Lap Pillow: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

 

 

A good way to show the physical intimacy and trust which a couple have is to rest one's head on the other's lap. Usually, the man does the resting while the woman provides the lap, not only because of anatomical reasons but because the lap-owner is typically of a nurturing nature more associated with femininity. Bonus points if she's feeding him grapes or stroking his hair.

In some cases this is done between people who are not necessarily lovers, to comfort someone who is weeping or injured.

 

 

Compare [[Holding Hands]].

 

{{examples}}

* In ''[[Kodomo no Jikan]]'', Aoki uses Rin as a lap pillow. Soon after, they've moved to the tree behind them and she's using him as a lap pillow (in the perfect position to drool right there). Then Kuro and Mimi find them. Mimi leans up against the opposite side of Aoki while [[Schoolgirl Lesbian|Kuro]] uses the opposite side of the lap (the rear, for the unable to figure out hints) on Rin as her pillow.

* In ''[[Mahou Sensei Negima]]'', [[Adorably Precocious Child|Negi]] does this a lot, falling asleep on his students' laps on numerous occasions. The romantic overtones are usually subverted. Such as when he falls asleep on Konoka's lap (pictured above), leading the cheerleaders (and [[Shotacon|Ayaka]], who promptly freaks out) to believe that they're secretly dating, when in fact he's just exhausted. Naturally, Ayaka is overjoyed when Negi conks out on her lap later on, again due to fatigue.

* In ''[[Fate/stay night]]'', Saber makes Shirou rest on a park bench after she realizes that he's about to collapse due to fatigue from his injuries. Then she realizes that there is no pillow, and picking the idea up from another couple on another park bench, makes him rest his head on her lap. Then he [[Sleep Cute|falls asleep]] (he was ''really'' tired).

* This happens very early on in ''[[11eyes]]'' for a Yuka/Kakeru bonding scene.

** Specifically, Ren was overcome by his feelings and nearly either confessed or propositioned her, but realizing halfway through that this was already freaking her out and if he finished she'd probably be scared out of his life for good, he managed to turn it into the claim that he thought he might feel better if he napped and he couldn't sleep without a pillow. Both of them feel very awkward, until Kyoko (thinking Ren is asleep) starts petting his hair.

* In ''[[Great Teacher Onizuka]]'', when [[Tsundere|Anko]] and [[Butt Monkey|Noboru]], Anko accidentally smacks Noboru in the face with her purse thinking he's a perv, so she lets him rest his head in her lap until his nose stops bleeding.

* The implied intimacy of the situation is the reason why Dolores and Mr. Raptor (Both [[Humongous Mecha]], mind you) end up going straight to [[Instant Seiza]] when a bump during transportation puts them in this position in ''[[Zone of the Enders]]: Dolores, i''. That, and the cockpit sticking out from between Dolores' legs...

* Happens twice in ''[[Bleach]]''. Once, after losing against the Hollow Grandfisher, Ichigo falls unconscious and Rukia rests his head in her lap.

** The second instance occurs in the Soul Society arc, during a flashback, between [[Les Yay|Yoruichi and Soifon]].

* In the manga version of ''[[The Legend of Zelda]]'', Link is lying on Princess Zelda's lap, although this turns out to be a dream.

* Ch. 19 of ''[[Aki Sora]]'' has one page of this between [[Psycho Lesbian|Nami]] and [[The Woobie|Sora]]. The [[Brother-Sister Incest|subtext]] gets a heavy and rather ironic lampshading.

* In ''[[Hetalia Bloodbath 2011]]'' [[Ho Yay|Italy is shown sleeping]] [[Ship Tease|with his head on Germany's lap]].

* In episode 17 of ''[[Kiniro no Corda]]'' Shimizu uses Hino's lap as a pillow.

* During the storyline in which Tatewaki is possessed by a cherry tree in [[Ranma ½]] he lays on Ranma's lap.

* In ''[[Madlax]]'' episode 24, Margaret sleeps with her head in Elenore's lap during a flashback. Also contains [[Ear Cleaning]].

 

* In ''[[Sin City]]: Family Values'', Miho rests her head on Dwight's lap in a rare moment of affection.

 

== [[Film]] ==

 

== [[Literature]] ==

* In ''[[The Wheel of Time]]'', er... [[Loads and Loads of Characters|some guy]] does this with his Aes Sedai girlfriend after the battle to {{spoiler|cleanse ''saidin''}}.

* In ''[[The Witch of Blackbird Pond]]'', Kit's cousin Mercy is in love with John Holbrook. Kit eventually discovers that despite previous confusion, John returns Mercy's feelings, and debates whether to tell Mercy the truth {{spoiler|after they believe him dead}}. Before she gets the chance, however, the door opens to reveal John—who wordlessly stumbles across the room to drop to his knees and put his head in Mercy's lap.

** And then it happens again nine books later in ''Ghost Story'', but this time he {{spoiler|wakes up (after being resurrected) on [[God Save Us From the Queen|Mab's]] lap}}. [[Oh Crap]].

 

* In a flashback scene at the end of an episode of ''[[Monk]]'', it is revealed that Trudy Monk would put her feet up on the coffee table (the sole reason why that piece of furniture is crooked in an apartment of perfect right angles) so Adrian could put his head in her lap.

* On ''[[Dexter]]'', when Lila and Dexter share a hotel room, he ends up falling asleep with his head in her lap after a breakdown following a confrontation with his mother's murderer.

* In [[The X-Files]] episode 'Detour', Mulder sleeps with his head on Scully's lap when they're forced to camp out in the woods overnight. [[Heartwarming Moments|She even sings him a song.]]

* [[Lampshade Hanging|Lampshaded]] in "Recession Proof" from season seven of ''[[House (TV series)|House]]'', when the titular character flops, drunk and soaking wet, on to a couch with {{spoiler|Cuddy}}, head in her lap.

{{spoiler|Cuddy}}: Go to sleep, House. }}

 

== [[Theater]] ==

* [[Hamlet]] lays his head in Ophelia's lap—and proceeds with a string of [[Double Entendre]]s about what else he might lay in her lap, including the trope namer for [[Country Matters]].

 

== [[Video Games]] ==

* [[Final Fantasy X|Tidus]] has a moment like this with Yuna early on. While it does show Yuna's sympathy for him, it's less romantic as Tidus is having an inner freakout at that point.

* This is part of Minori's good end in ''[[Brass Restoration]]''. Ryo breaks down crying and then falls asleep with his head in her lap. Because he cried himself to sleep, he doesn't realize what happened until Tsubomi tells him, leading Kouri to ask what a lap pillow is. He says it's a new type of pillow.

* The [http://en.touhouwiki.net/wiki/File:Th04cover.jpg cover] of ''[[Touhou|Touhou Project: Lotus Land Story]]'' involves Marisa sleeping in Reimu's lap this way.

* The player can get some lap action in [[Steambot Chronicles]] while dating either the female lead, her best friend, or the ship captain.

== [[Web Comics]] ==

* ''[[Questionable Content]]'' has had this happen a few times. {{spoiler|If you count passing out, that is. The puking is usually optional.}}

 

== [[Western Animation]] ==

'''Joker:''' (sounding genuinely confused) What makes you say that? }}

 

* [http://www.mukkamu.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/japan_lap_pillow_01-1.jpg This is an actual real life pillow in Japan.] The one meant for women is a male torso with an arm extended in a way that the woman would sleep under that arm.