#caretaker
“Where do you think you’re going?”
Whumpee jumped at the sound of Caretaker’s voice. They practically spun around and pressed themselves up against the front door, closing it again as they did so. “Uhm… I just- I wanted to go out for lunch with a friend… I haven’t seen them for a while and I-”
“I am the only friend you need, Whumpee.” Caretaker stepped forward and gently ran their fingers through Whumpee’s hair, pulling them close to their chest. Whumpee felt like they were suffocating, though they didn’t dare pull away. “Am I not good enough for you? Is that why you want to leave?”
“Y-you are good enough! I was only gonna be gone for an hour or two…”
Caretaker didn’t care. “Put the bag down,” they murmured, scratching the back of Whumpee’s head. “I can’t have you leaving this house, my dear. Someone might hurt you, and I can’t have that happening. How ‘bout we go watch a movie instead?”
Whumpee swallowed. They really wanted to see their friend. It had been over a year since Caretaker had let them have any sort of freedom.
However, after a moment, they slowly dropped their bag onto the wooden floor and sniffled, trembling hands reaching into their back pocket for their phone.
“I’ll tell my friend I won’t be coming…”
“Good.” As Caretaker pulled away, they snatched Whumpee’s outdated phone from them and slipped it into their own pocket. “I’ll be deleting every conversation and contact that isn’t to me. You can have it back when I’m done.”
Whumpee simply nodded, too embarrassed and upset to argue.
“What’s this?”
Whumpee could feel the heat rising to their cheeks as they held out their childhood stuffed animal towards Caretaker. Their shoulders lifted slightly in a shrug and they instinctively glanced down, not wanting to make any eye contact.
“Uhm… well, you told me you were having trouble sleeping, so I thought you might like to have her to cuddle with at night. She always makes me feel better, and I want you to feel better, too.” Their voice barely reached above a whisper, and it trembled with anxiety, yet it started to ease as soon as they noticed the giddy smile now on Caretaker’s face.
“You’re so cute,” they hummed, and as they gently took Whumpee’s favourite stuffed animal, they brought it into a hug to emphasise how grateful they were. “Thank you, my dear. Truly.”
Whumpee simply grinned right back at them, the blush on their cheeks never fading.
Warning: Captivity.
Whumpee sniffled, pressing their face into Caretaker’s shoulder as Whumper’s footsteps started to get louder. “They’re not gonna keep their promise,” they whispered shakily, squeezing their eyes shut with a muffled whimper. “We’re not getting out of here, are we?”
The lump in Caretaker’s throat thickened. “I- I don’t know,” they admitted, their voice cracking as they held Whumpee tighter with a tender kiss to their forehead. “I don’t know.”
Sheltered whumpees who’ve never experienced anything outside of captivity, getting to do all sorts of new things with their caretaker.
Warning: Hospital settings.
“Please don’t,” Whumpee whimpered, clinging to Caretaker even tighter when they tried to let go. “Please don’t leave me. I- I don’t- please.”
Caretaker gently trailed their fingers through Whumpee’s hair, planting a soft kiss to their forehead. “I’m not leaving you, Whumpee. I just need to step out of the way so the nurses can help yo-”
“No!”
Warning: Non-consensual (non-sexual) touching.
“Get the fuck off me!”
Caretaker’s arms tightened around Whumpee’s waist and chest, preventing them from going anywhere as they kicked and sobbed. “I’m not letting go of you until you calm down.”
Warning: Muzzled, conditioning.
“Whumpee, please,” Caretaker begged, watching as Whumpee pushed themselves further back into their little cage, muzzle tight over their mouth. “It’s okay, I’m not here to hurt you. I just want to take your muzzle off.”
Whumpee whimpered, their entire body trembling as they shied away from Caretaker’s gentle touch. “I need it. ’m dangerous.”
This was not their Whumpee speaking. This was years of Whumper’s conditioning, and it shattered Caretaker that they truly believed they were dangerous.
You know what I see in a Whumper? I dont see scary people, I dont see confident people.
I see insecure people, that have to hurt others to feel like they have control of something, anything, in their life.
People that suffered so much things in their life that they just need to let this anger, this sadness in form of violence.
Imagine, Whumper, in his room, had been crying for hours in the end and just want to be held like Whumpee was held by Caretaker when they saved them.
Because they watched it happen, and they felt just so jealous.
They imagine that their pillow are another person, and almost feel the heat of the imaginary-arms rounding them.
They are not strong.
They are just broken people trying to find some sort of comfort in breaking another people.
A couple new characters are coming to my vampire series in a bit. I know I haven’t posted for it in a hot minute, but I have been planning story in my head
@elizabeth-ithink@sunflower1000@scared-and-crying@thelazywitchphotographer@wolfeyedwitch@lonesome–hunter@whump-me-all-night-long@dabi-s-whore@jadeocean46910@emeraldwhump@appleejuice
If you see this and your username changed, lmk
CW: Alcohol abuse, overworked and underappreciated hero
“Hero..? Damn… When Sidekick called and told me what happened, I never expected… this.”
Hero was standing in the parking lot of the bar, bottle in hand, glaring at Villain. “Why are youhere?”
“I’m here to stop you from self destructing.”
With a frustrated yell, Hero threw the bottle in their hand at Villain. It missed.
“Wow.” Villain looked down at the smashed pieces of glass now littering the ground.
“Get the fuck away from me! I don’t want your help!”
“Are you always this expressive when you’re drunk? You’re usually so calm.”
Hero took a shaking breath. “Don’t talk to me— I don't— You shouldn’t have come!”
“Sidekick is worried about you. I thought they were exaggerating, but… Well, now I’m worried.” Villain started closer to Hero.
“Stay away from me!”
“No. Hero, you’re coming with me. Make it easier and go quietly.”
Hero tried to push Villain, but Villain just caught them close against their chest. “Let go!” Hero started thrashing. “Let me go you— you bastard!”
“Wow. Creative.” Villain rolled their eyes, forcing Hero across the parking lot to their car. “I’d put you in the backseat, but I don’t trust you to sit still.” Villain shoved Hero into the trunk and closed the hatch.
—
“Get me out of here!” Hero screamed, kicking and hitting the trunk’s interior as they felt the car come to a stop.
A minute later, the trunk opened to reveal Villain.
“If you don’t get me out of here right now, I swear I'll—”
“What?” Villain interrupted Hero. “You’ll do what, exactly, Hero? You can barely best me on a good day. Right now, you’re drunk. You can’t even use your powers, so tell me. Exactly what do you think is about to happen right now?”
Hero spluttered, speechless.
“Good. I’m glad we see eye to eye.” Villain tugged Hero out of the trunk.
“But… but this isn’t your base..?” Hero was looking at a cheap apartment complex.
“No, it’s not. What, do you live in your base?”
“Yes.”
Now it was Villain’s turn to be speechless.
“What the hell do you expect?? My whole life is my work!”
“You have no life outside of work?” Villain stared.
“I don’t have time for life outside of work! I fight you, Other Villain, Vigilante when they get out of hand, and now I’m expected to help out with Supervillain too! When am I supposed to have time??”
“Well you seem to be able to find time to drink…” Villain muttered.
Hero shoved Villain away and fell, suddenly off balance. “You don’t know what it’s like!” They angrily swiped the tears out of their eyes. “I do everythingforeveryone! And then I make one mistake— Supervillain gets away with one hard drive— and I take all the heat!” Hero curled in on themself. “Sometimes… sometimes I don’t even know why I try…”
“Hero…”
“Don’t touch me!” Hero snapped, saying at Villain’s hand as it brushed their arm.
Villain stood in silence for a moment.
“I… I didn’t mean…” Villain crouched next to Hero. “Hero, I’m sorry…”
There was another long moment of silence before Villain helped Hero to their feet. “Come inside.”
“Make it stop! Ple-please— I’ll tell you what you want to know! Just— sto-stop!”
Whumper removed the iron from Whumpee’s flesh. “Who’s the rat.”
“I-I told you— there isn’t one!”
“I said, who’s the rat. Do you want me to start again?” Whumper threatened, bringing the iron close to Whumpee’s arm again.
“No! No— it’s C… It’s Caretaker— They’re the one who’s giving us info-information.”
Whumper smirked, setting the iron back in the fire. “Now, that wasn’t so hard, was it? Next question. Where is Caretaker meeting with the heroes?”
When Whumpee hesitated, Whumper snatched the iron back out of the fire.
“No— please— Th-they’ve been meeting under the crossbridge!”
“When is the next meeting scheduled?”
“To-tonight— At sundown…”
“How many people are they meeting?”
“J-just one.”
“And their name?”
“…”
“Their name.”
“L-leader.”
“If I find out any of this information is incorrect, you’ll wish I’d gotten the iron back out.”
Whumpee shivered as Whumper stuck the iron back in the fire and left the room. Whumpee was left chained to the wall, shaking from pain, exhaustion, and fear.
Until the door opened.
Caretaker gasped in pain as their knees slammed into the floor.
“Spend your time wisely. This is the last you’ll be seeing any friends.” Whumper spat as they slammed the door closed again. The lock turned, and then there was silence.
And darkness.
A shaky breath cut through the silence and then the scrape of shoes against the floor as Caretaker stood.
“Whumpee..? Did I see you before the door closed..?”
“Y-yeah…” Whumpee shifted uncomfortably. “I… I’m…”
“It’s okay— don’t worry about it.”
There was a crash as Caretaker ran into something in the dark.
“B-but I ratted you out— th-this… it’s my fault… I-if I had been… if I had been stronger…”
“Don’t.” Caretaker reached the wall and started feeling their way towards Whumpee. “This isn’t your fault. I saw what they did to you— No one would’ve lasted very long.”
Whumpee gasped as Caretaker brushed against one of their burns.
“Sorry!” Caretaker pulled back immediately. “Listen, what all did you tell them..?”
“Le… Leader is in danger…” Whumpee whispered. “I-I told them they were meeting you tonight at the crossbrige…”
Caretaker took a measured breath. “… It’ll be fine. Leader is strong. And smart. Whumper won’t be able to hurt them.”
“This is all my fault… Caretaker, I’m so sorry…”
—
The pair sat in silence for a long time. Then, finally, the door opened again.
“Lucky you, Whumpee. You made the right choice. No lies.” Whumper entered the room and shot Caretaker with a taser before they could react. “Shouldn’t have thrown them in here unrestrained, but I was honestly kind of hoping they’d kill you for your betrayal. Anyway…” Whumper sighed. “Now I have to figure something else to do with you. I don’t need you anymore— I have Caretaker now. But I can’t let you go either.”
Whumper unchained Whumpee and dragged them out of the room. Whumpee was hardly able to resist.
At the end of a long hallway, Whumper threw open a door.
“Do what you want with them. They’re useless to me now.” And Whumper dropped Whumpee at the feet of their underlings.
Continued from here
CW: Suicidal character, past character deaths, past murder, past trauma
“My name is Echo.” The stranger said as the carriage started to move. “I’m Calder’s younger sibling.”
Angel’s heart stopped in their chest. “Y… you…” They breathed, mind racing and yet numb all at the same time. Suddenly feeling weak and dizzy, Angel put their face in their hands.
“Are you okay?”
Angel yelped involuntarily as Echo touched their shoulder. They pressed themself as far away from Echo as they could, tears of fear streaming down their cheeks. “I’m sorry— I— please don’t hurt me— just take me back— don’t tell Calder— please, please don’t tell them—”
“Angel— Angel, stop.” Echo interrupted. “I am Calder’s sibling, but we are related only by blood. We don’t speak to eachother. We have no familial relationship.”
Angel’s mind processed this information slowly, unsure what it meant for them. “S-so… so this… isn’t a test of some kind..?”
“No. Angel, I am acting of my own accord.”
“… I wouldn’t bond to Calder and I won’t bond to you either— I’d sooner die than subject myself to that again—”
“Stop, stop— I really don’t know what you’re talking about. What do you mean bond?”
Angel hesitantly relaxed a bit. Maybe Echo really didn’t know. “I… If you’re trying to trick me into opening my eyes, it won’t work— I won’t do it no matter who you are.”
“What does opening your eyes have to do with bonding..? What is bonding?” Echo’s voice was gentle, not demanding like Calder.
“I… I-if I open my eyes, I will irreversibly bond to the first person I make eye contact with.” Angel said quietly, shrinking back as they felt Echo shift in their seat.
“Why..?”
It occurred to Angel suddenly that Echo might not know what they were or anything about their species.
“I-I’m an Avian.” When Echo didn’t say anything, Angel continued. “Avians… we have an ability to bond to the first person we see— which is supposed to be our mother. I-if the person we are bonded to dies, then we bond again to the next person we see— which is supposed to be our chosen mate. There are traditions and safeguards in place among the Avian people to make sure that it happens that way… but…” Angel trailed off, a tear falling to the ground.
“But sometimes things go wrong..?” Echo offered, placing a gentle hand on Angel’s shoulder.
“When… When we bond to someone, we’re compelled to take care of them— to keep them safe… and, to a lesser extent, we’re compelled to obey them. We become linked at the soul and we can tell when they’re upset, or sad, or in pain. But we also share in their joy. We know when they die and it’s… it’s like… a part of us dies with them… We’re only meant to bond twice… but we are able to bond an infinite number of times…”
Echo was silent for a moment. “And you’re not bonded right now..?”
“No…” Angel whispered. “I’ve… I’ve already bonded three times— I… I’m tired…”
“Three times..?” Echo’s voice was laced with incredulity as they withdrew their hand. “But you’re hardly older than twenty! I mean… aren’t you..? Or do you age differently?”
“I’m twenty-three… I… things went like they were supposed to at first… I bonded to my mother, then, when she died four years ago, I bonded to… to my mate.” Angel’s voice cracked. And then there was a tragedy that struck my tribe— not many of us made it through… my mate died… I… I lived… Disease destroyed my tribe. I had to flee. I got… I got lucky… the first person I saw after my mate’s death was a human— but they were kind. They knew my culture, too…“
Echo shifted closer to Angel, causing them to flinch a little bit, but Angel didn’t draw away.
"Hayden… the human I bonded to… they weren’t angry that I had bonded to them… usually humans are. They’re not used to it… they don’t like it— especially when it’s forced upon them without their consent, like it was with Hayden… I didn’t mean to look at them… I… I sort of just thought I’d become sine vinculo— alone without a bond. I didn’t expect them to be there… If… if they hadn’t been there… it was my fault… it’s all my fault…” Angel broke down into sobs, hugging themself.
Angel didn’t fight the warm embrace that Echo surrounded them with next. They leaned into it, sobbing uncontrollably as Echo rocked with them.
After a few long minutes, Angel started to quiet down a bit. “What happened to Hayden..?” Echo asked softly.
“They… Calder ki…” Angel fought to get their breathing under control. “Calder killed them.” They breathed.
Echo didn’t say anything for a moment. “… I’m sorry… I know I’m not Calder— we’re nothing alike, but… I still feel somewhat responsible for their bad choices…”
The carriage began to slow and Echo released Angel from their embrace. “Come on. Let’s get out.”
Angel didn’t move as Echo tried to guide them out of the carriage. “Kill me…” They whispered, closing their eyes tighter.
“I… I’m sorry, what?”
“Just… just kill me… you said you want to help me— kill me. I can’t… I can’t do this again… Please— I can’t live with my eyes closed for the rest of my life and I can’t bond with someone else just for them to die again!”
“… I’m not going to kill you, Angel.”
“Why not?” Angel asked, desperation creeping into the edge of their voice.
“There’s another solution. One that doesn’t involve your death.”
“What is it?” Angel allowed Echo to help them out of the carriage.
“… I… I don’t know yet.”
Angel pushed Echo away, stumbling back and falling to the ground. “No! No, there isn’t another solution! Calder wants me to bond with them. If I bond to anyone else, they’ll kill them too! I can't—” Angel pressed their face to the dirt. “You don’t understand— I can’t do it again! I can’t lose someone else!”
Angel fought back as someone— probably Echo— pulled them up off the ground. “Calm down— calm down, please, everything is going to be okay.”
“No! No it isn’t! It’s not okay— it’s not—”
Echo began to stroke Angel’s wings gently and Angel stopped yelling, their tone quickly losing it’s passion.
“It’s… it’s not okay…” Angel breathed, starting to have difficulty thinking as their body relaxed.
Angel found themself leaning into Echo, an odd sense of peace sweeping through their limbs.
“Just calm down.” Echo insisted softly. “You’re scared and upset— I understand— but you’re not thinking clearly. You don’t have to die. There is another solution. We just need to think of it, okay?”
“I don’t like this…” Angel whimpered.
“I know… I know, but it’s going to be okay.”
“Why did you even break me out..?” Angel asked, finally able to get control of their breathing.
“Honestly..? I don’t trust Calder. I heard they were up to something and decided to check it out when they left town this weekend. Then I found you. I don’t know what Calder wants with you, but if they were keeping you locked up in sensory deprivation it can’t be anything good.”
“They… they want me to bond to them and… and something after that, but they wouldn’t say what.”
“Let’s go inside, Angel. You can rest and we can talk more later.” Echo led Angel across the threshold into a building. Angel couldn’t tell very much about their surroundings as Echo led them down halls and finally stopped inside a room.
“This is a guest room. There’s some clothes in the dresser if you find some that fit. Theres an adjoining bathroom as well. You can open your eyes once I leave the room, right?”
“… I can.”
“Good. Then I’ll leave you here for now. I’ll knock before I enter so I don’t take you by surprise.” Echo steadied Angel against a wall before leaving.
Continued from here
CW: Sensory deprivation, blindfolded, gagged, noise canceling headphones, restraints
Angel whimpered quietly as they felt footsteps echoing in the floor. There was a pause as the person… got onto their level..? That didn’t seem like Calder. Calder hadn’t ever gotten onto Angel’s level.
Angel’s stomach turned with uncertainty now. If this person wasn’t Calder, who were they?
The headphones were lifted from Angel’s head and Angel flinched as an unfamiliar voice assaulted their over-sensitive ears.
“Hey— Hey, you’re going to be okay.”
Angel let out a scared whine as their blindfold was removed. They squeezed their eyes shut before it left their face. They couldn’t look. They wouldn’t look. Not again.
Not again…
“Can you open your eyes?”
Angel gasped and pulled back as a hand pressed against their cheek. The hand stayed.
“Come on now. It’s alright. Open your eyes.”
Angel shook their head weakly, their stomach twisting into knots.
There was a moment of silence before the person caved. “Okay. Keep them closed if you prefer. That’s fine.” And then their gag was removed.
Angel opened and closed their mouth a couple of times, trying to rid themself of the sensation of the metal bit. They sucked in a sharp breath as they felt hands on their wrist.
Angel made an odd sound— the result of spending months gagged without the practice of speech— then managed to form a halting semblance of a sentence. “Wha-what are… you do… doing..? Do-don't—”
“I’m freeing your arms. Just relax. I won’t hurt you.”
“N… no— Don't—” Memories of how to form words were flooding back rapidly now. “Don't— Ca-Calder will kill you—”
“No one’s going to kill me, although I appreciate the concern. Relax. I’ll have you free in a moment. Do you want to open your eyes?”
“No!” Angel answered hastily. “No— I… I can’t do that again…” Their voice faded off, horrible memories rushing back.
“Can’t do what again, angel?”
Angel’s heart stopped in their chest. “How…” They breathed. “How do you know my name..?”
“… Angel..? That’s your name..?” Despite the confusion lacing the person’s tone, their hands did not falter with the cuff and, soon, Angel’s left hand was free. “I didn’t know. Just a lucky guess I suppose.”
“You… you have to leave me here.” Angel begged, letting their free hand fall to the ground as the person moved to their right hand.
“I will not leave you here. Why won’t you open your eyes, dearest?”
Angel hesitated. “I… I don’t want to bond with you…” They whispered, their heart starting to race. That was one of the things that had infuriated Calder the most. The knowledge that Angel would never bond with them if they could help it.
“Bond with me? What does that mean?”
Angel’s right hand suddenly came free. They still sat on their knees, however. “I… you don’t know..? That’s… that’s not why..?”
“Dearest, I’m simply trying to get you out of a bad situation. If you do not wish to open your eyes, I’ll not try to convince you— although I am curious what you mean.” A hand caught under Angel’s elbow. “Stand with me?”
“No… Please, no…” Angel didn’t dare move a fraction from where they sat. “Please— Please, Calder…”
“Calder isn’t here right now. They’ll not be back for at least a couple days. Let me help you, Angel.”
Angel swallowed nervously, but the hand on their arm was insistent. Angel stood slowly, stumbling with their eyes closed, and they were suddenly caught against a warm body. They whimpered, but, the person simply pulled them in, telling Angel to use them for support.
Angel carefully got their feet under them, leaning reluctantly on the stranger. “Why are you doing this..?”
“Because you need help.”
“But… but if Calder finds out…”
“Hey.” The person took a firm, yet gentle, hold on Angel. “Stop worrying about Calder. They aren’t here now, and you won’t see them again. Alright?”
With a soft whimper, Angel nodded.
The person led Angel out of the room, through the building until Angel felt the sun on their wings.
“Good. You’re doing good, Angel. We’re outside now. I’m going to take you to a carriage and we’re going to leave now, alright?”
Angel’s stomach began to twist into a tight knot of dread. “O… Okay…” They didn’t know this person. They didn’t believe that their intentions were noble. At least with Calder, Angel knew what to expect already…
Despite Angel’s reluctance, they went willingly to the carriage. They stepped up when the person told them to. They sat down once they were inside.
The stranger sat next to them. “My name is Echo.” They said as the carriage started to move. “I’m Calder’s younger sibling.”
Continued from here
CW: Drugging, implied sex trafficking/prostitution, head trauma mention, poor self image, discussion of past trauma, passing out, implied suicide attempt
“Where… where am I..?”
Atlas turned from the window to look at Val. “You’re awake.” Relief swept over them.
“Wh-who… what’s going on?” Val struggled to sit up, their tone rapidly becoming more upset.
“It’s okay— you’re okay. We’re back at my house.”
Val grasped the edge of the blankets near their chest, their eyes flickering over the interior of the room. “D-don't— You don’t have to dru-drug me again— I can— I’ll be good— I won't— I won’t try to get away anym-more— I’m sor-sorry—”
Atlas sat at the end of the bed, mentally kicking themself as Val flinched. “I’m not going to drug you. I won’t hurt you.”
“I don’t believe you—” Val whimpered, shrinking back against the pillows.
Atlas took a steadying breath. “Val— listen, you might not believe me, but it is true. I swear on the soul of my father that I will not hurt you and that I only want to help you.” Atlas extended a hand, open and palm up, to Val. “I can see that you don’t trust me. I know I’ve made mistakes with you already and for that I am deeply sorry. Can you forgive me?”
Val’s eyes fixed on Atlas’s hand, their muscles tense. “I-I… I f-forgive you…” And they reluctantly and gingerly placed their small hand atop Atlas’s.
Atlas didn’t really think Val had forgiven them, but they found the gesture of trust— however small— reassuring. There was hope that things could change. One day, Val would be okay.
“Can you get up? Are you strong enough?”
Val struggled and managed to get their feet on the ground from the bed, but when they tried to stand, they had to sit back down.
“May I help you?” Atlas stood and Val flinched again.
“I don't— d-don’t want to be carried…”
“Then I won’t carry you. If you lean on me, do you think you can walk a short ways?”
“I-I… I-I can try…”
Atlas helped Val to stand and led them out of the room into the hallway. Val was slow, but Atlas didn’t try to pick them up. “Right in here. Come on. Sit down.” Atlas helped Val to the table and to a chair.
Val sat down, taking a shaky breath as they looked around the dining hall.
“I’m going to bring you something to eat. And I want you to meet the rest of the household if that’s alright.”
Val nodded lightly and Atlas disappeared into the kitchen. “Six? Would you find Seven and Emery and join me in the dining room please?”
Six, a short werewolf with bangs obscuring most of their face, nodded and left the kitchen.
Atlas made something for Val to eat and came back to the dining room just in time to see Six, Seven, and Emery come in through a side door.
Val started to tremble a little bit as the three new arrivals sat at the table.
“Val? I’d like to introduce the rest of the house. This is Six—” Atlas motioned to the werewolf with bangs covering their eyes. “They don’t really talk much. This is Seven, Six’s litter mate—” Another werewolf, who looked identical to Six aside from the fact that their hair was brushed out of their face, gave a curt nod. “They have an… interesting attitude, but they’re sweet at heart. And this is Emery—” A tall lanky vampire with red hair and brown eyes waved at Val. “They’re a social butterfly. Six, Seven, Emery— this is Val. They’re a shapeshifter.”
A chorus of hellos resounded from the trio. Even Six chimed in, albeit quietly.
Val whispered a hello in response.
“Val, you don’t have to share anything if you don’t want to, but I’ll let you alone with them now if you’re okay with it.”
—
Val nodded weakly, unsure if it was a proper response, but then Atlas was gone and they couldn’t change their mind. They didn’t trust Atlas, but… well… they didn’t really want them to leave, either…
“So I’m Seven.” Seven kicked back in their chair. “Me and Six were born at a mill. There were so many litters that they just named us by number. That’s why we’re Six and Seven. There used to be One, Two, Three, Four, Five, and Eight too. Then Two died when we were born. The rest didn’t make it out with me and Six. Last I saw them, Three was still alive, though.”
Val didn’t know what to do with this information, so they just stared. Why was Seven sharing this with them?
“Atlas is a good human— one of the only good humans. You seem like you don’t trust him, but you can. And you should.”
The vampire— Emery cut in. “Don’t be weird, Seven. They haven’t even been here for twenty-four hours yet. Talking about trust and shit… Anyway, my name’s Emery! I’m a vampire— obviously. When I got turned, I thought I was a monster. I tried… well… long story short, things weren’t good for me— y'know— mentally. But Atlas helped me take control of my life again.”
Val looked at Six, almost expecting a story from them too, but they didn’t speak.
“Six… suffered a traumatic brain injury.” Seven said, following Val’s gaze. “They can understand everything, but… they can’t really put together more than three or sometimes four words at a time…”
“I-I’m sorry…”
“It is… okay” Six said, haltingly.
Seven gave a reluctant nod. “It’s good to have a new addition to the house. Your name’s Val, right?”
Val nodded. “I-I’m a shapeshifter. I’ve li-lived with a human called Knox all my life… they… they helped me learn how to u-use my magic to make people ha-happy…”
No one said anything then for a long minute.
“How so?” Seven asked, finally.
“We-well… I… People… I become different things to suit different people’s t-tastes…” Val stopped, uncomfortable and uncertain. They didn’t dare meet anyone’s eyes. “I… I-I’m sorry— I—” Val stood to leave the room, but suddenly their vision blurred. They collapsed.
Taglist:@villainsvictim@wolfeyedwitch@dragyouthroughthewhump@someoneelsebolg
Continued from here
CW: Slavery, past trauma, drugged
Taglist:@villainsvictim@wolfeyedwitch@dragyouthroughthewhump@someoneelsebolg
Val’s eyelids felt heavy. They couldn’t seem to move… their thoughts were moving at a snails pace. Val opened their eyes to a blurry world.
“Val?”
The voice sounded distant. It took Val several minutes to realize they were looking up at a face. They tried to speak, but their words came out in an unintelligible slur.
“Shhh… you’re alright.”
Val leaned into a gentle touch on their cheek. They didn’t try to speak again, but fell back asleep.
—
“They still sleeping?” Seven leaned in the doorway, looking in at Atlas and Val.
“Yeah… I’m… I’m actually starting to worry. The doctor said they’d only be out for about two hours. It’s almost been three.” Atlas stood from their chair.
“Don’t worry too much yet. I’m sure they’ll wake up soon.” Seven came into the room, looking down into Val’s face. “They’re pretty for a shifter.”
“And you’re pretty for a mutt.”
“Hey! That’s derogatory.”
“So is shifter.” Atlas shrugged. “If you want to be called a werewolf then you’d best call them a shapeshifter. Or, even better, Val.”
“That their name?”
Atlas nodded, sitting back down. “Y'know, when we got to the doctor, they lost it. No reason either.”
“Stress?”
Atlas shrugged again. “I really don’t know. I suppose I just hope they’ll get better with time and some serious therapy…”
“Well… they can’t be any worse off than I was.”
“You don’t know… You didn’t see…” Atlas trailed off. “… Knox— their… the person I bought them from… I don’t know all the things they did to Val or made them do, but it wasn’t good…”
“Human?”
Atlas gave a vague nod.
“Humans fucking suck— except you, of course.”
“Don’t make snap judgements, Seven. There are good humans. There are bad werewolves.”
“Whatever you say, boss.” Seven turned to walk out.
“Hey.”
Seven stopped.
“I mean it. Just because you’ve had bad experiences doesn’t mean all humans are like that. Don’t give up on us that easily.”
Seven left.
Continued from here
CW: Implied prostitution/sex trafficking, slavery, panic attack, drugged
Taglist:@villainsvictim@wolfeyedwitch@dragyouthroughthewhump@someoneelsebolg
“Are you okay?” Atlas forced their tone to stay gentle. They sat in the back of the car with Val, studying the shapeshifter’s face carefully.
“Yes. Y-yes I’m fine.” Val folded their hands in their lap, shaking slightly.
“Are you sure? You seem… scared.”
“N-no! I’m not— I-I’m okay. I’m… th-thank you. For… for kee-keeping me…” But Val’s voice was trembling.
Atlas didn’t believe them. “Hey. You’re safe now, alright?”
“… What… what do you want me to be for you..?”
“Excuse me?”
Val kept their eyes focused on the ground. “W-what do you want me to b-be for you? Kn-Knox liked elves— I could be an e-elf—”
Atlas calculated their next words carefully. “Well… for right now, I want you to stay in your original form until you’ve healed… after that, I suppose you can be whatever and whoever you like.”
Anger wouldn’t help anyone right now. Val was already scared. Besides, Atlas wasn’t angry at Val. They were angry at Knox. They made every attempt to smother their temper.
Val didn’t have anything to say for the rest of the ride and Atlas didn’t push them.
—
“Where… where are we..?” Val peered cautiously out the window. This wasn’t the house they remembered.
“We’re at the doctor’s house. I just need to make sure you’re okay to go home.”
Val barely heard the last sentence. “Wh… what..?”
Atlas repeated themself, but Val heard even less this time.
“Pl-please— please don't—” Val screamed as they felt someone touch their shoulder. Their mind was already far gone from their body. They screamed and struggled as the person held onto them tighter. They didn’t want this. They didn’t want to live their life drugged. They wanted to go back to Knox.
—
“Hey, hey, calm down—” Atlas was afraid to let go of Val. The way they were thrashing and screaming— Atlas was scared they would hurt themself.
Atlas managed to wrestle Val out of the car and all but dragged them in to the doctor’s house.
Once inside, the doctor helped Atlas get Val over to the examination table.
“I’m going to sedate them. You need to hold them down.” The doctor worked quickly and soon Val was asleep.
“What happened?” The doctor asked, taking a half step back.
“I don’t know. They’re here legally this time, though. They’re my responsibility now.” Atlas looked down at Val with concern. “They just… When we got here, they freaked out. I don’t know what triggered it.”
The doctor ran a hand through their hair, stressed. “Well… I’m assuming this was supposed to be a follow up for last time? I can do that and they can go home with you. I’m not exactly a psychiatrist, but I would recommend they see one. We should move quickly. The sedative I gave them will only last for a couple hours based on their weight.”
“Okay, then let’s get on with this.”
We are naming the series I’ve started with the shapeshifter whumpee. It’s going to replace one of my civilian stories that ended a while back. Help me name characters! All pronouns will remain they/them.
Taglist:@villainsvictim@wolfeyedwitch@dragyouthroughthewhump@someoneelsebolg
Looks like we have Atlas (Caretaker), Val (Whumper), and Knox (Whumper)!
We are naming the series I’ve started with the shapeshifter whumpee. It’s going to replace one of my civilian stories that ended a while back. Help me name characters! All pronouns will remain they/them.
Taglist:@villainsvictim@wolfeyedwitch@dragyouthroughthewhump@someoneelsebolg
Continued from here
CW: Drugging mention, knife, cutting (not self inflicted), implied sex trafficking/prostitution, slavery, memory lapse, fear, implied past rape
Taglist:@villainsvictim@wolfeyedwitch@dragyouthroughthewhump@someoneelsebolg
Whumpee hadn’t been punished as severely as they had anticipated for their disappearance. They had been punished for accepting help from Caretaker, however. They didn’t even try to explain that they couldn’t have fought back if they tried— Whumper wouldn’t care.
Whumper had carefully and meticulously reopened every one of Whumpee’s wounds. Whumpee didn’t cry. They didn’t dare. “You don’t fucking deserve to see a doctor. Why did they take you there?”
“I-I don’t kn-know, Master—” Whumpee struggled to get the words out without screaming as Whumper pulled the knife across Whumpee’s arm.
“Me neither. Unless they just wanted to scareyou.”
Whumpee’s mind flashed back to when Caretaker had insisted they see a doctor. Even though Whumpee had pleaded not to go, Caretaker had forced them. Maybe it was to scare them. Their nightmares had started while they were with the doctor.
“What else did they do with you?”
“I—” Whumpee stopped, stomach lurching. “… I-I don’t know…” They whispered.
Whumper stopped cutting them, waiting for a definitive answer.
“I-I don’t re-remember… I didn’t… I was un-unconscious after seeing the… the doctor…”
“You were unconscious the whole time after they took you to the doctor..?”
Whumpee nodded weakly.
Whumper didn’t say anything else. They didn’t need to. Whumpee’s mind was already reeling.
They had thought Caretaker was nice. What if they had drugged them..? What had happened while they were sleeping?
When Caretaker had showed up again two days later, Whumpee had felt a worse fear than they had in years. They were used to people taking advantage of them, but… somehow, they felt betrayed.
Whumper went into the side room with Caretaker and Whumpee stood shaking, waiting for them to come back.
“What’s the matter, kitten?” One of the orcs laughed at Whumpee, making them flinch.
“No-nothing…”
“It’s something.” Insisted another orc.
“No— no it’s nothing.”
“Is it because you’re being sold, kitten?”
“W… what?”
“They don’t know yet, idiot. Didn’t you hear boss say?”
“Oh yeah. Oh well.” The first orc shrugged and sat at the table.
Whumpee felt like they were going to be sick. “T-to… to Caretaker..?”
“Who else, kitten?”
And that was it. Whumper hated them. They didn’t want them anymore. Had they not been good enough? Did they do something wrong?
This thought was confirmed when Whumper told them they didn’t care about them anymore once Caretaker came out to take them away. Whumpee was nearly paralyzed with fear, but they had to obey. They had to be good— maybe Caretaker would… no. Caretaker didn’t care about them at all. They just wanted to use them like everyone else.
CW: Torture aftermath, implied continued torture, implied past torture
“Just breathe.”
Leader exhaled a pained breath. It sounded almost like a quiet scream.
“You’ll be okay. I know— it hurts— but your wounds aren’t life threatening. They’re trying to hurt you, not kill you.”
“H-how… how do you kn-know—” Leader gasped as the pain came in a hot flash.
Youngest hesitated. “… You don’t need to worry about how I know right now. The important thing is to stay strong. You can’t break— you know you can’t.”
“It hu-hurts so much—” Leader whimpered.
Youngest gently started to run their fingers through Leaders hair, carefully working out the tangles. “You need to find something else to focus on— something to ground you. I won’t be there when they take you again, but for now, you can focus on me, okay? Listen to my voice. Can you feel my hands in your hair?”
“Mhm—” Leader squeezed their eyes shut, trying with all their might to block out the pain and focus on Youngest.
“That’s good. Try and just breathe, okay? In… and out… that’s good, like that.”
Youngest continued to stroke Leader’s hair for hours until they heard footsteps coming back to the cell.
“They’re coming back.” Youngest whispered to Leader.
Leader whimpered, squeezing their eyes shut so Youngest couldn’t see the fear in them.
“Don’t be afraid to scream. It’s better if they think they’re being successful. You just have to hold out until help gets here. They are coming. Don’t give up yet.”
Leader nodded a little and Youngest slid away from them.
“Remember to ground yourself when you can.” Youngest whispered, then said nothing else as Leader was dragged back out of the cell, already screaming.
