Whumptober 2025 : No. 26: âNothing like a relapse to rehash the kid who was scared.â Relapse | Drawn Curtains | Power Cut
Hello, here's my very late contribution for day 26 of Whumptober 2025, for the prompt ârelapse". It's OC whump.
Captivity, multiple whumpees, teen whumpees and one adult whumpee, parental/possessive whumper, child abuse, magical exhaustion, carewhumper, blood and broken bones but nothing really graphic. Check the tags just in case and you should be good! And I will make a post about lore one day (i'm going to add this at every post and never do it).
API (5 MONTHS, 1 WEEK AND 4 DAYS)
HĂ©lios hasnât let him use his magic since the symptoms of magical exhaustion worsened to the point they could no longer be ignored. When the fatigue turned into nosebleeds, dizziness, and loss of appetite, HĂ©lios firmly announced that Api wouldnât be healing anyone with magic for the foreseeable future. Itâs both good and bad news. Good, because HĂ©lios has been careful not to punish them as harshly as he sometimes used to, especially Loan. Bad, because when they get hurt, they often have to settle for minimal treatment and endure the discomfort of injuries healing at a normal pace. After his âunacceptable proposalâ in HĂ©liosâs bed, Api had bruises for weeks. At least HĂ©lios allowed him to heal his ribs once he realized they were really impairing Api, though it took hours of arguing about his own fucking health.
On the bright side, heâs been granted short periods without the nullifier bracelet, which have helped him rebuild some of his energy reserves. Those moments are always under close supervision, but by now, thatâs nothing new. As long as he gets to feel the warmth of his power without instantly draining it, Api doesnât care about HĂ©lios hovering over him.
Anyway, the symptoms have greatly subsided. Api feels less lethargic, eats more, and looks visibly healthier. Plus, thereâs the obvious perk of no longer bleeding unexpectedly on his shirts.
So when Loan suddenly drops to the floor with a loud gurgle of pain, jaw slack, Api jumps to his feet immediately. Hélios only shoved him, but the kid tripped over the rug and fell chin-first into the heavy wooden coffee table. To the left, Justine and Lucien both let out nearly identical gasps of panic.
âStep back, kids,â the healer orders quickly.
Loan scrambles backward, pupils wide with fear. Hélios looks at him with a vague expression of worry.
âLoan, itâs me,â Api reassures him softly.
The boy tries to speak, but tears of pain immediately well up in his eyes. He lets out another choked sound, flinching hard when Api puts a hand on his shoulder. Api winces but keeps his tone gentle. Blood-streaked saliva dribbles from the corner of Loanâs mouth.
âApi,â HĂ©lios says, crouching beside him. âApi, I-I didnât mean-â
âI think he fractured his jaw,â Api cuts in, letting Loan go. âPlease, take off my bracelet, I can check-â
âApi, youâre still recovering-â
âIf his jawâs broken, he wonât be able to eat or talk, and the chances of it healing wrong are incredibly high. Please, Iâm fine. My magic reserves are good. Let me take care of him.â
Hélios hesitates, glancing between Api and the boy curled up on the floor, mouth open, clearly in distress, eyes full of pain and fear, then nods.
âYou know the rules,â he says, unlocking the bracelet from Apiâs wrist.
âYes, yes. I wonât do anything,â Api promises, distracted by the rush of power surging through him. Magic hums warmly in his veins, making his fingertips tingle.
âAre your energy levels stable enough? Heal only whatâs necessary. Iâll give him painkillers. Kids, donât bother Api or your brother. Do you need anything, Api?â
âA towel. Go grab a towel, please.â
Justine bolts to the bathroom. Lucien stays frozen, eyes wide, paralyzed. Api doesnât push him. Heâs probably completely shut down already with everything he had to go through during the last days, and with already one teenager injured and panicked, Api doesnât want to risk giving HĂ©lios another target.
He rests a gentle hand on Loanâs shoulder. The boy flinches again, eyes full of tears, but doesnât pull away.
âLoan,â Api says softly. âDonât move, okay? I just need to make a check-up so I can heal you.â
He raises a hand, passing it slowly over the already-swollen jaw. Closed fracture, indeed. Clean, thank goodness, and by some kind of miracle none of the teeth have been dislodged. A bit loosened, yes, but still in place in their teeth sockets. Easy enough to fix.
Beside him, Hélios watches with visible worry, clearly unsettled by the injury his move caused.
He ordered Api to heal only the minimum. But Api knows how painful and inconvenient this kind of fracture can be. Loan has suffered enough as it is. He feels well enough to handle it.
He takes the towel from Justine and unfolds it on Loanâs lap to catch the saliva and any blood he might drain to reduce the swelling.
Api lets his power flow, murmuring softly to soothe the boy. He dulls the pain until itâs almost gone, eases the swelling by draining a bit of blood, then carefully realigns the bone and begins to fuse it back together. Heâs already a little tired, but nothing alarming. Instead of stopping there, he keeps going, healing more thoroughly, reducing the swelling and pain further, carefully consolidating the bone callus, absorbed in his task. Heâll do as much as he can before HĂ©lios notices.
He ignores the slight blur in his vision. Heâs tired, but heâs been through worse.
Heâs nearly finished when HĂ©lios suddenly grabs his shoulder and yanks him backward.
âApi, thatâs enough!â
Panting lightly, Api snaps out of it and stops the flow of magic. His head spins. He blinks, trying to clear his vision. Damn it. He pushed himself further than he thought. His reserves must have been lower than he realized.
âI told you to save your energy,â HĂ©lios scolds, digging his fingers painfully into his shoulder.
âI got carried away, sorry,â Api stammers.
Loan moves his jaw a little, testing the spot that had been so painful just moments ago. The swelling and bruising are completely gone, and he doesnât seem to have any trouble speaking or closing his mouth.
âI barely feel it now,â he says.
HĂ©lios looks more annoyed than anything but doesnât comment. Loan opens his mouth again, eyes suddenly widening.
âApi, youâre bleeding!â
Api blinks, confused, until he feels something warm trickling under his nose. He wipes at it absentmindedly and glances down at his hand. Blood stains his fingers.
He really doesnât feel good. Heâs cold and a little dizzy.
He sways, stumbling, but Hélios catches him before he falls. Dazed, Api has no choice but to lean against him.
âDad,â Justine whispers.
He canât see her, but her voice is full of fear. He canât leave her like that, scared like that. HeâŠ
âLucien, go get me some water,â HĂ©lios orders. âJustine, Loan, get off the couch and grab another towel.â
He helps Api sit down on the couch, forcing him to lean forward.
âStay like that. And press this on your nose,â HĂ©lios adds, shoving the new towel into his hands as soon as the kid brings it back. Api obeys, shivering violently. HĂ©lios bends down, grabs a blanket, and drapes it around his shoulders.
âAlways overdoing it,â HĂ©lios mutters. âYou were finally getting better⊠Do you like putting yourself in this state?â
âJaw fracturesâŠâ Api starts out of reflex.
âNo. Stop. I donât want to hear it. You had one rule, for your own good, and you couldnât even manage that.â
âThatâs a bit hypocritical, considering itâs your fault he had to heal me,â Loan mutters.
âHow is this my fault?!â HĂ©lios snaps immediately. âIf you actually thought before you acted, this wouldnât have happened!â
âYeah, sure,â Loan says flatly. âIf that helps you sleep at night. Maybe close the curtains? Apiâs eyes are watering,â he adds before HĂ©lios can respond.
âItâs fine,â Api whispers. âJust⊠photosensitivity. Comes with the dizziness.â
âHm,â HĂ©lios hums. âLoan, instead of sulking, make yourself useful and do it.â
The teenager obeys without protest. The dimmer light eases the pounding in Apiâs skull a little.
âJustine, go boil some water, sweetheart. Iâll make you some tea,â HĂ©lios announces to him. âAnd youâre spending the rest of the afternoon without the bracelet, resting. Understood?â
âYes,â Api agrees quietly.
Hélios lets him lift his head just enough to take a sip from the glass of water Lucien has brought. Api meets the worried gazes of the two youngest. His daughter sits on the rug, her knees pulled to her chest. Lucien stands nearby, twisting the fabric of his shirt in his hands. Both look frightened. Api gives them a small, reassuring smile.
âAlright. The bleedingâs already slowing down. Lie down, Api.â
HĂ©lios lets him settle down on the couch, then tosses the blanket over him, making sure heâs warm and comfortable. He sets the cup of tea on the table when itâs done, then reaches over to remove Apiâs glasses. The healer protests weakly.
âYou donât need them. I want you to rest. Iâll leave them here on the table, within reach. Donât do anything stupid, just sleep. Kids, you can stay in the room if youâre quiet and donât bother Api, okay?â
A chorus of soft whispers answers him. Api closes his eyes. The migraine roars behind them, and he feels completely drained. The warmth of his magic is gone, leaving only a faint whisper lost somewhere in a frozen desert. Heâs too exhausted to argue.
He passes out more than he falls asleep.