syrupness

[syrupness]

How big are your fandoms? List them in order of the number of works posted for them at AO3

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them 14,649 Total | 1 Mine (0%)

Split/Glass/Unbreakable (Total Eastrail 177 Fandom) 408 Total | 40 Mine (9.8%)

Split 398 Total | 37 Mine (9.29%)

Glass 189 Total | 23 Mine (12.17%)

Taken (Movie Trilogy) 41 Total | 11 Mine (26.83%)

Unbreakable 42 Total | 4 Mine (9.52%)

Он – дракон | I Am Dragon 33 Total | 2 Mine (6.06%)

The Endless 7 Total | 2 Mine (28.57%)

Oishinbo 1 Total | 1 Mine (100%)

The Hazing Secret 1 Total | 1 Mine (100%)

I used a different way than before to determine the number of fics in the different Unbreakable, Split and Glass fandoms so these numbers shouldn’t be compared to the first ‘How big are your fandoms?’ that I did. 

[syrupness]

woooooo! 

FEBUWHUMP 2022 HALL OF FAME

firstly, congratulations to everyone who took part! completing 28 prompts over 28 days is no easy task, and to anyone who gave it a go, well done on your achievement! creating something is vastly better than creating nothing, and i’m thrilled for everyone who took part.

as for those who completed all 28 days - massive congratulations! here is the list of all those who completed febuwhump and registered as a completionist:

Adam Schwartze

OPS Manager

Cammerel

sezja

Asraella

Goddess47

thestartofnothing 

thatsgonnaleaveamark

demon_dean

RememberMeNever

ocean-blue-whump

whumper-in-training

Dauntless

gottawhumplonely-harts

whumpwriterforlife

whumpapalooza

That_Writer_In_The_Corner

septic-dr-schneep

ABFA

Adzeisval

JoeMerl

the-great-lightwood-bane

writersmorgue

thethistlegirl

PerthshireCottage

ex0rin

Reesiereads

Syrupness

callaeidae3

gins-potter

SociallyAwkwardFox

Aquata

Esperosisdoeswriting

set-phasers-to-whump

kira-angel24

Perching_Owl

procellous 

Ladytalon1

IrathGo

nerdywalkingencyclopedia

thereddestglass

LassieLowrider

elenarodriiguez

not-your-housekeeper98

a-reader-and-a-writer

CuddlyHawkInvertedPhantasmagoria

Dawen

Phoenixthemenace

whumpinggrounds

imaginesfordifferentfandoms

cassicuterat

calamity-aims

Shenonagons

thistle

[syrupness]

Hurt/Comfort Ex 2022 Letter

Thank you so much for making a gift for me!

I would prefer close to canon-compliant characterisation, especially for the Watership Down requests. As for those pesky plot-idea additional tags, well I have chosen to be very open and let you choose a path you are happy with.  

Super Special Number 1 likes:

Banter

Tenderness/Gentle moments

Definitely Do Not Wants:

Alzheimer’s/Dementia

Emetophilia/Vomit

Daddy Kink

An additional thing that isn’t really a DNW, because it is okay if handled carefully, but is not one of my favourites: victims being comforted by their abusers.  Of course some of my requests can certainly lean in that direction, but I would prefer if you don’t make that point the centre of the fic. 

Fandom Specifics:

Fandom: Watership Down #1

Relationship(s): Fiver & Hazel (hurt Fiver), Bigwig & Pipkin (hurt either), Hazel/Hyzenthlay (hurt Hazel), El-ahrairah & Frith (hurt El-ahrairah)

😭

Going to be honest here, if you choose either Watership Down request you will have already aced the hurt part of Hurt/Comfort for me. Feel free to use the vocabulary of the book and the Lapine names of the characters (In case you don’t know what I am talking about). 

Because I want the characters to be rabbits as per canon representation many of the additional tags would need adapting -like ‘Collapsing on character's doorstep’ can be changed to ‘Collapsing into character’s den’-  but don’t feel you have to find inspiration in the tagset for this. Let your mind run wild.

I have all the soundtracks so if you want you can indicate when to start playing certain songs -or I’ll probably just have Bright Eyes on repeat as I read and weep.

If you art for this request please no gore. Some blood is okay but no viscera or fatal wounds.

Do Not Wants: Major Character Death Gore Species Change, including Anthro beyond canon levels (Keep them bunnies bunnies!)

Fandom: Watership Down #2

Relationship(s): Black Rabbit of Inle & Pipkin (hurt Pipkin), Black Rabbit of Inle & Campion (hurt Campion)

😭😭

I like the idea of The Black Rabbit coming to relieve them of their pain and reward them for a full life, though you could also go for the Black Rabbit being a hallucination or the Black Rabbit leading another character to come and help Campion or Pipkin, but really anything you write will have me crying so bad. 

If you art for this request I would love if you capture some of Pipkin or Campion’s personality. Prepare yourself for incoherent rambling comments typed blindly.

Do Not Wants: Species Change, including Anthro beyond canon levels (Keep them bunnies bunnies!)

Fandom: Split

Relationship(s): Casey Cooke & Luke (hurt Casey), The Beast/Casey Cooke (hurt either), Casey Cooke/Kevin Wendel Crumb (hurt Casey), Casey Cooke/Dennis (hurt Dennis), Casey Cooke & The Horde (hurt Casey)Casey Cooke & Kevin Wendell Crumb (both hurt), Casey Cooke & Hedwig (hurt Hedwig)

I am really open to anything except my DNWs for this fandom. I would love to read any additional tag from the tagset or anything that pops into your head as well as feel free to explore any AU you want. Canon is quite dark (yet weirdly amusing) so I'm happy if you want to drop these character into another scenario/AU that works better for what you like to write about.

Tender!Beast is always appreciated, even if he just cameos in a fic for another relationship.

Do Not Wants: Underage or dubcon/noncon for shipfics (referencing canon events is fine) Alzheimer's/Dementia

Fandom: Он – дракон | I Am Dragon

Relationship(s): Arman/Miroslava (hurt either or both)

I put a bunch of optional tags for this request so you could have some ideas (I realise I may have been unhelpful by not giving any guidance with my other requests, oops!) but don’t feel you have to do one of these. 

Arman spends part of his life as a Dragon, so feel free to use Arman the human or the dragon in your fic. You can set the fic at the beginning of their story where Mira starts to care for Arman and fears the Dragon, or you can set it at a point where Mira and the Dragon respect each other, or you can make up an in-between scene where it is a bit of both....or you know, completely ignore the dragon all together. 

Do Not Wants: Noncon/violent rape Major Character Death

Fandom: The Endless

Relationship(s): Hal/Tim (hurt Hal), Justin/Hal (both hurt), Aaron/Justin (hurt Justin), Aaron/Anna (hurt Anna), Aaron & Justin (hurt Aaron), Aaron & Hal (hurt Aaron)

The canon is so fascinating it would be amazing if you could keep it close to canon. Time loops that end in death give lots of opportunities for fatal injuries and mercy kills that then reset and everyone is alive again. Traumatised but alive.

Obviously, darkfic is a-okay for this request but you don’t have to be killing characters for the hurt. The canon is very understated but there is lots of emotional and psychological pain that must be going on. There is probably all sorts of kinky and weird stuff going on behind closed doors and in the bushes of Camp Arcadia!

Do Not Wants: Noncon/violent rape Alzheimer's/Dementia Emetophilia/Vomit Mommy/Daddy Kink

[syrupness]

Unsent Letters Ex 2022 Letter

Thank you so much for making a gift for me! I hope you manage to find something that inspires you because the best gift for me is one that you enjoy writing! 

I would prefer close-to-canon universe fics (Pre-canon, during canon, canon divergent, fix-its) or AU with close to canon-compliant characterisation, but if you have an idea that inspires you feel free to do it! Anything from sweet fluff (except where noted) to torturous whump to Dead Dove: Do Not Eat to PWP. I like so many things the list would be way too long, so I’ll just list my Super Special Number 1 likes:

Banter

Tenderness/Gentle moments

Definitely Do Not Wants:

Alzheimer's/Dementia

Emetophilia/Vomit

Daddy Kink

Fandom Specifics:

Fandom: Split (2016) #1

Relationship(s): Casey /& Dennis, Casey /& Kevin, Casey/Barry, Casey/The Beast

Is Casey reflecting on her past or picturing her future? Is Kevin trying to make sense of everything? Or maybe one of them is trying to get their emotions out of the way and start writing poetry?

Genfics or Shipfics are welcome for the first two pairings and Tender!Beast is always appreciated, even if he just cameos in a fic for another relationship. I love moments of tenderness or happiness for all these characters, they really didn't get enough in canon. I would love if one character is reflecting on something good, but if you want to go into angst and whump then regrets is a very fertile topic for this fandom. You can follow the canon from the sequel movie Glass or you can make a fix-it AU. I know this fandom can go dark so know that dubcon is okay and I would prefer abuse to be implied rather than written in detail but Do Not Wants: Noncon/violent rape (though mentions of canon stuff is fine) Alzheimer's/Dementia

Fandom: Split (2016) #2

Relationship(s): Casey Cooke & John Cooke (Split)

If you want to write a dark!fic, well here is your option: John abused Casey for years. I really hate John but I read and write about him, it is terrible, like watching a building collapse in slow motion. 

I would like either Casey reflecting on things as an exercise her therapist makes her do or some other healing sort of activity. If you chose John as your writer then I would love if he is in prison, either trying to apologise or excuse his behaviour. I would prefer abuse, if you are going to write about it, to be implied rather than graphically detailed. If your mind takes you somewhere else for this then follow it! Bonus points if the messages remain unsent because direct contact between them is not something I particularly want. Do Not Wants: Fluff

Fandom: Lady in the Water (2006)  

Relationship(s): Cleveland Heep & Story

I am definitely more interested in a canon compliant fic here but if you have a great idea then follow it! Cleveland and Story have such an interesting relationship, they come to depend on each other and yet at the end of the movie there is no hope of them seeing each other again. 

Is Cleveland writing a letter to his lost family telling them about Story? Is Story back in her kingdom and wants to tell Cleveland how things have changed for her? Or will you give us a look at how everything has changed (or not) for all the people in the apartment complex that Cleveland looks after? Do Not Wants: Major Character Death Alzheimer's/Dementia

Fandom: Lucifer (TV)  

Relationship(s): Mazikeen & Lucifer Morningstar, Mazikeen/Lucifer Morningstar, Dan Espinoza & Ella Lopez, Trixie Espinoza & Mazikeen, Chloe Decker/Lucifer Morningstar

Is Mazikeen struggling with her feelings and words? Is it just a police procedural seen through work documents? or will you give a window into a day in the life of a character's social media accounts?

There is so much clever dialogue in this show, if you can manage to capture just a fraction of their inuendo-banter mood I will be grateful! Fun and fluffy or angsty apologies are just as good as each other. If you want to go naught I do have an idea that Mazikeen writes Lucifer centred smut, so if the PWP muses inspire you... Do Not Wants: Major Character Death Alzheimer's/Dementia Noncon/violent rape

Fandom: Taken (Movie Trilogy)

Relationship(s): Kim/Sam, Bryan/Lenore

Only select this option if you have a interest/passion for this fandom because it is likely you will pounced on in the comments. I think these characters have such interesting relationships tucked away in an action movie. Bryan and Lenore have a relationship arc that spans fractious to strong UST. Sam/Kim are not canon but there is potential for a caring protective relationship. Please take this request where ever it takes you. I don't mind if you follow canon and have Lenore killed or you do a fix-it and have her live. 

I would love love letters between these characters. New relationships, established relationships, I don’t mind! Bad with words multi edited letters that end up as only one line scrunched up on the floor or beautiful heirloom letters that will be passed down the generations, all is good! Do Not Wants: Noncon/violent rape Alzheimer's/Dementia

[syrupness]

DONE IT!

woooooooo!

and with that Febuwhump is over for me! and thank goodness because my brain has been going down some dark paths, as you readers know. I’ll try to be fluffier in the future  🙃

[syrupness]

Jade defects

@febuwhump Day 28, alt prompt: "i’ll never forgive you”

And The Distance Grows [AO3]

Summary: Barry and Jade fight when Jade joins the Horde.

Content Warning: verbal abuse swearing and slurs homophobia death, kidnapping and cannibalism (mentions) (it’s canon)

Orwell rushed up to Barry, his aura intense as he tried getting his meaning across to those who had not joined the Horde “Betrayed by our own people, our number has dwindled.”

“I know lots have joined the horde but we can still have a resistance.” Barry looked unsure and angry

“We remaining few will stand like the Greeks in 480 BCE for the Battle of Thermopylae.”

“I have a plan-” He looked at Jade.

“Sorry, I’m with them now” she said while taking a posture that was both defensive and dismissive

Barry recoiled in shock and Orwell gaped, for once lost for words. The others who hadn’t joined the Horde when The Beast rose and revealed his powers  had varying emotions, from sadness to anger. There was even a small vindictive vibe from Mary that almost said ‘I told you so’, but they were quiet in the wake of Jade’s words.

Barry gave a weird choke as if he had to swallow something down or cough it out to find his voice again “How can you say that? The Beast just killed those girls!”

Jade matched his incredulous tones “But did you see The Beast? Point blank and he was barely scratched!”

“You have been blinded by the golden fur of the Nemean lion! For it cannot be harmed by mortal instruments of war does not lessen it’s nature as a terror inflicted on the world!”

“Exactly! Superpowers doesn’t excuse murder, hell it was worse! kidnapping and cannibalism!” Barry flung out in disgust while the screams of the innocent young girls still echoed around his head.

“I’m not here to judge other people’s life choices!” Jade’s voice built in anger, wondering how they could not have changed their minds after what had happened. It was a miracle, it was life changing.

“Of course you are!” Thinking back on Jade’s actions it was suddenly clear she was a troll “That is all you do on the internet, fad diet this, stupid bitch that-”

“That’s the internet Barry! It what people do!” What? Was she not meant to have opinion now?

She’d just been adding more crap to a crap world, so Barry took on his pissy voice, knowing Jade hated it “Oh so that cunt who called you-”

A pained intake of breath as she remembered the wave of hate after she posted a picture of herself online “Don’t you dare fucking say it!” her voice going from deadly quiet to precocious teen in a heartbeat “and it’s not like The Beast can choose to be vegan, he needs sacred foo-”

“No he doesn’t! He hasn’t even tried an alternative!” Barry screamed as he desperately tried not to think about what was digesting in their stomach right now.

Jade curled her lip to give a nasty knowing twist to her words “Fine! He is like a fucking cat! an obligate carnivore, without meat he will die-”

Barry had enough “Then he should! He doesn’t deserve to live after what he’s done!”

“He is one of us!!!” To kill one would open the door to death for them all, if you could even harm one as powerful as The Beast “He is more than human! and can do so much more than us, be so much-”

Barry dry heaved, unable to forget the taste of human on his tongue and to break her attention “That is bullshit and you know it.” then he knew exactly where to hit “He is a monster just like Penelope and if you join them you are a monster too…”

Jade’s shriek was like nails on a chalkboard “Did you just fucking compare me to Kevin’s mother!?”

Barry put on his façade of calm composure even as he was crumbling inside “Yes, you might as well be torturing children because that is what the Horde and The Beast have been doing.” Crumbling because deep down he believed it to be true, and Jade was willingly throwing herself into it.

Jade stepped into his space, getting as obnoxiously in his face as possible “We are more than you and you’re just a fucking jealous faggot.”

The pain of her words cut deep and he reacted on reflex “Predatory paedophile cunt!”

 There was silence in the room of chairs.

The others all stared in mute shock at the imploding of the Horde’s main opposing force. Barry and Jade had been on good terms for years, bonding closer against Patricia and Dennis, but now this fight had gone too far. The friendship between Barry and Jade was over.

Hate more bitter because it was born of betrayal coloured the space between them, and at the same time they spoke the same words “I’ll never forgive you”

[syrupness]

Two shower breakdowns for the price of one

@febuwhump Day 27 Prompt: shower breakdown

Like A Widow's Child [AO3]

Summary: Joseph's shower stops working and it is the last straw. He finally thinks about what happened at Raven Hill. *Compliant to my series AU*

Content Warning: mention of canon deaths crying fear of being an orphan swearing

Joseph let the water stream over his skin. The hot pounding from the spray relaxing his tight muscles. He needed this badly, some time to decompress and calm his thoughts about-

The water spluttered and the pipes groaned.

“No you don’t fucking dare!”

The shower-head blasted one more lukewarm spray then slowed to a trickle that quickly went icy cold.

“Fuck! Fuck this shitty apartment and these fucking shitty pipes!” he swung around the tiny cubicle to punch the dated grey tiles. “Fuck” Punch. “Fuck” Punch. “Fuck”

With the last punch he left his sore hand against the wall. His muscles were back to achingly tight so he slowly leaned his head forward to rest, trying to find some stability again. Unsure if it was soapy droplets or salty tears trailing their way down his face. It wasn’t the plumbing or the apartment he was angry at, it wasn’t even anger. If he was honest with himself, it was fear.

The nightmare that was Raven Hill had happened less than a week ago. He’d gone that second day to try and get his dad out, arguing again for his release, but everything had gone so wrong. The cops that kept coming back again and again to interview him and dad had a nasty look in their eyes, like they would blame both Dunns for all the deaths if they could.

Giving them the footage would clear their names, let the police and the world see that The Beast was the one who did all the killing while dad was trying to save people. Let the whole world know superheroes do exist… Mrs. Price had rung right after the files had appeared in his inbox and told him to hide away the footage, that it was their only strength now, and he wasn’t one to argue with the mother of Elijah. Elijah Price… Though The Beast had done the deed, that death was on Joseph. He had been the one to reveal what happened to Kevin’s dad. He’d known deep down what would happen, that he was convincing a killer to find another target, that the knowledge would lead to death.

But he’d done it anyway.

Joseph was unaware as he sunk down to squat in the shower, curling around himself to keep the chill in his soul at bay. He was a murderer, but it had been terrifying to hear Elijah speak of his dad’s weakness to water, to see The Beast clamber over the van. The truth was the only power Joseph had. And it led to death.

Many deaths…

Oh god, so many people had died.

And no one knew if Casey was going to make it.

Dad had almost died.

The first sob surprised him. An involuntary burst of pain given voice. Dad had looked so weak. Barely able to move as he lay in the wet grass. Joseph’s hands pawed at his skin, seeking comfort as his walls finally broke down, letting the emotions and memories flow out. Dad had been half drowned. The Beast could have finished him off and taken the last family Joseph had left. He could’ve been alone right now, never again able to pick up the phone to hear his dad’s advice, his dad’s voice. Their argument about whether dad should take a walk to find the Horde would’ve been the last conversation they’d had face to face.  Dad could have died thinking himself to be a failure, unable to defeat The Beast, unable to protect…

It was too painful to think about.

It didn’t happen. It didn’t happen and he should be happy. But it could have, and that is what was killing Joseph now as he finally released the ‘could haves’ in gasping cries and body wracking sobs. It had come so close to happening. He could have been an orphan alone in the world…

[syrupness]

The start and end of Mr & Mrs Mills

@febuwhump Prompt Day 26: “please don’t do this”

The Beginning And The End [AO3}

Summary: Lenore gets Bryan to sign the divorce papers while Bryan remembers his proposal. 

Content Warning: divorce

Lennie was wearing sunglasses, those huge black ones that seemed to take up a third of her face. If only he could see her eyes, he would know what she was feeling. He would be able to tell if there was still hope for them, if this greasy lawyer was not needed and they could have a talk and he could make some changes. More time in the States, being a better husband, a better father… but she was wearing those glasses and he couldn’t see her eyes. The hard shiny plastic was like looking at the shell of a beetle, cold and inhuman. Were her eyes like that behind their shield?

The set of her mouth he knew. She was determined. Just like when she was arguing her choice was best about where Kim should go to kindergarten or what features they needed in the apartment they bought together. If only he could see her eyes, then he would know the best way to react, have an idea of the things he should say-

“Mr Mills, it is very simple. We just need you to sign these papers.” The lawyer slid the small stack across the table.

Such a small stack and such a simple task, then their marriage would be over. Looking at the first page all he could see was the night he proposed. She was doing an admin training course and he was about to go into basic training, they had been so young and in love and he hadn’t wanted to be apart from her.

They’d gone to a fair, the smell of popcorn and candy-floss, the happy sounds of people enjoying themselves. Bryan had been shaking with anticipation and anxiety, the ring was radioactive in his pocket. Lennie had been worried about him, asking if he wanted to rest or go home and she didn’t buy his “I’m fine.” As a compromise they sat down in a car of the ferris wheel. Both of them loved the height and the sense of seeing things differently.

Lennie had looked away to point out the direction of the town, seeking to see the familiar buildings silhouetted strangely in the glow of the street lights. It was his moment. Bryan had taken the ring out of his pocket and popped the box open. It was a family ring, his mother’s and her mother’s before her, and now it was going to rest on his wife’s finger, if she would have him.

A that moment she turned back, face aglow with happiness and Bryan smiled to see her that way. Her eyes dropped to his hands and what they held and the glowing emotions drained off as her face slackened in shock. That moment felt brutal and time seemed to stretch to forever before her liquid dark eyes looked back at him with a fire and a smile unlike he had ever seem before wreathed her face. Throwing her arms around his neck she trapped his hands and their cargo between their bodies as she hugged him and peppered yesses and kisses onto the side of his face.

Bryan almost smiled at the happiness from that memory before it faded and he was sitting at a plain table again, staring at the divorce papers. It couldn’t be the end of them, he still loved her so much. If only he could see her eyes and know what she felt.

Hard plastic met his eyes and the words slipped out “Please don’t do this.”

Lennie’s lip trembled and he had hope for a moment that she would say this was all a mistake, but then the lawyer spoke again “Mr Mills, this is the agreement that was settled on. Please sign the papers.”

Keeping his eyes fixed on her mouth, looking for another moment of hesitation, Bryan asked “Is this really what you want Lennie?”

Her firm nod in affirmation shattered his heart and he picked up the pen. Bryan never wanted to make her feel scared or trapped, he never wanted to become one of those overbearing types who forced themselves into women’s lives when they weren’t wanted. His hand shuddered as pen touched paper and he tapped into his work emotions, or lack of them. This was a job he was doing, as with all the jobs he did. He couldn’t afford to feel, it was a weakness and could get him killed. Even though he was sitting at a table this was a fire fight and he had to have steady hands to shoot.

Before he knew it all the pages were signed. His slid the pages back towards his not-wife and stood up. The lawyer was saying something but he didn’t listen, Bryan walked from the room without saying anything or looking at Lennie. He couldn’t look at her because tears would start to flow, and he didn’t have the protection of sunglasses.

[syrupness]

Chaptered Taken drabble #4

@febuwhump Day 25 Prompt: muffled screams

Untitled and not on AO3 yet

Summary: Kim listens at the house on Paradise. 

Content Warning: kidnapping forced drug use rape and sexual assault (implied)

Kim didn’t wake up as much as she rose to awareness. Her eyes had been open much longer than she had been able to focus them. No thoughts seemed to be able to stay in her head, they all drifted away as soon as they came. The terror was still there, but muted. Mostly she felt good and didn’t care.

The spinning exhaust fan was the most interesting thing in the room. Blades going around and around endlessly. It was easier watching them than looking at the walls. They were too close and seemed to loom over her and make her feel claustrophobic. Eyes on the fan she reached out and was surprised to find that she couldn’t touch both walls at the same time. Maybe she was shrinking like Alice in Wonderland. She would eventually be small enough to walk under all the doors and find the white rabbit.

There was a thump that caught her attention, but she couldn’t look at the wall because it rippled and swayed. Kim closed her eyes and imagined a large white rabbit hopping along. Thump. Thump. Thump.

But that wasn’t right, there were other noises too. High pitched ‘mmm’ and ‘aaaah’. Rabbits didn’t make those noises but the hopping continued. Kim moved closer to the wall, the mattress she didn’t know she was on bouncing slightly with her progress. Trying to listen was difficult because she had to think about how to hear and she couldn’t remember that.

Suddenly there were sharper noises, noises in the room as another girl was shoved in. They were moving too fast for Kim’s eyes to track but she heard the man speak and the girl whimper then the door shut again. Kim sat up, it took a few tries but she managed, her bare legs sliding on the mattress felt weird.    

Hey, are you okay? Came out as “Hue ok?”  

Kim gazed at a face where the features couldn’t seem to keep their place. The one thing she could understand was the arms wrapped around the torso, shivering tight in a self-hug. Suddenly memories of a happy time glistened across her eyes and Kim saw a young version of herself crunching around on a frosty lawn, laughing at the noise. When her father came out and put his big coat on her, smelling of leather and love she had felt so warm and protected.

Speaking louder than normal to be heard over the high tones coming through the wall “You cold? ..here.” Kim struggled from the sleeves of her jacket and passed it over.

“A-re you su-re?” the voice was pleasantly accented and strained with fear, but there was surprise and kindness there too even if it was oddly punctuated in time with the rhythmic noises from next door.  

“I don’t feel the cold any more.” and then Kim nodded enthusiastically as the girl put on the still warm cloth.

‘You are very kind.”

Kim was moved almost to tears. This poor girl was cold and alone. Kim had a jacket and Amanda, and dad was going to come and get her any minute. Well, now the other girl would have her jacket, it was the least she could do.

[syrupness]

Endless re-timing canon rewrite

@febuwhump Day 24 Prompt: too weak to move

The Tree On The Run [AO3]

Summary: Justin is on his run and that tree drops sooner. It partially lands on him and breaks bones. Weak and in pain he waits to be rescued. 

Content Warning: injury/broken bones pain starvation

Justin tried to remember what happened, but it was so hard to think with his body aching like it was. So, start at the beginning. He had been running. He’d liked running, it cleared the head, but looking down at the odd angle of his leg Justin didn’t think he would be running any time soon…if ever again…

So he’d been running. Yes. There was a weird puff of dirt at his feet. Nothing visible that could have caused it but he stopped. Such a stupid decision. He should have plowed on, kept his rhythm and jogged back to Camp Arcadia. But he stopped and the next thing he knew a tree was falling on him.

Diving forward had saved most of him, but a branch had smashed into his leg. He still didn’t know if the unsettling noise he heard was his bone or the branch breaking, but even thinking about the sound made him feel ill and the pain in his leg worse. He tried crawling, somewhere or anywhere. Looking for help or just trying to prove he could do it. He didn’t get far, just another patch of shade further up the creek-bed, still in sight of the tree that caused all his pain.

Looking over at the tree Justin was thankful he hadn’t been pinned, he was able to crawl out to this patch of shade and wait for help. He had been here days which was bad enough, but to be trapped under a tree in the sun would have been worse. They were in the middle of nowhere but Justin had been sure people would come by and find him. Then night fell. He shivered through, but was comforted in the knowledge that his absence at the camp-fire would be noticed.

Morning came and no one else did. Did they think he left the camp? No, of course he wouldn’t leave Aaron alone with the crazies. But then why was no one looking for him? As night fell again all he cared about was finding some water and cutting his leg off so it wouldn’t hurt so much. He didn’t have any hope to warm him on that second night as he lay under the two and a half moons.

Dawn on the third day was a bad one. It was only this morning but if felt like decades had passed since then. Hunger eating him, thirst drowning him and pain constantly pulsing away. The day had been hotter too, or maybe some sunburn had started to cook him. It had almost been a relief when the sun went down. Maybe there were search parties out there looking for him, and tomorrow would be the day he would be found.

Justin lay in the dirt, delirious and weak. Dreaming of his brother or Hal coming down he track, following his footsteps in the soft dirt of the creek, and finding him. He would need to be stretchered out, there was no way he could move, especially now he could barely raise his arm off the ground. Then a roaring sound distracted him from himself and he wondered, why did the sky seem to be spiralling like that?    

[syrupness]

Epilogue to day 16 work

@febuwhump Day 23 Prompt: caged

He Left Her Behind [AO3]

Summary: The alters react to Casey's death

Content Warning: corpses and dead bodies dismemberment cleaning up after murder major character death suicidal and self-harm themes drinking

Whether he had the light or not, he decided it didn’t matter as the bottle touched his lips. The noisy gulps used to drown out all other sound. How could they have done this? Not only killed the doctor and those girls…..but to leave one to die like that….He found he couldn’t even remember her name, only remembering the way her body had split apart as he tried to move her.  

That is all she was now, nightmares.

Carrying her pieces to freedom outside the cage had been too much for Dennis. Particia had tried to argue logic but no one had been listening. The meat was still good enough for the animals but he couldn’t do that. Not that fate for their broken one. Her skin was a story and she spoke, they had to respect that. Even if that voice only spoke now to torture them.

Those that had joined the horde sank into the dark and tried to stay oblivious as Dennis tried cleaning but it didn’t work. The feelings seeped through as Dennis broke, lashing out at them all. The Beast had been sore over the girls death too and decided to make the fight. The two of them tore into each other in a ritualised dance of loathing and guilt. Meanwhile the rest of them could hear it, the words echoing in the chamber’s of Kevin’s mind. It was all too much.

Mr Pritchard, or was it Barry? Had taken the light and taken down the first bottle. Medicinal they said. BT had surged forth like a dying man, anything to numb the pain. Now he leaned against the stone wall, surrounded by bottles and with the gun in his lap. Alters cycling randomly as the last mouthful burned it’s way through the pit in his stomach.

The girl’s voice came again in the silent room, the plea they should have heard and heeded, “don’t leave!”

It wasn’t panicked this time, but it’s flickering tone of dead hope and accusation cut him to the core and he reached for the bottle again, only to find it useless.

“don’t leave!”

He rolled the bottle away to bring some other noise into the whispering silence of the room. It was all too much. It hurt to be in the light.

“don’t leave!”

And he gripped the un-useless gun to him….

[syrupness]

Untitled Glass tiny-fic (202 wrds)

@febuwhump Day 22 Prompt: restrained

Untitled and not on AO3 

Summary: The Beast is caught by people who want his powers

Content Warning: kidnapping tied/restrained

The Beast pulled against his restraints. He was the evolved! More than human! This should not be happening to him! His eyes were that of a night creature and they burned in the fluorescent lighting. If only he could climb the walls and break every single globe… Anger at the straps holding him down and his own inability to break them caused adrenaline to course through his body. Muscles pumped even more, veins rising as if to burst blue from the skin, and he roared his rage into the room.

Most of the people ignored him, only one looking over the top of a clip board with eyebrow slightly raised in question. The Beast panted with the effort of oxygenating the blood feeding his straining muscles. His power was immense, but they had planned for that. They had planned for a lot of things. He shook his head violently, again trying to dislodge the wires and tubes as some more people walked into the overly bright room.

One of the new people looked over him with a speculative eye “So, internal kevlar?”

Another nodded before setting the room abuzz with activity at the words “Okay, we are ready now. Start the vivisection.”

[syrupness]

Chaptered Taken Drabble #3

@febuwhump Day 21 Prompt: "help them”

Untitled and not on AO3 yet

Summary: Bryan takes Kim to Hotel Camelia after he saves her on the boat

Content Warning: kidnapping forced drug use

Kim stayed near him while he steered the boat to the dock, the other two girls were more cautious, staying in eyesight but not coming too close. If it hadn’t been for Kim’s clear attachment to him they might have jumped off and swum for their lives. Even the most reassuring tone wasn’t good enough when covered in blood. Especially other people’s blood.  

Walking them past bodies was another test. He took Kim’s hand and she led the others, going slow to unsteadily step over the pools of blood and too still limbs. Looking back at the girls, still dressed in their white bridal robes, their packaging, Bryan felt like a shepherd leading his flock away from the slaughter. These lambs would have another chance at innocence, well that is what he hoped after wading through the horror of it all for the past few days.

Breaking into the first car they came across was easy, even the girls seemed to realise they were finally being saved. It was all a matter of speed now, Bryan knew better than anyone that they wouldn’t be safe until they were all on home soil. He’d made many enemies in this city. Kim sat in the front and seemed to be having trouble focusing, the two in the back clung to each other and twitched.

“Dad, where are we going?”

“Somewhere safe baby. Somewhere you can rest before we catch a flight home.” A private charter flight as soon as possible out of France, any destination, just to get some distance from the heat which is about to descend.

“We can’t leave now…” Kim’s voice faded as she rested in her seat.

“We’ll go to Hotel Camelia first. Flush you with fluids to get those drugs out of your system while I arrange the flights.” Who knows what they’d given her, he just hoped it hadn’t already caused damage.

Kim was silent for so long he thought she had fallen asleep, but as he pulled up right out front of the small hotel she said “No dad. We can’t leave…got to help them…”

Bryan looked over at his daughter who seemed to be fighting sleep, knowing what she was asking was impossible. He had taken on this monumental fight to save her, they weren’t going to compromise themselves now by hanging around to save others. The system here was corrupt, but hopefully his actions had disrupted the rot enough that it couldn’t be covered up this time. If there were some clean cops who saw what was at that construction site, in that house, or the rooms accessed by the private elevator it would be their task now to save those girls. Byran had saved four girls, that would have to be enough.

Instead he said “Of course we will help them Kim. You rest now and let me take care of this.”

The lie burned in his throat long after he had carried his sleeping daughter into the safety of Hotel Camelia.

[syrupness]

Surprise continuation to day 16 work

@febuwhump Day 20 Prompt: caged

He Left Her Behind [AO3] 

Summary: Dennis returns to take up residence again and he notices something while cleaning up.

Content Warning: corpses and dead bodies dismemberment cleaning up after murder major character death

Dennis nodded as he walked around the living space. Personally he almost liked the smell of bleach but Hedwig and Patricia had complained, so now all the doors were open and he was mopping the floor with water this time. The bleach had done its job though. The smell of death was scoured clean from the concrete.

It was odd that he had had to do a cleanup. The Beast had left and Hedwig had run to their safe site, fully anticipating the police would be descending here. But it hadn’t happened. Casey hadn’t gone to the cops, maybe there was a loyalty or faith between the broken that they hadn't realised before? If so it will make the revolution so much faster and more efficient. A dedicated army will rise up to follow The Beast just like the horde had grown in number once he revealed himself in all his glory.

Emptying the wash bucket into the waste water access trap Dennis looked over at the pile of clothes in the corner. He will have to find a place to burn them, it would be the only way to get rid of the evidence of who was down here.

Suddenly he felt a prickling in his neck as Barry’s rage and grief spiked again. The man had had a real fondness for Dr Fletcher. Dennis even admitted to himself that her death was a loss, but the Beast had done it so it had been a necessary death ...even though she wasn’t sacred food.

Dennis turned away shuddering as his brain again tried showing him what Patricia had done to the remains. What once were people were now in plastic bags in feed trays, bitesize and all ready to go to the other animals. In that moment of slipped control Barry almost seized the light, a rolling wave of hate screaming obscenities and questions.

You are a monster

How has killing made us any better than any other abuser?

The cops are going to come for us and I will laugh as you-

Shift is from 6am to 5pm.

On call for emergencies.

You’re the best maintenance man we have had in years.

Next time give more warning when you have to take time off.

Dennis paused his thought to listen, and all was silent, he was alone in his head again. He’d managed to force Barry back. One comment still floated around his head ‘the cops are going to come’ but when? Even if Casey never reports them, the girl was missing for days so they would question where she’d been, especially now it was obvious the other girls wouldn’t be coming back. Dr Fletcher had a direct connection with him, so he would eventually be questioned when her disappearance is investigated.

Moving back to the storage rooms with a new bucket of clean water Dennis accepted that the cops would come eventually. He would be here to meet them like a normal citizen with nothing to hide. Everything already disposed of. If any trouble happened the Beast would get them out of it. At peace in his mind and enjoying the repetitive rhythm of pushing the mop across the floor, then cleaning and wringing it and starting again.

Half an hour later he was done. The smell of bleach had diminished to acceptably mild levels and it would continue to dissipate over the next few days. Walking back to dump the water he caught a whiff of something unpleasant. That wasn’t right. The bodies were in the overflow refrigerators, trapping the smell and he had cleaned everything else very well, scrubbed, bleached, washed.

Dennis sniffed the air trying to find the source. Not the storage rooms or the bedrooms. If anything it was wafting in from the outer corridors. Like a bloodhound he followed the scent up and around the bowels of the zoo. It got stronger and stronger and he recognised the familiar stench of death.

The smell must have always been here, but blending with the other dead things. Of course he would have to clean this too now, but what could it be? He was far from the entrance but some of these older areas rose above ground level and had windows. Could a bird or raccoon have got in and died?

The lights in the corridor were smashed out, glass littering the floor crunched under his boots as he moved towards the sunlight at the other end. A poisonous tendril of dread slowly wrapped around his spine. The smell got stronger.

Dennis really didn’t want to go forward. He didn’t want to see what was hidden in the light. Barry was burning at his neck again. It felt like he wasn’t controlling his body as he stepped into the light and saw her.

A dirty pile was inside the large cage that took up most of the room. The only identifier that this was a human and not a pile of trash were the small pale hands reaching out of the bars as if desperate to achieve as much freedom as possible.

His knees cracked as they impacted the concrete. Barry was silent. There was nothing except his view of Casey, their first chosen one, as a discoloured corpse.

She hadn’t gone to the police because she was here, dying.

They had left her here to die.

He had killed her.

[syrupness]

Missing POV scene from Arman

@febuwhump Day 19 Prompt: delirium

His Mind After The Fall [AO3]

Summary: Arman is sick with fever after he is dragged back to the cave. In his delirium he has painful thoughts until he feels a warm presence at his back.

Content Warning: burned/burning to death painful memories (canon compliant)

Jumping off the ledge was stupid, but it had been the only thing he could do to save Mira, and he had to save Mira, and he had hadn’t he? Everything was confusion. It was possible he was dead, that the dragon didn’t survive the fall and he was experiencing whatever came after…but then wouldn’t there be less pain? Agony would ripple across now and again and he felt like clawing his way away from it but then the black would take over and he would get some relief. There was the oddest feeling of going up, the dragon stirred within him and he saw a flash of Mira’s scared face then nothing.  

Things were disjointed and chaotic in Arman’s mind. It was such a weird thing to finally have one’s own name. He felt cold and hot but there was a small warm spot against his heart where Mira whispered his name. Brides of the past clamoured for his mind, tearing him from focus. Their screams echoing and blending to form the roar of his ancestors. The thrumming vibrated within him and fractures pieces of himself, dreams he’d never dared to dream before. The image of Mira smiling at him cracked and fell into the flames of his ancestors,

Like his father falling with a spear in his back,

Like him falling to take his shape for the first time,

Like him falling curled around Mira, hoping to save her…

She would not stay. Her man would come for her and take her back to a happy life with all the other humans. The life all the other brides had been snatched away from. The different faces, different screams, all burned to ash. He could feel the burning now inside himself. Radiating down from his head like fire to ignite his limbs in pain. Arman wondered if dragons could burn, it would serve him right. He’d vowed never to take a bride, to let himself be the last dragon. The burning grew but it was softer, more like a warmth all along his spine. His mind calmed as he felt the beat of another’s heart against his skin.

[syrupness]

Backfill chapter for my series

@febuwhump Day 18 Prompt: forced to watch

Let's Take It Right Back To Where We Used To Go [AO3]

Summary: The police find videos in John’s house and need Casey to watch them because they cannot quite identify the child in the videos.

Content Warning: (UNDERAGE) noncon/rape child abuse police investigation  vomit

Casey was waiting in a special room at the police headquarters. There were colourful cushions, a bright rug on the floor, and the woman from child services smiled at her whenever she looked up. Casey stopped looking up. The room was cold and it had nothing to do with the temperature. A 4-way vent on the ceiling hissed heated air into the room, yet she still shivered under her old assemblage of layers.

That was something to focus on, something to distract her from the box of toys in the corner and what this room meant. Why was she still bothering with the clothes? So many people had seen her skin in the past few days that she felt naked even now. She couldn’t hide anymore. Mrs ‘Just call me Martha’ probably had glossy print-outs of the photographs they took at the hospital in that folder sticking out of her bag. The bubble of secrets had burst and she could dare to be bold now. John was locked behind bars with a bail so high he wouldn’t be seeing the sun until he got exercise in prison. But first he had to be convicted, and that meant helping the police when they had questions, which led to today and her need for the familiarity of layers of clothes. They had more questions today.

Both women looked up as the door clicked open and two familiar female detectives walked in. Tension coiled in Casey’s belly as the few bits of information she’d been given blared in her skull, can you come in, found videos, we need you to identify…

“We’re sorry for keeping you waiting. We appreciate that you have come in today and we know this is going to be extremely difficult.” The woman’s voice was soft and pity oozed from her eyes. “Any information you can give will be helpful.”

Casey nodded and watched them take their places around the table. The quiet detective moved stiffly, muscles tense, and Casey recognised she was angry, but it was a stifled anger. That woman brought out an ipad and Casey suddenly felt metallic saliva flood her mouth as if she was about to throw up. What had they found? And did she really want to know? She shuddered and hugged herself, suddenly wishing for someone strong to be there, to be on her side without condition or negotiation.

Everyone in this room wanted something from her.  

The other women all paused, giving her time to accept the inevitability of this task. Mrs Martha gave her a supposedly encouraging nod which she ignored, Casey then skipped over looking at the pity she didn’t want and focused in on the angry cop who was clenching her jaw so hard the muscles in her jaw were twitching. It was sort of fascinating watching the muscles jump from strain. The Beast’s muscles had done some of that when he was bending the bars.

“Show me what you found.” Proud that her voice was steady.

“Your Uncle-”

“John” Casey spit the word like venom.  

The cop nodded like her outburst was unsurprising “John had many files on his computer of a criminal nature. Some have already been flagged and will be part of the case against him, but a few… well, we are hoping you will be able to identify people and locations. It will help our investigation.”

Really she had no choice, if they’d already found enough to lock him away forever she wouldn’t be sitting here now. Casey swallowed but if felt like nothing shifted. “Okay”

They hesitated and she wished they would just hurry up and get it over with, even though dread pulsed through every fibre of her being. The impotently angry one swiped at the ipad and handed it to her, speaking for the first time “The video is cued up, tap to start and tap to pause.”

Taking the device she realised it had the green hues of night vision footage. Some trees and bushes surrounding a clear space. She tapped the screen. Instantly a man and child walked onto the screen, must have already been visible but not recognisable in the still image. Maybe the camera was movement activated? Something like a game camera… like the game camera her dad had bought for their hunting trips. She was so insulated by her thoughts she was surprised to notice the pair were now on the ground.

There was no sound but she could remember the rustle of dead leaves as John had pulled her down. The ground had been cold, or was this in Summer? On the screen the child looked to go willingly, letting the big man position her without fight. Rage built in Casey, what was on screen was not how she remembered it. Small hands lay passive in the dirt. What was she doing? Why was she letting this happen? She remembered resisting and being frightened stiff of the whispered threats, ‘I don’t want this’ being screamed though all of her movements. But this? This ipad was showing a passive compliant doll. Suddenly she hated the child for not fighting harder, not even trying to save herself. How badly the cops must think of her, on screen going along with it. Bile rose burning into her throat. Tossing the ipad away she fought her body, curling over her knees and panting for breath. A hand was put on her back and she flinched away from it.      

“I’m so sorry, but were you able to identify anything?”

Sucking in a deep breath she nodded, remembering there was another purpose to this. She’d been a child, his blood family, what he did was wrong. He was put away now and she had to keep it that way. Help the cops and John is gone forever.

“Yes, that’s me.” Focus on the details not the memories “I think in the woods John bought when my father’s house was sold.”

“Can you remember when this would have been?”

Casey slowly uncurled but still hugged herself tight “Just after my father died John shaved my hair off. I was only allowed to grow it long once I was old enough to look after it myself.” Dad had called her hair ‘her crowning glory’ …She’d cried the whole time the scissors snik-sniked and the curly locks fell to the floor.

There was a long pause in the room but she didn’t look up to see what was going on. Casey was sick of their emotions, their platitudes and intrusive questions and tests. It felt like being tossed about and drowning in a whirlpool and she had no control. But when the detective asked if she would be able to look at another video she found herself nodding and reaching for the nightmare ipad again.

This one was very grainy. A bedroom, but it didn’t look like any she remembered. She tapped the screen and watched John take off his pants, well, remove an assemblage of pixels that she could only assume were pants. However low quality she could recognise the bulk as being John, the way he moved and got into bed, it was definitely him. She looked away from the action as it took a familiar rhythm, and that was when she noticed the other figure. They were moving slowly at the side of the frame, but there was definitely a watcher and she felt sick again. She’d recognised that form too.

“John’s in bed and that is John’s friend Paul” Pointing out the figure for the cops and pausing the moving horror of the screen “but the one in the bed isn’t me.” Then she turned and was sick all over the bright rug on the floor.

[syrupness]

Me right now looking at my Chocolate Box gift (again) (seriously this is like the 3rd or 4th re-read already)