#CareTaker

[jordanstrophe]

During a trade, how do you imagine whumper handing whumpee over?

I like to imagine whumper has a henchman take whumpee to caretakers side, as the henchman is trembling having to walk towards a seething caretaker.

Especially if whumpee can't walk and they're dragging them. 

[delicatewhumps]

desperate comfort.

“oh god, oh god, stay with me!”

“keep your eyes open! you’re okay! damn it, you’re okay!”

“i’ve got you, i’ve got you, i’ve got you, i’ve got you— it’s alright, i’ve got you!”

“i know it hurts. i know, honey, it’s okay.”

“it’s all gonna be fine, just stay with me, just stay awake, please!”

“i love you. i love you so much, whatever happens, just remember that, okay?”

“stop, don’t talk like that, you’re gonna be fine! i wouldn’t lie to you!”

[echoingalaxies]

One of my favourite things is Whumpee protecting Caretaker.

Caretaker does so much for them, is always there for them, helps them all the time. Caretaker has saved them in countless of ways, and would lie, die, and kill for Whumpee.

But now Caretaker is (even ever so slightly) threatened, about to get hurt, and Whumpee steps between them and the danger - despite possibly still being weak, despite not having yet worked through the previous horrors they've faced.

They would go through it again, and a thousand times, if it meant never seeing the haunted look in Caretaker's eyes Whumpee sees every time they glance at their own reflection.

[of-word-and-weapons]

Thinking about a living weapon in denial that they were forced to do any of the things they did.

Living weapon- LW

Caretaker- CTR

"Handler didn't force me to kill that man, I chose to."

"What would happen if you refused?" CTR asked. LW didn't answer right away. CTR watched LW swallow subtly and take a shaky breath.

"Why would I refuse?" The slight warble of LW's voice was all the confession CTR needed.

"Do what I say or I'll hurt you isn't a choice. That's coercion."

The idea being that LW holds onto the idea that they had a choice, that they had autonomy in what they were doing. They've accepted that they're a bad person, that they're a villian and reject any notion that they were forced. They want it to be too late for them, they want to be too far gone to be redeemed, because they can't live with what they've done. They can't live with the lives they've ruined and hopefully if they keep going down that self destructive path they won't have to.

[the-three-whumpeteers]

The whumpee was used to having nightmares, they were used to waking up in a cold sweat and trying desperately to comfort themselves- but they weren’t used to someone knowing. The caretaker just wanted to comfort their friend through it all, staying with the whumpee for a while, until they felt even a little better- they just wanted to be there for them. The whumpee just doesn’t know what to do with the change in routine, because the caretaker was there for them every time they woke up crying.

[whump-galaxy]

Love a whumpee being stuck in the middle of helping the caretaker with another Whumpee.

Like, they’re not injured as bad as the other one, so they rush around fulfilling tasks, helping the caretaker with the more injured character.

They’re over stressing themselves, over exerting themselves…and the caretaker is still more focused with the other whumpee. They don’t want to be angry, they know they’re not as injured, but if the caretaker would just…notice them.

[ashdoeswhump]

Tws: dehumanisation, conditioning, abuse, intimate whumper, pet whump, basically just all the whumpy stuff that comes with pet whump and nonhuman whumpees

Animalistic and nonhuman whumpees hit just right.

Nonhuman whumpee with claws and fangs and wings and horns and fur. Does whumper tear these off? Use them to pin whumpee down? Slide a knife along them, not hard enough to pierce, but enough to draw blood, enough to hurt? Put them on display for their friends? Does caretaker know how to look after their nonhuman traits? Are they gentle, so gentle, with them? Do these things get in caretaker's way so they keep accidentally knocking it? Does caretaker preen whumpee's wings, polish their horns, trim their claws when they're too weak to do it themselves?

Werewolf whumpee who looks perfectly human most of the time, but who are constantly punished for the one night they don't. Does whumper keep them on a chain? Treat them like a dog? Make them sleep outside and eat out of a bowl without their hands? Keep them surrounded by silver at all times? How does caretaker deal with it? Do they find a way to keep whumpee calm during full moons? Are they forced to keep whumpee locked up every month for everyone's safety, whumpee's included? Do they give whumpee a blanket and a hug and some hot chocolate afterwards?

Avian whumpee who struggles with speech but can make other noises just fine. Do they squawk when whumper hurts them? Does whumper force them to sing? Feed them nothing but seeds and nuts? Keep them locked in a hanging cage? Keep them outside but chained down so they can't fly away? Does caretaker build them a nest out of blankets and pillows? Let them out whenever they want? Encourage them to fly, only for them to fall back to the ground and hurt themself because they haven't flown in so long? Bandage and heal their battered and broken wings?

What about whumpees who aren't nonhuman, but have had their humanity stripped away?

Guard dog whumpee forced to stay outside. Does whumper make them pace around the perimeter of their property all day and night without breaks? Punish them when they pause for even a second? Only let them sleep once or twice a week because when they're asleep, the place is undefended? Does caretaker have to train this out of them because the only way to remove this conditioning is more conditioning? Do they help whumpee rest? Are they so, so relieved when whumpee goes to sleep by themself for the first time?

Lapdog whumpee who's made to cuddle with whumper. Does whumper make them sleep in their bed? Have them curl up on their lap while watching TV or reading a book? Comfort them after or during punishment? Does caretaker have to learn what sorts of touch whumpee can and can't endure? Do they have to sedate whumpee anytime they need to carry them somewhere because they're too weak to walk by themself but starts shoving any time they're touched? Is it an upwards battle, getting whumpee to associate touch with genuine care? Or is whumpee so relieved to be out, or so conditioned, that they'd do anything caretaker asks without question or complaint? How long does it take caretaker to realise this isn't them healing, but the conditioning going on?

Living weapon whumpee who isn't allowed thoughts or morals, only obedience? Does whumper force them to kill people they know during training? Keep them muzzled and hooded to hide their identity? Punish them when their face shows what they're thinking or feeling? Is caretaker afraid or horrified or disgusted of them at first? Do they have to teach whumpee that they're a person and that they're their own person? Do they have to keep weapons away from them because whumpee will think caretaker wants them to kill someone?

What noises do they make? Do they hiss or snarl when they're scared? Let out a barking yelp or a squawk when they're hurt? Whimper or whine when they're nervous? Purr when they're happy? How much of this is taught and conditioned into them, and how much is natural? Are they afraid of making human noises, or do they wish more than anything that they could speak?

There's just so many possibilities with this trope, I love it.

[isntthisblank]

mini whump prompt:

Pet whumpee being aquired by caretaker in whichever way suits your fancy. Said caretaker has an odd, unusual name however. Pet Whumpee, who’s not very knowledgeable about the world, thinks that when Caretaker is telling them to not call them master but instead call them by their name, they’re telling Whumpee to refer to them by a different title, from a different language perhaps.

[cravesunconditionallove]

Unselfish Hero Whumpee

Hero Whumpee waking up in a hospital, and the first thing they ask? "Are they okay?" in a hoarse whisper. Whumpee doesn't even open their eyes. They don't have the strength. They're in the hospital but first thing they think of is not them, but the others. Did they live?

Caretaker who has been by their side the whole time reassures them, "they're okay, you can rest now."

Whumpee relaxes, finally, that stress has been lifted off their shoulders.

Bonus if they panic when waking up, weakly trying to sit up, and caretaker has to reassure them and gently scold them to make them rest.

[iwritewhump]

"I've done things I can't even think about anymore" (alt. 3)

day twenty-four of whumptember

773 words

warnings: vague discussions of past abusive situation, conditioned whumpee

part one

~

Living Weapon forces itself to get up from bed. Handler’s voice rings in its ears, “Wake up. You’ve been rotting for too long. It’s time you did something useful with your time.” 

It shudders and rolls off the bed and onto the floor. Landing with a soft thudding sound, Living Weapon pulls its legs to its chest and lays its head on its knees. 

There’s a knock on the door and Hero turns the handle, “Can I come in?” 

Living Weapon looks at the door and frowns. What if it’s a trick and Hero will come in either way? What if he’s looking for an excuse to kick the door in? What if- 

“Living Weapon?” 

It doesn’t answer. 

He lets go of the handle and exhales sharply, “Okay, well…I made breakfast burritos, there’s one outside your door. I hope everything’s alright.”

His footsteps recede and it leans its head back. Handler’s voice echoes in its mind, “Do you really think you’ve deserved that? What have you done today other than lay around?” 

“Shut up,” it whispers, shaking its head sharply. 

The floorboards creak when it stands up and the door groans when it opens, but Living Weapon pulls the plate into the room. Inhaling deeply, Living Weapon holds the plate up to its nose and wraps its arm around its growling stomach. 

It takes a bite, savoring the flavor of the melty cheese and fluffy eggs. It finishes the burrito off in less than a minute and wipes its mouth with the bottom of its shirt. Its stomach growls and Living Weapon ignores Handler’s voice scolding it for wanting more. 

Slowly, Living Weapon stands and pushes the door open. It carries the plate in one hand and finds the kitchen. 

Hero’s leaning against the counter with a burrito in his hands. He smiles warmly at Living Weapon and scoots over, making space for it. Living Weapon looks at the counter and bites its cheek. “Are there more burritos?” 

Hero smiles and nods, “I just put them in the freezer, feel free.” 

It blinks and turns around to open the freezer door. Among the dozens of small aluminum dishes, there’s a freezer bag full of burritos. Living Weapon opens it and pulls two out. They’re still warm and it smiles softly. 

Without missing a beat, it bites into one and finishes it as quickly as the last. Hero chuckles and Living Weapon looks up, cheeks turning red. 

“I’m sorry, I don’t know why I’m so hungry.” it says, putting the other burrito down on the counter. 

Hero shakes his head and covers his mouth. He puts the burrito back in Living Weapon’s hand. 

“You haven’t eaten in four days, so it makes sense to me.” he says. 

Living Weapon shakes its head, “It hasn’t been that long.” 

Hero nods and points to the calendar, “You got here on Sunday night…” he slides his finger from Sunday to Friday, “And now it’s Friday. That’s over four days, really. And you haven’t eaten anything. So have as many burritos as you want, I have plenty.” 

Living Weapon bites its cheek and leans against the counter next to Hero. Slowly, it eats the burrito and watches him out of the corner of its eye. 

“I’m not gonna hurt you,” he says, tilting his head. “You know that, right?” 

And sure, Living Weapon knows that logically he won’t. That it’s better for him if he has it on his side, that if he can get it to trust him, he can use it to fight his battles. Just like Handler did. 

“Why not?” it whispers. It closes its eyes and exhales shakily. “Don’t you remember anything I’ve done to you?” 

Hero sighs and shrugs, “Who has the energy to keep track of someone else?” 

Its brows knit together and it turns to look at him. He stares at the ground and picks at the skin around his fingernails. 

It chews on its cheek and looks at the ceiling. 

Hero sputters and does the same, taking a half-step closer to it, “I’ve done things I can’t even think about anymore. I mean…really bad things. Things that I should’ve been killed for. But somehow I got away with all of it and now…I’m here.” 

He gestures to his house, the cozy, well protected space he’s cultivated for himself. His hip bumps Living Weapon’s and it doesn’t pull away, so he leans against it, his head resting on its shoulder. 

“Everyone will get over what you’ve done, it wasn’t your fault, they’ll see that.” 

Living Weapon sighs and nods. It leans into Hero and closes its eyes. “I hope you’re right.”

[lumpywhump]

"hey whumpee, what... what are you dressed up as? You're supposed to dress like something scary, not like a random guy..."

"It is scary. I'm dressed as whumper,"

"Oh whumpee..."

[i-eat-worlds]

I really need more caretakers rocking this type of fit:

[Image ID: A person wearing a medical yellow isolation gown, blue gloves and a mask. End ID]

[delicatewhumps]

when the whumpee is trying to hide their pain for the sake of someone else.

biting back cries… swallowing hard to disguise their whimpers… harsh breaths… stifled moans… grunting with the effort it takes to even move… GOOD SHIT

[justbreakonme]

“Please… I’m so tired.”

“Then sleep. I’ll stand guard.”

“I thought you said it was safe here?”

“It is. But you don’t feel safe, do you?”

“…not yet.”

“Then I’ll stand guard, till you can.”

[hurtmyfavsthanks]

We all know about magical fatigue as a whump trope for magical overuse. Now I raise you: Magical euphoria.

Magic that feels good to use. It leaves the user dizzy and lightheaded, a giddy energy rushing through their entire body. It's enough to leave the most stoic whumpee giggling madly, to make the most obedient soldier go rogue. It's a power that ultimately, inevitably, controls its user.

Mages aren’t trusted to act on their own. They can’t be, not when each spell costs them their sanity. Not when, in a daze of manic joy, they’re just as liable to destroy the enemy as their allies.

And so they need a handler.

Imagine Caretaker in this situation. Forced to watch Whumpee throw themselves into madness, to turn themselves into an unthinking weapon under the demand of some uncaring general. Having to put aside their affection for Whumpee as a person, and analyze them as a tool.

It’s Caretaker who decides when Whumpee is still fit for battle. It’s caretaker who has to look into their dazed and distant eyes, blood dripping into a too wide smile, and decide if Whumpee has anything else to give.

It’s Caretaker who decides when they’re too far gone, when Whumpee needs to stop. And if Whumpee can’t, it’s Caretaker’s job to make them stop. Even if that means using force, even if it means hurting them, because letting them run wild isn’t an option.

And when the battle’s over, when Whumpee is either led or dragged away to the medical wing, Caretaker’s the only one brave enough to tend to their injuries. They wrap bleeding, scorched fingers without a word, the only sound being Whumpee babbling, mad ramblings. Caretaker knows they won’t remember any of this. They still talk to Whumpee anyway, soft, comforting words they hope will bring Whumpee back faster.

And when whumpee’s eyes finally clear, when their body sags with exhaustion they’re just now able to feel, Caretaker feels nothing but grief, because it’ll start all over again tomorrow.

[whumpy-bi]

Thinking about a rescuer/caretaker barging in and immediately softening when they see the state the victim is in—skittish, terrified, trying to get away from them.

The immediate softness and compassion of “No, no, I’m here to help.”