#have some josh lyman in a tux

[lemon-lyman]

JOSH LYMAN | 1.20 ‘Mandatory Minimums’ 

[shutupanddance]

hi bestie here with another request

could i get a josh lyman x reader where the reader is socially awkward or anxious and josh helps her chill out during an event? idk if that makes sense

This is so cute!! Absolutely hon!!

- You hate parties. And any social event, really. Which is a problem if you work at the Whitehouse, but you’d managed to avoid them with “family emergencies” and “dentist appointments” thus far.

- But Leo’s sick of your game. He tells you that you have to be at this party. Dammit.

- Josh knows that you hate being social. He’s pretty sure he’s watched you make fake strangling motions at Whitehouse visitors when they turn their back. But he’s also so excited to see you all dressed up (and also secretly imagining himself wooing you and sweeping you off your feet).

- You’re not sure why Josh has been in such a good mood all day, but you’re feeling much the opposite. Still, you try to convince yourself that it’ll be fun.

- It was not fun.

- You get to the party, and even though you’re feeling beautiful, you don’t feel comfortable. There are just so many people here, and some of them are staring at you… you want to go home.

- Josh happens to be one of the people staring at you. He cannot get over how gorgeous you look. But then, he realizes how uncomfortable you are, and hatches a plan.

Let’s be honest here, Josh isn’t a fan of looking like an idiot, even if it’s for the team. But, for you, he’ll make an exception. He was bored anyway.

- You’re so relieved when you see Josh walking towards you, that you don’t notice the two glasses of champagne in his hands. Until they go flying through the air.

Josh seems to trip on air just a few feet in front of you, arms flailing, shoes squeaking across tile, and the champagne goes everywhere. On your dress, on his tuxe, and all over the floor.

- You managed to catch him, you’re not sure how. But he immediately springs up and starts apologizing to you, and to everyone. They’re all staring.

“I guess we’ll have to change out of our party clothes!” He announces loudly.  You’re still in shock as he drags you away.

“Josh, I don’t have any other clothes,” you begin, but he shrugs it off.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got you.”

It’s as he’s handing you a change of his own clothes that you realized what just happened.

Josh just spilled champagne over your clothes so that you can’t return to the party. Because who could return to a Whitehouse party in someone else’s sweats and hoodie?

- Josh is looking at you with the most dopey grin on his face that you’ve ever seen.

- You laugh, and throw your arms around his shoulders. You kiss him on the cheek. No words need to be said. His whole face lights up.

- You change into Josh’s clothes, and because he’s now “incapacitated” as well (you’re sure he has a nicer change of clothes somewhere that he could use to return to the party, but he denies it), Josh offers to pull out an old cassette tape from his office. It’s one of your favorite movies.

- You spend the night laughing hysterically. And Josh, even though he just publicly humiliated himself, is the happiest he’s ever been. Because he’s watching you giggle and giggle and worm your way into the couch in your office, all with his clothes on. 

You’re even more beautiful this way, without the flashy dress and the makeup (which you had removed). He’s glad he pulled that charade, to say the least.

- Leo is not impressed, however. He makes you go to the next ball, and the next gala, and the next dinner, but if you’re being honest, you don’t mind them as much anymore. Josh’s fall made you feel so much more comfortable, and even if it didn’t, he’s practically glued to your side at every event.

- So, you spend most of your time gossiping with Josh, dancing with Josh, or strategically avoiding people with Josh. It’s great, because people will come up and talk to him, but leave you alone for the most part. And you just get to spend time with your best friend.

- Besides, it’s never a bad thing when, before you walk into each event, he kisses your forehead and reminds you how beautiful you are. That’s a perk for sure.

[moss-lyman]

#12 for the prompt list 5!

Again I absolutely love your writing

“I feel sick…so anxious and sick and like my heart is trying to beat its way out of my chest.”

okay, so this went fluffy in my head and I kind of flubbed the actual prompt. set post-series :)

Josh paces his 14th lap around the small corridor, his hands lodged in his tux pants and a bow tie still hanging loose around his neck. He sees Sam walk around the corner.

“How much longer?”

Sam checks his watch. “About 27 minutes.” Josh huffs and makes for a 15th lap. “How ya feelin’?”

“Whoever made this stupid rule that we’re not allowed to see each other all day is an idiot. I just want that on the record.”

“Noted.”

“Have you seen her?”

Sam grins. “I have. She’s gonna knock the wind right out of you, buddy.”

Josh groans. “Don’t tell me that! Not when I still have 27—“

“–26.”

“— minutes left. I’m going crazy, Sam. I feel like I’m vibrating at this point. This is worse than election day.”

Sam chuckles. “You better do up your tie. We can go in.”

Josh freezes and grabs the loose scraps of cloth. “But Donna always does it for me.”

“Well, you can make that your first act as a married man – having tied your own bow tie for once.”

“No,” Josh frowns. “I mean– can you call CJ?”

“Josh, Donna can’t tie your bow tie. It’s against the rules.” He shudders. “And I refuse to break - even accidentally!” he exclaims. “I refuse to break them again.”

“Just call her, will you? I don’t care if you have to blind fold me. Donna does my bow ties, so figure it out.”

***

“Josh?” Donna calls as she walks slowly to the end of the corridor.

“I’m right here.”

“You can’t see anything, right?”

“No, Sam found a bandana. Can you see?”

“Well, that’s the problem – how am I supposed to do your bow tie blind folded? I’m good, but I’m not that good.”

He deflates and reaches around the corner of the wall, searching for her. He finally feels her hand and he instantly feels better. “I guess Sam can do it, I just–“

“No,” she interrupts. “I mean– I’ve seen you in a tux a million times, it’s nothing new, so I was thinking—“

“You wanna break the rules?” he asks, grinning widely and he squeezes her hand.

“If you’re okay with it.”

He nods fervently. “I’m very okay with it.”

“You’re sure you can’t see anything? And don’t lie to me, Josh. You can’t look at me for another 20 minutes. It’s bad luck.”

“Donna, I swear. I can’t see anything. My eyes are closed. I don’t wanna ruin the surprise either.”

She hesitates for a second before coming around the corner to stand in front of him. He reaches for her hips, but she stops him. “Hands to yourself, Lyman.”He grumbles, but keeps his hands by his sides as she starts on his bow tie. “Josh?”

“Yeah?”

“You’re practically vibrating, honey. Are you okay?”

He smiles a little at her using the same metaphor that he did, but it’s short lived. “I feel... anxious,” he says quietly. “Like my heart is trying to beat out of my chest.”

“Nerves?”

He takes a deep breath as she tilts his chin up. “Kind of,” he whispers. “What about you?”

“Me too.” He smiles again and she straightens the knot before putting her hands on his shoulders. “But a good nervous.”

“Yeah.” He tries to slow down his breathing. “How’s it look?”

“Very handsome,” she says and she brushes over his cheek. “I’ll see you soon?”

He grins and the anxious energy starts to burn off into excitement now that he’s near her. It’s like she has a bubble surrounding her and as soon as he’s close enough, all his troubles melt away. “How much longer?” he asks, bouncing a little on the balls of his feet.

“You should probably head in. We’ve only got about 15 more minutes.”

He nods, his eyes still closed under the bandana. “‘Kay. Am I allowed to kiss you?”

She snorts and leans forward, her hand still on his cheek, and she kisses him sweetly. “The next time I do that, you’ll be my husband.”

“Can’t we just do it now?” he whines and she laughs as she wipes away some lipstick still lingering on his mouth.

“You were just nervous about it 2 minutes ago.”

“You just called me your husband,” he says, his hands gesturing a little wildly since he can’t touch her yet. “I’m ready to make that official immediately.”

“Go back to Sam. He’ll put you in place,” she says softly, running her hand down his arm to hold his hand. “I’ll meet you there.”

Josh squeezes her fingers. “He said you’re gonna knock the wind out of me.”

She hums. “I think you’ll like what you see,” she murmurs and he bounces again in anticipation.

“Okay, you gotta get out of here before I say screw the rules and take this bandana off.”

“Alright, I’m going,” she says and turns to go back around the corner, but Josh stops her.

“Donna?”

“Yeah?”

He smiles. “Thanks for the...” he tugs lightly on the bow tie. “It didn’t feel right having anyone else do it.”

Donna leans forward and presses a feather light kiss to the corner of his mouth. “I’ll officially be your bow tie chief executive advisor in,” she pulls his arm up to look at his watch, “12 minutes.”

“Good,” he murmurs and he knows his smile is goofy, but he doesn’t care. “I’ll see you soon.”

She squeezes his hand once more before disappearing around the corner again and Josh takes off the bandana before jogging back down the hallway to meet Sam.

“You ready?” Sam asks, opening the doors into the room for Josh to step up to the altar.

Josh still can’t get the stupid smile off his face as he walks past Sam. “Absolutely,” he says and takes his place as he waits impatiently for Donna to make her grand entrance.

The next ten minutes can’t go fast enough.

[gloriaandrews]

"Louis as josh and Harry as Donna" why must you hurt me in this way

ahahahah sorry not sorry!! @jessimond​ and i have been talking about this for like 70 years.  

it just works so well because Louis definitely has the same frantic, intelligent energy that josh does.  (it’s like everyone writing the show thought sam was going to be the heartthrob, but then everyone watching was like “yeah ok rob lowe is beautiful, but show me more of josh lyman standing in doorways wearing pleated pants RIGHT THIS MINUTE!!”)

and then like harry as the astoundingly competent, super smart assistant.  You can just picture harry going for a run in DC in the morning before work, and then showing up at Louis’s row house with coffee and like 17 ideas for problems they’ve been working on everyday and always a dimply smile.  He’s always taking care of Louis in a seemingly effortless way, to the point where Louis takes him for granted without noticing.  

And then like, right before their second inaugural ball, louis is super stressed out over a whole bunch of stuff and is a jackass to harry.  like, he says something shitty that makes harry feel dispensable and also embarrassed about how much he cares and thinks about louis (harry is in love with louis and thinks about him literally all the time).  and louis is miserable with harry being sad and distant because he knows it’s his fault.  

so he goes to pick harry up before the ball to apologize and has to to knock on the door a bunch. and then harry is all dressed up in an impeccable tux when he finally answers the door and louis goes incredibly soft eyed and is like “you look incredible” and harry blushes SO HARD and then of course Louis throws a snowball at him.  

and then later they dance together and louis whispers apologies in harry’s ear and also promises for the future because it is clear to them both that they will be getting married at some point.