Hurt No Comfort

The first half of hurt/comfort with the second half deliberately withheld: characters suffer and the narrative offers no rescue, no soft landing, no fixing. The tag is a promise to readers that the pain will not be cushioned.

50,000 works

What is Hurt No Comfort in fanfiction?

The first half of hurt/comfort with the second half deliberately withheld: characters suffer and the narrative offers no rescue, no soft landing, no fixing. The tag is a promise to readers that the pain will not be cushioned. With over 50,000 works on Archive of Our Own, Hurt No Comfort is one of the most beloved tropes in fanfiction.

Why readers love Hurt No Comfort

Sometimes catharsis requires a story that doesn't flinch or console, and readers seeking that full-weight ache use this tag to find authors who will follow through.

Examples of Hurt No Comfort

A character dying alone with the apology they never got to make, or a betrayal fic that ends on the discovery with no reconciliation chapter coming.

Best Hurt No Comfort Fanfics

The highest-rated Hurt No Comfort stories across all fandoms on AO3.

1

Another Version of Subaru

by orphan_account

A one-shot version of Subaru where his life goes different before going to the Re:Zero world.

34,064 kudos 8,241 words ~33 min read Mature
Subaru one shot Alternative Subaru Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence
2

Living with Thorns Crushing My Heart

Complete

by writerllofllworlds

He was not an idiot, and soon enough, he noticed it too. When Mina broke up with Kiri, Katsuki was the first one at his side. He stayed in the redhead’s room for hours, consoling him and giving him a shoulder to cry on. He canceled training with Izuku to get Kirishima back on his feet. He pushed bac

20,550 kudos 11,409 words ~46 min read Teen And Up Audiences
Death Angst Hanahaki Disease
3

Searching For You In The Background

Complete

by s_the_queen

*READ THE TAGS*---They'd made progress but Izuku still knew that Katsuki would hate his birthday photos if he were in them.In the end, Katsuki has to settle for searching for Izuku in the background.

16,039 kudos 8,837 words ~36 min read Teen And Up Audiences
Hurt No Comfort Angst and Tragedy Angst
4

Evermore

Complete

by rabiddog

Prince Theseus, a child of blonde and blue, a child of isolation and a crave for touch. He's the youngest in the Royal Family, and somehow the most forgotten. The most neglected. The most alone. Tucked away in his tower, the young prince watches the world move on without him, watches his family welc

14,245 kudos 56,184 words ~225 min read Teen And Up Audiences
TommyInnit Angst (Video Blogging RPF) Prince TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF) Bad Parent Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF)
5

There’s Blood in your Web, Theseus (wipe it out)

Complete

by spookyserpent

Spiders are both overlooked and feared. They spin their webs, catch their kills and move on. Some hunt, finding their prey and stalking until the kill. Tommy’s not a Huntsman Spider anymore, though. He made sure of that when the skies bled black with smoke and the horizon was stained with orange and

13,766 kudos 162,407 words ~650 min read Mature
Black Widow AU MCU AU Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers
6

every line you crossed (every place i could never return from)

Complete

by artofflorescence

Izuku's image of heroes is shattered. He's disillusioned. But instead of getting bitter, he's just...tired.He'd just like to stop thinking about it. Maybe it's better, to lock himself away where he is safe from the biting teeth of the outside world.There's a strange boy he keeps meeting on rooftops.

13,463 kudos 8,257 words ~34 min read Teen And Up Audiences
Suicidal Midoriya Izuku Suicidal Thoughts Implied/Referenced Suicide
7

Playlist for When Your Boyfriend Stops Breathing

Complete

by SunsetPlums

He pictures the funeral sometimes.He pictures someone he doesn’t know saying Viktor’s name wrong. He pictures screaming in public. He pictures stealing the ashes and keeping them in a protein powder container because it’s the only vessel big enough. He pictures lying in those ashes like a widow bird

13,010 kudos 9,821 words ~40 min read Mature
anticipatory grief Grief/Mourning Caretaking
8

So Close

Complete

by Baybee00

A devastating on-ice collision changes everything for Shane Hollander, Ilya Rozanov, and everyone who loves them.

11,832 kudos 16,511 words ~67 min read Explicit
Hurt No Comfort Character Death Suicide
9

Drown In My Ocean of Black Box Dye

Complete

by brigreenie

He clicked the pen his therapist had given him, opening the first page. In big letters, he wrote, “Reasons To Live: 1-100.”Then, he flipped to the middle of the journal. He paused, felt-tip inches from the page. This was gonna be another mistake to add to his long-running list, wasn’t it?Caving, he

11,337 kudos 41,792 words ~168 min read Mature
Angst Hurt/Comfort Hurt No Comfort
10

between all these undefinable, impossible odds

Complete

by artofflorescence

There is a green-haired boy with a blindfold. He’s got a pistol in his hand.(He’s got a pistol to his head).Six chambers. One bullet. No will to live, no reason to stay.There’s a crowd watching the stage he stands on. He hears them, the whisper of fabric, the low murmur and brushing of hands. Money

11,076 kudos 5,655 words ~23 min read Teen And Up Audiences
spicy angst but the storyline is really obscure midoriya izuku straight up not having a good time Midoriya Izuku Has a Bad Time
11

Let me sit down for dinner with my dead lover again, For this is the last dream I ever want to have

Complete

by a_bird_who_is_like_no_other

"So we could all do our duty! We could all be strong. Be together!”Rumi is begging.Rumi is begging and Mira had wanted to be just that, be together, up until five minutes ago – her and Zoey had talked about it in detail, how both of their heart were beating for two people, how easy it had been to fa

11,025 kudos 5,723 words ~23 min read Not Rated
Soulmates Angst Hurt No Comfort
12

Sunshowers

by IzzyMRDB

Percy has a rather bad habit of being able to see the future. The old lady down the street is going to lose her cat, Mom is going to make pasta for dinner, Zeus' Master Bolt is going to be stolen by Luke, he's going to get a C+ in Maths.As you can tell, this causes problems. Especially since he was

10,985 kudos 34,378 words ~138 min read Mature
NaNoWriMo Pre-Canon Canon Era
13

Trust is Nothing

Complete

by maverickk

Percy Jackson had been left, alone, in Tartarus. His trust in his best friend was shattered. His loyalty was owed to no one. His energy went into keeping himself alive, and if he had to delve into darker and more deadly powers, so be it. But now he's out, and he has work to do.In which Percy Jackson

10,759 kudos 32,669 words ~131 min read Teen And Up Audiences
Hurt Annabeth Chase (Percy Jackson) Nico di Angelo & Percy Jackson Friendship Dark Percy Jackson
14

Windikouk

by Cloud_Gazer

He was born as the son of Zen'in Ougi by a woman not of the clan, gifted with an ability they had searched years for. But when he finally summons his first Shikigami there is no rejoicing, only fear."It's alright, I won't let anyone hurt you again." *Currently editing and under revision, because som

10,659 kudos 85,016 words ~341 min read Explicit
Original Character(s) Horror Zenin Clan Drama (Jujutsu Kaisen)
15

one half of a whole

Complete

by interstellarisms

Eva feels like the breath is knocked out of her lungs when the man walks in. Dirty blond hair. Blue eyes. Sort of like… if Ryland Grace was hit by a car several times. It was undeniably him. “So you’re Eva Stratt,” The man says gruffly, slamming both hands on her desk. He looked exactly like Ryland,

10,603 kudos 20,263 words ~82 min read General Audiences
Ryland Grace and Colt Seavers Are Twin Brothers Eva Stratt Needs a Hug Hurt No Comfort
16

No Love Zone

Complete

by tigerbuns

Jeongguk is on his way home after killing someone.Taehyung is trying to escape his abusive owner.A businessman who paints the city red with blood to sate his lust for money meets a tiger hybrid who longs to be cherished. Either love blooms or tragedy begins.

10,286 kudos 248,514 words ~995 min read Explicit
Alternate Universe - Fantasy Hybrids Human Jeon Jungkook
17

[Access]

by Teobot

Izuku blinks up at Shigaraki Tomura. Shimura Tenko. A host of other names he’s heard from Dabi. Sensei’s- All for One’s protégé.He’s not much older than Izuku is.-Caught unaware by the recent turn of events, Izuku must make a decision: stay and help, knowing that it will hurt his family and friends,

9,865 kudos 13,405 words ~54 min read Teen And Up Audiences
Kidnapping Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés Parental Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead
18

How are you here?

Complete

by Worlds_we_Idolize

Mantis can feel others' emotions. What happens when she finally feels Tony's? orThe original team all survive the snap, including Mantis. One way or another everyone ends up back in Wakanda and eventually back at the tower. The team soon learns of Mantis' unique abilities and wonder when they'll see

8,958 kudos 3,837 words ~16 min read Teen And Up Audiences
Angst Hurt No Comfort Depressed Tony Stark
19

The Future that Never Was

by spookyserpent

This is the day everything changed.Izuku is fourteen again.That means he needs to plan. He needs to find a way to fix the mistakes of the future and stop his friends from dying. He refuses to fail this time.He'll be the Hero he couldn't be. Or, Midoriya Izuku was Quirkless, was gifted a Quirk from A

8,898 kudos 161,083 words ~645 min read Mature
Tags Contain Spoilers Time Travel Fix-It Angst
20

hero and villain duet

Complete

by fuglychan

Tommy is an aspiring hero in a city full of the most powerful heroes. He's not well liked by the civilians and other heroes - more importantly, the police force, who is after him any chance they get. Despite the constant criticism, he tries his best to help. After a battle with the Pyromanic Sapnap

8,791 kudos 113,603 words ~455 min read Teen And Up Audiences
Team as Family Family Feels Hurt TommyInnit

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Hurt No Comfort fics are on AO3?

There are over 50,000 works tagged with Hurt No Comfort on Archive of Our Own.

What fandoms have the most Hurt No Comfort stories?

Popular fandoms for Hurt No Comfort include Supernatural, Attack on Titan, Tokyo Ghoul.

How can I read Hurt No Comfort fanfiction on my phone?

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