Done!

Out Of Bounds is done and with my betas.

I'm on a plane to Virginia in two hours. I'd say that's cutting close, wouldn't you? *laughs*

Now amothea points out that the SPN Big Bang launches Monday. She's going to be overwhelmed with stories. I don't know how much overlap there is between SPN and SGA.

Are you guys going to be flooded with stories? Would you prefer that I hold onto Out Of Bounds for a little bit (once I get it back from the betas)?

*skips around happily throwing rose petals*

Done! Done! Done!

Rough draft of John's freeskate for Out Of Bounds -- done.

*pant, pant, pant*

Out Of Bounds. The long program ... aaaaargh!

It's officially stuck.

On the plus side, I do get some computer time today. With WG at home I had to share my toys.

And now for the windup to the freeskate... skinscript and I will be busting our tails on the choreography this weekend.

The story in one file up to an earlier chapter: Out Of Bounds.

Title: Out Of Bounds
Author: Icarus
Rating: NC-17 overall
Pairing: John/Rodney
Summary: "Let me guess. Your brain's revving like a squirrel on amphetamines."

A/N: Thank you once again to the beta team, rabidfan and roaringmice (skating consultant), tingler, and now skinscript (choreographer).

Previously in Out Of Bounds: Known more for his jumps than his artistry, figure skater John Sheppard hires ex-skating champion and "artiste" Rodney McKay to be his coach. Their teasing friendship warms into something more. After a year of training and preparation... the U.S. Championships.

( 'Let me guess. Your brain's revving like a squirrel on amphetamines.' )

Out Of Bounds long program choreography through the 2:22 minute mark (of a four and a half minute song).

Conclusion: Sonja is a cruel taskmaster.

Hmm. Interesting. People are actually using Dreamwidth</i>, commenting, friending people. I'm icarus there, by the way.

I move with the statistics. Swim with the fishes--

--wait. That's the not the right metaphor.

Out Of Bounds: Wrote two more transitional scenes leading up to the freeskate (sigh, there was only supposed to be one transitional scene, but Rodney demanded attention). Heard back from ze beta team this weekend and last night.

Writing the freeskate ... wow. No wonder choreographers make so much money. Choreograpy is hard. But we made terrific progress on the background for John's freeskate last night. skinscript and I are now 1:40 into a 4:38 minute program. We're talking out the choreography in chat. Step by step, fully choreographing the whole program. Then I'm going back and writing the summer scenes where they developed it. Then roaringmice is looking over my descriptions, while rabidfan and company tackle everything else. I feel like I should be paying them, I really do.

Tidbit from the summer choreography sessions:

"That looks like tiger style," John commented.

Rodney and Sonja gave him twin blank looks.

"Like in the kung-fu movies? Every defensive move is an offensive move? You hold your hands like claws?" John clenched his fingers and struck a kung-fu pose. Sonja glanced at Rodney, who spread his hands in defeat. "Come on, you had to have seen this," John whined, shoulders sagging.

Eee! I can haz choreographic help for John's long program!

*smishes skinscript*

Time to get back to work. 0:00 - 0:25 minutes successfully choreographed. Now to do 0:25 - 2:22 minutes into John's music.

P.S. I was on the news tonight. Huh. I keep stumbling in front of cameras.

Now writing the choreography for John's long program.

I'm officially scared of this scene.

To make myself see it, I'm writing background scenes from the summer training. Maybe wqatching Sonja do the choreography will make it easier. *tears at hair*

Someone who knows what they're doing ... help.

Another longish update while I struggle with the final freeskate scene. Why is this so haaaaaarrrrrd?

The story in one file up to an earlier chapter: Out Of Bounds.

Title: Out Of Bounds
Author: Icarus
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: John/Rodney
Summary: One thing about having a yoga instructor who was six foot four with a lion's mane of dreadlocks: he certainly stood out in the milling crowd around the snack stands.

A/N: Thank you once again to my tireless betas (we're having fun), rabidfan and roaringmice, and now tingler.

Previously in Out Of Bounds: Known more for his jumps than his artistry, figure skater John Sheppard hires ex-skating champion and "artiste" Rodney McKay to be his coach. Their teasing friendship warms into something more. After a year of training and preparation... the U.S. Championships.

( One thing about having a yoga instructor who was six foot four with a lion's mane of dreadlocks: he certainly stood out in the milling crowd around the snack stands. )

Now a serious update, nine pages in my version of Word -- the actual Nationals competition begins.

The story in one file up to an earlier chapter: Out Of Bounds.

Title: Out Of Bounds
Author: Icarus
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: John/Rodney
Summary: Then, in an electric moment, John's flight stood as if pulled by a string, though it wasn't clear who'd told who it was time. The short program begins.

A/N: Thank you once again to my tireless betas (we're having fun), rabidfan and roaringmice, and now tingler and mariamme, too.

Previously in Out Of Bounds: Known more for his jumps than his artistry, figure skater John Sheppard hires ex-skating champion and "artiste" Rodney McKay to be his coach. Their teasing friendship warms into something more. After a year of training and preparation... the U.S. Championships.

( Then, in an electric moment, John's flight stood as if pulled by a string, though it wasn't clear who'd told who it was time. )

Steppenwolf - Born To Be Wild (warm-up music)
Michael Kamen - Overture to Robin Hood (Nathaniel Peters' music)
Rachmaninov - Prelude in G Minor (Frances Caliaro's music)
Itzak Perlman - I Will Wait For You (Mike Estey's music)
Michael Kamen - Meet Martin Riggs (Mark Svick's music)
Danny Elfman - Men In Black (Kyle Fletcher's music)
The Lively Ones - cover of Surf Rider (John Sheppard's music)

I now metaphorically collapse on the floor, face up, panting. One hand drops to the side.

Just finished the first draft of the entire short program in Out Of Bounds.

Also, on behalf of troyswann I added a reference to Marlowe and Shakespeare. Because she was bored, and this is fandom after all. We're allowed to be weird.

I promise not to run Out Of Bounds through a shredder and set it on fire.

The story in one file up to an earlier chapter: Out Of Bounds.

Title: Out Of Bounds
Author: Icarus
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: John/Rodney
Summary: "This scoring system is starting to seem a little arbitrary," John growled in complaint.

A/N: Thank you once again to my tireless betas, rabidfan and roaringmice, as well as tingler and mariamme.

Previously in Out Of Bounds: Known more for his jumps than his artistry, figure skater John Sheppard hires ex-skating champion and "artiste" Rodney McKay to be his coach. Their teasing friendship warms into something more. After a year of training and preparation... the U.S. Championships.

( 'This scoring system is starting to seem a little arbitrary,' John growled in complaint. )

First draft of John's short program and sent to the betas.

Doing a re-read of Nationals to gear up for writing his long program, making little adjustments here and there.

*writes, writes, writes*

The story in one file up to an earlier chapter: Out Of Bounds.

Title: Out Of Bounds
Author: Icarus
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: John/Rodney
Summary: John massaged the spot where his neck joined his shoulder, wondering if he should pick up a bagel for Rodney or make him get off his lazy butt and get it himself. John weighed the benefits (a grateful, perky Rodney munching his bagel and making happy sounds) versus the minuses (Rodney getting crumbs on the bed) as his eyes skimmed the arena.... This is a rewritten section with two new scenes. Some of it may seem familiar, but keep reading. :D Explanation in the A/N.

A/N: By way of explanation, roaringmice (my skating consultant) didn't have time to look over my last part before I posted (translation: Icarus jumped the gun). I should have waited for her. Turns out that skaters aren't given their skate order: they draw their own placement. This forced a rewrite. Thank you to my tireless betas, rabidfan and roaringmice, as well as tingler and mariamme.

Previously in Out Of Bounds: Known more for his jumps than his artistry, figure skater John Sheppard hires ex-skating champion and "artiste" Rodney McKay to be his coach. Their teasing friendship warms into something more. After a year of training and preparation... the U.S. Championships.

(  John massaged the spot where his neck joined his shoulder, wondering if he should pick up a bagel for Rodney or make him get off his lazy butt and get it himself. John weighed the benefits (a grateful, perky Rodney munching his bagel and making happy sounds) versus the minuses (Rodney getting crumbs on the bed) as his eyes skimmed the arena.... )

The state of the fic.

Wrote the final epilogue last weekend. On Tuesday I wrote another scene that was supposed to be a separate scene but it melded with the one before it perfectly. Last night I started writing John's final skate.

Out Of Bounds is rolling forward again, alowly, like a rusted train, but it's moving.