allthewhumpygoodness

[allthewhumpygoodness]

I love a person at the height of a bad cold, but I also love the early stages of a cold, when the person isn’t quite sure if they’re getting sick. They know they feel off and uncomfortable, but they don’t think too much of it yet

The little rippling chills that have them putting on layers and getting shivery, even in a sweater

The dry throat and the odd swollen feeling between their nose and throat that makes swallowing thick and uncomfortable, so they drink more water, thinking maybe they’re just dehydrated

Feeling exhausted and vaguely feverish (with or without an actual fever) and thinking they’ve just had a stressful week and a good night’s sleep will fix them

Thinking their aches are from sitting too long, so they move around and it doesn’t help

Getting a hot drink that doesn’t do much to warm them up but makes them sniffly

The stray coughs and sneezes that happen a little more often throughout the day or two before it really hits

The uncertainty and the way they’re just trying to get through the day or whatever obligation they have because they think that if they just get a break, it’ll be alright. When they finally do get a minute, the cold hits full force

[allthewhumpygoodness]

When someone is feverish and dozing somewhere that isn’t necessarily private, so they keep getting roused from their slumber by other people going about their lives in the vicinity. Every now and then someone stops ask them how they’re feeling or take their temperature, to which they respond by rolling over with a groan and drifting back into a restless sleep.

[allthewhumpygoodness]

An injured character wakes up and is initially confused as to why a limb is so stiff or heavy or they can't open an eye or move an appendage, not realising what they're feeling is bandages or a splint or sling or cast, forgetting their injury in the haze of first awakening or lingering delirium or confusion of bloodloss.

[allthewhumpygoodness]

Persistent Cough

Sicktember 2021 - Day 2

It had seemed like A was getting better by the time they left. But when they came back it was a different story. The dry cough they’d started to shake had instead moved deeper down their chest. The light sniffles had been exchanged for completely blocked up sinuses, and their body was wracked with chills.

*cough* *cough cough* snxxx…guh *cough*

The telltale sounds of illness reached B in the kitchen. They frowned. A had woken up. They’d hoped A would be able to sleep a little longer.

It had started with a tickle in A’s throat two weeks ago. The tickle turned into a cough, accompanying the massive head cold they were coming down with.

And it might not have gotten any worse, had A not insisted on going on the stupid camping trip last weekend, B thought. B said it wasn’t a good idea, but A promised that they were feeling better, that this had been planned for months, and they were driving and didn’t want to let the others down.

Well. A was a grownup and could make decisions for themselves, no matter how ill-advised. And their partner B sure thought this trip was ill-advised. But there wasn’t much they could do about it.

It had seemed like A was getting better by the time they left. But when they came back it was a different story. The dry cough they’d started to shake had instead moved deeper down their chest, the light sniffles had been exchanged for completely blocked up sinuses, and their body was wracked with chills.

B shook their head in frustration. It was so unnecessary. They weren’t sure if they were more angry with A for leaving, or with themself for not fighting harder to convince A to stay at home.

But when B got up from their make-shift desk at the kitchen table and walked over to the living room and saw A, all anger melted away. Left was just sympathy, along with a small but growing seed of worry.

A looked so tiny and frail as they lay there on the couch. Covered in blankets pulled tight to their body, propped up by pillows to help them breathe. It looked like they were being swallowed by it all.

The coughing which woke A up had subsided, but A was left awake, staring blankly into the room. They blinked slowly and then caught sight of B.

“Hey, love,” B said as they made their way to the sofa. “Think you can go back to sleep?” they continued while brushing away some stray hairs from A’s forehead. While there they gently pressed their palm to A’s forehead to feel for any change in the fever. It wasn’t down. Maybe even up a little. B’s brow knit in concern.

A didn’t respond, they just shook their head weakly.

B moved their hand down to cup A’s cheek and looked into their glassy eyes. “I don’t like this fever,” B said, more to themself than to A.

When A had come home it was clear they were running a fever. Since then it had gone up and down but never quite gone away.

A’s breath suddenly caught and they started coughing. It was a deep, chesty cough which made A lean forward with the force of it. B could only imagine how much it must hurt. They wished they could do something, anything to help alleviate the pain and make A feel better.

“There, there,” B whispered as they rubbed circles on A’s back until the coughing stopped.

A leaned back against the pillows, slightly out of breath. They swallowed thickly and winced at the pain in their throat. B noticed a tear rolling down A’s cheek. B carefully wiped it away.

“Oh, love… Is there anything I can get you? Anything at all.”

A looked at B for a few moments while trying to catch their breath.

“Could yo-,” A began but their voice gave out. They cleared their throat and tried again.

“Could you stay? In here? Please,” A finally managed in a gravelly voice.

B threw a quick glance towards the kitchen before looking back at A.

“Yes, of course,” they replied with a soft smile. “I’ve just got to fetch the laptop so I can finish an email, then I’m clocking out for today.”

“I can see that I am needed more urgently elsewhere,” B added, smiling properly now and winked at A.

A grinned back, but the moment passed when another coughing fit wracked their body.

B went out to the kitchen to fetch their laptop. But when they spotted the freezer they suddenly had an idea.

When B returned to the living room A had closed their eyes, but it was clear they weren’t sleeping.

“I’ve got something that might cheer you up,” said B with a mischievous grin.

“Oh yeah?” A rasped, looking up at B who was standing by A’s feet, laptop in one hand and the other hand hidden behind their back.

“You know how we keep some things around the house for when your nephew comes to visit?”

“Hmm…?” A wasn’t following.

“Well, I realised you might appreciate one of these right now.” B proudly held up what they’d been hiding behind their back. “A popsicle!” B announced triumphantly.

This was an unusual show of playfulness and theatrics from B, and it made A laugh. It was the best sound B had heard in days.

B smiled and handed the popsicle over to A. In a more serious tone they then continued.

“I thought it might be soothing do your throat.”

“Plus, I’m worried you’re not getting enough sustenance in you since you won���t eat much. That fever of yours keeps eating up all your energy reserves and we need to keep your strength up,” B added, sounding more severe than they had intended to.

“That thing,” B continued in a lighter tone, nodding towards the popsicle A was now enjoying, “is basically sugar water in solid form, so while it’s hardly nutritional it might at least give a small temporary energy boost.”

A’s mind was too foggy with fever to take in most of what B said. They just nodded and enjoyed the cooling and soothing effect of the popsicle on their raw and sore throat.

B sat on the edge of the couch and quickly fired off a few emails before putting the laptop away. By this time A had finished the ice pop and had burrowed down into their pillows again, pulling the blankets up to their neck.

A started coughing a bit again, but it wasn’t quite as harsh now as it had been, and the fit ended quicker.

B fetched the TV remote and while standing, leaned down and placed a soft kiss on A’s head. They then returned to the far end of the couch, gently lifting A’s feet and sitting down, putting A’s feet on their lap.

B turned on the TV on low volume and then slipped their hands below the blankets to give A a gentle and relaxing foot rub.

“Think you can sleep for a bit now?” B said quietly as A was watching the television with heavy-lidded eyes.

A nodded faintly. “Yeah I think so,” came a hoarse reply.

“Good.”

B knew this was far from over, but hearing A laugh had made them feel so much better. Even though they knew A’s condition was unchanged, the small burst of joy had somehow made everything seem a little brighter. Hopefully now A would be able to get some sleep, and with some luck they would feel better tomorrow.

And if not, there were plenty more popsicles where the first one came from.

[allthewhumpygoodness]

You all know I *love* big time sickfic with raging fevers and super worried caretakers and they're snowed in and it's Very Dramatic... but more gentle sickfic is iconic in its own way.

Because honestly t's great when a whumpee is sick enough to want to stay in bed but not *super* sick, just tired and achy and a little dazed, and they just look so pitifully confused and sad that the caretaker can't help but dote on them.

And maybe later their fever spikes making them considerably more miserable, they can't do much more than lie there breathing hard with their eyes half open. But Caretaker for once isn't too concerned, knowing their temperature isn't actually that dangerous and as long as they're kept hydrated they'll be fine. So they sit with Whumpee talking steadily and gently to them while holding a cold compress to their forehead in the hopes that it'll make them feel a little better.

But eventually their fever goes down and they finally roll over and go back to sleep, Caretaker staying by their side with one hand softly stroking their hair. And Whumpee sleeps through most of the rest of the day, only waking up halfway to drink when Caretaker gets them to. They don't need excessive treatment, just a lot of rest.

[allthewhumpygoodness]

Under the blanket, A curled tighter, shaking like a leaf as another chill rattled their body. B brushed sweat-dampened hair from their brow. "It's getting worse, isn't it?" C whispered. B didn't want to say it out loud - they weren't sure they could - but eventually they gave a small nod to C. A's fever showed no sign of breaking; B didn't know what else to do. A soft whimper escaped their chattering teeth "Shhh..." B kept stroking their hair until their breathing steadied, finally drifting off to sleep...

[allthewhumpygoodness]

based on the drabble prompt “i didn’t know it was this bad”

“Hey,” A groans, head pounding and muscles throbbing. “Can you grab me another blanket?”

B makes their way toward the couch where A is already nestled beneath a throw blanket and the comforter from their bed and presses a hand to their forehead. They wince, sympathetically sucking air in through their teeth.

“i don’t think so, honey,” B says apologetically. their eyes are sad as they push a stray lock of hair from A’s face. “You’re even hotter now than you were this morning. I want to take your temperature again, okay?”

A sighs but sits up, the room spinning a bit as they hear B gather supplies from the other room. They return with a damp washcloth, a small pill bottle, and a digital thermometer. They press a hand to A’s chest, gently ushering them to lean back against the cushions.

Taking A’s face in their hand, B gently pries their jaw open and slips the thermometer beneath their tongue. “Good job,” they murmur, placing the cloth against A’s sweaty forehead. They shudder violently, but don’t resist.

“I know, I know,” B reassures them. “I know it feels like you’re freezing, but it’ll help.”

A shudders again. The wet cloth is agonizing against their skin and the thermometer in their mouth is making them nauseous. It feels like it’s taking forever to read as the probe slowly heats up beneath A’s tongue.

B’s eyes are locked on the numbers as they slowly ascend.

As if on cue, the thermometer sounds in loud, angry trills that pierce through A’s throbbing skull. Though they’ve closed their eyes, flashes of red still infiltrate their field of vision with every beep.

B takes in a sharp breath as they pull the thermometer from A’s lips, rapidly feeling their face, neck and chest in succession.

“Fuck,” they mutter, tossing the thermometer to the side. A wills their eyes to focus on the reading, and it takes a moment for their body to cooperate, but eventually they see the reading glaring back at them.

104.2.

“Shit,” B curses again, planting a kiss on A’s boiling temple. “I didn’t know it was this bad.”

[allthewhumpygoodness]

Fevers

Whumpees with aching eyes, too tired to keep open yet too sore to close, even the lightest pressure of their eyelids too much

Whumpee who's too weak and dizzy to do anything at all but lie in bed completely still, sweating through their blankets only to immediately start shivering after clumsily throwing them off

Whumpees with dry mouths, dry lips

The corners of their room are more shadowy than they should be, and they're too exhausted to bother to get up and see what's in there. The Hat Man will have to just wait his turn.

Strong enough to get out of bed but being so, so out of it. Caretaker finding them standing swaying in a doorway, pale as death, clearly seeing something that isn't there

Everything seems to be flickering. The air buzzes. Their skin prickles.

Getting to sleep is hard, because their mind is restless and racing. Once they're asleep though, they're down for the count

Chattering teeth. Their bones must be rattling, for how much they ache

[allthewhumpygoodness]

The in-between spaces:

Not in terrible pain, but not comfortable either, moving gingerly and unable to find a position that actually feels good

Not so bad that they can't focus on anything else, but still persistently nagging enough that they can't ignore it or forget about it either

No longer acutely ill or gravely injured, but not really "well" yet either, still fragile and not back to their full strength

Not incapacitated by an injury or condition, but not perfectly capable either, able to do some things just like anyone else but in other things facing additional struggles or needing to take extra caution

Not permanently life-altering, but not "you'll be fine in a few weeks" either, facing unknown months or years of gradual and frustratingly unpredictable recovery

[allthewhumpygoodness]

Fevers

Whumpees with aching eyes, too tired to keep open yet too sore to close, even the lightest pressure of their eyelids too much

Whumpee who's too weak and dizzy to do anything at all but lie in bed completely still, sweating through their blankets only to immediately start shivering after clumsily throwing them off

Whumpees with dry mouths, dry lips

The corners of their room are more shadowy than they should be, and they're too exhausted to bother to get up and see what's in there. The Hat Man will have to just wait his turn.

Strong enough to get out of bed but being so, so out of it. Caretaker finding them standing swaying in a doorway, pale as death, clearly seeing something that isn't there

Everything seems to be flickering. The air buzzes. Their skin prickles.

Getting to sleep is hard, because their mind is restless and racing. Once they're asleep though, they're down for the count

Chattering teeth. Their bones must be rattling, for how much they ache

[allthewhumpygoodness]

something about a caretaker undressing their sickee always gets me. like, i don’t know. how vulnerable do you have to be to let someone take your clothes off? i mean this in the sweetest, non-lascivious way. his fever made him sweat through his shirt and he’s too delirious and/or weak to take it off himself, but caretaker sees him in his damp mess and is compelled to take matters into their own hands.

they’ve bled through their day clothes and are too pained to even move an inch, so caretaker will help them into something fresh.

like that. That’s what i mean.

[allthewhumpygoodness]

Headache or stomachache / Stoic or dramatic when sick / Field medicine or hospital / Competent or just-trying-their-best caretaker /Blanket over sick person or carrying them to bed / Stumbling over their steps or slurring their words / Trusting or distrustful when sick / panicking sick person or panicking caretaker / sick while at the mercy of the elements or while stuck indoors / cooking for the sick person or helping them clean themselves up

This or that: sickfic edition (part 2!)

Headache or stomachache / Stoic or dramatic when sick / Field medicine or hospital / Competent or just-trying-their-best caretaker /Blanket over sick person or carrying them to bed / Stumbling over their steps or slurring their words / Trusting or distrustful when sick / panicking sick person or panicking caretaker / sick while at the mercy of the elements or while stuck indoors / cooking for the sick person or helping them clean themselves up

Part 1 here

[allthewhumpygoodness]

Fever nightmares or fever confessions / angry about being sick or in denial about it / craving physical touch when sick or rejecting it. / Delirium or passing out / cold compress or ice bath / persistent cough or sore throat / multiple caretakers or multiple sick characters / hand to forehead or mouth thermometer / "You're burning up" or "Are you okay?" / Dizziness or pale face / overheating or hypothermia / sick at a formal event or sick during important activity / enemy caretaker or crush caretaker / caught in the rain or caught in a blizzard

This or that: sickfic tropes I enjoy edition

Fever nightmares or fever confessions / angry about being sick or in denial about it / craving physical touch when sick or rejecting it. / Delirium or passing out / cold compress or ice bath / persistent cough or sore throat / multiple caretakers or multiple sick characters / hand to forehead or mouth thermometer / "You're burning up" or "Are you okay?" / Dizziness or pale face / overheating or hypothermia / sick at a formal event or sick during important activity / enemy caretaker or crush caretaker / caught in the rain or caught in a blizzard

[allthewhumpygoodness]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Sore throats

When it starts out as a subtle tickle at the back of their throat and their heart sinks because they just know

Throats too sore to swallow

Coughs paired with sore throats, each fit is more painful than the last

When the pain spreads back into their ears and swallowing or talking makes it all hurt so much they can't tell where the pain is coming from anymore

Likewise, that weird ache you get under your jaw that comes with it that reaches to the spots under your ears

Losing their voice

Paired with a fever. Why is their throat so hot?

you get the idea

[allthewhumpygoodness]

It's so funny to me that the term "whump" can easily mean anything from "this character has a cold 😦 but here's another character taking care of him 🙂" all the way over to "this character is being viciously tortured to death" and sometimes those two creators are following each other.

[allthewhumpygoodness]

Sore throats

When it starts out as a subtle tickle at the back of their throat and their heart sinks because they just know

Throats too sore to swallow

Coughs paired with sore throats, each fit is more painful than the last

When the pain spreads back into their ears and swallowing or talking makes it all hurt so much they can't tell where the pain is coming from anymore

Likewise, that weird ache you get under your jaw that comes with it that reaches to the spots under your ears

Losing their voice

Paired with a fever. Why is their throat so hot?

you get the idea

[allthewhumpygoodness]

(Tumblr froze the first time I wrote this so sorry if ur getting it twice)

I just finished a book that was the most warmblanketwhump ever. Like.

Character A is shoot by an arrow (high fantasy) and walks for days in the snow only to pass out on character B's doorstep. Character B is actually an old friend of A's, but neither recognize the other immediately.

Cue a week of character B tending the arrow wound/infection/fevers while A is delirious and ill. A is also dealing with emotional whump and keeps apologizing to B.

THEN! After A is recovered they go on a quest in the wintery mountains! Where we find that because B isn't entirely human, they are always colder and chilled. So A and B cuddle like??? Every night? And then B falls ill with a mysterious fever "your hand is warm!! Youre always chilled! Always!" so now A is super worried about them.

BUT!! They are being chased so they have to push forward despite being ill and B ends up on a rockslide mostly unconscious so A has to go back and save them from the impending avalanche, risking their own life as well.

Anyways there was more but it just hit all my whump buttons and it was beautiful. To me. Perchance to you as well.

okay so this is on me because this poor ask has been sitting in my inbox for a year 😭 but this sounds....amazing????

like SO much whump in one story let's GO

also if you're still here and you remember the title pls share with the class 👀