fic: Gut Remodel (The Office US)

[obsession_inc]

Title: Gut Remodel
Author: obsession_inc
Pairing: Jim, Roy
Rating: PG-13
Words: 2,000-ish.
Summary: It stands to reason that two men in love with the same woman would have more in common.

Written for office_romances; set in August, months before the Booze Cruise

Comments

[kyrafic]

Ohmigod. This is UNSPEAKABLY excellent. I don't even know where to start. This is pure, perfect Jim, and it's interesting and real and I didn't want it to end. Things I love:

The details of the heat and everyone in the office; PAM with her hair up and his reaction to it; the parking lot and the atmosphere, the little tangible details; his awkwardness around Roy and Roy's obliviousness; the way Roy loves Scranton!!! -- because of course some people do and I love Jim seeing that; them having boy small talk; "Bring beer.".

He's always been very clear in his own head that if a girl was engaged or married, she was off-limits, and that any guy who crossed that line was a fucking scumbag: ergo, it's very difficult to figure out any way to proceed that won't make him a fucking scumbag.

This may be the best one-sentence characterization of Jim I've ever come across.

Either Roy trusts Pam, and doesn't think Jim is a threat, or he doesn't trust Pam, and still doesn't think Jim is a threat, or-- and this may be the worst option-- he trusts Jim.

I really love this because on the one hand it shows how for Jim EVERYTHING revolves around his relationship with Pam while Roy's not singularly obsessed; and on the other hand, yeah, what is going on in Roy's thought process there?

Also now I'm REALLY intrigued by the thought of Jim at Roy and Pam's house, hanging out with Roy and the guys, but Pam being there, him seeing how they live -- if you wanted to write THAT, I think I would die of glee. Or anything else at all in this fandom, because this is seriously so great. I hope we'll see more from you!!

[obsession_inc]

Hee, thanks! I've been obsessively checking for feedback because, damn, it has been a long time since I've done this, and I wasn't sure if I still knew how. Thank you SO MUCH.

I'm pondering more Jim/Roy interactions, because I'm strangely convinced that if Pam wasn't involved they'd actually get along just fine, because Jim has the magical ability to get along with anybody and Roy is a genuinely good guy. And really, they ought to get along just fine even with Pam involved. Also, it ups the angst factor if Jim is betraying someone he likes by going after Pam.

Also, I suspect that Jim would be incapable of giving up a chance to be in the same place with Pam on a Saturday night, no matter how flimsy the excuse.

I love Roy. He's such a happy lug, with simple needs and pretty much zero ability to prevaricate. What he is, he is, and he seems completely at ease with that. I kind of envy it myself.

[kyrafic]

Trust me, you definitely still know how!

Roy IS a genuinely good guy -- I'm becoming more and more of a Roy apologist because fandom has a tendency to make him into this awful monster, and he's not. He's just a guy -- just not the *right* guy.

Also, it ups the angst factor if Jim is betraying someone he likes by going after Pam.

YESSS. (Oh, man, the finale: "Hey, Halpert, keep an eye on her, okay?" "Will do." JIM, you naughty boy.) And I think Jim needs to see the other side of things, just like here you have him questioning his own standards for happiness.

Also, I suspect that Jim would be incapable of giving up a chance to be in the same place with Pam on a Saturday night, no matter how flimsy the excuse.

Ohmigod, DEFINITELY. This is seriously my new favorite daydream.

[obsession_inc]

"Hey, Halpert, keep an eye on her, okay?" "Will do."

I was so totally thinking of that moment when I wrote this. That, and the bit in the warehouse when Roy reassures Jim that his "former" crush on Pam is cool with him because he knows he's a good guy and all. Roy just kills me.

[kyrafic]

YES. And everyone thinks he's a jerk for when he ends that warehouse speech with "'cause then she's not all blah blah blah" -- but dude, he works IN THE WAREHOUSE, he has to cover for his niceness because Darryl and the guys would tease him forever!

On like the 900th rewatch of the finale, I noticed that Jim seems to be WATCHING HIS TRUCK until it's out of sight, before making his confession to Pam. There's totally guilt there.

Also the fact that Roy is taller than Jim fills me with weird joy.

[annakovsky]

I noticed that Jim seems to be WATCHING HIS TRUCK until it's out of sight

Oh, you noticed that, did you? How observant of you.

[kyrafic]

Hahahaha, SHUT UP. I totally did notice it ... immediately after you pointed it out.

[annakovsky]

Dom does not approve of your lies of omission! Hahaha.