West Wing FF: "Will rise in majesty" (Sam&Toby, PG-13, post-series)

[black_eyedgirl]

Title: Will rise in majesty
Fandom: West Wing
Pairing: Sam/Toby implications
Rating/Warning: PG-13
Genre: Drama/Angst
Length: 900 words
Disclaimer: All belongs to Sorkin and Wells
Spoilers: Set post-series in the Sam-as-POTUS verse, but no detailed spoilers that I can see
A/N: I don't know what this is, which is why it's just going to the journal.

Comments

[raedbard]

I am as always a person with bad timing. So, *thoughts* now.

Have I mentioned that your Sam is much more nuanced and complicated and beautiful than mine? (This also by way of warning you that my President!Seaborn is going to be *you* President!Seaborn. *g*) But yes, this is a little window into a story I really want to read more of. A sotry which, therefore, you must be writing more of posthaste. 'Kay? ;)

Oh, Sam. Sam, Sam, Sam. This is, of course, why he's the future-President-figure and it doesn't quite fit anyone else. There is that specialness in him, which in his youth was marked by his beauty - both in body and mind. Thing about Sam is, that he didn't know that. Thing about Toby is that of course he did. (I've really turned into lit-crit person lately ... ANYWAY.)

Sadness makes him beautiful: the knowledge lurking in the back of his blue eyes and the grey threading through his hair.
*swoons* Saaaaam! You can't blame Toby for loving him, can you?

Sam looks down at the eagle on his carpet and does not believe he is worthy.He's

pt 2

[raedbard]

‘You need to go,’ Sam whispers, pulling his hand away.
‘I can stay.’
‘No.’
*hearts breaks for Toby* But leaders do things alone, at the end.

Toby uncurls the fist of Sam’s hand and smoothes the palm out with his thumbs. ‘Give them something else that matters,’ he says to the tremor in Sam’s hand, ‘and I’ll make sure that they remember it.’
This is when I love him the most, when he's being the care-taker. Maybe it doesn't shine as brightly as Sam's love but your Toby always kills me with these touches of devotion, you know?

Sam takes his hand from Toby’s, steady now and firm. Places it on Toby’s heart and says, ‘Thank you’. Says, ‘I love you,’ plain and unadorned.
This really is my favourite part. Sam's hand on Toby's heart. Oh my god. There is beautiful symbolism there I'm sure but I'm really stuck at the wordless swooning stage.

Toby nods, and adds that to the list he is writing in his heart, the parts of Sam that yet belong to the boy, and not the man with the straight back who is about to tell his country that they are at war.

Re: pt 2

[black_eyedgirl]

Have I mentioned that your Sam is much more nuanced and complicated and beautiful than mine?
:-) I don't think he is, but thank you. And I think it's just my Sam-as-President that gets complicated, which is maybe why I keep playing in this sandbox. But I still don't think I have enough to actually write a full-length story, sorry! Then I'd actually have to deal with things like his policies, and his wife and kids, and his VPOTUS. As it is I just get these sudden flicks of "oh. a storm, and a war. And older and more beautiful". I know Toby and Sam really well in this verse, but I have no plot at all...

And yes, God. Fingers touching, a lightning flash. Yes. *g**g* I knew you'd pick up on that. And yes, religious imagery (and king-imagery obviously) is a definite thing with this verse. I'm not sure why either, except that its maybe the only imagery that works, the only thing approaching that kind of power/responsibility. And POTUS!Sam and POTUS!Jed are very connected in my head, and Jed always got the religious symbolism in the show

[mi_guida]

Ok, before I go... this is absolutely, totally, wonderfully beautiful.

[black_eyedgirl]

:-) Thank you. Have fun on your trip!

[scrollgirl]

I'm not really here!! I'm not! But I had to say oh my God wow because this is just beautiful, and there's a reason why you're one of my absolutely favourite TWW writers.

I'll give you more detailed feedback next week, once I'm back online, but for now: (1) Sam! Oh Sam. I love your President Seaborn; (2) your Toby is so very lovely; (3) Will as CoS = so perfect, so right. I'm going to take your Will as a shout-out to me *g* ...even if you hadn't intended as such...

[black_eyedgirl]

:-) You can safely assume that COS!Will is a shout-out, yes.

♥ I'm glad you liked it - I'm kind of in love with this verse, but I never really know what to do with it...