#hair petting
When the whumpee is finally rescued from the whumper, and they end up clinging to the caretaker, not even letting go as they get patched up. The caretaker just holding them close, gently maneuvering them to let the medics care for them without making them let go, and running gentle fingers through the whumpee’s hair to comfort them. The whumpee falling asleep as the medics work, and still clinging to the caretaker, hands gripping their shirt even while they sleep. The caretaker gently settling into bed with the whumpee after the medics are done, eventually falling asleep, and letting the whumpee cling to them all night, hoping it helps them feel safe.
When the caretaker has to drive the whumpee somewhere, but the whumpee is badly hurt, and every little bump in the road hurts. The caretaker having to just put the whumpee in the backseat and then focus on the road, meaning that all they can do to comfort the whumpee is try to verbally reassure them. The whumpee not being able to hold back little noises of pain, and the caretaker desperately wishing they could hold the whumpee and try to comfort them better. When the finally reach their destination, the caretaker getting the whumpee settled somewhere more comfortable, and then sitting with them, holding their hand and stroking their hair as the whumpee sleeps, exhausted from all the pain from traveling.
When the whumpee has a horrible headache, and although they don’t say anything, the caretaker notices them wincing at every loud noise fairly quickly. The caretaker quietly asking the whumpee if they’re alright, and the whumpee muttering that they’re fine, but the caretaker giving them a look, and the whumpee glancing away and admitting that their head is pounding. The caretaker closing all the curtains, then getting a glass of water for the whumpee and getting the whumpee settled on the couch with their head in the caretaker’s lap. The caretaker gently stroking the whumpee’s hair and massaging their scalp until the whumpee drifts off to sleep, hoping they’d feel better when they wake up.
When the whumpee is hurt and very disoriented, and the caretaker just tries to keep them calm and still so the medics can help them. The whumpee having no idea what’s going on, but trusting that the caretaker will tell them if they need to do anything, and them just letting the caretaker look out for them. The caretaker holding their hand and stroking their hair, trying to keep the whumpee at least a little bit grounded as they’re patched up. The whumpee leaning into the caretaker’s touch, and relaxing as much as they can, letting the medics work.
When the whumpee is rescued from the whumper, and taken to a hospital to have their injuries treated. Them thinking that they’ll be alone when they wake up, but instead they wake up surrounded by their friends. The whumpee still being out of it enough to admit that they didn’t expect them to be there, and their friends immediately protesting that of course they were all there, they care about the whumpee. The whumpee breaking down crying, and their friends crowding around them and gently hugging them and petting their hair, doing their best not to hurt them as they try to comfort them.
When the whumpee has a horrible headache, but they’re stuck waiting for a friend to pick them up. The caretaker who is waiting with them letting the whumpee curl up with their head in their lap, and playing with their hair to try to distract them. The whumpee mostly dozing off by the time their friend arrives to pick them up, and the caretaker carrying them to the car. The caretaker gently sitting them down and buckling their seatbelt for them, and explaining to the friend how to take care of the whumpee once they’ve gotten them home.
When the whumpee joins the rest of their team for an outing, but when they show up a few minutes late looking like they’re about to pass out, their teammates calling the days activities off so they can take the whumpee home. The whumpee protesting that they’ll be fine, and that their teammates shouldn’t inconvenience themselves, and their teammates kindly telling them to shut up and cooperate. The whumpee still feeling a bit bad about their teammates canceling everything, but letting them take them home and fuss over them anyway. Later that day, the whumpee and their team sitting together in the whumpee’s home, the whumpee under a pile of blankets on the couch, and them all watching a movie as the whumpee dozes off to the feeling of a teammate playing with their hair, feeling safe and cared for.
