(no subject)
Look! Office drabbles!
“And - ooh. How about this one?” Jim asks, and reaches for Legally Blonde. Reese Witherspoon beams radiantly up at them: it’s all pink, very pink, and reminds him of the taste of Katy’s favorite lipgloss and the sound of Pam laughing, loud and by accident.
Karen stares at him for a long time, lifts a skeptical eyebrow. “Seriously?” she finally says.
“Just checking,” he replies, and catches her hand in his as they head for the drama aisle.
“It’s just hard,” Pam finishes, and Toby gallantly pretends not to notice as she wipes at her eyes with the corner of her sleeve.
“I know,” he says lamely. His fingers feel rebellious and electric, and he can’t shake the compulsion to cover her hand with his. He won’t, though, and maybe he’ll tell himself that’s because it would be unprofessional and not because he’s a coward. (Both of these are very true.)
“Can you maybe not put this on record?” she asks, and sniffles. “I just don’t really have anyone to talk to lately. So maybe this could be like . . . just between friends?”
“Sure,” he says, and offers her his half-empty bag of Doritos to seal the deal. She laughs a little, and even though it sounds more like crying, Toby gets why Jim had to leave Scranton in the first place and can’t quite look at her now that he’s back.
“And - ooh. How about this one?” Jim asks, and reaches for Legally Blonde. Reese Witherspoon beams radiantly up at them: it’s all pink, very pink, and reminds him of the taste of Katy’s favorite lipgloss and the sound of Pam laughing, loud and by accident.
Karen stares at him for a long time, lifts a skeptical eyebrow. “Seriously?” she finally says.
“Just checking,” he replies, and catches her hand in his as they head for the drama aisle.
“It’s just hard,” Pam finishes, and Toby gallantly pretends not to notice as she wipes at her eyes with the corner of her sleeve.
“I know,” he says lamely. His fingers feel rebellious and electric, and he can’t shake the compulsion to cover her hand with his. He won’t, though, and maybe he’ll tell himself that’s because it would be unprofessional and not because he’s a coward. (Both of these are very true.)
“Can you maybe not put this on record?” she asks, and sniffles. “I just don’t really have anyone to talk to lately. So maybe this could be like . . . just between friends?”
“Sure,” he says, and offers her his half-empty bag of Doritos to seal the deal. She laughs a little, and even though it sounds more like crying, Toby gets why Jim had to leave Scranton in the first place and can’t quite look at her now that he’s back.