Last Drabble Saloon! CJ/Toby!
There are three very special girls who mean the world to me. They all asked for something dear to my heart, so I decided to write their word allocation between them. They get an extra 80 words that way.
It's all about kindness and friendship and generosity.
For littleloonlost, jackmaybenimble and sweetly_savage
“Hey!”
The phone is cool against her ear as she squints at the clock on her bedside table. 12.04 glares back at her fuzzily. She fumbles for her glasses. “Just wait a moment, I’m… oh damn. Wait. That’s better.” She flops back against the pillow. “You call at all the best times, Toby.”
“Yeah. I, uh, was just checking that you were okay. You know, after today.”
CJ can picture him with hand-rubbed brow, whisky-breath caressing the phone as he leans against something. A wall, maybe. Or back in his chair, feet on his desk. She’s fairly certain he’s not calling from his bed.
“CJ?” Toby’s voice is warm concern. She merits that from him. Few do.
“I’m here. I’m just… you woke me.” CJ hauls herself to sitting. “I’m fine. My feet are sore and my right hand feels like it’s been chewed up and spat out, but I’ll survive. As long as I don’t have to pick up a pen or shake another hand for a few days.”
“You need anything?”
“Well a foot rub would do just nicely,” she sighs, “ but no - not that I don’t appreciate you asking - I can’t think of anything that losing ten years wouldn’t solve.”
The intercom on her other phone buzzes.
“Just hold on a minute, Toby, there’s someone here.” CJ swings her legs out of bed and walks stiffly to the monitor on the inside of her apartment door. The phone drops from her ear as she sees the face on the tiny screen, and she smiles as she unbolts the door.
The man before her is indeed leaning against a wall, but instead of his usual sombre expression, he sports a sweet smile and a bunch of yellow roses in his left hand.
“Do these get me a glass of your best Scotch?”
CJ laughs and takes the bouquet. It’s seen better days, but then so have they. She trails a finger along his cheek to snag at his lip, before pulling him into a one-armed hug. “You’re a sweet man underneath all that… bluster.”
Toby drapes his arms around her waist and looks up at her. “I am not,” he mutters.
She kisses him quickly and drags him inside. “I promise not to tell.”