328: 2 x 2 x 2: Six podfics I've arbitarily paired as OTPs on my iPod
I like herding podfics into little groups to write about them: Damaged!Sam, Hurt!Dean, apoca!fics, etc. So here I've come up with three pairs of fics that each feel like they belong together.
Someone Does Mourn the Unknown Soldier
title. Warm Strangers
author. extraonions
reader. cookiemom6067
characters. ensemble of 1st season one-shot characters
rating. G
length. about 25 minutes
summary. All of Monument, Colorado grieves when an explosion destroys the local police station and everyone in it. But who shall mourn for Sam and Dean Winchester, the two fugitives also present?
listen to this. One of my major bulletproof story kinks is the formation of community, especially around someone who never anticipated such a thing. Sam and Dean (who appear only briefly in this story) have just escaped the explosion in "Jus in Bello." The world thinks they're dead. They think they're unmourned. And a group of people, each believing they're alone in facing something terrible and unimaginable, come together to pay their respects to the Winchesters.
title. Next of Kin (Warm Strangers Remix)
author. dsudis
reader. cookiemom6067
characters. Bobby, Sam, Dean, ensemble of 1st season one-shot characters
rating. G
length. about 25 minutes
summary. He listens long enough to hear Monument, Colorado and then he hangs up, pulls back onto the road and starts driving.
listen to this. Along with all those other phones labeled FBI, Sheriff, etc., Bobby has one labeled NOK for "Next of Kin." This bittersweet remix of "Warm Strangers" takes Bobby's point of view as he finds himself dealing with the mixed reaction of hunters and the surprising outpouring from strangers, and shows us just how very much he's family to the boys. Both "Warm Strangers" and its remix are given a graceful reading by cookiemom6067.
After the Rising
title. Carrion Comfort
author and reader. pandarus, aka FayJay
characters. Sam/Dean
rating. R
length. about 45 minutes
summary. in which Lucifer rises, and Dean falls
listen to this. In the aftermath of Lucifer's rising, Dean does in fact save Sammy, but not in any way John Winchester would have foreseen -- or wanted. Amazing twist, and hotness and angst wrapped up in an awesome fic, with FayJay's wonderful reading the shiny bow on top.
title. The Stars of His Army
author. smilla02
reader. riverbella
characters. Sam, Dean, Lucifer, Castiel, Bobby
rating. R
length. about 1.5 hrs.
summary. Dean never closes his eyes, not even when the light seeps under his skin, sliding sinuous and unstoppable between muscles and bones.
listen to this. Another surprising vision of what Lucifer's rising might look like, and the toll it takes on Dean and everyone around him. The tension in this fic has an almost claustrophobic feel, and the echoes of Sam-and-Dean in Lucifer-and-Michael are strong, but delivered in a wholly unexpected way. riverbella is one of my go-to readers for podfics I know I'll enjoy, and she does her usual excellent job.
Lost Jensen AU RPFs
title. Caught Inside
author. t_fic aka Topaz 119
reader. chemm80
characters. Ensemble. Jensen/Steve (past), Steve/Chris, Jensen/Steve/Chris, Jared/Jeff
rating. none given; I'd rate it NC-17
length. about 4 hrs.
summary. (supplied by reccer) Unsatisfied with his life and acting career in LA, Jensen heads for Hawaii to take Steve up on his open invitation. Though Jensen's life has failed to move forward after their breakup, Steve's hasn't. Now Jensen needs to rediscover who he is and who he wants to be.
listen to this. As I said above, fics about building community are as satisfying to me as stories about couples coming together. Or about strays who find themselves slowly brought into a community. This fic hits that kink beautifully, as Jensen comes to know Steve's surfer friends, and in the process comes to know himself. Another thing I like about this fic is the inclusion of characters with familiar names (Danneel, Sandy) who are sometimes bashed in fics but here are treated with respect and sympathy. (Girlfriend-bashing is the armor-piercing ammunition that can pierce even my bulletproof kink.) It also invites me into a subculture that's new to me, which is another thing I enjoy in fic. Gracefully read by chemm80, another podficcer whose reading is as reliable as a rec.
title. In from the Cold
author. ladyjanelly
reader. Group Slashpad
characters. Jensen/Jared, Jeff, Mackenzie
rating. R
length. about 5 hrs.
summary. (supplied by reccer) When an injured and incoherent homeless man is brought into the clinic where Jared works, it seems like more of the usual, not a life changing event.
Listen to this.Hurt/comfort is one of my favorite genres, and a deftly done perma-hurt fic usually finds its way into my Keeper folder. This one? Well, I've listened twice in about a month. Jensen is a mystery from the start, a filthy, incoherent street person in expensive designer jeans. He has no memory of his identity, but has accepted the name given him by others on the street -- Jensen Ackles, after the intersection he favors. As he comes to know Jensen, he finds a surprisingly resourceful man beneath the damage, who's open in how he sees and relates to the world when he's not afraid, just as he finds a beautiful face beneath the Jensen's tangled beard and street grime. There's so much wonderful stuff in this fic that it's hard to know where to start. The author's depiction of Jensen's mental state and the lives of homeless people is extremely sensitive. Part of the narrative is in Jensen's POV, and the beauty of Jensen's personality shines through everything; it's easy to see why Jared's drawn to him (and clear that Jensen has his own attraction to Jared well before Jared allows anything to show). And Jeff satisfies my community bulletproof kink in this fic -- though he's homeless and struggling with a crippling claustrophobia, he has made himself a guardian of Jensen and other street people. This is a fic filled with hope and light and respect for its characters, and the ensemble reading by Group Slashpad adds sympathy and warmth to each POV.
Someone Does Mourn the Unknown Soldier
title. Warm Strangers
author. extraonions
reader. cookiemom6067
characters. ensemble of 1st season one-shot characters
rating. G
length. about 25 minutes
summary. All of Monument, Colorado grieves when an explosion destroys the local police station and everyone in it. But who shall mourn for Sam and Dean Winchester, the two fugitives also present?
listen to this. One of my major bulletproof story kinks is the formation of community, especially around someone who never anticipated such a thing. Sam and Dean (who appear only briefly in this story) have just escaped the explosion in "Jus in Bello." The world thinks they're dead. They think they're unmourned. And a group of people, each believing they're alone in facing something terrible and unimaginable, come together to pay their respects to the Winchesters.
title. Next of Kin (Warm Strangers Remix)
author. dsudis
reader. cookiemom6067
characters. Bobby, Sam, Dean, ensemble of 1st season one-shot characters
rating. G
length. about 25 minutes
summary. He listens long enough to hear Monument, Colorado and then he hangs up, pulls back onto the road and starts driving.
listen to this. Along with all those other phones labeled FBI, Sheriff, etc., Bobby has one labeled NOK for "Next of Kin." This bittersweet remix of "Warm Strangers" takes Bobby's point of view as he finds himself dealing with the mixed reaction of hunters and the surprising outpouring from strangers, and shows us just how very much he's family to the boys. Both "Warm Strangers" and its remix are given a graceful reading by cookiemom6067.
After the Rising
title. Carrion Comfort
author and reader. pandarus, aka FayJay
characters. Sam/Dean
rating. R
length. about 45 minutes
summary. in which Lucifer rises, and Dean falls
listen to this. In the aftermath of Lucifer's rising, Dean does in fact save Sammy, but not in any way John Winchester would have foreseen -- or wanted. Amazing twist, and hotness and angst wrapped up in an awesome fic, with FayJay's wonderful reading the shiny bow on top.
title. The Stars of His Army
author. smilla02
reader. riverbella
characters. Sam, Dean, Lucifer, Castiel, Bobby
rating. R
length. about 1.5 hrs.
summary. Dean never closes his eyes, not even when the light seeps under his skin, sliding sinuous and unstoppable between muscles and bones.
listen to this. Another surprising vision of what Lucifer's rising might look like, and the toll it takes on Dean and everyone around him. The tension in this fic has an almost claustrophobic feel, and the echoes of Sam-and-Dean in Lucifer-and-Michael are strong, but delivered in a wholly unexpected way. riverbella is one of my go-to readers for podfics I know I'll enjoy, and she does her usual excellent job.
Lost Jensen AU RPFs
title. Caught Inside
author. t_fic aka Topaz 119
reader. chemm80
characters. Ensemble. Jensen/Steve (past), Steve/Chris, Jensen/Steve/Chris, Jared/Jeff
rating. none given; I'd rate it NC-17
length. about 4 hrs.
summary. (supplied by reccer) Unsatisfied with his life and acting career in LA, Jensen heads for Hawaii to take Steve up on his open invitation. Though Jensen's life has failed to move forward after their breakup, Steve's hasn't. Now Jensen needs to rediscover who he is and who he wants to be.
listen to this. As I said above, fics about building community are as satisfying to me as stories about couples coming together. Or about strays who find themselves slowly brought into a community. This fic hits that kink beautifully, as Jensen comes to know Steve's surfer friends, and in the process comes to know himself. Another thing I like about this fic is the inclusion of characters with familiar names (Danneel, Sandy) who are sometimes bashed in fics but here are treated with respect and sympathy. (Girlfriend-bashing is the armor-piercing ammunition that can pierce even my bulletproof kink.) It also invites me into a subculture that's new to me, which is another thing I enjoy in fic. Gracefully read by chemm80, another podficcer whose reading is as reliable as a rec.
title. In from the Cold
author. ladyjanelly
reader. Group Slashpad
characters. Jensen/Jared, Jeff, Mackenzie
rating. R
length. about 5 hrs.
summary. (supplied by reccer) When an injured and incoherent homeless man is brought into the clinic where Jared works, it seems like more of the usual, not a life changing event.
Listen to this.Hurt/comfort is one of my favorite genres, and a deftly done perma-hurt fic usually finds its way into my Keeper folder. This one? Well, I've listened twice in about a month. Jensen is a mystery from the start, a filthy, incoherent street person in expensive designer jeans. He has no memory of his identity, but has accepted the name given him by others on the street -- Jensen Ackles, after the intersection he favors. As he comes to know Jensen, he finds a surprisingly resourceful man beneath the damage, who's open in how he sees and relates to the world when he's not afraid, just as he finds a beautiful face beneath the Jensen's tangled beard and street grime. There's so much wonderful stuff in this fic that it's hard to know where to start. The author's depiction of Jensen's mental state and the lives of homeless people is extremely sensitive. Part of the narrative is in Jensen's POV, and the beauty of Jensen's personality shines through everything; it's easy to see why Jared's drawn to him (and clear that Jensen has his own attraction to Jared well before Jared allows anything to show). And Jeff satisfies my community bulletproof kink in this fic -- though he's homeless and struggling with a crippling claustrophobia, he has made himself a guardian of Jensen and other street people. This is a fic filled with hope and light and respect for its characters, and the ensemble reading by Group Slashpad adds sympathy and warmth to each POV.