Whumpy Whumpy Goodness

Whumpee being too weak to hold their head up for long and only taking a couple small sips. They then drop their head back on the pillow and breathe heavily, already tired, with their eyes closed.

Leaning on cabinets and against walls in people's houses. Propping their head up with their hands at the dining table. Steadying themself against a banister on the stairs. Holding on to the post of the traffic light for dear life while they wait to cross the road because if they stand still unsupported they will fall to the ground.

Which is better - the slow and seemingly never-ending dull throb and pierce of a deep wound being stitched, eventually becoming almost repetitive enough that the pain fades into the background, only for it to remain long after it's finished --

character b is laying on the couch, their vision blurry as they’re burning with fever. “I’m gonna go get (character c), ok? Stay here,” character a says before walking out.

character b shivers. They’re so, so cold. They move their head slightly and see it- a blanket hanging over the back of a chair a few feet away.

slowly, they push themselves up on their elbows- but they don’t have the strength to stand up and just fall to the floor. Character a comes back with character c and finds character b laying beside the couch.

in my experience it goes like

fever rising: chills, the severity depending on how high/fast the fever is rising, feeling like you can't get warm enough, especially extremities (hands/feet) freezing even if you get your core to realize it's actually warm

the plateau: now you're feeling too warm (how much so depends on how high the fever is) but anything cooling feels too cold, still not sweating more than the normal amount tho. also again depending on the severity of the fever, you get muscle aches, headaches, vertigo, what have you

the plateau, addendum: for me personally once the fever is above something like 38 degrees celsius, i absolutely cannot get anything solid down even if i'm not feeling explicitly nauseous, and even fluids only a little bit at a time no matter how thirsty i feel (meanwhile my roommate almost never loses appetite completely so i gather that's very ymmv)

fever coming down: okay, now you're sweating. my bed was legit drenched just coming down from ~39C to ~38C so still very much running a fever, just one degree less of one. and also the feeling of being less sick can be deceptive; i was feeling relatively fine after the worst fever peak broke, a sickie could easily overextend themself at this point and end up making it worse/slowing down the recovery

and of course it may not be one-and-done, depending on what exactly you've caught the fever may seesaw multiple times~

idk really what my point is posting this, i just feel like there's much fun to be had with the whole range of the stages of fever (TM)

-FEVERISHLY DELIRIOUS CHARACTERS!!!! Whimpering and sweating in their sleep, their friend/lover shushing them gently and dabbing their forehad with a cool cloth. Feeble hand holding and worried forehead stroking My Beloved <3 <3

-SHIVERING. shaking so hard their teeth rattle. shivering In Their Sleep. begging for another blanket. You know the drill.

-When a character is tired and sick and just...kinda out of it but not Immediately Miserable if you know what i mean? Curled up on the couch or in bed watching others go about their day, sort of half there. Drifting.

(in response to this ask game)

℧: a damp towel against flushed, feverish skin

"I'm back, see?"

Whumpee barely reacted, their eyes fully closed now, though their sleep was not restful, head tossing back and forth.

Caretaker bit their lip and quickly resumed their position at Whumpee's bedside, small bowl of water and towel in hand. Soaking the cloth in the cool water, Caretaker gently dabbed it against Whumpee's forehead, washing away the sweat from their brow.

At their touch, Whumpee relaxed, eyelids fluttering in the throes of the fever.

Caretaker draped the cloth over their forehead in the hopes that the cool cloth might curb the fever.

Thank you!

“Hang on, B.” A’s eyes dart nervously over to B, then back to the slick road. “We’ll be home in a few hours, okay? Just a little bit longer."  B just moans again, not even bothering to open their eyes. They’re wrapped in their coat, mumbling feverishly to themselves as they lean their forehead against the window.

It had all happened so fast. For the past week, A and B had been road tripping through national parks, camping in the rustic wilderness, hiking through lush forests and beautiful mountains. This morning, they’d both decided they’d had their fill of the great outdoors and planned to make the long drive back home. But as they packed up and began to tear down the tent, things started to take a turn.

- sprawled exhausted and limp on a muddy riverbank, arms and legs splayed limply out and draggled hair half-covering their face, coughing uncontrollably under the frantic helping hands of a friend

- back against the wall, shoulders heaving for breath, clenched jaw and shaking knees; a sword loosely gripped in one hand, point trailing on the ground, and blood dripping fast and faster onto the cobblestones

- blue-gray lips and shaking hands, clutching at snow-crusted clothing, clumsy numb feet stumbling over hidden roots and rocks, eyes fixed on the entrancing firelight in the distance as the wind gusts grow stronger

- a vial of medicine half-full, a cup and spoon on the table, half-open window curtains letting in the fresh daylight, tangled bedcovers around a restless feverish body, someone kneeling on the floor blinking back sleep with a worried frown on their face