This or That Gothic Snippet 6- Sudden Collapse (+Bandaged Up)
Inspired by my answers for this post by @blackrosesandwhump!
Caretaker looked up from their book as Whumpee stumbled into the house.
“Whumpee!” Caretaker cried.
Whumpee was clutching their side tightly, and their clothes were dripping with red in several places. Caretaker tossed their book aside and ran to Whumpee.
“H-hi Caretaker,” Whumpee said.
“Whumpee, you’re covered in blood!”
“Blood?” Whumpee asked, then looked down at their side. Their hand pulled away, sticky with red.
“Oh,” Whumpee said, swaying on the spot, “Don’ worry, it isn’t mine.”
Whumpee collapsed in the doorway, with Caretaker just managing to catch them before they hit the ground.
When Whumpee woke up, they were in their bed, with almost every inch of them covered in soft, white bandages. They looked over and saw Caretaker with a worried expression on their face.
“You’re awake,” Caretaker said with a strained voice.
“I kinda wish I wasn’t,” Whumpee said, wincing as they sat up.
“What the heck happened to you?”
“Would you believe me if I said I tripped in the street?” Whumpee asked with a sheepish smile.
“Try again, Whumpee,” Caretaker said sternly, “those cuts were way too deep to just be an accident.”
Whumpee shifted in bed, jostling their injuries. They whimpered slightly before continuing.
“I may or may not have been, uh, fighting Villain.”
Caretaker pinched the bridge of their nose and sighed.
“Whumpee, we’ve talked about this.”
“I know, I know,” Whumpee said quickly, “but I almost had them this time!”
“You clearly didn’t,” Caretaker said, gesturing to Whumpee’s bandaged body, “you look like a mummy with all these bandages, and if you’re not careful, you might just become one.”
Whumpee looked down and nodded. They weren’t trying to be reckless, really they weren’t, but they were so close to beating Villain this time, and… oh well. Here they were, injured again, and Villain was still out there, causing chaos as usual. They had failed again, and Caretaker had to pick up the pieces.
“Hey, don’t beat yourself up about it,” Caretaker said, “we’ll get them eventually.”
“Yes, but when we do, we’ll do it together. Not you going at them alone, okay?”
Whumpee laughed, causing pain to shoot through their side. They clutched their side and gritted their teeth.
“Get some rest,” Caretaker said, “I’ll bring you something to eat in a little while, alright?”
Whumpee watched Caretaker leave. They were right; soon, they’d take Villain down together… as soon as they were healed up that is.
