West Wing FF: Entourage title drabbles
Many, many, drabbles, for I went a little nutty.
Oh, Mandy - (Mandy&Sam&Leo, PG, pre-show)
SAM: You’re gonna owe me a big favor.
MANDY: [going to the door] Sam.
SAM: All right, we’ll be even.
MANDY: Sam!
SAM: All right, I’ll do this and many more favors for you and we’ll be even.
(Episode 1.11: Lord John Marbury)
“Mandy!”
“Sam?”
“Hide me.” Sam ducked into her campaign office and eventually, incomprehensibly, behind the desk.
Leo burst in. “Have you seen him?”
“Who?”
“Sam. It’s not enough that he makes all the interns nutty, he has to try it with my wife? My wife!?”
“Did he know?”
“What?”
“That it was your wife.”
“What does it matter?! He flirts with my wife, you think I’m running on logic here?”
“Sorry, I haven’t seen him. You try Josh?”
Leo left, still grumbling loudly.
Sam reappeared. “Mandy...”
“What do you owe me Sam?”
“A favour?”
“Sam.”
“Many, many, favours.”
“That’s right.”
* * * *
The Review - (Sam&Toby, PG, S2)
SAM: A small band of pilgrims sought out a place in the New World where they
could worship according to their own beliefs... and solve crimes...By day, they churn butter and worship according to their own beliefs and by night, they solve crimes...Pilgrim detectives.
TOBY: Do you see me laughing?
SAM: I think you're laughing on the inside.
TOBY:Okay.
SAM: With the big hats
(Ep 2-08, Shibboleth)
“Co-writers and show-runners Toby Ziegler and Sam Seaborn let their heritage show in this new action-adventure series about crime-fighting pilgrims. Both men’s origins are Presidential speechwriting, and truthfully it’s easy to imagine the pilot’s third act monologue being spoken by former President Bartlet. The show’s two leading men have a fraternal relationship that Seaborn likens to comic heroes Batman and Robin, and when you consider their night-time alter egos that seems only too appropriate. These pilgrims may be a little more liberal - and a lot more sarcastic - than history would dictate, but with writing this sharp, who cares?”
* * * *
Strange Days - (Sam&Toby, PG-13, Two Cathedrals)
“Is it possible we’ve been cursed?” Sam asked wearily.
Toby looked up. “Cursed?”
“By the Chinese, perhaps?”
“The Chinese.”
“May you live in interesting times. Secret meetings in the basement. Passwords. I’m saying, if ever times were interesting, these are them. And I, for one...”
“If he goes for answer B they’re going to get less interesting very quickly. And, I for one would rather...”
“Bobby Kennedy said that interesting times were more open to the creative energy of men than any other time in history. We’re pretty creative, right?”
Toby’s nod was tired, but it was still a nod.
* * * *
Exodus - (CJ, PG-13, end of S7)
The President and Leo; her and Toby and Sam and Josh. Now just her and the President. The West Wing was emptying; a slow leak of brilliant minds. It was filled with boxes rather than people.
It was hard to remind people that you were still governing when the ones who should be doing that governing were leaving in droves.
The President who didn’t want to run, and she who had never run a national campaign, who had felt unqualified, sometimes bypassed, later betrayed. And they were the ones left after eight years. She walked the halls by herself now.
* * * *
The Sundance Kids - (CJ/Danny, PG, end of S7)
She had done the Sundance thing already, fearful of the fall that would kill her. This was a whole different kind of thing, and weirdly just as scary.
CJ knocked the door. “Would you believe me if I told you that I’m late because a reporter stopped me on the way out?”
“Yup. But this is the last time.” Danny answered, smiling playfully at her.
“Unemployed women aren’t as fascinating to White House reporters?”
“They are to this one...”
“You’re unemployed now too, mister. We’re deadbeats.”
“Yup. Scared?”
CJ nodded slightly. She smiled, took his hand, and they jumped together.
* * * *
Crash and Burn - (Toby, TFA/Here Today, PG-13)
It could have been his little brother up there. They were debating saving lives because it would reveal a shuttle they shouldn’t have had in the first place? That this was even a question was...
CJ would never forgive him. She had come to him for comfort on a bad day, and he was betraying her trust. And the President would be accepting a resignation, not an apology. There would be neither clemency nor understanding; this would end everything.
This could have been David.
Toby locked the door, closed the blinds, and dialled. “Greg? This is Toby Ziegler. Listen carefully.”
* * * *
The Abyss - (Toby&Jed, post-S7, PG-13)
He wrote his autobiography in reverse; older memories were apparently more likely to stick. Things got harder the further back he went. When he reached the second Inaugural he stopped.
Weeks later he started again from the beginning. An honest answer at a rally and the dismissal of all his staff but one. Then David Rosen, better angels, and a wise and brilliant man. A decision still correct, no matter what his written hindsight said.
“Hello, Toby.”
The answering voice, low and quiet; brittle with surprise. “Sir?”
“Yeah, Toby, we’re dedicating my library in a few weeks. Are you busy?”
* * * *
The Boys are Back in Town - (mild Sam/Josh, PG, Tomorrow)
“Home sweet home,” Sam muttered with a small smile.
He heard Josh’s breath of laughter, and that was it, they were back, there was work to do. They broke apart from each other.
Sam wandered, not lost, but a little disorientated. There were strangers, or mostly strangers, in the bullpen he still thought of as Josh’s. And they all worked for him now.
There was a tap on his shoulder.
“Hey, do you know where WW-160 is?” Josh asked, grinning and looking all of twelve.
Sam laughed, “I’m not sure, want to walk and talk instead?”
“For you, Sam, anytime.”
* * * *
New York - (Sam/Toby, PG-13, post-S7)
The feeling of loss was stronger now. In California it had felt like old poetry - adoration of the man he loved from far away. DC was all familiar places and situations; his absence in the midst of this remembrance ached.
New York is strange in March, bleak winter past, not yet spring. Finding the right office in Columbia is not difficult. The door is open, and he sees a bowed head, intent over a paper, scribbling in red.
The man stops, rubs a hand in his beard. He looks through the doorway; smiles mixed exasperation and gentle affection. Sam breathes.
* * * *
Three's Company - (Sam/Toby/Josh, PG-13, no timeline)
Neither Toby nor Josh had made a joke, but Sam laughed.
“What?” Josh complained, turning his head away from Toby’s kiss to watch Sam. Josh’s eyes flickered closed again, startled, as the kiss hit the curve of his neck instead.
Toby blinked at Sam accusatorily, and reached to pull him down between the two of them. Sam laughed again, pleased with himself, or simply happy. Neither would take that as a good excuse for laughing at nothing in the middle of sex. He did it anyway, bright joy against Toby’s mouth and Josh’s fingers, inviting them to share his gladness.
* * * *
Comments make me very happy. Sometimes even if you're just pointing out one of the probable typos :-) There are other drabbles, not Entourage titles, in the last two posts, if anyone wants to see. Sam/Will, Toby/Will, and Sam/Toby.
Oh, Mandy - (Mandy&Sam&Leo, PG, pre-show)
SAM: You’re gonna owe me a big favor.
MANDY: [going to the door] Sam.
SAM: All right, we’ll be even.
MANDY: Sam!
SAM: All right, I’ll do this and many more favors for you and we’ll be even.
(Episode 1.11: Lord John Marbury)
“Mandy!”
“Sam?”
“Hide me.” Sam ducked into her campaign office and eventually, incomprehensibly, behind the desk.
Leo burst in. “Have you seen him?”
“Who?”
“Sam. It’s not enough that he makes all the interns nutty, he has to try it with my wife? My wife!?”
“Did he know?”
“What?”
“That it was your wife.”
“What does it matter?! He flirts with my wife, you think I’m running on logic here?”
“Sorry, I haven’t seen him. You try Josh?”
Leo left, still grumbling loudly.
Sam reappeared. “Mandy...”
“What do you owe me Sam?”
“A favour?”
“Sam.”
“Many, many, favours.”
“That’s right.”
* * * *
The Review - (Sam&Toby, PG, S2)
SAM: A small band of pilgrims sought out a place in the New World where they
could worship according to their own beliefs... and solve crimes...By day, they churn butter and worship according to their own beliefs and by night, they solve crimes...Pilgrim detectives.
TOBY: Do you see me laughing?
SAM: I think you're laughing on the inside.
TOBY:Okay.
SAM: With the big hats
(Ep 2-08, Shibboleth)
“Co-writers and show-runners Toby Ziegler and Sam Seaborn let their heritage show in this new action-adventure series about crime-fighting pilgrims. Both men’s origins are Presidential speechwriting, and truthfully it’s easy to imagine the pilot’s third act monologue being spoken by former President Bartlet. The show’s two leading men have a fraternal relationship that Seaborn likens to comic heroes Batman and Robin, and when you consider their night-time alter egos that seems only too appropriate. These pilgrims may be a little more liberal - and a lot more sarcastic - than history would dictate, but with writing this sharp, who cares?”
* * * *
Strange Days - (Sam&Toby, PG-13, Two Cathedrals)
“Is it possible we’ve been cursed?” Sam asked wearily.
Toby looked up. “Cursed?”
“By the Chinese, perhaps?”
“The Chinese.”
“May you live in interesting times. Secret meetings in the basement. Passwords. I’m saying, if ever times were interesting, these are them. And I, for one...”
“If he goes for answer B they’re going to get less interesting very quickly. And, I for one would rather...”
“Bobby Kennedy said that interesting times were more open to the creative energy of men than any other time in history. We’re pretty creative, right?”
Toby’s nod was tired, but it was still a nod.
* * * *
Exodus - (CJ, PG-13, end of S7)
The President and Leo; her and Toby and Sam and Josh. Now just her and the President. The West Wing was emptying; a slow leak of brilliant minds. It was filled with boxes rather than people.
It was hard to remind people that you were still governing when the ones who should be doing that governing were leaving in droves.
The President who didn’t want to run, and she who had never run a national campaign, who had felt unqualified, sometimes bypassed, later betrayed. And they were the ones left after eight years. She walked the halls by herself now.
* * * *
The Sundance Kids - (CJ/Danny, PG, end of S7)
She had done the Sundance thing already, fearful of the fall that would kill her. This was a whole different kind of thing, and weirdly just as scary.
CJ knocked the door. “Would you believe me if I told you that I’m late because a reporter stopped me on the way out?”
“Yup. But this is the last time.” Danny answered, smiling playfully at her.
“Unemployed women aren’t as fascinating to White House reporters?”
“They are to this one...”
“You’re unemployed now too, mister. We’re deadbeats.”
“Yup. Scared?”
CJ nodded slightly. She smiled, took his hand, and they jumped together.
* * * *
Crash and Burn - (Toby, TFA/Here Today, PG-13)
It could have been his little brother up there. They were debating saving lives because it would reveal a shuttle they shouldn’t have had in the first place? That this was even a question was...
CJ would never forgive him. She had come to him for comfort on a bad day, and he was betraying her trust. And the President would be accepting a resignation, not an apology. There would be neither clemency nor understanding; this would end everything.
This could have been David.
Toby locked the door, closed the blinds, and dialled. “Greg? This is Toby Ziegler. Listen carefully.”
* * * *
The Abyss - (Toby&Jed, post-S7, PG-13)
He wrote his autobiography in reverse; older memories were apparently more likely to stick. Things got harder the further back he went. When he reached the second Inaugural he stopped.
Weeks later he started again from the beginning. An honest answer at a rally and the dismissal of all his staff but one. Then David Rosen, better angels, and a wise and brilliant man. A decision still correct, no matter what his written hindsight said.
“Hello, Toby.”
The answering voice, low and quiet; brittle with surprise. “Sir?”
“Yeah, Toby, we’re dedicating my library in a few weeks. Are you busy?”
* * * *
The Boys are Back in Town - (mild Sam/Josh, PG, Tomorrow)
“Home sweet home,” Sam muttered with a small smile.
He heard Josh’s breath of laughter, and that was it, they were back, there was work to do. They broke apart from each other.
Sam wandered, not lost, but a little disorientated. There were strangers, or mostly strangers, in the bullpen he still thought of as Josh’s. And they all worked for him now.
There was a tap on his shoulder.
“Hey, do you know where WW-160 is?” Josh asked, grinning and looking all of twelve.
Sam laughed, “I’m not sure, want to walk and talk instead?”
“For you, Sam, anytime.”
* * * *
New York - (Sam/Toby, PG-13, post-S7)
The feeling of loss was stronger now. In California it had felt like old poetry - adoration of the man he loved from far away. DC was all familiar places and situations; his absence in the midst of this remembrance ached.
New York is strange in March, bleak winter past, not yet spring. Finding the right office in Columbia is not difficult. The door is open, and he sees a bowed head, intent over a paper, scribbling in red.
The man stops, rubs a hand in his beard. He looks through the doorway; smiles mixed exasperation and gentle affection. Sam breathes.
* * * *
Three's Company - (Sam/Toby/Josh, PG-13, no timeline)
Neither Toby nor Josh had made a joke, but Sam laughed.
“What?” Josh complained, turning his head away from Toby’s kiss to watch Sam. Josh’s eyes flickered closed again, startled, as the kiss hit the curve of his neck instead.
Toby blinked at Sam accusatorily, and reached to pull him down between the two of them. Sam laughed again, pleased with himself, or simply happy. Neither would take that as a good excuse for laughing at nothing in the middle of sex. He did it anyway, bright joy against Toby’s mouth and Josh’s fingers, inviting them to share his gladness.
* * * *
Comments make me very happy. Sometimes even if you're just pointing out one of the probable typos :-) There are other drabbles, not Entourage titles, in the last two posts, if anyone wants to see. Sam/Will, Toby/Will, and Sam/Toby.