West Wing FF: Chinese Food in the Roosevelt Room (Josh&Will, PG-13)

[black_eyedgirl]

Title: Chinese Food in the Roosevelt Room
Fandom: The West Wing
Characters: Josh and Will, talking about Sam
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Drama/Friendship
Length: 1,700 words
Disclaimer: All belongs to Sorkin and Wells.
Spoilers: S1-4, but especially S4
Summary: Josh, who had sent Sam to California with a smile, was the one who had encouraged CJ to leave

Comments

[scrollgirl]

Oh man, I'm so sorry I haven't commented before now! But at least I've finished my own Josh-fic, which will help keep Em from despair ;)

He knew that he was the son of someone in the army (from Donna) and that he could write (from Toby, indirectly, when he didn't send Will on his merry way).
This is just soooo Josh :)

"So he loses." Will answered casually. "He comes back here - I finally get to go to Europe."
Poor guy. He never really makes it there, does he. I loved the running gag of Will suffering in the White House when he could've been in Nice. Nice! (heh, sorry)

"Do you know what it took to get Sam to Washington?" Josh asked. Already thinking back to pouring rain and Sam's bright incredulous smile when he saw Josh at the window. And the conversation before that, when he could not get Sam to leave that job that was destroying him for anything less than perfect.
Yes, exactly! Sam couldn't let go of his old life for anything less than perfect, that's just the way Sam is. Like when he writes and he wants to nail it, or the high standards he holds. Hoynes couldn't meet those. Ah, Sam. So idealistic! I do think he was more hopeful, like Will says, in the end than unrealistically idealistic -- the White House matured him in a lot of ways I think he's better for it.

Will shook his head. Maybe he didn't know Sam quite that well then.
I'm really glad you put this in. Lately I've been so wrapped up in Sam/Will and the two of them with Toby that I'd forgotten that Josh knows Sam in ways the other two don't. Sometimes I feel Josh isn't as close with Sam by S4, but you've demonstrated here that there's still an incredible history that'll never go away. Josh follows Sam and Sam follows Josh.

"And then what happens to the grand plan? You'll get him back, Josh. Maybe he'll take a hit and stay there for a while. But I've read his speeches, and I've watched him when he talks. He's not naïve, Josh, he's just hopeful. He'll come back when he's done, and then you can implement your plans for world domination."
Hee! Oh, I just love that! (But which one is Pinky and which one is Brain??) As much as I'm attached to the idea of Will being CoS to Sam's president, I think Sorkin would agree with your vision of Josh as CoS.

"Yeah. But maybe the American public as a whole will see things differently."

"I didn't say that..."
*happy sigh* I think the fact that certain major players in the party are grooming Sam and Josh for Big Things is probably one of the worst kept secrets in DC.

It was me, by the way, not so much Toby. With the goats.
Reminds me of Josh, Sam, and Toby putting the turkeys in CJ's office. I loved their pranks! Sorkin knew how to mix the ridiculous and the sublime.

"We're really going to eat Chinese food in the Roosevelt room?"

"It's a rite of passage. If you're going to stick around a while, you need to get used to it."
This is deeply, deeply awesome. Seriously, you've got their voices down. I really wish we'd been able to get more friendly Josh & Will banter out of Sorkin, but now I've got this fic as part of my canon.

Thank for writing this! I love your Josh and your Will, and I hope you'll write more of them. (See? Will is very adorable!)

[black_eyedgirl]

Hey, don't worry about slower feedback - I owe so much feedback after my LJ break that it's untrue - I'm just glad you liked it!

I'm really glad you put this in. Lately I've been so wrapped up in Sam/Will and the two of them with Toby that I'd forgotten that Josh knows Sam in ways the other two don't.
... kinda reminding myself there as well as you! It felt important that Will isn't just sitting lecturing Josh about his best friend. But yeah, I'm pretty much with you on wondering just went on with Josh/Sam in the later seasons

As much as I'm attached to the idea of Will being CoS to Sam's president, I think Sorkin would agree with your vision of Josh as CoS.
Well, Wells seems to think Josh is Sam's boss... but yes, Sorkin set it up the way I decided to write it. I laugh in the face of canon :-)

Sorkin knew how to mix the ridiculous and the sublime.
*g* He really did. I miss West Wing... (S60 is cool, but not the same, ya know?)

This is deeply, deeply awesome. Seriously, you've got their voices down. I really wish we'd been able to get more friendly Josh & Will banter out of Sorkin, but now I've got this fic as part of my canon.
Thank you! I'm glad they read okay, fic-without-Sam and I have a troubled relationship!

I love your Josh and your Will, and I hope you'll write more of them. (See? Will is very adorable!)
You and Em are such pushers ;-) Between her and Toby&Ellie&Andy&Jed and you and Will&Elsie... (On that note, I was writing something with Elsie and CJ a few nights ago that I just know was your fault!)