#;fawning

you can't hide them. not really. bandages or other coverings reveal just as much or are even more conspicuous than the injury itself sometimes.

the irrevocable change. you won't look the same. small marks or big, slashes, burns, they warp who the victim sees in the mirror. they can't ever forget what happened.

so. much. blood. face and head wounds bleed so much. having to hold someone's jaw or cheek while you mend them??? having to look each other in the eye, see every flinch and grimace... (or not)???

protect modesty. hide wounds. it's still warm from caretaker's body heat and feels like a hug

then caretaker wraps their arm around whumpee's shoulder and holds them close to their side

they don't understand why they're always so jumpy, why raised voices or loud noises send a bolt of terror through them, why the mere mention of a name makes them feel sick.

but caretaker does.

maybe they don't have the heart to tell whumpee because they're as happy as they could be. (let them discover it on their own... and maybe even that caretaker knew the whole time)

maybe caretaker sits whumpee down to gently explain what happened. the disbelief and denial breaks caretaker's heart.

but something happened- maybe they're getting hurt, or even better, someone they love is getting hurt- and they lash out violently.

before they even have time to think about it, A is trembling, covered in blood, and standing above a mutilated corpse with the weapon still clutched in their hand.

character B- witness or victim- looking at A, someone they were close with and thought they knew, in an entirely new, startling light.