Hero (Starsky & Hutch story)

Fanfiction
Title:	Hero
Author(s):	Charlotte Frost
Date(s):	1994
Length:
Genre(s):	slash
Fandom(s):	Starsky & Hutch
Relationship(s):
External Links:	online here
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Hero is a slash Starsky & Hutch story by Charlotte Frost.

It was printed in Heart and Soul #1 and later online.

The Author Comments

It was seven years before I ever knew that anybody liked this story at all. And then I found out that a lot of people did.

When I was thinking about doing my first zine – which was to be HEART AND SOUL 1 – I felt that “Hero” was the weak story in the zine. It wasn’t really even a “story” since it didn’t have a plot. Sometimes, I wondered if I should leave it out altogether. But then I rationalize that *something* had to be the weak story in the zine.

Based on the responses after the zine was published, there seemed to be pretty much agreement that this was the least favorite story in the zine.

As the years went by, I continue to sometimes wish I’d left “Hero” out of the zine altogether.

Then one day, in 2000, I started corresponding with a new S&H fan. She would eventually become my best friend. She loved my stuff, and just couldn’t say enough about “Hero”. I was flabbergasted. What was wrong with her? Couldn’t she see what a plotless, non-story it was?

She thought it was great “comfort reading”. In fact, she had many friends who thought so, as well.

Oh.

Sometimes, you really and truly do have to wait years before you find out that a story was worthwhile.

This story almost wasn't included in the zine.

I was very aware that, despite its length, it lacked a plot. There just isn't anything that happens. It consists of Starsky taking detailed care of Hutch, after the events of "Black and Blue". I seriously considered leaving the story out of HAS, but then rationalized that something had to be the weakest story in the zine. So, I left it in.

While it did get some nice comments spread over the quite a few years, it wasn't until nearly seven years later, when I struck up a conversation with a newish fan, and she gushed about how much she and her other newish fan friends loved it... because it was "comfort reading"... that was the first time I started to wonder if maybe it wasn't such a bad story.

Reactions and Reviews: Comments Received by the Author

Charlotte Frost posted some of the comments this story received when it was first published in Heart and Soul:

Readers who indicated that this was their least favorite story in the zine said:

• Not that I disliked it, just that I didn't like it as much as the others, basically just because it wasn't slash.

• Lots of pain - although the closeness is there, Hutch is really hurting.

• My least favorite but only because I prefer stories where Starsky is the one needing the comforting. I would still read this one more than once.  :-)

Other comments received beyond the questionnaire:

• This is a wonderful story! The hurt/comfort was great -- Starsky's determination to take care of Hutch, not making him go back to the hospital, and Hutch wanting to be taken care of. Yeah, he did deserve it!! Your observations of Hutch's heroism in Shootout were right on. I loved Starsky's memories of himself grabbing Hutch's thigh (Yes, Starsky, we all remember it, too!), and Hutch taking care of everything. You've done a lot of thinking about the subtext of both episodes, and it shows. One line that struck me in particular is the one where Hutch, eyes closed, nods once firmly in agreement with Starsky that he's better off at home than in a hospital. I could see it so clearly! It reminded me exactly of the scene in Hutchinson for Murder One, when Starsky tells Dryden that he's Hutch's partner, he'll put the cuffs on! And the ending, with them sharing the bed, Starsky in protective mode of his 'hero', was perfect.

• I really loved "Hero". I never liked the way Starsky treated Hutch in that episode and the way you dealt with it was great. The way Starsky took care of Hutch really made up for his unfeeling treatment earlier.

• I liked that one, especially for the descriptions of Hutch after his rescue initiative, and for the very characteristic way in which he refuses to go back to the hospital and Starsky sees to it that he doesn't have to. But there were still lot of things that annoyed me, and I also felt that the plot wasn't really going anywhere. But there was also a surfeit of references to that parent/child relationship which some people seem to perceive. It comes up in quite a few stories in this zine, and it annoys the hell out of me, so that didn't help....

• "Big baby." Lord, do I understand that! I like their independence, it was always one of the most attractive ideas about the relationship -- that they could take turns being the strong one, or the weak one. They weren't stuck in only one role. They adjusted to fill the other's need at the time.

• I really enjoyed this story. It was nice to see Hutch being the one to receive some comfort for a change. It also gave us ample opportunity to see inside Starsky's head and learn more about his feelings for his partner. His glances into the past were a nice touch. One thing I especially appreciated about this story is that it offered a great ending to what I feel was a rather disturbing episode of the show. I have always felt that Starsky behaved out of character, becoming so quickly involved with Meredith and almost dismissing Hutch. Thanks for going into it a little deeper.  :-)

• Man, did I love this story. I love h/c and I always felt that the episode didn't show the care and concern Starsky felt for Hutch when he was shot and especially when he left the hospital to go find Starsky. Thank you for this beautiful ending. It's just the way I know it should have happened.

• I enjoyed this, too -- Hutch is indeed Starsky's hero, and always will be. And I liked the link with an episode I personally have major problems with. Your story really helped. Starsky is very good at taking care of his partner and this showed so well. Again the little things were great, like Starsky refusing to leave Hutch -- really good, and how he just held on to Hutch and accepted. I liked the link back to Shootout (one of my favourite episodes BTW.) Again, the human side, the irritability, the fear -- oh everything.

• I always wanted Starsky to care about Hutch leaving the hospital still hurt to rescue him. I liked the way you related Starsky's feelings back to the time HE had been shot and Hutch took care of him and the situation in the Italian restaurant.

• Was an ok story as I feel I've read better treatments of Black and Blue and I'm not fond of non-slash stories.

Reactions and Reviews: Later Comments

There were several Charlotte Frost stories recently posted online for the first time, thrilling her readers—present company included—to no end. I haven’t actually gotten to these new gems yet (RL, thou art a bitch), but I found an "old" gem that hasn’t been recced here, so *squee*! And it really is a gem: set immediately after Black and Blue—an ep that, frankly, didn’t live up to its potential—Charlotte smooths out some of the fugly bits of the plot, and gives us the H/C that was so sorely missing on-screen. It’s a satisfying fic that gives me the warm and fuzzies. :)