Body Modification (turns out, I have a kink for ink)

[reena_jenkins]

 

 Originally, I had two different rec list ideas for tonight - Why Didn't I Think Of That (Fandom AUs) and Why Didn't I Think Of That (Canon-Compliant Stories). But I couldn't chose which list I liked better, so....I made up a different list altogether. Consistency: I has it.

 Here's some personal information, possibly TMI: I have a tattoo kink. I think just about most body art is awesome (well, maybe not these, but just about everything else). The self-expression, emotional content, and personalization of tattoos and piercings fascinates me. It's not always just the "hot damn those lines look good on him" factor, but also the history and stories behind the art that catches my attention. 

 But! If I limited my podfic recs to just tattoo-relevant items, it would be a very short and not-exactly-diverse list. So, I'm broadening the topic from 'Sexy Tattoos' to 'Body Modification', and defining it as "anything that changes a character's body in a way that is significant/integral/sexy to the story". Hopefully, the podfics I think fit this definition will intrigue and entice you as well.

J²

Come Into My Parlour
Written by lazy_daze and read by painted_pain, this podfic hits me right in the tattoo kink from the very first minute. The story takes place in Jensen's tattoo parlour, and Jared gets inked. This is relevant to my interests. lazy_daze really gets to the heart of why tattoos are sexy, despite the needles-and-pain aspect of actually getting inked. And painted_pain has the most amazing voice - she could probably read one of those really gross medical disclaimers about liver failure and death and exploding eyeballs, and I'd still find it alluring (I'd probably be a bit worried about my newly-developed kink, but she'd make me enjoy it anyway).

Smoke & Lightning: Heavy Metal Thunder (Book 1)
Written by bloody_adorable and eviltwin, and read by kreutzmarie, this story is finished but the podfic is still in-progress. kreutzmarie has so far recorded the first forty chapters of this fifty-chapter story, but it's definitely a significant chunk of time and well worth a listen. Jared's got multiple tattoos on his chest, back, and arms....and he manages to convince Jensen to get inked as well. There's also a nipple piercing or two. On the one hand, some of the aftercare of tattooing is ignored in this fic (apparently, both Jared and Jensen have superhealing when it comes to recovery time).... but on the other hand, the coverart is fantastic and the story is engaging. Plus, motorcycles! And Jensen in a Speedo!

Disclaimer 'Verse
Written by raeschae and read by yasmine32068, this podfic clocks in at over nine hours. It's listed as a WIP on the archive, but that only means that not every story in the 'verse has been recorded - not that any of the recordings are incomplete. In the four stories that yasmine32068 has recorded, Jared's got a tattoo parlour and approximately 75% of his body covered in art - and he and Jensen meet when Jensen sits at Jared's table to get inked. Plus, there're skater boys and raising a kid and really great interactions with the rest of the CW cast. While listening to this podfic, yasmine32068 has also interspersed some fantastic music as scene dividers: stuff I never would have listened to on my own, but that allowed me to get into the mindset of the characters (who are sexy as heck but definitely not running in the same cliques as I do).

SPN

Ink
Written by norah and ready by pattyposh, this podfic's fantastic. pattyposh's voice hits all the right notes in this story, and manages to convey exactly why Sam has a tattoo obsession. Plus, the description of the various designs he's got inked all over is not only sexy, but also emotional and full of significance - the moments and monsters that have marked him as a hunter, a brother, a son, a lover. If I didn't already have an affinity for body art, this podfic would've converted me.

The Doll'verse
And here's where we begin to hit the more....exotic...definitions of 'body modification'. There's no tattoos and no piercings - but there's definitely a change in body. In this case, the change is from flesh and blood to cloth and cotton batting. While listening to this collection of stories written by kellifer_fic and read by counteragent, you will smile, giggle, and roll your eyes at the sheer weirdness that is life as a Winchester.

Of Unconventional Dealbreaking
Another non-typical body modification, this story was written by rionaleonhart and read by saaski_moql. It's a just-before-the-end-of Season-Three fic, featuring Dean Winchester. Who has been turned into a unicorn. You have to hear this.

SGA

Promises Writ In Indelible Ink
Rodney gets a tattoo in this story, but the inking itself is not why the podfic is so amazing. Yes, the tattoo is pretty great, but the significance of it as a physical representation of the 'Team Means Family' vibe running throughout the entire story is what really hits you in the heart. Written by sardonicsmiley and read by 2naonh3_cl2, this version of the story is beautiful (not to say that the version podficced by terialk is not equally as good, but this one's the version I heard first and so it sticks in my head more) and so full of familial togetherness that you just want to wrap it around you like a hug. Rodney learns, throughout the story, exactly how much he means to his team - the tattoo is just one symbol of Team Sheppard as a unit.

My Home And Native Land
Written by copperbadge and read by julii_wolfe, this story is about far more than tattoos. There's the idea of self as defined by one's actions, one's nationality, one's traditions and friends and language. There's badass gun-flipping tricks. There's poutine, and learning English, and emigrating to Canada. In this fic, Ronon's tattoos are a remnant of the culture and people he lost, and a catalogue of his accomplishments, and a source of team-solidarity. I love, love, love this story - and not just for the Canadian laughs. There's a deep-rooted theme of cultural identity explored in this story, and julii_wolfe conveys it so very well.

Synthesis
This podfic is why I first thought to expand my topic from 'tattoos' to 'modification'. I absolutely had to recommend it - the Atlantis concieved by thingswithwings and read to me by vociferocity is beautiful and compelling. vociferocity's voice holds you spellbound, and keeps you enraptured. The idea of Altantis-enhanced prosthetics, enriching the lives of those who live in her, had me intrigued beyond measure. For a story that clocks in at only just over six minutes long, I've spent serious chunks of time thinking about the ramifications and possible extensions of this universe. It's amazing.

Mirror Dance
Another 'body modification that isn't ink' story, this one deals with change at the genetic level. In this slightly different Atlantis, Carson's gene therapy goes wrong: instead of granting him a copy of John's ATA gene, Rodney gets all of John's DNA...and his hair...and his face. This causes all sorts of hijinks, and brings about some interesting consequences. The version of the story (written by trinityofone) I'm recommending is a collaboration between aphelant and general_jinjur. I found the two-voices approach to be quite moving, as well as effectively distinguishing which personality was behind John's face. Definitely worth the four hours of listening time!

 So, it's pretty late right now, and I apologize for any incoherence or inelegance in my rec list. Just take it for granted that every one of the podfics above is worth listening to, even if tattoos aren't your kink - the people who record these stories obviously love them very much, and put their heart into their performances. Plus, since some of the items on this list are pretty long recordings, obviously the readers thought the stories were worth telling (else, they would not have committed such a great amount of time to the project). So, happy listening! And maybe, you will discover a new kink or two....

Comments

[exmanhater.livejournal.com]

How did I not know there was a podfic of the Disclaimer 'verse?! Thank you so much for enlightening me!

[reena_jenkins]

There's also podfics of Hey Man, Nice Shot and So That's What Friends Are For? (but they're not part of the main audiobook).