crack_van | The War Against Silence by Lydia (R-ish)

Fandom: THE WEST WING
Pairing: CJ/Toby; other
Author on LJ:

thecitylove
Author Website: Skimming the Surface of History
Why this must be read:

I have a weakness for reflective Toby stories, especially ones about his family. Especially ones that also intersperse it with he and CJ on a kind of booze-fueled, sleepless downward trajectory, full of sex and innuendo and things left unsaid.

Only in this case, it's fueled by Chinese fast food, not booze. And the family revelations hurt a little more than usual. This is another story that plays on Toby's love of language; in this case, it's more of a word-association thing, and it works perfectly, down to the last paragraphs.

His favorite part of the day is late at night, when she knocks on his office door, or accepts him when he knocks on hers. He wants this all the time. This sense that work and social lives can coexist peacefully. He wants all of her, though he knows it is too much for her to give.
These late night office visits were on hiatus in the spring. Spring: Tragedy. The association occurred to him at the start of June, as he watched the deepening purple crevices beneath her eyes.
He hated himself in May. Because of her. He watched as she admired the man sent to protect her, wished it could have been him. He longed to comfort her when he was taken away.
Things have been better since the summer solstice. Like the sun, she had traveled the furthest away from him, and then slowly began to come back. He wanted more. Couldn't ask for it.
Things are closer to the way they used to be. It will seem casual when she comes to him, like she is asking if he wants lunch in the mess. She will knock on his door like she has countless times before and they will drive to his apartment, barely speaking in the process. The sex will be good, maybe great even, and they will sleep for a while. She will leave before he can ask her to stay.

The War Against Silence

The War Against Silence by Lydia (R-ish)

no subject