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kabie-whump · 3 months

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♡ Febuwhump Day 28 - Found Footage (alt) ♡

@febuwhump

This happens between Day 19 and Day 21

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It’s too quiet.

That’s all Caretaker can think as they wander Headquarters, wondering where everyone is.

It’s been two weeks since Whumpee was given up to Whumper. Two weeks of a gaping hole in Caretaker’s life. Two weeks of waking up screaming from nightmares about what Whumpee might be going through.

Everyone has tiptoed around Careaker ever since Whumpee left. They know that Caretaker doesn’t agree with the mission, that they think it’s too great of a sacrifice and any mention of Whumpee might make them snap.

That’s what makes Caretaker worry. If everyone is avoiding them… Do they know something about Whumpee? Did something happen?

Caretaker finds the whole team crowded in a small meeting room - too small for all of them to fit comfortably unlike the room that’s been set aside for them specifically.

“Whumpee’s their best friend,” someone is whispering. “They’d want to see-”

“Caretaker can’t see this. They won’t be able to handle it.”

Caretaker’s breath hitches as they lurk outside the door, listening closely. If something’s being hidden from them it has to be about Whumpee.

Then there’s a scream, tinny like it was coming from low quality speakers. Some rapid clicking sounds bring the volume of the screaming down but it’s already implanted itself into Caretaker’s head because they know that voice oh god.

Caretaker has to cover their mouth to keep from sobbing out loud as the recorded voice continues to wail, breaking sometimes on harsh coughs and pleas of “no no no please stop please it hurts stop please!”

“That’s enough.” Leader’s voice is heavy. There’s a click and the screaming stops. “We get the picture. I’ll finish watching it on my own. You guys shouldn’t have to see this.”

Caretaker flees the hallway at the sounds of the team leaving their chairs and making for the door. They lock themselves in their room for the rest of the day, playing music on their headphones as loud as they dare to.

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#whump #whump tropes #whump community #whump writing #whumpblr #whump scenario #whumpee #whump ideas #febuwhump #febuwhump2024 #febuwhump day 28 #found footage

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hurtmyfavsthanks · 3 months

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Febuwhump Day 28: "Not like this,"

Content warning: drugging, spiked drink, kidnapping, discussion of noncon touch

Things were going smoothly. They usually did, in Caretaker’s experience.

It hadn’t been a hard job. Sneak into the party, get close to the target, bring them out. The fact that Whumpee was already a few drinks in only made it easier. It’d barely taken any effort to get their trust, and before long Caretaker had been left to watch over their drink as Whumpee stumbled to the bathroom.

It’d been easy to slip something into their drink. Easy to lead them out of the party the second they showed signs of feeling the effects. By the time Whumper had driven up with the car, Whumpee was too far gone to even complain when Caretaker manhandled them into the backseat. The whole process had taken no more than an hour.

Caretaker found that kidnappings were a lot more boring than television would make you think.

They were in the backseat with Whumpee now, just in case something went wrong. Not that they expected it to; Whumpee was quiet in their seat, half slumped and staring lazily out the window. They almost looked like they were there willingly, no restraints, no look of horror on their face.

Whatever mix of chemicals was in the powder— it wasn’t Caretaker’s job to know, just to get it into Whumpee— its effects were subtle. Whumpee had no trouble walking out of the party on their own two feet, movements more coordinated than most of the partygoers. The drug didn’t steal their motor control, didn’t force Caretaker to do more than guide them out by the hand. All it did was make sure they’d follow Caretaker along without any questions.

They were like a sleepwalker. Pupils blown wide and nothing going on behind them, but just present enough to seem normal from a distance.

It put Caretaker’s teeth on edge. They wished they could go back to just knocking the marks out, but they couldn’t deny this was more efficient.

“God, you can be such a fuckin’ prude,” Whumper called from the front, voice loud to be heard over the radio. They adjusted their rearview mirror to lock eyes with Caretaker, giving them a look of mock disappointment. “I thought you jumped back there to get a feel or something, but you’re just sitting there like you’re in church.”

Caretaker gave them a disgusted look, earning a laugh. They crossed their arms, turning their body away from Whumpee. “Don’t be a creep. Let’s just keep it professional.”

Whumper scoffed. “Sure, professional. Like you weren’t halfway in their pants back there anyway. They’re hot, we’ve got a long drive. Why not?”

Whumpee sat oblivious to all of this. They were simply gone, staring at nothing.

“I was just doing my job, Whumper. Why don’t you do your job and drive?”

“God you’re pissy tonight. Don’t gotta be an asshole about it,” Whumper grumbled, rolling their eyes. They turned their gaze back to the road. “You know they never remember anything, right? You can do literally whatever you want.”

As if them remembering was the problem. Caretaker would remember what they’d done, when someone was totally helpless in front of them. They’d decided long ago that they’d never do more than necessary, never put someone through more than what they had to. They wouldn’t touch Whumpee. Not like this, not when they weren’t capable of even beginning to defend themselves.

They had morals. Weak, barely there, but Caretaker had them. They needed to cling to that fact. They were just doing their job.

“I’m not a monster. I’m just doing what I have to.” Caretaker said, too quiet to be heard over the radio, just loud enough for Whumpee to hear.

Whumpee didn’t respond.

#bad caretaker #whumper #whumpee #drugged whumpee #kidnapping whump #out of it whumpee #febuwhump #febuwhump 2024 #febuwhump day 28 #my stuff #okay technically the promot is 'no...not like this' but shhh #carewhumper

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serickswrites · 3 months

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Allowed

Warnings: captivity, torture, restraints, forced to watch, drowning, infection, rescue, mcd, hurt/no comfort

"Whumpee, you're never allowed to die," Caretaker said as they wrapped their arms around Whumpee. The two of them had crawled into bed after a long day of soft, gentle moments together.

Whumpee smiled and leaned into Caretaker's touch. "I'm never going to leave you, Caretaker. I promise. I love you."

Caretaker kissed Whumpee fiercely. "I love you. And that's why you're never allowed to die. You have to live forever."

"Forever sounds good with you, Caretaker."

The conversation played in Caretaker's mind over and over again in the time that Whumper had them. Whumper had, unfortunately, gotten the drop on both them and Whumpee. Caretaker had fought back more once they saw Whumpee being hauled away as well. They couldn't let Whumper take Whumpee.

"Hurt me," Whumpee offered as Whumper chained them both to opposite walls. "Hurt me instead of them, and I won't fight back."

Whumper stared at Whumpee, their head cocked. "You would do that? Offer yourself up in their place. Why?"

Whumpee's eyes flashed. "It doesn't matter why. I just promise I won't make your life hell if you hurt me instead of them. I'll do everything you want me to do. Just don't hurt Caretaker."

Caretaker screamed their protests, but Whumper only had eyes for Whumpee. "You have yourself a deal."

And so Caretaker had to endure days and days of watching Whumper torture Whumpee. Days and days of watching Whumper drown Whumpee in a filthy tub. Days and days of begging Whumper to stop. Days and days of being shot down. And days and days of watching Whumpee grow weaker and weaker.

"S-S-Someone-one-one isssss b-b-b-ound tttttooooo f-f-f-find ussss," Whumpee said as they lay in the damp heap Whumper had left them in. Caretaker knew without having to ask that Whumpee felt like crap. They suspected that the infection that Whumpee had told them about two days ago was much worse than Whumpee led them to believe. They knew Whumpee's fever hadn't broken--Whumpee sweated profusely despite the cool temperature of the room and their eyes were fever bright.

"Someone has to be looking for us. You just need to hold on a bit longer."

Whumpee opened their mouth to speak, but a violent coughing fit left them trembling and breathless. They closed their eyes and nodded their head.

"I wish you would let me take your pace. I can take it, Whumpee. Please. You need your rest."

Whumpee shook their head. "Nnnnnn," was all they managed as they started to cough again.

Caretaker opened their mouth to protest, but the door banging open had them shutting their mouth as they watched Whumper stalk towards Whumpee. "We have very little time left, I'm afraid. I'd like to get all of the enjoyment I can before I leave."

"Me! Hurt me! I'll be so good for you. I promise!" The words tumbled out of Caretaker's mouth in a jumble. Their time was almost up? Someone had found them. Someone was coming for them. Whumpee just had to hold on a bit longer.

Whumper smirked. "But where's the fun in that?" They kicked out at Whumpee, their foot connecting with Whumpee's ribs. Whumpee let out a breathless cry. "This one is so much more fun to watch. They have such a pretty face under the water, don't you think?"

Caretaker let out a wordless yell, trying to draw attention to where they were. Whumpee began to slowly move, their eyes meeting Caretaker's. They nodded. Caretaker just needed to distract Whumper. Whumpee wasn't restrained any longer like Caretaker was. They could, in theory, fight back. Whumper had taken them at their word. And now Whumper was going to pay.

"WHY DID YOU--" Whumper froze as they heard the sounds of someone somewhere in the compound. "Fuck."

"WE ARE IN HERE! HELP!" Caretaker screeched.

Whumper took two steps towards Caretaker, "I am going to--"

But they never finished speaking. Whumpee threw themself at Whumper, arms flailing at Whumper's face. Caretaker watched in horror as Whumpee struggled against Whumper, their fist connecting with Whumper's jaw.

"HELP!" Caretaker shouted once more as the sounds of someone came close. "WE ARE IN HERE! HELP US!"

Whumpee gave a yelp of pain that had Caretaker freezing. Caretaker looked up to see Whumpee fall back into the filthy tub, landing with a loud clank, Whumper smirking as they slowly rose. They moved like they were hurting, and Caretaker couldn't help but be pleased with Whumpee.

The door banged open as Whumper took a step towards the tub. "FREEZE! PUT YOUR HANDS UP!" Multiple voices shouted from the doorway.

Whumper started forward and the world erupted into sound, light, and smoke as the rescue team surged in to fight back against Whumper. Caretaker shrunk back against the wall trying to stay out of the fight. They were sure Whumpee was safe in the tub. They had to be safe.

And just as suddenly as the chaos began, it ended. Whumper was on the ground, hands cuffed behind their back, and the rescue team entered the room. "Uncuff that one on the wall. Get a medic in here for Whumper." The leader ordered.

"Whumpee, Whumpee needs help! They're sick." Caretaker said quickly. "Please. They need a medic."

The leader nodded. "Prioritize the victims first." Their team quickly dispersed, leaving Caretaker with only one rescuer.

Caretaker was quickly freed and they stumbled towards the tub. Whumpee's legs hung over the edge, their pants dripping with water. There was still water in the tub? "Whumpee?" Caretaker called.

Whumpee's legs didn't stir. Their legs hung limply and the only sound was the dripping of the water. Caretaker's mouth went dry as they could finally see the tub in its entirety. "Whumpee!"

Whumpee lay face up, their upper body and face completely submerged in the dingy water. Their eyes were closed, their hair floating in the water around them. "No! Whumpee! No....not like this!" Caretaker shouted as they hauled Whumpee out of the water. Whumpee's limbs flopped bonelessly in Caretaker's arms as Caretaker lay them flat on the ground. "Come on, Whumpee. They found us. They found us! Open your eyes. Whumpee!"

Whumpee's skin was cool, cooler than Caretaker would have expected given how sick they were. Caretaker pressed their fingers to Whumpee's throat, hoping that they were wrong, hoping that this was all some trick. Caretaker's heart sunk as they realized Whumpee had no pulse. "No. No. NO." They began to perform CPR. "Somebody help me, please!" They sobbed as they pumped Whumpee's chest. "Come on, Whumpee. You promised. You can't die. You promised. You can't leave me. Not like this." Their vision became blurry as they sobbed harder and harder.

Caretaker felt two strong hands on their shoulders. They fought against the pull. They couldn't stop. Whumpee wasn't dead. Whumpee couldn't be dead. Whumpee wasn't allowed to die. But as the pull became stronger, more hands appeared. Hands on Whumpee's throat. Hands on Whumpee's chest. More hands on their back.

"You have to let them go, Caretaker. You have to let them go, we can't help them if you're doing all of this." The words in Caretaker's ear made sense. But didn't. If Caretaker stopped, if Caretaker let go, Whumpee might die. And Whumpee wasn't allowed to die.

"I can't," they sobbed. "I can't. They'll die. Please. I can't."

"They're already gone, Caretaker. There's nothing you can do. They hit their head on the side of the tub when they fell. They weren't awake when they went under water. They're gone. Let them go, Caretaker. You have to let them go."

Caretaker stared down at Whumpee's lax face. Their lips were pale with a blue tint. Their body only moved with Caretaker's movement. Otherwise Whumpee was deathly still. No. It couldn't be. "Whumpee's not dead! They're not, you'll see!"

The hands squeezed their shoulders tightly. "Whumpee is dead, Caretaker. I am very sorry. We were all too late. Whumpee is dead."

At the last words, Caretaker collapsed forward, sobbing harder than before. They pressed their face into the crook of Whumpee's neck as they sobbed. They had failed Whumpee. Everyone had failed Whumpee. Whumpee was alive when help arrived. But help wasn't fast enough. "Oh, God. Whumpee. Please."

Whumpee didn't move. Didn't breathe. They lay there, sopping and cold. They lay there beneath Caretaker and they didn't respond. Because death had claimed them. Caretaker sobbed harder as they realized Whumpee was well and truly gone.

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lady-wallace · 1 year

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A little Buddy Daddies fanart for today’s @febuwhump prompt “You’re Safe Now”

I originally wanted to do a little drabble to go along with this, but didn’t get around to it. I am however really loving this show so far, and I highly suggest checking it out if you haven’t already. So much lovely found family goodness :’)

#febuwhump2023 #febuwhump day 28 #you're safe now #buddy daddies #fanart #buddy daddies fanart #rei suwa #buddy daddies miri #kurusu kazuki

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theshiaxartist · 1 year

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He said, y'know, like a liar.

#shiaxart #Jak #Mar #Jak and Daxter #Febuwhump day 28 #FINALLY DONE HA

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fanfictasia · 3 months

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Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Bad Batch (Cartoon) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: CT-9904 | Crosshair & Clone Trooper Hunter, Hunter & Omega (Star Wars: The Bad Batch), Hunter & Wrecker (Star Wars: The Bad Batch) Characters: Clone Trooper Hunter (Star Wars), Clone Trooper Wrecker (Star Wars), CT-9904 | Crosshair, Omega (Star Wars: The Bad Batch) Additional Tags: POV Hunter (Star Wars: The Bad Batch), Angst, Hurt/Comfort, what there is totally comfort here, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Canon Compliant, Missing Scene, Post-Episode: s01e12 Rescue on Ryloth (Star Wars: The Bad Batch), Hunter Needs A Hug (Star Wars: The Bad Batch), Wrecker Needs a Hug (Star Wars: The Bad Batch), Omega Needs a Hug (Star Wars: The Bad Batch), Everyone Needs A Hug, Febuwhump, Febuwhump 2024, Prompt: "No not like this"

Summary:

Hunter knows his brothers understand why they can't go back for Crosshair, no matter how often he thinks about it. He thought the same was true about Omega, until she finally asks him.

Read on:

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14332107/1/Febuwhump-Day-Twenty-Eight-No-Not-Like-This

https://www.wattpad.com/1425951071-the-bad-batch-one-shot-collection-febuwhump-day

#star wars #star wars fanfiction #fanfiction #the bad batch #febuwhump #febuwhump 2024 #febuwhump day twenty eight #day 28 #day twenty eight #febuwhump day 28 #hunter #omega #crosshair #hunter and omega #angst #hurt/comfort #family #no not like this

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arecaceae175 · 1 year

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Febuwhump Day 28: "You're safe now" (Hyrule)

AO3 link. Warnings: discussion of blood and injury, a bit of panic

This is the final continuation of Hyrule's storyline!!! It takes place before yesterday's chapter and after the rescue. @wildsage00 I hope you've enjoyed your birthday surprise :D

I'll add the links tomorrow it's LATE

Sky, Legend, and Four were able to get Hyrule away from the monsters and back to their camp. The others arrived soon after, clothes singed and covered in soot.

“The vet said to be sure we burn everything,” Wild explained with a shrug. Sky glanced at Legend, but he just shook his head. Sky interpreted that to mean it wasn’t his information to tell.

After that it wasn’t long before Hyrule woke up, the potions having healed the worst of his internal damage. He jolted awake with a gasp, panic filling his eyes. Sky was ready, and quickly put himself in Hyrule’s line of sight.

“Hey, it’s okay, you’re safe,” Sky said. Hyrule’s wild eyes locked on Sky and Sky gave him a wobbly smile. “‘Rulie? Can you hear me?”

Hyrule blinked rapidly at Sky for a long moment, then Sky saw the panic in his expression multiply as the memories came rushing back. Hyrule grasped Sky’s outstretched arm with both hands.

“The blood, did you burn it? I can’t let them get it, I-” Hyrule’s voice was frantic and scratchy.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Sky said. “Wild said they burned everything, don’t worry.”

Hyrule sighed in relief and fell back onto his bedroll. He groaned in pain and his hands went to the deepest wound on his abdomen. “Good,” he whispered.

Curiosity burned within him, but Sky knew now was not the time to get his questions answered.

“Are there any towns nearby? You could use some proper medical care,” Sky suggested gently.

Hyrule immediately shook his head. “No towns. Potions will be fine.”

“Potions can only do so much, and it isn’t healthy to take a lot,” Sky said.

“Then the captain's medical training will be enough,” Hyrule argued. Sky furrowed his brow in confusion. Hyrule so rarely voiced his disagreement, especially with the older members of the chain. Sky glanced at Warriors, unsure of what to do.

“ Basic field medic training,” Warriors corrected. “We can��t be that far from a town, surely-”

“Please,” Hyrule whispered. His voice was rough and scratchy, and his eyes were half-lidded. “There’s a cave nearby, I want to go there.”

“That doesn’t sound very secure,” Warriors argued, crossing his arms.

“It’s safe,” Hyrule said. “I can’t-” He broke off, eyes dropping to the floor. His mouth was curled in a tight frown, and Sky swore he could see the emotions flashing through Hyrule’s eyes.

“Let’s get moving, then,” Legend said. He stood up, brushed off his pants, and slung his pack over his shoulder. Hyrule stared at him with wide eyes.

“If we don’t go now we won’t reach the cave before dark,” Legend said.

Hyrule visibly deflated, then winced as the movements pulled on his injuries. Sky nudged Hyrule where he was curled up against Sky’s side.

“You lost a lot of blood. You probably shouldn’t be walking,” Sky said in a low voice. Hyrule sighed, but nodded his agreement. That alone showed how bad he felt; none of them were that easily persuaded to accept help unless they knew without a doubt they wouldn’t make the trip. Sky called Twilight over and he kneeled to let Hyrule cling to his back.

The walk was short, but Sky still expected Hyrule to lose the battle to sleep on their way. He remained awake, though, vigilant eyes scanning the forest. The other heroes either had a hand on their weapons or had their swords already drawn. Sky knew none of them would let anything get close to Hyrule.

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baubeautyandthegeek · 1 year

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Someone To Come Home To - Alex Eames/Paula Gyson

A/N: Last day of @febuwhump.

^ Gif by @notsosecretlyalesbian

“You’re safe now…” Three words. They shouldn’t have meant as much as they did but then Alex had been struggling with memories for months. She needed time, still, to adjust. She had been changed by what happened in ways she still didn’t understand. Still, she was safe, she was home, she was going to be okay, one day. Somehow. Paula’s voice is quiet when she repeats the words and Alex breathes out a sigh, allowing herself to settle at Paula’s side, barely hiding her whimper when Paula’s fingers stroke tears from her cheek, leaning into the touch. She’d been struggling for a while with this but the more she spent time with Paula, the safer she felt. She would be okay. Soon.

#law & order criminal intent #law and order: criminal intent #alex eames #paula gyson #alex/paula #paula/alex #febuwhump #febuwhump2023 #febuwhump day 28

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fletcherwilbury · 15 days

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@febuwhump Day 28: "No... not like this..."

Warning for Injury, blood, weapons, broken bones, illness, fever, overworking, medical procedures, medication

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smilesrobotlover · 1 year

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Febuwhump day 28: “you’re safe now”

This is two days late I friggin hate myself man. Anyways I ended up rewriting the entire thing cuz the first draft was kinda friggin awful. I like this version soooo much better so yaaay. It’s not super good but whatever. Sorry to make y’all wait.

Also, WARNING: there’s a dead hand. I know that’s triggering for some people so beware.

The Creature at the Bottom of the Cave

The island that all the Links were sent to was an interesting place to say the least. It looked like any other island, with normal forests, lakes, and a nice beach, but there was something uncanny about the place that made everything feel wrong. Time noticed it as soon as he was pulled into the portal, thrusted into the world that, on the surface, looked perfectly normal. But when he noticed the lack of animals, that’s when he realized that the island was a twisted reality created by the one who brought them all here. It was not a world that they could live and survive in. The others had noticed the strange emptiness as well, and Time would find one of them looking in strange places, areas that weren’t yet “complete” or were unnatural. It gave him the creeps of course, and some of the weird things he himself would find would cause him to dissociate. He hated this place and just wanted to return to Lon Lon Ranch with his wife where it felt real. But he would always wake up every morning to find that he was still in this strange world with the others.

One of these strange occurrences happened in a cave. Time noticed his brother, Warriors, staring at the cave near where they set up camp. Time walked up to him and glanced at it, but it just looked like a normal cave to him.

“What is it?” Time asked Warriors, who was glaring ahead.

“I’m not sure. There’s something weird about that cave over there,” he mumbled, Time having to lean in to hear him.

Time frowned and looked at the cave again, Warrior’s ominous attitude starting to make him uncomfortable. There wouldn’t be any bears or animals in there, so it wasn’t a threat in that sense, but a monster could be camping out in there. Time walked over to the mouth of the cave and turned on his lantern, feeling Warriors close behind him. As soon as Time entered it, he noticed a hole right in the center. It was perfectly circular, big enough for Time to crawl through.

“Now what could’ve made this?” Time muttered to himself, and Warriors dropped to his knees, looking into the dark hole.

“You think it homes a monster?” Warriors asked him, but Time shrugged. It could just be a weird glitch in this world, a hole with no reason. But if it was a monster…

“We should check it out,” Time offered, “If it is a monster, then we can’t let it stay here. I don’t think the boys have the strength to keep traveling where it is safe.”

Warriors nodded and grabbed a small rock, dropping it into the hole. They both listened and after 30 seconds, they heard it land. Warriors pursed his lips and looked up at Time nervously.

“So, I suppose we should head down there?”

Time gave him a sympathetic look. “You don’t have to come Warriors, I know how much you hate tight spaces.”

“No. I’m not letting you go alone, little leaf.”

“You can get someone else to come with me, like Twi.”

“As if Twi could fit in there. Just go, I’ll be right behind you.”

Time smiled slightly and began to crawl into the mysterious hole in the ground. The climb down wasn’t too terrible, it was just a tight fit, but the more he climbed down, the more nervous he got. This whole thing was reminding him too much of the well in Kakariko village. He never knew what to expect in places tucked away like this. When his feet finally touched the ground, he brought up his lantern again and noticed that they were in a small, but big enough space. Warriors let out a sigh of relief when he reached the bottom, stretching out his arms.

“Hm, well there’s nothing here,” he noted, observing the walls around him.

“Darn, I was hoping we’d find some treasure,” Time said to lighten the mood, and Warriors shot him a smirk.

“I don’t think this world is kind enough to give us treasure.”

“You never know.”

Time watched Warriors look around and he sighed, relieved. This hole was probably just a random mistake in the island, perhaps incomplete or unknown by the creator. So they were safe to camp here without the fear of being ambushed by a moblin or something.

“Hey, Time, look at this.”

Time squinted at where Warriors was kneeling. He couldn’t see anything from where he was standing so he walked over and saw that there was a crawlspace in the wall. It was large, large enough for a bokoblin to squeeze through. He sighed, this time annoyed. Guess they weren’t safe just yet.

“I’ll crawl through and tell you what I find,” Time said, getting on his knees and beginning to move through the hole.

“Hey, wait–” Warriors stopped him, “I’m not letting you crawl in there by yourself.”

“If there’s treasure in there, I wanna keep it for myself,” Time teased, smiling at him, but Warriors didn’t smile back. “Ok fine, I’ll share some of it with you, now will you let me go?”

Warriors rolled his eyes. “You know, you’re older than me now, but it feels like you haven’t grown up at all.”

Time grinned and began to crawl through the hole, the only guide being his lantern. It didn’t take long for him to reach the end, and he found himself in another room. It was pitch black, not even his lantern showed much of what the cave had to offer. He felt his heart beating harshly against his chest, and the only sound he heard was his own breathing. He didn’t move, afraid that if he did, something would pop out and attack him. He tied his lantern to his belt and brought out his ocarina. He didn’t know if there were redeads in here, but he wasn’t gonna explore this place with his dim light. He brought the ocarina to his lips and softly played the sun song, staring out into the darkness. When the cave brightened, Time felt his heart drop when he saw a thin, bony hand sitting still above the ground.

“Time?”

He barely heard Warriors call after him over the sound of the blood rushing through his ears. Fear had such a strong grip on him that he couldn’t find himself to move, afraid that if he did, something would grab him.

“Time, what's over there?”

Time swallowed hard and shifted closer to the wall.

“D-dea–dead han–,” was all he could muster out before he heard the ground rip from beneath him, and a hand reached for his throat. Time let out a strangled cry as he was held in place, the sickening sound of bones popping as the dead hand crawled above the ground being the only thing he could hear. From the corner of his eye, he saw the thing that has plagued his nightmares ever since he was a kid. The dead hand, its long neck stretched towards the ceiling as it squirmed through the ground, moving closer and closer to him. Time tried to throw himself out of the monster’s grip, but he couldn’t escape from it. The panic overwhelmed him as it got close enough for it to take a fatal bite out of him. He felt his knees weaken as he came face to face with it. Its sunken eyes, its long face, its human teeth was all that Time could see as it unhinged its jaw open, but before it could close down on him, something hit it harshly, causing it to retreat into the ground, letting go of Time.

He fell to the ground, gasping for breath as he felt Warriors grab onto him.

“Time! Come on get up!”

Time rubbed his bruised neck and watched as the dead hand buried itself into the ground while several hands started to claw their way out of it. He glared ahead and buried his fear within him. He’s fought this thing twice, he wasn’t going to let it get the best of him now. He stood up and grabbed Warrior’s shoulder.

“Don’t let the hands grab you, and aim for its head,” was all he said before running to the center of the room. He dodged a hand that swiped at him and he cut it down, aiming for the other. He was almost done cutting down all the hands in the room, until he heard one shoot out of the ground. He yelped as it grabbed onto his ankle, and with him held in one place, several more of the hands popped out of the ground, pinning him against the wall. They grabbed his legs, his arms, his torso, his neck, his hair, his face. He gritted his teeth as he heard the dead hand emerge from the ground again, and he squeezed his eye shut, trying to break free from the hands, but to no avail. He heard Warriors give a shout and he opened his eye to see Warriors in the same predicament. Hands were all over him, pinning his arms to his sides, wrapped around his neck, and pulling his hair so he was facing the ceiling. He was trying to break free as the dead hand moved its way over to him, and Time’s heart sank when he saw the raw fear in his brother’s eyes.

He couldn’t watch his brother die, not like this. Not when he couldn’t do anything to save him. Time gritted his teeth, and the desire to protect Warriors overwhelmed him. Though Warriors was younger than him now, he was still his big brother. He always was.

Time screamed as he pushed himself against the wall, doing a spin attack to slice the hands on him. He landed on the ground and sprinted towards the dead hand and Warriors, ripping some hands out of the ground as he ran. Just before the dead hand could take a bite out of Warriors, Time jumped in front and sliced its jaw. It let out a cry and went to retreat into the ground but Time wouldn’t let it run away again. He lunged towards the monster and stabbed it straight through its skull. The dead hand sputtered out blood and dropped to the ground, and Time stabbed it again, just to make sure it was dead. He pulled his sword out of it and stabbed it again, and again, and again. He was on his knees, stabbing the thing over and over again until its face no longer looked like a face. He didn’t stop until he felt something touch his shoulder, causing him to flinch and swinging his sword behind him. He assumed it was the hands grabbing at him, but he heard the sound of metal colliding with itself. He came back to reality when he saw Warriors holding up his sword against his own. Warriors had a horrified expression on his face, his hair was a mess, and some of his clothes looked to be ripped up. Time pulled back and stared up at Warriors, wanting to immediately apologize, wanting to ask if he was ok, but no sound came out of his mouth. Warriors gently kneeled at his side and reached for his shoulder again.

“Time… it’s ok… we’re safe now,” he whispered. Time blinked his eye hard and felt some tears spill out. Has he been crying this whole time?

Warriors rubbed his back gently and Time let out a shaky sigh.

“We’re safe now,” Warriors repeated, his voice quivering, “we should head back. Don’t want to worry the others, yeah?”

Time nodded and Warriors stood up, offering him his hand. He stared at Warrior’s outstretched hand for a long moment, not comprehending that he should grab it. Warriors reached down and grabbed his arm instead, tugging him slightly, which caused Time to finally stand up. He gave one last look at the barely recognizable dead hand, before letting Warriors nudge him back to the crawlspace.

#link between links #lbl time #lbl warriors #smiles writes #i know it’s ‘you’re safe now’ but I had to change it to ‘we’#also I think I’m just gonna post the rest of them randomly #not gonna stress myself out over these #I’m just glad to be done #dead hand #febuwhump 2023 #febuwhump #day 28 you’re safe now

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skyward-floored · 1 year

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Febuwhump day 28 - you’re safe now

So the words “you’re safe now” aren’t exactly said but the vibes are there okay

Anyways LAST DAY (...a day late shh) for a decision on a whim, the second half of this month has been pretty fun! Thanks to everyone who’s come along for the (short) ride, it means a lot to me that anyone has liked these fics for my little au at all 😊

This is a part two to day 18! I highly suggest reading that one first.

Day 18

Courage of ages explanation

————————————————————

When Gloam came sprinting back into the cave where they’d all sheltered from the blizzard only fifteen minutes after he’d left, Windy had been surprised, and relieved he must have found Spirit so fast.

But the moment was short-lived, and gone the moment he caught sight of the engineer lying frozen in his arms.

The (truly too small for thirteen people) cave burst into movement once they all realized what was going on, Gloam kneeling down and shouting for assistance. Windy rushed forward as the others began gathering supplies, Slate saying something about an elixir that could help, Hue offering his fire gloves and Light was muttering something about a fire rod as he rummaged quickly through his pouch.

Hibiscus was already kneeling next to Spirit as Windy reached his side, peeling off his gloves and wincing at the waxy-colored fingers underneath.

“His clothes are wet and only making him colder, we need to get them off,” he quickly instructed, and Windy began helping Gloam peel off the equally freezing clothes. Once they’d finished, Windy grabbed a spare tunic he owned and they pulled him into that, then wrapped Spirit tight in a blanket, the boy still unmoving.

“It’s a good thing he was wearing gloves, his frostbite would be much worse otherwise,” Hibiscus murmured as he gently held his hands, checking his toes as well. “Our biggest concern is warming him up overall though, he’s freezing...”

Windy didn’t wait for another word, plopping himself down next to Spirit and leaning against him, wincing a little at the temperature of his skin.

He didn’t have all that much experience with the cold, only ever visiting an island or two where the temperature was uncomfortably chilly. He hadn’t even known what snow was for a long time, and while he could see its potential, wasn’t particularly fond of it.

Especially now that it had frozen his successor nearly solid.

“Windy, hug him more, you’ll give him more heat,” Hue said, coming up and pressing himself onto Spirit’s other side. “He’ll warm up faster.”

“How do you know that?” Hibiscus said interestedly as Windy did what he said. Hue smiled grimly.

”Hypothermia is an old friend.”

Windy pulled the blanket he was in around Spirit, tucking him closer against his side. Little trembles began to shake through the engineer as Light and Kaleidoscope settled themselves up to him as well, and soon full-on shivers were wracking through him, making Windy’s worry only grow.

“That’s good, believe it or not,” Hibiscus said, wrapping an offered fire rod in a blanket before tucking it into their midst. “Means he’s warmed up enough to shiver.”

“Can’t we just set him right next to the fire and get him warm?” Windy asked, brushing a hand across the engineer’s brow. His hair had ice crystals frozen in it. “Or hand him a fire rod, that would be faster right?”

“Yeah, but we can’t warm him up that fast,” Hue said with a shake of his head. “We have to do it slowly, it’s bad if you don’t.”

“He’s right, unfortunately that’s how it goes,” Hibiscus sighed. He leaned back after several minutes of tending to Spirit’s frostbite, looking annoyed at himself. “I’ve done all I can. We have to keep him warm, and we’ll wait until he wakes up to figure out what to do next.”

If he wakes up, Windy couldn’t help but worry, looking down at Spirit.

His lips still looked blue, ice melting in his hair and sending small trickles of water down his face. He was shivering almost uncontrollably, and Windy pulled him closer, wiping the water off his head. He was rather cold himself; the cave’s entrance may have been out of the wind, but an occasional gust blew in, and Slate’s well, slate, had registered the temperature as well below zero, but Spirit was much worse. He wasn’t sure how the younger boy was even alive.

He’d been all alone out there, how had he made it?

Windy sighed and shook off his thoughts, running a hand through Spirit’s hair.

More heroes joined their huddle as time went on, almost everyone settled around Spirit in some way. Windy was closest obviously, but Hue and Light were right next to him, Kaleidoscope not far off. Mini and Sprite were settled close by as well, adding to the warmth, and Cloud was slowly coaxing Brownie into sitting with the rest of them.

A few of them weren’t in the pile; Slate was cooking and tending the fire still, Hibiscus talking quietly to him, and Gloam was keeping watch in his wolf form by the entrance. But everyone else was piled around Spirit, even Era was near the edge with a blanket.

Despite the crummy circumstances, Windy couldn’t help but smile a bit, tucking Spirit up close and letting the both of them be warmed by the heat.

(...)

Windy woke up some time later to a quiet murmuring next to him.

He immediately looked over, feeling a wave of relief at the sight of Spirit’s eyes open. The engineer was still shivering a little, but the violent shaking had slowed a considerable amount, and his lips didn’t look nearly as blue.

He was currently staring at what seemed to just be an empty part of the wall, and whispering something that Windy could barely make out. The sailor leaned closer, but he still couldn’t make out what exactly he was saying, catching only a few words.

Then the engineer stopped, and smiled just a little.

“N-not your f-fault...” Spirit whispered, and a small breeze ruffled the engineer’s hair. Windy almost thought he saw him lean into an invisible touch, and started to wonder if he was delirious. Did hypothermia make people delirious?

“Spirit?” he ventured quietly, and the smaller boy startled and looked over at him.

Windy smiled, and Spirit returned it, though it wasn’t very big.

“Glad to see you awake,” Windy said happily, ignoring the bit of worry that remained. “How‘re you feeling mate? You’ve had a rough time the past couple hours.”

Spirit closed his eyes at the question, looking very small in his pile of blankets.

“Kinda l-like I got punched by a s-sir frosty,” he mumbled, and Windy couldn’t help his bark of laughter.

“I don’t have those, are they really so bad?” he teased, and Spirit weakly rolled his eyes.

“They’re t-terrible. They th-throw their heads at my train,” he grumbled quietly. “At l-least I don’t u-usually see them when I’m j-just walking around. It’s m-mostly wolfos...”

He trailed off, then shivered a little more violently.

“I s-saw some out there at one p-point,” he whispered. “They w-were different than m-mine, all wispy and creepy, and g-glowing eyes... Fir... um, they got scared off, but th-they could follow my scent...”

He looked suddenly dismayed, and tried to sit up.

“I might have led them r-right here! I—”

“Whoa, calm down there Dove, that’s the last thing you should be worrying about right now,” Windy stopped him, giving him a gentle flick on the nose. “You were nearly frozen solid, you wouldn’t be fighting even if any did follow you. take it easy.”

“But sir—“

“Look, even if they do, we’ve got nothing to worry about,” Windy said confidently. “We’ve got a pretty good defensive situation here. And thirteen heroes. A couple of dumb wolves are nothing against all of us!”

Gloam shot him a look from the cave entrance, and Windy coughed into his arm.

“...dumb wolfos that is. Not regular wolves. They’re not dumb.”

Spirit smiled a little at the exchange, and shivered again.

Windy pulled him up next to him, fixing the blankets that had been knocked askew at some point. Spirit sighed and relaxed against him, still shivering on and off, but looking much better.

“You don’t need to worry about it Dove. All you need to be focusing on is getting warmed up, alright? We’ll take care of any problems for now. You’re safe.”

“Alright,” Spirit mumbled, looking a little embarrassed.

Windy smiled at him, giving his hair a fond ruffle, then settled back down into the warm pile of heroes, not even caring that Light’s knee was poking him in the back or that Hue’s head was where he wanted his to be. Spirit nestled up to him, and he sighed contentedly.

He felt pretty safe himself.

#legend of zelda #legend of zelda au #courage of ages #coa windy #coa spirit #coa first #yes he’s there #writing from the floor #febuwhump #febuwhump2023 #day 28 #you’re safe now #not SUPER happy with how this turned out?#but it’s okay I think #good enough #I had the anouki village music from st stuck in my head like the whole time I was writing this #go look it up for the vibes of that last paragraph or so

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bunsofhoney · 1 year

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Now I've Got That Feeling Once Again

@febuwhump day 28

(Wade)

. . .

“We’re going to have to do something about security here. You know, now that you have a nemesis who knows your identity."

“Uh, yeah. Actually, that’s been…freaking me out. A lot. I was in and out of sleep, but I kept waking up to noises with a jump. My spider-sense is going crazy. I just…I just don’t feel safe here now, you know?”

The poor kid looks really worried. I think “I don’t feel safe” hasn’t been in his vocabulary since he got spider-bitten. It’s not something he seems used to. And Scared Spidey is not something I’m used to, either. He sounds broken, and my brain goes into Tim the Tool Man mode - just make it better.

“Ok, ok. We’ll get that fixed ASAP, right? Bars, booby traps, a personal bodyguard standing outside, you name it. Or…or you could stay at my place? No, no, I’ll put you up in a hotel. Until you find a new apartment. Whatever you need, baby boy.” And if that doesn't work, or probably if it does too, or probably the first thing I'm going to do when I leave here, is find Warren and make sure he remembers all of this just as vividly and with as much pain as Peter.

“Yeah, sure, thanks…um. Could you…could you just stay here, with me, for a while?”

Excerpt from Ch 28 of The Bell Jar, or the one where Wade kidnaps Peter - an ongoing story that uses a prompt-a-day from @febuwhump

prompt: You're safe now

#last day whoooooo!#Never doing 28 days of posts in a row again #join me next month for #MarchFluffness #febuwhump2023 #febuwhump #febuwhumpday28 #completionist status #spideypool #spider-man #deadpool #my work #the bell jar boh

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hurtmyfavsthanks · 1 year

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Febuwhump day 28: “You’re safe now,”

Whumper popped their trunk open and peered down at their prize, unconscious and ignorant to the world around them.

They'd been watching Whumpee for months. Memorizing their schedule, taking note of their likes and dislikes, falling more and more in love with them the more they learned. It’d hurt to see Whumpee’s face creased with worry after they returned from work, the frustration as their bastard of an employer refused them the raise they so clearly deserved. Someone as perfect as Whumpee didn’t deserve to be burdened by such things, and so Whumper had to take them away.

It'd been so easy, a fact that made Whumper more sure of what they were doing. Whumpee hadn’t even noticed a strange taste to their leftovers, hadn’t even realized that the drowsiness they felt was anything more than exhaustion from their long shift. From where they’d hidden in Whumpee’s closet, Whumper watched as their beloved was pulled down, stumbling to bed with the coordination of a toddler. They’d collapsed before they reached their room.

And now Whumpee was theirs. They couldn't help but run a finger across their check, savoring the feeling of Whumpee's soft skin. Whumpee looked so utterly peaceful. Muscles slack as they lay curled in Whumper's trunk, the drugs in their system making restraints unnecessary. Those would come later, when Whumpee was scared and yet to realize Whumper wanted the best for them. But they’d understand soon enough.

Whumper leaned in close, shivering as their lips brushed against Whumpee's ear. "Don't worry, you're safe now. I'll never let anyone hurt you again."

#AAAAAAAAAAAAGH I DID IT #If i ever do this again i have GOT to write these in advance golly #this was fun!#febuwhump #febuwhump day 28 #drugged #intimate whumper #whumper #whumpee #whump #stalking

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serickswrites · 1 year

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Safe Now

Warnings: referenced captivity, referenced torture, collapse, unconsciousness, rescue, hurt/aftermath, hurt/comfort, hurt/recovery

Whumpee jumped up as they heard the door to their room rattle open. The cast about for something, anything, that would help them fight off Whumper. The door creaked and Whumpee prepared to launch themself, a wild shout escaping their lips.

“Whumpee?” Came a voice that Whumpee thought they would never hear again.

“C-C-Caretaker?” Whumpee stopped in their tracks, their entire body as tense as ever.

“Oh Whumpee! You’re alive. I’m here. I’ve got you!” Caretaker rushed forward immediately going to embrace Whumpee.

And though Whumpee’s body hurt everywhere from what Whumper had done to them, they wanted nothing more than to sink into Caretaker’s arms. “Is...Is it really you?”

Caretaker scooped Whumpee into a tight hug. “It’s me. I’ve got you. You’re safe now, Whumpee.”

As Caretaker wrapped their arms around Whumpee, their words soft in Whumpee’s ear. Whumpee heaved a deep breath in, taking in Caretaker’s scent. Taking in the sense of security that Caretaker provided them. And taking in that they were finally safe and sound.

All of the tension drained from Whumpee’s body and they collapsed in Caretaker’s arms. “Whumpee?” Caretaker said more urgently as Whumpee flopped bonelessly in their arms. But Whumpee didn’t respond.

“Whumpee?” Caretaker pressed delicate fingers to Whumpee’s throat, breathing a sigh of relief at the steady thrum of Whumpee’s heart beat. They lifted Whumpee fully into their arms. Whumpee was safe. They had Whumpee. “Don’t worry, I’ve got you. You’re safe. I have you,” Caretaker murmured as they carried Whumpee from the room and to safety.

#serickswrites #whump #whumpblr #whump writing #whump community #tw referenced torture #tw referenced captivity #tw collapse #tw unconsciousness #rescue #hurt/comfort #hurt/recovery #hurt/aftermath #febuwhump 2023 #febuwhump day 28 #prompt: You're safe now #queue

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lady-wallace · 1 year

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Cigarettes and Old Letters (Chainsaw Man)

For @febuwhump Day 5 "That's gonna scar" and Day 28 "Survivor's Guilt

Just a little Aki angst for today's Febuwhump prompt. This story contains spoilers up to the point where the Chainsaw Man anime left off, so be aware of that if you aren't caught up.

~~~~~~~

In the aftermath of tragedy, Aki receives words of wisdom from an unlikely source.

~~~~~~~

Read on Ao3

Read on FF.net

~~~~~~~

Aki stared at the bag of letters for a long time. He had almost left them at the hospital when they had discharged him but, for some reason, the thought of abandoning them was worse than the thought of having them. Even if he could never bring himself to read all of them, having something close in Himeno's messy handwriting was somehow a small comfort.

At least he actually had something of hers. Unlike his family. There had been nothing left to salvage there.

Aki inhaled deeply, the healing wound in his chest aching from the action. He walked over to his bed decisively, shoving the letters underneath of it. He might never pull them out again, but they were there, all the same.

He glanced to his side table where he had left a half-empty pack of cigarettes. There was only a second's hesitation before he grabbed it, heading out to the balcony.

His thumb fumbled on the lighter, taking too long to ignite. It always seemed like Himeno could get it to go in one careless flick, with that same blasé attitude she showed toward most things.

The spark finally burst into a small flame and he leaned over to light the cigarette tucked between his lips. Then leaned further, resting his elbows on the railing wearily.

He was…tired couldn't even describe it. The type of exhaustion he felt couldn't be fixed by sleep. It was a bone weariness that came from an individual going through too much. Aki wondered if there was a limit to how much a person was allowed to survive before they simply collapsed under the burden. The universe angry at their continued persistence. Maybe that was why it kept trying to beat him down. After all, he'd survived longer than the majority of his peers, and he had also survived the Gun Devil when the rest of his family had been obliterated.

Maybe it was because his life was already dwindling away and the powers-that-be had decided it wasn't worth taking him out when he would be dead in two years anyway.

The feeling of simply wanting to sink to the ground and stay there until his time ran out was strong, pulling at him. But he couldn't allow himself that surrender yet. He had a duty, and Himeno…. Well, if she knew what he was thinking, she would have kicked him in the ass and told him he was an idiot.

He pulled the cigarette from his lips and watched the end smolder. He tried to straighten up a little, but his injury caught and he let out a breathless gasp, pressing his hand to his chest as he curled back over the railing.

"That's probably gonna scar."

Aki wasn't proud that he jumped slightly at the sudden voice. He'd almost forgotten Denji and Power were even home, they had been so quiet.

"Does it hurt?" Denji asked, stepping up to the railing.

Aki grunted. "Yeah," he muttered, because obviously it hurt. The appearance of Denji, however, provided him with enough strength to straighten up, taking another pull on the cigarette before he asked, "You need something?"

Denji leaned against the railing, arms folded on top. "There isn't any food in the kitchen."

Aki felt an irrational anger welling up inside of him. Of course that's what the bastard was worried about.

"The convenience store down the street is still open," he gritted out, stubbing out the first cigarette and reaching for another.

Denji pushed himself up slightly, taking a step back, hands still on the railing as he asked, "You want anything?"

Aki shook his head and started to light the second cigarette. The damn thing just wouldn't work. He flicked the lighter hard with his thumb, the growing anger making it more difficult.

That was when Denji sighed and leaned back against the railing. "I may not feel things the same way you do but…I'm sorry."

Aki paused briefly, surprised. But still, that feeling of rage continued to well up inside of him. "How's that supposed to help?" he grunted around the cigarette.

Denji shrugged. "Just thought that's what people were supposed to say. You know, when people die. I know they were your friends."

A spark, but the flame couldn't sustain itself and flickered out.

"She liked you, you know. Himeno."

Aki yanked the cigarette from between his lips and simply threw the lighter off into the night, not caring where it might land. He caught himself on his arms; the railing the only thing keeping him from completely crashing to the ground.

It was a long moment before he spoke again, and Denji still hadn't left. "She always…she always thought she got people killed. Acted like it was some kind of curse. But in the end, it's me who's cursed. It's always me."

He felt Denji's eyes on him and both of them were silent for a long time. "You liked her too," the younger man finally said.

"Shut up," Aki said in a strangled voice, blinking back the wetness that was threatening in the corners of his eyes. He knew she had liked him. Had read it clear as day in the handful of letters he had been able to stomach. The ones he had been able to read before her familiar handwriting had started to swim too much for him to see anymore.

And maybe he had liked her too, but he had guarded himself for too long, been too precious with his feelings, knowing how much loss hurt. And who had been the one to mellow out the surly delinquent who had turned to devil hunting for revenge? Who had always been the one to balance him? Did Himeno know he cared for her, or did she sacrifice herself in some act of unrequited love? How could she have known, when Aki hadn't even known himself? When he had, for some reason, only had eyes for Makima, even though he had known nothing would ever come of that. He should have been looking closer. And now it was too late for regrets.

His whole life was regrets. Only able to see how much he cared for those around him after they were gone. Maybe that was the true nuance of his curse. Take happiness away from Aki Hiyakawa, but only after he knows what he's missing.

He didn't know why, but he turned to Denji in that moment, trying to harden his features again. "You know, if you and Power were smart, you'd just quit."

Denji stared at him incredulously. "I didn't think we could."

Aki snarled at him. "If you do, I won't tell."

"What the hell has gotten into you?" Denji asked, scratching his head. "I mean, I know a lot of people died, but you're still alive, right? Isn't that something to be grateful for?"

That, again, stopped Aki. Was it? Was it really? How could he really be grateful for being left alive after everyone he had worked with, everyone he had risked his life to protect in battle, was dead. Didn't that make him a coward?

"You haven't been in this life long, so maybe you don't get it," Aki said, but even then, he wasn't entirely sure what he was accusing Denji of not understanding.

The younger man pursed his lips. "Yeah, I don't know, man, maybe it's you who doesn't get it. I mean—up until a couple months ago, I didn't even know if I would be able to eat every day. But even then, I was still grateful I was alive. It's like, I don't know, the universe or whatever still thought I was worth existing. You don't think that at least is something to be grateful for?"

Aki just stared at him. How the hell could this idiot sometimes say things that actually made a bit of sense?

He straightened up, able to hold his shoulders a little higher. "Maybe you're right. But if you stick around, don't be mad if I end up getting you killed."

"Thought we were supposed to be a team," Denji pointed out. "Look, you and Power—before, I never really had anyone I could count on aside from Pochita. As long as I'm not the only one who has to look out for me, then I'm good, you know?"

The last vestiges of anger dissipated, and Aki's shoulders slumped. He exhaled slowly and reached into his pocket, pulling out his wallet. He handed some money to Denji.

"Go buy some food," he said.

The blond grinned happily and shoved the money into his pocket. "Sure thing."

He headed inside the apartment when Aki called him back.

"Denji."

"Huh? You want me to get you something?"

Aki glanced over his shoulder. "No. Just…thanks."

Denji furrowed his brow as if he wasn't entirely sure what he was being thanked for, then simply shrugged. "I'll buy you a new lighter."

Then he was gone, calling for Power to go to the store with him, and Aki was actually left alone this time.

He wasn't sure he could say he felt better but somehow Denji's words had helped him put things into perspective. Maybe he still had a duty to fulfill. And maybe that was okay.

Tomorrow, he would be making a new contract, and whatever came of that, he decided that he would put his best foot forward like Himeno would have wanted him to do.

He stared down at the cigarette he was still holding and silently tucked it back into the box for the moment.

Living one day at a time was the only thing you could do when you weren't sure whether you would make it to see the next sunrise. Maybe Denji was right and that life itself was something to be grateful for.

Aki turned around and headed back into the apartment. He decided that he would try keeping that in mind more often.

#febuwhump2023 #febuwhump day 28 #febuwhump day 5 #chainsaw man #fanfiction #aki hayakawa #denji #aki and denji #friendship #angst #grief #survivor's guilt #csm fanfic #whump #emotional whump

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