pondering my evil orb

“Hey, you alright, kid?”

“I’m sorry, I know, I know it hurts, just breathe, okay? Just hold on.”

“I didn’t think you’d come back for me.”

“Shh, go back to sleep.”

”Hold them down!”

“What have you done?”

“I’m scared, I—”

“Can you stay?”

“Get out of here! Go!”

“You can’t hide shit like this from me!”

“I don’t want to lose you…”

Their mind wanders away, or their train of thoughts keeps derailing or jumping all over, or concentrating is very hard, or they almost fall asleep/ pass out every few minutes or so, or they kind of just freeze and stare into the void.

Friends and/ or caretakers keep having to wake them up or try to get them to focus.

They get worried over whumpee being unable to hold a normal conversation, or unable to fill a role or do something important expected of them. They need the whumpee awake just a little longer, perhaps even to save their live.

They keep telling whumpee: "Are you with me?" or "Whumpee, can you hear me?" or "Stay with me, whumpee." or "Whumpee, please, you have to focus!"

Maybe caretakers and or friends are resigned to the possibility whumpee is not lucid enough for now and cannot help. Or resigned to try again later when the fever gets better, or the blood volume gets restored, or the drugs wear off.

Oh, your sleeve ripped and your whole team saw the brand your kidnapper branded you with? Delicious, tell me more!

Coughing up blood into a hand and then looking at it with shocked/terrified eyes

The Tension™ of one character tenderly patching up another character's wounds and scolding them for being reckless

Apologizing right before passing out

A hand cupped to a forehead to check for fever

A hand going under a jacket or shirt and coming away bloody

Forced to kneel with a sword under their chin

Lying about the severity/hiding of an injury

Collapsing after a big magic spell/magical exhaustion draining them

The comic relief character joking about their trauma/injury to dissuade worry from them

Hero injured/collapsing on villians doorstep or vice versa, "I didn't know where else to go"

Being curled on the ground and then kicked in the ribs (literally being kicked while they're down)

Being injected with a needle of drugs/potion by villian that knocks them out

Having a terrible nightmare and waking up with a cry in a cold sweat

Fighting against unconsciousness (unsuccessfully)

some tiny details that tickle the whump senses

• dark circles, bloodshot eyes

• falling asleep fully clothed, possibly with jacket and shoes still on, legs/feet hanging off the foot of the bed or sprawled half-on half-off a couch

• the “oh shit, i’m gonna faint/nevermind i’m good” face (and aborted grab for nearest solid object or person)

• a character losing their footing for a moment on rough terrain. someone reaching out to grab them so they don’t fall and they both hold on for a hot second

• closing their eyes and leaning into a gentle touch

• shaky hands, shaky voice

• falling asleep at their desk at work/tucked away in an odd place

• doing things that are out of character & having others start to notice: losing their cool, being extra chipper or extra quiet, jumpy

• zoning out

• someone getting between them and whoever they’re having a heated exchange with, gently pushing them back with a hand against their chest or shoulder

chatty characters pale-faced and silent

quiet and reserved characters rambling deliriously

character who always resorts to humour clearly trying to think of a quip but coming up empty

no-nonsense character so loopy that they can’t stop giggling

a stoic character’s hands trembling in panic

an easily frightened character so far out of it that they aren’t aware of what’s happening to them, much less afraid

intelligent characters who can’t think straight

protective (self-sacrificial) characters letting someone else take the fall for them because they’re too weak to object

patient characters snapping at whoever comes near

affectionate character who wants to be alone

Pass out from pain or exhaustion.

Be captured/kidnapped (+ bound and gagged).