Snowflake Day 10

[dizzojay]

Unfortunately, I''ve really dropped the ball on this challenge with other stuff that's been going on over the last couple of weeks, but I'm determined to pick it back up again!

Today's challenge is:  Talk about your favourite trope,cliche, kink, motif or theme.


For this challenge, I’m going to write about Hurt/Comfort.  I never really know if that's a trope or a genre, or indeed what the difference between those two things really is, but all that asides, this is all about hurt comfort ...



I’ve no idea why I love H/C, but I do, and I always have, even before I knew fanfiction existed.  I love the idea of a strong, independent person becoming vulnerable (albeit temporarily) and being forced to behave in a way that is contrary to their character; to accept help and sympathy.  In a way, this can apply to the comforter too, where the comforter is maybe someone who is not used to being tactile or nurturing in the usual course of their lives - for instance, Castiel.

There doesn’t have to be a point to all this; I’m not bothered if the story doesn’t lead to any significant character growth or development.  I simply want to immerse myself in the plight of the victim and the caring and nurturing of the comforter.  It's like a cream cake for my soul!

As I am really only active in the Supernatural fandom, for me, H/C has to be Dean-centric to hold my attention, or in terms of RPF, Jensen-centric, as he is generally regarded as the more stoic partner in J2.

I believe touch and closeness is an enormous part of the human bonding experience.  I, myself, am very tactile, and an enthusiastic hugger (and huggee too!) so for me, to experience that closeness as an onlooker is every bit as satisfying.  That touch doesn’t have to be sexual, it can be completely platonic (as in all gen H/C fics) but a well-written H/C that ramps up the hurt and manages to tread the line of helplessness and vulnerability without crossing over into sappy melodrama can grab me on such an intense and sub-conscious level, that it can literally leave me breathless.

I read H/C which is both gen and slash, but for me in a slash H/C, the sex is completely secondary to the hurt/comfort element of the story, however well it’s written.

A few rec links to some of my favourite H/C stories:

He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother by EFW
Purehalo's Spn Fanfiction
J2 Hurt Comfort Indulgences by Embroiderama
Just One Breath by Kee (yes, I know I've recced this one before, but I'd rec it a million tiimes if I could!)
And forgive me, but I'm going too slip a little self-rec in here too ...
Hair of the Dog by Dizzojay

Comments

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Ah bonus recs! As you know, I'm a bit of a fan myself though for me the comfort side isn't that important - though I do like my hurt hero to be rescued/cured by the end of the story, or on the way to it anyway. And I prefer hurt to illness too - so I'm not sure I can join you as a classic H/C fan.

Isn't it great though, to join fandom and realise we are not alone after years of gravitating towards the hurt hero and being disappointed if he wasn't hurt enough LOL

[dizzojay.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, that 'kindred spirit' thing is the great joy of fandom!

[sillie]

Oh man, Iove h/c.... <3<3

[dizzojay.livejournal.com]

It's just the best, isn't it!

[milly-gal.livejournal.com]

Hurt/Comfort is just all the things ♥

[dizzojay.livejournal.com]

Oooooh yes!

[be-my-precious.livejournal.com]

Oh man, that's one of mine too! And in SPN, I also agree with Dean-centric and Jensen-centric.

Like you, I'm a very tactile person and always have been. But words and expressions in hurt/comfort get me too... like, if they're not with each other when something goes down. This helps me too bc I don't live exceptionally close to my friends, especially you guys here on LJ. So the need for hurt/comfort is usually always through texts or comments or phone calls.

But of course, Dean just being completely hurt physically and emotionally is a kick in the stomach, and I have to keep reading to find out what happens.

Thanks for the story suggestions too!

xoxo

[dizzojay.livejournal.com]

It's great to know people with similar interests isn't it.
I hope you enjoy the stories :)

[jj1564.livejournal.com]

"I love the idea of a strong, independent person becoming vulnerable (albeit temporarily) and being forced to behave in a way that is contrary to their character; to accept help and sympathy."

You've exactly described why I love h/c too, especially Dean-centric ones! Thanks for the recs, there's a couple there I haven't read. And you write h/c so brilliantly, and usually with a good dollop of humour, too!

[dizzojay.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, I love me a good hurt comfort. I often go back to re-read 'The Sun Shone in your Eyes', I love beautiful vulnerable Jensen in that!

I'm glad you enjoy my h/c, I haven't written a proper h/c for ages, I must get on and get writing!

[jj1564.livejournal.com]

Oh wow, I'm so touched that you like to re-read "The Sun Shone...' I want to edit that - as it was never beta'd and one of my first attempts, so needs tidying up - and write an epilogue at some point, I might call upon you to beta the epilogue!

I'm not surprised you haven't written much h/c lately, you've been pretty busy!

[sasha-dragon.livejournal.com]

A kindred spirit! You've summed up H/C perfectly and everything I love about it,I'm a sucker for all things hurt Dean and Jensen. I love the stories you've rec'd they are brilliant.

[metallidean-grl.livejournal.com]

I also am a huge H/C fan. My favorite kind of fic to read is a Dean H/C. I also don't mind Sam H/C because that usually means Dean is giving the comfort, and while he personifies looking out for Sam, the extra tenderness that is part of providing comfort isn't a strong part of Dean's personality, so I do enjoy reading a fic that brings out that side of him. Still prefer Dean to be in the hurt spectrum, though.

The way you describe why you like it, though, is absolutely perfect. Sometimes it is hard to pinpoint why we enjoy it so much is spot on. I think why we enjoy reading Dean H/C so much is because we care about this character so much, like he were a real person, and to be a part of watching this person that we love be hurt, which hurts us, and then receive comfort from his loved ones, we kinda insert ourselves into that scenario as if we were the ones providing the comfort, because if we could, we would. Just to be a part of his life, and to provide him with the love and care we all wish and want to give him, but can't, because he is just a fictional character. As you stated, providing comfort is all a part of the bonding experience, so reading these fics, helps us be a part of the bonding experience with Dean, thus in a small weird kind of way, allows us to be apart of his life. I hope this makes sense.

You listed 'He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother' as one of your favorite H/C fics. I am just now finishing up reading that one, again, for the nth time. I do also enjoy that one because of the enormous about of Dean H/C. It is definitely a favorite.