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Language:
English
Series:
Part 106 of Focus on PTSD , Part 7 of [RETIRED] Whumperless Whump Event 2025 + Alt Prompts , Part 32 of [RETIRED] JUNE OF DOOM 2025 + Alt Prompts , Part 12 of [RETIRED] Whumpril 2025 + Alt Prompts , Part 19 of [RETIRED] Angstpril 2025 + Alt Prompts , Part 14 of [RETIRED] Febuwhump 2025 + Alt Prompts , Part 49 of [RETIRED] AUGUSTOFWHUMP'24 + Alt Prompts , Part 19 of [RETIRED] Augusnippets 2024: Path of Whumperless Whump
Collections:
PTSD Prompts + Fics, June of Doom 2025
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Published:
2025-07-13
Words:
273
Chapters:
1/1
Kudos:
2
Hits:
23

Gotta Keep Sweeping

Summary:

Tangie wakes up to find Bird having a PTSD flashback and OCD episode

Notes:

Whumperless Whump Event 2025 prompt: CAN'T STOP WON'T STOP (Overworking / No time to rest / "We're not safe yet.")
JUNE OF DOOM 2025 prompt: Bargaining
Whumpril 2025 prompt: Restless
Angstpril 2025 prompt: Shaken
Febuwhump 2025 prompt: Not Trusting Reality
AUGUSTOFWHUMP'24 prompt: dread
Augusnippets 2024: Path of Whumperless Whump prompt: flashbacks

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Work Text:

It took Tangie a moment to realize what had woke him up.

Bird was out at the front of his door, sweeping wildly. Tangie squinted his eyes to look at the clock in the corner of the shop and sighed.

"Bird, it's three in the morning" the bear groaned, still groggy from sleep. "What are you doing?"

"We're not safe yet" Bird muttered to himself. Looking closer, Tangie realized that his eyes were blown wide open and he was sweeping at a frantic pace. He looked terrified.

"Bird?"

"I'm gonna get hurt again!" he shouted, waking Jack and Virgil. Tangie frowned.

"Bird, you're safe" he said, a bit annoyed. "There is no need for you to be doing all this at such an early hour"

"No, no, no" Bird replied. His voice was shaking. Jack frowned as he processed what was happening.

"Leave him be, Tangie" the jack-in-the-box instructed. Tangie shrugged, too tired to argue, and went back to sleep, as did Virgil.

"Hey, Bird" Jack said gently, springing up to Bird's level. "Can you tell me where you are?"

"I gotta keep sweeping" Bird replied, clearly not hearing what Jack had said. "Otherwise I'll get hurt again"

"Bird" Jack said a bit more firmly. Bird paused and looked at him. "Can you tell me where you are right now?"

This seemed to stall Bird's thoughts, as he looked around. He was... At the shop. He was at Winkle's Emporium.

"I'm sorry" he apologized, embarrassed. "I don't... I don't know what I... I don't-"

"It's okay, Bird" Jack soothed. "Try to get some sleep, okay?"

"Yeah" Bird breathed. "Thanks, Jack"

"Don't mention it"

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