Definition?

[ithildin]

I have lots of really smart people on my f'list, and smart people who read lots and lots of fanfic. So I'm pretty sure more than one of you can help me out here.

What exactly is hurt/comfort fic? I see the term a lot, and I kinds sorta thought I knew what it was, but now, I have a feeling I don't. I'm not even sure if I've ever read any.

Yes, that's the burning object of my curiosity today [g]

Comments

[dejla.livejournal.com]

Ummm... Okay. Triona gets really badly beaten up--usually physically, but it could be mentally--in some cases in graphic detail, and then Methos takes care of her, comforts her, helps heal the injuries. The last part can be as mushy as the writer can stand...

But the point of the story is dwelling on the injuries as they are received, and then on the comfort as it is given. Doesn't have to have a plot.

In some cases, it's almost violence porn.

[ariestess]

In some cases, it's almost violence porn.

What a great way to summarize it right there. I mean, that's exactly what it is in all of it's non-PC glory...

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

But the point of the story is dwelling on the injuries as they are received,

[cringes in chair] Okay, I'm definitely not mentally cut out for that sort of fic either as a reader or a writer.

Thanks for the explanation!

[kimuro.livejournal.com]

There was a LOT of that in the seaQuest fanfic community focused on Lucas ... so much so that it was called ELF - Evil Lucas Fiction. I tried to avoid it because ... well, how can you claim to 'love' someone if you just keep beating them up? It makes no sense to me.