#cjcliff

Which is such a fascinating thing and I've posted before about that as a thing CJ has done before (with the guy from high school as a reaction to her father's Alzheimer's). And it's great Danny was there and that while she has this response of, seeking out sex to cope with such heavy grief, that's (as far as we see on screen) consistently with someone trustworthy.

But, with zero intention of diminishing Danny here but just as a fun little AU thought game, it also makes me think of which other characters could have been that person for her in that moment. Because there are a bunch of options actually and they all provide something Just a little different.

There's Kate, who's right there at the White House when the news about Leo breaks, and who's not as emotionally involved with Leo and this administration but has still been a very solid person for CJ to work with and could absolutely be such a good and trustworthy person to have this with. (Similarly, Kate is a really good option when it comes to CJ potentially doing a similar thing when Toby confesses to the leak.)

Similarly, Cliff Calley is kinda forgotten about after season 6, but he is technically still CJ's DCOS and he has a longstanding... not a close relationship but definitely a respectful working relationship, with Leo. He and CJ have some serious tension in season 6 which is fun. He can be there.

Carol's there, and Carol loves CJ, CJ trusts her so much. Carol has worked for CJ long enough to potentially expect this, especially if you place it in the context if an existing crush or romantic history between them. Carol isn't about to leave the White House after Leo's death without checking on CJ. (In that same vein, while CJ/Margaret doesn't do much for me, and I don't think Margaret is the type for this. If you do? She's right there and grieving a lot too that night.)

Andy is having just one hell of a night, too. We never find out if she won or lost her election, but it's a big night either way. Placed in the context of a longstanding history between them, she's a very safe choice here, and there's a 50/50 chance she's expecting the call. (This goes double so in the context of any kind of Leo & Andy shared sobriety headcanons; in which case this really really hits her, too, and CJ is a nice distraction from a bottle of wine she can't open.)

Can't mention Andy without mentioning Toby. I'm not too much of a cjtoby girly, but if there is ever a night to get really truly messy with it? Oh. Toby is getting this news either from the news or from Donna, maybe. Maybe from Andy. Depending. CJ and Toby haven't spoken since the leak and she doesn't want to, but she also didn't technically want to see Danny until the inauguration either; this is a special night. This isn't forgiveness. But he's still a special person to her, they have this relationship, and he's there.

There are more options, surely, but. Finally. In a really heavy way. There's Mallory, too.

The West Wing + text posts (18/?)

Ship asks | Accepting!

(Oh I love you)

13. Who’s the bigger tease? (answer is obviously nsfw)

This is the question that their entire fling tries and fails to answer. They take turns being horrible teases, it never gets truly settled. But they go about it in different ways? I think he likes to rile her up a little during (private) meetings; they'll discuss some policy issue and he is blatantly flirting, blatantly speak in these innuendos, knowing damn well Margaret is right outside and the President is next door and there's nothing she can do about the way he's turning her on. He loves to see that flush; loves to see her lose her cool a little, love to see her lose her train of thought for just a moment. She bites the inside of her lip when she's trying to hide how horny she is and he can tell immediately. He loves leaving a meeting, knowing someone else is coming into the office in a minute, knowing he's leaving her all hot and bothered with nowhere to go with it just yet. (He knows it'll pay off the moment they're alone and not in a crowded west wing.)

While she... less during meetings, less overtly while they're working; she's more aware of the way she's perceived and the way people are kinda waiting for her to fuck up in some way, and she's not inclined to risk as much. He has more leeway that way. But I think she's really good at using that desire not to do too much at work to work him up? A simple compliment, a lingering look, a well-placed insult (love Cliff but I know it turns him on to have a woman in a position of authority call him incompetent), just before a meeting, nothing explicitly sexual, nothing that would make someone else question anything, but he knows, and she knows, and he has to wait the whole damn day to see what will come of it. She likes seeing the little bounce in his step trying to mask what she's doing to him; or even a conveniently placed folder in his lap during a long meeting. It really really does something for her.