Curtain Fic

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Fanfic that has a domestic chore as the plot. The classic situation is shopping for curtains, hence the name. Other sorts of shopping also work.

This can also mean just a fic of a couple, either Het or Slash, spending the day at home.

This is a variety of WAFF, a fan-created Breather Episode; the point is showing the characters doing something quiet and mundane together. Interestingly, this genre is popular even (especially?) for fandoms where the work itself (including official Breather Episodes) is action-packed. The phenomenon of Fanfic written about characters shopping for curtains was first noted in an on-line article about fanfic for The Sentinel.

True Curtain Fic rarely contains sex; the trip to IKEA rarely ends with IKEA Erotica. This is all about character study, or else about getting the plot more paper-thin as someone who doesn't want to write Lemon fic will get.

This can also be played for laughs when a character with No Social Skills acts like a Fish Out of Water for something as "simple" as buying toilet paper; see also Villains Out Shopping.

Examples of Curtain Fic include:

Anime and Manga

• Tampon has Edward Elric going on the Errand Of Doom: picking up tampons for Winry. And it is adorable
• The Neon Genesis Evangelion fic The Second Try is an interesting take on this, since the activities in question are survival in a post-Third Impact world and revolve around things like getting food, self-education and property maintenance. It's also notable in that it provides significant Character Development for Shinji and Asuka as well as numerous Heartwarming Moments.
• With This Ring..., a 1998 fic by Anand Rao, is a short story about what happens when four anime protagonists all end up in a jewelry store looking for engagement rings at the same time.

Comics

• Domestic Cozitude has Tony and Pepper grocery shopping together.
• Tony and Pepper Go To Target is Exactly What It Says on the Tin.

Live Action TV

• The fluffier House/Chameron works of enigma731.
• The Supernatural fic "Life As We Know It" by sevenfists is a noteworthy (also, literal) example of this trope.

Literature

• The suprisingly in-character Vetinari/Death fic called, reasonably enough, "Curtain Call.

Web Comics

• The Homestuck fanfic "Grocery Day" is about the trolls going to an Earth supermarket for shopping. Hilarity Ensues though, choking all possible WAFF under a payload of wacky hijinx.

Western Animation

• Fandomme actually as a series of Zuko/Katara stories devoted to this, called the 'Three Chores' series.

Video Games

• Other Halves and Other Tales is one of these.
• While most examples are pretty nonsexual... Cloud Mows the Lawn. Read at your own risk, and be sure to have some brain bleach handy.
• The Most Massively Useful Thing is a Metal Gear Solid fic that has Snake and Otacon shopping for stuff and having a competition involving a towel and a box.