I just posted my first fic over on queer_fest which is one that clicked for me when I read the prompt and this FicFriday was busy. Life is full of various good things as I'm currently hanging out with the_croupier and got to go to Dawn Treader where I picked up many wonderful books. I've really needed this break.

Misfits and Lovers (3503 words) by FiKate
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: X-Men: First Class (2011)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Charles Xavier, Raven Darkholme, Erik Lehnsherr, Hank McCoy, Moira MacTaggert
Additional Tags: Bisexuality, Bisexual Character, Community: queer_fest, Prompt Fic, Backstory, Siblings, References to Homophobia
Summary:

Written for Queer Fest 2013 and the prompt: X-Men: First Class, Charles Xavier(/Erik Lehnsherr), Erik is the first person Charles has ever been completely honest with. Though Raven may have known about his telepathy, she didn't know he was queer.

Told from Charles and Raven's points of view as they navigate this new aspect of their relationship. Sexual tension between Charles and Erik is present but not acted upon. References to period fears of being queer in the 1950s and 1960s.

Title from The Wallflowers' song Misfits and Lovers.

For FicFriday, I wrote a few fics on this journal and then was very busy on Twitter.

( Twitter Fics )

Today I started writing a story from a queer fest prompt because it got into my head about Charles and being bi. If you're looking for story ideas or a new place to write, go look at what's going on. They're open for new prompts until March 15th and stories aren't due until May and June. I've never written for them before but I went to look and the ideas started happening.

And another part of feeling like my creativity is active, I finally got Tiwa her icons back and she and a AU!Hogwarts' Will are in the sandboxes. I'd love some threads guys as I've missed playing these two.

Life is feeling good and a little odd. My monthly Sci-Fi Fantasy book club makes me incredibly happy even though I've yet to read the books for it. This week I did manage to buy the book but not read it. The people in the book club are creative, fascinating and remind me of being in crackchat, where the conversation bounces in strange ways. It ended up making me want to write more Charles as the book was Arthur C. Clarke's Childhood's End, so we discussed what was going on for people in the '50s and '60s. I ended up recommending Lilek's and stayed until about 10:30, I would have stayed later but I was tired and wanted some wine. I feel like I'm slowly creating a social life for myself here.

Work ended on Friday with a major bump as the school servers went down and suddenly there was no internet. One of the best compliments I've ever gotten for the job I do is how many kids stayed after school even with no internet. One kid used his phone as a tether for others, but overall, they were happy to just be in the library.

FicFriday ended up being partially here and also on Twitter again. Being on my journal works better for me as I'm working, but not everyone has the same issues. My dreamwidth fills are here.
( Twitter writing )

I'm using this icon because of Tumnus and snow not yuletide as it captures how I've felt this weekend, tucked at home as it snows outside. The snow will let up and then come back and sometimes be rain all this week, which has made it hard to find the energy to do much. The sun briefly came out on Friday, but other than that, its been cloudy. As I've also been fighting off feeling sick, I've slept a lot this weekend and realized I really needed it. I didn't work on Friday as I decided a day of rest would help me more than trying to push through the day. Going by just how much I've been sleeping, I think this was the right idea. I'm still a little tired today, but not as out of it as I felt last week.

Though on Friday, I did go out to a book club meeting from meetup.com that was wonderful. I think I've started to find my people in this area, even though I hadn't read the book, the conversation was wonderful. We talked about gaming, fantasy and all sorts of fascinating stuff. One of the people in group even knows one of my favorite teachers from Michigan. There was also an adorable and big black dog who decided he liked me and let me give him all sorts of scritches. I'm planning on using meetup to try and find a dance group as the combination of being social and active works well for me.

Since I stayed in yesterday due to the snow falling, I watched up to episode 10 of Capital Scandal and wow, all the feelings for that show. I love all of it, the depth of the characters, the beautiful setting and music and the humor that slips its way in.

Today I went out into the world and used the time to finish reading City of Dark Magic by Magnus Flyte, which is a book I wanted to like more than I did. Its a book that could easily be called a genre bender or crosser as it had fantasy, mystery and romance, sadly the balance wasn't always right in it. The two point of view characters were both a little too brilliant and the feel of the story would veer rather suddenly from alchemy and history to sex against statues. Its the kind of book that I would enjoy reading on a long plane or train ride where I could just sink into it and read it in one gulp, but reading it in stops and starts made me not enjoy it as much. As I would come out of it and be aware of how it didn't all fit together.

Life is going along steadily at work, I still feel like I'm out of some loops but I've got a chance to discuss my status report, which I hope will be helpful. Also I had an amazing connection with a new teacher that made me feel like I know what I'm doing. I know that I haven't spoken out as much as I need to and I'm going to work on that. They hired me because they think I can do this job and I am doing it and will keep improving. Also I have a chance to propose some classes for next year, which will get me more involved and be exciting. I finally have a Michigan license and this month paid off the last of my smaller loan from the University of Michigan, which is a great feeling. I have a break coming up in the third week of February, which I plan on going to Jackson and having some nice days of watching stuff. I also have a break in the first week of April and I'll be joining them for an opera in NYC on the fourth. If its possible, I would love to try and connect with anyone in New York for coffee or lunch or something. There's more flexibility in terms of going rather than leaving so Wednesday or Thursday. I miss you guys a lot and want to try and reconnect.

On Friday, FicFriday was interesting. I like this new way of giving prompts and then people have the option of deciding which character or world to write them for.
( Twitter fiction )

I think the weirdest thing about living full time in a hotel is this awareness of how I have to get up and leave during the afternoon. It's not like I'm at my own place and can sleep in then wander around doing stuff online and other things, instead I need to get up and head out. I mean I can sleep in and its wonderful to have someone pick up after me, its just odd. The good news is that its now less than two weeks before I can move into my apartment, which means I have to start arranging utilities and various other stuff. I hope that my stuff will arrive the same day I move in, if not I will camp in the apartment until it does. I just keep going, wow, I headed back out here about August 22nd or so and since then I've been living out of suitcases and with only part of my stuff. It's going to be amazing to have my TV, my books, my kitchen stuff and more of my winter clothes.

Also I think I'm going to investigate meetup.com and even OKCupid soon, because I'm feeling a bit adrift and having people and places to connect to outside of work will help me a lot. This whole experience has brought out some of my shyness when I'm not at work because I'm very on there.

Today my wandering has taken me to the other Barnes and Noble and their cafe, which is bigger and where I won't get told that I can't plug my laptop in if the cord is anywhere people might walk. Tomorrow is the first professional development day, which I'm looking forward to. I have no idea what to expect from it and figure I'll spend most of it listening and taking notes.

Friday there was some writing though it happened kind of late. I'd love to find out where my longer fic brain has got to. I think most of my creativity has been going into Slenderman nightmares for Charles in Milliways, which works but I'd like to write other things as well. Though the Weekend DE of AU prompts worked for me.

( FicFriday )

Today has been a full and rather amazing day. It began with my second interview that felt quite positive. I don't want to hope too much but I could see myself at that school.

Then I had lunch with my parents at a restaurant in Ann Arbor that I've been wanting to try called The Raven's Club and it was just as nice as I'd hoped. I had this deceptively simple grilled cheese sandwich and a good beer as there was a little rain outside.

Then headed towards work, which has been quiet as I watched streaming and muted Opening Ceremonies and giggled at Twitter and crackchat's enthusiasm. I adore the Olympics, they always give me a fuzzy feeling and I love seeing all the ceremonies and how each country puts their stamp on them. I plan on watching all of it later with sound to fully experience it, but it looks like Great Britain went for all the silly, solemn and joyful spectacle. I think finding that right balance is what works for these ceremonies; never too serious.

I've also written a good bit of FridayFic tonight and want to post them before I lose track. I'm open for more until I finish work in the next two hours, but after that won't be that online as my parents are here. I'm also so happy because I have an idea for my ineedmyfics's prompt and my narniaexchange fic is safely turned in.

( Just a few words )

I would like this week to have a few things go right on the first try. The movers were late sending out the online confirmation but that's done. There's a email from the my student loans telling me to go look at a message from them but I don't want to. Last time I did the amount of interest made me want to cry, that will get put off a little longer.

My body keeps feeling off as in having asthma issues that I haven't had in a while. Allergies have rarely made me wheeze, its disturbing and disconcerting, I would like to not fall apart. My ear also seems to have healed, but it feels like it needs more. I also haven't been sleeping properly so I keep having points during the day where my temperature feels off and I just want to fall over and hide for a time. End of body rant and worries.

Meebo messenger's been shut off and I can't find a replacement that will let me get into chat, not even AIM Express which is messed up. I've got a five hour shift today and I'm already feelings a bit out of it, need chat and its wonderful community. So guys, I'm online but can't get into chat.

I'm going to do some meme answers, try to figure out who to do Happy Hour with tonight and maybe even write more on a fic that I should write. Perhaps tomorrow is a good day to go to the movies and hide from the world for a little bit.

Icon meme first.

1. Reply to this post with Dance with me, and I will pick five of your icons.
2. Make a post (including the meme info) and talk about the icons I chose.
3. Other people can then comment to you and make their own posts.

These five icons were chosen by bjornwilde



At one point I started watching Gossip Girl, I think I finished the first season but that was it. I found this icon and I love it as it shows the best of female friendship, two friends just being together.



anthologia made this icon and it feels quite apt for where I am at the moment, looking towards the future and not knowing what's ahead. Its peaceful and beautiful.



I loved Inception and this was by far my favorite scene in it because there was a clear sense of this isn't true reality. I wish honestly that there had been more of this but loved what there was. It was harder than I expected to find an icon of this moment.



This is a scene from the movie Atonement which I'm not a fan of. Its a gorgeous movie with wonderful actors, but I hate, hate the story. If I could have removed the actual plot, I might have liked it better. Its a heartbreaking movie about how a badly thought out and rather selfish choice that destroyed lives and to me that the person who did the wrecking never really got it. The atonement that's supposed to be the payoff felt weak to me. I have a fair amount of icons from this movie for Will as James MacAvoy spends a lot of time in it looking older than his age and hurting. I use this icon for war related things and general sadness.



My mother's originally from Carmel by the Sea so I spent my childhood spending one or two weeks there and visiting my grandmother, aunt, uncle and cousin. I also grew up not far from the Atlantic ocean in Pennsylvania and my parents now live on the Delaware shore. I'm happiest when water is within walking distance for me. I loved that about Wellington, not only was the water right there but the waterfront was someplace I wanted to be. There was the public library and Te Papa and places to sit and watch the world go by. Everything for me feels a little more possible by the water. This icon is my beach, water one.

Now another round of the five topics meme.

Comment to this post saying "FIVE!" and I will pick five things I would like you to talk about. They might make sense or be totally random.

Then post that list, with your commentary, to your journal. Other people can get lists from you, and the meme merrily perpetuates itself, hopefully for the rest of eternity!

(I don't really care if you say "FIVE" or let me know some other way. Just for the record.)

These five are from crazyfurries

( Five more words )

Now all this writing has been feeling a little more even keeled and now to plot who will do Happy Hour in Milliways.

Time to post FridayFic, I didn't do a huge amount this week and ended up having two that needed shifting. I want to point out that a fic I wrote about Erik and Charles playing chess ended up inspiring this fic along with some help from Noir ficathon Old Ground. The original TwitFic was:

For the first month after Cuba, he didn't touch his chess set. It hurt too much to truly acknowledge that Erik wasn't there.

I wonder what will come from some of these. As always let me know if I missed one.

( FridayFic )

I have a plan for the end of the summer, it needs some tweaks and details figured out but I know where I'm headed. As at this point I don't think a job is going to swoop in before my lease runs out, I'll move back to Delaware. Most of my stuff will end up in storage as I live with my parents again, volunteer as much as possible at the Lewes library and keep looking for work. I have a mentor at that library and I'm going to visit friends and connect and reach out as much as possible.

July will be full of packing, getting rid of stuff and plotting but I can do this. Now I don't think I'll have another night of not being able to sleep due to the terror of what happens next. I hope this won't be a long term measure, but it's what I need to do next. I've done what I came to do in Michigan and now I go and grow elsewhere.

Tomorrow I'm going to be working for four hours as the Ann Arbor Book Festival swirls around the Diag.

This Friday Fic was nice and not quite as busy as others but here's what I've written this week.

( Friday words )

This isn't going to be terribly detailed but I want to copy and paste the Twitter fics I've been doing since ladyoflorien started the idea. I'm doing Twitter names as again it helps me trace what I wrote. If I write more, I'll try and add them here or if not I'll do them on another post.

Charles/Ruby for @minkhollow42
Her mind felt like it was aching to be free as her body pressed against him. In his ear, she whispered, "Follow me." "Yes."

Red Pollard/Tiwa for @thisisyourfault
He thought he knew how to fly on the back of a horse with mane and tail flying. She laughed before taking him on her wings.

All these three were for @wanderlustlover
Jane & Edward -- hearts arts
She had been told that she wrote the truths of love and nodded. He never told her such things just listened to the unsaid.

Charles & Jean -- the echo of my heart
They were both too full and full of holes; all the secrets rested with them as the world took in price their loves and hope.

Tumnus & Marian -- sometimes all you have is tea
The tea set was still cracked from the wolves. He'd always kept it and now her fingers traced a crack as he played of loss.

Dem and Gus for Amber (@afullmargin)
He was laughing, he hadn't thought you laughed in bed with a woman. She just smiled and said, no, laugh and live with me, Gus.

My character choice-ill also for Amber
William didn't have time to be ill, too much to be done. Michael didn't cluck, just got him soup and quietly took care of him.

Dixie and William for Missy (@miz_missy)
She was always kind and didn't ask too many questions. Today though she looked close to crying, so he took care of her for once.

I always find it interesting to do this year in review meme so I'm going to post it as my sister in law and nieces play hearts. Life is feeling pretty good at this point. My banking stuff is finally sorted after another phone call where someone reversed the overdraft charges and sped up my credit for stolen money. It's progress which I'm grateful for.

Also I've created mirror journals for all of my RP ones though the only differences is that Tiwa and Jane's journals don't have their underscores. I started some of the imports but then realized that honestly those can wait as with some of them that will be a project. Today was wonderful, our family went for a walk out by Cape Henlopen and I split off at one point and had a nice quiet second half of the walk and took some gorgeous pictures along with having an idea for a fic. The afternoon has been lazy and since the weather in Delaware is amazingly good, my father set up the chiminea we have outside so the girls could have s'mores.

We spent some nice time being chilly, drinking wine and eating sugar, I also took some good pictures. I love having my family close and discovering my brother and I have very similar music tastes as he gave me a playlist full of Ryan Adams. Currently there's lamb cooking in the oven and lots of delicious wine. I hope everyone's New Year is wonderful. I feel blessed to have spent this year with all of you and hopefully next year I can meet more of you.

( Looking back on 2011 )