(Untitled)

[tyg_nyw]

Title: What Winter Means
Pairings: Implied Toby/Sam 
This is for fluffybkitty who wanted a story featuring CJ and Sam set around the time Sam was running for Congress in the California 47th. I hope this approaches what you wanted! The story is set around the time of Red Haven's on Fire when CJ was still in California. The story wound up being less

Comments

[fluffybkitty]

Sorry, haven't checked the flist for a few days and didn't realise this was up yet. I was so happy when I saw it and even happier after I read it.

I love this, thank you :)

My favourite bits: “Well, I’d be very grateful, Sam, if at some point you’d stop slaughtering the messenger!” She closed her eyes for a second and willed herself to calm down. When she spoke again she was no longer shouting. “You know when I was a little girl I hated the snow. I hated it. And my dad would always-he’d make me wear the hat and the scarf and everything and so I hated him. And one day after we fought about it he said ‘you can’t blame me for the weather, kiddo. The snow’s gonna fall because that’s what winter means. I’m just trying to keep you warm.’”

and

“If I lose.” Sam walked into the kitchen and returned shortly with two coffee mugs. He handed one to CJ. “Sorry. Did you want to put the crème and sugar in the cup before the coffee?” He smiled at her and she smiled back and now they wouldn’t have to apologize for having yelled at each other. “

[tyg_nyw]

YAY! I'm so glad you liked this (which I know is hard to guess since it's taken me so long to respond to your lovely feedback!)

I really wanted to do something with her frustration for always getting blamed for the stuff she has to protect everyone from, and to be honest I wasn't altogether thrilled with the way it turned out so I'm very glad it worked for you!

*smiles happily* SO happy you're happy!

[raedbard]

Oh, wow. This is so lovely. I've got such a thing at the moment for stories with secret subtext between Sam and Toby, and for stories which show their relationship as viewed by other staffers. So this sent me to my happy place. :)

Your CJ is really good - right mix of funny and sassy and unsure and your Sam is lovely, as always.

“Yeah, plus they’re saying…they’re implying that.” She sighed and looked at him. She knew he’d get angry, but she had to ask. “Just please tell me that you and Toby aren’t still…Sam? Are you?”
See, this line and a half doesn't make anything explicit, doesn't tell me anything beyond the level of inference about Sam and Toby, and yet it makes me want to make up a Toby/Sam shipper badge or something! It's utterly lovely in a way I really can't put my finger on. Maybe just because of the things you've left unsaid here ... I like to wonder.

“Well, are you gonna tell him? I mean, my god, Sam, you have to tell him.”
Oh, god. Toby. My poor boy. It hurts, but in the way I like. This is how I imagine it happening

[tyg_nyw]

Oh I love that this worked for you!

"Your CJ is really good - right mix of funny and sassy and unsure and your Sam is lovely, as always."--Oh thank you thank you!! Voices were TOUGH for this one! Maybe I should give season 5 writers a break for having a hard time writing a realistic CJ!

I had to fight the urge to turn this more into just "CJ deals with Sam/Toby", but I was afraid the focus would be more on Sam (and even Toby, who wouldn't even be there) than on CJ. So I made the mentions more subtexty...and got lucky that people like you like to wonder...;)

"I've got such a thing at the moment for stories with secret subtext between Sam and Toby, and for stories which show their relationship as viewed by other staffers."--And you perhaps have some stories exploring this theme that you'd like to share with us? *looks hopeful* Not that you have absolutely nothing else you're working on, but a girl can dream, right?