Sickfics Galore

ok as much as i love a good faint im also a huge sucker for when a character collapses but is still conscious, maybe just dizzy or weak

stumbling or tripping on something and falling to their knees, too weak to stand up again

weak from fever or low blood sugar and failing to get out of a chair, lying on their back or side while the dizziness subsides (i actually had a fic planned for this at one point)

slumping into a chair because they cant stand anymore

reaching out to a table or wall for support and sliding to the floor (!!!)

sitting on the floor already but they slump to the side out of exhaustion

that thing where they throw their arm across their eyes out of exhaustion or dizziness (honestly one of my favorites)

Whumpees with aching eyes, too tired to keep open yet too sore to close, even the lightest pressure of their eyelids too much

Whumpee who's too weak and dizzy to do anything at all but lie in bed completely still, sweating through their blankets only to immediately start shivering after clumsily throwing them off

Whumpees with dry mouths, dry lips

The corners of their room are more shadowy than they should be, and they're too exhausted to bother to get up and see what's in there. The Hat Man will have to just wait his turn.

Strong enough to get out of bed but being so, so out of it. Caretaker finding them standing swaying in a doorway, pale as death, clearly seeing something that isn't there

Everything seems to be flickering. The air buzzes. Their skin prickles.

Getting to sleep is hard, because their mind is restless and racing. Once they're asleep though, they're down for the count

• Colors looking hazy/brighter as their temperature spikes

•Teeth chattering around an oral thermometer until it flashes in an angry red

• “I told you, I’m fine.” ‘Well, should I believe you or the thermometer?’

• Feebly curling around a heating pad/hot water bottle just trying infuse some warmth into their bones

›› refuse to admit they’re sick while literally swaying on their feet (“I’m fine.” immediately crashes into the couch and doesn’t get up for 2 hours)

›› that stubborn little forehead crease when they’re trying to pretend they’re not in pain but they definitely are

›› saying “I’m not cold” while shivering like a leaf and glaring at the blanket you’re offering like it insulted their honor

›› wearing like… 3 hoodies. and a beanie. and a blanket cape. looking like a lump of denial with a nose

›› flinching when they cough too hard, like it surprised them and they feel a little betrayed by their own body

›› that specific exhausted way of blinking, slow and confused, like their brain is buffering every time you ask a question

›› apologizing for being sick. like their immune system personally offended you. like they should’ve scheduled it better

›› getting clingy in that low-energy, wordless way. like reaching for your sleeve or sitting closer without saying anything

›› drinking tea like it’s a punishment. making a face after every sip but still doing it because someone made it for them

›› trying to pretend they’re still useful. doing tasks badly. insisting on helping and then immediately sitting down like “okay I need a nap now”

›› using exactly zero words to communicate for three days. just grunting and side-eyes and one finger raised when they need something

›› being deeply offended by how gross they feel. muttering “I hate this” every few minutes like their own mucus is their nemesis

›› standing up too fast and doing the classic “whoa. gravity’s intense today” stagger

›› texting you things like “bring soup. i am dying. goodbye” but then surviving anyway, unfortunately for the drama

›› finally accepting help after pretending they didn’t need it, and getting weirdly quiet when someone tucks the blanket around them just right

Some dialogue and fever checking prompts as sickfic/whump inspiration

💬 Dialogue:

“You look like you have a fever”

“You’re running a temperature”

“You do feel a bit warm”

“You seem a bit feverish”

“You’re burning up”

“Oh love, you’re shivering. I think you might have a fever”

“Poor thing, you’re awfully warm”

“Let me check your temperature”

“I’m fetching the thermometer”

“You’re not going, you have a fever”

“Your cheeks are flushed with fever”

“You mind if I feel your forehead?"

"You feel really warm, love."

”I think you’re running a fever”

“You’re definitely running a fever”

🤒 Fever checking:

Palm / back of hand to forehead

Back of fingers to cheek

Hand to side of neck / nape of neck

^^^ Sliding between these during a single check

Cupping their face with one hand, feeling their forehead with the other

Forehead to forehead

Cheek to forehead

Forehead kiss

Back of fingers to underside of chin

Simultaneously feeling for fever and swollen lymph nodes

Feeling the heat radiating off of them when brushing stray hair from their temple / forehead

Feeling their fever when they rest their head on caretaker’s shoulder or chest

›› refuse to admit they’re sick while literally swaying on their feet (“I’m fine.” immediately crashes into the couch and doesn’t get up for 2 hours)

›› that stubborn little forehead crease when they’re trying to pretend they’re not in pain but they definitely are

›› saying “I’m not cold” while shivering like a leaf and glaring at the blanket you’re offering like it insulted their honor

›› wearing like… 3 hoodies. and a beanie. and a blanket cape. looking like a lump of denial with a nose

›› flinching when they cough too hard, like it surprised them and they feel a little betrayed by their own body

›› that specific exhausted way of blinking, slow and confused, like their brain is buffering every time you ask a question

›› apologizing for being sick. like their immune system personally offended you. like they should’ve scheduled it better

›› getting clingy in that low-energy, wordless way. like reaching for your sleeve or sitting closer without saying anything

›› drinking tea like it’s a punishment. making a face after every sip but still doing it because someone made it for them

›› trying to pretend they’re still useful. doing tasks badly. insisting on helping and then immediately sitting down like “okay I need a nap now”

›› using exactly zero words to communicate for three days. just grunting and side-eyes and one finger raised when they need something

›› being deeply offended by how gross they feel. muttering “I hate this” every few minutes like their own mucus is their nemesis

›› standing up too fast and doing the classic “whoa. gravity’s intense today” stagger

›› texting you things like “bring soup. i am dying. goodbye” but then surviving anyway, unfortunately for the drama

›› finally accepting help after pretending they didn’t need it, and getting weirdly quiet when someone tucks the blanket around them just right

"can you tell me your name? do you know where you are? how many fingers am I holding up?"

the first time caretaker asks, they're met with an eyeroll. whumpee rattles off the answers the first few times with ease.

on the third or fourth, they falter; their answer coming after an ever-so-slight hesitation, sarcasm suddenly gone.

by the next, they're pale and blanking on answers, no longer able to hide the effort it takes them to put together a response

eventually, whumpee can hardly hold their gaze with caretaker, eyelids fluttering, only just barely able to remember their own name...

pressing their forehead into something cool or comfortable (this could be an array of things. the table, the floor, someones leather jacket, their water bottle, the countertop)

warm to the touch, or heat radiating from them (could be noticed if someone’s gauging their temperature with their hands, hugging them, or just generally touching them)

leaning into people’s touch, or just spontaneously leaning on them (like pressing into their hand when someone’s checking their temp, or just, like, literally walking up and laying their head on them from fatigue. bonus points if the character is usually feral and the other is scared to engage™︎)

falling asleep all over the place (at the dinner table, on their homework, in the car, in the bathroom — just being so exhausted from doing literally nothing)

being overly emotional (crying over things that don’t usually bother them, like their siblings arguing, or their homework, or literally just nothing)

stumbling/careening/staggering into things (the wall, furniture, other people. there is no coordination in feverish brains. running into chairs, hitting the door, falling over the couch, anything and everything)

slurring their words (could be from fatigue or pain. connecting words that shouldn’t be connected, murdering all of their conversations with the excessive use of ‘mm’ and ‘nn’ in place of words) (this is my favorite thing ever)

being overly touchy (basically like a sick kid — just hold them, please. do that thing where you brush their hair back out of their face, or rub circles on their back, or snuggle them. they won’t care. bonus points if this is also the feral character and they refuse to believe it afterwards)

being extremely resistant to touch (flinching away when they usually don’t so someone can’t feel the fever, not letting themselves be touched because they’re so tired they just know they’ll be putty in their hands if they do)

growing aggressive or being extremely rude (it’s a defense mechanism — they feel vulnerable and are afraid of being manipulated or deceived while they’re ill)

whimpering/whining/groaning (this was in my “characters in pain” post but it’s so good that i’m putting it here too. this shite is gold, especially if it’s just an involuntary reaction to their symptoms)

having nightmares caused by a fever and/or delirium (crying and murmuring in their sleep, or being awake but completely out of it and convinced they’re somewhere else)

making themselves as small as possible (curling up into a ball everywhere they lay, hunching over slightly when standing, wrapping their arms around themselves)

TW for vomiting below cut !!

Come to find A is burning up. They blink open fever glazed eyes, confusedly focusing on the figure in front of them.

“B..?”

“Hey buddy. You fell asleep. How long have you had that fever?”

Just some things a caregiver might do to make someone with a fever feel a little better. For when they’re a bit uncomfortable and has a loving caretaker around.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This is not medical advice, but please use these in your sickfics because I love reading about them.

🥶 If they’re cold and shivering:

Wrap a blanket around them. Maybe two!

Provide a hot water bottle or heated wheat pillow

Put the warmest, softest pair of woolly socks on their chilly feet

Tumble dry their pyjamas/dressing gown

Warm their icy hands between your own

Tuck them in nice and tight under the duvet

Wrap them up in several layers of clothing, especially if they’re outside or need to go outdoors for whatever reason

Classic: Use body heat to help warm them up, get under the covers with them

Put them in an armchair close to a fireplace

🥵 If they’re too hot:

Flip their pillow to the cool side

Open a window to let in fresh air

Put a fresh set of sheets on the bed

Provide a cold water bottle, or wheat pillow in the freezer

Help them into lighter clothing

We of course have the classic “washcloth to fevered forehead” but also consider these areas to wipe down or place a cool cloth on for comfort:

Closed eyelids

Cheeks

Side or back of the neck

Chest

Wrists / hands / arms

Ankles / feet / legs

Yeah basically the whole body

😣 If they’re in pain:

Close the curtains to help with their headache and/or help them sleep

Make sure they’re hydrated

Massage their achy muscles

Provide fever reducers / pain medication

Make them hot cups of tea to soothe their sore throat. Don’t forget the honey!

Gently stroking fingertips up and down their arms / legs / back in a soothing fashion (think ASMR light touch tracing)

Holding them close, perhaps gently rocking back and forth, helping them fall asleep to aid their recovery

They're so weak and wobbly, leaning heavily on the handrail. Everything is spinning, and the effort leaves them out of breath, so halfway up they just... plop down, sitting on a step for a moment and trying not to pass out.

A is on the couch,  trying to sleep off their fever, their head on B's lap.

On the other side, B is doing their own thing, watching a movie or reading a book, but their hand keeps holding a cold wet towel against A's forehead. From time to time, they caress A's cheek to check if their fever is going down.