#lydia and coriander

[maracujatangerine]

The Gift Exchange, part 1

CW: institutionalised slavery, pet whump, dehumanisation

“Miss Lydia, Miss Lydia, what do you think about this?.”

Coriander jogged into the kitchen, brandishing a roll of wrapping paper patterned with abstract swirls in silver and dark green. The silver accents glittered in the pale winter morning sunlight falling in through the windows.

“It is really pretty!” Miss Lydia smiled, brown eyes warm. “Good choice, Cory!”

The blonde pet ducked his head, but smiled back from underneath his bangs. He wore a soft, green sweater with leather patches on the elbows that matched his chestnut trousers.

Lydia was dressed in a dark grey, knitted dress with red leggings. She leaned over the table to move the pot with the red and white amaryllis out of the way.

“Should we wrap everything into one present, or should we wrap each gift separately, do you think?”

“T-this pet thinks we should w-wrap one gift for Colton and one for Linden, b-but that all their gifts can be wrapped together.”

“That’s a good idea, let’s do that.”

Coriander spread out several seed packages on the table and studied them thoughtfully. Closest to Lydia was a packet with a picture of lush, green sugar snap peas labelled: ‘Mangetout, pea seeds 'Norli' ORGANIC’. Then, there were two packets both marked ‘Thunbergia alata, Black-eyed Susan’, the first one called ‘African Sunset’ in shades of red and apricot, the second one ‘Alba Oculata’ in brilliant white. The final was a handwritten envelope simply marked in Cory’s neat handwriting: ‘Chili, mix’.

“Are you happy with those seeds?”

“Y-yes, Miss Lydia. C-Colton will be able to grow them on the balcony, and i-it will be fun that we both can try to grow the same seeds. P-perhaps we can compare notes.”

Cory gathered the seed packets and tied them together with a neat red bow. Meanwhile, Lydia grabbed a hardback book. The blue dust jacket had brightly coloured leaves scattered all over the cover. The title stood out in bright white: When we were birds, by Ayanna Lloyd Banwo.

Opening the book, she wrote on the inside of the cover. ‘To Linden. Merry Christmas and best wishes for the new year.’ Signing it, she handed it over to Coriander to add his name too.

“‘It is a bit of a risky gift,” she admitted to Cory, “since I haven’t read the book yet, but it seems so good. I got a copy for myself too, and I hope I will get the chance to read it over the holidays.”

They added two bags of homemade butterscotch candy in green paper cups, and two reused milk cartoons filled with gingerbread cookies, the result of last night’s baking spree.

Lydia and Cory put their joint efforts into wrapping the gifts into two neat packages. The dark, red ribbon a nice contrast to the green and silver wrapping paper.

“Let’s go for a walk and send it off this afternoon.” Coriander nodded.

“Y-yes, Miss Lydia.”

*

Linden wiggled the pen between his thumb and index finger, deep in thought. Leaning back in his kitchen chair, he looked over at Colton, who was working diligently at the end of the table. With wholly unbroken concentration, he was pulling strips of sellotape from the dispenser and sticking them in a neat row along the table’s wooden edge. When Linden had done the altogether far more fiddly task of wrapping a gift up, Col could pluck a pre-cut piece of tape and stick it in place. It was, as Linden had said about fifty times, excellent teamwork.

“Hey, Col, have you ever seen this before?” Linden asked, lifting his hand for Col to see. With the pen held right in its middle, Linden wiggled it gently, until it looked as if the pen was bending at the edges.

Col’s eyebrows twitched, and for a beautiful second Linden thought he was going to burst out laughing. Instead, his mouth curved upwards into a tiny smile. “Yes, Sir. I have.”

“Ah, not too impressive then. Haha, no matter.”

“Do you need any tape for the envelope, Sir?” Col asked, eyeing the Christmas card laid out in front of Linden.

“In a second… I’m just trying to figure something out.”

“Ah, okay, Sir.”

Col took another breath, as if to speak, then stopped himself. Linden prided himself on reading Col well enough by now to know that it was because he wanted to ask a question. Probably what are you trying to figure out?

“I’ve written my part of Lydia and Cory’s card, but I’m not sure how to do yours. I’m not going to make you try and hold a pen. I was thinking - do you want to just dictate it? It doesn’t have to be much, just a little festive greeting sort of thing. I can be your text-to-speech robot.”

Linden was always cheery around Christmas time. Something about winter setting in, dark and long and rainy, and then being cut through by glittering lights, gifts and music. Today, he felt like he was on a veritable warpath to make Col smile.

“That sounds good, Sir… I can do that.”

“Great!” Linden said, overjoyed that Colton hadn’t taken issue with the idea of ‘dictating’ something to his owner, hadn’t overthought any possible rule-breaking that could come with speaking and forcing his Master to write it all down. “And instead of you signing the card the normal way, I thought you could do a fingerprint?”

“That’s a good idea, Sir, thank you for c-”

“Wait, no!” Linden said, making Col flinch. “Sorry, I’m sorry love. I just realised. We’ll both do our fingerprints. That’ll be nice. Then we’re the same.”

There it was again, the coveted half-smile. Col’s cheeks glowed. “Thank you, Sir, that’s really kind. I think- I, uh…”

“Go on,” Linden said warmly. “I want to hear what you think.”

“I think Lydia and Cory will like that, Sir.”

“I agree. Now, here’s what I’ve written.”

Linden pushed the card over. He’d written a short message making light of the strange way they first crossed paths, saying how glad he now was to know the both of them, wishing them a peaceful and happy holiday. He waited patiently as Colton gave his message some thought, then wrote it down exactly as dictated on the left hand side of the card.

Linden found some stamp ink in the back of a drawer, and the two of them rolled their index fingers in it until they could leave two bold prints, one below each message.

Once the card was sealed, it was time for the gifts. Lydia’s gift was a specially-made book embosser, which had EX LIBRIS - LYDIA WINTERTHORPE printed onto it. The embosser itself was a satisfying, weighty thing, and Linden hoped she’d get great pleasure out of stamping all of her most beloved books.

Cory’s gift was also a bespoke item: a brass door sign with his name, Coriander, printed on it. It had ornate rounded corners which gave the thing a rustic, rather stately look, and although Linden had never seen Lydia’s house he guessed it would fit right in. He had run the gift idea past Col first - would a pet such as Cory be okay with claiming the bedroom as his in this way? Col had given it a fair share of thought, ultimately telling Linden, in a way that sounded more like a sinful confession, that Cory would like it very much.

The two men performed their well-honed wrapping ritual, with Col sticking down the final piece of tape with a flourish.

*

This is a collaboration between @whumpzone and @maracujatangerine.

We would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas!

*

Tag List Part 1: @cupcakes-and-pain @whump-em @wh-wh-whu @neuro-whump @carnagecardinal @cowboy-anon @whump-me-all-night-long @redwingedwhump @myst-in-the-mirror @haro-whumps @eatyourdamnpears @bloodsweatandpotato @pinkraindropsfell @whumptywhumpdump @theydy-cringeworthy @whump-in-progress @whumpsy-daisy @nicolepascaline @whumpcreations @briars7 @shiningstarofwinter @whumppsychology @alex-ember @miss-kitty-whumptastic @whumpy-writings @in-patient-princess @youtube-fandoms-bands @goblinchildindabog @mazeish @distinctlywhumpthing @inpainandsuffering @canniboylism @icannotweave @incoherent-introspection @kim-poce @broken-typewriter @the-monarch-whumperfly @whumpers-inc @grizzlie70 @lil-whumper @writingbackwards-blog @sunflower1000 @wingedwhump @thecitythatdoesntsleep @thingsthatgo-whump-inthenight @onlybadendings @rabass @wolfeyedwitch @melancholy-in-the-morning

#lydia and linden #lydia and coriander #linden and colton #whump fic #pet whump #pet whumpee #bbu #box boy universe #box boy multiverse #box boy whump #writers on tumblr #original writing #christmas whump #chirstmas

[whumpzone]

“Miss Lydia!” Cory’s tone was suffused with joy. Hearing his voice made her slightly weak in the knees with relief.

“Hi Cory.” She said, keeping her voice steady.

happy birthday @maracujatangerine !!!

I hope you have an excellent day(!) and I still can't believe we wrote a whole story together, almost 40k words of hard work and love, and through that I am so lucky to have gained such a wonderful, funny, smart and interesting friend. I hope you like this gift!!! I will always love Lydia and Coriander with all my heart <3333

#my art #lost property #lydia and cory #maracujatangerine

[whumpsday]

BBU Community Days #14: Recovery

here's two of my favorite BBU recovery pieces! :)

Burden from One Night's Mistake by @whump-for-all-and-all-for-whump

This is probably my most-reread BBU piece. Wyatt suffering due to what WRU did to him, even though he's safe now. The extreme touch starvation, the way he initially begs to be retraumatized just because he knows no other way to relieve this feeling, the gentle hug Maisie gives him instead. It's SO soft. I can never get over it.

Excerpt:

Before he can process the pitying look on her face, her arms come around his neck as she leans forward to hug him, and he can’t hold in a ragged gasp. At first, all he can do is sag in her arms, the feeling of finally, finally being touched, touched by her, erasing the burning itch, sending cooling ecstasy through his body. He is hyper aware of everywhere there is contact, from her palms resting on his back, to her head on his shoulder, the tops of their chests pressing together, the tips of their knees just barely touching. Hesitantly, his hand shaking, he reaches out, letting the tips of his fingers brush her waist. He freezes, waiting for her reaction, an apology already on his lips. “It’s ok,” she whispers. “You can touch.” Butterflies explode in his stomach at the words, but still, he is careful, giving her time to change her mind as he slowly brings his arms around her. When she leans forward, he tightens his arms, letting himself fully embrace her. His breath catches. For the first time since he can remember, he feels complete.

A Gift From the WRU from Lydia and Coriander by @maracujatangerine

This chapter is so sweet and really informs Lydia's character a lot. Tearing up the offer from WRU in front of Cory is such a strong trust-building moment. I love when caretakers get mad in front of whumpees and then have to comfort them. Her realizing the stark difference between her situation and Cory's is such a growth moment for her, I love it!

Excerpt:

Looking down on the crying man in front of her, the reality of their disparate situations dawned upon her for the first time. For her, this was a situation where a company didn’t deliver what she had ordered. (Albeit in the most egregious and morally reprehensible way.)  For him, it was literally a matter of life and death. “You don’t have to be afraid.” She tried to sound confident and reassuring. Sitting down on the floor in front of him, she reached out to grasp his wrists and gently pull his hands away from his face. The boxie didn’t struggle. He looked spent, like a man at his wits end. His eyes were shining with unshed tears. “Hey,” she said, “you don’t have to be afraid.” She put a hand to his cheek and felt him lean into her touch. Did he want to? Or was it just something he had been taught to do? It was impossible to tell. She took the letter from the table and tore it apart, deliberately again and again until only small pieces were left. “Look”, she said. ”This is what I think of their offer. I am not letting them have you. I won’t send you there. Okay?”

@bbu-on-the-side

#bbucommunity #day14 #bbu

[whump-for-all-and-all-for-whump]

WIJ Day 5: Who’s your Favorite Whumpee?

(Yes this is late, I had a lot to say ok.)

Ok well I literally can’t pick just one. So here’s a list of my current crop of favorites, which is very long and yet I’m still almost certainly forgetting some:

Bo from The Shop Captive by @deluxewhump

One of the first OC whump stories I ever read and the one that introduced me to Bee’s writing. His despondence is palpable, and the way he clings to the scraps of comfort and moments of kindness he is given is as delicious as the absolutely brutal treatment he faces most of the time. The scene where he’s first getting a bath and all his injuries are exposed?? Top tier whumperflies. And the second bath scene? YES. I also love that he is not a pet whumpee, or any other scenario where he’s used to this and thinks he deserves it. He’s just a normal guy who fucked up, and is stuck in a horrible situation. Seeing him try to just survive through that, what it does to him...beautiful.

Colton from Linden and Colton by @whumpzone

Colton is probably the most dehumanized whumpee I’ve ever read about-and so every little step he makes in his healing journey fills me with so much joy. I love a good “whumpee thinks caretaker is new master” trope and this story is  one of my favorite examples of it. If I ordered this list by how many times I’ve reread their chapters, Colton would be at the very top. I love how he’s been through absolute fucking hell, literally broken down and remade, and still, after so much time in darkness, he reaches for the sun. I can’t wait to see him continue to bloom.

Coriander from Lydia and Coriander by @maracujatangerine

Coriander is another whumpee who’s been through so much hell, and yet is still a goddamn sweetheart. It has been so lovely to watch him unfurl from his shell under Lydia’s care, and even show his real self to Linden! The chapter where he buys Lydia a flower, and the one where they go to the lake, are two of my all time favorite moments. This series is like a bright flower in the darkness of the BBU. I love to watch it grow!

Emery from Deserted by @whumpyblogthing

A newcomer who has quickly inserted himself near and dear to my heart. I love his defiance, which is so quickly followed by his despair. I love how he still has hope that Tristan will help him. I love that he has not given up. Can’t wait to see more of him! (Hopefully the future is kind.)

Harrow/San from Captured by @redwingedwhump

This was the first OC whump story I ever read. I distinctly remember starting the series after dinner, planning for just a quick read before bed. I stayed up for 12 more hours after that, devouring every piece of writing about him that had been posted. By the time I finished the sun had set and risen and I had a new obsession. I love Harrow’s defiance, and how that is systematically beaten out of him. The things he goes through are so brutal and chilling, and who he is at the end of that torment is so different than when he started. I’ve loved his recovery arc too, and I’m so happy to see him start to get the comfort he deserves.

Jack (and Joe) from Behavior Modification by @whumpcereal

Yeah these two rock my fucking world every goddamn time. One of the reasons this series hits so hard is because it feels like we’re coming in at the end. Jack has already suffered. He’s worked through it. He met Joe, and they fell in love, and they are so so happy together. And then Jack gets taken. And every piece of progress is methodically and brutally stripped away. And now we get to watch them scramble to make it through and pick up the pieces. Jack thinks so poorly of himself, but he’s truly one of the strongest whumpees out there. I love to see him hurting, but I think I might love to see him healing even more.

And Joe. Oh Joe. Joe is not used to being hurt. The role reversal AU is my #1 guilty pleasure, because even as a whump fan it is hard to see Joe hurt so badly. I swear he has the biggest heart in the whole goddamn world, and it’s so cruel that that love is what is used to hurt him. He and Jack are perfect for each other, and I love watching them care for each other.

Jaime from Do No Harm by @peachy-panic

Pretty sure if you performed heart surgery on me this little fucker would be nestled next to my aorta. He’s just…he’s just Jaime, you know? He’s resilient, and kind, and clever, and still going despite having the whole world stacked against him. He’s so human in his vulnerability, in his desperation when it comes to the surface. I love the small ways he finds to fight back. The big ways he learns to trust. I love all of it, all of him, always.

Kane from Kane & Jim by @whumpsday

I love this wet paper towel of a man. I love how he has truly, really learned from his past. I love how he is so desperate to make up for it. I love how fragile he is at first, how even the slightest scrap of kindness is enough to make him cry. I love watching him rebuild himself into someone that he can grow to actually like. I love his relationship with Jim and I can’t wait to see how his relationship with humanity as a whole progresses. He doesn’t believe it yet, but he is so good.

Kasper from Kas and Alec by @whumpwritings

Listen I am ALWAYS a sucker for the whumpee who is resigned to a life of misery, exploitation, and pain, only for a knight in shining armor caretaker to ride in and rescue them. Kas is so kind, and genuine, and just so fucking undeserving of the lot he’s been given. I love how it’s that genuine personality poking through that draws Alec to him. I love how Alec is instantly like, I have no right to control what you do but I do not want you to be hurt. I love them and I can’t wait to see their relationship progress.

Leo from The Fighter by @hold-him-down

Leo...my fighter :,). He lives rent free in my brain at all time (fighting my demons for me). I am in awe of him. Of how many times he has been beaten down. How many times he gets back up. He has been through so much hell that even when he’s offered safety and comfort, his body and mind both instantly reject it. It is so fulfilling to watch him piece together a semblance of safety (after many a misunderstanding). He’s so vulnerable and yet also so strong. Every time a piece with him comes out I know I’m in for a goddamn rollercoaster of emotions. I want to wrap him in soft blankets and give him warm soup and tell him that Luke is an idiot sometimes but worth his trust :)

Liam from Liam and Delilah by @whumpinggrounds

Liam my absolute beloved. Another early favorite who has kept his hold on my heart. I fucking love a big strong muscular whumpee who wouldn’t hurt a fly. The whump he goes through is so creative and chilling, and watching him try to force himself to fit Delilah’s delusional desires is heartbreaking. And the humiliation and self-blame he feels because Delilah is so much smaller than him, how can he “let” himself be hurt by her is so damn heart wrenching. I just want to give him a hug and tell him none of it was his fault :(

Matteo from The Blackmuir Reign by deluxewhump

Haven’t we all wanted to whump a snotty noble? I love how Matteo’s such an imperfect character, and how that has not stopped me from falling in love with him. I love how you can see him tamp down the shreds of his pride, how he turns to self-degradation in the name of self-preservation. He’s still so noble, and that makes it all the more satisfying those moments when he breaks. I love his tricky relationship with Therrin and I can’t wait to see what his relationship with Saxon will look like now..

Nico and Cal from Collarbones by @ilasknives

Pretty sure through some sort of common law these two are my godchildren. I love love love them. They are some of the few on this list that have been abused and brainwashed since childhood, and the effects are so absolutely devastating. I love the way that Nico, who’s view on life has been purposefully warped by Vaughn, still has hope. How he still fights back, even when it seems to get him nowhere. He has so much goddamn resilience and determination it makes me want to cry. Vaughn has tried so hard to stamp out any light in his heart, and still, still, he is kind, and loving, and caring, and protective.

I love the way that even though these two hate each other sometimes, and are made to hurt each other all the time, in the end it’s them who patches the other one up and puts them to bed. Because they’re family, and that’s forever.

Zee from The Frathouse Box Boy by deluxewhump

That’s my son your honor...Listen when I first read this I actually wasn’t all that into pet whump, but I’m pretty sure this story is so powerful it rewrote my brain waves. I have never witnessed so much growth and character development in a single work, and I have never seen it done so goddamn naturally. I love how he is so devoted to the people in life he cares about. I love that he can be a little shit sometimes. I love that more and more now he sees what he wants and goes after it. I love every new part of him we get to see.

Honorable Mention:

Arlowe and Artie by ilasknives, who have yet to be officially introduced but already have a complete hold on my heart.

#wij22day5 #whumpmas in july #whump rec #whump recs

[extemporary-whump]

Archive

just a big list of whump stuff I've read/am reading. Just to keep track cause my memory is almost non-existent (also kind of a whump rec list? idk)

Title (with link to the masterlist) - @creator

synopsis of the ones that have it on the masterlist / tags for the ones that don't have one

Lunar is @wolfeyedwitch ,  sideblog (sorry if its not the best nickname) is @sideblogformindtrash ​ ,  not gonna tag u on the list cause its a lot & i don't want to flood y’all

Also gonna go ahead and skip @kim-poce cause ive read 90% of your stuff and that's way too much to add

Pet whump (institutionalized)

Lydia and Coriander - @maracujatangerine

Set in the Box Boy Universe, a broken man arrives on Lydia Winterthorpe’s doorstep. Will she and her friends be able to help Coriander regain his sense of self? Pet whump with a strong focus on recovery.

Apple the Whumpee - @cowboy-anon ​

Multiple whumpees, neglect, pet whump, Stockholm Syndrome

Orfeu & Haru - sideblog

no-con (mostly insinuated), dehumanization, conditioning, slave/pet whump, institutional abuse, mouth whump, some instances of minor whump.

Blue’s Life - sideblog

Blue messed with the wrong people and ended up as a pet. His owner produces snuff films with the pets he purchases for a living. His life is largely on the hands of an invisible audience that enjoys his suffering. And yet, all he can do is try his best to please them.

Sunflower - sideblog

Sunflower is a pet whumpee who belonged to a influencer named Abby, who was friend’s with Blue’s owner, IF.

BB & Pastel - sideblog

Drabbles about Pastel, the pet that replaced Blue as IF’s video pet, and BB, a poor pet that just wants to be like their idol - Blue! And their unlikely Caretaker the ex-Whumper Farlan

Sweet Pea - sideblog

Farlan’s father new pet. A dancer :)

Star and Stunt - @unicornscotty & sideblog

This is the story of twin brothers who get purchased by a film director. Our star Castor gets to be the main Pet actor in all of his movies, while his brother, Stunt, gets to be his double and do all the dangerous scenes of film making. 

Pet whump (not institutionalized)

Linden and Colton - @whumpzone  (happens on a bbu but the whumpee is not a bb)

(mute whumpee, references to past noncon, ongoing, light on plot, approx. 25k)

O2 - @just-a-whumping-racoon-with-wifi ​

Len likes little lap pets. The soft ones that don’t struggle or squirm or move. Or Can’t, in little o2’s case. With constrictive collars and corsets and straps, every second of o2’s existence is spent struggling for air.

Pumpkin - sideblog

Pet whump; enviormental whump; cruel whumper; implied death

Pin the Pincushion - @milk-carton-whump ​ & sideblog

Gonna go ahead and warn for Needle TWs, low self esteem, and pet whump 

Heroes & Villains

With Bloody Outstretched Hands - Lunar

An injured villain makes their way to the heroes’ headquarters to beg for protection. No matter what the cost.

And Still - Lunar

Sidekick has been betrayed and left tied up for Villain to find. But when she does, she’s not what Sidekick expected. Who is truly in the right in this situation?

Secrets and identities - @livingforthewhump ​

An injured villain is taken in by Civilian, who has their own wounds to hide

(im sure i`ve read more of your stuff but i changed my username and im too lazy to check everything rn)

 @hurting-fictional-people ​ ‘s  writing masterlist

(same as before, im sure i’ve read a lot of your stuff but im too lazy to check what)

Royal/fantasy whump

No Prisoners - Lunar

Leta’s community hates magic, so when they found out she was a mage, she knew that she wouldn’t last long. Locked away in a cell, far from the life she knew, she thought she had made peace with her inevitable fate. That was, until the prison was broken into.

Laz & Säel - sideblog

Fantasy classism; burns; dog bites; death themes; death discussion; death mention; domestic labor; multiple whumpers

Vampires

The Heart and the Hunger - Lunar

The bounty hunter didn’t mean to find an injured vampire, but sometimes jobs don’t go according to plan. And they can’t just leave it; that would be reckless, and put the whole town in danger. So they take it home.

Kane & Jim - @whumpsday ​

Jim had lived as the prisoner of a cruel vampire for years, forced to provide blood for his insatiable appetite, before finally escaping. A decade has passed since then, when he hears word of a vampire in the custody of a group of hunters matching the description of his former captor, Kane. Wanting closure, he negotiates to have custody of Kane transferred to himself. But when he finally lays eyes on the vampire, it’s like he’s a complete stranger: A sobbing mess begging for mercy, not the arrogant man he once knew.

Android/robots

An odd little thing - @mortifiedatbeingknown

To him, a cruel, horrid monster has plucked him up and stolen him away from his masters to scrap his parts. To her, a useless, half-damaged robot she’d scavenged from the trash sits on a shelf in her workshop, in desperate need of repair. Both need each other to heal. But will they be able to find that comfort in each other?

Others

Weapons Don’t Weep - Lunar

In a dystopian society controlled by an authoritarian government, a rebel group intercepts a convoy carrying The Weapon: an unknown device capable of destroying entire cities. When they investigate, they find not a machine, but a person: a living weapon.

#mis cosillas raras #whump #whump recs #masterlist #stole kim's masterlist layout for this #praying for the links to work #also sorry for tagging yall #also 2.0 im planning on adding colored tags for each story. so its easier to spot stuff like minor whump and such

[octopus-reactivated]

What are some of your favorite whump series?

Let's see

The boy by @whump-blog I love how Boy is trying to stay close to Caretaker, but at the same moment is scared, so he's hiding behind furniture

Lydia and Coriander by @maracujatangerine Cory is my handsome boy. And i like reading female Caretaker.

Brody by @just-a-whumping-racoon-with-wifi The recapture and retraining arc was 😭😭😭😭😭

That's obvious, but Thomas & Rowe and Colton and Linden by @whumpzone One of the first stories i found. Fun fact: back then i though i was about to find bunch of old blogs and will have to look through rubble for some shiny stuff. So when i found Thomas and Rowe i assumed this is abandoned/completed series. I read it whole and last chapter was about how Rowe got recaptured and i was like "wow so author really gave us this whole wholesome story about recovery only to make Whumpee get kidnapped and never seen again" Luckily it turned out untrue

Villain and Sidekick series by @whumpering-heights Bro, you alive?

And of course, my beloved @jordanstrophe Honestly i can't even choose one series? All of them are dear to my heart. Go chack them out i beg you.

There is also few series that i recently discovered so maybe this list will get longer soon ¯\_(ツ)_/¯¯\_(ツ)_/¯¯\_(ツ)_/¯¯\_(ツ)_/¯¯\_(ツ)_/¯¯\_(ツ)_/¯

#i have no idea if links are working #i have no idea if tags are working #didn't mean to put so many ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ there but tumblr crashed for a moment and why not i'll leave them #they look like they're holding hands and dancing #also if you're left out from list even though i'm on your taglist it means that i fallen behind with reading and need to catch up #or that i intentionally and maliciously omited you #whump #fave whump series

[gottawhump]

What are some of your favorite whump series?

Argh. I’m never good at picking favorites.

But I will start with @ashintheairlikesnow The Danny Michaelson Story (which dealt me permanent emotional damage) and her collab with @comfy-whumpee The Motherfucking Gallaghers.

Very much @hold-him-down The Fighter series.

@justplainwhump Mark and Gemma Get a Pet captures the mundane horror of the BBU for me. (Though I love all her writing).

@for-the-love-of-nsfwhump/ @for-the-love-of-angst Taron and Zeria series. It reads to me as alien high fantasy, and Vee’s writing immerses me in the setting and characters. (And any of her writing is worth checking out).

@whumpsday Kane and Jim series. It’s an interesting take on vampires, but the dynamic of whumper turned whumpee, and whumpee turned caretaker to their former whumper is pretty delicious stuff. I love Complicated (Non)Human Relationships!

@whumpzone Linden and Colton and @maracujatangerine Lydia and Coriander both warm my heart. (Be sure to check out the Lost Property collaboration!

And now I’m ending this, because I’m tired of link-hunting.

#answered asks

[wolfeyedwitch]

Whumpmas in July: Day 5

Favorite whumpee! That's hard, because there are so many good ones, so let's go with a list.

@maracujatangerine's Cory, from Lydia and Coriander. He's so very sweet, and still waiting for the other shoe to drop. This character was actually my first introduction to the concept of the BBU (I think), and the writer is fantastic at not only showing the extent of the trauma that creates in the pets, but also is doing some AMAZING worldbuilding.

@deluxewhump's Carlo. I'm especially partial to the vampire AUs, both where Carlo is a vampire whumpee and where he's a vampire's bloodbag. He's still recognizably himself even in such different circumstances, and it's fun to play around with his relationship to Max, his caretaker, with the different setups.

@kim-poce's Neo, from Alex and Neo. She has a TON of whumpees so it was hard to pick just one, but I really think that Neo is my favorite. (Ask me on a different day and you might get a different answer. Who knows, not me.) Plenty of caretaker-new-master angst, my beloved, and everyone in the story turns into a whumpee at some point I swear.

@whumpsday's Kane, from Kane and Jim. Vampire whumper turned whumpee, with a nonlinear storytelling so it jumps back and forth between when Kane was a whumper and when he's a whumpee, both during and post captivity. It's a fascinating look at how someone can change so fundamentally and shift to become someone better. And also, vampires. I love vampire whumpees and everyone's worldbuilding for them.

@ashintheairlikesnow's Chris. I haven't read his entire story yet in the canon-verse, because OMG THERES SO MUCH (and its amazing but also somewhat intimidating), but I have read all of the Vampire Chris AU and it's fantastic. Chris has trauma on top of trauma. You get to unwrap all the layers!

@secretwhumplair has so many good whumpees to choose from, but I think my favorites are Joy from The Monster of Lindborough and Ainsel/weapon from Royal Arms. They have such complex relationships with their caretakers, and are in tough situations where there don't seem to be good options so they're just trying their best. Joy is an adorable sweetheart and I want to pet his floofy werewolf ears, and Ainsel needs so many hugs but I think if I hugged them they'd throw an Error 404 message.

There are so many good whumpees!

#whumpmas in july #wij2022 #whumpmasinjuly #wij day 5

[eartheats]

getting to spend a nice quiet day back at the house before i gotta get everything packed for blueberry is super nice, won't lie! thank arc for delibird day. kevin's already passed out from the edible he took earlier lmao.

but jacques managed to help me deep clean the house again as soon as i got back, and while i'm gone, he and mads promised that they're gonna try to get into and clean out my parent's old bedroom that's been locked up for years at this point. maybe...maybe in time, i'll be able to have people over, and it'll be fun, i think!! zapapico doesn't have much, but i can already think of so many places i'd wanna show off :)

hopefully everybody's delibird day is going great otherwise!!!

[picture: ren currently cozy on their couch, flashing a piece sign at the camera. bouton appears to be sitting on top of the couch and smiling, while kevin appears to be sleeping on ren's shoulder. lydia can be seen in the background, playing a game on her phone with a hawlucha in her lap playing along. the house is very clean looking, though barebones decoration-wise

another picture is shown from a different spot: what appears to be jacques setting up something that looks like a LAN party configuration for a couple of video game systems. lulu can be seen carrying a few things to help jacques, and soba the furret seems to be just going around the floor.

the last picture shows coriander the ferrothorn, asleep and snuggling what appears to be a giant orthworm plush in the big plant bed that ren's set up for her.]

#ren talks #pokeblogging #pokemon irl #pkmn irl #rotomblr #long post #delibird day #((ooc: foreshadowing is a literary device in which--)) #minors dni

[maracujatangerine]

I woke up thinking about this so I'm asking! How would Cory fair if, for some unimaginable reason, Lydia had no choice but to have Wayland watch him for the weekend??

84. Unfortunate Circumstances

CW: NSFW, non-con, institutionalised slavery, dehumanisation, box boy universe, pet whump

“Of course, dearest. You and Lydia should enjoy your girls’ weekend together and I’ll keep an eye on the pets.”

“Are you sure you are all right with looking after Cory-boy, too?”

“No problem, Ceci. It isn’t more than right considering your friend took care of Brutus for our trip. We should help her in return.”

Mistress Cecilia pouted prettily.

”But that sounds so boring and full of drudgery, dear. Perhaps I should stay to keep you company?”

Wayland gave Cecilia an affectionate kiss. “Don’t you worry! I’ll have some fun too. I might have a few friends over tonight.”

“That sounds better.” She wrapped him in a quick hug. “See you in a couple of days!” Looking at Absalom, Brutus and Coriander all kneeling in line, she added. “Be good, pets.”

And then she was out of the door.

*

Handcuffs clinked as Wayland locked Cory’s hands behind the pet’s back. Then, he pushed him down to kneel on the cold floor. Brutus watched helplessly as Coriander, naked, lowered his head. His scarred back, the vulnerable arc of his spine, the blonde hair falling freely around his face. The fair-haired pet looked… broken.

Wayland rubbed his hands together, grinning.

”Don’t worry your sweet little head, pet. We are going to have fun together. First, Absalom is going to make you feel so good. He is a wizard with that mouth of his. He knows exactly what to do.” He smiled languidly. “And then, Brutus here, will take you from behind.”

Wayland reached up and patted Brutus’ upper arm a couple of times. Just like you would pat your horse or your hunting dog. For once, Brutus didn’t feel the elation that praise from his Master usually gave. Instead, he felt a sick, cold dread roiling in his stomach.

“You’re going to pop some pills, boy.” Wayland said. “So that you can stay nice and hard for a long, long time.” He chuckled to himself. “This will be a show for me and the lads to enjoy. I have heard from Cecilia that your dear Mistress Lydia doesn’t even play with her boy toy.” He spat. “Just what you could expect from that fridgid bitch, am I right?”

He reached out to smooth over Coriander’s hair in a mock caress, only to violently fist his hand into the silken, blonde tresses and force the shivering pet’s head up. Tears glimmered in Cory’s grey eyes, catching the lamplight, but the pet did not let them fall.

“Hmm.” Wayland almost purred at the sight. “But that should mean that you are nice and tight.” He laughed. “Perhaps too nice a treat for a simple guard dog, maybe all of us should have you? Brutus can get his chance when we are all done.”

He looked up, behind Brutus’ shoulder. “What do you think, Absalom? You little whore. I’m sure you have all the experience in the world when it comes to these matters, don’t you?”

The romantic gracefully sidestepped Brutus’ hulking form and sashayed into the room. When he passed the guard dog, he turned his head and locked eyes with Brutus. The eye contact somehow electrifying, meaningful, as if he wanted to share a message. But Brutus had no idea what Absalom meant to convey, and the moment passed.

“That’s right, Master.” Absalom stepped close to Wayland, let his hand glide lightly down the bigger man’s chest. He looked up at him through his eyelashes. “But..” Absalom said slowly. “Why would you bother with these… amateurs?” The pet tilted his head upwards, as if inviting a kiss. “I can give you and your friends all the entertainment you need.”

He turned his head slowly towards the door. Again, that meaningful glance towards Brutus. An expression of urgency flickering over his face, only to be completely erased when Absalom looked up towards Wayland again. “You can send them away.” He suggested, coyly. “We can have some privacy to enjoy ourselves before your friends arrive.”

“Aha, I know what you want.” Wayland said. “You just want to have the chance to curry some extra favour for yourself.” He laughed. “That’s kind of sly. Smart for a pet, at least.” He grabbed Absalom’s chin, forcing the pet’s head further upwards. “It will be fun playing with you. But me and the lads, we probably want some novelty as well.”

He looked over all the three pets with a calculating expression that chilled Brutus’ blood.

”Maybe..” he said, and the glint in his eyes held no hint of clemency or compassion. “Maybe I’ll just take all three of you at once.”

Brutus awoke, heart still beating fast with fear. The familiarity of the sparse room. The shapes of his weights on the rack at the end of his bed, each of them glistening silver in the light from the street lamps. The hard cot beneath him. It all brought him back to reality.

Coriander was safe, at home, with his owner. Absalom probably asleep upstairs.

It had all just been a dream. But the uneasy feeling stayed with Brutus for a long time.

*

The ‘it was just a dream’-trope is a bit of a cheap cop-out, I agree. Sorry about that. ☺️

I don’t think Lydia would ever leave Coriander with Wayland. She would rather leave him to stay home alone.

Thank you for the fun ‘what-if’-inspiration, Anon! ✨💖✨ (I love getting asks, but I am very slow in responding to them.)

*

Tag List Part 1: @cupcakes-and-pain @whump-em @whumpzone @wh-wh-whu @neuro-whump @carnagecardinal @cowboy-anon @whump-me-all-night-long @redwingedwhump @myst-in-the-mirror @haro-whumps @eatyourdamnpears @bloodsweatandpotato @pinkraindropsfell @whumptywhumpdump @theydy-cringeworthy @whump-in-progress @whumpsy-daisy @nicolepascaline @whumpcreations @briars7 @shiningstarofwinter @whumppsychology @alex-ember @miss-kitty-whumptastic @whumpy-writings @in-patient-princess @youtube-fandoms-bands @goblinchildindabog @mazeish @distinctlywhumpthing @inpainandsuffering @canniboylism @icannotweave @incoherent-introspection @kim-poce @broken-typewriter @the-monarch-whumperfly @whumpers-inc @grizzlie70 @lil-whumper @writingbackwards-blog @sunflower1000 @wingedwhump @thecitythatdoesntsleep @thingsthatgo-whump-inthenight @onlybadendings @rabass @wolfeyedwitch @melancholy-in-the-morning

#pet whump #bbu #box boy multiverse #box boy universe #pet whumpee #whump fic #writeblr #writers on tumblr #lydia and coriander #original writing

[whumpzone]

Lost Property - 22

(masterpost)

Previous - Next

CW: pet whump, dehumanisation, noncon references

-

Lydia put down the phone on the table and the slight click of the metal hitting the wood sounded like a death knell in Colton’s ears. He was still in the bathroom, taking far longer than needed, cowardly hiding away as if it would change anything. He had lied to his Master. By omission, but a lie even so. He had conspired with another owner to keep a key fact - the fact that he had hurt a human - from his Master’s knowledge. 

It was a mortal sin if there ever was one. Master would be justified in stripping his hide from his flesh, in crushing every bone, in bleeding him dry. But perhaps he wouldn’t, perhaps he would just look at his sinful, false pet with profound disappointment in those dark eyes, and that would be a punishment that would cut equally deep into Col’s soul. 

I’ll tell him, Col promised himself. I’ll confess the moment I see him. I’ll say- I’ll say I wanted to wait, I wanted him to be able to punish me immediately.

No, I won’t. How can I think about lying again?

He heard Lydia moving about and suddenly he just wanted to scream. Couldn’t she just get it over with? Punish him or have her way with him or both at the same time, just get it done! He felt drained to the bone with dread, he couldn’t spend another night like this, in helpless anticipation. He couldn’t take it any more. 

She had been so, so kind to him earlier, so merciful and patient, and he just wanted to know why. He wanted her to finally show him why. 

He took one last look at himself in the mirror. He didn’t look at himself often, but he thought he might as well take the sight in, in case the next time he saw himself he was bruised and bloodied. 

He left the bathroom. He expected Lydia to make a comment about how long he’d been, but she was preoccupied with plugging her phone charger in and smoothing down her sheets.

“I’m ready for bed. I’m exhausted, in fact. How are you feeling, Col?”

His old master had never taught him the proper response to a question like that. “I’m… I’m always attentive, Ma’am, and open for your use.”

Lydia didn’t look satisfied. She just looked at him with a sad smile. “Okay, well I think we both need a good night’s sleep after today.”

“Yes, Ma’am. Will you-”

Fear stopped him in his tracks. He was getting far too bold. He wasn’t allowed to ask questions; he wasn’t meant to think so much. 

“Hm?”

But, perhaps, perhaps if he did provoke her, she might finally get it over with?

“Will you… still require the second bed, Ma’am? Or would you like me- me- uh…”

-

Lydia was often able to respond pretty quickly to whatever horrific pet language got thrown at her, by either Coriander or Colton. She was thankful for her quick thinking skills and level head, throughout it all. Colton’s question did make her pause, though. Was that why he thought she was looking after him?

“No, no not at all,” she said, and for all that Col was meant to take it as a definitive order from a human, Lydia felt like she was pleading with him instead. “I’d never do that to you. I don’t want to hurt you Col, I really don’t.”

How could she make him believe her? It was still taking months to get such an enormous concept through to Cory. There was no way she’d be able to do it in one night with this pet.

“Please, pl-please Ma’am, use me for stress relief. Anything you want to do to me, I will- will accept. Without hesitation.”

His words were more rehearsed than ever. Contrasting his spoken submission was his pose, the way he was leaving as much space between them as possible. To say nothing of the way he was clutching his hands against his chest, or how badly his bottom lip was trembling. 

“I don’t want to,” she said firmly. “I’ll never want to.”

“Please,” Col begged desperately. “I’ve- I’ve hurt a human, a-and been nothing but trouble for you, and I, I, I lied to my Master. Please, Ma’am, I need to be useful, and hurt, and, and-”

-

You can cry when you need to, Master had said. Col hadn’t cried one tear about the attack, yet. The shock had kept him numb. But now, with exhaustion ripping away all of his defences, and the never-ending terror of being so far from home, he knew he was about to collapse into his familiar patheticness all over again.

“Hey, come here, come here Col,” Lydia beckoned, and Col straightened his back reflexively. It was happening. It was finally happening and he had to be perfect, but he’d never been perfect, not once in his whole miserable life.

He frowned when Lydia lowered herself to the floor, like she had done earlier. She sat with her back against the bedframe and her legs stretched out, crossed at the ankles.

“No bed. I’m not going to hurt you. But why don’t we talk about what happened? And if you want… I can pet your head. Cory likes it, when he’s scared.”

Col almost, almost took a step back, then caught himself. “I don’t, I really d-don’t deserve it, please.”

“I’m offering. You’ve had one hell of a day, Col. Cory puts his head in my lap, but it’s your choice.”

This was her game, then. Col was too broken to play it properly. He couldn’t even get that right. 

-

Lydia watched patiently as Col submitted and sank to the floor next to her, laying his head hesitantly in her lap. Glancing up every few seconds to check that it was really alright. And then he just lay there, braced, tense. 

She tried to imagine how it looked to him. Probably similar to if the armed robber appeared and beckoned Lydia to come and lie next to him. Promising he wouldn’t hurt her while still clutching the knife. She’d be pretty reluctant too.

Her hands didn’t move; she wasn’t in any rush. Instead, she looked vaguely ahead, tracing the pattern in the curtains.

“You really did save me, Col. You saved the both of us. I was just frozen, I think, and it all happened so fast. I couldn’t do anything at all. I was properly scared, you know?”

Col stayed quiet, but that didn’t come as a surprise. Lydia knew he was listening, and that was enough.

“But you- you acted so fast! I know how scary it was for you, too. I think we were both equally surprised when you punched him,” she laughed softly. 

“I didn’t think, Ma’am. I’ve never done something like that before, I swear.”

His voice was low, and a little bit hoarse. 

“You just did what you thought was best. And it was.”

“Pets aren’t meant to think, I shouldn’t make decisions about anything, much less- much less something like that.”

“Well… would you do it again? If you were in a similar situation?”

She expected him to choke out no, I wouldn’t dare, I know my place.

But instead, he made eye contact, allowing her to see the cold sincerity on his face.

“Yes, Ma’am,” he whispered. “I would. I’m so sorry.”

-

Col couldn’t lie anymore. He hated it. He wasn’t meant for speaking, and he certainly wasn’t smart enough to lie. 

Besides, maybe Lydia would finally see a good enough reason to punish him. That was what he wanted, right? 

Lydia’s eyes widened and instantly a piercing dread plunged into him. How had he just said that?

“Wow,” she said, a smile pulling at the corners of her mouth. “You are one tough cookie, aren’t you?”

Colton froze, even stiffer than before. What did that even mean? Was she mocking him? Was it a good thing that she was amused?

“You know…” Lydia said again, her voice warm and low, as if she was sharing a confidence. “If you hadn’t been there, if you hadn’t taken action, we could both have been seriously hurt.” Lydia reached up behind herself so that she could pull down the blanket from the foot of the bed behind her. With a flourish that made Col start in surprise, she spread it over them both.

After a while sitting in silence, she said. “People might have told you that you aren’t smart or that you can’t make decisions for yourself. They are wrong. You did a really good job today, Colton. You should know that.”

Perhaps it was the twilight in the room, the fragile safety of the blanket that Cory’s owner so generously had provided, the warmth of her skin through her clothes - or the honesty in Lydia’s voice. Perhaps it was nothing more than the stress and exhaustion of the past days, but Colton suddenly couldn’t keep the tears from his eyes. Don’t be stupid! She isn’t even hurting you! Get a grip! Nobody wants a snivelling pet. 

But it was too late. His green eyes overflowed with tears. Not even the panicked thought that he would wet Lydia’s clothes could make them stop. Be quiet! Don’t make too much noise. Colton tried to control his breathing, to cry as quietly as possible, but he couldn’t stop. The tears, and the shivers and the great, heaving sobs had flowed over him like the tide. 

After a moment, he felt Lydia’s hand in his hair. She raked away some of the locks falling into his eyes, and proceeded to pet her hand over his pale brown tresses, soothingly, again and again. “It’s all right, Colton,” she said very quietly, “you can cry as much as you want. It is all right.”

-

taglist part 1:

@cupcakes-and-pain @whump-em @wh-wh-whu @neuro-whump @carnagecardinal @cowboy-anon @whump-me-all-night-long @redwingedwhump @myst-in-the-mirror @haro-whumps @eatyourdamnpears @bloodsweatandpotato @pinkraindropsfell @whumptywhumpdump @theydy-cringeworthy @whump-in-progress @whumpsy-daisy @nicolepascaline @whumpcreations @briars7 @shiningstarofwinter @whumppsychology @alex-ember @miss-kitty-whumptastic @whumpy-writings @in-patient-princess @youtube-fandoms-bands @goblinchildindabog @mazeish @distinctlywhumpthing @inpainandsuffering @canniboylism @incoherent-introspection @kim-poce @broken-typewriter @the-monarch-whumperfly @whumpers-inc @grizzlie70 @lil-whumper @writingbackwards @sunflower1000 @wingedwhump @thecitythatdoesntsleep @thingsthatgo-whump-inthenight @onlybadendings @rabass @wolfeyedwitch @melancholy-in-the-morning

#lost property #lydia and linden #pet whump #posting this then going straight to sleep zzzzzzzzzzz #as always- enjoy!!

[whumpsday]

Whumpmas in July Day 20: Do you identify with any particular roles in whump?

CARETAKER 1000000% ALL THE WAY.

i am so caretaker it hurts. every time i see a whumpee i wanna just scoop them up in my arms and carry them to safety. ESPECIALLY if it’s a whumpee who doesn’t have a caretaker in-story. i refer to this in my head as “caretaker instinct”. will literally lie awake at night daydreaming about caretaking whumpees. every time i imagine myself in a whump scenario, it’s as the caretaker. i am the type of person who sees a stray cat and says “WE HAVE TO TAKE THE KITTY HOME” and my boyfriend has to pull me away by force. (this has happened on many occasions)

some whumpees i’ve gotten particularly strong “caretaker instinct” for:

Ash from Ash & Callum by @whumping-every-day (the drive to see Ash finish his recovery arc and become happy after this story got discontinued is partially what led me to create Kane)

Brutus from Lydia and Coriander by @maracujatangerine

Daero from Daero by @thoughtsonhurtandcomfort

Joy from The Monster of Lindborough by @secretwhumplair (reading this as it was being posted real-time before the comfort arc started was so brutal on my heart 😭)

Knight from Kill the Dragon by @kim-poce​

Pumpkin (El) from Killing, Stalking, Whumping by @whumpshaped​ (made a whole crossover au where they get a happy end!)

The Human from Devil Hot by @whumpshaped

Villain from Tiny Villain by @a-dead-tea / @a-whumped-tea​ (links in this masterlist are broken but just change -lake to -tea in the urls to get the fixed links)

i want to protect them... congrats on making me Emotionally Invested!!

@whumpmasinjuly

#wij2022 #whumpmasinjuly

[sharp-teeth-and-wide-grins]

archaeval asked : 🎰 omg, including any of my muses at @flcralist

Ship generator. / @flcralist​​ -- accepting

* Cullen x Nadja

* Evie x Hermia

* Varric x Borya

* Eleanor x Flora

* Hewlett x Coriander

* Sean x Iskra

* Lydia x Flora

* Cullen x Polly

* Evie x Bonnie

#asks #flcralist #( ooc ) #( just threw a handful of muses on here ) #( thanks for sending this in ! ) #( idk if any of these could work but this is what came up )

[hold-him-down]

Do you have any whump recommendations? I've read all your stuff, I've read Redwing whump and Peachy Panics's stuff and loved it!

Something with some solid whump, but also a caretaker which the whumpee maybe starts off scared of but becomes more comfortable with.

Thanks!!!

disclaimer: I am not very well read in the community yet, so these are all pretty popular and you’ve probably seen ‘em before this! @peachy-panic is my main go-to for published work and whumblr recs so I conferred with her as well :) here’s a list of some stories that feature a recovery arc that I’ve enjoyed or plan to enjoy in the near future:

Unintentional by @distinctlywhumpthing - I’ve only read a couple chapters of this but it’s the next on my list and hits what you’re looking for (and was big recommended by @peachy-panic) *bbu recovery arc

Zee’s Situation/Frathouse BBU by @deluxewhump - Has some of the elements you’re looking for, has some *chefs kiss* whump and the becoming more comfy with a caretaker arc. *bbu 

Lydia & Coriander by @maracujatangerine - I’ve only JUST just begun this but it seems to hit those marks! *bbu recovery arc

Danny Michaelson’s Story by @ashintheairlikesnow - Is like my prime prime comfort story, but hits a way different mark than the rest (i couldn’t not include it even though if you’ve been hanging around, you for sure have already seen it). super whumpy super dark (pretty 18+/nsfw). This one is maybe a looser definition of what you’re looking for but I’m gonna say that in the recovery pieces you get the whumpee afraid of caretaker moments.

The ones you mentioned in case anyone else is looking for recs and hasn’t read them: do no harm by @peachy-panic (bbu adjacent recovery), guard dog david & riley by @redwingedwhump (bbu/recovery) & the fighter by me ;)

please add in the comments your faves or your own writing! i’m personally looking for more of these too! 

#i'm missing so many #please if you've read anything that hits the whumpee/caretaker mark add to the comments or reblog! #or if you're writing one #we are thirsty out here :) #whump recommendations #whumpblr #whump writing #bbu #bbu adjacent #slave fic #caretaker stories #recovery arcs #give 'em all #anonymous

[saintwhumpolas]

Merry Christmas, @maracujatangerine!

Coriander shuffled aimlessly through the house, still shaking off sleep as it walked. Once, the idea of waking up so long after its master would have sent shivers down its spine, but Miss Lydia didn’t seem to mind. In fact, she even seemed to like it - maybe it was wrong for it to take advantage of her clear lack of knowledge in handling a pet, but it felt nice to be able to lie in as long as it wanted. Almost like it was a person.

It walked into the living room, where Miss Lydia was sitting on the sofa, a blanket loosely tucked around her and laptop resting on her lap. She gave a weary smile as Coriander entered the room, her voice thick with exhaustion.

”Good morning, Cory. Did you sleep well?”

It blinked momentarily to process the question, before responding promptly.

”Yes, Miss.” It moved over and sat down by her legs hanging down from the sofa, wary of sitting down beside her when she hadn’t asked. She looked so tired, it was best not to disturb her.

Cory leaned back slightly, trying to look at the laptop, but it couldn’t quite make it out. Lydia, noticing this, smiled at it weakly.

”I am just doing some work.” She replied, to his silent question, “I had to wake up very early for it, and I am not sure if I will have time to do much else today.”

Coriander’s heart beat slightly faster at the chance to do something for Miss Lydia - this was what it had been hoping for when it woke up this morning, a chance to make up for taking advantage of its new owners lack of knowledge in handling a pet.

”I-is there anything it can to do help while you work, Miss?”

”I could maybe use a hand with some work around the house, although you do not need to do it now. You only just woke up - and you don’t have to do it if you don’t want, either. I can handle it on my own.”

While Miss Lydia had acted as if it was a choice, Cory knew the real order behind the words. It had been told to help around the house, and it must get on with it as soon as possible - especially if it wanted to make up for being such a bad pet.

”It can do it now, Miss, it doesn’t mind.”

She surveyed him skeptically, before slowly nodding. “Very well, then. Maybe you could wash the dishes just in the kitchen for me? I didn’t get to do it last night, and soon they’ll just stack up. Once you are done, you can come sit with me again.”

Cory stood up immediately, hurrying into the kitchen where yesterday's dishes were waiting. The job started off well, the pet washing dishes as fast as it possibly could, already imagining how pleased Miss Lydia would be to see everything done so fast.

Then, a glass dropped. The soap it had been covered in had just made it too slippy and it had slipped right out of Coriander’s hand, scattering the floor with frighteningly sharp shards. The sound of the crash made Cory’s heart shatter too - Miss Lydia was going to come in, and she was going to see, and she’d be so mad, and she’d finally take the chance to punish her disrespectful pet.

After hovering in silence over the glass for a few moments, it came to the conclusion that she somehow hadn’t noticed the noise. Now, there was a new threat - Miss Lydia could still find out it had broken a glass. All she had to see was the glass on the floor, or the cuts on its hands, or just notice that one was missing…

The most Cory could do was handle each of the little problems the situation had caused. It scrambled, picking up the shards as quickly as it could, causing more cuts to form across it’s hands, some even scraping its lower arms in its hurry. Every time it thought it had picked them all up, it noticed more in the corner of the room, or behind the bin, or right by the leg of the counter and it felt itself choked by sobs as it pictured it’s owner walking in as it searched the floor, or worse - standing on a glass piece and finding out in the worst way what her clumsy, clueless pet had done.

Once Coriander was finally satisfied with the clean floor, another thought entered its head. Wasn’t not telling her lying? It was her right to know, and even punish it if she wished - sure, she hadn’t yet, but it couldn’t be so sure there wasn’t a tipping point where she finally got sick of her useless pet.

Or maybe she’d be happier if she didn’t know, as long as she didn’t notice. Yes, it wouldn’t tell her, and as long as she didn’t ask about it Cory wouldn’t have to lie.

The final problem was the glaringly obvious cuts on its hands - it’s fine, she just couldn’t see it until they’d began to heal. Coriander, still feeling slightly uneasy about the situation, returned to washing up, wincing and whimpering as the soap stung its hands.

When it finally returned, Miss Lydia was still sitting in the same position working.

”Are you all finished already, Cory? Come, sit with me and take a break for a bit.” She gently patted the sofa next to her, and the pet obediently squirmed in beside her. It rested it’s head on her shoulder, curling one hand and pressing the palm of the other to its side so that the cuts wouldn’t be visible.

It went back to trying to make sense of the work on Miss Lydia’s screen, feeling slightly exhausted by the difficult task of the dishes. That, in combination with it’s owners warmth and the rhythmic sound of her typing, pulled it into sleep resting on her side once more.

When it woke, it saw Miss Lydia sitting more upright above him, her laptop moved slightly to one side and a slightly concerned frown on her face. Cory followed her eyes anxiously, finding out they were lying on a small smear of blood on his shirt - his clean, white shirt.

“Where did that come from, Cory?” She answered her own question by moving her gaze to the hand it automatically clutched close at the question.

She softly took it’s hands in her own, taking Coriander by surprise - it had expected her to be angry, or rough with it, but instead she was taking care to be as gentle and kind as possible as she brushed her thumb around the cuts on its palm.

”I-It’s so sorry, Miss, it… it dropped one of the glasses, and it broke, and it had to pick everything up, and it’s so sorry it didn’t tell you…”

Gently, Miss Lydia placed her free hand on its shoulder. “There is nothing for you to be sorry about. Just wait here, and I will get you some bandages.”

When she returned, she was holding a roll of bandages and an antiseptic wipe. It was so kind, so caring of her. It was more than it deserved.

She passed the antiseptic wipe over each cut, responding in hushed apologies and thank yous for being so good whenever Cory winced at the pain. Then, she wrapped the bandages neatly around each hand, softly explaining to it that it needed to be careful with them, because they could easily get damaged because of where the cuts were.

As much as Cory tried to listen to what she was saying, it struggled. Its owners touch being so kind, and so soft, and so gentle… that was enough for it to tune out of any conversation.

#a gift from saint whumpolas #writing #whump writing #pet whump #cuts

[sideblogformindtrash]

Would you like to make a mood board for Coriander or Lydia?

https://maracujatangerine.tumblr.com/post/658844621457211392/masterpost

Absolutely no pressure if you don’t feel like it! 🥰