#Adrien and sawdust

[whumpurr]

Adrien and Sawdust part 24

cw: pet whump, pet on pet whumping

masterlist

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Missy’s white boot was cold, hard, and heavy. Its toe slammed into Sawdust’s gut, sending him toppling over, his vulnerable stomach exposed to her. She glared down at him. Her eyes were icy cold, her teeth bared, her fists clenched at her side.

She was far crueler than the other dogs.

Sawdust was ashamed that he was ever excited to meet her. He regretted the butterflies he felt in his stomach when he saw her walking through the office. Now, he only felt a sour taste in his mouth and a hot, radiating pain in his torso.

“You’re stupid.” Missy growled, “You know, if you ever set foot outside on your own, you’re as good as dead! There’s no way a dumb animal like you could ever take care of itself!” She reared back and kicked at his side.

Sawdust’s paw covered the newly injured area, the other pressed down onto the floor to try and roll himself back over. He didn’t want his stomach exposed for her to step on. Although, she was right. Without Ma’am or Master Adrien, he could never survive in the wild. He needed his food served to him in a dog bowl. He needed to be taught how to shower. He needed to be taught how to walk on two legs. He was ashamed of himself. Such a burden.

Missy raised her boot and brought it down on Sawdust’s paw, crushing it against the floor. The dog yelped and cried in pain, tears welling his his eyes as he tried to squirm away.

“You’re disgusting! I don’t know what Charline thought, sending me in here with you.” She huffed and sat back down in her chair, arms crossed while Sawdust writhed in pain on the floor in front of her.

“S-S-Sorry-” He choked out in between sobs. He didn’t even want to move his paw from its spot on the floor, for fear of injuring it more. Maybe he should just wait until Ma’am comes back for him and saves him from this beautiful, cruel monster.

Although he longed for the safety offered by his new master, he still dreaded going back. He feared seeing what state Master Adrien was in now. He hated that he would be brought back just for him to be a burden once again. 

“Shut up, I don’t want to hear from you.” Missy looked at the closed door to the pet room. “I don’t want Charline to see you ugly you are… You stay here.” She stood and walked to the door, Sawdust flinching at the thumping of her boots on the floor. “I’m leaving. Your owner will be here to pick you up later. Don’t get yourself in trouble because then she’ll blame me, and I’ll make you regret it.”

Missy stormed out, slamming the door behind her and leaving Sawdust alone in the room. He was hopeless to leave on his own as he would probably get lost on his way back to his owner. He didn’t even know if Ma’am was still at her office or somewhere else in the building. He whimpered to himself, finally peeling his paw off the floor to take a look at the damage done to it.

His fingers refused to bend as much as they previously could. His paw ached. It hadn’t even been that long since Master Adrien took his paws out of their duct tape bindings; Sawdust was still learning how to use them. The hot tears kept flowing down his cheeks, landing on the cold floor.

At the very least, his paw was not bleeding. It would most likely be deep purple by tomorrow, but he was grateful that there was no messy blood for his owner to be burdened with cleaning.

Time ticked by painfully, with an ache in his stomach and a searing pain in his paw. He stayed curled up on the floor until his gracious owner finally came and got him.

The door creaked open slowly.

“Sawdust, Missy, I’m back!” Ma’am sang as she peeked through, cutting herself off when she saw the sight of her feeble, useless pet curled up on the ground alone. “Oh dear, what happened?” She kneeled by his side and used a gentle hand to turn him to sit up. Sawdust did his best to hold back his tears as he shamefully presented his paw to her. 

Ma’am silently took his paw and looked it over, careful to not twist or turn it more than she had to. She didn’t interfere with his fingers, which were only growing more and more red.

 “Alright sweetie, we’re going to get you all fixed up at home, okay? Where did Missy go?”

“She left.” Sawdust stated, choking on his words just a tad. Ma’am nodded understandingly. 

“And how did this happen to you?”

“I fell…” The longer he ached, the more he thought about Master Adrien. The pain brought him back to the day that he was brought home to him. The day he’d met him, and the day that Master Adrien graciously decided to take care of the stupid mutt.

“Alright, can you stand? We can go back home.”

That was not home. It was a cold, scary house. Master Adrien’s house was home, not where Ma’am was. Not where she was keeping Master Adrien off in some locked room. It wasn’t fair. And now on top of all that, he had to burden Ma’am with taking care of his paw.

The trip back to Ma’am’s house was silent on Sawdust’s part. She would ask him questions, but he would respond in short one or two word answers. He felt absolutely drained from being around all those humans, and from all the pain and crying he was subject to. He just wanted to curl up on Master Adrien’s couch and sleep, but he was not even afforded that. 

When he was finally led back into Ma’am’s house, he was at least eager to finally see Master Adrien again. The heavy lock on the door thunked as she unlocked it and opened up the door.

Sawdust stumbled through as fast as he could, too timid to call for his Master, but eyes scanning frantically for him. They finally found him, kneeling next to the sofa.

“Wh-” Sawdust suddenly couldn’t force his eyes to focus. Master Adrien’s back was to him, his head bowed. He almost looked like he could be sleeping, except for the fact that he flinched when he heard Sawdust mutter.

“There’s my other boy,” Ma’am locked the door again and stepped out of her high heels, trotting over to Master Adrien and rubbing the top of his head much like how she does to Sawdust. “Now you two can both be good boys, right?”

Sawdust dropped down to his knees and crawled over to Master Adrien, limping on his bad paw. He crawled in front of him, but Master Adrien squeezed his eyes shut and turned away. Sawdust could recognize a look of shame anywhere. He tried to nudge his head to Master Adrien’s side, but he just lurched away. 

Sawdust wanted to cry. He never thought that he would be so utterly rejected by the owner who was once so kind to him. He couldn’t understand what was happening, it made his head hurt. What did Ma’am mean by other boy? Sawdust hated it. Something was wrong. Something was broken.

“Seems like it’s dinner time, you can fix us something, right Adrien?” Ma’am said, scrolling on her phone while she lounged on the sofa.

“Yes, Ma’am.” He stood up steadily and made his way to the kitchen without another word. Sawdust couldn’t smother his whine as he squirmed in his spot. What was wrong? Why were things this way? Was it his fault?

There had to be something he could do to fix it. Maybe he’d finally stressed Master Adrien too much? Was that why he was so cold now? How could he possibly un-stress him?

He thought back to what Missy had told him. How he could never survive out in the wild. Maybe if he could prove that he could, he could prove that he was able to take care of himself, and Master Adrien wouldn’t be stressed, then he could go back to normal!

It was the perfect plan.

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Taglist: @starnight-whump @just-a-whumping-racoon-with-wifi @neuro-whump @whump-me-all-night-long @cupcakes-and-pain @whumpzone @whumpcreations @dancinglifeboat @pinkraindropsfell @looptheloup @cowboy-anon @meetmeinhellcroutons @thingsthatgo-whump-inthenight @firewheeesky @maracujatangerine @it-will-all-whump-out @theydy-cringeworthy @kim-poce @bluetheautisticrat @whump-in-progress @wh-wh-whu @mylifeisonthebookshelf @grizzlie70 @wolfeyedwitch @nicolepascaline @melancholy-in-the-morning @jumbledbyrd @batfacedliar-yetagain @no-terms-and-conditions-apply @scp-1269 @whumpdreamz @bees-among-the-okami @taterswhump

[miraculousfanworks]

Fanfiction Prompt

While Gabriel is away on Vacation. Adrien takes out a loan out under his name to turn the mansion into an AirBnB, with expectedly disastrous results. Determined to prevent anything worse from happening, Adrien enlists the help of his Friends and Classmates to make the business go legitimate—and somehow turns the Mansion into a 5-star hotel that would make Chloe seethe with Jealousy.

via NPC_Ethan | Sawdust Consumer

[nikz-artea]

Rent-a-Bug

Two days passed after the reveal and he hadn’t seen Marinette since. She avoided him like a plague. Not that he blamed her. He’d avoid him too. His chest felt hollow with nothing but pain. Distractions could only be effective for a few minutes before he began spiraling into the darkest parts of his mind again. So he decided to busy himself with fashion designing works since he would soon inherit the Agreste brand.

It had been hours since he sat to browse through the designs his father’s colleagues sent him. All of it was bland. Nothing could catch his attention, making his head spun. Or maybe that’s just his poor diet talking. He lowered the tablet to stare at the food in front of him. Croissants and hot chocolate. An intern placed it there earlier but he forgot about it. It looked scrumptious but he couldn’t bring himself to eat it. Everything he eat tasted like sawdust in his mouth. A wind blew his scarf, the one his father gave him on his fifteenth birthday, and he held it in place. Its material was soft on his fingers and he gripped it in frustration.

He’d been too deep in thought to notice anything until someone slammed their hand on his table, making his cup rattle. He squinted up to the culprit.

Alya stared him down with enough heat to rival the sun. She sat across him then crossed her arms, an expectant look on her face. “So?”

Dread churned in his stomach. “What?”

“Why did Marinette left after talking to your friend?”

His eyes traveled to the door, hoping to see the said girl despite knowing it was pointless. Some of the employees stood on the hallway, apologetic yet interested. “We’re sorry, Mister Agreste. We tried to stop her but she wouldn’t listen.”

Their prying gaze moved between the both of them. If they continued to talk with them around, it would, no doubt, be in the news the next day.

“It’s alright. Also, I know, how hard you worked these past few weeks so you deserve to take a break today. You may go home and rest. Please, inform the others.” He watched them hesitate to leave.

Some hang around longer than the others but eventually, all of them left. They waited until the building turned silent. Alya checked the hallways then closed the door.

“What happened during my baby’s birthday party? All I know was that you and your friend left to meet her and when I came to check up on you, there’s only two of you and she ran away crying.” Her searing gaze pinned him in place. “Care to explain, Sunshine boy?”

“What did Marinette say?” He left his seat to return the tablet, refusing to meet her eyes.

“That’s the problem. She wouldn’t tell me anything.” Disbelief colored her tone. “It’s how I knew it was serious. That, and seeing you two in the most awful state.”

“I don’t look that bad.”

“Right. Have you even seen a mirror lately?” Shaking her head, she jabbed his shoulder. “Honestly, what happened between you two, Adrien?”

He bit the inside of his cheek. Should he tell her? What if she didn’t know? What should he do? She wouldn’t leave him if he refused to tell her anything. Lying would be out of the question either.

A heavy sigh left his lips. “I discovered her identity.”

Suffocating silence engulfed them both for minutes. It continued to stretch on. Its weight hang over his shoulders, wrapping around his chest and constricting his lungs like a vicious snake.

She took a minute to recover from her initial surprise. Her eyes narrowed while she contemplated what to say. “You discovered she is Ladybug.”

So, she did knew. Hearing the confirmation was somewhat reassuring. “Yes.”

Her expression turned thunderous. “I know, you’re incapable of being intentionally mean, Agreste, but I swear if-”

“I thanked her.”

“Excuse me?”

“I thanked her.” He repeated, facing the now slack-jawed woman. It was true, although it happened before the reveal, his feelings didn’t change. Albeit, his gratitude and love multiplied by a hundred, or thousand, probably a million folds.

“You… thanked her? For sending your father to jail?” Confusion was written all over her face. “We hated Gabriel even before we knew he was Shadow Moth but woah, I never thought we’d be on the same page.”

A beat passed until her words registered.

“Uh… no?” Surprise was evident on his voice. “It’s because she saved me..?”

“Oh… well, it’s not really a secret how much we hate your father.” She adjusted her glasses. “Anyway, it doesn’t make any sense. Why did she left crying?”

“I don’t know. Maybe she hated me.” His shoulders sagged at the thought.

“Oh, please, you wouldn’t be standing here if that’s the case. Besides, she loves you too much to hate you.”

He didn’t let her second sentence affect him. She wouldn’t know. She wouldn’t understand Marinette’s feelings of betrayal unless he told her. And if he did, she’d realize he’d nearly cataclysm her out of fear for his lady’s safety. Well, it would be better to tell her himself than to let her hear it from someone else. “You’re Scarabella, aren’t you?”

Her eyebrows rose in surprise. “I didn’t think anyone remembers Scarabella because I never posted about her on Ladyblog but yeah, you’re right.”

“I knew it.”

“It doesn’t matter though. What’s important is you and Marinette.” She paced around the room in worry. “She refused to leave her apartment and join me for breakfast or lunch or dinner. She wouldn’t even let me enter the place! I have no idea if she’s eating or sleeping right!”

A lump formed at his throat. Knots tightened in his stomach. His lungs refused to fill in with air. He wanted to throw up.

Everything was a mess. It was his fault, his fault, his fault. He did that to her. He betrayed her. He was the reason for her pain. She didn’t deserve to suffer. He shouldn’t have told her. Shouldn’t had ask for a reveal. It’s his fault. His fault, his fault, his fault, his-

“Adrien?” A hand landed on his shoulders.

Adrien flinched then walked out of her reach. He didn’t deserve any comfort for all he did.

“Adrien, what’s wrong?” Alya stepped closer but he moved back. Concern was clear on her eyes. “Are you okay?”

He trembled as he held his arms closer to his chest. “I…”

“You?” She asked gently. “You can tell me anything, Adrien. I won’t judge.”

“I- I’m Chat Noir.” His voice cracked. “I swear, I never meant for any of these to happen. I just want to find my lady. To thank her, to tell her how much I love her. If I knew… if I knew it would turn out like this, I never would’ve asked her to reveal our identities.”

She cursed and before he knew it, he was enveloped in a warm hug. “This got to be the most messed up situation I’ve ever seen.”

“And I never had the chance to apologize for trying to cataclysm you. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it. I knew you’re just upset and worried about Marinette then.” Alya broke the contact and stared at him. “You need to talk to her.”

“I know. But she couldn’t even stand to look at me.”

“I have an idea.”

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The prompt belongs to @ladyofthenoodle and can be found here. Thank you so much for your support! You can read this on AO3 at Rent-a-Bug. Thank you so much for the likes, reblogs and comments. Whenever I'm down, I always look back to all of your comments and it never fails to cheer me up.

@ladyofthenoodle thank you for letting me use your prompt and for your kind comment. I admit, I was a wreck when I asked you to use it. But you're so gentle in your reply and I'm like, "Thank you. T_T ". I'm so afraid I messed it up but you're so kind and wonderful. Thank you.

Tags: @mochegato @toodaloo-kangaroo

[whumpzone]

✒️ Pls? Also I just love ur writing vjdbxkabzk - @whumpurr

[I love Adrien and Sawdust sooo much! And your art is fantastic! <3]

[whumpcreations]

Whumpmas in July - Day 7

Brag about a creator or piece of whump you think is underrated.

Sadly, I wasn´t able to post Day 7 yesterday, so hopefully I will be able to do Day 7 and Day 8 today.

I will just mention some of my favourite works or blogs:

- @secretwhumplair The No warrior series is just amazing. Language boundries, an afraid whumpee who thinks caretaker is a new whumper, multible povs, really good portrayal of feelings. If you haven´r read it yet check it out.

- @whumpzone I´m sure it isn´t the first time I mention her awesome writing on my blog but both, Rowe´s and Colton´s stories, are just so good. All her characters are so unique and really have depth.

- another incredible good blog is @whump-mania. All her whump lines are so inspiring and J gets the best out of every request.

- Not to forget @whump-tr0pes. Athena´s Honor bound series is the perfect mixture of exiting plot and whump. Also her characters are amazing (seems that I use this word a lot in this post). I don´t know how to describe it but I love all of the characters, even those I don´t like.

- Today I discovered @whumpurr´s blog. Their story about Adrien and Sawdust does have potential. I´d love to read more and I think it will turn out amazing.

I´m not sure if these stories are underrated but I can´t stress enough how amazing they are.

[greenparispavement]

concept: Angst 1, 2, 3, 4

It hadn’t lasted of course. Plagg had known it wouldn’t. He had sensed the switch and known about it as soon as it had occurred, but he hadn’t expected his kitten to pick up on it so quickly too. It almost made him sadder; this set of chosen ones could have been one of the greatest Ladybug and Chat Noir pairs they’d ever had. Instead his silly kitten had screwed the pooch and now, they were stuck with someone else.

He hadn’t told the boy the truth. Evading his questions with complaints about hunger and cheese had become an unwelcome but familiar routine. And Adrien didn’t let go of things easily - he wouldn’t have been such a good black cat if he did. As it was, Plagg did all he could to be as obnoxious and annoying as possible, trying to put Adrien off the scent.

It had worked to a certain extent. Adrien had stopped asking, but he hadn’t stopped looking. He knew something was wrong with Ladybug, off, but he hadn’t once thought the girl was a different one. Tikki was cunning, or maybe her girl was - the first one - because she looked exactly the same. Her voice was slightly different, and her fighting style was completely at odds with the first girl Tikki had picked, but she wasn’t at all a bad match for the creation Kwami. Adrien was another story.

The rapport that he’d built with the first girl had taken a year to make solid, but it had been there from the start. This one took a bit more work. She was flustered and blushing half the time, which allowed Plagg to distract Adrien with teasing and jabs at him, wondering at his complaining now that he had finally captured his lady’s heart. Those comments, which were a little below the belt, even Plagg would admit, only distracted him for so long. He wasn’t stupid. He noticed that Ladybug’s yoyoing style had changed. That she seemed not to know people they had previously met several times, that she wasn’t as quick to figure out the lucky charm the first few times. Soon, however, impossibly quickly, as if she had coaching of some kind, the new girl picked up her own slack and they were back in business.

Adrien remained faltering and unsure until one night, the new Ladybug kissed him. It had sent his kitten on a rollercoaster of messed up emotions, diving into confusion from heights of bliss and happiness when the kiss felt wonderful, and yet unreal and wrong at the same time.

It all came to a head on the third day of school. Plagg would have found it poetic if it didn’t break his kitten’s heart into sharp fragments. The akuma sent was particularly destructive. Demolition themed and armed with wrecking balls for arms, he’d already reduced a handful of buildings to sawdust, and a baby crying inside one of them had been the siren’s call for any Ladybug. And of course; of course Chat Noir followed where his Lady went.

Plagg sensed Tikki the moment Adrien’s transformation gave out. He led his injured but mobile charge to where he could hear his other half’s reedy voice, and was right on time to see a blond head, covered in blood and trapped under a number of beams, before someone else walked up.

‘You came!’ Tikki exclaimed tearfully, and Plagg willed Adrien to be quiet, to shut up and listen. Maybe his kitten was learning, or maybe he was too shocked to speak as the red Kwami jumped up and nuzzled another girl’s cheek, but he barely breathed.

‘Of course I did, I followed every battle as closely as I could. Alya wouldn’t say no to another camera angle, after all, and after being arrested three times my parents have as many white hairs as they can get from this.’

She chuckled slightly before looking down. ‘Is she alive?’ she asked, her voice tremulous.

‘Yes, but hurt very badly,’ Tikki replied with sorrow. She turned to the girl, her back to Plagg and Adrien, wearing camo gear, a tank top and dark pigtails. ‘Will you?’

‘I will always help where I can. And this will even throw them off Magda if we work it well. I think the dogs are sniffing around her, now?’ Tikki only nodded. ‘Well then. Let’s celebrate our anniversary, shall we!’

Tikki nodded, the girl picked the earrings and said the words. Plagg was not sure his kitten had words left in him until he said a very important one.

‘…Marinette?’

Ladybug - the original one, though no one would ever know the difference - turned. Adrien stared at her aghast, and Plagg was not sure whether his charge was thinking a million things, or nothing at all.

She stared at him a moment longer before straightening. ‘Are you hurt? Will you be able to fight?’

‘You’re Ladybug,’ was the only thing he said.

‘No, she is. I’m only borrowing this to help out. We need to hurry, she’s hurt bad.’

‘You’re Ladybug,’ he insisted, apparently too lost to hear her. ‘I know you, You’re the one who I fought with first!’

‘She’s the one you fight with now,’ Ladybug reiterated. ‘Do you believe that there really has been only one of us since the beginning of time? We change all the time.’

‘But you’re my Ladybug!’ Adrien insisted, his brain apparently only capable of short, cut sentences.

‘That’s wrong on all accounts,’ the girl replied, in a clipped tone much harder than before. ‘Look, she doesn’t have much time, and even though the cure will bring her back, I don’t want her to die in the first place. Help me save her, Madelaine loves you.’

‘And you?’ he asked in a gasp. ‘Did you ever-?’ he went quiet, pale, and swayed alarmingly. Plagg thought for an instant that his injuries were worse than he had originally thought. Then he realised that Adrien must have remembered Valentine’s day, a little more than half year ago.

Marinette, Ladybug, looked at him steadily. ‘Once,’ she said simply. ‘Now we have an akuma to stop, and some very interested police officers to distract. Let’s get to it, Chat Noir.’

He whimpered, and Plagg knew, beyond all doubt, that it was because she had failed to call him any of the beloved nicknames she’d had for him before.

‘Unless, you’re too injured?’ she asked, concerned.

‘No,’ Adrien said, ‘Let’s … let’s get this over with. Plagg, transforme m…’

The Kwami had nothing more than faint recollections of feelings until his kitten detransformed. He was standing on a rooftop, tears streaming down his cheeks, hand still held up as if to finish with the customary fist-bump the new girl had kept. But there was no Ladybug, only the detransformed girl.

‘I have to get Tikki back to her proper wielder. She’s going to be worried,’ Marinette said, matter of factly.

‘One last time,’ Adrien begged, nudging the air with his fist. ‘Please, just one last time.’

‘There isn’t time,’ Marinette replied, and Plagg was not sure he believed one of Tikki’s bugs could be this heartless if he hadn’t seen the sheen of tears in her eyes. ‘I tried to tell you, Adrien. Ladybug doesn’t exist.’

‘You exist! You’re here, and, I beg you, please…’

‘The current Ladybug loves you,’

‘I don’t love her!’ he burst out. ‘I’ve been trying to understand for past month why I can’t seem to feel for her as I used to! She looks exactly like you, but I just didn’t feel anything anymore when she spoke to me, or fought with me, or laughed with me or kissed me.’

That got a reaction out of the girl, making her gasp briefly before she cut it off. Adrien seized the opportunity, rushing forward to grab Marinette’s shoulders.

‘I couldn’t understand it,’ Adrien said, voice caught between sobs. ‘I should have been happy, but I wasn’t. I felt awful, fickle and bad. I never even realised I’d driven you away.’

‘I did it because of the Surete, mostly,’ the girl hedged.

‘Don’t lie,’ Adrien replied.

‘I’m not,’ she huffed back. ‘It … it solved multiple problems.’ She looked away, at last unable to contain her tears, and Adrien hugged her hard. Plagg flew to Tikki, sitting beside her on the roof’s perimeter fence.

‘I’ve missed you,’ he whispered, hugging her too and purring. They watched quietly as the two humans spoke in hushed voices to one another, Adrien begging, Marinette hesitating. ‘These last few weeks must have been hard. I’m sorry my kitten is an idiot.’

‘So am I,’ Tikki replied with melancholy. ‘If I hadn’t insisted she keep her identity from him, Marinette may have told him; she wanted to some months before it all went south. We could have avoided all this.’

‘Maybe they needed it, to grow and learn to talk to one another,’ he tried.

‘All they learned was not to trust one another. It will be hard now, you know it as well as I do, Plagg. If they work out at all this cycle, it will be a lot of work, and only because they’re both stubborn enough to try. They could have been so happy.’

‘They still can be,’ he insisted. ‘If your bug loves him half as much as he loves her, that is.’

‘I don’t know, Plagg,’ Tikki replied sorrowfully. ‘That’s the point. You know how my charges get - the task is more important. Their head before their heart; I even teach them that, but this time it may mean, that…’

‘We have to trust them,’ Plagg replied, watching as Adrien cautiously, gently kissed Marinette; a light brush of the lips that lasted barely a second. Marinette moved away, reluctant and uncomfortable, and then she sighed.

‘What will I tell Magda…’

‘I’ll tell her I have a girlfriend,’ Adrien said. ‘I know we are not that yet,’ he added quickly when he saw Marinette start. ‘But I’m yours anyway. I made this bed, I’ll lie in it, and I’ll help you fight off the damn Surete. You should have told me; I just have to phone my dad, he’ll sick something on them to leave you alone.’

‘The ladybugs have finished,’ Marinette said by way of an answer. She moved out of his grasp, his hands falling limp at his side as she walked to the perimeter fence. They were both silent for a moment, then she went on. ‘I started Lycee two days ago. A new start. I thought…’ She fell silent again.

‘I started public school a year ago too. A new start.’ Adrien joined her at the parapet, looking out the restored city, electric illumination beginning to flicker on and competing with the sunset for spectacle lights.

‘I fell in love with you exactly a year ago today; on the third day of school.’ Plagg saw Adrien turn to stare at her. ‘It was raining. I was being horrible to you because of something you hadn’t even done, and I didn’t even give you the chance to apologise. Then, you were so kind and polite.’ She stopped for a moment, smiling fondly at something far away. ‘You gave me your umbrella and got wet on the way to your car.’

‘I remember being so happy that you’d forgiven me,’ Adrien replied in a similar hushed tone, quiet with memory and melancholy. ‘This time I don’t even deserve it. But if you could, if you could give me another chance…’

‘I … ok.’

Plagg could have yowled in happiness. As it was, Tikki slapped a hand onto his mouth so he wouldn’t interrupt. It was tentative anyway; he could see how tense and unsure she was, and he knew Adrien would have a lot of work to make up for his mistakes. They watched as Adrien put an arm around her shoulders, gently squeezing while Marinette stood still. She didn’t reciprocate the gesture, but she didn’t push him off, even leaning into him slightly.

‘It won’t be easy, Kitty,’ Marinette went on.

‘I don’t deserve it to be,’ Adrien replied.

‘I mean, for me, too.’ The girl shook her head. ‘I’m not sure I can be Ladybug again, not when there’s another girl to take into account now. And I may … it may not be easy for me with you, at first. I think I’m still a little angry.’

‘I’ll take it all. That’s the point of a second chance; I’ve got to grovel.’ He kissed her temple very slowly, careful for a sign of rejection. It didn’t come and he sighed into her hair. ‘I’m willing to work as hard as you need.’

‘And if I need months? Or years?’ she whispered back.

‘Best way to spend my time, if you ask me,’ he replied. Plagg nodded at Tikki.

‘Well,’ he said, flying up the them. ’The best way to spend my time is eating cheese.’

‘Not that anyone asked,’ Adrien snarked back.

‘We should look for Magda. She must be worried about Tikki. She may do something stupid; expose herself while looking.’

‘In that case, Ladybug could always swoop in and automatically get her out of trouble,’ Plagg suggested. They began walking towards the stairwell, night wind catching their hair. Marinette didn’t deny the possibility, and it was enough to tell Plagg she was at least thinking about it.

‘You know, this idea to switch Ladybugs is brilliant to get the police off our backs. Maybe I should see into getting an understudy myself.’

‘Maybe there is someone I could suggest; from Magda’s life,’ Tikki quietly suggested, speaking for the first time. They all stopped to look at her. ‘All good Ladybugs have their potential Chat Noir.’

‘Let’s go meet them, then,’ Adrien decided. Plagg looked on carefully. Tikki’s body language was much lighter, aura relieved. Adrien walked with a determined lilt in his step that spoke of stubbornness and his will to make amends. Marinette’s step was a lot more hesitant, unsure. She looked at Adrien a few times, sometimes walking farther away, sometimes walking closer, as if she wasn’t quite sure whether she wanted to be near him or run away. Plagg supposed, under the circumstances, it was a victory that she wasn’t sending him to hell.

They had work to do. They were undeniably broken. But for the first time since February, Plagg had hope.

And hey, if he got another Chat Noir, that meant double the cheese. You wouldn’t catch him complaining.

=0=

Fun Fact; Magdalains are lovely, spongey sweets that are often served with coffee. They are fiendishly hard to get right, but their taste is more than worth the labour of love. As Tikki subsists on sweets, and Marinette’s name has a bread pun in it, I thought it was fitting to name another Ladybug after a type of cake.

 I very nearly did not end this on a positive (?) note. I almost had Adrien never know who the original Ladybug was, and just spend the rest of his days knowing that the one he was fighting with now wasn’t the one he’d started with, and being forever unable to find her. But then I couldn’t be that cruel. As it is, they still got lots of work to do.

THE END

(from my end. Anyone who wants to pitch into it, be my guest!)

[swissforextrading]

The mushroom that works like a green 3D printer

09.07.18 - Student project series (1) – A team of environmental engineering and architecture students at EPFL has discovered a way to grow a biodegradable material from mycelium and sawdust. Their new material – made using their own special recipe – has promising properties and could serve as a replacement for plastic. It’s not just mycologists who are interested in the physical properties of mushrooms. Today a growing community of environmentally conscious consumers is looking more closely at mycelium, or the part of mushrooms that grows underground. This thread-like substance can bind together various substrates, such as woodchips, and the resulting mixture can be molded into things like bricks, panels, packing chips, furniture and a host of other objects. Eight students at ENAC are studying how mycelium – which individuals can grow themselves – could potentially be used to replace plastic. “This idea came up when we met with architecture students at our school to develop an original, innovative alternative to existing building materials, which generate a lot of pollution,” says Gaël Packer, an environmental engineering student at ENAC. Inspired by a TED talk, he and his classmates decided to lend their support to this groundbreaking community concerned about the future of the earth. As future architects and construction engineers, they realize that, as a result of resource depletion, some of today’s building materials won’t be around forever, and that existing materials generate a lot of emissions throughout their life cycle, from production to disposal. Promising results Mycelium-based materials offer a promising alternative because not only are they light, cheap and easy to make, but they also provide a way to recycle waste products and can be biodegraded in just three months. Today a number of grow-it-yourself kits are available online; all you need is mycelium, a substrate and a bit of patience (not included in the kit). The first step is to grow the “mushroom roots” in a sterile or pasteurized environment together with the substrate and some flour and water. The resulting mixture is then poured into a mold. Once it has set – which takes about a week – it needs to be baked at a low temperature to stop any further growth and consolidate the object’s shape. The result is a light, low-density, solid, and resistant object – much as if it had been produced using 3D printing. Rather than use a grow-it-yourself kit, the students made their own version of the mixture using mycelium from local oyster mushrooms and fibers from hemp grown in the Jura region. Then, armed with a healthy dose of scientific skepticism veiled in optimism, the students tested out their mushroom-derived material. “We worked with several EPFL labs to test the material’s key properties: thermal insulation, acoustic absorption, compressive strength, and water- and fire-resistance,” says Packer. They found that its thermal insulation capacity was on par with other insulating materials, that it could easily withstand the weight of a human body, that it floats and is watertight, and that it is fairly fire-resistant. Acoustic absorption tests are still under way. A recipe that can be improved “Although further testing is needed, the results so far are highly promising and show that the material’s properties are similar to those of expanded polystyrene. We can certainly improve those properties further by adjusting the composition of our mixture, whether in terms of the substrate or the mushroom feed,” says Packer. The success of this project owes in part to ENAC’s Student Kreativity and Innovation Laboratory (SKIL), an open-space workshop where students can work on class projects and receive technical and practical support as well as assistance from teachers. The Mycelium, Design and Architecture (MD&A) team members are: Kimberley Berney, Adrien Berteaux, Aurélien Brun, Mathias Helfenstein, Thomas Läng, Enrico Margaroli, Leily Moser and Gaël Packer. Contact: press@epfl.ch Anne-Muriel Brouet http://actu.epfl.ch/news/the-mushroom-that-works-like-a-green-3d-printer (Source of the original content)

[davidisen]

NYC Music I Like June 28 - July 4, 2017

...trad jazz, Gypsy, swing, bluegrass, choro etc. w/ folk roots & virtuoso ensemble playing... Explanation/disclaimer.

[Caution! Please verify with musician, venue, etc., before going. Send updata here.]

Allied music listings with overlapping tastes: Jim's Roots and Blues Calendar.  Eileen's Lindy Blog - This Week in Swing.

This Week

Wednesday, June 28, 5:30 PM: David Ostwald's Louis Armstrong Eternity Band. Birdland (Most Wednesdays.) 7 PM: Julian Lage (electric guitar). National Sawdust. Info/tix. 10 PM: Ben Kogan Band, w/ Ben (bass, vocals), Carey Clayton (guitar, vocals), Gabe Terracciano (fiddle, vocals). Ducks Eatery, 351 E 12th St, New York, NY 10003 10 PM: Onalea Gilbertson's Vagabonds w/Onalea (vocals), Arnt Jeffrey Arntzen (banjo), Brian Sanders (cello), Rhys Tivey (cornet) plus special guests John William Watkins, Julia Haltigan, Kate Douglas, Allison Plamondon and Miguel Anaya. Manderley Bar, 532 W 27 Street, NYC.

Thursday, June 29, 8:30 PM: Henry Butler (piano). Bar LunAtico. 9 PM: Gypsy jazz jam, Fada. (Most Thursdays.)

Friday, June 30, 6 PM: Midsummer Night Swing Dance w/ Margi & the Dapper Dots w/ Margi Gianquinto (vocals), Jon Weber (piano), John Merrill (guitar), Tal Ronen (bass), Chris Byars (clarinet, sax, flute), Gordon Au (cornet), Chris Gelb (drums), Fernando Garcia (percussion). Damrosch Park. Info/tix. 7 PM: Evan Arntzen Quintet w/ Evan (reeds, vocals), Bruce Harris (cornet), Steven Feifke (piano), Jay Lepley (drums), Rob Adkins (bass). The Roxy lobby. 8:30 PM: Sam Reider & Future Folk Musik w/ Sam (accordion), Eddie Barbash (sax), Alex Hargreaves (violin), Jeff Picker (bass), Gabe Schnider (guitar) & Fernando Saci (percussion). Bar LunAtico. 9 PM: Madison McFerrin (vocals). Rockwood One. 10:30 PM: Fridays at Mona's. Mona’s, 14th & Avenue B.

Saturday, July 1, 12:30 PM: Joel Forrester, solo piano. Cafe Loup. (Most Saturdays.) 12:30 PM: Dom Sbrega (bass) and Gabe Terracciano (violin). Ammazzacafé, 702 Grand St, Brooklyn, NY 11211 1 PM: Garden Party Quartet frequently with Emily Asher (trombone). This week with James Chirillo (guitar), Dan Block (reeds) and probably others. (Most Saturdays.) Fraunces Tavern. 5 PM: Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks, Catherine Russell & her most excellent band, Stephane Wrembel & band, The Avalon Jazz Band w/ Tatiana Eva-Marie (vocals), Adrien Chevalier (violin), Aurora Nealand & The Royal Roses, and more. And even more. Central Park Summer Stage. Info. 6 PM: R&B with The Binky Griptite Orchestra, featuring vocalist Lee Taylor. Damrosch Park. Info. 7:30 PM: Hilary Gardner (vocals) w/ Luca Santaniello & friends. The Django at The Roxy. 9:45 PM: Rachel & Vilray. Rockwood Two.

Sunday, July 2, 1:30 PM: Koran Agan Trio w/ Koran (guitar), others. Radegast. (Most Sundays.) 8 PM: The EarRegulars usually w/ Jon-Erik Kellso (cornet), others. The Ear. (Most Sundays.) 8 PM: Glenn Crytzer Trio w/ Hannah Gill.  Blacktail. (Most Sundays.) 9 PM: Stephane Wrembel & his band. Barbes.  10 PM: Baby Soda Jazz Band w/ Jared Engel (banjo), others. St. Mazie. (Most Sundays.) 10 PM: Irish (and more) session hosted by Tony DeMarco (fiddle). 11th Street Bar. (Most Sundays.)

Monday, July 3, 7 PM: The Brain Cloud or members thereof. Something Brain Cloudish. Barbes. (Most Mondays.)  7 PM: The Glenn Crytzer Orchestra w/ Glenn (guitar, tenor banjo, & vocals) w/ regulars such as Sam Hoyt (cornet), Mike Davis (cornet), Jason Prover (cornet), Joe McDonough (trombone), Matt Musselman (trombone), Jay Rattman (reeds), Matt Koza (reeds), Dan Block (reeds), Ricky Alexander (reeds), Jesse Gelber (piano), Ian Hutchison (bass), Andrew Millar (drums), Hannah Gill and Dandy Wellington (vocals, alternating weeks). Kola House, Chelsea. (Most Mondays.) 7:30 PM: Patrick Soluri's TBA Jazz Band, featuring Patrick (drums), Matt Quinones (bass), Gabe Terracciano (violin), Gordon Au (cornet) and Pete Matthiesen (guitar), plus special guests! Hofbrau Bierhaus NYC. 8 PM: Vince Giordano & his Nighthawks, with an array of the best traditional jazz musicians in New York, Iguana. (Most Mondays). 9 PM: Svetlana & The Delancey 5 - Svetlana (vocals), Jon Weber (piano), Mike Hashim (reeds), Charlie Caranicas (cornet), Rob Garcia (drums), Endea Owens (bass). Back Room Speakeasy - 102 Norfolk Street. (Most Mondays.) 9:30 PM: First Monday Bluegrass Jam hosted by Michael Daves. Rockwood Three. 10 PM: Mona’s Bluegrass Jam, Mona’s, 14th & Avenue B (Most Mondays.) 10 PM: Terry Waldo & The Rum House Jass Band often w/ Terry (piano), Jon-Erik Kellso (cornet), Jim Fryer (trombone), Eddy Davis (tenor banjo) and frequently Dan Levinson (clarinet) & Molly Ryan (vocals). The Rum House. (Most Mondays.)

Tuesday, July 4, 8 PM: ***NOT This Tuesday!*** Vince Giordano & his Nighthawks, with an array of the very best traditional jazz musicians in New York, Iguana. (Most Tuesdays.) 8:30 & 11 PM: Django Reinhardt All Stars w/ Samson Schmitt (guitar), Ludovic Beeier (accordion), Pierre Blanchard (violin), Doudou Cuillerier (rhythm & scat vocals), Antolio Licusati (bass). Special Guest, Veronica Swift (vocals). Birdland. 10:00 PM: ***NOT This Tuesday!*** Michael Daves (guitar). Rockwood One. (Most Tuesdays.) 10 PM: Svetlana & The Delancy Band. Brooklyn Speakeasy at Bedford Hall, 1177 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn. (Most Tuesdays.)  10 PM: Mama Juke w/ Amos Rose, Elijah Bridges, Jon Wert, and Pete O'Neill. East Village Social, St Marks at Avenue A. (Most Tuesdays.)  11 PM: Trad Jazz Jam hosted by Mona’s Hot Four, to wit, Dennis Lichtman (clarinet, etc.), Gordon Webster (piano), Nick Russo (guitar, banjo) & Jared Engel (bass), and, frequently, many special guests. Mona’s, 14th & Avenue B. (Most Tuesdays.)

Future

July 5, 6:30 PM: Cynthia Sayer & Her Joyride Quartet w/ Cynthia (banjo, vocals), Dennis Lichtman (clarinet, violin), Mike Weatherly (string bass, vocals), Larry Eagle (drums). Info. 8:30 & 11 PM: Django Reinhardt All Stars w/ Samson Schmitt (guitar), Ludovic Beeier (accordion), Pierre Blanchard (violin), Doudou Cuillerier (rhythm & scat vocals), Antolio Licusati (bass). Special Guest, Veronica Swift (vocals). Birdland.

July 6, 8 PM: Julien Labro (accordion), Olli Soikkeli (guitar), Jorge Roeder (bass), Colin Stranahan (drums). Cornelia Street Cafe.8:30 & 11 PM: Django Reinhardt All Stars w/ Samson Schmitt (guitar), Ludovic Beeier (accordion), Pierre Blanchard (violin), Doudou Cuillerier (rhythm & scat vocals), Antolio Licusati (bass). Special Guest, Grace Kelly (sax). Birdland.

July 7, 7 PM: 8 PM: Julien Labro (accordion), Olli Soikkeli (guitar), Jorge Roeder (bass), Colin Stranahan (drums). Shanghai Jazz, Madison CT. 8:30 & 11 PM: Django Reinhardt All Stars w/ Samson Schmitt (guitar), Ludovic Beeier (accordion), Pierre Blanchard (violin), Doudou Cuillerier (rhythm & scat vocals), Antolio Licusati (bass). Special Guest, Grace Kelly (sax). Birdland.

July 8, 8:30 & 11 PM: Django Reinhardt All Stars w/ Samson Schmitt (guitar), Ludovic Beeier (accordion), Pierre Blanchard (violin), Doudou Cuillerier (rhythm & scat vocals), Antolio Licusati (bass). Special Guest, Jazzmeia Horn (vocals). Birdland.

July 9, 9 PM: Julien Labro (accordion), Olli Soikkeli (guitar), Edward Perez (bass), Colin Stranahan (drums). Barbes.  8:30 & 11 PM: Django Reinhardt All Stars w/ Samson Schmitt (guitar), Ludovic Beeier (accordion), Pierre Blanchard (violin), Doudou Cuillerier (rhythm & scat vocals), Antolio Licusati (bass). Special Guest, Jazzmeia Horn (vocals). Birdland.

July 10, 7:30 PM: Midsummer Night's Jazz Party w/ Dan Levinson (reeds), Molly Ryan (vocals), Mike Davis (cornet), Harvey Tibbs (trombone), Mark Shane (piano), Rob Adkins (bass), Kevin Dorn (drums). Bickford Theatre at the Morris Museum, Morristown NJ. Info/tix.

July 12, 7:30 PM: Michael Gamble & The Rhythm Serenaders w/ Dan Levinson (reeds). Midsummer Night's Swing. Damrosch Park. Info. 9 PM: Pokey LaFarge. Bowery Ballroom. Info/tix.

July 15, 6 PM: Veronica Swift (vocals). Birdland. 8 PM: Gotham Sophisticats w/ Dan Levinson (reeds), Molly Ryan (guitar, vocals), Jason Prover (cornet), Harvey Tibbs (trombone), Dalton Ridenhour (piano), Rob Adkins (bass), Kevin Dorn (drums). Lighthouse Bandshell at Kingsbourgh Community College in Brooklyn. Info.

July 22, 6 PM: Veronica Swift (vocals). Birdland. 6:30 PM: Cynthia Sayer & Her Joyride Quartet w/ Cynthia (banjo, vocals), Dennis Lichtman (clarinet, violin), Mike Weatherly (string bass, vocals), Larry Eagle (drums). Riverside Clay Tennis Association, 96th & Riverside Drive. Info.

July 23, 7 PM: Early Roman Kings: The Music of Bob Dylan w/ Tony Trischka (banjo, pedal steel), Stash Wyslouch (guitar, vocals), Sean Trischka (drums, vocals), Jared Engel (bass). Joe’s Pub.

July 27, 8 PM: The Preservation Hall Jazz Band. Ridgefield Playhouse, Ridgefield CT.

July 28, 8 PM: The Preservation Hall Jazz Band. The Space at Westbury Theater, Westbury, NY. Tix.

July 29, 6 PM: Veronica Swift (vocals). Birdland.

>>>>> Special August Program <<<<< Songbook Summit w/ Peter & Will Anderson (reeds), Molly Ryan (vocals), more. August 2 - 6: Cole Porter August 8 - 13: Harold Arlen August 15 - 20: George Gershwin August 22 - 27: Richard Rodgers At 59E59 Theatre, 59 East 59th Street. Info/tix. >>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<

August 3, Punch Brothers. Beacon Theatre. Tix.

August 18, 9:30 PM: Rhythm Future Quartet w/ Olli Soikkeli (guitar), Jason Anick (violin), Max O'Rourke (guitar), Greg Loughman (bass). Joe's Pub.

August 19, Noon until 10 PM: Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival featuring Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks, Bucky Pizzarelli & more. Morristown NJ village green. Details.

September 13, Chris Thile & Brad Meldhau. Town Hall. Info.

September 19, 7 PM: "The Venerable Jazz Banjo:  Stars & Music from Speakeasies, Vaudeville, Concert Halls and More, a lecture/performance by Cynthia Sayer (banjo, vocals) supported by Dennis Lichtman (clarinet, violin), Mike Weatherly (string bass, vocals), Larry Eagle (drums). Jazz at Lincoln Center. Info.

September 23, 8 PM: David Bromberg w/ Bettye Lavette. The Town Hall. Tix on sale Thurs 6/29. Info.

September 27, 7:30 PM: Seu Jorge performs The Life Aquatic, a tribute to David Bowie. The Beacon Theatre. Tix.

October 13-15, Jeff & Joel's House Party, Branford CT. Info.

------

[whumpurr]

Adrien and Sawdust part 25

masterlist

cw: pet whump, male whumpee, torture (sleep deprivation), animal death

--

Sawdust ate as much as he could handle, knowing that tonight would be the night he’d prove to Ma’am and Master Adrien that he could survive out in the wild. He could be like a real dog, self sustaining and capable. Though, Sawdust never pictured himself as capable or anything of the sort. No, when he looked at himself in the mirror, he saw something to be used and thrown away. He didn’t know why Master Adrien still kept him, or why Ma’am wants to keep him now.

Nonetheless, he would persist. He ate and then waited until everyone was asleep. It was killing him inside to not talk to Master Adrien about his grand plan. It felt like a betrayal to not tell him. Yet this was something that Sawdust had to do on his own. Once he could prove to Master Adrien that he was a good dog, then maybe he would be less stressed.

Sawdust was curled up in Ma’am’s room, pretending to be asleep in his dog bed while he thought of his plan. He could sneak out of the front door, maybe, but he could remember Ma’am needing a key to unlock it from the inside. She must be really protective of her house if she needs the door to lock from the inside and the outside! He would need to get that key if he wanted to leave that way. He had no clue where the key was. 

Maybe he could try the windows? He waited until he heard Ma’am snoring softly before he crept out of the room. He made it to the kitchen and looked around for windows, but his attention was caught by a sound. It sounded like a cough coming from Master Adrien’s room. Sawdust couldn’t ignore his curiosity, he crept over to the door and kneeled on his knees and paws, looking through the keyhole.

Sawdust… didn’t understand what he was looking at.

Master Adrien was laying down on a bed of some kind. It was hardly a bed, more like a table, and it looked like he might be strapped down to it, but Sawdust couldn’t tell. His head extended off the top edge of the table, with the rest of his body on the table. On a stool under Master Adrien’s head was a wide bucket. It sat with its top rim not even an inch away from the tip of Master Adrien’s nose.

Sawdust sat there just long enough to see Master Adrien nod off, falling asleep just for a moment and letting his neck relax just for his face to fall into the bucket. Sawdust heard a splash, then Master Adrien pulled his face out and sputtered, his hair and face dripping. Whatever was happening there made Sawdust even more resolute in his actions, he had to prove to Ma’am and Master Adrien so that the tensions in the house could ease.

Sawdust checked every window in the kitchen and living room until he found one that was unlocked. He pushed it open, then climbed through and closed the window once again.

The outside air was chilly, but not biting. It didn’t sting his skin or his eyes. He tried his best to stay on his two paws, rather than four. It would be quicker to move on two paws, and he did not want to hurt his front paws on the long, rough, gravel road that led to and from Ma’am’s home. 

He wobbled as he walked towards the sparse woods that laid down the road a bit. If he could go there, maybe get some kind of proof or item to bring back with him, spend the night, and then get back to his owner, maybe that would be enough to convince them that he could take care of himself. Then maybe Ma’am would focus more on making Master Adrien happy. He deserved it far more than Sawdust did, after all.

The night was far from silent. Owls hooted, small creatures rummaged through the grass and bushes, and yet Sawdust was so far from the rest of town that he could not hear any cars. The same could be said for Master Adrien’s house and the woods that surrounded it. That was not the case for his old master’s home, however.

His old master’s home wasn’t in a busy city, but it was at the end of a dirt driveway just off of a big road with lots of loud cars. Sometimes the other dogs would get upset by the cars, or riled up by the sirens of emergency vehicles. Sometimes Sawdust would peek towards the road just to see another animal, some kind of not-dog, bloated and left on the road. Compared to the loud sounds of the road near his old master’s house, Sawdust far preferred the woods.

The dog stood at the edge of the forest, right where the gravel changes to dirt and sand. Pine needles lay scattered at his paws. The start of the forest was not dense, yet it was still imposingly dark. Sawdust trembled just a bit as he took his first step into it. He tried to breathe, to imagine that this was outside of Master Adrien’s home, that the warm yellow light of the windows was just behind him, waiting.

Sawdust hoped that this forest was truly as empty as he thought. He prayed that there would be nobody else here, that he could find somewhere dry to curl up and take a little nap. It was late, and he was tired.

Each step felt heavy. The tiredness coupled with the fear made it difficult for Sawdust to continue moving, no matter how much he envisioned the space as being familiar. He tried to focus on putting one paw in front of the other, and keeping his eyes peeled as best he could in the darkness. 

He walked a little further before he found a spot that looked suitable. A little hollow space, an area that was cleared between and under some bushes. It was just big enough for him to curl up in, and it was dry and the bushes could keep him relatively warm until morning. 

Sawdust adjusted his headband and his tail, curling his gangly limbs to the best of his ability so he could fit. He laid his head on top of his arms and closed his eyes. 

He drifted in and out of sleep for a while, he couldn’t tell how long. The sounds of the wildlife around him started to lull him to sleep. The trees rustled with the wind, small animals crept to their homes to sleep, and Sawdust was prepared to spend the night outside.

But something was strange. He moved in his sleep, skin crawling. He heard something. Footsteps?

Sawdust opened his eyes and squinted into the darkness, trying to discern what was in front of him. It wasn’t human footsteps, Sawdust counted four. It sounded big. He sat up and propped himself up on his paws, still trying to see.

It was only when the moonlight passed through the trees just perfectly was he alerted to what was truly in front of him. Sawdust shot up out of the bushes, standing up just outside of them as he stared down the creature that woke him up. A mountain lion crept closer to him, its ears pinned back as it let out a rumbling sound from its chest.

Sawdust turned and ran. He had to, he couldn’t fight that thing, but he wasn’t nearly fast enough to outrun it. He whimpered, hearing it thunder after him. It wouldn’t be long before he was caught, but he didn’t stop running. Sawdust could not stop running if he ever wanted to see Master Adrien again. Trees flew past him, his paws slipping on the leaves that covered the forest floor. 

His clumsy paws fell out from under him and he tumbled forwards, slamming down into the ground, at the mercy of the animal.

It jumped at him, thick claws digging and dragging down his lower leg. Sawdust screamed, trying to move back away from it. He could never escape it. He was a stupid dog, and he was even more stupid for ever thinking that he could rely on himself. And now he was going to die.

The animal did not waste time staring him down, it did not loom over him. It pulled back, got its massive paws underneath it, and leapt forward. Sawdust squeezed his eyes shut, body tense, only to be met with a loud bang ripping through the forest.

The animal dropped, heavy on Sawdust’s body. He began to cry.

His own blood flowed out freely, soaking his sweatpants and then pooling on the ground. The creature… Sawdust couldn’t bare to look at it. In the brief glance he had seen, there was a small red hole, just above its right brow, and a splattered red mess in the left-back of its head. Sawdust sobbed, he didn’t want to cover his face for fear of smearing blood all over himself. He moved out from underneath the dead animal, only to be greeted with more footsteps. Not animal ones, but those of a human. A man’s voice spoke up.“Now, I expect a you’re welcome, but let’s get you back to my camp.”

--

taglist :@starnight-whump @just-a-whumping-racoon-with-wifi @neuro-whump @whump-me-all-night-long @cupcakes-and-pain @whumpzone @whumpcreations @dancinglifeboat @pinkraindropsfell @looptheloup @cowboy-anon @meetmeinhellcroutons @thingsthatgo-whump-inthenight @firewheeesky @maracujatangerine @it-will-all-whump-out @theydy-cringeworthy @kim-poce @bluetheautisticrat @whump-in-progress @wh-wh-whu @mylifeisonthebookshelf @grizzlie70 @wolfeyedwitch @nicolepascaline @melancholy-in-the-morning @jumbledbyrd @batfacedliar-yetagain @no-terms-and-conditions-apply @scp-1269 @whumpdreamz @bees-among-the-okami @taterswhump

[whumpurr]

Adrien and Sawdust part 22

cw: pet whump, self degradation, unreliable narrator

masterlist

--

Ma’am was cold and distant for the rest of the day. She reminded Sawdust of his old master, whenever he was dealing with his disobedient dog. Sawdust was left with nothing left to do but curl up in his bed and go to sleep, longing for the day to pass so he may see Master Adrien again.

The three ate breakfast together. Ma’am was sitting at the head of the table, Master Adrien on the other side, and Sawdust sitting on the floor next to Ma’am’s chair. Master Adrien was just finishing serving himself and Ma’am some eggs and toast when Sawdust took his seat by his bowl full of dog food.

Master Adrien shifted anxiously in his seat, his hand shaky as he moved forkfuls of food to his mouth. He was wearing a gray hoodie, which was pretty normal for him, but as he bent his arm and the edge of his sleeve rode up, Sawdust could easily spot the deep red welt line running on the top of his wrist. He recognized that type of mark. Sawdust himself had received something similar when he was disobedient and stupid enough with his old master to deserve the belt being laid across his back until he was bleeding. Master Adrien’s mark was slimmer, though. Sawdust hadn’t ever been struck with anything that would leave a mark like that.

As soon as Master Adrien noticed Sawdust staring, he fixed his sleeve.

“Do you want to come into the office today, little puppy?” Ma’am asked, reaching down and petting Sawdust’s head.  “I’m sure nobody would mind, they’d think you’re cute!”

Sawdust glanced up to Master Adrien for an answer, but his face remained cold and expressionless. He did not want to disappoint either of them. He nodded gently. Ma’am’s face lit up with excitement and she squeezed his cheeks,

“Oh, everyone’s going to love you! I’ll text and let everyone know you’re coming!” Her fingernails tapped on her phone while she typed, “I think someone else has a pet too, I’ll tell her to bring it along.”

Another pet? Sawdust thought to himself. He’d never met another pet like him. He wondered if the other pet would be a dog too. He found himself beginning to get excited about meeting them. The eagerness only made him eat his food faster, in hopes of being able to go sooner. Plus, if he and Ma’am were both out of the house, then Master Adrien might be able to find another way out. At the very least, he might be able to escape himself, even if Sawdust could not.

Breakfast went down quick after that, and Sawdust was being shuttled out of the house. Ma’am locked up all the doors and windows tight just like Master Adrien did in his own home. Ma’am had Sawdust sit in the backseat of the car and she drove off down the empty street towards the city. It wasn’t often that Sawdust got out of the house, even when he was at Master Adrien’s house. It was strange to be brought along to Ma’am’s workplace so easily, especially when it was such a production for Adrien to take Sawdust anywhere. Ma’am didn’t have any of the unsteadiness that Master Adrien had. Not that Sawdust thought ill of Master Adrien, of course. He simply thought that Ma’am was… More confident. Maybe she had a pet before?

She was unshakeable, and Sawdust was the most fallible, pitiful creature alive. Sawdust still couldn’t scrub his mind of the kiss she had given him. He felt disgusted with himself every time he remembered it, and he couldn’t forget it. But he didn’t dare ask her why. It was not his place to question her.

The rumbling of the tires on the road at least helped him take his mind off of it. The unpaved lane quickly turned to asphalt as she traversed the city, heading towards the part with tall, glassy buildings. Sawdust had never been to this part. He wondered if Master Adrien had. Sawdust wasn’t aware that this town was so big, the town he was from was tiny. It was a handful of houses around his old Master’s house, and yet despite that, crowds of people still flocked to his old Master’s home to watch the fights.

Just following such a train of thought and winding up back at the fights had Sawdust shivering in his seat.

“Oh, sorry,” Ma’am said, twisting a round knob on something at the front of the car. “I forgot you dress kind of light. I’ll keep it a bit warmer for you.”

“I’m sorry, ma’am,” Sawdust speaks up properly for the first time in what felt like ages. His voice is rough. He hadn’t realized just how long he’d been sitting in the car while Ma’am drove. “I’m not- not cold- I- your pet wants whatever you want, Ma’am.”

Ma’am looked back at Sawdust through the rear view mirror. There was something in her gaze that Sawdust had not seen from anybody in a while. He realized that it was because Master Adrien did not have that trait. His old Master didn’t have that trait, either, not usually. Sometimes the people he brought over did.

“You really are so cute,” She grinned, “The office is just going to love you to pieces! And one of my coworkers has a pet too. Maybe you’ll get along.”

Sawdust blinked owlishly at Ma’am. Another pet. Another pet like him? A pet that’s terrible at being a dog? He fiddled with his paws in the back seat, trying to hide how excited he was. He was always terrible at that, but there were few things recently that got him eager and excited, so he did not have to worry about having something to hide. He couldn’t let Ma’am- or anyone else- know that he was looking forward to something, because then it would become a bargaining chip, and its withholding would become a punishment.

Part of Sawdust was ashamed of how eager he was. How could he possibly want to see another pet suffering like him? He didn’t know why his heart sped up at the thought. Maybe he was simply missing the rest of his pack. The litter he was kept with. As cruel as they were to him, they were still company.

“Don’t worry, baby,” Ma’am reached one hand back and gently put it on Sawdust’s knee. She didn’t pet him, simply let it rest there as a reminder of her looming presence. “We’ll be there soon, okay? Just sit tight.”

The rumbling of the car’s wheels finally quieted as Ma’am pulled into a dark room filled with other cars. She parked, and then stepped outside and opened the door for Sawdust, muttering apologies for not having a carrier for him. His legs trembled as he stood, taking a step out of the vehicle and teetering on his feet. He wasn’t certain if he was supposed to crawl or not, but that was decided for him when Ma’am took his paw in her hand. 

He felt dirty. He was definitely slowing her down. He was ashamed when she nodded to a man  who was standing at the door, dressed in a dark gray uniform, before she brought Sawdust inside. The two of them rode an elevator up and up, until it finally let them out and Sawdust was pulled out.

The lights were cold and bright above him, the white ceiling doing nothing to help. Little boxed off cubicles lined the floor, but Ma’am didn’t bring Sawdust to one of those. She brought him to a proper room, off to the back and to the side. It had a few tall windows, but it was mostly secluded by dull walls. Against one of the walls was a desk with a computer and a chair, not unlike Master Adrien’s back home. On the floor next to the desk was a small trash can full of paper, and what looked like a cushion. 

“I had them steal a pillow off the sofa in the break room,” Ma’am led Sawdust over to it and allowed him to kneel down on it. “This way you can stay close by me.”

She rolled out her chair and sat down, taking her spot at her desk, next to Sawdust.

Sawdust didn’t see any pets anywhere near him. He didn’t know where, when, or if they would be arriving. He was a little disappointed that they weren’t here already, but he supposed that Ma’am knew best.

Sawdust never could have foreseen at any point that his greatest enemy was anticipation. At least when he was trapped in with the other dogs, dreading when his Master would come back, he had things to distract him. Now he is seated with nothing but the sound of Ma’am’s typing, and some loose threads to pull at on the tassels at the corners of his cushion. He kept glancing up at Ma’am, expecting her to do something. The woman, who had stooped so low as to kiss him, didn’t even glance at Sawdust. There was no universe where it was in order for Sawdust to request attention or distraction. He was left to wait.

Time ticked by, punctuated alone by Ma’am’s typing. Finally, she spoke up. Her words were deafening against the silence.

“You know, everyone’s curious about you.” She says, not even looking away from her screen. “I told the office group chat that you were coming along. They all want to meet you. Lunch is coming up, so it’s up to you if you want to come with me to the cafeteria, or stay here.”

People. People, real humans, wanted to meet him. The thought was terrifying, but it was probably even more dangerous to deny Ma’am what she wanted. Sawdust swallowed.

“Whatever Ma’am wants…” He muttered, unable to force more sound out of his pathetic throat. She beamed down at him, 

“Perfect! You’ll come along then, and I’ll ask for a meal for you too.” She took out her phone and typed something into it. Then she finally pet Sawdust’s head. “The person with the pet should be coming shortly after lunch. You’ll get to meet her then!”

The promise was rejuvenating. If Sawdust had a real tail, it would be thumping against the floor. Instead, he’s left with his limp, stuffed one that can’t properly show his emotion. It was probably better, safer that way, anyways.

“Ready to go?” Ma’am stood and let Sawdust take her hand so she could guide him down to the cafeteria. Now that Sawdust was aware of it, he felt every single person’s eyes all over him. He was sure that they were wondering where his real ears and tail were, why he was so skinny and scarred up. Why wasn’t he pretty and cute like a real dog? His already terrible posture worsened with every step as he tried to hide and curl into himself. 

Finally, they stepped into the elevator and were brought to a different floor.

Only for this one to be even more swarmed with people.

The elevator opened directly to the cafeteria Ma’am must have been referring to. There were three different stations at the walls of the big dining hall, tables and booths scattered across the floor. Different types of people walked around with trays of yummy smelling food, taking their seats or getting up to go. 

Ma’am didn’t even stop walking, she tugged Sawdust along to one of the food stations, taking a tray with one hand. The person behind the counter exchanged some pleasantries with Ma’am, and then handed her a plate and a bowl, as well as some utensils. 

“I’m going to need two hands to carry this, okay puppy?” She let go of Sawdust’s paw, leaving him to have to quickly grasp at the counter to keep himself steady. “Just follow me over to a table, okay? Follow.” She turned on her heel and started off towards an empty table. That wasn’t an impossible task. Sawdust let go of the counter and stumbled after her, making sure not to lose sight of her.

His feet were unsteady and his legs were still wobbly and weak, even if he had been practicing with Master Adrien. His head was on a swivel, overstimulated by everybody moving around and talking around him, he didn’t see the crowd of chatting business people approaching, and he was unable to stop himself from getting caught in the crowd and tumbling down.

His knees slammed against the tile beneath him and he yelped. The chatter that had swarmed him suddenly died, and he glanced up to see pairs of eyes staring down at him. The chatter started again in the form of soft murmurs above him. Their gazes pierced through him. Sawdust’s breath quickened. Hands reached down to him. To grab at him. He lurched back, just to collide with the crowd’s shins. He was completely boxed in. Hot, stinging, shameful tears welled up in his eyes. He was lost in a sea of faceless people.

“Excuse me!” He heard a voice from the outside of the crowd. Ma’am practically shouldered her way through the people, and as soon as Sawdust recognized her, he was leaping forward and clinging to her legs, eyes squeezed shut. 

He heard the sound of footsteps, and then the background, ambient chatter. Only when he was sure that the crowd was gone did he open his eyes. Ma’am crouched down and pet his head, fixing the position of his ear headband.

“Hey, puppy.” She said softly, extending a hand and wiping his tears away once he finally let go of her legs and sat down on the floor. “Are you okay?”

He felt awful that his hiccuping sobs were interrupting her. He nodded.

“Okay, here,” She extended a hand, “We can get our food packed up and go eat it in the office. I think you’re a little overwhelmed.”

She sat Sawdust down at a table with their food while she left, shortly coming back with containers that she packed everything into. On the way back to the office, her hand did not let go of Sawdust’s paw, and his eyes did not leave her back.

A part of him was touched that she came back for him. The other parts of him were all deeply ashamed and embarrassed, and hateful. How could he ever think that he could walk on two legs like that? How could he assume that he was competent enough to follow Ma’am? He was truly useless as a pet. Better for decoration.

Once back in the office, Sawdust took his spot back on his cushion. Ma’am opened a flat, round container and set it down next to him for him to eat. It was full of chicken, rice, carrots, and broccoli. He wanted to turn his nose up at the broccoli and carrots, but he’s seen videos from Master Adrien of dogs eating it… Maybe it’ll be okay.

He dug in, burying his nose in the food while he wolfed it down, trying not to spill any grains of rice on the floor. The food was delicious, it filled up his senses, yet he was still able to hear the sound of talking from outside of Ma’am’s office grow louder and then, cutting through it in a small voice, he heard,

“Woof!”

--

Taglist: @starnight-whump @just-a-whumping-racoon-with-wifi @neuro-whump @whump-me-all-night-long @cupcakes-and-pain @whumpzone @whumpcreations @dancinglifeboat @pinkraindropsfell @looptheloup @cowboy-anon @meetmeinhellcroutons @thingsthatgo-whump-inthenight @firewheeesky @maracujatangerine @it-will-all-whump-out @theydy-cringeworthy @kim-poce @bluetheautisticrat@whump-in-progress @wh-wh-whu @mylifeisonthebookshelf @grizzlie70 @wolfeyedwitch @nicolepascaline @melancholy-in-the-morning @jumbledbyrd @batfacedliar-yetagain @no-terms-and-conditions-apply @scp-1269 @whumpdreamz

[whumpurr]

Adrien and Sawdust part 21

cw: abduction, unreliable narrator, capture, pet whump, intimate whumper (no n/s/f/w)

masterlist

--

Sawdust’s whole body went cold. It started at the tip of his nose, then down to his lips, and spread down his whole self. He didn’t understand what was happening. He knew that Ma’am was kissing him, but humans don’t kiss dogs. His old master would kiss the women he brought home sometimes, Sawdust would see through the cracks in the wood of the dog shed, looking into the window of the house. But this was wrong, it was disgusting, he was disgusting.

Just as soon as Ma’am kissed him, it was over and she was pulling back with her hand ruffling his hair. She left him to go and prepare herself for bed. Sawdust could do nothing but curl up in his dog bed and do the same, hoping that the chilling feeling that coursed through his bones would fade away.

Sawdust awoke to the sun coming through the crack in Ma’am’s curtain. He did not remember the last time he slept past the sunrise. Ma’am was no longer in her large, comfortable looking bed, so Sawdust saw fit to carefully creep out of the room like the disobedient pup he was. At least he didn’t disobey further by walking on two legs like a person. He crawled down out of the room, and eventually made his way through the expansive, winding halls to find the kitchen, where Ma’am was cooking.

“Oh! Good morning, puppy!” She held the pan in one hand and pet Sawdust’s head with the other. “I’ll go wake up Adrien, too.”

She took something from the pan and put it on a plate before turning the stove off and leaving the kitchen. Sawdust remained, trembling, sitting on the floor.

--

The sudden, glaring light from the door to the basement was abrasive on Adrien’s eyes. His head still hurt from the crash, and his shoulders and arms were aching from being tied back how Sarah had done. He squinted at the light.

“Your cute little doggy is waiting for us,” Sarah approaches and stoops down next to him, unlocking the cuffs binding his hands, “If you misbehave, it’ll be bad for him, do you understand, darling?”

“Y-Yes,” Adrien said, voice hoarse.

“You’ll sit up at the table with me. If only to keep Sawdust clueless.” Her face had some kind of awful porcelain smile plastered on it.

“Why did you have to bring him into this?” Adrien trembled as he stood, “You could’ve dropped him off at a- a shelter, or-”

“I wanted a cute little puppy!” Sarah laughed, voice cold underneath it, “You’re not so cute anymore, Adrien. Maybe it’s those dark circles under your eyes? Or all that muscle? I dunno, now come on up with me, and behave yourself.”

Adrien had to reacquaint himself with walking as he tried to make himself look at least a little bit presentable. He didn’t want to make Sawdust worry, so he was reluctant to proceed upstairs without looking as normal as possible. After stalling as much as he could, Adrien finally was led upstairs by Sarah.

Adrien would like to think that if Sawdust had a real tail, it’d be wagging- judging by the sudden excitement in his eyes when he spotted his owner. Sarah escorted Adrien to his seat, regrettably not the one next to Sawdust, as that was the one that she eagerly took. The table was still small enough that Adrien could probably pet Sawdust’s head if he reached over, but he did not want to try that out of fear of upsetting the woman across from him.

Sarah went into the kitchen and returned with two plates of pancakes and a bowl of dog food and one of water for Sawdust, setting each meal in front of each respective person. Sawdust immediately began eating, while Adrien used his fork to lift up the top pancake to look underneath it and make sure there wasn’t some kind of poison or drug hidden inside the stack. If Sarah noticed, she didn’t mention it.

“So,” She said, cutting into her food, “Sawdust, did Adrien ever talk about me?”

Adrien’s heart stopped for a moment. The closest he’d gotten to speaking of Sarah to Sawdust was more or less slandering her in a vague way. He hoped desperately that Sawdust didn’t put together that the woman he was talking about then was the same one who was sitting next to him.

“Pets d-don’t talk.” Sawdust muttered, throwing a glance over to Adrien before looking back down and leaning down to continue eating his food.

Sarah sighed a familiar sigh to Adrien. She tapped her fork on the edge of her plate a few times then put it down on the table and stood up. Sawdust turned and started lapping at the water bowl, seemingly purposefully avoiding looking at Sarah.

“Now, I know you’re new here-” Sarah turned to Sawdust and, using one foot, pressed his face down into his water bowl. He immediately began squirming and struggling, unable to breathe. “-But I expect you to use some common sense, okay, puppy?” She pushed even harder. “I didn’t bring you in for you to be stupid. Okay? I really want a-”

“That’s enough, Sarah!” Adrien yelled, standing up and taking a step around the table towards her. She turned her head to him and rolled her eyes, but lifted her foot and sat back down, leaving Sawdust to cough and sputter at her side.

Sarah said nothing and resumed her meal as though nothing had happened. Adrien risked making her even angrier by kneeling next to Sawdust, his hand gently resting on Sawdust’s back.

“Hey, hey, you’re okay now,” He whispered to Sawdust, who was still hacking up water, hands braced on the floor. Sarah had always been on the more temperamental side, but she never did anything like that to Adrien in their shared history. His blood ran cold at the thought of what she would do to Sawdust when he wasn’t looking.

Slowly, Sawdust’s coughing tapered out and Adrien moved his hand from his back, to softly petting his head.

“Do you think you can keep eating?” Adrien nudged Sawdust’s food bowl a bit closer to him. As much as he was reluctant to tell Sawdust, he believed that it was within the realm of possibility that Sarah would not give Sawdust another meal until tomorrow.

--

Sawdust whimpered and trembled, but he got back to eating. He wanted to listen to his master, his real master. His chest hurt, but he ate until he was finished. He didn’t understand what he had done wrong to upset Ma’am so much.

Finished with his food, Sawdust sat back and glanced up at Master Adrien, hoping that his master would not be too disgusted at his tearful face. A disgusting mutt, with a disgusting face.

“I’m so sorry, dear.” Master Adrien said, softly holding his pet’s face.

“Hey,” Ma’am sneered, having finished her food. She reached across the table and picked up Master Adrien’s plate, then dropped it on the floor. It thankfully didn’t break, even if Sawdust couldn’t stop himself from flinching as though it did, but the food was spilled everywhere. “You forgot that.”

Ma’am pushed her chair back and went back up into her room, footsteps fading off. As soon as Sawdust stopped hearing her steps, Master suddenly grabbed Sawdust and pulled him close into a hug.

It was nearly crushing.

“Are you okay? Did she hurt you?” He asked. Sawdust shook his head once Master let him go.

“She- she k-kiss- kissed me…” Sawdust admitted.

A sudden darkness swept over Master Adrien’s features, one that made Sawdust scared.

“We’re going to get out of here, okay?” Master stood, helping Sawdust to stand on his unsteady paws. Sawdust didn’t dare defy his Master.

Master Adrien brough Sawdust to the front door. He hesitated a bit before he turned the knob and opened it.

A gust of cool morning air greeted them both. Master Adrien took a careful step outside, then shut the door behind them. He had to keep a steady hold around Sawdust just to keep the pathetic pet standing.

Outside was an open field. Ma’am’s car was parked in front of the house, but aside from that, the field stretched empty for yards, only a dirt road leading out towards a bigger street. Master Adrien was considerably slower, having to help Sawdust to walk.

A pit of dread bubbled in Sawdust’s stomach. This couldn’t be right, didn’t Ma’am want him? Want them both? Was she just going to let them go like this?

Just as Sawdust was wondering, he heard the sound of Ma’am’s car start up, the crunch of dirt and gravel beneath its tires fast approaching. They were no more than halfway down the field, and she caught up easily. Master looked like he was about to cry.

“Are you serious?” Ma’am said, rolling down her window. “Get in the backseat.”

Reluctantly, Master opened the door and let Sawdust get into the car first, before climbing in himself. The two of them were silent on the incredibly short drive back, but Ma’am spoke.

“I’m going to let you off easy this time, since I care about you. But if you ever try that again, you’re going to be punished. Do you understand?”

Not wanting to disobey Ma’am with his silence again, Sawdust answered a small affirmative, and Master Adrien did the same. She parked the car and got out, then opened the back door and dragged both of them out by their arms, leading them back into her house.

“You wait here.” She jabbed a finger into Master Adrien’s shoulder, then looked at Sawdust, “And you, come with me.”

Ma’am didn’t wait a second before going back to her room. She instructed Sawdust to wait inside while she left. Sawdust sat on the floor while he heard Ma’am and Master Adrien talking, though his useless, sub-par ears couldn’t make out what they were saying. They both soon grew quiet, and Ma’am returned to Sawdust shortly after. She kneeled down next to him.

“Now Sawdust,” She cupped his cheek in her hand, “I care a lot about you, okay? I just want to make sure you’re safe. There are all kinds of dangerous animals out there that would want to eat a cute little puppy like you!”

Sawdust couldn’t help but gasp a little. He was well aware of the other dogs at his old master’s house who wanted to eat them sometimes, and he had heard of even more ferocious creatures out in the wild, like wolves and bears.

“I don’t know what Adrien was thinking, bringing a little puppy out into the open like that! You could’ve gotten hurt!” Ma’am pouted, “But you’re lucky that I found you before you could wander too far. Now I want you to stay inside so you can be safe, okay darling?”

Sawdust had never felt safe before. He did quite look forward to being safe with Ma’am in her house. He gave her a small nod,

“Y- Yes, Ma’am.”

--

taglist @starnight-whump @just-a-whumping-racoon-with-wifi @neuro-whump @whump-me-all-night-long @cupcakes-and-pain @whumpzone @whumpcreations @dancinglifeboat @pinkraindropsfell @looptheloup @cowboy-anon @meetmeinhellcroutons @thingsthatgo-whump-inthenight @firewheeesky @maracujatangerine @it-will-all-whump-out @theydy-cringeworthy @kim-poce @bluetheautisticrat @whump-in-progress @wh-wh-whu @mylifeisonthebookshelf @grizzlie70 @wolfeyedwitch @nicolepascaline @melancholy-in-the-morning @jumbledbyrd @batfacedliar-yetagain @no-terms-and-conditions-apply

[whumpurr]

😱- what’s your greatest fear? Has whumper ever used it against you?

🧟- how much control does whumper have over you?

👑- do you think whumper spoils you?

for Sawdust?

Who the 'whumper' is, is up to you

😱- what’s your greatest fear? Has whumper ever used it against you?

"I dunno if I have one," He mutters. His brain helpfully supplied images of the other dogs ripping him apart, his body being shredded like paper under claws and teeth. It was frightening, sure, but Sawdust didn't think that it was his greatest fear. "I think I'm scared the m- most of being bad. Being a w-worthless, bad pet. My old master told me I was bad whenever I d-didn't behave... I think Master Adrien thinks I'm bad b-but he doesn't t-t-tell me..."

🧟- how much control does whumper have over you?

"I don't know if there's any- anything Master could tell me to do that I wouldn't do... Good pets listen to their masters."

👑- do you think whumper spoils you?

"M-Master Adrien does!" Sawdust says, "He gives me t-toys and a r-r-room it- pets don't- pets shouldn't have those things!"

--

ask meme here!

[whumpurr]

🧠🍭🪦☠️For sawdust

🧠- has whumper used conditioning/brainwashing on you? If so, how much?

Sawdust doesn't see it as brainwashing, so he shakes his head for a minute. "Not- no, he made me a g-good pet, taught me how to be a dog." He states. Brainwashing sounds so mean! What Sawdust got was training and teaching, stuff he only got because his old master cared about him!

🍭- does whumper feed you often?

"Master Adrien feeds me a bunch. W-Whenever he eats, I eat. My old master didn't feed me so much, and I had to- to fight the other dogs f-f-for it."

🪦- if something went wrong, how would you want Whumper to lay you to rest?

Sawdust didn't often think about death with his old master. He always assumed that his old master cared enough to make sure that it didn't happen.

"Um... With my old master..." He fiddles with his paws while he thinks, obviously at least a little bit upset, "He could probably just l-leave me there w-with the other dogs... They can d-do whatever they want, I guess..."

"Master Adrien-" Sawdust squeaks, tears welling up in his eyes, "I dunno, p-pets shouldn't get to decide... I'd like s-something nice, though."

☠️- are you scared to die?

"I didn't- didn't used to be... I though m-my master would always take c-care of me 'nd I didn't care t-too much... I am now though." He wants to curl up and hide away.

--

ask meme here!

[whumpurr]

new wreckx charpter tonightttt

[whumpurr]

Adrien and Sawdust part 23

cw: pet whump, self degradation, unreliable narrator, male whumpee, female whumpee

masterlist

--

Sawdust perked up at the sound. It felt as though it had been so long since he was around another dog, and he had never been around another dog like him. His head swiveled, looking for the source of the sound, his food forgotten on the floor. It took all he had in him to not just plod out into the main office to look.

“Are you done with your food, puppy?” Ma’am asked from above him. He nodded his head, hoping that he would be taken outside to look now that he was finished eating. Ma’am picked up his bowl and, sensing his excitement, led him over to the door.

The instant the door was opened, he saw her.

Her hair was bleached pure white, and curly to match the clip in dog ears she had. They were floppy, covering her human ears on either side of her head. Her whole outfit was matching white and fancy. A puffy tutu, a fitted top, white boots on her feet and gloves on her hands. She was standing on two feet next to her owner. Sawdust felt disgusting in comparison. Ma’am had put him in a t-shirt and soft, stretchy, loose pants. It was nowhere near as beautiful as the other dog. She was beautiful. He regretted ever wanting to meet her.

She looked down her nose at him.

“Missy,” The owner, an older woman, said, regaining her pet’s attention. Sawdust flinched at the commanding sound of her voice, but Missy simply calmly turned back towards her owner.

“I already asked Charline, she said that you and Missy could have a little playdate today! I have to work late, so you two can keep each other occupied.” Ma’am leaned down and told Sawdust.

Sawdust wandered back to sit next to Ma’am’s desk. Missy was the epitome of what a good dog was. She was beautiful, she walked with grace, she obeyed her master’s orders. She looked perfect. Sawdust scrutinized his own skin. It was sickly pale and clung to his bones, his scars from the other dogs rippled across his body. He would be dirtying her by even being near her.

His thoughts wandered for the rest of the day. Sawdust was only pulled out of his melancholy when Ma’am would sometimes reach down and pet his head. When she finally got up and went to lead him out of the room, he wanted to resist. Sawdust wanted to fight the very idea of going to meet Missy even though it was what he had been looking forward to all day. Yet he could not disobey the orders given to him.

The room he was led to was bare. There was a cluster of chairs, a small table, and rug rolled out on the floor. In the corner he could see some dog bowls, and a small refrigerator. It smelled like other animals in here.

“This is the pet room,” Ma’am stepped in with him. The room was on the same floor as Ma’am’s office, but it was tucked out of the way in a corner of the floor. Sawdust rocked nervously on his paws. “Missy should be here soon, Charline is also working a bit late but she said she’d meet me here right about now. Can I leave you here so I can get back to work?”

Sawdust nodded, not because he believed it to be true, but because he did not want to disappoint her. Not after she’d treated him so nicely. Ma’am ducked out of the room and Sawdust was left trembling on his own. If he had a tail like a real dog, it would be between his legs.

The fluorescent white lights above him did little to hint at the passage of time. He had no clue how much time passed before the door was finally opened again and Missy stepped through. She sat on one of the chairs, like a person. Her owner was not with her.

She crossed her slender legs and put her paws on her knees. She looked upset. Many times Sawdust opened his mouth just to close it again. Nothing he could possibly say could ever make any difference. Nothing he could say would be good enough for her to hear. 

“I don’t get why Charline brought me here.” Missy pouted. She looked down at Sawdust and her eyes were a light brown that looked like honey when they caught the light. “I don’t know why you couldn’t just take care of yourself.”

Sawdust blinked at her. Was that what her owner had told her? That he needed someone to watch over him? Well, that wouldn’t be incorrect. 

“You’re dirty.” She muttered. Sawdust wasn’t sure if that was directed at him or if she was making an observation to herself. But again, she was still correct. Sawdust looked dirty even when he wasn’t. His hair was poorly maintained and the tails and ears he used had seen dust, dirt, and damage over the years he’s had them. Sawdust looked down at his paws in shame.

“Do you not talk? Did your owner not teach you?” 

“I can talk…” Sawdust muttered even though he had nothing to follow it up with. Missy chuckled.

“So like, what’s your deal then?”

She had a manner of talking that was completely opposite to Adrien’s deep timbre. Her voice was high, yet rough, and she spoke quickly.

“Hello? I asked you a question.”

“My… deal?” 

“Like, your life! Your story, all that, I don’t know. Just say something, you’re freaky sitting there all quiet.” She yapped, crossing her arms and bouncing her leg.

“I got bought by my Master,” Sawdust did not know how much he should reveal but he supposed that maybe if he said more, she would stop being so mean. “He bought me from some people in the forest. But before that I was with my old Master and he kept me with other dogs.”

Something in Missy’s expression changed, in the few seconds Sawdust could stand to look into her eyes.

“The dogs were mean and they fought me sometimes, I do not know what happened to them after my old Master got taken away.” Sawdust fiddled with his paws, “What about you?”

“Charline got me from a pet store.” She stated as though it were obvious. 

“You call your owner that?”

“Charline? It’s her name, duh.”

Missy sighed and Sawdust could see the stretch of her skin while she moved. He could see her toned muscle beneath it, she must be trained by her owner. She speaks quickly, she must have been taught as well. Stronger and smarter than Sawdust. More dressed, prettier. Better.

Sawdust was jealous.

“You’re not supposed to do that.” He said matter-of-factly. “And you shouldn’t sit on chairs.”

Missy’s eyes went wide for a moment before she rolled them. Her boots slammed on the floor as she stood up. 

“What would you know? Charline told me about your incident in the cafeteria, you stupid mutt.” She towered over Sawdust, who was still sitting on his knees. “You can barely speak, I bet that you can’t even really think. Can you read? Can you swim? I can. I know more than you, so don’t talk like you know anything.”

In front of him, Sawdust saw a… being. Dog wasn’t right, no dog was ever this cruel to him, even the ones that bit and tore at his skin. And she was far too restrained for a human. A human would rip him apart with tools or their hands if they were to ever get so angry at him. She was a being that was smart and strong, obedient to her owner and able to survive in the wild. Things Sawdust could never be. He trembled.

Towering over the frail, meek puppy dog, Missy raised her boot and struck Sawdust in the stomach.

--

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[whumpurr]

YALL I'M ALIVE

I'm just busy hehe but there's gonna be an Adrien and Sawdust chapter this weekend!!!