Hurt/Comfort Exchange Letter

[wafflelate]

Hello, thank you for reading my letter! A few notes:

• I'm a slow commenter, so please don't panic if it takes awhile for me to comment.
• Some things will have more prompts than others but that doesn't mean I want anything more or less than anything else.
• Although I try to provide a lot of prompts please don't feel like you need to write one of them! I think prompts make it easier to see where I'm coming from/how I'm approaching the tag, but this letter is not a final summation of all the fic plots I could possibly enjoy. Whatever you come up with will be great!

DNWs

• Suicide, suicidal ideation, mentions of suicide, implied suicide, the word suicide
• dissociation/depersonalization from the POV of the person experiencing it, including Nara being in the black
  • examples include characters not feeling real, not feeling connected to their body, feeling like they're viewing a scene from the third person while someone else moves their body.
  • Exceptions to the above:
    • obviously there are canon characters who can do that kind of thing to themselves/other people because of their cool powers.
    • characters having a literal out-of-body experience because of magic ninja bullshit is fine.
    • characters literally not being in control of their bodies because of magic ninja bullshit is fine.
  • What I DNW is dissociation and the like as a reaction to stress/trauma. If it's enemy action to be resisted and fought against, go for it.
  • I know being in the black is some magic ninja bullshit but I DNW it because it's still like, a character's internal stress response. Showing Nara in the black from an outside POV is fine.
• first person POV except in Animorphs fics
• characters meeting other versions of themselves on-screen
• Nara Shikako having her reincarnation status revealed
• Nara Shikako being pregnant, married, or having sex even off screen.
• Unrequested AUs that change the setting, replace the magic system, or significantly change the society the characters live in.
  • So, no to: mundane AUs, IN SPACE AUs, fantasy AUs, soulmate AUs, etc, unless directly requested.
  • But yes to: canon divergence, alternate timelines, For Want Of A Nail
• car crashes or people being hit by cars (a fender-bender or airplane crash would be fine though)
• permanent death of requested characters
• Incorporating significant chunks of Boruto stuff.

Likes

• Casefic, mission fic, murder mysteries
• minor characters
• worldbuilding
• in-universe documentation
• like mission reports or textbooks (but not really works told via letters)
• canon compliant fics (like episode tags, missing scenes, etc)
• backstory exploration
• unlikely friendships (friendship in general!)
• enemies to friends, enemies to allies, enemies to since-you've-had-a-rough-day-already-I-won't-try-to-stab-you-this-times
• angst
• hurt/comfort
• protectiveness
• time travel
• canon divergence
• garbage-tier magical items
• detailed setting description
• Gentle spooks and horror — you can find more specifics in my Trick or Treat letter!

Dreaming of Sunshine - Silver Queen

Hatake Kakashi/Tenzou (both hurt)
Hatake Kakashi/Tenzou (hurt Tenzou)

Freeforms:

• Character being protected isn't used to being cared about
• Character Believes They're an Unimportant Hookup
• Character expects to be punished for failure but is shown unexpected concern
• Comfortee Believes They Have To Earn Their Comfort
• Huddling For Warmth
• Rehumanization
• Character makes a mistake and expects the worst due to past experiences; is met with gentle kindness
• A is too uncertain of their place in B's life to directly ask for direly needed help
• A mistakenly thinks B is only comforting them on orders from superiors
• A used to mistreatment from others unsure if B will help them
• Character Comforts By Taking Immediate Action To Solve The Problem
• Hurt character is reluctant to accept help
• Character thinks they aren't good enough for the object of their pining

Tenzō and Kakashi's messy disaster friendship in DoS is WONDERFUL and I would just love to see a little shippiness added to it! I am absolutely a sucker for all kinds of misunderstandings and Tenzō angst and watching Kakashi actually trying to comfort someone is always a good time. I'd love to see Kakashi struggling with Tenzō's ROOT conditioning or just with Tenzō having low self esteem and I'd love to see them taking care of each other.

Momochi Zabuza & Nara Shikako (hurt Shikako)

Freeforms:

• Being imprisoned and aftermath of it
• Being stuck together in a seemingly fatal situation
• Catching Hurt Character as They Collapse
• Character A undertakes a dangerous mission and Character B's job is to keep them alive through it
• Character is used to others being afraid of them
• Falling Asleep As A Sign Of Trust
• Hurt to Protect the Comforter
• Searching for injured partner/friend who was left behind
• Stranded Behind Enemy Lines
• Technically awful attempts at comfort are actually very comforting
• Comforter stunned by how much comfortee trusts them

The idea of these two on a mission together and depending on each other is so great! I also like the idea of circumstances conspiring to really highlight for Zabuza how much Shikako trusts and likes him despite him being, you know, a powerful missing nin/a high-ranking government official from a foreign (albeit allied) village. Canon divergence or time travel or dimension travel very welcome!

Yamashiro Aoba/Mitarashi Anko (hurt Anko)

Freeforms:

• Being imprisoned and aftermath of it
• Being stuck together in a seemingly fatal situation
• Canadian Shack
• Character being protected isn't used to being cared about
• Character believes no one is coming to save them
• Character Believes They're an Unimportant Hookup
• Huddling For Warmth
• Searching for injured partner/friend who was left behind
• Soulbond Forms During Moments of Extreme Empathy
• Stranded Behind Enemy Lines
• A is too uncertain of their place in B's life to directly ask for direly needed help
• Hurt character is reluctant to accept help
• Taking care of hurt friend(s) leads to realization of romantic feelings

I ship this very hard based off of them drunkenly following Shikako around and also Anko's totally heartwrenching talk about them depending on each other behind enemy lines and please I am dying for literally anything with this rarepair. He's really social and she's really isolated! She's frequently under suspicion of being a traitor and he's extremely popular, trust, and well-liked! Both of them do very well under Tsunade! I'm overwhelmed with feelings.

Nara Shikako & Sai (hurt Sai)

Freeforms:

• Character believes comforter is taking care of them for practical or selfish reasons
• Character believes no one is coming to save them
• Character expects to be punished for failure but is shown unexpected concern
• Comfortee Believes They Have To Earn Their Comfort
• Falling Asleep As A Sign Of Trust
• Mistakenly Believes the Other is Dead
• Unexpected Mercy
• A is too uncertain of their place in B's life to directly ask for direly needed help
• Character A abandons plans in order to rescue Character B

Sai is so sad and I just want a fic that rolls around in how sad he is and then makes him feel better, and the best way I can think for that to happen is to have Shikako bust right past all his sad expectations and give him stuff he didn't even think to hope for. Like, obviously Sai and Shikako have real friendship feelings between them, but does Sai even realize that? I mean, logically, given what he must have been taught in ROOT, isn't he possibly thinking that when Shikako finishes investigating ROOT she'll just let Sai get executed as a traitor?

And even outside of that, Shikako's such a good teammate! And she and Naruto badger him into sleeping that one time! And look, I'm just full of emotions about them, you know? They've got such a wonderful thing going on.

Crossover Fandom (Dreaming of Sunshine - Silver Queen/Naruto)

Nara Shikako (Dreaming of Sunshine) & Nara Shikaku (Naruto) (hurt Shikako)

Freeforms:

• Catching Hurt Character as They Collapse
• Character draws negative attention onto themself to protect another
• Falling Asleep As A Sign Of Trust
• Dimension Traveler A Has Had Bad Experiences With Other Versions Of B
• Character Comforts By Taking Immediate Action To Solve The Problem
• Character must comfort a stranger because they look like someone else
• Comfort focusing on little hurt because the big hurt is massive and unapproachable
• Comforter stunned by how much comfortee trusts them
• Comforting dimension traveler who can't go home
• Dimension Traveler A Has Had Bad Experiences With Other Versions Of B & Is Cautious
• Character abandons plans in order to rescue stranger who is suffering

Shikaku is the best dad and I'd just really love to see something where Naruto!Shikaku gets to be Best Dad for Shikako despite not knowing her. I'm okay with Narutoverse Shikaku never having had a daughter or with Narutoverse Shikaku having had a daughter but she died as a baby — whatever works for you! I'm also okay with Shikako having to stay in Narutoverse or with her going home.

Person of Interest

Lionel Fusco & Sameen Shaw (hurt Lionel)
Harold Finch & Lionel Fusco (hurt Lionel)

Freeforms:

• A confession in a desperate situation has to be dealt with afterwards
• Aftermath Of A Enduring Torture To Keep Enemy From Noticing What A's Friends Were Doing
• Being stuck together in a seemingly fatal situation
• Character believes no one is coming to save them
• Character draws negative attention onto themself to protect another
• Character Must Convincingly Pretend to Betray Others
• Hurt to Protect the Comforter
• Mistakenly Believes the Other is Dead
• hiding together
• Technically awful attempts at comfort are actually very comforting
• A is too uncertain of their place in B's life to directly ask for direly needed help

Fusco is my favorite character on TV ever and I would just love anything about him! His redemption arc is so wonderful and his interactions with other characters are always fantastic. The hints of his internal life we see on the show are great and I just love how loyal and determined he is! It would be really nice to see him being loyal and determined and then get rewarded for it, especially if it in any way addresses the fact that Lionel seems to frequently feel left out and doubt his place in the group.

Minor ship mentions or hints or w/e are fine with me.

Yu Yu Hakusho

Hiei & Kurama | Minamino Shuuichi (hurt Hiei)
Hiei & Kuwabara Kazuma (hurt Hiei)
Hiei & Urameshi Yuusuke (hurt Hiei)
Hiei & Kurama | Minamino Suuichi & Kuwabara Kazuma & Urameshi Yuusuke (hurt Hiei)

Freeforms:

• Character believes no one is coming to save them
• Character Comforts With Awkward Shoulder Pat
• Character Must Convincingly Pretend to Betray Others
• Falling Asleep As A Sign Of Trust
• Hurt to Protect the Comforter
• Surprised Not To Be Viewed As An Enemy
• Usually Powerful Character is Helpless Due to Drugs
• Character doesn’t trust comforter’s motives
• Absence of Team Loner/Odd Person Out/Black Sheep Noticed Too Late - Bad Thing Happens to Absentee
• Hurt character is reluctant to accept help
• Hurt character is used to having to tend to their own wounds

Haha uh can you tell I like Hiei? I like Hiei. I also just generally really love YYH, which was the first anime I was ever really fannish about! I also definitely imprinted on that part in the Four Saint Beasts arc where Hiei has to pretend to betray them and I've always really loved thinking about how joining the Spirit Detective team was probably the first time Hiei has ever genuinely had people who are willing to stick their necks out for him!

Minor ship hints to Hiei/Kurama or Hiei/Yuusuke or Hiei/Kuwabara would be just fine, although I really would love something mostly focused on being friends/a team.