ficlet february 22: someone else's mortification
Okay, I didn't really stick the landing on this one, but it's late and I'm tired, so I'm just wrapping it up. Another thing to fix in March. I've had the idea for this one for a while, because I love outside PoV, but I feel like it's a difficult line to walk without making the outsider look bad? idk. But I thought I'd go for it. This needs to be cleaned up a lot, etc, no one cares, people aren't reading most of these.
***
Ficlet February 22: "someone else's mortification"
Kitty is on her way out to her car when she notices the light on in Charles Xavier's office. She doesn't know Charles that well yet--for all the university's attempts to make their Mutant Studies department integrated, the biological sciences and the social sciences still don't cross paths outside of committee meetings--but she certainly knows him by reputation. By all accounts, Charles Xavier is the reason they have a Mutant Studies department, due to a mix of tenacity and a sizable "anonymous" donation. Everyone knows of Charles, even if they don't know him, and Kitty has enjoyed the few times she has seen him at the monthly department meetings.
The reason she notices his light is because he should be in one of those meetings right now. He's co-chair of the department and she would assume he'd want to be present for a visiting faculty vote. As a non-tenured professor, Kitty doesn't get a vote herself, but she definitely made sure to stop by to give them her recommendations. She assumed that he'd be right in the thick of it, making his opinions known.
She redirects herself to stick her head into his office--maybe he just left his light on. But no, he's sitting behind his desk, typing diligently on his computer and humming to himself. He looks up when she approaches.
"Hello, Kitty," he says, smiling at her. "How are you this evening?"
"Fine," Kitty says. "Happy it's Friday." Then, because she can't pretend she's not nosy, she adds, "I was just coming from dropping off my recommendations to the department. I'd have thought you would be there."
"I've recused myself from this particular vote," Charles says. "Which, unfortunately, has removed my excuses for not catching up on this grant application, so please come and distract me for a moment or two."
Kitty laughs and takes a seat. Charles' office is much larger than hers, though she's not sure if that's to accommodate the wheelchair or because he's head of the department. It's mostly cluttered with books and journals and blue books and papers that look half graded, not unlike her own. One thing that catches her eye is a photo of a small girl pinned to the corkboard and facing out. She can't be more than three or four and she's adorable.
"Is that your daughter?" she asks, pointing, and Charles nods. "She's really cute."
"Thank you," Charles says. He smiles and picks up a framed photo on his desk, which he hands to her. It's the same girl with a backpack and lunch bag. She has green eyes and light brown hair and looks somewhere between anxious and ready to crush her adversaries, which Kitty admires in a three year old. "I can't take any credit, I'm afraid. She looks just like her father--her biological father, I mean, my husband, who is equally gorgeous. She just started preschool this year."
"How old is she?" Kitty asks, because she knows enough to know that's what you're supposed to do in situations like this.
"Three," Charles says. "Which is...utterly unbelievable. I swear she was seven pounds and refusing to sleep through the night just last week." Kitty hands him the frame and he repositions it on his desk with a fond smile. It's very sweet. "Now, life zipping by before our eyes aside, how are you today?"
"Doing well," Kitty says. "Anxious about the lecturer outcome, I guess. I mean, I think I know how they're going to vote, but I'm not too pleased about it."
"Really?" Charles asks. "You think it's locked up?"
"Well," Kitty says, "You'd know better than I would. Everyone seemed very excited at the prospect of snagging him and Oliver's introduction at the event last night was a little over the top."
She's trying to parse her words carefully. For all that she's seen in the two or three meetings they've had since Kitty was hired, Charles has been suspiciously mute about his feelings on hiring Erik Lehnsherr. Debate has been fierce--Lehnsherr's qualifications are above reproach, as far as everything Kitty's read, but he'll be the third white male lecturer in a row, and his politics are borderline radical. The scientists don't care about that, though, and the main dissent seemed to come from her and Hank McCoy, for the most part.
"Everything Oliver does is rather over the top," Charles says. "It's part of his charm, which frequently works in our favor--a human that enthusiastic about our world is a good voice to have on our side."
"I generally agree," she says, "but I have to admit I have my doubts about Lehnsherr."
"Oh really?" Charles says.
"Were you at his lecture last night?" she asks. Come to think of it, she didn't see him there. Normally he's the one to introduce the speakers, and she would have thought Lehnsherr would prefer a fellow mutant to preface his talk.
"I was," Charles says. "I stayed backstage, mostly."
"Then you know what he's like," she says.
"I do," Charles agrees, with a half-smile. "Stubborn. Sharp. Radical."
"Exactly!" Kitty says. "And there's a time and a place for all of those things, but I just don't think that this department should be one of them." She's been storing up quite a bit of Lehnsherr-related vitriol after hearing nothing but praise for the man all week. "His politics are dangerously radical and his ideas are outrageous. A mutant-only republic? That's not at all practical and does nothing at all to address current, actual problems in existing social and political infrastructures."
"I agree entirely," Charles says.
"Separating mutants and humans--it's not the way to do this," Kitty continues. "Mutants aren't inherently better than humans, no matter what he thinks, and that aside, it's not like there are enough of us with the depth and breadth of skills to make that kind of divide sustainable. Plus, mutants are so different, and we can't go around trying to speak for a group that intersects with other minority and majority groups in entirely different ways. Everyone's experiences are different."
"Intersectionality is hugely important," Charles says. "It's a troubling failing of his, not to recognize that mutant needs differ across racial, gender, and socio-economic lines in most of his writings."
"Thank you for saying that!" Kitty says. She sighs. "Oh my god, I feel like, though all of this, everyone's been so excited that he would agree to interview for this job that no one has thought to ask about whether we want him to have it! They're just so dazzled by the idea and by how supposedly handsome he is. He's not that good looking."
Charles coughs as a peculiar look crosses his face.
"I may have to disagree with you on that last point," he says, almost demurely.
Kitty rolls her eyes.
"Everyone acts like they've never seen a tall hot guy before," she mutters. Even Rachel mentioned the other night that she thought he was hot and...ugh. She doesn't know what anyone sees in him at all.
"Quite," Charles says, grinning. On the desk next to him, his phone buzzes. He picks it up and thumbs the screen, quickly reading the text and then putting it down back.
"I'm sorry, Kitty, it seems I'm needed elsewhere," he says. "But we really should have lunch. I'm always hoping to find new ways to blend the social and biological sciences in this department. It's a shame there's not more integration."
"Definitely," Kitty says. She gets up and offers Charles her hand, which he shakes. "If only to commiserate about the new hire."
That peculiar smile is back.
"We'll see," he says. "Have a lovely evening, Dr. Pryde."
"You too!" Kitty says, and takes her leave of the office. She should probably be getting home anyway--Rachel's going to start wondering where she is and Kitty is going to want a drink while she complains tonight.
***
Kitty sees Charles again on Monday morning. An email went out to the department on Friday night announcing that Erik Lehnsherr had been hired as the visiting lecturer for Mutant Studies. Kitty drank too much wine and ranted to Rachel about fame versus credibility and basically stewed in her own irritation until arriving on campus Monday morning.
There's a special department meeting first thing, and Kitty bumps into Charles as they approach the conference room.
"Good morning, Kitty," Charles says, glancing up at her as he rolls down the hall. "How was your weekend?"
"Short," Kitty says ruefully.
"Aren't they all?" Charles asks. "Are you ready to start your week?"
"Just need to get through this mess first," she mutters and takes a sip of her coffee.
The room is already mostly full. Notably missing is Lehnsherr, although there's a coat and a bag that she thinks are his at the corner of the table next to the space that's cleared for Charles' wheelchair.
"I have faith it will go quite smoothly," Charles says, and rolls up to the table. Kitty takes the seat between him and Hank, the only seat open besides the one next to Emma. She pulls out her tablet and wakes it up, just as Oliver and Lehnsherr return to the room. Lehnsherr is holding two coffees and Oliver is directing some more of that over the top praise at him.
Kitty decides that the best course of action is just to avoid Lehnsherr as much as she can. It will be easy. She can use the time to socialize more, maybe take Charles up on that offer of lunch. It's just a year and she can deal with it. Rachel may disagree, but Kitty can definitely keep her mouth shut when she needs to.
She's secure in this decision, right up until Lehnsherr comes over to the table and hands Charles one of the coffees.
"Coffee, Dr. Xavier," Lehnsherr says.
"Thank you, Mr. Lehnsherr," Charles says. Then he takes Lehnsherr's hand and tugs on it until Lehnsherr leans down and allows Charles to press a kiss to his cheek.
Kitty feels her eyes widen.
"You're welcome," Lehnsherr says, and straightens up.
"Uh," Kitty says, staring at Charles. "What?"
Charles, at least, has the decency to look slightly embarrassed. Lehnsherr just looks impatient, but that might be his default expression. Kitty looks at how closely he's standing to Charles' wheelchair, takes in the coffee, Charles' admission that he recused himself from the vote....
"No," Kitty says.
"There wasn't an appropriate time to bring it up," Charles says.
Then the mortification sinks in.
"Oh my god," she says. She covers her face with her hands. "Oh my god, I said--"
"It's fine, Kitty," Charles says.
"And you let me say--"
"It's really okay, I promise," Charles says.
"Would someone like to explain what's happening?" Lehnsherr asks in the usual impatient way. Kitty uncovers her face and glares at Charles. She's not explaining this.
"Kitty and I had a spirited conversation about your qualifications for this position," Charles explains. "And I stand by everything I said last night--Erik's politics are too radical for this position. His tendancy to be drawn towards large-scale change is somewhat problematic when it comes to the practical, day to day needs, and he needs to better incorporate intersecting identities in his process."
Kitty wants to melt into the floor. She has to conciously stop herself from phasing down to the first floor and hiding.
"I agree with you, Kitty," Charles says, patting the back of her hand comfortingly. "Except on how handsome he is."
Lehnsherr raises an eyebrow.
"Don't worry, darling, I did defend you there. You are just as handsome as everyone says," Charles says. Lehnsherr pinches the bridge of his nose. "But really, Kitty, Erik knows that's how I feel about his politics, his writing...believe me, I do not keep my thoughts to myself."
"About anything," Lehnsherr says dryly.
"And, honestly," Charles continues, ignoring Lehnsherr, "I think it's refreshing to have someone else around who agrees with me. It will be good for him to hear dissent from someone who's willing to get in his face. He never listens to me when I disagree--it's just background noise at this point."
"Wait, wait, wait," Kitty says, holding up a hand. "I just need to...wrap my head around this. Lehnsherr is your husband?"
Charles nods.
"And you didn't recuse yourself because you disagreed with the rest of the department about hiring Lehnsherr, you did it because you're married to him," Kitty says.
"Well," Charles admits. "It's more that I disagree with the hire, but our daughter is about to start private school and I think it will be good for Erik to get out of the house more regularly now that the stay-at-home father years of his life are coming to a close."
Kitty rolls her eyes. So does Lehnsherr.
"The point is," Charles says, glaring over his shoulder at Lehnsherr as if he could see the eyeroll--maybe it's a telepathy thing. "That I encourage you to speak up when you disagree with Erik and challenge him on any points you want to contest. I know I definitely will be doing just that, and I promise there is nearly nothing you can say against him that I will think less of you for."
"I'm flattered," Lehnsherr mutters.
"Shush, darling," Charles says, and then looks at Kitty pleadingly. "I promise I wasn't trying to embarrass you. I just wasn't quite sure how to bring it up and I wanted to get your honest opinion." He looks over at the rest of the department members, chatting amongst themselves and mostly paying Kitty, Charles, and Lehnsherr no mind. "Because," he says, his voice low, "I'm rather sure that at least some of the fawning is the result of knowing that Erik is my husband."
Which makes sense. Everyone knows how important Charles is to the department and the school both. If his husband was up for a job, even if he wasn't the one to suggest it, of course they would be encouraging.
"Still," Kitty says. "I'm sorry I was so...blunt."
"And I'm sorry if you were embarrassed," Charles says. "And I hope that we can still be friends."
"Of course," Kitty says. "I'd like that."
Before they can get any further into it, Oliver takes his seat and clears his throat.
"If we can all sit down and get started?" he says, and Lehnsherr sits down next to Charles and turns his attention to Oliver. But not before giving Kitty a long-suffering look that seems to sum up his feelings on the morning so far. Kitty can't help but relate and she hopes her expression says as much.
From the half-smile Lehnsherr gives her before focusing on Oliver, it does.
Okay. So. The day is not going exactly the way Kitty was expecting, but that's okay. She can adapt. And if nothing else, this is a story to tell Rachel tonight.
A long, embarrassing story.
*
ficlet february!
Get some sleep
Five minutes away
Faint recognition
Half an hour before sunrise
Useless, but beautiful
Something’s broken
Surprise celebration
There were signs and signals
Rituals
Write about a postcard
What are you looking for?
You remind me of someone
A meeting, a beginning
Lasting impression
Long drive
Behind closed doors
Ask questions later
Six impossible things
Day off
Lost in a city
A door key
A late night phone call
Someone else’s mortification
Something from music
Something from a picture
***
Ficlet February 22: "someone else's mortification"
Kitty is on her way out to her car when she notices the light on in Charles Xavier's office. She doesn't know Charles that well yet--for all the university's attempts to make their Mutant Studies department integrated, the biological sciences and the social sciences still don't cross paths outside of committee meetings--but she certainly knows him by reputation. By all accounts, Charles Xavier is the reason they have a Mutant Studies department, due to a mix of tenacity and a sizable "anonymous" donation. Everyone knows of Charles, even if they don't know him, and Kitty has enjoyed the few times she has seen him at the monthly department meetings.
The reason she notices his light is because he should be in one of those meetings right now. He's co-chair of the department and she would assume he'd want to be present for a visiting faculty vote. As a non-tenured professor, Kitty doesn't get a vote herself, but she definitely made sure to stop by to give them her recommendations. She assumed that he'd be right in the thick of it, making his opinions known.
She redirects herself to stick her head into his office--maybe he just left his light on. But no, he's sitting behind his desk, typing diligently on his computer and humming to himself. He looks up when she approaches.
"Hello, Kitty," he says, smiling at her. "How are you this evening?"
"Fine," Kitty says. "Happy it's Friday." Then, because she can't pretend she's not nosy, she adds, "I was just coming from dropping off my recommendations to the department. I'd have thought you would be there."
"I've recused myself from this particular vote," Charles says. "Which, unfortunately, has removed my excuses for not catching up on this grant application, so please come and distract me for a moment or two."
Kitty laughs and takes a seat. Charles' office is much larger than hers, though she's not sure if that's to accommodate the wheelchair or because he's head of the department. It's mostly cluttered with books and journals and blue books and papers that look half graded, not unlike her own. One thing that catches her eye is a photo of a small girl pinned to the corkboard and facing out. She can't be more than three or four and she's adorable.
"Is that your daughter?" she asks, pointing, and Charles nods. "She's really cute."
"Thank you," Charles says. He smiles and picks up a framed photo on his desk, which he hands to her. It's the same girl with a backpack and lunch bag. She has green eyes and light brown hair and looks somewhere between anxious and ready to crush her adversaries, which Kitty admires in a three year old. "I can't take any credit, I'm afraid. She looks just like her father--her biological father, I mean, my husband, who is equally gorgeous. She just started preschool this year."
"How old is she?" Kitty asks, because she knows enough to know that's what you're supposed to do in situations like this.
"Three," Charles says. "Which is...utterly unbelievable. I swear she was seven pounds and refusing to sleep through the night just last week." Kitty hands him the frame and he repositions it on his desk with a fond smile. It's very sweet. "Now, life zipping by before our eyes aside, how are you today?"
"Doing well," Kitty says. "Anxious about the lecturer outcome, I guess. I mean, I think I know how they're going to vote, but I'm not too pleased about it."
"Really?" Charles asks. "You think it's locked up?"
"Well," Kitty says, "You'd know better than I would. Everyone seemed very excited at the prospect of snagging him and Oliver's introduction at the event last night was a little over the top."
She's trying to parse her words carefully. For all that she's seen in the two or three meetings they've had since Kitty was hired, Charles has been suspiciously mute about his feelings on hiring Erik Lehnsherr. Debate has been fierce--Lehnsherr's qualifications are above reproach, as far as everything Kitty's read, but he'll be the third white male lecturer in a row, and his politics are borderline radical. The scientists don't care about that, though, and the main dissent seemed to come from her and Hank McCoy, for the most part.
"Everything Oliver does is rather over the top," Charles says. "It's part of his charm, which frequently works in our favor--a human that enthusiastic about our world is a good voice to have on our side."
"I generally agree," she says, "but I have to admit I have my doubts about Lehnsherr."
"Oh really?" Charles says.
"Were you at his lecture last night?" she asks. Come to think of it, she didn't see him there. Normally he's the one to introduce the speakers, and she would have thought Lehnsherr would prefer a fellow mutant to preface his talk.
"I was," Charles says. "I stayed backstage, mostly."
"Then you know what he's like," she says.
"I do," Charles agrees, with a half-smile. "Stubborn. Sharp. Radical."
"Exactly!" Kitty says. "And there's a time and a place for all of those things, but I just don't think that this department should be one of them." She's been storing up quite a bit of Lehnsherr-related vitriol after hearing nothing but praise for the man all week. "His politics are dangerously radical and his ideas are outrageous. A mutant-only republic? That's not at all practical and does nothing at all to address current, actual problems in existing social and political infrastructures."
"I agree entirely," Charles says.
"Separating mutants and humans--it's not the way to do this," Kitty continues. "Mutants aren't inherently better than humans, no matter what he thinks, and that aside, it's not like there are enough of us with the depth and breadth of skills to make that kind of divide sustainable. Plus, mutants are so different, and we can't go around trying to speak for a group that intersects with other minority and majority groups in entirely different ways. Everyone's experiences are different."
"Intersectionality is hugely important," Charles says. "It's a troubling failing of his, not to recognize that mutant needs differ across racial, gender, and socio-economic lines in most of his writings."
"Thank you for saying that!" Kitty says. She sighs. "Oh my god, I feel like, though all of this, everyone's been so excited that he would agree to interview for this job that no one has thought to ask about whether we want him to have it! They're just so dazzled by the idea and by how supposedly handsome he is. He's not that good looking."
Charles coughs as a peculiar look crosses his face.
"I may have to disagree with you on that last point," he says, almost demurely.
Kitty rolls her eyes.
"Everyone acts like they've never seen a tall hot guy before," she mutters. Even Rachel mentioned the other night that she thought he was hot and...ugh. She doesn't know what anyone sees in him at all.
"Quite," Charles says, grinning. On the desk next to him, his phone buzzes. He picks it up and thumbs the screen, quickly reading the text and then putting it down back.
"I'm sorry, Kitty, it seems I'm needed elsewhere," he says. "But we really should have lunch. I'm always hoping to find new ways to blend the social and biological sciences in this department. It's a shame there's not more integration."
"Definitely," Kitty says. She gets up and offers Charles her hand, which he shakes. "If only to commiserate about the new hire."
That peculiar smile is back.
"We'll see," he says. "Have a lovely evening, Dr. Pryde."
"You too!" Kitty says, and takes her leave of the office. She should probably be getting home anyway--Rachel's going to start wondering where she is and Kitty is going to want a drink while she complains tonight.
***
Kitty sees Charles again on Monday morning. An email went out to the department on Friday night announcing that Erik Lehnsherr had been hired as the visiting lecturer for Mutant Studies. Kitty drank too much wine and ranted to Rachel about fame versus credibility and basically stewed in her own irritation until arriving on campus Monday morning.
There's a special department meeting first thing, and Kitty bumps into Charles as they approach the conference room.
"Good morning, Kitty," Charles says, glancing up at her as he rolls down the hall. "How was your weekend?"
"Short," Kitty says ruefully.
"Aren't they all?" Charles asks. "Are you ready to start your week?"
"Just need to get through this mess first," she mutters and takes a sip of her coffee.
The room is already mostly full. Notably missing is Lehnsherr, although there's a coat and a bag that she thinks are his at the corner of the table next to the space that's cleared for Charles' wheelchair.
"I have faith it will go quite smoothly," Charles says, and rolls up to the table. Kitty takes the seat between him and Hank, the only seat open besides the one next to Emma. She pulls out her tablet and wakes it up, just as Oliver and Lehnsherr return to the room. Lehnsherr is holding two coffees and Oliver is directing some more of that over the top praise at him.
Kitty decides that the best course of action is just to avoid Lehnsherr as much as she can. It will be easy. She can use the time to socialize more, maybe take Charles up on that offer of lunch. It's just a year and she can deal with it. Rachel may disagree, but Kitty can definitely keep her mouth shut when she needs to.
She's secure in this decision, right up until Lehnsherr comes over to the table and hands Charles one of the coffees.
"Coffee, Dr. Xavier," Lehnsherr says.
"Thank you, Mr. Lehnsherr," Charles says. Then he takes Lehnsherr's hand and tugs on it until Lehnsherr leans down and allows Charles to press a kiss to his cheek.
Kitty feels her eyes widen.
"You're welcome," Lehnsherr says, and straightens up.
"Uh," Kitty says, staring at Charles. "What?"
Charles, at least, has the decency to look slightly embarrassed. Lehnsherr just looks impatient, but that might be his default expression. Kitty looks at how closely he's standing to Charles' wheelchair, takes in the coffee, Charles' admission that he recused himself from the vote....
"No," Kitty says.
"There wasn't an appropriate time to bring it up," Charles says.
Then the mortification sinks in.
"Oh my god," she says. She covers her face with her hands. "Oh my god, I said--"
"It's fine, Kitty," Charles says.
"And you let me say--"
"It's really okay, I promise," Charles says.
"Would someone like to explain what's happening?" Lehnsherr asks in the usual impatient way. Kitty uncovers her face and glares at Charles. She's not explaining this.
"Kitty and I had a spirited conversation about your qualifications for this position," Charles explains. "And I stand by everything I said last night--Erik's politics are too radical for this position. His tendancy to be drawn towards large-scale change is somewhat problematic when it comes to the practical, day to day needs, and he needs to better incorporate intersecting identities in his process."
Kitty wants to melt into the floor. She has to conciously stop herself from phasing down to the first floor and hiding.
"I agree with you, Kitty," Charles says, patting the back of her hand comfortingly. "Except on how handsome he is."
Lehnsherr raises an eyebrow.
"Don't worry, darling, I did defend you there. You are just as handsome as everyone says," Charles says. Lehnsherr pinches the bridge of his nose. "But really, Kitty, Erik knows that's how I feel about his politics, his writing...believe me, I do not keep my thoughts to myself."
"About anything," Lehnsherr says dryly.
"And, honestly," Charles continues, ignoring Lehnsherr, "I think it's refreshing to have someone else around who agrees with me. It will be good for him to hear dissent from someone who's willing to get in his face. He never listens to me when I disagree--it's just background noise at this point."
"Wait, wait, wait," Kitty says, holding up a hand. "I just need to...wrap my head around this. Lehnsherr is your husband?"
Charles nods.
"And you didn't recuse yourself because you disagreed with the rest of the department about hiring Lehnsherr, you did it because you're married to him," Kitty says.
"Well," Charles admits. "It's more that I disagree with the hire, but our daughter is about to start private school and I think it will be good for Erik to get out of the house more regularly now that the stay-at-home father years of his life are coming to a close."
Kitty rolls her eyes. So does Lehnsherr.
"The point is," Charles says, glaring over his shoulder at Lehnsherr as if he could see the eyeroll--maybe it's a telepathy thing. "That I encourage you to speak up when you disagree with Erik and challenge him on any points you want to contest. I know I definitely will be doing just that, and I promise there is nearly nothing you can say against him that I will think less of you for."
"I'm flattered," Lehnsherr mutters.
"Shush, darling," Charles says, and then looks at Kitty pleadingly. "I promise I wasn't trying to embarrass you. I just wasn't quite sure how to bring it up and I wanted to get your honest opinion." He looks over at the rest of the department members, chatting amongst themselves and mostly paying Kitty, Charles, and Lehnsherr no mind. "Because," he says, his voice low, "I'm rather sure that at least some of the fawning is the result of knowing that Erik is my husband."
Which makes sense. Everyone knows how important Charles is to the department and the school both. If his husband was up for a job, even if he wasn't the one to suggest it, of course they would be encouraging.
"Still," Kitty says. "I'm sorry I was so...blunt."
"And I'm sorry if you were embarrassed," Charles says. "And I hope that we can still be friends."
"Of course," Kitty says. "I'd like that."
Before they can get any further into it, Oliver takes his seat and clears his throat.
"If we can all sit down and get started?" he says, and Lehnsherr sits down next to Charles and turns his attention to Oliver. But not before giving Kitty a long-suffering look that seems to sum up his feelings on the morning so far. Kitty can't help but relate and she hopes her expression says as much.
From the half-smile Lehnsherr gives her before focusing on Oliver, it does.
Okay. So. The day is not going exactly the way Kitty was expecting, but that's okay. She can adapt. And if nothing else, this is a story to tell Rachel tonight.
A long, embarrassing story.
*
ficlet february!
Get some sleep
Five minutes away
Faint recognition
Half an hour before sunrise
Useless, but beautiful
Something’s broken
Surprise celebration
There were signs and signals
Rituals
Write about a postcard
What are you looking for?
You remind me of someone
A meeting, a beginning
Lasting impression
Long drive
Behind closed doors
Ask questions later
Six impossible things
Day off
Lost in a city
A door key
A late night phone call
Someone else’s mortification
Something from music
Something from a picture