Is that a real poncho, or is that a Sears poncho?

[geoviki]

kupukello had the nicest comment about A Thousand Beautiful Things - she says she reads chapters 7 and 9 as "comfort fics". I know exactly what she means, and am so flattered by her saying that. I know when I have those work-sucks and I-have-a-headache and no-one-understands-me and if-I-had-a-dog-I-might-just-imagine-kicking-it days, there are certain fics I go to for solace.

Like zionsstarfish The Way of the World. It just hits me that way. Poor, sad, wet, and cold Draco, stripped of all his former defenses, worried about losing his shit job as a delivery boy.


He can see Harry in its reflection, reaching for one of the oranges Draco brought and unwrapping the tissue paper. Harry's nails pierce the thin, soft rind and the scent of oranges spikes the air. Draco can feel his own skin reacting as Harry tears away long strips. For an impossible and juvenile moment, Draco can imagine those oil-scented fingers sliding through his hair, leaving fragrant evidence of their explorations all over his body. He feels...

Well, he feels, and that's something new in itself.

"Ask me something else," he says. He doesn't want to talk about being tired and stressed and starving, especially when at the moment, he feels none of those things.

"All right," Harry says. "What are you doing tomorrow?"

______________________________________

Draco moves to tuck them in his pockets but Harry takes both of Draco's hands in his. Slowly, shyly, Harry guides Draco's hands under the hem of his shirt and presses them against his stomach. Both of them jump at the sudden contact: Harry from the cold and Draco from, well, god, the fucking intimacy of it and the intensity in Harry's eyes and the sudden heat crackling through his body. Harry doesn't let go, and Draco keeps his hands there on the warm, warm expanse of Harry's skin. Ever so slowly, he inches them up Harry's chest and Harry's breathing staggers and his skin crawls and he shudders like he can't figure out what to feel first. Harry's fingers move from Draco's hands to clench against his waist, and his eyes close. Draco leans in very close to his ear to whisper, "Warm me up."
______________________________________

So tell me - what is your comfort fic? And generalizations won't do, my friends. I want specific parts, memorable lines, moving paragraphs!

ETA: And here are some comfort photos of Boyd Holbrook, the model for Draco in my icons, when you need to drool inappropriately appreciate the human body.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RobertBoyd/
Yeah, you have to join the Yahoo group. Look in the "Photos" and "Files" folders.

Comments

[balfrog.livejournal.com]

YES! mmm- the last 3 chapters of A Thousand Beautiful Things , I read over when I need something warm and comforting. As I do with the Booths scene onwards (boots? snake teacup? the outfit? TV reconciliation? it's all good here) in The Waters of March. But of course, you know your own fics, so on to other things.

Besides the warm fluff and exquisite smut that make up a chunc of my favorites list (always cheers me up), I actually like the sweet paragraphs smack in the middle of somewhat angsty fics. They tend to get even more loving and poignant, a relief in the midst of the pain.

There's this bit in Calico and Julad's Lustre (http://yearningvoid.net/julad/lustre.htmlhttp://yearningvoid.net/julad/lustre.html) that's just so gorgeous with bits of prickliness, after Harry cures Draco's emotive snake by, um, doing stuff with Draco...

"Talk to her, if you like," Draco says, generously, a possessive joy swelling in his chest at sharing his lovely beautiful snake with his lovely beautiful boy.

Harry shakes his head, "no, I'm shy," and Draco curls delightedly on his side to raise an eyebrow at him.

"Shy."

Harry is all scruffed-up hair and wide eyes. "We just," he says, waving his free hand around, "you know, and she'll ask me what made you so happy, and it's too weird."

"You don't want to talk to my snake about sex," Draco says, feeling his grin widen when Harry looks sheepish. "Well, fair enough, I suppose."

It strikes him suddenly that this lovely beautiful boy is quite capable of talking about him to his lovely beautiful snake, and that he isn't in the least bit disturbed. He trusts them, he thinks, slowly. They're both young and fresh and radiantly complicated, and while anything would be welcome after a Malfoy upbringing, this isn't just anything, and never will be. They're sharp-edged like gems, these delightfully barbed gifts - but Draco can handle them because they're his to handle.

[painless-j.livejournal.com]

The Way of the World - yes, it is a comfort fic for me, too. I wouldn't call your TBT so because it's long. I would call it 'nice day off' fic, when I know I'll have a day off and am planning to spend it with pleasure.

Comfort fic? Hmm, Severus and the Crup by Josan. Smth by Aucta Sinistra.

I'm sorry I have no more power to search for lines, I'm really-really sorry, maybe I'll try again tomorrow. Ok?

[curiosa-cabinet.livejournal.com]

Lustre was already mentioned, and that one is definitely on top of my list, too. I've read it about a million times...
Another nice comfort fic for me is Carried Away by Olivia Lupin. Quote:


"And with a sudden certainty that Harry had felt few other times in his life, he knew, without even opening his eyes, that he was being held by Draco. And that Draco had definitely been in his room that one night and had given him that delicious backrub. The conversation they had had in Potions the day after his other "dream" crystallized suddenly in his mind, offering both proof and reassurance; Draco had all but told him then, had tried that day in class to make him understand. And then everything since then ... the time spent together, the easy sharing, the growing warmth.

"Draco?" The single word held incredulity and hope in equal parts.

"Well, yes." There was relief and wry humor in the reply.

Harry's eyes flew open and he pulled back slightly, his face flushing bright crimson as he took in their position on the huge sofa. Draco was lying on his back, propped slightly up against one arm, his spread legs cradling Harry's hips and his arms still loosely around the dark haired boy's shoulders.

They stared at each other, Draco cautious but open, Harry completely bemused.

"Hello," Harry finally offered softly."

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

All of Olivia Lupins' fics are bit-time comfort fics. Here's the link for that story you mention (I had to go off and reread it):

http://www.astronomytower.org/authors/olupin/CA.html

Links for other stories at Astronomy Tower:

http://www.astronomytower.org/authorLinks/Olivia_Lupin/

(Mutual Interest is one of my favorites)

Her link for her other LJ stories:

http://www.livejournal.com/tools/memories.bml?user=olivia_lupin&keyword=my+fics&filter=all

[curiosa-cabinet.livejournal.com]

Thanks. God, I haven't even read half of all those...

[iibnf.livejournal.com]

I just thought your icon was an arsehole. Had to look twice.

I have seen WAY TOO MUCH PORN.

It's warped my tiny little brain.

[crimsonclad.livejournal.com]

Ooh, Third Time's The Charm (http://www.helenish.net/tttc.shtml) by helenish. And this part isn't even anything shiptastic, but I love it-

"He'll never win—" Potter began.

"Of course he won't win," Severus said. "He has no real interest in winning, at this point. But he'd be happy to kill you, and everyone you know. He'll be happy to make enough stupid Muggles cognizant of our existence that—"

"Muggles aren't stupid—"

"Enough of them are," Lupin said. "What Voldemort wanted twenty years ago is not what he wants now."

"Yeah," Potter said. He had been balancing on the back two legs of his chair, and now he let the chair fall back down with a thump. "Everyone just knows all about him, except anything actually useful, like maybe when or how he's going to attack."

"Let's all hope his weapon of choice is adolescent petulance," Severus snapped, "since he certainly could not hope to prevail against our champion."

Ah, snark. And here-

"I was almost sorted into Gryffindor, you know," Severus said, when he wanted to make Lupin laugh, full-throated, throwing his head back against the pillow. "I assure you it’s true; the sorting hat said I had the makings of a first class prat and total wanker, and—"

"And you said thanks, but you’d take the seven years of unremitting torture at the hands of your classmates, in the wake of which you would then make terrible, terrible life decisions?" Lupin said, rolling sideways, resting one elbow against the mattress.

"Exactly so," Severus said.

The whole thing is just subtle and hilarious and sometimes chest-clenchingly wonderful, and I wish everyone in the world would read it.

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

Now, see, you've gone and scooped my own LJ. I was saving up a special post for later this week about the wondrous author that is helenish. I adore every little thing she writes. I'd suck up her grocery lists if I could.

[crimsonclad.livejournal.com]

Dude, reading her journal from the beginning is like reading a brilliant novel of hilarity. In my office, we periodically discuss our desire to marry a man just like The Bandit.

And her plot bunnies keep me awake at night. She made me read popslash, man, because I am a slave to her whims.

[thrihyrne.livejournal.com]

I'll need to go check out this author who is receiving such high praise! Thank you for your email- I've friended you as well. And as I wrote in my initial email, I really enjoyed "A Thousand Beautiful Things." One thing that struck me initially as I was reading it was the shock of realizing, "Hey! Somebody else knows about Johnny Clegg!" I had a friend in college who introduced me to him and I hadn't thought about him since then until reading ATBT. From one writer to another, kudos.

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

Johnny Clegg, yay!

Extra credit if you can identify the musician who came up with the line that is this post's title!

a doll with a pin

[isiscolo.livejournal.com]

Oh, come on. That's too easy.

Although I forget that not everybody is of the same fine vintage as we are.

Re: a doll with a pin

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

Is that your cat in the icon? Cutie.

I was remembering this line, because in the context of some conversation at our family reunion (and WTF context that could have been I can't even tell you!), my brother-in-law mentioned that that reference was understood by fewer and fewer people every year!

Carry the torch proudly, Isis!

[thrihyrne.livejournal.com]

Gimme a Z!

Z! For... Frank ZAPPA.

[Moving to Montana soon, gonna be a dental floss tycoon]

[watch out where those huskies go- don't you eat no yellow snow!]

And isiscolo is right. Our vintage is a most excellent one. By age 14: I had had my first crush: Matthew Broderick in "War Games" (which I currently own on VHS); was absorbed the irony of "Blasphemous Rumours;" and had a telephone cord necklace. In turquoise. Yay, early 80's!

[seelechen.livejournal.com]

I'm a sucker for happy endings, when it comes to picking comfort fic.

Care of Magical Creatures (http://members.ozemail.com.au/~brussell/comc.htm) by iibnf (Snape/Hagrid, NC17). One of my absolute favourite stories in fandom, and still probably the most romantic thing I've ever read, in fan or original fic. Plus this Snape is, imo, very close to canon and very believable, and iibnf's Hagrid is the Hagrid.

and

Photo Perfect (http://predatrix.slashcity.org/fiction/photoperfect.htm) predatrix (Snape/Lockheart, NC17). Sweet, funny, satisfying. And HOT.

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

Whoa! An hour just flew by for me - I read iibnf's Snape/Hagrid stories for the first time. Boy, are they terrific! Thanks so much for pointing them out.

[seelechen.livejournal.com]

Glad to be of service! *tips hat*

[painless-j.livejournal.com]

Viki! Please-please, turn on yahoo messenger, I have a thing to ask. A favour, that is...

[ladyvader.livejournal.com]

*bows low*

Hi there, you won't know me and I confess that until this weekend I had less than no clue as to who you were.... now I plan to go scream your name and more importantly the link for A Thousand Beautiful Things from the LJ rooftops.

It was just, gah, so wonderful I actually ached with wanting to stop reading because it was going too quickly and long before I was able to bear it, it had finished but the ending was so fabulous that I utterly forgive you for not dragging out into infinity like I would have liked. ;)

I read the section where Harry and Draco tussle in the rain just before dashing out to work and god I was just such a mess walking through town, snivelling in the sunshine picturing the hurt and betrayal in Draco's eyes. Utterly Fantastic, filled with angst yet somehow the most heart warming fic I've read in AGES, and I guess I just wanted to say thankyou for a perfect story.*worships you*

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

Ah, you are wrong. I do know you. You wrote the very hot "Matinee", which I've read already, and more than once, too. I think it's one of the most-asked for "What was the name of that fic..." fics that I see on some of the H/D message boards.

I'm glad you enjoyed my story. Thanks so much for coming here and saying so.

[hansbekhart.livejournal.com]

You have much less a chance of knowing who I am than the person that commented above me, and although I'm very shy and always feel weird about randomly commenting on people's journals, that other person gave me courage :). So yeah, random fangirl moment beginning now.

I actually just found A Thousand Beautiful Things a few days ago, and absolutely fell in love with it. I'm having trouble now, actually, seperating your Draco with other Dracos in fanfics. Do you have any other stories out? I found it on skyehawke. But yeah, thanks so much for such a wonderful story, I really enjoyed and loved it, you're a wonderful writer and I hope very much that you've written other things that I can hunt down.

I'd respond to the real point of this thread, but I'm not at home and don't have my links with me. I'm pulling these out of my memory, but "Stealing Harry," which is also on skyehawke, "Underwater Light," by Maya, and some of Ivy Blossom's lengthy stories. Sorry I can't pull up specifics!

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

Fear not! I don't bite at all. Thanks for stopping by and talking about ATBT, and for your kind words about it. And I can't think of anyone I know who doesn't like new faces (fingers?) dropping by their LJ.

I've written a whopping 4 stories, all on Skyehawke:

Stories (http://www.skyehawke.com/archive/authors.php?no=157)

"Chaining" got shortened and recycled into ATBT, so maybe it's only 3 1/2 stories.