The Hurt/Comfort Meme

[winterbolt]

Hurt/Comfort - Hurt/comfort is a fan fiction genre that involves the physical pain or emotional distress of one character, who is cared for by another character. The injury, sickness or other kind of hurt allows an exploration of the characters and their relationship.

- Post with Character Name | Series in the subject.
- Others respond.
- Roll 1-10 at RNG for a scene, play it out and have fun!

1. INJURY. You've been injured. Broken bones or bleeding out or maybe just a tiny little papercut. The choice is yours.
2. SICKNESS. You're sick and laid up in bed, at home or in a hospital. The severity is up to you.
3. FEAR/ANXIETY. Something is happening and you're scared beyond belief.
4. LOSS OF SENSES. Sight, touch, taste, hearing, smell, etc. You've lost some important sense or ability and now you're left to deal with it.
5. DESPAIR. Nothing is good or right anymore and you can't shake the depression. Maybe that friend of yours can help though...
6. BREAKUP. You've been dumped. You need someone to comfort you, possibly by the one who dumped you.
7. MAKE UP. Fight or break up, it's time to makeup.
8. RESCUED. You've just been held captive and/or tortured for however long and finally, someone has come to the rescue.
9. BAD ROMANCE. Fight, cheated on, abused, whatever the case is, someone else can clearly see you need comfort from someone who isn't your terrible lover tonight.
10. LOSS. You've experience a loss of some kind and need help getting through it.
11. INSANITY. You're seeing things that aren't really there, hearing voices, or you're just convinced you're at your wit's end finally and you're going to crack. Maybe someone can give you a helping hand.
12. TIRED. You've had a heard life recently and you're just worn too thin to really care anymore. There's no fight left in you anymore. Can someone help change your mind?
13. ADDICTION. Drugs, alcohol, sex, gambling, or any other type of addiction has got you in its grasp. First time or relapse. Will someone be able to save you?
14. INSOMNIA. You can't sleep anymore, no matter how hard you try. Maybe someone can give you company.
15. NIGHTMARES. Or, on the other end of the spectrum, you can't sleep without gruesome, horrible nightmares. Either someone is stuck in your dream with you, witnessing it or they're just waking you up, soothing you out of it.
16. BLACKMAIL. You've been caught doing something you shouldn't and you were blackmailed because of it
17. SEPARATION. You're going to be separated for awhile or were separated for a long time. Either make up for lost time or try to spend every last moment together.
18. VIOLATED. You've been violated in some way. Can include sexual overtones or not. Can someone help you through it?
19. STRANDED. You've been stranded somewhere remote, with no help of anyone finding you for awhile. Can you survive this together?
20. SINS You're feeling the weight of your sins and guilt clearer than ever. Can someone give you absolution or lessen the ache any?
21. SECRET. It's difficult having to keep that secret of yours, be it a relationship or something you just don't want to share with anybody else. Maybe it's okay to talk about it now though...

From Bakerstreet

Comments

ignore me I'm derpin

[soundmind]

[Given the blow came from behind, Maka wasn't expecting it and rolls uselessly after being shoved aside, only a little energy left in her to push herself into sitting up, pressing her hands into her wound to staunch the flow.]

Ke...?

[The shock of the it all left her numb to the pain, to the noises and fighting--it sounds like she's been submerged in water with blurring vision to boot. That's not a good sign, Maka has to keep her focus and stay awake (as awake as one can while in a dream world) yet...something about what she's witnessing doesn't seem real. What did Kaneki do? What are those things coming out of the pair locked in confrontation? The only thing her senses tell is that it's not human.

Neither of them are.

Right...he's not... This must have been what would have emerged had he received a worse threat than a simple paper cut.

...Is this some recurring nightmare of his?

Her mind swims then, oh no, the Meister can't think anymore--focus on staying awake, be prepared to get up again if things turn bad for Kaneki. She doesn't care if it ends up killing her, she has to make sure her friend is safe.

[samsa]

[If Kaneki could see Maka right now he would probably be overcome with panic over her state, but right now his attention is fully on the ghoul in front of him, ducking his head when his kagune- Bikaku, he dimly notes- nearly clips his shoulder as he brings it sharply forward. His own Rinkaku lashes forward, tearing more at his coat and staining it bloody red even further as he slices a long gash along the other's arm, causing him to curse darkly under his breath. Both of their kagune thrum with the pulse of their hearts, flashes of blood red passing through the veins that look like they shouldn't be exposed, when in reality the both of them are strong enough to withstand blades and bullets.

The next few seconds are a blur of movement and flashes of pain as Kaneki takes hits from the opposing kagune. A slice across one side of his torso sprays blood onto the ground as he staggers, but his speed outmatches the other as he fights back almost too quick to see. Even as he's moving the gash has begun to heal at an inhumanely fast rate. He still can't see the face of the other ghoul, and he can't see a mask either...something about the dream is distorting their image, making it impossible to decipher as any one individual.

It feels like the fight continues forever as he struggles against his attacker, but he knows he can't stop. He can't.]

[soundmind]

[That's too much blood, way too much, Maka half-expects it to be black rather than red with how familiar the current climate feels. No, Kaneki is not Crona, but him going into a state and fighting as viciously as he is certainly reminds her of it. Only her perception enables her to see the movements.

Was this supposed to happen? Or was it not and her interference triggered it? But he's defending himself now, against the...thing.

...He's strong. Considering Kaneki's usual gentle demeanor, it's shocking to see him now most likely able to give even Kid a run for his money. Is he going to kill this thing? Can he, or will the nightmare hold them there? Worse, Maka can't do anything--even if she had the energy for raising her voice, saying words of encouragement might throw off his concentration and get him hurt worse than he already is.]

Don't...don't give up. You can do it. [She mumbles this instead, the haze of unconsciousness turning her vision dark so she sees only the flashes of the kagune.

He can and he will.]

[samsa]

[What feels like hours pass when really it's only a few moments, seconds really as Kaneki fights to force the ghoul to back off. He might not be able to see their face but he can see those glinting eyes, sharp red against black. He's not wearing his eyepatch in the dream, leaving his kakugan exposed as well. With teeth grit so hard that it makes his jaw hurt, he continues to strike at the other, over and over and over...

He doesn't stop until he notices a large, growing pool of blood beneath his feet dripping from the large holes and gashes in the body of the ghoul just barely standing in front of him. Even with a healing factor those wounds aren't going anywhere any time soon, and Kaneki's of a type that heals even more rapidly than most. In exchange, he has far less stamina even though he's speedy, but that should do it, that's enough...

A hoarse scream rips from him as he lashes out over and over, knocking the ghoul to the ground before slamming his kagune into their chest, bones cracking and blood flowing afresh onto the alley floor. Eventually, Kaneki loses his balance and pitches forward onto his knees in the blood, his breath coming in heavy, ragged gasps. The body in front of him remains motionless as the nightmare shifts, causing the figure to darken into shadows before disappearing altogether, leaving nothing but the blood in its wake.

Kaneki doesn't move, his kagune still out and lying limp against the ground. The scent of blood is acrid and metallic in the air, and as covered with it as he is it's hard to tell which is his own.]

[soundmind]

["Good, soldier," the voice of her instructor echoes in her thoughts. Maka would be ragged as Kaneki is now, blood everywhere and tired as hell. "Now get up, a Meister doesn't die on their knees if they're going to."

So, as the memory commands, Maka lurches upright and staggers to her feet. She's not entirely sure what's holding her up, by all accounts she would be dead but Maka decided she wouldn't. That's final.

Eventually she stumbles to her friend and falls next to him, arms up and wrapped around his shoulders in a hug.]

It's okay. [Her voice is strained and really, it's probably not a good idea to be so close...instincts as a friend overcome instinct to live.] Ken, it's okay...it's over, we're all right.

[samsa]

[Kaneki jerks violently at the sudden contact. It's entirely involuntary as his kagune lifts threateningly, dangerously, and a low growl issues from the back of his throat.]

Don't.

[They aren't all right, they're so far from alright that it's almost laughable, and suddenly this feels a lot less like a dream and a lot more like those terrifying moments when he wasn't sure whether Hide was going to live or die...die from blood loss and injuries or by his own hand.

His shoulders tremble. He can't let that happen again.]

[soundmind]

No.

[That tone of voice is unfamiliar coming from Kaneki, like this isn't her friend she's holding and instead some injured wolf. Yet, Maka refuses to back down--he's not the only one able to project energy into a tangible form. Her soul emerges then, wings coming around to shield from any strike that might come.]

You're in so much pain right now...I don't want to leave you alone.

[Tears now drop from her eyes, mixing into the blood and dissolving.]

I'm not going to die here, nobody's going to kill me. Not that nightmare, not you, not anyone. So save the "I'm dangerous, stay away" talk. Just. Stop.

[samsa]

[She says that to him now and it sounds distant because he knows he can very easily kill her, right now. He doesn't feel the usual hunger that might drive a ghoul to frenzy, but in the dream world it doesn't have to make sense, does it? His worst fears manifested.

His breath catches then, sharp and painful as his kagune continues to just hover there, inches from running his friend clean through. All it would take is a twitch and it would be over. It's terrifying and causes him to shake harder, closing his eyes tightly against the overpowering scent of blood bombarding him from all sides.]

I-...I can't...

[Kaneki murmurs, not really sure what he's trying to say. He can feel heat making tracks down his cheeks but he honestly can't tell if it's tears, or blood, or both.]

[soundmind]

[Can't. There's blood everywhere, at this point they're both crying. What now?

The blood needs to go. He won't move for fear of his kagune striking, she won't move because of stubbornness. Fine. This is a dream world, Maka can influence her environment just the same, even if it's not her dream. She puts her arms down, sits up straight and holds out her hands for Kaneki to see. The wounds are there, then they close. The blood recedes back in as they seal, leaving no stain or trace.]

I screwed up, but I'd jump in front of you all over again, in a dream and outside of one. I don't abandon my friends, no matter what.

[Next she presses her hands to her stomach, blood and wound alike disappearing there too, clothing stitching up just the same.]

Being left behind scares me most. I swore I'd never leave anyone behind either. Call it selfish, but I won't ever let anyone feel as isolated as I have.

[The blood around them starts to sink into the concrete, like it's thirsty and drinking it all. Save for Kaneki's own blood stains and remaining wounds, the tears flowing from Maka's eyes, it's like nothing happened.]

...And I'm not scared of my friends. I never will be.

[samsa]

[He just watches listlessly, silent as her wounds heal over. There's a steady stream of blood making its way down his face from a gash over his brow, but even while she's talking it's healing, too, leaving nothing but the streak of red in its wake. He wants to tell her that she should be scared. That blindly trusting that he won't hurt her. He doesn't care if this is a dream; it's too real and it hurts as badly as if it weren't one.

His hands ball into tight fists on his knees as his kagune starts to waver, lowering back down to the ground as his strength and level of panic begins to wane.]

I...

[...]

..I'm...I'm sorry...

[The words are repeated in a quiet, exhausted undertone as his kagune finally drops to rest on the ground. It doesn't disappear yet and nor does the blood, but any desire he had to attack or fight is gone.]

[soundmind]

Why? You protected me even while I was trying to protect you.

[She knows. She knows that she can get hurt by him. That's just a risk Maka will take, as she does with everything else.

As the kagune falls to a rest so too does the light of Maka's soul fade. It's fine, she thinks as she scrubs at her eyes. There's no more fighting to be had.]

I already know that you need to eat people, I already know that it's naive to think only friendship and love will keep me safe from if you go berserk like that again. I'm not stupid or blindly optimistic, I just plain give a damn about you more than that. I trust you even while knowing you can't control it.

...I'm not strong like you, you're stronger than me in fact, you're stronger than a lot of people I know. But that's okay, I don't need to be, I'm strong like me and you're strong like you. And you're my best friend.

[samsa]

[He wants to say something. He feels like he should say something but the words just won't come, not as choked in his throat as they are. It barely registers that his kagune is starting to disappear, even though the tears in his clothing and stains of blood remain.

After a long moment he just...slumps forward, letting his head drop down to rest against Maka's shoulder.

You really think I'm that strong?, he thinks, but it still won't come.]

[soundmind]

[When he slumps, she raises up her arms again to hug him. Quiet, no fuss, nothing but the sound of their breath and heartbeat needed.

I'm here for you, the same sentiment as before when Maka found out about Kaneki being a ghoul. It didn't change, it will never change.]

Fly me to the moon and let me play among the stars.
Let me see what spring is like on Jupiter and Mars.

[So too does Maka repeat the song that her mother used to soothe her fears, to settle them both. She feels a little better about singing in front of another person than last time, at least.]

[samsa]

[...ah.

He finds himself choking up before he can really stop it, muffled past Maka's shoulder as he turns his face further into it. His kagune is gone now and he can feel the frantic thudding of his heart starting to slow from the fervor it had been worked into. In the wake of all of this, knowing that it's just a nightmare...he has to wonder why it's getting to him so badly. It's not as if this isn't a dream he's had before. Except...

...usually, he was always killed in them. Always.]

[soundmind]

[He can cry, he can cry as much as he wants, Maka will just reach up to pet his hair as she continues the song.

Maka never has nightmares about being killed, though she has a fear of death as all humans do, she just simply decided to herself that she will choose how she dies and turned that fear into courage. "I am not going to die, I refuse to," has carried her through even the most grievous of injuries.

No, in her nightmares, her friends die. Either they drop dead around her or someone, like the anonymous ghoul, kills them right in front of her. She can't do anything. It's only in knowing that it's a dream she can fight back, like here when Kaneki was threatened. She protected him and he protected her...it's almost harmonious.

She wonders, faintly, if he usually fights back...given Kaneki's nature, something in her doubts it. Only the spilling of another person's blood released the kagune from him.]

...In other words, please be true.
In other words, I love you.

[She hums, threading fingers through the dark hair absently. There won't be any more violence or fear as long as Maka can help it. She'll sprout blades to fight back like in her body horror nightmares if she has to, but nobody will hurt Kaneki again. Not her dear friend.]

[samsa]

[By the time Maka's song is over Kaneki feels very hollow and drained, both mentally and physically. The darkness of the alley might have been stifling if she wasn't there. Something about her presence made it less threatening. As it stood, nothing else seemed to be coming from the darkness to attack them, at least not now. He just wishes...wishes so badly that she hadn't seen that. And it isn't because he's afraid she'll be afraid of him, either. Being a ghoul- even half of one- is something he still struggles to come to terms with. His time in Johto had spoiled him, giving the illusion that it was over. All over.

But that, too, would pass with time, and one day he would be back. He would be home and would have to face Aogiri being attacked, that vicious ghoul's kagune ripping through his body...he knows now that he survives it, but everything following is a mystery.

Really, he wishes he just didn't know.

Maka will feel a slight shift, a pressure against her shoulders as Kaneki shakily lifts his arms to wrap them around her. He doesn't say anything, just. Holding her there.]

[soundmind]

[Ah.]

I know, I shouldn't have seen this. It's not fair for me to see a low like this, especially when you haven't seen any from me.

[Really, all Maka's done is hide whatever horrible or traumatic things happened to her before. She just wanted to take her mind off of home and how if she were to return there, the perspective gained from being in Johto would be lost. So would the friends, the makeshift family, the memories...

No. It wouldn't do to think about it. Kaneki has probably tried to avoid thinking about it, too. This is what he has to look forward to coming home, it seems, just a lot of violence and misery.]

...Ken, you know what? I think we should leave this dream and find another one. When you're ready.

[samsa]

...yeah. I...I think so too.

[He doesn't move yet, but he does agree. His voice is thick and the words are a little hard coming, but he manages. He's had his fill of Tokyo, tonight.

After a pause, he asks:]

Are you sure you're okay?

[soundmind]

...There's worse than this, and it's happened to me more times than I can count. I've had people wanting to harvest my soul, I've been tortured, I've been beaten and almost raped. I've seen horrible things--sometimes I still see them when I go to sleep at night. That's why my Musharna eats my dreams, even if I don't ask him to.

[It's a roundabout way of saying it, but--]

Yes, I'm fine. I just want to take you out of here. Let's go do something fun, huh? Maybe we can go dancing again, even.

[samsa]

[He can only muster the energy to nod against her shoulder again, an uncomfortable feeling welling in the pit of his stomach.]

Okay. I...really don't want to be here anymore.

[soundmind]

I have an idea of where we should go, I'm gonna take you somewhere really special.

[Hence, when he's ready, she'll stand up with Kaneki and take him by the hand to lead him through to "somewhere else."

Where they end up appears old, but only in the architectural style. Bookshelves tower to the ceiling, candles and lanterns appear to be the only light source, tables are arranged throughout the layout. It's a library, though nobody is in there except for the two of them.]

This is my school's library. You can find all kinds of stuff about the supernatural here, or history of my world, maps...and there's a big horror section, too. I spent a lot of time here back at home.

[samsa]

[Kaneki's still feeling a bit weak when he stands, but he follows Maka readily once she starts walking without looking back for fear that if he does, they'll be attacked again. Or worse.

But all of that trepidation seems to melt away when they step into the library, his mouth falling open slightly as he tilts his head back to gaze at the shelves upon shelves of books.]

This is...in your school?

[He asks breathlessly, so transfixed by the sight that all he can do is stand there and try to take in what he's looking at.]

It's amazing...like...from a dream.

[soundmind]

[She nods, seeming pleased at the reaction. A library is more familiar to their element, it's a safe place. Maka leads him to a table, still holding onto his hand, and pulls out a chair for her friend to sit down. There's a moment of hesitation as she realizes she'll have to let go so he can be comfortable, but she shakes herself out of it, grabbing a book off the shelf and joining him at the table.]

The Academy is a huge chunk of the city. There's parts of it that only Lord Death has seen, even. [A pause, Maka casts a glance to a portrait on the far wall of a black cloaked figure in a skull mask. The light that would usually illuminate the portrait is off. Another portrait is next to it, of a black cloaked boy that looks no older than Maka. He's not wearing the mask, instead holding it in his hands at chest level, showing a stern expression, slanted golden eyes, and curious white stripes ringing his black hair horizontally. "Lord Death II" is inscribed below.]

I mean...Kid's father, the former Lord Death. [Why Kid looks human while his father doesn't isn't something she's explained in detail, and she's not planning on it, though she does hold back an amused comment that they actually managed to get Kid to be satisfied with any portrait of him with minimal whining about symmetry.

Politics are boring, though, so Maka instead pushes the book she got into Kaneki's direction so he can see the cover. Two men are paused in the middle of reaching out to shake hands, one of the men is on fire but both have expressions of being happy, as if this is a reunion. "Wish You Were Here" is written in gold lettering.]

The author of Dark Side of the Moon wrote another one. This is in the perspective of the friend of the protagonist in the last book, so...it's a little bittersweet, but I wasn't able to put it down when I came back. I hope one day I can get it in Johto so you can see it outside of a dream.

[samsa]

[Kaneki lets his gaze wander around the library as Maka explains, only looking back when he feels her hand pull from his. He watches her until she makes it back to the table, his attention grabbed by the book she brought over to him.]

I would like that. It looks interesting, even just by the cover.

[He can't help himself as he reaches out to put a hand on the book, letting his fingertips feel the surface of the cover. Even in a dream, it feels so real...it might as well be, honestly.]

[soundmind]

Since the last book was about his descent into insanity...this one deals with the friend's grief and trying to find him.

[She says this quietly, leaning over to the side and resting her head on Kaneki's shoulder.]

How I wish, how I wish you were here. We're just two lost souls swimming in a fishbowl year after year. Running over the same ground, what have we found? The same old fears. Wish you were here.

[It's not a song, it's a poem, though out of context it sounds like she's talking to someone that's not there. Some part of her feels like she is, but--]

That's a poem at the beginning of the story. The author tends to use them in his books.

[Though technically, even if they're sitting right next to each other, Maka and Kaneki aren't "together"--they're asleep in separate spaces and she just happened to find his dream.]

I wish I could show you this library in reality, but if I went back to my world I wouldn't remember who you are. I don't want that.