#amy asks josh about donna and donna looks for amy for josh

[jessbakescakes]

i love your fic games! for the character list, i cant choose between cj, donna, or amy

You know, I'll pick Amy because no one asks me about Amy LOL!

favorite thing about them: I like that she likes dogs/has a dog. Also learning how to make the balloon animals for her nephews is endearing.

least favorite thing about them: I think she falls victim to "feminist written by a man" syndrome first and foremost, but also, maybe don't throw your partner's phone in stew.

favorite line: "Quite the contortionist am I."

brOTP: A post Season 7 Amy-Donna alliance would be incredible but honestly Amy and Abbey are such a fun dynamic.

OTP: I don't know that I have one for Amy but I feel deep in my soul that she is a lesbian, send tweet.

nOTP: Amy/Josh

random headcanon: Amy tries to watch period dramas but gets frustrated at their inaccuracies.

unpopular opinion: I don't think Amy and Josh are "the same person" except she's a woman. They both want to win, but their hard stops are different.

song i associate with them: I don't know that I have one for her, I'm terrible with songs.

favorite picture of them:

This is gonna seem like I'm being unnecessarily mean to Amy but I'll explain: 1) I find her playing with Abbey's skirt so endearing, it's so funny and it's a great acting choice/great direction/whatever. 2) MLP looks incredible in that dress.

Send me a character and I'll answer these questions about them!

[twwpress]

Weekly Press Briefing #37: March 5th - March 11th

Welcome back to the Weekly Press Briefing, where we bring you highlights from The West Wing fandom each week, including new fics, ongoing challenges, and more! This briefing covers all things posted from March 5 - March 11, 2023! Did we miss something? Let us know; you can find our contact info at the bottom of this briefing!

Challenges/Prompts:

There are no running challenges/prompts/fandom events that we know of this week. Do you have a challenge or event you’d like us to promote? Be sure to get in touch with us! Contact info is at the bottom of this briefing.

Photos/Videos:

Here’s what was posted from March 5 - March 11.

Bradley Whitford posted a photo of himself with his dog. 

Josh Malina posted photos of himself in costume for the Broadway play he is currently in, Leopolstadt. He also posted a photo of himself with Tom Stoppard (the play’s writer) and Patrick Marber (the director).

Rob Lowe posted a 911 Lonestar promo video of himself reacting to his sons roasting his social media posts. 

Rob Lowe posted a photo of himself and LeVar Burton to promote the new episode of his podcast.

Richard Schiff posted a video of himself on the set of The Good Doctor.

Marlee Matlin posted photos of herself at the Oscars Women in Film party.

Donna Moss Daily: March 5 | March 6 | March 7 | March 8 | March 9 | March 10 | March 11

Daily Josh Lyman: March 5 | March 6 | March 7 | March 8 | March 9 | March 10 | March 11

No Context BWhit:  March 5 | March 6 | March 7 | March 8 | March 9 | March 10 | March 11

@janelmilfoney: March 7 | March 8 | March 9 

@JanneyUpdates: March 9 | March 11

@down_brad_: March 11

This Week in Canon:

Welcome to This Week in Canon, where we revisit moments in The West Wing that occurred on these dates during the show’s run.

Season 3, Episode 15: Dead Irish Writers aired on March 6, 2002.

Season 6, Episode 18: La Palabra aired on March 9, 2005.

Editor’s Choice: 

This week, to celebrate the anniversary of Dead Irish Writers, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite fics set during or directly after the episode. 

i like shiny things (but i'd marry you with paper rings) by JessBakesCakes | Rated T | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | Complete | In the aftermath of the First Lady's birthday party, Josh, Donna, and the rest of the Senior Staff deal with the fallout of Donna's realization that she's no longer a U.S. Citizen. CJ, Sam, and Toby have taken it upon themselves to get this figured out, and it’s a good thing, because Josh’s brain can only present him with one solution: Marry Donna Moss.

(A Green Card Marriage AU set after Dead Irish Writers!)

after everything (i must confess) by hanyolo | Rated T | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | Complete | “Do you hate me now I’m Canadian?” Donna asks, somewhat dramatically Josh thinks but that doesn’t mean he’s above teasing her.

“Absolutely. In fact, it would probably be for the best if you found yourself a new job.”

“I thought so,” she nods solemnly. “I guess I’ll need to update my resume.”

“No hard feelings,” he tells her, reaching for another slice of pizza. “And, hey — I’ll write you a perfectly adequate letter of recommendation.”

“That’s really all I can ask for.”

// post 3.15 josh and donna share a cab after the first lady’s birthday party, teasing and affection ensues

 anywhere else is hollow by joshatella (shuuuliet) | Rated G | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | Complete | While panicking over her accidental honesty to Mrs. Bartlet, Donna inadvertently says something just as damagingly honest to Josh about his relationship with Amy.

Two missing scenes to 3x15: Dead Irish Writers.

 Looking Back, Moving On (the Reality Check remix) by Sangerin | Rated M | Abbey Bartlet/C. J. Cregg | Complete | It's natural for CJ and Dr Bartlet to drift together after campaign functions, or so CJ tells herself.

 something always brings me back to you by ktlsyrtis for Arcturus_Sinclair | Rated T | Abbey Bartlet/C. J. Cregg | Complete | “I’m just the first lady. A figurehead on the prow of my husband’s career.”

The bitterness in her voice cuts at CJ, and all the reasons why this is a terrible idea fall away.

“You’ll always be Abbey to me.”

Battered, But Not Diminished by MAHC [archived by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist] | Rated E | Abbey Bartlet/Jed Bartlet | Complete | This is a post-ep for Dead Irish Writers, and gives a more in-depth view of the events during and after Abbey's birthday party. It also deals with how Jed and Abbey face her decision to relinquish her medical license.

Fics:

Presenting your weekly roundup of fics posted in the tag for The West Wing on Archive of Our Own. If you are so inclined, please be sure to leave the authors some love in the form of kudos or comments. Be mindful of posted warnings/tags for each story.

Josh/Donna

Domestic Days by spooky_spacegirl | Rated G | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | In Progress

Five Minutes and the Future by glassessay | Rated T | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | Complete

I Wish I Was by Shinyrosa | Rated M | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | Complete

What Happens in Vegas by sunnyfreeze | Rated T | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | Complete

Mercy by Prof_Frink | Rated T | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | Complete

Other Pairings/Gen Fic

The Editorial by Mabis | Rated G | Josh Lyman/Sam Seaborn | Complete

A Different Life by PreppyPrincess5103 (JAG crossover) | Rated M | Sarah "Mac" MacKenzie/Sam Seaborn | In progress 

sturgeon by hell_to_breakfast | Not Rated | Ellie Bartlet | In progress 

it started off with a kiss... now it ended up like this by imawkwardlysoc | Rated G | Sam Seaborn/Original Female Character | In Progress

None of Us are More than Caretakers by onekisstotakewithme for daylight_angel, miabicicletta, Luppiters, hondagirll | Rated T | Danny Concannon/C. J. Cregg | In Progress

Multiple Pairings

Paradise City by casliyn | Rated E | Josh Lyman/Donna Moss, Josh Lyman & Donna Moss, Amy Gardner/Josh Lyman | In Progress

The Kindness of Strangers by mlea7675 (7th Heaven Crossover) | Rated T | Helen Santos/Matt Santos, Doug Westin/Elizabeth Bartlet Westin, Annie Camden/Eric Camden | In Progress

Golden State by miabicicletta for Luppiters, onekisstotakewithme, hondagirll, ballroompink, stars_inthe_sky | Rated M | Danny Concannon/C. J. Cregg, Josh Lyman/Donna Moss | In Progress

 THE WEEKLY PRESS BRIEFING TEAM CAN BE REACHED VIA THE FOLLOWING METHODS:

Twitter: @TWWPress

Email: weeklypressbriefing@gmail.com

Feel free to let us know if we missed something, if you have an event you’d like us to promote, or if you have an item that you’d like included in the next briefing!

xx, What’s next?

[temperancecain]

Hi, fellow WW fans!! Here's a snippet from my first West Wing fic, 'Do You Have Room For a Turncoat On Your Coatrack?' It's Josh/Donna and is a canon-divergence from the season six finale episode '2162 Votes,' and you can read it on either AO3 or Fanfiction net, where my username is Temperance Cain. Enjoy!!!

****

No, he couldn't think about her. Not now, when he knew she was somewhere in the convention center, maybe even on the same floor of the building as he was now, as he hid from Leo's knowing eyes, asking him for something he couldn't give. Just like he hadn't been able to give her what she'd wanted, what Josh had known she deserved, right from the start. He'd left because she left, he hurt because she'd hurt him, in a way no woman ever had. Not Mandy or Amy or anyone other woman Josh had ever set eyes on had been so spectacularly efficient in crushing his heart, and his hope along with it. So he'd put it all into someone else, a dark horse he was determined to get across the finish line even if he had to drag it himself, cursing and screaming and bleeding, if he had to tempt it with carrots and sugar cubes abd whatever else horses liked. Hay, maybe? Those shiny rosettes that he'd seen in glass cases in high schools that always looked super complicated to make? Seriously, who had the patience to make so many folds...?

It didn't matter. At that precise moment in time, nothing seemed to really matter. Here he was, Josh Lyman, hiding out by a vending machine whilst Governor Baker one more and more votes, votes his campaign had worked so hard for, votes they had earned, votes he'd lost countless hour's sleep over, thinking so hard it was a wonder his head didn't explode like a watermelon and spray everyone in the vicinity with the pips of his political jargon. Ha, he really must be teetering on the edges of sleep-deprived delirium if he was thinking about fruit.

[palukoo]

hey ur tags on that west wing meme,,,, please talk,,,,, talk abt trans josh

also 🌹!

ahh thank you and sorry for the delay i have tried to answer this like 3 times and then been doing something else and had to start over! i’m gonna answer this out of order bc trans josh is gonna be a little long i thing, so! line!

She thinks, though, that Josh doesn’t really deserve to beat himself up over this even more, and she’s not going to use him as a punching bag even if a part of each of them wants that.

anyways thats a line i really like bc i think its pretty momentous, amy choosing not to fight with josh

so trans josh! under the cut! thank you for enabling me!

so these are all gonna be about trans man josh but i love any trans josh hc and honestly some thoughts about amab enby josh too... but like. one thing at a time,,, this is gonna be so incoherent as a warning

remember that time josh said that when he was a kid he wanted to be a ballerina? go off and break gender barriers king but TECHNICALLY ballerina is the gendered term. so. do with that what you will

oh also the way he says in uhh 6.05 i think “plus i’ve got that...... yknow. boyish. thing.” and yeah. yeah. 

so josh is like mid gender crisis in college/law school/when he meets amy (i think the show is a little inconsistent in which one it is)

she still dates his roommate, but josh doesn’t really have the gender figured out yet, so chris is a woman

amy doesn’t know his name, and he labels stuff “j lyman” and she asks about it, or his name or something, she’s like “j?” and he thinks that’s better, and tells her to just call him j, and it sticks

(i have literally no interest in defining a deadname for him thanks)

((also he eventually does come out to her and she’s like “okay, so... j?” and he says something like “i’m thinking about josh.” and she’s like “okay cool. it suits you” and he says she can still call him j, cause he kinda likes that too.))

so here’s where i get a little unclear bc i don’t really know how HRT etc worked in the late 80s/early 90s and if anyone has sources on this i would really love to see them!!

anyway i also see him as being like. obsessed with passing as a cis man (esp bc yknow. political job in the 90s-2000s would be a lot more complicated and less likely as a trans man) and he sorta intentionally loses touch with people who knew him before he came out and/or before he transitioned (except leo) 

he kind of hates that amy knows this thing about him and it complicates their relationship a lot bc she doesn’t really get that that’s why he sort of resents her

i also feel like it makes josh’s sorta misogyny more... interesting? that’s not exactly the right word or phrasing or anything but like. idk. josh being flippant about women’s issues takes on a different context if he’s a trans man rather than a cis man

i also think he doesn’t really want the whole team to know either not bc he doesn’t trust them, just because it’s this thing he’d rather ignore/not talk about

but since leo was a family friend, he’d probably know, and i insist that he’s literally 100% cool with it (even if it maybe takes a second to adjust) and they still have the whole father son thing going on obviously

idk. idk i kinda like the idea of him telling cj before any/most of the rest of them bc i love their friendship and him talking to her about his sister plus like. maybe cj can have a little gender crisis of her own. as a treat

she/they cj

i also think that like. he and donna have a cute heart to heart at some point and he’s like terrified of it changing people’s perception of him and she’s just super chill about it and it’s sweet.

anyways. i really don’t have much it’s just a vibe and something i think about and something that if people wanna talk about they should hmu!!

[shutupanddance]

To Debate, or Not To Debate

This story was developed by @sopanngon​ and I, and written by me.

Tagging @girloncorneliastreet​

- Your role is in the West Wing’s communications department, writing all the things that no one else wants to write. Memos about the National Zoo, apologies for tours gone wrong, etc. You love your job, but you have one problem: your massive crush on Josh Lyman. And the fact that he’s dating Amy Gardner.

- Josh knows who you are, especially because you’re friends with Donna, but you’re quiet and you tend to keep to yourself. So he doesn’t talk to you a lot. He thinks you’re cute, but that’s about it.

- It isn’t until one day, when Sam has gone psychotic, and Toby is too busy screaming at people to get any work done, that your writing ability comes to light.

- The President needs a speech prepared for a group of soldiers who have just come back from deployment, but his go-to speech writers are losing their minds. Leo recommends you.

- Josh shows up late to the party after some meetings on the Hill, and he arrives just as the speech is starting. He’s blown out of the water. It’s the most poetic, most beautiful thing he’s ever heard. When it’s over, everyone rushes over to Sam to offer their congratulations. He just shakes his head and points to you, who are standing off to the side of the crowds, looking like a deer caught in headlights.

- Josh waits until everyone is back in the West Wing, and people have stopped assaulting you with compliments, to find you.

- You’re hunkered down in your office with a massive hoodie on and some soft music playing, looking a little frazzled.

- He says a soft “hey”, and you look up to see your crush standing there with a smile on his face.

“That speech was amazing. You did a really good job.”

You barely manage a “thanks”.

He says “Yeah.” And then disappears.

- Now if there’s one thing Josh can do, it’s recognize talent and push people into where they’re supposed to be. He wants to find you a better job, but every time he tries to casually bring up the subject of finding you a place where you can really shine, you shut him down pretty quickly. Josh isn’t ready to give up yet, though.

- He discovers one day that not only are you a great writer, but you’re also good with the spoken word.  - Amy had just broken up with him, having gotten tired of the work-life juggling act. Josh is pretty beat-up about it.  - Everyone in the White House knows what happened, so he’s gotten lots of pitiful looks. He just wants to move on, though.

- It’s late and he’s working through some last-minute stuff when he hears a super soft knock at the doorway. You’re standing there.

“Hi!” He says, sitting up in his chair. You’ve never come to his office to talk before. You smile.

“Can I come in?”

He nods and you enter on quiet feet, settling into the chair across from him.

“Are you okay?” You ask and he lets out a rough “yeah” but he can tell you’re not buying it. So you talk it out with him in your slow, quiet manner, and by the time you leave, he feels a million times better. He’s not even sure how you did it.  - Now, Josh knows you’ve got a voice, and he wants you to use it. He wants to see if you can debate. Whenever he gets the chance, he tries to get you to argue with him. About taxes, oil, abortion, whatever. But every time he disagrees with you, you simply say “That’s an interesting way of looking at things!” And move on. For whatever reason, you’re not taking the bait. But Josh knows that if you can argue, you could become senior staff. And he wants that.

- But then, he finds it. A paper you wrote in college about how new age capitalism restricts the flow of movement on the social ladder, rather than letting people shuffle around like it’s supposed to. Your paper is so well-written, well-researched, and passionate that Josh thinks he’s found your buttons.

- The issue of tax-deductible tuition comes up and you’re eager to help out. You’re working alone in your office when Josh comes in to talk about the issue, and he casually makes a statement about how if parents can’t afford the tuition, they should be finding better jobs. You go berserk.

- Josh is immediately infatuated with you. You debate him until he’s been ground into dust. There’s no question who won this, even with him trying his best. He’s got this massive grin on his face while you’re yelling, but suddenly, your voice cracks. And tears start falling.

- He’s really not sure what to do so he grabs you a tissue and tells you to sit down. You settle into your couch and sob quietly, hands clenched over your face. Josh rubs your back. Once you’re done, you apologize, but he’s more concerned about what caused the tears.

- You explain that you really hate arguing. Like, really really hate it. And you like him so much and didn’t want to yell at him. He’s shocked.

“You can yell at me! I can take it, believe me.” He says.

“I know. But I still hate doing it.”

- Josh feels bad for trying to get you to argue with him now. He cups his hand on your shoulder and gently pulls you in, until you’re resting on his chest, and he’s reclined into the couch. Your breathing begins to even. He wraps his other arm around your waist, squeezing gently, and you snuggle into his neck.

- After this, Josh doesn’t try to push your buttons again. But he finds that, after your crying episode, if he wants an opinion from you, all he has to do is ask. You won’t argue with him, but you’ll calmly and quietly explain your point of view, and he can do with it what he wants. A strong friendship forms.

- Because Josh is so combative, you often end up going in after a meeting to clean things up with whoever he just yelled at. Donna has you help him write nicer emails, which usually includes him typing insults, you smacking his head, then the text disappearing and a new line being written in more “diplomatic” terms. Because of how close the two of you are becoming, there are times when you’ll be in the Oval Office preparing a statement, working on a bill, etc.

- The problem with that is you still hate arguing. So you tend to keep to yourself during these meetings.

- It’s one day, when your work is stacking up massively, while you’re in the Oval with a couple of the Joint Chiefs, that the President asks for your opinion on contacting the Saudi embassy about something. You give your suggestion, but Nancy McNalley doesn’t agree, and begins to argue. You want to shut up, but the President asks for you to defend your point, so soon you’re caught up in a debate about foreign relations.

- You miraculously make it to your office before breaking down. You want to curl up in a ball and sleep, but you have way too much work to do. Often helping the Senior Staff with their work is great until they all need your assistance at once.

- But Donna knocks softly on your door.

“Hey, Josh sent me to help you with your work.”

- That night, by the time you get home, you feel a lot better. And the desk clerk in your complex says that there are some flowers here for you?

A beautiful bouquet with daisies, roses, and a few white tulips. There’s a note.

I heard about your meeting in the Oval today. I hope you put Donna to good use.

Feel better.

Yours,

Josh

- People figure out pretty fast that Josh is suddenly listening to another voice besides his own. As soon as they figure out it’s you, congressmen and senators and those running for office find their way to your door. Though you’re usually not a fan of attention, you enjoy hearing what they have to say. If you agree, you bring it up with Josh. He might give some noncommittal answer, but he almost always does what you recommend, whether he realizes it or not.

- And Josh will fight and fight for you. When Sam leaves, he pushes Leo to give you more responsibility in the communications department. While Toby handles the more political events, you’re perfect for when the President needs to sound poetic.

- Leo also figures out that Josh is much calmer and quieter around you. Partially, it’s that you relax him, but also it’s because he doesn’t want to make you feel uncomfortable. So if Josh is running a meeting into the ground, you get called in to sit in the corner and eat whatever food is on the table. It gives him a reality-check, and you’re really good at smoothing relationships over once he shuts up.

- Josh finds that eating lunch with you is a great way to get his thoughts together. You’re a really good listener, and you’re always in the food for free food.

- CJ calls it your daily “lunch date”. Donna picks that up.

“Hi, I need to see Mr. Lyman?”

“I’m sorry, he’s on his lunch date right now.”

[onelargecoffeepls]

A couple of people messaged me about my headcanon from this post and I mentioned I had written a little drabble about it. I decided to post it since it’s part of a larger fic that I’ve mostly cannibalized for other fic, so don’t judge too harshly if you come across the same sentences in my others :)

On the morning of Leo’s funeral, he can only think about how cold he is.

He fought feeling anything for Leo immediately after the election (crying into Donna’s lap was the most he allowed himself). He kept his cool when Mallory asked him to be a pallbearer by listing out every Mets Hall of Famer he could remember to distract himself. Even at the funeral, he could feel the tears forming in his eyes until CJ pressed her hand against his.

But the President got him. He knew that he would. His eyes burned as he walked down the halls, but it was only outside, when he turns and faces the White House, that finally breathes out.

He’s miserable and shivering and he manages to flag down a cab to take him back to his apartment in Georgetown. The driver leans out the window.

“Hey, where you need to be, man?”

Josh smirks.“Good question.”

Then a thought.

“Actually,” he says quietly, mind already blocks away, “I can walk to where I need to be, thanks.”

The driver waves him off, and Josh operates on pure muscle memory.

He’s walked to CJ’s apartment drunk more times than he would like to remember, but this is somehow more difficult. He turns at the pink house (“It looks like Barbie threw up on it and then forgot about it.” CJ complained as they stumbled back to her house one night.) and ends up at her stoop.

He climbs her stairs without realizing he’s done so, and presses her number on her intercom.

“Hello?” comes her voice through the box.

“CJ,” he calls through, voice quivering, “it’s me.”

“Hey, are you okay?”

“Is Donna there?”

A pause.

“Yeah, she’s here. What—“

“Can you send her down? I—-I need to see her. Please.”

Another pause. Longer this time.

“She’s on her way down.”

“Thanks.”

CJ goes silent on the other end, and Josh leans against the railing. The DC winter is starting, and the strong winds off the Potomac that he’s become accustomed to have made their entrance. He wipes at his eyes with the back of his hand before any tears start freezing on his face.

After a couple minutes, Donna appears in the entryway, bundled up in her coat and hat.

“Hey,” she says gently as she steps in to the cold. She shivers. “It’s freezing out here.”

“Yeah,” he says simply.

“Are you okay? Did something happen with the President? I thought—“

“Come home with me,” he cuts her off.

She looks down.

“Josh, we talked about this.“

“I don’t care. Come home with me.”

“I still don’t—“

“I’m sorry about Amy,” he blurts out.

“What?” she says after a pause.

“I’m sorry about Amy trying to set me up with someone else.”

“That’s fine.” He can hear the slight bewilderment in her voice. “She had no way of knowing that we’ve been seeing each other.”

“She’s never been the most tactful person. Did you know that once she asked me to my face if we were dating? That was years ago, so I told her no, but tonight she didn’t even ask. She just assumed.”

“Josh,” she starts, taking a small step towards him, “Amy isn’t why I don’t want to go home with you.”

“I should call her. I should call her right now and tell her about us.” He can hear his voice speeding up and getting louder with every word.

“No, please do not do that.”

“Well, not about us, but I should tell her that I’m seeing somebody.”

“Josh, I—“

“I mean, you can’t just walk up to people—“

“Josh, stop talking!” she yells, causing him freeze where he stands.  

“Okay,” he says timidly, putting his hands deep inside his pockets.

“I don’t care about Amy, and I don’t think you came all this way to talk to me about this!”

She takes another step forward. She’s very close to him now and he can see her breath as she talks.

“Now tell me what’s wrong.”

He looks down and a chill runs through his body.

“I want you to come home with me tonight.” His voice is just above a whisper.

“You’ve said, but—“

“I want you to come home with me tonight,” he says louder, looking up into her eyes, “because I want to take a shower and have you be waiting on my couch when I get out.  

“And I want you to go to bed with me, and I want to go to sleep next to you, and I want to wake up and see that you’ve stolen all the blankets again in the middle of the night.

“I want to get up, and get dressed, and then I want to take you to that bakery near my apartment. The one with the really big cupcakes that you like because after that, I have to get on a plane to go to California and that’ll be the last time I see you for a couple of days and watching you try to fit one of those cupcakes in your mouth is the funniest thing in the world.”

He chokes out a dry laugh, and she smiles sadly. He can feel his eyes welling up for the hundredth time that day.

“And I just…I just want you to come home with me because I really miss Leo. I really miss Leo, and I don’t want to be alone tonight.”

He breathes out with a sense of finality, putting the ball in her court. She holds his gaze for a moment before nodding.

“Yeah, okay,” she says quietly.

“Really?”  

She nods again and moves in close to cup his jaw with her hand.

She leans in and kisses him right there on CJ’s stoop. He clings to her like like she’s the most precious thing in the world, and tonight, she is.

“I’ll be right back,” she says with one last peck on his lips.

She goes back inside, and a second later, his phone rings.

“CJ?”

“I saw all of that,” she says bluntly. “Do you have any idea what you’re doing?”

He chuckles.

“No, not a clue.”

“Yeah. That’s what I figured.”

“She’s going to stay with me tonight.”

“I’ll try to act surprised when she gets back up here.”


“Go easy on her, CJ. We’re both not really sure what’s going on here, and I don’t want you scaring her off.”

CJ laughs.

“Oh please, if she’s known you for this long and is just now choosing to sleep with you, then I don’t know if anything could scare her off.”

He smiles into the receiver.

“Oh shit, she’s here, gotta go.” CJ hangs up.

He hangs up his phone, and puts it in his pocket. He blows warm air into his hands as the cold starts to settle in around him.

After what feels like an hour, Donna returns with a bag thrown over her shoulder.

She links her arm through his.

“Ready?” she asks. “We can go down to the end of the block to see if any cabs are around.”

“Yeah,” he nods, and she leads him down the stairs.

Another thought pops into his head as they walk down the street.

“Baked and Wired,” he says.

“What?”

“That’s the name of the bakery. With the cupcakes. Baked and Wired. We’ll go there in the morning.”

She smiles at him.

“We better.”

“I figured that cupcakes for breakfast would be the selling point.”

“Yeah, you should really know me by now to know that I really don’t care about all that other stuff,” she says, voice dripping in her usual sarcasm.

As she talks, he unlinks their arms and threads his fingers through hers, putting their grasped hands back in his pocket.

They get to the end of CJ’s block and the traffic has picked up. She lifts her free arm in the air attempting to wave down a cab while holding on tight to his hand.

He’s momentarily amazed for how natural it all feels with her, holding hands in the cold, going home together and talking about breakfast.

He studies her features in the streetlight and realizes maybe this is how it should have been all along.

[singingaboutwishingx]

the sam/josh/donna we DESERVED

so, as we all know, canon neither confirms nor denies the existence of a josh/sam relationship

this, of course, means it happened.

and so when sam and donna find themselves in bed together at the beginning of year four, as attractive people tend to do, this becomes a problem for both of them

because the two of them had always been pretty close

(they were both individually closer to josh but had formed a friendship in their own right. donna had been sleeping in sam’s guest room at least once a month for a year before it happened)

but anyway, this closeness was partially born out of the fact that they both had feelings for josh

sam, as josh’s ex, would have taken him back in a second, and what began as a seed of a crush for donna soon blossomed into love

it’s nice to feel things with a friend, and they didn’t do it a whole lot, but it was definitely a bonding point for them

anyway they both knew that about the other and went “oh shit” when they woke up the morning after

because like,,, their feelings for josh absolutely had not gone away, but sam’s pretty goddamn, well, pretty, and donna more or less rocked his world

so they keep it up because, hey, josh is doing... whatever he’s doing with amy gardner right now, and it’s pretty obvious that he’s not interested in either one of them for the foreseeable future

(they’re both absolutely oblivious, but they are kind of right—neither of them will get involved with josh anytime soon)

they throw a few real, outside-of-sam’s-apartment dates into the mix

it’s clear pretty quickly that this isn’t a fluke. they’d enjoyed each other’s company before, but donna very much likes sitting on sam’s lap instead of next to him at a respectable distance, and sam certainly isn’t complaining about it, either

it’s a few months before anyone significant finds out

(at this point, the only people who know are donna’s roommate and sam’s doorman)

there’s a knock on sam’s door one saturday morning as he and donna lay in bed

sam reluctantly goes to answer the door (“couldn’t i just pretend i’m not home?” he pulls her closer. “sam, what if it’s important?”)

when josh calls sam’s cell phone, sam doesn’t get a word out before josh starts “sam, come open your door. i’m outside.”

donna and sam are Very Stressed about this

it’s fine, though. as long as donna stays in the bedroom, quietly, josh doesn’t need to find out

and so sam goes to open the door, but decidedly does not invite josh in

“sam, what’s goin’ on? you got someone here or something?”

“um, yeah.”

“oh. you could have just said so.” josh’s eyes wander past sam to the coffee table. “is—is that... donna’s purse?”

sam’s eyes widen. shit.

needless to say, josh did not take it very well.

sam calls donna out of the bedroom, and the way the too-big sweatshirt she’s wearing—unmistakably sam’s—drapes over her goes straight to josh’s heart.

sam and donna sit on the couch while josh paces in front of them

“so, let me get this straight. my—my best friend, and my... other best friend are sleeping together and they didn’t tell me for months?”

josh has been rubbing his temples for so long that donna’s afraid he’ll rub his skin off

he’s not not happy for them, but donna and sam aren’t the only ones with feelings for their coworker and their ex

and that’s just kind of how it is for a while.

donna and sam don’t exactly hide, but they try their best to keep it on the down low for both press reasons and josh reasons

mostly they just order takeout and eat it on sam’s couch because neither of them really has the energy to do anything else

josh never, ever asks either one of them about it. he can’t. the less information he knows, the better.

he genuinely can’t stand it because it just doesn’t feel right to him. sam and donna? really? (no of course he doesn’t have feelings for either one of them he doesn’t he doesn’t he doesn’t)

unfortunately for sam and donna, the little routine they’ve settled into comes to a screeching halt in november, when sam pulls donna into his office and tells her he might have to move across the country because he’s running for the california 47th? why the hell didn’t you tell anyone?

and listen, cj and leo have simultaneous aneurysms, but that’s nothing compared to the way donna’s and josh’s hearts just shatter

josh doesn’t really talk to sam about it. he’s afraid he’ll just break down, and he really, really doesn’t have time to cry, especially in front of sam. he just... he can’t do it

donna doesn’t really know what to do. she and sam talk about it, of course, and decide to maybe stop seeing each other, but what does she say? “i broke up with my boyfriend”? they were hitting the stops of dating, she supposes, and they would occasionally refer to each other as their boyfriend/girlfriend in public, but really only for the benefit of others

(donna preferred the way ginger would put it, which was “donna, how’s your man?” she liked that better. “boyfriend” felt too formal, too established. she and sam were a little more casual than that, she thinks)

(and she loved him, she did, but there was something (josh) keeping her from really feeling like sam was her boyfriend)

but anyway, they leave it kind of open-ended (which is how sam ends up in donna’s hotel room when the senior staff goes to california)

smash cut to march 2007: josh and donna are a pretty established couple, and sam is two and a half months off another broken engagement

sam’s thrilled for them because, seriously, they danced around that thing for years. they deserve to be together in broad daylight.

his feelings for the both of them never really went away, but he knows they’ve both moved on

(they had not, in fact)

unsurprisingly, it’s donna who brings it up to josh

“so, we both dated sam.”

“...yeah?”

“i don’t know about you, but... now that he’s back in dc, i wouldn’t be opposed to seeing him again.”

“i... donna, are you trying to break up with me?”

“no—no, of course not. what i’m trying to ask is if you would be opposed to... seeing him with me. together.”

“oh.”

josh stares into the distance for so long that donna starts to worry

“josh?”

“sorry, yeah?”

“what do you think?”

“i don’t think... sam’s fresh off an engagement. i’m not sure he would be in the headspace for a one-time thing with two of his exes. quite frankly, i’m not sure i am, either.”

“oh, i didn’t mean a one-time thing. i was thinking more... long term. if that’s something both you and he would be into.”

josh looks back at donna, the smile on his face growing

“oh. well, yeah, i... i think i’d be into that.”

and so they set up a dinner. they ask sam to come over to their place, telling him that the three of them need to talk. it’s nothing urgent, they tell him, just a long-overdue catch-up.

(and really, it is—the transition and first two months had been too busy for the three of them to sit down, regardless)

so they have dinner, and afterward, they send sam to sit on the couch in the living room while they bring down the dishes

when they finish, donna perches on the arm of couch above sam, and josh sits next to him

she starts stroking his hair, and sam, too touch-starved to think about it, just leans into her. they’d always been platonically affectionate (and donna’s kind of like that with everyone, anyway), so he’s not particularly worried.

“sammy,” josh starts, and now sam does start to worry.

josh only ever called him “sammy” when they were dating—why bring it back now?

josh keeps going. “donna and i have been talking for a while now about making a change.”

“we both love you, you know that?” donna picks up, continuing to run her fingers through sam’s hair. “and we know you love us.”

sam still can’t figure out what’s happening for the life of him

“yeah, i know,” he says quietly. “and i do.”

josh smiles at him. “we were talking, and donna reminded me that we’ve both dated you at one point or another. and the funny thing is that neither of us really ever stopped having feelings for you.”

oh, sam thinks.

“and we were wondering,” donna says, “if you might still have feelings for us.”

sam stiffens up a little bit—he’s spent so long trying to find anyone that held a candle to either of them, and now...

donna notices. “sam, honey,” she says gently (and, god, donna calling him “honey” just does something to him), “we don’t ever want to make you feel uncomfortable. you’re our friend first. if this isn’t something you’re interested in, short-term or long term, we’ll drop it and we don’t ever have to speak about this again.”

“no,” he says, maybe a little too quickly. “i would definitely be interested. short-term, or long-term, or whatever you guys want.”

josh and donna share a grin that seems to say we got him.

donna stops stroking his hair. “i think we’re both very glad to hear that.”

sam almost can’t breathe when donna tips his head up and kisses him, and when she pulls away, he just stares at her until josh puts a hand on his cheek

when josh then leans in to kiss him, sam is pretty sure he’s died and gone to heaven.

and when they go to bed that night, donna’s head lays on sam’s chest, her arm stretched out over his body so she can hold josh’s hand, who’s curled up on his side, his face buried in sam’s shoulder.

the collective love in the room could power the entire city of washington, d.c.

needless to say, this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

bonus:

their first call is cj because, even though she’s no longer responsible for presenting their lives to the press, they know that nobody else but her would really know what to do

when they tell her, she’s silent for a second before she says “josh, i didn’t think you were the type.”

(danny passes by and sees the shit-eating grin on her face and she just mouths “later”)

josh, of course, is very offended

“i—cj—what do you mean, not the type?”

“well, sam and donna, maybe. i can see that for them, but you seem too possessive to share.”

sam and donna look at each other and burst out laughing

“cj,” donna says, “just imagine josh but with two partners to worry about.”

they all have a nice, long laugh at that (well, not josh)

“i’m breaking up with both of you. and i’m revoking your friend card, cj.”

“oh, josh,” sam says, kissing his cheek, “you love us too much for that.”

“i was only teasing, mi amor. i’m very happy for the three of you, and i really can’t say i’m surprised,” cj’s slightly staticky voice comes through the phone.

while she does advise them to keep it discreet, she tells them to just own it if it comes out.

when they hang up, the three of them feel lighter. they told someone and it went fine.

they’re going to be okay, they think.

bonus bonus:

they take turns sleeping in the middle of the bed because equality of affection is very important to them

donna absolutely loves to call them “my men” and josh and sam call her “our girl”

they love each other. they really just love each other so much.

[quolant]

4, samjosh!

Josh, as Chief of Staff, had a lot of rules one would probably call "pointless" (Donna), "ridiculous" (Amy) and "arbitrary (Lou). Things like only using Post-It brand Post-Its, no comment boards (especially if they were politics related, press would kill them, Josh would know) and no surprise parties of any kind. But he stuck to them anyway.

"Not even fun ones?" Donna said, one day, when she'd made the trek from the East Wing to talk about a UN summit. "Not even birthday-related?"

"The last time that happened, I fucked up with Chris Carrick," Josh grumbled. "So, this year, in this administration, it's not happening. It's a rule. It hasn't happened yet, and it's not going to."

"Wait," Sam said, from his perch on Josh's couch. He spent way too much time there, considering his office was a lot bigger than the one he used to have, and he could probably get a couch if he really wanted. Josh didn’t mind, really; he'd never minded back then, when Sam had come over with a "Hey," with something in hand, and they'd end up in his office for hours talking about something. "Chris Carrick? That was you?"

Josh slanted a glance at him. "It's — it was a thing."

Sam considered him for a moment over his glasses. He looked good today, Josh thought absently, and then immediately shook it out of his head. Work. Yeah — he had a meeting with Vinick today. That was going to go great.

"I mean, your birthday is coming up," Sam noted, and exchanged a grin with Donna.

"No," Josh stated. "If you — I don't know, rope half of the West Wing and the goddamn social secretary into filling the Roosevelt Room with balloons and shit, I — I'll —" he paused.

Sam raised his eyebrows. "You'll?"

Donna snorted. "It was the Mural Room, Josh. But, y'know, it's been a while, I'll let it slide."

"What —"

"It's the first year of our second term, Josh," Donna replied, grinning. "We have to set out and find our own traditions. We have to bond! We just got reelected!"

"Like our own Big Block of Cheese?" Sam asked, and Donna nodded.

"Well," Josh said, rolling his eyes, but feeling warm all over. "As long as we keep doing what we need to do." He winced. God, he did sound old. He sounded like Leo — and the thought of that made something ache, just a bit.

The next two weeks started when Amy came by and said, "So, you still hate red velvet, right?"

"I — yeah," Josh said, distracted, before looking at her. "Is this — relevant somehow?"

"It's relevant to things," she said easily, enigmatically, in that way where Josh had no clue what she meant.

He got up. "Amy—"

"I've got a meeting with the House Minority Whip. He's kind of a tough nut to crack," she broke in. "So I'll be out for a while."

Josh blinked. "Uh, ok."

Amy left, and Josh would swear that she was smirking.

Bram asked him, offhandedly, about the schedule. Edie mentioned something about mixology and cocktails and what drinks he liked. Annabeth popped in and asked something about pop music.

It all came to a head, one night, really, really late, when he and Sam were working on some legislation related to the education bill.

"Ok," Josh noted, tapping his pen. "I'll talk to Santos on Wednesday about some more people in Congress we can tap."

"Right, yeah," Sam said. And then: "Hey, uh, irrevelant, but do you know what time the First Lady's going to be meeting with UNICEF next week?"

"Sam, there are things called shared calendars now," Josh said, rubbing at his chin. God, he was tired. "They're on this other thing called the Internet. I know I'm not exactly thirty anymore, but the Admin Office would probably bother me if I didn't tell you."

"No, I —" Sam looked at him, with a kind of faint grin. "It's not really about — that. I just wanted to know when they were using the Blue Room that day."

Then something fell over his face, and Josh blinked. "Wait. Wait. Wait —"

Sam looked like he was going to panic, but a calm settled over his face almost instantly. "It's nothing."

"It's not — nothing!" Josh said. "Why would you need the Blue Room? Why would you need to know?"

"It's — well, actually, it's a very old and beautiful room, with a long and detailed history —"

"Like you would know the history of rooms in the White House—" Then all the pieces fit together in Josh's head. "It's my birthday next week, isn't it," he said, flat. "Are you guys throwing a party?"

Sam had the gall to look apologetic. "It — we could be? We could stall it if makes you feel better." He grinned, small and a little wicked, but still overwhelmingly sincere.

"Sam," Josh said, sighed. "I — It's fine. I mean now I'll guess I'll have to perfect my 'shocked' expression."

"You never did have a great poker face."

"So," Josh crossed his arms. "You're really throwing a surprise party. With all the works. That — explains a lot, actually about the past few weeks.

"I mean —" Sam leaned back. "We were trying to, you know, be secretive. I guess we'll have to brush up."

"Yeah, no kidding. Seriously, though," Josh met his eyes. "I asked if you were having a party. I didn’t tell you to have a party.”

Then Sam's face got a little sad, in the way that made Josh's chest hurt. "You know, Josh," he said. "You do have people here. I know it's not like — back then, but you do. And they care about you."

"I know that," Josh said, and it came out insistent. He thought of all the debates he'd had with Lou, all the whiskeys he'd shared with Amy, the time Bram had solved the problem with Social Security, the time Edie and Ainsley had found a loophole in some dense legislation that helped them with pushing healthcare legislation. Santos — with his unwavering belief and his sense of humor, more apparent than not. The First Lady, who apparently did have the best poker face. Donna — where could he even start? And Sam —

"So let us do this," Sam said, plantively, meaningfully. "You've had our backs. Eat some cake and pretend to be surprised and pop champagne."

"Champagne?"

Sam nodded. "You're kind of a big deal," he replied, teasing, but kind, and Josh —

Josh knew Sam was kind of amazing, even back when he'd been a dorky twenty-year old at Princeton, but even then, he never failed to take Josh's breath away. It'd been years, and he still could.

What the hell, Josh thought. It was 2011, not 1988 or 1998 or 2002, and he got up. Sam got up, too, probably to say something, but Josh leaned over the desk and kissed him.

Sam didn't kiss back, and Josh panicked for a bit before he did, skimming a thumb on Josh's jaw.

When they pulled apart, he was smiling, close mouthed, but his eyes were sparkling.

"So that happened," Josh said.

"It did."

"It — probably should've happened a while ago."

Sam cocked his head. "I was okay with the wait, Josh."

"Really?"

"Yeah," Sam said. "It makes the present better."

Josh looked at him and then: "Sam, is that supposed to be a pun?'

When Sam's mouth ticked on one side, Josh groaned. "You're — you're so —"

"Yeah?"

Josh blinked at him, saw his grin get wider. Sam looked tired, but so was he. It was — probably morning now, god. And he couldn't bring himself to retort, not while Sam was grinning at him like that.

"Never mind," he muttered, but sat down. When Sam sat down with him, Josh leaned over to hold his hand.

(Everyone but Donna was convinced at Josh's face next week.

"Sam told you, didn't he?"

He shrugged. "Among other things."

Her eyes went wide, before her mouth split in a bright smile. "Other things?"

Josh looked over to where Sam was laughing with Ainsley and Lou with a flute of champagne. He tried not to grin but failed. "Yeah." )

[thxngam]

do u have any good donna-centric fics?

yeah! this was actually really fun :)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/28259976--Send a Postcard From Down the Street by @cauldronoflove​: this is THE donna fic imo. donna on moving up in the word at the beginning of the santos admin/during transition, her friendship with sam, and also her musings on how stupid and also not josh and sam are. literally SO GOOD.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30831602--through the looking glass by Anon: one of the reposted fics of windyink/cookiecrumbl. part 1 of the role reversal au, where donna is the one litigating ships and joey is working for hoynes. it’s in 2nd person, but that works really well for this fic. it’s such an interesting AU, the vibe i get is immaculate. 

https://archiveofourown.org/works/29134296/chapters/71523372--you like her better (wish i were heather) by @singingaboutwishingx: so so good! also the first chapter is more amy-centric but the second is about donna. definitely read both chapters though, it’s a little weird to skip. donna and amy’s reflections on the other’s place in josh’s life. also with a cute sam and donna moment in the second chapter that i really love. 

https://archiveofourown.org/works/27167698--take the train to the top of the world, and i'm there, i'm home by @singingaboutwishingx: donna doesn’t go back to freeride. she packs her shit up and goes to new york to be happy and free and honestly the vibe i get from this is just...i wish i could be donna. it doesn’t have to do with bartlet, but more with donna embracing life and doing things that make her happy. so good. 

https://archiveofourown.org/works/27166588--you weren't mine to lose by @singingaboutwishingx: donna’s thoughts on her boss that she can’t date. her thoughts and her struggles and it’s just so good. 

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30478647--touch my soul from the outside by cassieholliday: a soulmate au where physical hurts on your soulmates body translate to yours. donna’s soulmate is josh (obviously) and this during rosslyn with a side of comforting toby. the way this author wrote both josh and donna’s povs is so good, and both of their thoughts on their soulmates are just...so good.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30475245--feelings im not used to feeling ‘cause, oh, they make me feel alive by annemeredithperkins: BEAUTIFUL POSSIBLY BI BLOND LADIES DESERVE THE WORLD. after the events of that episode with that really pretty red dress donna “borrows” (yall know the one I'm talking about right? bc i don’t actually know the name of the episode), donna turns to ainsley while both of their love interests are being stupid. maybe donna’s straight, maybe she’s not, but i can't see donna as anything less than self-aware of her own attraction to, at the very least, what genders she likes. i maintain that donna knew she had a crush on josh since the campaign and just never did anything about it (cmon she can't be that blind) and i totally think she knows what she wants and this fic is really about that.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30382245--these feelings, they keep running the red by @hufflepuffhermione: i think we all wanted to know what donna was thinking during the santos campaign when donna and josh were being really awkward and weird around each other. donna’s thoughts while josh is running himself ragged. <3

https://archiveofourown.org/works/29860869--one the wires by an orphaned account: donna drives josh to the airport for his vacation during s7. very cute. the banter is *chef’s kiss* and donna talks/thinks about her relationship with joey which is very cute. 

 https://archiveofourown.org/works/29813229--Falling Apart by JOBrien42: donna’s thoughts when santos rejects the VP bid in s6. it’s really interesting bc where donna is is kinda where josh was pre-series, when he was backing a guy who was the frontrunner but also a shitty candidate and this is sort of donna’s thoughts on that and the fracturing of her relationship with josh. 

https://archiveofourown.org/works/29740353--T-Shirt Weather by heliotropic: i’d explain the fic but spoilers. short but sweet. 

https://archiveofourown.org/works/29305629--Inconsequential Details by violet_storms: honestly could be a companion to the last fic. it’s...the way donna’s inner monologue is so good. if you liked the last one, i think you’ll like this one. and if your not sure about the last fic read this one. amy and donna.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/66665--Ask a Scientist (it's quantum physics) by out_there: i don’t really know how to describe this one? it’s just...it’s a bittersweet or maybe just bitter ending if you think about it. so good. donna and sam, and her thoughts on all the relationships and jobs in her life. i REALLY suggest reading this, I'm not doing it justice. 

https://archiveofourown.org/works/28558515--Not Unspectacular Things by an orphaned account: the first of a series about the seaborn admin. so so good! sam and josh being idiots, do something stupid. this is donna’s pov. i don’t really know how to describe it but the way it’s written is just...it’s so good. 

https://archiveofourown.org/works/28761066--promises to keep by myrmeraki: a high school AU! donna and joey’s first date. you don’t have to read the first of the series but i rlly suggest, though it is samjosh. this is so cute and so pure. 

https://archiveofourown.org/works/27593960--beginning’s end by Spearquint: donna on her chief of staff duties when sam’s president. donna’s inner monologue is so good and the way the author describes the “learning curve” is fantastic. 

https://archiveofourown.org/works/15101804--The Taste of Everything by Michelle K: donna and joey, from donna’s pov. “She’ll think about the possibility of Joey loving her, and she’ll smile.” It’s such a pretty line and a really good fic about donna’s relationships and her family. the way the author wrote donna’s inner monologue is so good.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/687075--After Gaza by Speranza: i reread this fic just yesterday when i was going through bookmarks for sam-centric fics and i remembered why i love this. it’s short but it’s so sweet. as much as i love josh and donna being sappy and romantic, their banter was what drew me in in the first place, so this is a funny and cute exchange/scene after gaza, which is much appreciated bc things really went downhill after gaza in canon lol

https://archiveofourown.org/works/27139615--engraved upon my heart (in letters deeply worn) by @claudiasjeancregg: donna as campaign manager (ish) for the seaborn for America campaign, along with some musings on how far she’s come from an assistant to this (donna is a queen, i love her). literally...so pure. all of the feels. also donna and josh have such a cute relationship and i just...UGH. it’s so sweet my god. 

wow i have a lot more donna fics than i thought. a lot of fics i have are j/d fics, which i’d be happy to make a list for but this is the list of donna-centric fics that i’ve got. i hope you enjoy, anon!

[psychiatristreturning]

getting drunk and telling stories about josh

abbey was sick of the party

it was loud, men are jerks, and she needed a break

so, the icon she is, gathered cj, donna, amy, and you to do what??

DRINK

you guys were going through topics like wildfire

who was donna dating, amy, cj?

WHAT HAPPENED TO DANNY HUH CJ

HUH

i’m alright

well, you tend to stay out of the conversation, just drinking heavily instead

when abbey suddenly asked you, “how are you and josh doing?” 

all the women looked at you, drunk out of their minds, wanting to know some personal details

so you gave them 

“we’re doing good,” you nodded awkwardly

cj, of course wanted some stories

“the other night he fell off the bed while sleeping and only noticed when he woke up.” 

“i knew he was an idiot, but he’s that idiotic?” donna couldn’t believe it

“oh he’s never gonna hear the end of this.”

you smiled at the surrounding women, “the other morning he made cereal with orange juice.” 

“who hasn’t?!” amy exclaimed

“nOt Me” 

the next morning a very confused josh waltzed into your office

“why did the first lady come in making fun of me, with specifics?” 

you stood up and wrapped your arms around him

“i was very drunk, and people wanted to know things...” 

he kissed you softly, “it’s okay, just, don’t wonder where sam and toby got very specific information about you..” 

all is fair in love and war 

[pirateboy]

So umm Josh Lyman is aro

this started as just literal projection, but the more i watch the more evidence i find, and now no one can convince me that this man isn't some form of arospec, so i'm going to rant about it. Thanks to @brittaforthewin for enabling me on this!

(continued under the cut because this got obnoxiously long)

Side note: I understand that any examples I use here can be looked at from multiple different perspectives, and by using them I am not saying that this definitively proves that josh is aro, or that this is the 'right' way of looking at it, simply that these are experiences I find very familiar as an aro person and think it's interesting to apply it to this character. Also, by saying that josh doesn't feel romantic attraction to a character, I am not trying to diminish or devalue their relationship in any way, just recontextualise it. Platonic attraction is just as valid as romantic attraction.

Ok so now that that's out of the way, the main thing I'm going to be looking at are his romantic relationships, since obviously aromanticism is a romantic identity. I don't think there's any point looking at Mandy, since they're relationship was already over when the show starts, and we don't get any indication of what they were like when they were dating. So that leaves Joey Lucas, Amy and Donna.

Joey Lucas

With Joey Lucas, the main thing would be that they didn't actually date, but that's not all there is. I think Josh's relationship to Joey very much feels like that feeling of almost 'choosing' a crush because this is a new person in my life and they're nice and pretty so I guess this is who I like now. And especially with the 2nd? time Joey appears (The episode with the Tuesday suit), this kind of gets reinforced in Josh's brain, cos it's like oh people are teasing me about liking her, I must have romantic feelings towards her, because amatonormativity is just like that sometimes.

The other aspect of the Joey/Josh relationship that is interesting is the role Donna plays in pushing them together. I could use this as evidence of Donna being aro, but this post is about josh so I'll leave that for now. The first time we rlly see it happen is in the episode in LA I think, with the whole 'gather ye rosebuds' thing. Now this is cool cos josh rlly didn't have an intention to follow up with Joey once they talked, but it was Donna who convinced him to knock on her door, which he seemed very confused about, which is pretty aro of him. But essentially josh went and knocked on Joey's door cos he felt that was what he was supposed to do.

Actually I think you could argue that that's been his basis for his whole relationship with Joey up to this point. He's established there's a probability of a relationship happening through how his friends (especially Donna) reacted to her, so he tries to talk to her, finds out she's already with someone, thinks ok then, but then is told that no now he needs to do this thing. I think what I'm trying to say is that it kind of gives the vibes of when you convince yourself you like someone because you think there's a chance a relationship will happen, so you kind of just try to mimic how you think people start relationships (and this is something that comes up with Amy but we'll get to that).

Anyways, now we move onto the war at home, which is kind of the culmination of the Joey Lucas arc. Even though she appears again, this is the end of her as a love interest. This is where we also have the most Donna pressures josh to ask out Joey. And I think this is super interesting because of Josh's confusion as to why she's trying so hard. Yes obviously there is just the normal joshdonna confusion, but I also thinks it works rlly well with what I was saying about the la episode. If we take Josh's persual of Joey as this is likely to get me into a relationship, then it makes sense that he's not rlly trying now. He misjudged it, she was with somebody, not rlly any point in trying it again. And the confusion comes in because for Donna, josh likes Joey so it makes sense that he'd keep trying to get with her, but josh it was never specifically about her. I also think you have the concept of vaguely liking someone cos that's what your supposed to do, but never actually trying too hard to get into a relationship because that seems like something rlly abstract and never rlly something you think too much about.

Also, and this isn't that much of a big thing, but the scene where josh says to Joey that Donna keeps telling him he should ask her out just screams aro to me. Like just the disregard for how your supposed to talk about relationships, and the absolute aro obliviousness of huh isn't that weird this person wants us to get together.

And then obviously they just keep being friends after and josh forgets about it, because I think the main thing with Joey Lucas is the kind of abstract crush you get with a new person with oh this person's nice ig, this would be nice if there was a relationship, but never wanting to actively pursue it because you aren't actually romantically attracted to them just don't realise it, so in the end nothing happens.

Amy Gardner

Ok, so we're onto Amy. This is the first time we see him actually get into a relationship on the show, and because of that, I'm hesitant to draw conclusions of his relationships just through one example; however, I think combined with what we know from Joey Lucas and the fact that this was the only relationship he has for the duration of the show (not counting Donna), i feel confident enough to use it as evidence.

So I mentioned before how the theme of choosing who you like based on whether you think they like you comes up again with amy, and I think this really describes the episodes when they first get together. I can't say with certainty, but just the fact that it was Amy who was I guess kind of flirting with josh or whatever, and only after that did josh decide he liked Amy, really feels again like choosing, even subconsciously, to like someone cos that's who you believe you'll be able to get into a relationship with.

There are 2 scenes that rlly stand out to me with this time period of josh and amy. The first one is when josh is trying to find an excuse to meet with amy so he makes up a work reason and they have dinner or something, but specifically the part where amy realises josh doesn't actually have a proper reason and just wanted to see her and gets kind of annoyed that he couldn't have just asked her out directly. I can't remember the quote, but she says something about how he didn't ask her out because this is the fun part for him, and he would run away if this lasted for 5 minutes longer than he wanted it to. I think she's wrong about josh's motivations for his behavior, even removing the aro hc for a second it seems like he didn't ask her out directly cos he's just Anxious™ (which, mood), but i think the fact that she picked up on him not being able to get past the first step can still be seen as an aro thing. Again with the vaguely liking someone, but also being unfulfilled by relationships because you're not feeling what you think you're supposed to be. (This isn't to say aro people can't be in a relationship, just if you don't realise your aro and are trying to force relationships it's a lot harder.) One last thing, when Amy confronts him and his immediate response is bring up how she threw a water balloon at him, rlly doesn't help with it seeming like he likes Amy cos she likes him.

The 2nd scene is the one where amy and josh first kiss, y'know where they're outside josh's house in the snow, and josh says that he feels like he missed something because he never learnt what to do when you think you like someone and everyone else seemed to have learnt. That is literally the quintessential aro experience to me, just the confusion as to how relationships work and the kind of alienation you feel as a result of that, and realising that the way you like people is different to what other people are talking about. Also I feel like this conversation has the same vibes of josh telling Joey Lucas Donna wants him to ask her out. Just in terms of like I have no idea how to approach this situation so I'm just going to state what's going on. Which again, that disconnect in how to approach romantic relationships- it's aro.

Ok ik I said 2 scenes but I rewatching a bit to make sure I got a scene right and when Amy and Josh first meet (technically not their first meeting but u know what I mean) she says 'guys like you need to be hit over the head.' I'm pretty sure she's referring to his obliviousness when it comes to relationships, which is already aro, but I can also interpret that again as josh choosing who he likes based in who he thinks likes him.

Now in terms of his actual relationship with her, as in when they're dating, there's less things I could think of to suggest josh is aro, though that might be because I've never been in a proper relationship so there's less things in can relate to my experience. However, one thing I did want to talk about was when he wanted to take her to Tahiti. On its own it wouldn't be that much, but because of the fact that he literally did the same thing with Donna in s7, it really does make it seem like he has a List of romantic things he consults. Also, and forgive me if I'm wrong here, but taking someone to Tahiti seems like a pretty big thing for people who haven't been dating that long, so it does make the gesture seem a bit like umm ok I'm in a relationship now what are things that people in relationships do. Adding to this, the fact that he then actually cancelled the trip when he didn't have to, even though I know that it was to show like his dedication to his work, could also reinforce that it was more about doing a romantic gesture than just wanting to go to tahiti.

One other thing i wanted to talk about in regards to amy is how for a lot of their lifespan they're not actually properly together. I'm a little confused about the timeline of their relationship, but what i understood is that they break up after the end of s3? And then are kind of just doing stuff through s4 and 5. I think it's pretty self explanatory why that gives off aro vibes, but also i wanted to mention quickly that because there are 2 people in a relationship, i can't really look at it and go that's because this one person is aro, especially as we don't rlly know too much about the details of their relationship. Furthermore, Josh is actually the one in s5 to say hey umm what r we doing here what's going on, which on one hand relationship confusion is aro, but also eh. (also, aro amy?) So i can't rlly analyse his actions to argue he's aro cos i don't know what those actions are, so i'm just going to say it gives off aro vibes.

Donna <3

So ik I've already given a disclaimer at the start, but I felt I should reiterate that just because I am going to be talking about how I don't think josh is romantically attracted to Donna, this is does not mean at all that I am trying to lessen their relationship or that I don't like them, like I genuinely love them so much, but I think that their relationship can be just as good and important platonically. Sorry, i just didn't want anyone to get the wrong impression, dw I love them just as much as u do.

So with these two, I'm going to start at the end, because that's when their relationship changes. I think you could definitely hc josh as demiromantic, I think that definitely makes sense, this man waited 7 years and didn't do anything, a good solution to that is hey maybe he genuinely didn't feel romantic attraction during that time. And Josh and Donna are very close so it would make sense he would start to develop romantic feelings for her if he is demiro. I dunno I think it would be cool. (Also a lot of the things I say for josh here would also work for Donna but I'm leaving her for another time.)

However, I still think it also makes sense for him to be aro, just judging by how they got together. We all know it already, but they didn't actually start a romantic relationship till Hawaii it's implied, before that they were basically just hooking up. And this is interesting because when they get together the only thing that changes is the sexual aspect, the platonic/romantic part stays the same. So you could argue that Josh is still just feeling platonic or queerplatonic attraction. Actually, even what Donna says about giving him an ultimatum could support this, she's still unsure that he's going to be able to start a relationship. Even when they do start dating, especially if we also hc Donna as aro, I definitely see their relationship settling into something like a qpr.

Ok so now that we've covered how they got together, the main part of josh and Donna is obviously whole 7 years leading up to that. There's not really a structure to follow like with the others, since the whole time they're very close, but their closeness isn't a bad place to start. They're literally best friends throughout most of the series, they're insanely close, they're probably the most important people in each others lives, and all the way up to s7 they stay strictly platonic. Actually you could definitely class it as queerplatonic as well. I mean, sure there's hints at romance, but most of the time they seem content with their dynamic. The times where they're not are mostly when they're jealous, which ok I'll give u, and after Donna leaves, which is more about them not being close any more.

I'm not going to try and tell u they weren't romantically attracted to each other. However, I am going to ask you which one is cooler. Two people are romantically attracted to each other, they don't get together but are very close and do things that could be construed as romantic. Or, two people are platonically attracted to each other and do things which could be considered romantic but don't get together because they don't feel the need to. I'm not saying ones better than the other obviously, I just prefer the second. Also, making them aro does offer a good explanation for how they waited so long and had so many moments that seemed so obvious, they just didn't feel the need to change their relationship.

I couldn't think of that many specific examples, but I wanted to talk about how they're relationship doesn't change when he's with amy, and they're still just as touchy feely as ever (I'm looking at you dead Irish writers), implying that he doesn't see his relationship with Donna as romantic and that it should change because of Amy. Another thing is the flowers in seventeen people. Its not a big thing, and it could just as easily be considered romantic, but buying flowers for platonic anniversaries is very aro.

Everything else

So this just a mish mash of stuff that didn't fit into the earlier sections, ig. The first thing I wanted to talk about was a scene that probably could have gone in the Joey Lucas section, but I only remembered it till after I wrote it. It's when Donna is trying to convince him to ask Joey out, and she says something along the lines of 'you cant just randomly bump into a girl sideways and hopes she breaks up with you like you always do." Like thats. thats exactly what i'm talking about! Amatonormativity means you feel like you have to be in a relationship, but because your not actually feeling romantic attraction towards people, it kind of becomes this passive thing where if it happens, yeah, but it's not like theres ever one specific person who you really want to be with, it's just something that kind of happens. Also peep the 'randomly', that definitely can imply that he's not getting into relationships because he's genuinely attracted to that person.

Now the next example is what josh says to Donna in the portland trip. I was slightly hesitant on using because I didn't want to justify it, but as long as u know that I am not using this to try and excuse it, it was still a shitty thing to say. That being said, when josh says to Donna that her desire to be coupled up will drown out any self worth she has, that sounds very aro. It's literally just person who doesn't experience romantic attraction confused by people who want to be in relationships. Also definitely could be used for aro Donna, but again this isn't the aro Donna post. Or aroace Donna, which is my actual hc, but that's less relevant.

Ok so the last thing I wanted to looks at were his relationships as a whole. Two things I first thought of were that rlly he only dates one person in the duration of the show, and for all his love interests (even Mandy this time), we see significantly more or all of his time spent not dating them. But then I realised this wasn't uncommon to how other characters' relationships are written, and that seems to just be how things are on the show. So u could still use it as evidence, it just probably wouldn't carry as much weight

However, one thing I did notice was that Sorkin seems to be very fond of relationships where the man is persuing the woman, often to a problematic degree. Sam, Toby, Charlie and Danny all have this, and even Leo to a lesser extent. But if we look at Josh's relationships, we see that his persual of Joey was pressured by other people and quickly abandoned, Amy showed interest in him first, and even though he kissed Donna first it was definitely her leading the relationship. This doesn't have to mean he's aro, but it definitely supports what I said about josh not rlly finding relationships that important and/or attraction based in whether there's a chance at a relationship.

One more small example I wanted to say is when Sam tells josh he's getting married and Josh looks like key disgusted. I have nothing else to say for that, just wanted to bring it to your attention.

Also! I focused on just straight up aro on this post cos that's what I have experience with, but any form of arospec hc is equally as cool. I talked a little bit about demiro, greyro as well I can definitely see. Bascially any, I'm not the most qualified person to talk about it tho. If anybody got this far and has any arospec josh hcs I'd love to hear them. Even any gay josh hcs actually, I'd be interested to see how they overlap.

Uhh I think I'm done so far. I think that was it. Jesus that got long. Thank u sm if u made it to the end. I hope u have a nice day :)

[aerielz]

come and untangle me one of these days

- a dream. a mistake. company, to make it better.

This is for and because of everyone in the original Flower Shop!AU post notes, specially @claudiasjeancregg and @stars-on-the-cuffs-of-her-jeans. You guys went waaaay too fast and I’m still trying to put Donna in here let alone everyone else, but I do hope everyone enjoys this! Title from Come and Find Me, by Josh Ritter. I feel like everything I’ll ever write for this AU will be somehow based off this song, tbh.

fandom: the west wing pairings: JD, CJ/Toby wc: 2453 rating: gen tag: flowershop au

He wakes up at the crack of dawn, stirred by some weird dream he can’t quite remember — some bittersweet memory. The coffee he takes washes away the sweetness and he’s left with only the bitter of it, stuck to the back of his throat.

He leaves the house, then. The streets are still somewhat deserted, but, much like his hometown, DC never really sleeps. Toby walks the five minutes from his house to the shop, and watches as the sun comes up behind the Capitol dome.

Walking into the storefront proves itself a bigger hazard than his own mood, though, as he is almost run over by a flurry of blonde as soon as he steps through the threshold— “Wow.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry!,” Donna is already there, crossing quickly towards a table under the wall-to-wall window with a spray bottle in hand and talking into a phone she holds with her shoulder. “Oh— no, no, don’t worry, that was just Mr. Ziegler. Yes, of course. Yeah. Yeah, I’ll let him know, don’t— tomorrow? That should be hard, how about Saturday? Okay. Okay, thank you so much, Dr. Bartlett.”

“Donna,” he says when she hangs up.

“Shouldn’t we receive a shipment of sunflowers this weekend?” She sprays a mist over an arrangement of daisies.

It's too early for this. Too early for and her energy and her incessant talking, but somehow Toby can never be mad at Donna. Even when she sends congratulatory arrangements to funerals by accident. Even when she turns around still spraying, causing him to find himself inside a cloud.

“Donna—”

“We’ll sure need them, Dr. Bartlett just called saying that Liz will be home for the weekend.”

"How many times I have to tell you to never call me Mr. Ziegler?"

"Should I call you Mr. Grumpy, then?"

"It's Mr. nothing, Donna."

"Oh, c'mon. Don’t be so harsh on yourself,” she jokes. But her quip lacks the bite and the sparkle, and Toby finally notices it — she was here before sunup, too.

He barely has time to register the conversation and that last fact when the bell above the door rings behind him. His heart skips a beat.

Donna looks up to check and her eyes widen, just a little bit. Just enough.

“Oh, God, no, not him,” he mutters to himself.

“Can anyone tell me what magnolias are supposed to stand for?”

Toby sighs, closing his eyes.

“This is a flower shop,” he says, turning around, “can’t say much about trees.”

Josh Lyman, arrogant extraordinaire, flashes a smirk, shrugging apologetically. "Maybe you should start thinking about expanding."

He swagger his way further into the shop, stopping just beside him.

“I—,” she says, putting a strand of hair behind her ear, “Well, actually flowers from magnolias are very common in bridal bouquets. They’re these beautiful, delicate, things, they’re supposed to be all about purity and nobility.”

This is why he keeps her here, Toby thinks. For every fact about flowers that he doesn’t know, Donna knows five he’s pretty sure no one but her knows about. But she looks down to the floor, and Toby thinks she sounds sad, somehow.

“Well, that..." Josh’s smirk quickly turns into a grimace. "That makes sense."

“The more you know,” he says, clapping his hands against his legs. "Well, you got your answer, then."

"Yeah, maybe... maybe we should focus on some other flower," Josh says.

Toby is more than ready to focus on showing Josh the door when—

The bell rings again.

Sam walks in, saying, "Oh. And here I was thinking I was gonna be the first."

Toby runs a hand over his face and takes a glance at his wristwatch. It’s barely seven. "Why are you all even up?"

"No reason," Josh answers. It's way too quick, but he's not about to question him.

"The magnolias, they..." Donna looks up directly at Josh, "Why you ask?"

"I— uh."

"Magnolias!," chimes in Sam, leaving his shoulder bag in a corner and sitting on top of the sales counter, right beside Donna, "Such pretty flowers! We're doing bridal bouquets, now? We should, the marriage stuff really is great business."

"Oh, God, no," Josh mutters.

"It really is!,” Sam continues, “There’s definitely money in the sector, and it’s not like it’s an unpleasant job. Donna here, for example, would love it. Anyone with a knack for romance would, really.”

“You work the afternoon shift,” Toby tells Sam, exasperated and already so, so, tired. “On weekends. What the hell are you doing here?”

“I have no idea, Josh was the one who called me.”

“And you came?”

"Absolutely," says Sam, almost triumphant. “I mean why not?”

“I can think of at least, I don’t know, twenty reasons.”

“Well, I like to help my friends when I can, Toby. For the same reasons I think we should really start doing weddings.”

“Unbelievable,” he cries out, “How did we even get to this point of the conversation, we are not doing weddings, what’s wrong with you?”

“I’m a romantic—”

“Yeah, that explains it.”

“—and you know what, I think you are one, too. I think most, if not all, of us here are. Or you're gonna tell me you wouldn't like the sight of the love of your life, surrounded by blooms and blossoms, walking her way towards you? Or, or— maybe doing that walk yourself, that would probably be quite an experience, right? C’mon, Donna, you look like someone who dreams about a big wedding, tell ‘em."

"I... really rather not."

"God, kill me. Right now," Josh mutters a bit too loud, "Just kill me."

Toby notices, strangely enough, that Donna seems to second that thought, but the impression barely has time to settle in because at that exact moment the door opens again. But instead of the light, almost quiet, chime of the bell, they hear a sharp shrill and a loud thud, from the door connecting violently with the wall.

"Joshua Lyman, I will have you hanged," a familiar voice booms.

"I didn’t mean literally," Josh whispers to no one.

"What the actual f— I mean, really, I am never leaving you in charge of the schedule again. Amy just called me asking for your head and I’m pretty sure Joey wants your nuts served on sterling silver — why the hell did you think it was a good idea to have everyone here at like six in the morning, Joshua?"

“Look—”

“Choose your next words carefully because in order for you to keep your internal organs on the inside of your body this will have to be really good.”

His answer ends up not coming in words at all, but in a pleading look — the wide eyes of a man who needs help.

The room awaits silently for Josh's defense, but Toby is looking at CJ, who, for some reason, seems to have a monopoly on his attention whenever she's in the room. And so he catches the moment when her gazes subtly travel to Donna's face. He follows just as carefully, to find her sniffling quietly, cleaning her eyes with the sleeves of her cardigan.

CJ swallows and tracks her eyes back to Josh. Something passes between the two, some understanding, that Toby is not privy to.

“Well." She sighs, rage completely gone. Everyone looks at her. "Since we’re here... maybe... we could all just have something nice to eat...? My treat.”

Josh is visibly relieved.

"I'll take you up on that," Sam says, "I haven't eaten a thing yet."

"You left home without eating?," Donna asks.

"I'm not used to waking up this early."

"Well, let's put some kind of food inside you then," CJ says.

"And coffee," he completes.

They all walk to the nearest café together, finding Bonnie on her bike on her way to work. She unmounts and joins them. Ginger arrives later, when they're all making a fuss over latte flavours, chipping in too. Seasonal spices are seasonal, that's why they're special!, cries out Donna. Nonsense, says Josh, what if I want pumpkin spice all year round, what's wrong with that?

Toby is equal parts impressed and not at all by Josh having an elaborate coffee order. He's hanging back behind the group, watching them have fun with nothing but their own friendship, when CJ finds him.

"What about you, Tobus, gonna drown yourself in cinnamon and allspice, too?," she asks.

He lets himself laugh, "I don't think I have it in me to drink something that complicated."

"A simple man, huh."

"You could say that," he tries and fails to hide a smile.

"I have just the thing."

She enters the line and comes back two minutes later, shoving a blueberry muffin into his hands.

"You didn't have to."

She's the one smiling, then. "I know."

CJ looks up ahead at the rest of their party and her gaze falls on Donna, going soft when she watches how openly the woman laughs while trying to argue some sense into Josh about something as innocuous as coffee.

“Why do I have the impression you know something about my own employee that I don’t...?," Toby asks, then takes a bite from his muffin. It's a bit too sweet for him, but it tastes good. It feels good, like replenishing something inside him.

“I... might.”

“CJ.”

“I’m not supposed to say anything.”

“Those flower arrangements, you like them a lot, right.”

“You don’t play fair.”

“It’s why I’ll never be a professional baseball player.”

“Could've had a chance with the Red Socks team of nineteen—”

“You don’t know anything about baseball, stop obfuscating.”

She sighs, sagging.

“She was supposed to be getting married today.”

Toby chokes on a piece of his muffin. CJ gives him a slap on the back.

“Married?”, he all but yells, between coughs.

“Keep your voice down!”

“What do you mean married?,” he whisper-yells, “You’re telling me she was supposed to marry that asshole?”

“We all make mistakes.”

“Voice of experience?”

“I’m a tattoo artist, Tobias, I have seen things.”

"Married," he repeats. "Married! She's, what, twenty-five? And she's supposed to be getting married to— to a guy who wanted her to throw her entire life away to—"

"I shouldn't have told you anything."

"—what, pay his bills?!"

He breathes in deeply and takes a big bite out of his muffin, knowing the sugar will help him cool down.

It must be quite a picture, his beard covered in crumbs while he munches angrily, because CJ looks at him like she’s about to burst into laughter.

“What?”

"I swear to god between you and Josh the girl’s got more protection than a mafia daughter.”

"Josh knows?," that explains a lot, he thinks. "You're not very good at keeping secrets are you."

"Listen pal, I am very good at it, I just... She needed help, okay?"

"And you think we’re the right people to help her?"

He's not being skeptical, he really isn't. But Donna’s far away from home, and she’s bound to be missing more substantial support. It is true that CJ has a way of making him feel better by just being there, though, and to be fair it is a general talent of hers. Regardless of his protests both her and Josh, they do this, somehow. They arrive, arguing over something tiny, and he forgets he’s worried about anything.

"Yeah, I mean," she shrugs, "isn’t that what friends are for?"

Toby looks up ahead at the people who came around the shop, and all the way here, too, just to keep each other company.

“I think it might work,” CJ concludes.

Between their party and the sugar in his system, he can’t remember what was it that upset him so much that morning.

They all sit on a big table outside the shop, still discussing seasonal lattes. Sam remembers some of his favorites, recalling one or two that never came back another year. Ginger and Bonnie share hot chocolate recipes, and Donna makes notes.

The sun settles itself in the sky and shines down warmly. The District starts moving faster, getting into the gears of the day.

Their regular opening hour approaches.

CJ rises from her place beside Toby and motions with her head for Josh to follow her.

“It's been nice to be robbed blind by a coffee shop chain for your benefit, but we better get to work.”

“Thanks for coming around,” Donna tells her, “I've been having a couple of rough days and…this helped.”

“You should come up to the shop, if it happens again,” CJ says. “Just to hang around. There's always someone there to keep you company.”

“Come today, even,” Josh completes, “I think Amy might not murder me if there’s witnesses.”

“Today's probably not gonna happen,” Donna answers, “We'll be doing some new arrangements, for a while, Dr. Bartlett called.”

“MD or PhD?”

“It’s a lot of work anyway, so does it really matter?”

Josh smiles, shaking his head, “I guess not.”

Is there someone he didn't call?, Toby thinks.

Josh and CJ bid the rest of the table goodbye and head in the direction of their shop. The conversation around them resumes, but Donna is chewing on her lips instead of jumping in to refute Sam's argumentation over croissants.

She steals a glance to watch their backs retreat on the sidewalk, but, before they can get too far, Donna bolts from her seat and stops Josh with a hand on his forearm.

“Josh.”

He stops and looks back. “Yeah?”

She hesitates. When she speaks, it is just loud enough for him to hear.

"Why did you ask about the magnolias?"

She notices she’s still holding him by his shirt and lets go of it, but Josh slides his hand into hers. "Someone came into the shop yesterday to get them done. They reminded me of you.”

He gives her hand a squeeze, that she returns. They share a smile.

“Maybe I could come around tomorrow?,” she says.

“Yeah,” he nods, “Yeah, I think I’d like that. See you tomorrow, then.”

A few steps behind Josh, CJ is watching them, too.

She finds Toby's gaze, when Josh releases Donna's hand to join her. And gives him a wink.

He laughs at the ridiculousness of it, at how warm it makes him feel. But something in the gesture between him makes him believe that there are better days ahead. For all of them.

He turns back to the table around him and when Donna sits down he finally gives in— “You’re all delusional, black forest is just chocolate and cherry, it tastes the same anywhere.”

—starting another round of protests that leads to laughter and lively conversation that lasts the rest of the day.

[palukoo]

share your favorite west wing fics please!!! thank you for my life🥰

thank you!! okay, so. i will attempt this, but i really don't read (or remember) a ton of fic, at least not lately. and i mostly only look at f/f even though i keep meaning to look for gen since that's super up my alley, too, i just haven't gotten to it...

T-Shirt Weather (amy/donna) is just really sweet and a concept that i've thought about before so it was neat to see!

10,000 Sunsets (amy/donna) is also very sweet and i kinda like how... casual it feels? and it always makes me want a chocolate croissant

may these memories break our fall (cj/andy/toby) because if you thought i wasn't going to mention your fics you were wrong makes me feel a lot of things mostly pain but i love them!

this pain wouldn't be for evermore (cj/andy/toby) for like the same reasons (also i didn't realize you had another ot3 fic i need to go read that now!!

The Obliterated Place (cj/andy[/toby]) because look anything with them and the pregnancy and proposal arc will make me a little insane

it's in my blood and i won't give up ('cause it's running through my veins) (gen, amy & andy) because i can't stop thinking about the two of them holding hands and working on cj's campaign and donna sending amy cat photos

election days (donna/cj, sorta gen) is a star trek au and i just really like the world building of running an election for the federation. i mean, my url is palukoo which is a ds9 ref and my title is josh coded cj girl of course i have a soft spot for this fic

(i'm going to be optimistic and hubristic and all that and put a placeholder here for my wips...)

There's definitely others (i know, for example, i've read some good joey/donna) but these are the ones that come to mind... and there's also a few that i haven't read yet but i have been meaning to... i will also take recs!

[onelargecoffeepls]

for the character ask: donna

favorite thing about them

I love how savagely witty Donna is. Like she calls Josh snarky, but she dishes it out! I remember watching season 1 and being like “Yo this guy’s assistant is mean! He has to be in love with her to let her get away with that!” She’s just so smart and sharp and deserves more credit for it.

least favorite thing about them

Okay this is more the writer’s fault, but having Donna’s main character flaw/trait/whatever at the very beginning be based on her relationship with men and how so many major choices she made were based on a man. Like joining the Bartlet campaign as a result of a breakup, and then taking him back??? Gross. But at the same time, I’ve also been a woman in my early 20s who made questionable choices because of men, so I can’t blame her but I can dislike watching it.

favorite line

100% the one from The Short List: “Because when it doesn’t work out, you end up drunk in my apartment in the middle of the night, and you yell at my roommates’ cats.“ I think this is the EXACT moment I started shipping J/D because I just had and still have SO MANY QUESTIONS. It paints such a wonderful picture of their relationship and I need to know more.

brOTP

I demand more adventures of Donna and the rest of the assistants. A fanfic idea that I’ve had written on my computer for months is “The assistants go to bottomless brunch. Hilarity ensues.”

OTP

I mean it’s her husband Joshua “why did the writers get lazy and not give Josh a middle name” Lyman

nOTP

Dr. Freeride and Jack, mostly. I don’t mind Donna/Sam, and Donna/Amy isn’t my thing but I get why people would be into it.

random headcanon

Donna is a speed-reader. It’s a skill she picked up in college, and it was even more useful when at the White House she would have to read 100-page bills in a couple of hours. When her and Josh go to Hawaii, he watched her read 5 books in 5 days, and was completely amazed since he had never seen another person actually do that before.

unpopular opinion

I don’t like girlboss!Donna in seasons 6 and 7. I really miss sweet, witty Donna from the earlier seasons. Yeah, I know that it’s character development or whatever, but it really feels like the life is sucked out of her and makes me sad. It really isn’t until “The Cold” that her character starts to feel like Donna again.

song i associate with them

I gave Josh 3 songs, I’ll do 3 for Donna too:

I Think He Knows - Taylor Swift (my personal favorite Donna song)

He got that boyish look that I like in a man I am an architect, I'm drawing up the plans

Love You For A Long Time - Maggie Rogers (I mean, I wrote a whole fanfic based on this one)

Oh, I never knew it, yeah, you took me by surprise While I was getting lost so deep inside your diamond eyes So many things that I still wanna say And if devotion is a river, then I'm floating away

Slow Burn - Kasey Musgraves (Just so perfect for her)

Old soul, waiting my turn I know a few things, but I still got a lot to learn So I'm alright with a slow burn

favorite picture of them

“Communists look just like noncommunists.”

Send me a character and I’ll give my thoughts on them!

[thermywho]

All right, Thermy. Are you ready? What is your most hated word? Your favourite ship that doesn't involve Good Omens?

Sure, Shite. Like I said, always an open book.

I don’t really have a hated word. Do most people hate certain words because it makes their skin crawl? I am known for my ability not to get grossed out by things. I used to do ward nursing and I was known as the one to call if there was something disgusting you didn’t want to deal with.

Maybe ‘Trump’? That certainly makes my skin crawl. I have some words that I hate being yelled angrily at me, but since that’s almost a weekly occurrence it doesn’t bother me as much anymore.

Next, I have loads of ships that don’t involve Good Omens. Good Omens is perhaps just notable as it’s probably the longest, since it has been decades. Though now that I think about it, my Alan Grant/Ellie Sattler (Jurassic Park), Mulder/ Scully (The X-Files), Niles/Daphne (Frasier), Rosencrantz/Guildenstern (Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead), Jeeves/Wooster (Jeeves and Wooster) and Mark Green/Susan Lewis (ER) ships are of a similar vintage. Though, that brings up a question – is it a ship if it’s canon? Never mind, pretend I didn’t ask that.

As someone who used to be often accused of looking at things with “Slash Goggles” (that’s not a term I see much anymore, thankfully), you’d be surprised as how many of them aren’t slash.

So here is a snapshot, but definitely not an exhaustive list (in no particular order)

The Doctor/River Song (Doctor Who) – this one is controversial as so many people despise River, but I love her. I ship her with every Doctor. I was an Alex Kingston fan from the ER days. So, I would pay an extraordinary amount of money to see a 13/River storyline.

Goren/Eames (Law and Order: Criminal Intent)

John/Aeryn (Farscape)

House/Wilson (House)

Jack/Sam (Stargate SG-1)

C.J./Danny (The West Wing)

Josh/Donna (The West Wing)

Lightman/Foster (Lie to Me)

Remus/Sirius (Harry Potter – though I try to stay out of that fandom these days for obvious reasons)

Bates/Anna (Downton Abbey)

Jake/Amy (Brooklyn 99)

Anne Lister/Ann Walker (Gentleman Jack)

David/Patrick (Schitt’s Creek)

Eleanor/Chidi (The Good Place)

Root/Shaw (Person of Interest)

Castiel/Crowley (Supernatural – however I more found it amusing rather than a ride or die)

Marcy/David (Travelers) – which I wish more people had watched this one

I don’t ship a romantic relationship between Ellie Miller and Alec Hardy from Broadchurch, but I would be happy to watch them bicker for eternity.

Hope you weren’t expecting a concise reply @infinite-shite

[quolant]

first line meme

rules: list the first lines of your last 20 stories. see if there are any patterns. then tag your favorite authors. i saw this on @greatestheights' tumblr and it looked cool here we go! this is a mix of my actual published fic and various unfinished/disconnected fic drafts/ideas/aus i had.

published fics:

trace the faith to a broken down television and put on the weather

One Friday morning in 1992, a year with one of the heaviest snowfalls on record for DC, Sam wakes up shivering all over with a thousand moth balls stuffed inside his skull.

your eyes still smile

Josh, as Chief of Staff, had a lot of rules one would probably call “pointless” (Donna), “ridiculous” (Amy), and “arbitrary" (Lou).

color me your color

The first time Toby showed up, CJ was annoyed and hot off the presses with the fact that the Olympic coverage was being cut, which was awful and stupid for an infinite amount of reasons especially since—wait for it!—Sports Night had crept from number 3 to number fucking 2 in the ratings.

fleeting

It's everything and nothing when they finally kiss after she shows up with the news about the polls—a flashbang of a second, a brilliant, brilliant moment, and Donna's singing with it because—god.

nothing is but what is not

The morning after, while Casey made coffee and Dan poked through the cabinets for cups, Casey said, sounding a little out of it: "That was—it was great, you know. It's still great." 

bifurcate

After Casey leaves for New York, for Late Night in 1993, Dan stays in LA with the remains of everything he has, quits his job at KSPN, and gets a writing internship at Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, the sketch comedy show that's trying to be West Coast SNL. 

fletching

When Donna opens the door to Joey's place in Bed Stuy and finds an early twenty-something eating corn chips and watching a rerun of Six Feet Under on that ratty old armchair that Joey can never bring herself to throw out, she's not surprised. 

coda, take one

Josh leaned on the door.

inside the beltway

“Leo!” Josh calls as he bangs into Leo’s office. 

a dawning day unfurling

The thing is, it shouldn't have been surprising.

if life were made of moments

"Josh."

magnitude

Han is just getting off with Christopher Threepio at Mission Control when he starts looking for duct tape.

atwixt

"You know, this is just downright sad."

rewind

See, the thing is, Josh isn't uninformed.

unfinished/discontinued works and aus:

sam & donna, 1960s nasa fic

They meet each other on Apollo 14. 

hawkeye x bj, summer in maine future fic

It's a Saturday, and you're making out with Hawkeye like a teenager.

donna x joey + donna & josh & sam, donna centric fic in the press secretary au

When they ask her about the diary, she lies.

sports night modern au take 1 and 2

It's Monday morning and Casey's in a mood. 

It is exactly five months after the divorce has finally, finally gone through, Casey has his own place, and the show is fine.

sports night ww au

The first thing, much later, that they ask Casey about during the briefing, is the noise.

dan x casey, charlie goes to college fic

"Charlie's picked a school," Casey started, apropos of nothing, one day, late in April.

I think my first lines don't follow any strict patterns? I mean, sometimes I use the format after X or when X or on XYZ date, then this happened, but sometimes I start with a general line/observation and work my way from there. Or I use action lines or dialogue lines. I think it really varies from story to story.

tagging (no pressure!): @palukoo @thebreakfastgenie @claudiasjeancregg @singingaboutwishingx @scientia-rex @earlgreytea68 @kaydeefalls @callixton and whoever else wants to — you can totally change the number of stories if you want!!!