Hurt/comfort (h/c) is a popular fanfic trope in which a character is first hurt, then comforted, frequently by their One True Love (though gen variants are also common). H/c may or may not contain Magical Healing Genitalia or Buttholes.

H/c became a popular topic on meme not only because it's very “iddy,” but because, early on in meme's history, there was SJ opposition toward the trope because it was deemed “ableist.” See hc_bingo wank.

Here are just a few of our earlier discussions of h/c:

• this thread in Re: Fantasies, later expanded on
• Question for the h/c fantasists
• Hurt/comfort question
• For the h/c nonnies
• "Who are your ironclad whump-ees...?"
• Metafandom h/c posts on Delicious

• ITT: Rec Your Favorite H/C Fic
• mild h/c recs

• //"I've always wanted a hurt/comfort fic for poor hungover John Stuart Mill in the "Philosophers' Drinking Song'."//