Bastian's claws slid through his hair, drawing tension from his shoulders and making his eyes slide shut. Bastian kept going, carefully combing through Mariano's sweat-damp hair and listening as every coughing fit started to sound less and less like it might be Mariano's last.

Bastian wasn't surprised when Mariano finally went still against him, just about boneless from how deep his exhaustion ran. "That's it, take a nap." He whispered, slowly reaching back to shut off the shower. "I'll always have you."

@whump-captain @whumpr @whumperofworlds @lektricwhump @cyberwhumper @bxtterflystxtches @inscrutable-shadow @honeybees-125

#whumpril2024 #whumprilday16 #day 16 #coughing fit #illness #fever #mage of violence #dragon of diamond #something soft and sweet that's been eating me alive all day #All I want is a handsome dragon to baby me when I'm sick and that's a lot to ask but like I think I've earned it

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crash-bump-bring-the-whump · 10 days

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i realllly wish there was more diversity in whump (as all 3 main roles but especially whumpee). i'm not tryna say that the characters or their creators are bad or evil at all but it does get kind of old when the overwhelming majority of characters in whump are "skinny, usually white, male."

#literally this is why I write the ocs I do #the war mages #will #elliot #brian #like legitimately this is why I write #the war mages are mexican and complex and of different body types #will is nonbinary and fat and blind #brian is bigender #elliot is trans #like dw op there are plenty of fun diverse whump characters

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crash-bump-bring-the-whump · 11 days

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Whumpril 2024 - Day 15 - Mind Games

This is a followup to this thing, where we follow Mariano getting the news that he's being released early!

TWs: Suicide watch, aftermath of a panic attack, self harm mention, abuse of power, medication, gross food, dehumanization, captivity (in terms of being in prison), ableism, anxiety, nudity, implications of noncon (a situation could easily lead to noncon and the fear surrounding that possibility is explored)

Mariano's nerves buzzed. The air around him roared. Tears rolled down his face as his hands shook, even though he wasn't crying anymore. Blood from fresh burns dripped down his wrists into the new cuffs he'd been fitted with. They were stiff and warded, chained together with just a few links, and fully enclosed his hands.

"We don't want you to hurt yourself." Officer Rodriguez had said. He hadn't been rough when he helped Mariano change out of his usual uniform and into the thick, odd smock he'd be wearing while on suicide watch. It didn't really cover much, and he wasn't allowed undergarments.

Mariano didn't particularly care.

He followed, as obedient as ever as he was led down the hall and into his barren, new cell. "We don't want you to hurt yourself." Officer Rodriguez repeated, softer, when Mariano looked at him with wide, unseeing eyes.

He was led inside and guided to sit down on the single, thin mattress pad on the floor. He barely heard Officer Rodriguez tell him to take the pills in the offered clear cup. They didn't give him water. As if they had, Mariano swallowed them dry when the cup was tipped back against his lips.

Officer Rodriguez left.

The door locked.

It only locked one time, Mariano realized belatedly. It was also clear. Solid bulletproof glass, with one singular metal door at the bottom for food delivery and collection. He was dangerous. They'd used three locks his entire stay, why was it different now?

"So you're the one who went crazy?"

A new voice broke the silence and Mariano realized that there was someone beyond the clear door, now. He didn't know her. She was short, with a stern face and curly hair. Her name tag said Lopez.

"Answer me." The order didn't sound cruel. "I know you're not mute, or stupid. It was just a panic attack." She sounded tired.

"Yes." Mariano finally said, voice hoarse. The sessions with Doctor Castillo had been slowly building his voice back up, but he still couldn't talk for long after one. "That was me." He wiped his face on his bare bicep, the cold sweat on his skin didn't help him feel any better.

"Why? Everyone wants to get out of here. This should be a dream come true."

"They're making a mistake." Mariano pulled his knees in closer, resting his chin on them.

Officer Lopez scoffed and shook her head. She never looked away. She didn't speak again, not even when she changed out with a night guard.

The next morning was more of the same.

Mariano woke slowly, with no cold air wrapping around him or crawling under his uniform to sink beneath his skin. There was no stark winter sunlight shining in, just the ever-present fluorescent lights and Officer Lopez's eyes on him. He was warm. It felt like heaven.

"Your food is on the tray." She said simply, and Mariano looked to the metal tray sitting on the floor. A box of lukewarm skim milk, the kind he'd seen in school lunches, a paper cup of water, already soaked through and flimsy, and the familiar tiny, near-burned loaf of the various grains, vegetables, and meats the cafeteria served, baked into a shape that could possibly, maybe call to mind meatloaf, if you squinted and didn't think very hard.

He crawled over and sat in front of it on the floor, biting into the loaf first. Normally he would've picked it apart and balanced out the unpleasant insides with the much more tasteless, crunchy outside, but the mitts wrapped around his hands restricted most of his motion beyond curling and uncurling all the fingers on one hand at once. Officer Lopez's lip curled as she watched him gnaw on the tough food. He couldn't find it in himself to be bothered.

"That's all you get for today." She added. Mariano nodded, washing down the almost-rotten beef and lettuce and corn and chicken with milk that really wanted to be water. "Being here doesn't mean you get special treatment."

The actual water was barely enough to rinse the taste of the milk out of his mouth, and the cup kept almost caving in completely. But it was enough. Mariano was grateful for that.

"I know." He said.

"You don't deserve special treatment just because they think you're safe enough to release." She didn't sound angry. Mariano couldn't tell how she felt. "I bet this is even worse than being in solitary."

"I don't mind it." Mariano said, sliding the tray towards the door. "It's warmer in here."

"You don't get access to the library." Officer Lopez said, exchanging the tray for a rattly paper cup of pills. There was still no water. Mariano swallowed them all without complaint. "And you're not going out to the yard."

Mariano set the cup down in front of the door and crawled back to the mattress pad, knees aching and weariness already tugging him down again. "That's alright. The cuffs are comfortable, and you don't make me nervous."

"You won't get to see the sun or get any fresh air at all until they say you're not a danger to yourself." She continued. "And you might not get to shower."

Mariano nodded, shifting to lay his head on his own folded elbow. Something about how the cuffs folded his magic in and kept it so securely contained was reassuring. It felt like having a heavy blanket draped over his soul, one that he could hardly even imagine lifting. He wanted to feel it forever. "I understand. I won't be difficult for you."

Mariano dozed.

When he woke up again, there was another tray of food, and a second cup of water with his evening pills. Officer Lopez didn't say anything this time. Mariano didn't ask about her earlier lie. It didn't matter.

The next day was quiet. Officer Lopez didn't have more questions. She didn't say anything when she slid his food and medicine through his door. The silence was comfortable, even if she watched him like a prowling lion the whole time. She only broke it hours after breakfast.

"Shower time."

The walk to the empty shower block was quiet, and Mariano felt something in his chest warm when he realized that he didn't have to press his palms against his body or hold them towards the ceiling. The wards would hold firm. He was safe.

The curtain-less stall was off in the corner.

"Face me. You know how this works, try anything and I shoot you." The words were rough, but Mariano just nodded. "Good."

As he let Officer Lopez take the smock from his body, he realized that she was still tense. He kept his eyes averted from her, on the tile floor near his own feet. Her gaze burned as it slid over him. She hesitated, staying still instead of immediately stepping away.

He wondered, with a sudden, cold sort of nausea, if she wanted something else from him besides his good behavior. He'd promised not to be difficult for her. There wouldn't be anything he could do. She reached for his arm and he took a shaky breath in, only relaxing when her fingers wrapped around his wrist. "Try anything and I shoot you." She repeated, quieter.

Her key slid into the cuffs. They unlocked. She slid them off of him. When he raised his eyebrows in surprise, she scoffed. "Now you can wash that mane properly."

She set down the bottle of soap he was supposed to use, stepped back, and Mariano hesitantly turned to start the water. It was cold, bracing, and the soap felt terrible in his hair. But it always did.

It was fine.

"Do you regret it?" Officer Lopez asked. "What you did?"

"Every day." Mariano didn't hesitate. "I would go back and stop it sooner, if I could, no matter what they threatened me with."

"They threatened you?" Officer Lopez didn't sound sympathetic. She sounded closer to being curious. Mariano didn't mind.

"Almost none of my scars are from the people we killed." Mariano said, simply. "It doesn't matter. I still should've done something."

Officer Lopez didn't ask anything else. Mariano finished showering three minutes later. He was led back to the cell, hair still dripping. He wasn't offered a towel, his smock clung to him. He sat on the floor until he was dry again.

The next few days were unremarkable until evening fell, towards the end of the week.

"I watched the trial." She started. "Do you think you're a good person?" She asked, leaning against the wall.

"I don't." Mariano said, lying on his back, staring at the ceiling.

Officer Lopez hummed. "Why not?"

"I'm afraid of what will happen if I relax." Mariano took a deep breath, held it, and released it. "I don't think good people have to worry about that. They can just relax without thinking about it."

She was quiet for a while longer, arms crossed . "You're not even playing, are you?"

Mariano sat up, roused from his half-doze. "Playing?" He looked at her, an eyebrow raising. "What do you mean?"

"You really mean all of this." She added, arms uncrossing. "You're not playing mind games."

Mariano looked her in the eye for the first time since he'd been committed to suicide watch. "Why would I do that?"

She was quiet again. She looked him over, gaze no less prying. Something was different about it, though. She hummed, shaking her head. "The doc's right. You'll be fine out there."

Mariano didn't know how to feel about that.

The next day, when he was allowed to change back into his uniform and go back to his cell, he still hadn't decided. He wanted to believe everyone, but it just seemed too easy. He didn't have enough time to worry though.

Not an hour after going back to his cell, he was signing his paperwork, receiving his belongings, and meeting his crying parents at the gate. He was free. His time had been served, whether he liked it or not.

@whump-captain @whumpr @whumperofworlds @lektricwhump @cyberwhumper @bxtterflystxtches @inscrutable-shadow @honeybees-125

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crash-bump-bring-the-whump · 13 days

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Whumpril 2024 - Day 14 - Urgent Care

I love whumperless medical whump SO much so this has been eating me alive

TWs: Surgery, awareness under anesthesia, gore, blood, stabbing mention

Tuesday night was going well, Liam thought. He'd only had to help with one surgery that night, and was forty-five minutes into his break when he was paged. "Emergency Room" flashed across the tiny screen.

With a sigh, he slid his hands through short black hair and stood. The rest of his mid-shift meal would have to wait. He was the only anesthesiologist on site at the moment, so whichever poor sap was showing up soon would need him there, just in case.

Pale blue walls passed by in a flash as Liam's shoes squeaked against the tile floors. His favorite nurse, Jesse, met up with him as he neared the emergency room where the others were waiting. "Doctor Beryl!" He said, stark white bangs pinned back, and nervous, light eyes meeting Liam's. "EMS is four minutes away. A young transgender male, severe blood loss reported, apparent knife wounds, it's looking bad."

"Well, good thing I already chugged half a monster, yeah?" Liam said, watching the dark glass of the sliding doors for the ambulance. "Were there any other victims?"

"No, no, just the one. And there's someone already on the way from the nurses' station to meet the...family member? Partner? Whoever the guy is." Jesse checked his watch as flashing lights and sirens screamed into the parking lot. "Oh—and you have your station set up?"

"Always. And we're still on for Sunday brunch? It's your turn to pick, Jess."

"You know it. My turn to pick, your turn to pay." Jesse's eyes crinkling with his smile was the last thing Liam saw before the patient was wheeled in.

A flurry of noise heralded the doors swinging open, and the EMTs rushed in, surrounding a gurney. Clothes had already been stripped away, leaving dark, scarred, bloodied skin open for scrutiny. Gloved hands and gauze kept deep, vicious wounds from letting blood rush forward. Long, black hair was tied back, and equally dark eyes were open and dazed. They wandered, lingering on faces, seemingly trying to follow the ping-pong match of orders and answers.

Liam fell into step with his colleagues as they swapped with the EMTs, replacing their hands and whisking the whole crowd down the hall to the trauma bay. They poked and prodded, setting IV lines and attempting to get answers from the man they worked on as they walked—no one seemed to mind when he couldn't quite answer.

The trauma bay doors swung open to let them into the pristine room, and Liam saw Jesse dart to the blood products. "Grabbing O-negative, two liters."

"Good, good, get the warmer going too. We don't need him going hypothermic." Liam called as the trauma surgeon started to scrub in. "And help Doctor Gene gown up."

He looked to Mariano then as the gurney came to a stop and Doctor Gene spoke up. "Doctor Beryl, start getting him under. His name is Mariano Ortiz."

"On it." Liam pressed sticky leads onto Mariano's skin, then pulled the oxygen mask from his respirator forward, catching Mariano's attention. "I'm Doctor Beryl, I'll be your anesthesiologist." Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Jesse double-checking the blood was being warmed and the infusion rate was set properly. "All you have to do is breathe and count backwards from ten."

Mariano didn't try to pull away, but Liam saw the peaks and valleys of his already-too-quick heartbeat quicken further. "Hey, hey, it's alright. You don't have to stay awake anymore." He said, pressing the cushioned plastic over Mariano's nose and mouth. "I'll be right next to you the whole time that you're asleep. Close your eyes, Mariano."

Mariano's expression never changed, but Liam smiled behind his mask as he watched him purposely take a deeper breath. Dark eyes grew visibly heavier, fluttering like his lashes suddenly weighed a ton. "That’s it. We have you." Not seconds later, he was asleep, and Liam shifted his attention to the monitors. He watched Mariano fall into deeper sleep, reaching to start tapering the sedative dose into something less heavy.

"Alright, he's under." Liam called, Doctor Gene began to take over and the techs began to swarm again. Electricity filled the air, everyone focused on their specific tasks, guided by Doctor Gene's easy demeanor.

"Analgesics being administered now, paralytic following."

"Let's find this bleed then, start the suction."

"Should we set up the curtain?"

"No, it'll be fine. We can't waste any more time."

Liam let it all fall away, his attention fixed on making sure that Mariano was breathing well as the others worked. Once his airway was secured and he saw that the respirator was doing its job, Liam sat back. Doctor Gene had the most intense job, but the junior doctors didn't call him the hospital's bloodhound for nothing.

Mariano picked a good day to get stabbed three times, at least.

He kept glancing between his three points of concern in regular intervals. Five seconds on his monitors, five on the actual machinery, then five on Mariano's face, always on the lookout for changes. It was routine. Familiar. It kept everyone who came through the operating room safe.

Thirty minutes in, Jesse spoke up. "...Does he look tense?"

One of the others hummed. "Maybe, what was his weight?"

"Two-seventy-one." Jesse answered. "Should we dose him a little more with the painkillers, Doctor Gene?"

"Yes, please. Ten more milligrams, to be on the safe side."

Liam gave the painkillers, watching how Mariano almost immediately started to relax again, then glanced back at the monitors. The numbers were looking good, he was breathing well, and color was even starting to return to his face with the fresh blood circulating through him. Liam breathed just a little bit easier.

Another page came through, almost making him jump. "Emergency Room" it read. "God dammit--" Liam groaned. "We have another coming in, someone keep an eye on the monitors, Doctor Gene knows what to do if he starts to decline."

He hurried out, tossing his gloves as he did in favor of new ones. The ambulance arrived, Liam accompanied the patient back, and after getting them under so that their broken tibia could be reset, he hurried back towards the first trauma bay. With the snap of fresh, clean gloves, Liam took his place at Mariano's shoulder again, and his heart almost stopped.

Almost-black met Liam's eyes, searching, pleading almost. Mariano was awake. His pulse was speeding up. Mariano was afraid. He needed to move. If he didn't fix this, his patient might be traumatized.

Why hadn't anyone noticed?

"Hey Mariano, I see you. We had another emergency come in, but I'm here again." He said, leaning closer and resting a hand on his forehead. His voice was far, far steadier than he felt. He shifted himself to block Mariano's view of his own opened, bloodied body. "Eyes on me, now, I'm the prettiest person here anyway. I'm gonna help you get back to sleep."

Dark eyes locked onto Liam's and he nodded at Mariano. "That's it, I'm going to take care of you, just like I promised." He reached his free hand over to the IV bag that held the anesthetic cocktail. "This is going to hit you in just a few seconds, close your eyes now."

Mariano hesitated, and Liam started sliding his thumb along his brow. Back and forth, like he was trying to soothe a kitten to sleep, Liam kept up the predictable, gentle motion. He eased the dosage upwards, eyes switching between Mariano's face and the monitor showing his vitals. "I'm going to try to make sure that you don't remember this, I know it's not fun." Mariano's eyes started to drift closed again, and Liam felt his own heart start to relax.

He only leaned back again with a sigh when he was sure that Mariano was properly under again.

"C'mon Beryl, you know I'm the real beauty queen here." Doctor Gene teased, before his voice softened. "Sorry we didn't catch that."

"Well--can't say I blame you, those stabs were deep. It happens." Liam admitted. "How's he looking?"

"Just about got him done, then we'll head over for a CT, make sure nothing else is waiting to rear its head. Are you coming with?"

"The other one's a broken leg, and Anise has it locked down until the on-call gets here." Liam kept his hand on Mariano's forehead, watching as Doctor Gene started stitching up the last stab wound. "So yeah, I can actually keep my promise, now."

@whump-captain @whumpr @whumperofworlds @lektricwhump @cyberwhumper @bxtterflystxtches @inscrutable-shadow @honeybees-125

#whumpril2024 #whumprilday14 #day 14 #urgent care #blood #gore #awareness under anesthesia #surgery #stabbing mention #liam #mage of violence #I mean technically an ER is FULL of urgent care

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