Tired Eyes
WHUMPTOBER DAY 26: Prompt: “working to exhaustion”
Fandom: Batfam/DC
Summary: It’s been a long day, and you’re too caught up with work to take care of yourself, so it’s up to your brothers to do it for you.
Warnings: Exhaustion, overworking, none really it’s more fluffy than anything.
Word count: 1.2K
MASTERLIST ⛤ WHUMPTOBER WORKS
🕸 ⋆ ⁶𖤐⁶ ࣪⋆🕸
You weren’t tired. No. You just needed to rest your eyes a little, that was all.
The screen of the computer had begun to hurt your eyes, making your temples to throb so, with your elbows planted firmly on the table, you began to massage them to ease the pain, but here you found your eyes dropping closed and your head falling towards table. The dim lighting of the cave didn’t help much either.
As soon as your head hit your clammy palm, you jolted awake, sitting up abruptly and straightening your back against the chair, snapping back to the mountain of work that you needed to get done.
Your fingers moved sluggishly against the keyboard as you typed up the reports. It had been a busy week and so you were left with a large pile of unfinished essays to type and not a lot of time to do them. It was late; the rest of the boys had returned to their beds, deciding to write their reports the following day, but you were already behind which meant that despite the ungodly hour you were still plastered to the chair.
Reaching blindly for your coffee with one hand you wrapped your hands around the ceramic and brought it to your lips. The drink was lukewarm and bitter as it ran over your tongue, but you were desperate for the buzz that the caffeine gave you.
You hadn’t realised that the sun had crept up of you until Dick strolled into the room, barefoot and in his pyjamas. He did a double take when he saw you, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
“Y/n?” He asked, frowning at you. At the sound of his voice you glanced over at him briefly, noting his messy hair. He observed the fact that you were still wearing the same clothes as you were when he went to bed last night. “Did you even go to sleep?”
You shook your head, continuing to press your fingers into the little plastic squares not even nothing to look his direction as you continued to work. “Nope.”
He narrowed his eyes. “How long have you been awake?”
“Dunno.” You shrugged. “What time is it?”
“6”
“ ‘Bout…26- 27 hours?”
He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Y/n. You need sleep.”
“I will. I just need to get this done first. You can get me another coffee though?”
“Y/n-“
“Sorry Dick, can’t hear you over my cleverness.”
He rolled his eyes, but snatched the cup from your hand anyway and went to prepare breakfast.
It seemed like forever before you finally entered the last word on your essay slumped back against the chair. You were feeling exhausted and your body had began to grow stiff from sitting in the same place for so long, so after submitting it you shuffled into the kitchen where your brothers were sat lounging on chairs.
“Woah, Y/n.” Damian said through a mouthful of bacon that he had piled onto his plate “You look like hell.”
“Thanks Dames.” You scoffed. “Just what a woman wants to hear.
“I didn’t mean it like that-“
“She hasn’t slept.” Dick interjected.
Tim narrowed eyes at you over the top of his book. “What? Why?”
“I had too much to do, Jaybird.”
“Well then go to bed now.”
“Can’t.” You grabbed a slice of toast and slid it onto a plate. “Still got too much to do. Besides, I’m not tired.”
“Sure.” He rolled his eyes and went back to his book.
The rest of the day dragged on. You had busied yourself with small tasks that needed to be done during the day and then once all of those were done, you had spent some time in the training room to work on your technique, but your movements were slow and well below par so eventually you gave up, slipped off of the blue mat and dragged yourself towards the showers.
You twisted the dial all the way to the left, waiting for it to settle to an even temperature as you stepped out of your clothes. When you climbed into the shower, the cold water stung your skin as it ran down your back but it kept you wide awake and on your feet so with shaky hands you grabbed the shampoo bottles and began to massage it into your scalp. Although you were in and out quickly, by the time you were done and stepped out of the shower your body was wracked with shivers. Wrapping a thick white towel around you, you dried yourself off before changing into something comfier and creeping back down the stairs now feeling slightly more awake.
You made your way into the library, where shelves filled to the brim with books lined the walls. You ran your fingers against the shelves and noted that when you pulled your hand away you had collecting a thin sheen of dust.
“Don’t even think about it.”
Tim was rounding the corner to return his book that had been absentmindedly flicking through the all day but found that it didn’t give him the thrill he was looking for, so he had wandered back to the library to select another on me when he heard you shuffling around.
“But it needs to be done-“
“Alfred will do it.” Tim told you, placing a large hand on your shoulders and steering you away from the shelves after you had selected a book. A blue hardback covered dainty little flowers embroidered along the spine.
“But he already has so much to do.” You protested.
“It’s his job, y/n/n. And you need to get some sleep.”
You sighed. “I’m not tired, Tim. Seriously lay off it.”
He raised his hands in surrender and wheeled away in a huff. You settled down on the plush sofa, bringing your knees to your chest to read under the gentle light and revel in the silence for just a few moments. Tim settled opposite you, sprawling out across the other couch.
For the next few hours the only sound that filled the room was the gentle flick of turning pages. That was until the other three came bundling in, but you didn’t notice. You had drifted off into a mindless sleep.
You were woken to a a gentle nudge on your shoulder and you sat up abruptly.
“Hmm? What?”
“You fell asleep.” Jason told you.
“No I didn’t…” you mumbled.
Jason pursed his lips. “I think you did.”
You blinked at him.
“Seriously, y/n just go to bed.” Damian told you.
You contemplated for a moment before hauling yourself up onto your feet. You stumbled across the room when a sudden wave of exhaustion washed over you and you were forced to grip onto the counter to keep yourself upright. When you moved to take another step, dragging your feet along the carpet you stumbled again.
“Alright. That’s it.” Dick stood up and moved across the room with one big stride, picking you up effortlessly and throwing you over his shoulder.
“Hey! Put me down.”
Someone snickered behind you.
“No can do little bat. You’re going to bed.”
He hauled you off to your room ignoring your remarks and pointless excuses. When he reached your door, he threw you over his shoulder and onto the bed. You tried to crawl away, but he just grabbed your ankle and pushed you back onto your pillows.
“Sleep.” He told you firmly, using his voice that only came out when he was ordering the rest of you around during a patrol. You pouted, glaring at him through hooded eyes, but he just gave you a little smirk, drew the curtains and moved to the door ignoring your antics.
“Goodnight, y/n. Sleep well.”
🕸 ⋆ ⁶𖤐⁶ ࣪⋆🕸
<- DAY 25 ⛤ DAY 27 ->
Taglist:
@deans-spinster-witch
@senjoritanana
@amaryllis23
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Whumptober 2023 | No. 26
Working To Exhaustion
The Flash s04e15: “I've been at this for a while.”
@whumptober @whumptober-archive
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Whumptober 2023 Prompt List | No. 26: “Sometimes I get so tired; I don’t even know myself.” | Working To Exhaustion | “You look awful.”
"We're banning you from paperwork for the rest of the week."
Oh how the turntables have turntabled
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WHUMPTOBER 2022 - DAY 26 - “Why did you save me?”
I need to draw/do more with Dainsleif, I love him so much but his existence in my brain is just as evasive as his existence in game 😔
-NO ROMANCE INCLUDED-
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Çok güzellerr ❤🖤
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Whumptober Day 26 - Working To Exhaustion
At A Distance, Spring Is Green - Ep. 4
Memorist - Ep. 11
Racket Boys - Ep. 15
The Glory Of Youth - Ep. 11
Tokyo MER - Ep. 5
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Sen bırak tutunmayı, dünya bizi sarmalar.
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Whumptober 2023 Day 26 - "You look awful."
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Whumptober Day 26: "Sometimes I get so tired; I don't even know myself" + "You look awful"
This one's for @uncleskyrule who suggested a fic about "Sky being tired of being tired"
Read it on Ao3
- Sky & Warriors
- Summary: With nightmares persistently keeping him up at night, Sky struggles with exhaustion
CW for brief mention of blood and injury
------------------------
Sky dresses methodically.
Every movement is thoughtless and automatic, done with the precision of one who has gone through these motions too many times to count. An outer tunic slips over his inner one, his belt fastens around his waist. Then, comes his sailcloth, secured around his neck. The feel of it draping down his back and the soft, familiar scent that wafts up from it are comforting at least. But they cannot wipe away the remnants of the dreams that claw at his mind and soul. They cannot rid him of the exhaustion that threatens to overpower him even now.
Last night had been yet another agonizing march of hour after hour filled to the brim with turbulent storms and violent images. Another night where he had awoken with a start, pressing a hand to his mouth lest he let loose a scream.
The nightmares aren’t prophetic…at least not as far as he can tell (and if they are? If he has pushed them aside when he shouldn’t have and their contents come to fruition? Well…Sky doesn’t know what he’ll do then. Prophetic dreams, though meant to warn, aren’t always as effective at doing so as one would think.)
But no. These are only the normal, run-of-the-mill, baggage from being a hero nightmares. They have to be.
The ones where Zelda is still falling and Demise leers down at him as he lies there in the water, choking on mouthfuls of blood.
He can deal with those. He can.
Only…sometimes he wishes he didn’t have to.
“Ready to go, Sky?”
It’s Wind, bouncing excitedly on the balls of his feet. Sky smiles at him.
“Yeah, I’m ready, sailor.”
He pushes himself to his feet and follows the hero to where their brothers stand. They are all dressed and armored now, weapons clean and ready, sleep wiped from their eyes. Hylia only knows what will greet them along the road. They all know they have to be ready for anything.
Though, today is one of those agonizing days when Sky certainly doesn’t feel ready for anything. Except for bed, perhaps.
He’s exhausted, he realizes, dimly, as he trudges along the forest path, staring dazedly at Legend’s back. And it isn’t that shocking. He had known, after all, with the distant certainty of one merely existing. It had nagged at him all morning, through breakfast and packing, through dressing and washing up in a nearby stream. It had tugged and pulled at him, begging that he surrender to the sweet release of slumber.
As he walks in a smothering haze, it still does.
He should be used to it by now. He is always tired. Every day is a fight to push through it. To prevail in a battle he seems unfit to win.
To be honest, he is more than a little tired of being tired.
But he doesn’t know how to fix it. Monsters are able to be slain, beasts and demons faced down. The terrors that rule the night, however, are undefeatable. When he conquers one, another arises, bigger and stronger and harder to endure.
Sky sighs. The nightmares aren’t going away anytime soon. He’s well past the age where he had hoped they would simply disappear into the vast sky above. So, he might as well make do with the lot he has been given.
It could be worse, after all. He has seen the looks in his brothers’ eyes when they awaken from a torturous night. Their dreams are certainly worse than his.
Yes, he decides. He can make do.
…but perhaps a nap is in order today.
Not now, though. Now, he needs to keep his eyes on the road, alert for any threats that could jump out at them.
“Doing alright, Sky?”
He startles, blinking out of his daze. Warriors has fallen in step with him. He regards him with a mixture of concern and amusement.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”
Sky waves a hand. “Oh, it’s fine. I’m just in my own world I guess.”
Warriors hums. “A dangerous thing for a knight. Last time I was in my own world Wild snuck a mouse into my scarf.”
Sky chuckles, relieved. He had half been expecting Warriors to condescend him for his lapse in attention.
“I wish I’d been there to see that. Must’ve been quite a sight.”
“It was,” Legend pipes up from just ahead. “You’d think a gibdo was hiding out in his clothes the way he screamed.”
Warriors shoots an irritated glance his way.
“I did not scream. I’m used to rats. I’m a city boy, remember?”
Legend waves dismissively, a smirk on his lips.
“It was a mouse, not a rat. And whatever you say, those who witnessed the event know the truth.”
Warriors’ scowl intensifies. Legend ignores it, turning instead to strike up a conversation with Hyrule.
With a sigh, the captain turns back to Sky, who is watching the whole encounter with a slight smile on his lips.
“Anyway. I was asking if you were alright. Because — and please don’t take this the wrong way — you look rough, Sky.”
Sky blinks, once, twice. It’s not unlike the captain to speak his mind. But he wasn’t quite expecting such a blatant callout.
“I’m tired,” he says, simply. “That’s all.”
Warriors is quiet for a moment. Then, “Nightmares?” he asks in a hushed voice.
Sky swallows against the sudden dryness in his throat. It turns out there is a whole lot that is unexpected about this conversation. The captain is nothing if not perceptive, often even more so than Time or himself. But for him to have just surmised something like that…
“How…How’d you know?”
Warriors shrugs. He is no longer looking at the Skyloftian, gazing instead at the road with determined steadfastness.
“It’s not too much of a stretch to guess. All us heroes have them.” He pauses, the silence filled with the sounds of the other heroes talking and their footsteps plodding on firm ground. “And…I heard you crying a few nights this week.”
“Oh.” Sky drags in a breath, forcing his feet to move forward despite their sudden eagerness to plant themselves in the middle of the road. “I’m sorry. I usually try to keep it down so I don’t wake anyone.”
“No, no, don’t apologize.” Warrior sets a hand on his shoulder. “I understand, believe me. I think it comes with the job description, unpleasant though that may be.”
Sky walks a few steps in silence, slightly hunched in on himself. The day suddenly feels a hundred times heavier than before. Which is saying something, given how badly it had started.
“I had them before,” he says, finally, a mumble more than anything else. Warriors turns to him with a raised eyebrow and Sky meets his gaze, dully. “Before I became a hero, I mean. I’ve had them for as long as I can remember. And some of them…some of them come true.”
Warriors nods, understandingly. “Well, I don’t think you’re the only one here who’s had that experience either.”
“I just wish they’d go away.” He breaths it, almost like he's afraid that if he says it any louder the sky will fall. “I’m so tired.”
He has stopped in the middle of the road, now, sagging beneath the weight of his admission. He is dimly aware of Wind halting next to him, a worried “Sky?” on his lips. Warriors nudges him onward and the others go with him, sensing the need for privacy.
“I’m sorry.” Sky shakes his head, trying to clear the darkness from his brain. Dragging his gaze up from where it had fallen to stare down at his boots, he offers Warriors a small smile. “I didn’t mean to…I don’t mean to complain. I’m fine, really.”
The captain gives his shoulder a comforting squeeze. “You’re fine, Sky. There’s nothing to be sorry for. I only wish I could do more.”
Sky hums and keeps that smile plastered on his face.
I wish you could too.
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The rest of the day drags by at the speed of a slug. Warriors remains by his side as they travel and his presence is a comfort. But exhaustion tugs at him with every step, muddling his thoughts and slurring his speech, until Sky is ready to flop down in the grass and let everyone go on ahead.
When they stop at last to make camp, he is more than a little relieved.
Dinner is a hazy blur, the conversations wafting and curling around him like the smoke from the fire. And halfway through it, Sky feels himself begin to drift. He tries to keep his eyes open, he tries to stay alert. But his body has had enough of his constant fighting. Before he knows it, his eyes have slipped closed.
Someone gently tugs the bowl of unfinished stew out of his hands, while someone else drapes a blanket over his shoulders. With a contented sigh, Sky slumps sideways, cheek colliding with someone’s shoulder. For being such a bony part of the body, he finds this particular shoulder quite comfortable. It's warm here, safe. And when his makeshift pillow puts an arm around him, he can’t resist snuggling closer.
Dimly, he registers the sounds of people shifting positions, rustling clothing and shuffling feet. Then, the warmth intensifies as the other heroes cuddle in around him. Sky manages to drag his eyes open just long enough to make out the blurred forms of his brothers, before he loses the strength to even do that.
He drifts off, sandwiched in between them all, Warriors’ arm holding him close, blanketed by a haze of warmth and life and light. And that night, no nightmares come to haunt him.
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Whumptober #26
Trope of the day: “You look awful.”
_
Whumpee has been sleeping for the last two days, their exhaustion finally caught up to them and hit them like a train. When the doorbell rings, they get up and groggily rub their eyes.
The doorbell rings again and whumpee shuffles to the door, mumbling that they are on their way. Caretaker is about to ring the bell a third time, when whumpee opens the door and looks at them.
"What? You woke me up," they mutter and yawn, caretaker visibly relaxing their shoulders.
“You look awful,” is the first thing they say and already move past them to get inside the flat. Whumpee stands next to the opened door for a moment, blinks tiredly, and sighs.
"Come in, I guess." The fresh air felt good, so they open two of their windows as caretaker already moves around in their kitchen. "May I ask what you're doing here?"
"I figured you wouldn't eat as soon as you hit the mattress, so Imma prepare dinner. You look awful, go take a shower. Dinner should be ready by then."
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Our cave's collapsing
Pairing: Daryl Dixon x Reader
Warnings: Characters trapped in a cave
Genre: Angst
Challenge: No one left behind @whumptober / Blankets / "I'm doing it, shut up."
A/N: The title...get it? haha...
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3
The walls shook around you, dust falling from the ceiling onto your clothes and hair. You turned quickly, searching the darkness for any sign of Daryl and Carol. As you prepared yourself to go after them, a hand caught your arm.
“You have to go, Y/N! We have an opening!” Aaron urged you, gesturing to the whole in the cave’s ceiling.
You shook your head, pulling away from him. “I’m not going without Daryl!”
You took off before he could stop you, running into the dark cave in search of the man. You placed a hand on the rough wall, holding you steady as you ventured into the pitch black. The dust was thicker here, filling your lungs and making it harder to breathe.
“Daryl! Carol!” you shouted, coughing out the names. You saw movement ahead and raised your knife, just in case more walkers got through. Before you could strike, a voice called out.
“Y/N?” You breathed a sigh of relief at Daryl’s voice. A moment later, he was standing before you, Carol over his shoulder. You quickly reached for her other arm and helped carry her to the others, ignoring the heaviness in your chest as you picked up speed.
Jerry was waiting for you at the end, straining to keep the ceiling beam from collapsing. Daryl sat Carol down on the ground, gesturing for you to climb up the entrance.
“No, you go up and lift her out! I’ll help from this end,” you insisted. The flash in his eyes told you he hated this plan, but he nodded anyway. With a sturdy grip on the walls, he pulled himself up and out of the cave, the light bathing him in its glow.
You smiled, relieved to see him out and safe. You reached for Carol, pulling her up and lifting her into Daryl’s waiting hands. He gripped her tight and managed to get her out, dragging her away from the entrance.
As he lowered a hand down to you, you noticed Magna and Connie turning back to the cave. You faced Daryl with a shake of your head.
“I have to get them! We can’t leave them behind!” you yelled. He shook his head, reaching for you with emphasis.
“Ya can’t help ‘em! They’ll get out just as soon as you do!” he shouted back, a pleading look in his eye. You bit your lip, holding back tears at the thought of what you were about to do. You saw in his eyes that he understood, that he was ready to jump down after you.
“Jerry!” you yelled to the man. “Drop the beam and go! I’ll get them and follow you out! Keep Daryl up there!” Jerry shot you a concerned look, but nodded, dropping the beam and taking your place at the cave’s exit.
You glanced at Daryl one more time. I love you, was what you thought. “I have to do this!” was what you said. You ran away before you could hear his response, knowing the longer you stood there the more likely you were to go to him.
As darkness consumed you, you heard the sounds of a fight ahead. You ran to it, crashing directly into someone. You raised your knife in defense only to realize it was Connie. Right behind her was Magna, ushering you back.
The three of you ran for the exit, seconds away from freedom, when the whole room shook again, and the ceiling collapsed above you.
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