Hurt/Comfort Recommendations

HP Drabble/Art Recs

Tue, 27 May 2008 00:49:50 GMT

Came upon this Snupin rec and wanted to put it here before I lost it!

DRABBLE- Sick by uthien82 (Snupin)- A very cute drabble done for a mood theme, containing sick Remus and Severus *G*

ART- Sick by karasu_hime (Snupin)- And if the drabble isn't cute enough, there's also adorable art in the mood theme with Remus and Severus all sick and sniffly, together, wrapped in blankets.

These were made for the Snupin Mood Theme at lupin_snape

H/C Communities

Tue, 12 Feb 2008 01:46:10 GMT

A few communities I thought might be of interest:

hcfic- A great community set up by brigidmn to house all types of h/c fics. Highly recommended and needs love. Go, post, and enjoy! :-)

10_hurt_comfort- An easy-going a multifandom fanfic challenge similar to dealing with hurt/comfort fics following ten themes. Claim a fandom & pairing and start working on your table! Check out the user info for rules, info, claims, etc. And check out the community itself for all the wonderful pieces that have been written thus far!

hurtcomfortrecs- A rec community for hurt/comfort fics! Everything under the sun is rec'ed here.

hd_hurtcomfort- Harry/Draco H/C community. I'm not really into the pairing (though I've written it so, yeah, I'm not one to talk) but the banner alone is nummy. Certainly a large, frequently-updated place for all your H/D H/C needs

remuslupain- Because you always hurt the one you love. I definitely love my Remus Lupin, and here's a community just for his suffering. It's got a variety of offerings at the moment- nothing that really jumps out at me, but certainly a community I will attempt to keep an eye on because of the concept alone.

Fic Recs- Firefly

Tue, 12 Feb 2008 01:19:00 GMT

So today I was listening to The Signal podcast at work and the ample amount of coughing and sneezing during the fic section made me all happy (and cautious about the volume). And for my own reference as much as anyone else's, here's my first Firefly/Serenity fandom rec post.

My favorite (and the first sickfic I ever encountered in the fandom):
Drabble & Podcast Episode: Chicken Soup is Good for the Soull by xx_squish_xx (G)- OMG This is a wonderfully shiny, clever drabble with Mal and Jayne both sick. Mal is especially complainy and both are beautifully in character. I first heard it as part of the Jayne drabble series on the Strangely Literal podcast (sl_podcast) and the reader does a damn perfect (kinda congested, dare I say it!) job of reading it. So definitely check that out in audio here: Episode #14.5- Jayne Drabbles

And speaking of fics on audio:
Ficlet & Podcast Episode: Badger's World- Sick by Nick Edwards- features the two loveable "henchmen" in search of medicinal libations amidst lovely cold-like symptoms attacking everybody. Bonus is Kari & Les discuss people being sick. Plus, it all takes place during the first 8 minutes of the epsiode so you don't have to jump around within to get to it. Of course, the whole thing is worth listening to anyway, while you're there! Listen to the episode here: Episode 2 of Season 4

Some others I stumbled upon:
Excerpts: Excerpts by Space Wolf- some excerpts from a sneezefic (not much sneezing but some decidedly lovely h/c moments!) our very own Space Wolf was playing with. Gotta love the dialogue- it's perfection! I especially love the Kayle bits :-)

Fic: Wine Glasses & Cheese Cutters by Fish & RSB- Sick!Jayne deliciousness. Not a bad plot, to boot! And there's some additional h/c to be had since things on the job don't go quite as perfect as planned, but I won't spoil it for you. The Jayne moments alone are fantastic, though.
Jayne faltered, and let the weight sit on his chest for amoment. He started to lift the weight, but only made it halfway, before hisarms started to shake. This began to puzzle Jayne, and he started to say,"What the-" but he was cut off by a violent sneeze, and the weight almostjumped out of his hands.
Fortunately, Book caught the weight before it crushed Jayne, and he loweredit back onto the arms of the bench. Jayne sat up and wiped his nose on hisarm, then sniffled.
"Seems to me as you might be getting a little under the weather," Booksaid, handing Jayne a towel.

Ficlet: Sick Day by Lipton Lee- Okay, so this ficlet has its moment, but generally it didn't really rock my world. The writing is less than stellar (and the stuffy talk is strange) and Simon's first line struck me as totally OOC. Still, the idea of Mal being well and the entire crew coming down sick is rather cute.

And I've got to end with some shiny sorta slash:
Ficlet/Drabble: Cold by iety (Simon/Jayne?, PGish)- I'm seriously undecided about where I lean regarding slash in the 'verse but if I were already a fan of this pairing, I'd probably have melted on the spot. As it is, this is a wonderful ficlet with Jayne all freezing cold, shivering, and sneezing and Simon sweet and... well... Simonesque *G* Love it.

Fic Recs

Thu, 13 Dec 2007 02:06:57 GMT

Harry Potter Fic Breakfast in Bed by tresa_cho (R, Remus/Sirius)- *v-ing warning!* This was written for the Sirius/Remus Fuh-Q-Fest. Once in a while there's a story like this that I can not only stomach (pardon the pun) but that I actually really like. This is a short story in which the Slytherins are very, very mean to the Marauders and take it out on Remus. Lucky for my favorite werewolf that Sirius is very caring and attentive.

Harry Potter Fic/Podcast episode: Henry Fischer's Enchanted Mailbox by AlexG2490 (12+, Gen)- I discovered this story in the form of a podcast! You can hear it (and other stories) on the HarryPotterFanfiction.com Podcast. It's not a typical h/c story, to be fair. It's more humor than anything else. But the general idea of the story is that one day, when muggle Henry Fischer just happens to be home with a cold, a letter shows up in his mailbox from Harry Potter. Why? He lives in NUmber 11 Grimmauld Place and number 12, naturally, has no muggle mailbox. I think it's a fascinating look at the story from a muggle pov (even if it veers from canon) and is filled with quite a few laughs as well. Listening to it was almost like re-discovering Harry and his adventures again through new eyes! But I mention it here because, yes, Henry just so happens to have a cold and that certainly helped me enjoy the story *G*

Torchwood Fic: Sick Day by Taurenova (PG-13, Jack/Ianto-ish)- This was recommended to me last week by the wonderful _la_mysterieuse and, boy, do I love it! Poor Ianto is sick and called in to hold down the fort while Torchwood is out on an important case. Naturally, things aren't easy for him. And, naturally, Jack drops some innocent enough hints *G* I love this story so much that I just want to hug it.

Hockey Drabble

Mon, 09 Oct 2006 00:17:50 GMT

DRABBLE- Comfort Me by styxion- Awwwwww. This is a tender, sweet and heartbreaking drabble about a hockey player who's been eliminated from the playoffs. It just might be my favorite drabble ever!

HP Art

Sat, 26 Aug 2006 21:33:44 GMT

HP ART: Regret Isn't Enough (Snape & Lupin) by lizardspots- Wow. So detailed and beautiful. Remus is, of course, wonderful. But Snape's expression is just incredible.

HP Art

Sun, 13 Aug 2006 20:27:01 GMT

I really need to update this journal more.

HP ART: The Curse of the Were-Flamingo by _minks (click on preview image for full comic)- Awww poor widdle Ronikins! LOL!

Essay/Thought Recs

Wed, 19 Apr 2006 03:14:52 GMT

I thought I might list out some of my favorite essays on the subject of H/C. I find it interesting to read others' thoughts about a genre I adore.

To start, there's... Hurt/Comfort: a Confession and a Celebration by Renae- A nice, personal essay explaining in great detail what it is about h/c that appeals to Renae. Several different fandoms and examples are used to paint the picture. I found myself nodding a lot while reading this. I read it for the first time years ago but it's timeless.

Theories on Why People Write Hurt/Comfort Fic by thelana- A very nice listing that include many/most of the reasons people write h/c. I certainly fit into most of these categories! LOL

We Always Hurt the Ones We Love by Lucy Gillam- Similarly, this essay poses possible theories (3 of them, in lovely detail) about why people enjoy writing h/c.

RE: Hurt-Comfort and reader crushes- This is a follow-up sort of post/thread but I enjoyed it enough to make a note to revisit and re-read it. Regarding the Harry Potter fandom specifically, the author looks at various characters and reasons readers write them into h/c situations (or not) and if that might be why readers/writers enjoy the characters so much.

When Bad Things Happen to Good Characters by Lucy Gillam- This time, Lucy looks at the sorts of h/c which don't work for her. She looks at several examples from different fandoms and hits on a lot of points I've thought of as well (such as the practically unrealistic repeated, violent hurting of a character, or the extent of the extreme hurt). This is certainly very subjective, but it's definitely the sort of thing that makes you think about what you do and don't like in h/c.

On the Borderline by Shomere- Short but meaningful article which brings up the brilliant point about how often h/c and slash walk hand in hand... but that relationship should not necessarily be implied or expected or analyzed (unless you're reading my stuff and then even gen h/c can easily come out as slash- LOL!)

The Origin, History, and Correct Definition and Use of the Fannish Term "Smarm" by Kitty- Similarly, this longer essay addresses the term "smarm" and its relationship (accurate and perceived) with the terms "slash" and "hurt/comfort". This was a very interesting read for me.

Why Does Obi-Wan Get All the Pain in TPM H/C Fic? by Alias Solo- I very much enjoy this essay, because I write far more hurt!Obi than hurt!Qui (maybe 80:20?). Personally, I think the appeal to me is that I'm such a Ewan fangirl and (as the younger and less experienced) I see him being the weaker and needing his master to take care of him in a traditional padawan & master situation. But I do adore Qui and I love hurt!Qui even more, so this essay made me think a lot about the M/A list and the collection of fics in the online fandom.

Last and least is A Writer's Life: Hurt/Comfort by Lee Goldberg- An interesting POV from a writer of TV show tie-in novels who has a brush with a hurt/comfort fan. I tend to disagree with Goldberg... which is sad because I love Monk and would gladly buy Goldberg's books if he wasn't such a jerk sometimes about fanfic and people who read/write fanfic. Anyway, I thought this was still worth noting here.

Fic Recs

Fri, 07 Apr 2006 03:03:36 GMT

FIC: Company (Starsky & Hutch, PG) by K. Hanna Korossy- What is the one thing that a sick partner needs? Awwwwwwww! So nice. I love their interactions here and how sick!Hutch is described. They're so comfortable and natural around each other... and yet the h/c still comes out loud and strong. This is just lovely. I highly recommend everything K. Hanna Korossy writes. Downtime... Comfort's Cost... A Textbook Case... just read everything, seriously: http://www.korossy.org/khk/

FIC: Cold (The Man from UNCLE, I/N) by Julia Justina- He’d stopped shivering a while ago, that was bad. He knew all about hypothermia How much do I love hypothermia fics? MUCH! Men being desperate to keep each other warm... what's not to love? This has wonderful slash and Illya-whumping :-)

FIC: Fever (The Man from UNCLE, I/N, R?) by Kate D.- "I am not a stray puppy," Illya said stiffly. "And I am quite capable...."
The other two exchanged commiserating glances. "I'll take the stray Russian home with me," Napoleon said with a grin. YUM! Yes, just: YUM! Every bit is light and lovely yumminess. See my previous comment about men keeping each other warm... especially when it leads to... *sigh* Such absolutely yummy h/c.

FIC: A Day in the Life of Illya Nickovetch Kuryakin (The Man from UNCLE, G) by Deb- Illya allowed himself the luxury of a flash of genuine indignation that he was always the one to get dirty, wet, hurt or saddled with a cold while Napoleon generally sailed through missions looking like the cover of Esquire. Guuuh. Ohhh yes. Illya all sick and sneezing but going on with the mission anyway. GOT to love it.

HP Art Recs

Mon, 27 Mar 2006 03:29:51 GMT

A few HP recs I've been meaning to post...

ART- Sick Voldy by vikingcarrot- Okay, this one's strictly for laughs (or terror, depending on one's imagination and one's perception of Voldemort's nose). But, at any rate, it's a version of Voldemort with a head cold.

ART- After Quidditch by myrafur- Harry all sore and bruised after playing a rough game of Quidditch. Awwwww! *wants to snuggle*

ART- Crying Harry by myrafur- Okay, so I don't really see the GI Joe connection but the point is: awwwwww! Harry's crying! :-(

Fic Recs

Wed, 18 Jan 2006 04:37:56 GMT

FIC- Picking Up The Pieces by Annie (Starsky/Hutch, NC-17)- This is the definition of yummy for me :-) It follows a rather typical plotline (that I am certainly guilty of following in several stories, myself) but the overpowering hurt/comfort elements and adorable characterizations really save this. The hurt at the beginning is wonderful- it's got all the elements that I adore. And when the comfort portion comes around, it does so with understanding and emotion and hot hot sex. Who could ask for more?

FIC- By Candlelight by Annie (The Sentinel, Jim/Blair, FRM)- Squee! I don't even know this fandom, apart from a few fanvids and fanfics, but this is sooo right up my alley. This is so my idea of romance... and so absolutely adorable. I especially love the touches, the kiss, the sneeze, and the dialogue that follows. "Ah crap," he says huskily as he sits up, wiping a hand under his nose. "Sorry, big guy." *dies with happy* Even if you don't know TS, this is sooooo worth a read. Because it's delicious and adorable and at the height of numminess!

HP Recs

Mon, 09 Jan 2006 03:12:05 GMT

A few more HP recs...

tinadp rec'ed this to me a while ago, and I've been meaning to do so here as well:
Abner of Astlegate's Most Splendid Pox by sheafrotherdon (Remus/Sirius, PG-13)- Awwwww! Da puppies are never cuter to me than when one is sick (unless it's when both are, maybe). The beginning with Remus sick and sleepy is just to die for. But Sirius' inability to understand the situation initially... and the oatmeal bath are just hilarious. This is a wonderful read and I'm happy to pass it on as a rec!

These two were posted on the SBRL Yahoo List but also have LJ links, thankfully:
Creature Comforts by Rhea Silvia (lupa_larentia) (Remus/Sirius, NC-17)- How much do I LOVE the "character has nightmare and gets scared and goes to sleep in another's bed" scenario? Muchly. Especially when there's so much lovely comforting and the lovely comforting turns into lovely sex between my favorite OTP :-) This is a great fic.

Lies that were never told by Kettle (trailingoff (Remus/Sirius, R)- Guuhhhh! This is beautiful. Okay. The whole thing revolves around Remus' handkerchiefs so I was probably predisposed to like it. But I really like it. It's beautifully written. Little bits of Remus & Sirius told over the years, happy Marauders, poor PoA Remus... *sigh* This is definitely a must-read packed full of nummy hurt/comfort and everything else I love to see where Remus & Sirius are concerned.

RENT Fic

Mon, 28 Nov 2005 05:31:31 GMT

symphonyflute just sent me this rec and I couldn't resist sharing.

FIC- What I'm Here For (Roger/Mark) by lovablegeek (Aubrey)- I usually get totally nervous about characters with HIV/AIDS getting sick... and I would never go as far as shipping Roger/Mark because I'm true to RENT canon (even though something in the back of my head is dying to do so and I couldn't have been happier at their hug in the movie) BUT, even with all that, I absolutely ADORED this story and everything about it!
The dynamics are adorable, the characterizations are fantastic (I SO love motherly!Mark and sick&in-denial!Roger is to die for), and the deeper theme in here is just so brilliantly presented. This fic is a perfect example of why I love h/c's.

HP Rec

Tue, 13 Sep 2005 08:01:55 GMT

Okay, yes, I rec more HP than anything else because I read more HP than anything else. I'll admit that. But I just read this and had to rec it before I completely lost the link to the long list of things I want to rec.

Bed Rest by Anj (anjenue) (Sirius/James, NC-17)- Guuuhhhhhhhhhhh! Or, rather Nnnnnnnnnnngh! This has sick, dramaqueen!Sirius in it- which is my absolute favorite incarnation of sick!Sirius. But not only that, it has both James and Sirius being arses (or wankers, rather) and a bloody brilliant (and terribly hot) method of shutting up complaints. Ohhhh yes. I like muchly! To quote the fic: Sick or not, he was still sixteen, and still ridiculously horny... This is exactly how I love to read Sirius/James when I read them, right down to the last touch and the last playful insult. This was fantastic. Humorous and hot and pure perfection. *sigh*

HP Recs

Mon, 05 Sep 2005 23:27:17 GMT

Puddin' Love by Fiendling is an adorably fluffy story in which Ron is sick and Harry attempts to feed him some pudding *G*

A Most Unusual Student by Alkari is a great, long Remus WIP told from the perspective of Madam Pomfrey. Currently it spans years 1-5. As far as H/C's go, I think Madam Pomfrey is terribly underutilized so I was pulled into this story immediately.

Under Me, You by kasche is a fantastic piece of art featuring Remus and Sirius being all clingy and huggy. *snuggles*

Harry Potter and the Polka Dot Plague by Mariner is a great humor piece about, you guessed it, a polka dot plague called Skittles. Poor Harry! And I'll even throw in a Poor Snape! since I read this before HBP. The summary says it best, though: Harry Potter discovers why polka dots are evil. Snape discovers why it's a bad idea to forge your medical records. Lucius Malfoy discovers why you shouldn't give suprise presents to your boss.

Some Remus/Sirius H/C Art

Sun, 23 Jan 2005 10:27:14 GMT

I adore hurt-werewolf!Remus fanart to pieces. So here are some (mostly Remus/Sirius) hurt/comfort fanart pieces I really like:

Visiting Remus by Marta (seviet)- I know I've mentioned it before, but I still adore it *snuggles*

Helplessness and Shelter from the Storm by Ponderosa (ponderosa121) are two of my favorite pieces by Ponderosa- though I love pretty much everything Pondy does. I can stare at these forever and get that lovely comforting feeling, though.

After the Full Moon by Linnpuzzle is such a lovely piece of Remus being helped by his fellow Marauders. Linnpuzzle's work is gorgeous, but I especially love this piece. As well as the older, professor Remus taking his Wolfsbane.

Remus hurting by Wenz- can be found at SBxRL. It's an interesting style, with some very bold color choices. But I love poor Remus' position and expression. And Sirius all concerned and looking at Remus crotch- ah, arm. Yes, his arm. That's it.

MWPP in the Shrieking SHack by glockgal (glockgal)

Remus/Sirius (slight nudity) by Ariel (blacksatinrose) is a fantastic piece. Dark and bright, smooth and bold. But those hands *swoons* I love this piece

Helping Remus Up from this site is an adorable picture of Sirius and James fixing Remus after his transformation. Note- the page seems to be down... I don't know if that's permanent or temporary.

Found by firefly_wp (ac1d6urn) is not strictly hurt/comfort but I definitely get that vibe from the picture. Remus and Sirius' expressions are so pained and desperate-looking. It just says desperate and cold and clingy.

Time by Hélène Bruneton (nassima) is a Remus/Sirius piece and also not strictly hurt/comfort but definitely has a nice vibe to it :-)

Okay, and not R/S but still HP... and not exactly h/c but I have a lot of related thoughts while looking at:
This pic of Harry by Akiko Just that expression and oohh he's so huggable!

Orig Fiction

Fri, 31 Dec 2004 07:24:33 GMT

Today I was skimming through my saved SF stories folder which is horribly outdated (mainly because I wanted to read solitaire_au's Stargate fic, but I didn't get that far in the list). Anyhoo, I spent practically an hour reading Going Goth(ADULT!) by Cath UK. Not only because it's long and I was doing two other things at the same time, but because I kept pausing to make comments to the story/characters out loud. And about halfway through I decided that meant I should probably rec it here :-) Particularly as they were mostly rather good comments ;-)

I've always admired the heck out of this story. The characters are absolutely incredible and... real. They feel very real to me. And the culture is entirely too accurate and adorable. Every so often I get a plot bunny biting to do a smoke-allergy fic and then this story ALWAYS pops up in my mind. Those clove cigs... oohhh. SUCH a lovely plot device. Everyone always says smell is the strongest trigger to memory, and I can practically smell this story. So wonderful, that.

The writing is fantastic. And not just because I've a weakness for British slang *EG* I love the multiple perspectives- it brings SO much to the story. It gives the story so many layers and allows the reader to think from all those different views at the same time. I love the overlaps, and I love the moments of revelation to the reader from one view or another- excellent choices, all. Very creative. Very brilliant. It allows for the repetition of some things and keeps others a bit of a mystery for the reader to think about. Brilliant.

The sex... ohhhh the sex. The fetish elements are fantastic, as befitting a story told in first person. Two of the three characters have the fetish and, thus, their descriptions and observations are quite delicious (and, yet, the variation between the two is fresh and nummy). And the other character is able to provide readers with a first-hand account of the sneezes from how they feel to how he feels about them. His shyness coupled with their candidness (at least to themselves/the reader) about how the sneezes turn them on makes for quite a delicious tale indeed. He was just focused on trying to give the impression he was listening, when all he was noticing was what was going on inside his nose. I could see his eyes going glassy, and the effect was made even more alluring by the liner he wore. He’d been sneezing a bit already that night, like I said, and his eyes were kind of teary, like he was going to cry. Very sexy. I'll say! *G* The story is full of great juxtipositions like that. Not to mention that the sneezes sound fantastic... and the description is quite original. I tried to ignore it, to pay attention to what she was saying, but it was like the inside of my nose was liquefying. I could feel it was just a matter of time before it overflowed and I exploded all over the place with sneezes. It was as if tendrils of smoke were working their way inside me, tickling everything in sight, driving me mad. I'm not even one for the more "liquid" side of things but there's something about this part that always gets to me. Oh, and I'm MORE than happy to see this particular line repeated several times: “Sorry, gotta- gotta-... Hiessshhh!” *dies*

But the characters... gods, I cannot get enough of the characters. Cath writes them so wonderfully; they're all full and deep and diverse. Lovely. But I must admit I side with Paeyl the entire time, no matter what. I totally want him. Even if it is Raevyn doing all the sneezing, and even if he's technically gay, I still want Paeyl. I think it's because I definitely see a lot of myself in him.

My only complaint is the ending. I love the sex- all of it. I really do. But, like I said above, I side with Paeyl, so I felt very un fulfilled by the ending. And when I finish reading this story every time, I can't help but yearn for a resolution that involves him. I feel hurt when he gets hurt and I never fully recover with the story ending the way it does. But maybe that's just because perky, controlling bats bug the heck out of me, too.

Nonetheless, this is one of my favorite original character fics out there.

Graphic story...

Tue, 30 Nov 2004 00:24:01 GMT

Because I'm in such a visual mood today... I thought I'd rec chatenoire's Alonia comic series which is an adorable story with fantastic characters and some breathtaking art. As someone who is crap at all things artistic, this really fascinates me :-)

A forty-three page graphic story revolving around one of my favorite H/C situations ever- "sick and stuck out in the snow". It follows two (of a great big bunch from her universe!) very well developed original characters who, well, don't like each other much- another wonderful thing to see when it comes to plots. Vivian and Dylan clash but work together in great and sometimes amusing ways. And Vivian's soft spot for Dylan when he's sneezing... awwwwwww. I can't blame her! He's so very adorable when sick and sniffly and miserable. The story itself is clever and beautifully told.

Weiss Kreuz

Wed, 24 Nov 2004 21:46:44 GMT

I've been on a WK kick lately (it's probably the anticipation of waiting for the BW fanart calendar I bought a few days ago). And I don't know if it can really be called a proper rec if I'm reccing pretty much everything ever written in the sneezefic genre for the fandom(er, well, not mine)... but what the heck. Nice to have it listed all in one place, no? And, honestly, I haven't yet read a bad WK sneezefic!

First, there's all of magictoes11's fics. *happy sigh* She has a few good intro pages that I know I made use of before I was familiar with the series: General info about Weiss (with especially yummy pictures) and Weiss character info.

One Man's Mission by Magictoes11 was the first WK fic I ever read. And, as such, has a very special place in my heart. I read this fic over and over again just for the lovely image of Ken running around in socks kicking a ball of newspaper for lack of having a ball. Something about that is just so perfectly Ken and so adorable at the same time. Not to mention that I have a weakness for 'snowed in cabin' fics in general *blush* The Ken & Yohji dynaimc is brilliantly written. Case in point:
"Not to worry, Yohji. I think I've got this thing going pretty well now. You'll be warm as toast in no time." Ken placed an additional log onto the fire before backing away, joining his teammate upon the couch.
Yohji pulled the afghan higher, wrapping it firmly around his chest with his free hand. "Only thing that would make it better would be a pretty woman to hold," he murmured, smirking lightly.
"Sorry, Yohji, looks like you're stuck with me, instead." Ken's grin was wide, a little too impish for Yohji's liking.
"Hardly a substitute, Ken-Ken. You're built the wrong way to do anything for me," he said casually, flicking the ash from his cigarette into an ashtray sitting upon the coffeetable beside him.
"Behave." Ken leaned back, one leg bouncing slightly in restless anticipation.
There's something about Yohji that begs to be slashed. I don't have any clue why, as he goes after anything in a skirt...maybe I feel like he's overcompensating or trying to hide something. But I love slashed!Yohji when the fic acknowledges his canon actions as well. And I just adore playful & caring Ken. And the reprise of this bit later on in the fic is my favorite, but I didn't want to give anything away by quoting it here. LOL *sigh* I love this fic.

Gentian Rain and Freesia Dreams by Magictoes11 beg to be read together in one sitting. The Ken/Omi dynaic is fantastic. The repetition/echos from one to the other are fantastic. Clearly, I think these are fantastic stories. LOL There's a great balance of angst and fluff, and something deeper under the surface when it comes to Ken and Omi. My favorite part- which was inevitable and had potential to turn cliche or cheesy but is written so perfectly- is when Ken gets kicked off the mission because he's sick. Aya is (to be fangirly about it) omgsoperfect!!! Not to say that everything else isn't perfect... I just really love that part especially. In general, it's a really nice set and the boys are written so very well and in character. And I just want to snuggle Ken the whole time whether he's in the hurting or the comforting role :-)

Mad Season also by Magictoes11 is just great. I love Omi's sneezes. And love his inner angst about sneezing, as well as the comments he makes about them. I adore the description in the third paragraph about the different types of sneezes from the boys... because it sets the situation up so well (and because I adore this take on their sneezes!). And I especially love how Ken's the one he confides in and sneezes in front of. *sigh*

Her fics are definitely my favorites... but probably just because I have such a thing for Ken *G* However, there's also a fantastic page on the website with pics from fan comics in which Ken is sneezy and sniffly and utterly adorable *snuggles* Sniffly Ken-ken. Love this. Much much!

traprose's Too Much of Nothing fascinates me. Short (well, not really that short) and... well, not really sweet either. It's mischievous and a little naughty. And it's perfectly Schwartz. And when I'm in the mood for Schwartz, this is... ohh it's yum. I'm NOT by any means a Bradfangirl. I think maybe the only kind of Crawford fics I like are Carford-tortures ;-) Which is probably why I enjoyed this one so much...
"--k'sh!" Not even two hastily raised knuckles could quite smother that one completely. Schuldich, rapt, savored the strangled sound of it.
Blinking, Crawford at last turned around. "If that's you, Schuldich," he said, but there wasn't quite enough menace in his tone, because his breathing was irregular and his hand was again halfway to his face.
Schuldich's eyes half closed in pleasure, wondering how in Himmel this had never occurred to him before. It wasn't only the turmoil of his unsteady thought, or the slow-rising tide of uncertainty in the taste of his mind-- Schuldich could see the man struggle, watch the troubled rise and fall of his breathing! Purely poetry.
This fic is pure poetry. The word choice and sound of the sentences (not to mention the sneezes!) in my head is gorgeous. It's a pleasure to read.

And now we come to Gayle's fics. *dies* Such a fabsulous writer, and has the characters down so absolutely perfectly that it's scary at times (especially because Schwartz is pretty scary at times!)
Speaking of which, there is Viewpoints by Gayle is a very interesting read. Not even a sneezefic can make me think of Crawford as a little less evil. I do like his concern for Shuldig in the story. But little details like him continually "thinking" he knows what's best for
Shuldig just go to prove that he's a controlling jerk. LOL It's so delightfully in character... I was hooked from the very beginning- with the opening scene out in the cold. And I must say, of all the Shuldig moments in the series, my favorites ever are the images of him leaning back against trees
looking all sexy and cocky and suave and Mmmmm *purrrrrr* I was thrilled at the parts in the story where he does that *G* I love the little details of the beginning scene- it played out beautifully in my mind, with the description of the snowflakes and the interaction between the characters. And sick!Shu is... guhh. I love when writers are so good at writing characters so in character while sick!

On a Day Like This by Gayle- If I had to pick my favorite allergy Weiss fic, I'd pick this one in a second. Sure, everyone has those fantasies (and fics!) about the typical "allergic to flowers at work" scenario, because it's just so perfect given their situation. But this one is so yummy that it's irresistable! Just... just everything. All the little details... and nothing going right for poor Ken.
"But I don't have allergies!" Ken protested, trying to ignore the fact that another sneezing fit was building up. "I never… never… HUH-ESHUUU! EHSUUUU! ESSHHHUU!"
Awwwwwwww I loved that. Yeah, suuuuure you don't have allergies... And I love how the other boys sneezed a bit at the flowers as well *snuggles Omi for his little red nose* Probably makes Ken feel much better to know he wasn't alone in it. But the idea of all the lads in there sneezing and trying to get rid of those flowers... yum. Snuggly, fluffy, and adorable. Definitely how I like my Weiss boys!

Last but not least, there's Disguises by Gayle which makes me go all weak and giggly every time I read it. The choices as to which characters get sick makes for a wonderful dynamic among the pairings (the, ah, fighting pairings, I mean... yeah, that's what I mean...) The stuffy talking is to die for! And Aya & Ken and the box of tissues at the beginning... *dies* Also, excellent H/C elements over-all. ALSO just how I like my Weiss boys- hurt and angsty (as though they could ever NOT be angsty!)

Did I miss one somewhere? (I'm sort of just pulling this off the top of my head and my e-mail folder) So if I missed a fic somewhere, please let me know! :-)

Some S/R HP

Fri, 19 Nov 2004 10:26:51 GMT

Picking some of the H/C and related fics off my looooong list of Remus/Sirius recs:

Rainy Night by Raina (R)- Practically every emotion possible is covered and the story drifts from one to the other with a steady flow and much believability. I don't want to call this an angstfic because it's definitely not just that. Sirius is exactly how I like to read him- a cad who can be playful or emotional. There's great depth and understanding. And no matter what is happening, there's a gentle lust going on that is irresistable. Not to mention the boys are shivery and wet throughout the entire fic. It is just a pleasure to read.

A Cold Awakening by Nezad (R)- Summary: "Remus has a cold and Sirius has a problem"
Me: *read* *melt* *save* *re-read*
This is simply adorable. The fact that Remus, even sick, is happy to oblige about some things is just too yummy for words *melts*

Not Tonight, Love, I Have a Headache by Luna (PG13)- So deliciously my thing *G* Great mix of a hurting!Padfoot and a talkative!Moony. Adorable characterizations all-around.

With Purchase by anniesj- Both weary and hurting, Sirius is still able to comfort Remus in the only way he can; even if it's not really much of a comfort, it's enough. Fantastic rough sex post-Azkaban ficlet. Gorgeous imagery and heart-wrenching subject matter. (author went friends-only for a while)

Body and Soul by Celtling (R)- Such a sweet ficlet. Sirius alone goes to comfort Remus in the shack after his transformation and both are far better for it. The dialogue boarders on cheesy at a few points, but the excellent descriptions throughout more than make up for that.

What does a dog dream when he dreams? by stellamaru (memorycharm) (NC-17)- Remus takes care of a weak and hurting Sirius. This is tender and hot and heartbreaking. And while the first read is the best, the imagery and pain this brings is astonishing on every read.

Hunger by Dawnatello (NC-17)- Bad Snape, bad dreams, understanding, heroic moments, boys coming to terms with things. Lots of hurt/comfort. I love the perspective and I especially love Remus in this. Dawnatello is one of my favorite Remus/Sirius authors- I love her characterizations and her love for the pups really comes through in her fics. I highly recommend every one of her stories :-)

The Sick Have Needs Too by reddiej (R)- Remus is sick and Sirius attempts to nurse his friend/lover back to health by any and all means. Chicken soup has never seemed quite so sexy *EG* The pups are so playful and mesh with my ideas of them. Short and enjoyable, this!

Helping Hands by vixenette (NC-17)- Another of my absolute favorite authors of Remus/Sirius fics. A different sort of H/C but... Sirius does need assistance and Remus does help. And it's deliciously naughty in every way. I just adore this fic

The Morning After by Casira (casirafics) (X)- Beautiful take on the "Sirius takes care of Remus the day after a transformation" scenario. Full of tenderness and apprehensive but lustful pups. And such vivid descriptions... of everything. *sigh* Nice.

All Through the Night by Casira (casirafics) (PG)- I mentioned this fic on my other journal before, because I really enjoyed it. It's a great Marauder story with great characterizations and lots of little twists. Not to mention some sickness thrown into the mix that is yummy. It was inspired by the singing frogs in the POA trailer and I'm ending with it here because it's a Christmas fic and I'm feeling the spirit of the season already right now.

Orig fic

Wed, 17 Nov 2004 08:49:17 GMT

Possibly my favorite original character fic of all time is Evensong by traprose- Every time I read it I am immediately sucked in as though it were my first reading. I relive the soft, subtle introduction to the almost mysterious albeit spectacular characters. I am instantly drawn into the delicious prose, the tone, the word choice, the imagery, and the magical beauty of the event. It's a world I feel compelled to learn more about, but I especially wish to learn more about the characters.

I'm a character-story kinda gal, and the two main characters here are to die for. I fall in love with the narrator, secretly knowing his name and his role upon my re-readings but trying to block it out so I can enjoy it fresh again. But with his narration I am attached to him. He's someone I can trust, feel attached to, fall in love with. Traprose makes me care about him, so much that I suddenly care about his role in the event and those he cares about. He has that religious, untouchable feel to him. Yet I can't help but want to see him expressing his affections for his star pupil in more than the normal ways. And their interaction is to die for. I love the dialogue. The words. The gentleness and the separation but closeness... it's so very lovely. As are the sneezes.

Oh yes, the sneezes. A whole variety. Sneezes that make me really feel for him. I want to be on his side so that the event isn't spoiled... yet I long for him to sneeze in order to find out what the main character's reaction to it is. And when he does... ohhh that reaction! I love their interaction- both in public and in private. Such tenderness. Such affection. It's as though I completely understand their culture and ways just through my understanding and trust of the narrator. I don't want to give away the ending for anyone who's actually still reading this instead of going straight to the fic, but by the end I do nothing but sigh and feel all warm and fuzzy.

Reading this story is like an event in and of itself. One I adore. Even when I'm just going to serotica to see if there's anything new, I usually go over to it and give it another read.

Two Highlander Fics

Wed, 17 Nov 2004 05:00:42 GMT

Strangely enough, I can't manage to write Highlander fics and I have a hard time imagining (in my mind's eye) Duncan sneezing. But this story never gets old to me :-)

Of Sound Mind and Body (PG13ish, small v-ing warning) by Lillian Wolfe and Tiffany- A fantasic fic where Methos comes down with a mysterious ailment and Duncan attempts to take care of him. Even though, from canon, I believe immortals can get sick, I'm sure it's not very common and it's quite an adorable concept to play with here. I completely agree- immortals do make the worst patients. Especially when it's Methos!
I love helpless!Duncan, and even though I've spent years warming up to Methos/Duncan as a pairing, I completely believe it here. I love how annoyed and miserable Methos is the whole time. And I adore how Ducan is desperate to do anything to help Methos out. It's the little moments I like the most here- Duncan calling Joe and submitting to his expertise in the area, Duncan's jealous snapping, memories of Richie with a runny nose carrying around a toilet roll *giggles madly at the thought*, Duncan picking Methos up off the bathroom floor, Miles knowing Methos' drawers (er, all of them!). I adore Miles. He's a fantastic character, and I just want to snuggle him, even if the fic wants me to be on Duncan's side. And the authors write stuffy talk so well!

And then there's the sequel by Lillian Wolfe All Things Being Equal (R). It's also excellent, and a great addition to the original. Mystery, worry, and more sick&sneezy!Methos. Very yummy. Not to mention sexy!

Harry Potter Art

Tue, 16 Nov 2004 10:03:18 GMT

And while I'm still thinking about it... I thought I'd give credit to the wonderful artist who created the drawing I'm currently using as my default icon. :-) The Marauders visiting Remus in the hospital wing after a full moon, bringing him candy and hugs *G* Yeah, I edited Peter out. Sorry. He just didn't fit. LOL I had this picture on my desktop as wallpaper for the longest time. Always made me feel all warm and fuzzy :-)

But the rest of her art is utterly fantastic, too. I can't get enough of it and check her journal and site often for more: seviet and her site Art Dungeon. Sadly, she took down all her slash stuff- but you can contact her for the link to it. She does the most MAGNIFICENT drawings of the twins together- her Weasleys in general always thrill me to no end. And her marauders are fantastic. Not to mention all those lazy sleepy-boy pictures. *deep sigh* Beautiful. The type of art that tells more than 1,000 words per picture :-)

A few Star Wars sneezefics & memories

Tue, 16 Nov 2004 10:00:45 GMT

I wanted to start out with my aboslute favorite Obi-Wan sneezefic ever:
nermal90's A Week of Bad Weather (G)- I find it strange that I adore this fic so much, considering it's young Obi. Not that I don't love young Obi, but I tend to go for older lads when it comes to sneezes ;-) There's something so incredibly adorable about Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan here. Qui constantly questioning his effectiveness as a master. Obi constantly trying to be the perfect padawan. The newness in the bond and relationship, and the bits of touching and snuggling as they get used to each other... Obi-Wan's cold is certainly central to the plot, and I adore it and all its related descriptions, but it's all the other parts that get to me the most. The pudding that makes his tongue itch, Obi-Wan's excitement over little things, Qui-Gon making note to check Obi-Wan's medical records, and the snuggling. Oohhh I love. The dialogue and the soft tone juxtiposed with the storm. There are a few sneezefics I read over many, many times- especially after I read a particularly bad fic, and this is one of them. It never loses its magic.

I find it almost impossible to pick a second favorite work of nermal's. But if I did, it would probably be this Qui/Obi nuzzle!fic (R/NC-17)- The thing I love about nermal's works- especially her most recent ones- are the descriptions of the sneezes being sniffly and tickly and itchy and oohhhhh! The nuzzling and touching the characters do despite (and in addition to) that is even better! *swoons* NOTHING I can think of is hotter to me in the realm of sneezefics. Honestly. And this ficlet always makes me go weak and fluttery. It reminds me a lot of some of her more recent Buffy-fics... except that I'm far more familiar with the Star Wars fandom and, thus, find this the most appealing. And she does such a fantastically soft and snuggling padawan and master pair here. Hot does not begin to describe it!

And then there is _circe_'s I Spy (G)- Humorous, adorable, cuddly, yummy. Everything I could want from a SW fic and more :-) In a review I don't think I ever actually posted onlist, I said "I couldn't want for anything else in this story, honestly. It was just… perfect." And I still mean that today. I love all the details in it- how it starts off extreme with an energetic kid and a slightly frustrated padawan… but ends so very softly with the cuddling and caring and sleeping. There are tender kisses and conversations and my all-time favorite head-in-lap scenario *sigh* Definitely deserves to be in my top 3 favorites.

Some of my happiest times in the sneezefic world were when fanfic was starting to overtake original fic on the Sneezeatorium board. And solitaire_au, Lady Cornflower, nermal, and lutzzie were posting so many yummy Obi & Qui fics. Definitely opened my eyes up to the wonders and possibilities of the new genre (subgenre?) and many of the stories from back then still hold a special place in my heart: Mission to Pravast D'Ni, Shortly After Naboo, Home Enough, and probably a dozen more I can't recall the titles of and some that were never finished and never given titles. *sigh* Happy times!

And so I thought it appropriate to start this Rec Journal with the Star Wars fandom, as it was that which made me abandon my original fics and take up a life of crime stealing other peoples' characters and writing about them ;-) Well, as far as sneezefics go. I'm going to count those Sesame Street and Pound Puppies sneezes stories I wrote when I was a kid as unofficial *blush*

Welcome!

Tue, 16 Nov 2004 07:49:14 GMT

I've been thinking about putting together a rec journal with hurt/comfort-themed materials and sneezefics for a while now. So here it is :-)

I made the banner for this journal weeks ago when I practiced with my screencapping DVD software and just after Long Way around aired and I was watching The Serpant's Kiss. I was thinking about completely changing the layout of my website to accomodate the picture. But I also didn't want to part with my pretty pre-Raphaelite art layout. So using it here was the perfect solution, I thought.