Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental multi-fandom project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 8 August.
In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."
Disclaimer: The West Wing is the creation of Aaron Sorkin and property of NBC, used without permission or intent to profit.
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"The Games They Play"
By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'
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Almost as soon as she had entered her office, White House Press Secretary C.J. Cregg stepped back out and raised her voice, "Carol!"
Her assistant looked up, "Yes, C.J.?"
"What have I said about letting Danny in my office?" C.J. quizzed, "Especially since he's not even supposed to be in this part of the West Wing?"
"For us not to let him in your office, C.J.," Carol answered.
"Then why is Danny in my office?"
"...Because... he asked?" came the answer as though it were obvious.
C.J. narrowed her eyes, "And somehow his asking takes precedence over my saying not to?"
"Well, Josh said it was okay..." Carol replied.
C.J. growled to herself, "If it isn't one idiot, it's another... Danny! Get your sorry butt out here so I can kick it before I go hunting down Josh to give him the same thing!"
The reporter stuck his head out the door of C.J.'s office, "You know, C.J., it's worth considering that I might actually have wanted to talk to you in private and there was really no reason for causing a scene."
"Read my lips, Danny," C.J. slowly shook her head with each words, "I... Don't... Care..."
"I'm hurt," Danny said, stepping out into full view and holding out a wrapped box, "I guess that means that you want me to take this back, huh, C.J.?"
"What is this?" C.J. demanded, not taking the box.
Danny shook it, gently, trying to tease her with it, "It's an anniversary gift."
"We don't have an anniversary."
"Sure we do. I got the idea from Josh; he and Donna celebrate the anniversary of when they started working together, he sends her flowers, she complains that he's got the date wrong, it's cute, I thought I'd give it a try."
"Yeah, well, Josh is an idiot and Donna is a usually intelligent person who does some really stupid things sometimes - usually because of him."
"I don't know if I like how you slanted that statement to support Donna and put all the blame on Josh," Danny remarked, "Some people would consider that to be very sexist."
"Fine," C.J. put out her hands, "Give me the box."
"I don't think I want to now," Danny countered.
"Give me the box," C.J. repeated.
'Not until you rephrase that statement," he retorted.
"Give me the damn box or not, Danny Concannon, but either way, get the hell out of my office!" C.J. stormed.
"I'm sensing a lot of hostility from you today, C.J.," Danny observed, only for C.J. to finally just reach out and snatch the box out of his hands as she went past him into her office, "Maybe you should get a massage - I just the other day picked up a book on 'how to give a massage for beginners'. How about tonight after Chinese food?"
C.J. replied by kicking the door shut behind her, leaving Danny standing outside her office.
"Okay," he commented, "Well, I'll take that as you'll think about it."
Inside her office, C.J. quietly unwrapped the box and opened it, then found herself trying not to laugh at Danny's idea of an 'anniversary gift'. Shaking her head in amusement as she walked to her desk, she dropped the box and the wrapping paper in the trash can and sat the Goldfish-shaped plastic container on her desk next to Gail's tank.
