Day 7: Underrated whump

Do you mean most of my favourite whump stories? Well, I clearly can't stick to just one today, so here are five top-notch options.

Undeserved by @i-can-even-burn-salad

Any of this author’s stories qualify, but I’m picking this one because it hurts me the most. It’s fantasy with graphic torture and excellent angst, and a protagonist who becomes more and more sympathetic over the course of the story until you just want to give the poor guy a hug. Thank goodness there’s a sequel!

Smoke, Salt, and Asbestos by @quietly-by-myself

Again, any story by this author qualifies. This one is ongoing, and has a ton of fantastic worldbuilding and lore as well as whump. The characters are engaging and complex, and their relationships develop in surprising and interesting ways. And their origin stories are heartbreaking.

The Scavenger and the Forgotten by @lumpofwhump

Only a few parts are out so far, but I was very into it from the first one. Cool sci-fi setting, interesting character dynamics, painful injuries, and the hints at the characters’ backstories are sad even before they start coming together to paint a more detailed picture.

Unlikely Salvation by @just-horrible-things (with credit also to @whump-sprite)

I’ve read through most of this one recently, and am sure glad I did. It’s a dystopian urban fantasy story with some very heavy, very complicated relationships, great characters, and a whole truckload of pain, both physical and emotional.

Unbidden by @alittlewhump

The first long story I read on whumpblr. Still a favourite. Still makes me cry every time I read it. Has a lot of angst and graphic torture, brilliant characters, and a lovely friendship that develops slowly over the course of the story.