rec50 | Of Fragility and Rosebuds; A Season in Hell

Claim: The West Wing general series
Prompt: 01 - First Time
Title: Of Fragility and Rosebuds
Author: Michelle K.
Rating: NC-17
Length: Medium
Brief Summary: Alright, so my weakness in The West Wing fandom is probably apparent: Josh/Donna is my crack. I love them. And this fic portrays them, and as you can tell by the prompt, their first time together. It's realistic and funny and hot and it's exactly how Josh/Donna should be written.

Donna smiles to herself as she retreats to the kitchen. This is the first time in a long while that Josh has shown up at her apartment without already being drunk. Granted, getting liquor into him might not be a good idea, but at least right *now* he's not yelling at her roommate's cats and using the decidedly unclever phrase "Senator Jerk-Guy." Apparently, romantic defeat makes him adorably sulky. He's even holding his alcohol better.

Not that she wants to see him hurt by women. Josh is... kinda sweet sometimes, and she must admit she feels a tinge of a crush on him. But at least it's not the sort of crush that makes her crazy. It's pleasant, for lack of a better word. She can handle him with other women, and she could've certainly seen him with Joey.

Link: Of Fragility and Rosebuds

Claim: The West Wing general series
Prompt: 02 - AU
Title: A Season in Hell
Author: N.Y. Smith
Rating: PG-13
Length: Long
Brief Summary: This fic, for lack of a better word, is genius. It takes place during Season Two and assumes that the president is impeached. It picks up before the impeachment begins and it just handles the subject matter deftly, with all our favorite characters there, behaving just the way we'd expect them too. It's painful and angsty and strangely hopeful, or in my book, genius.

McGarry held up a hand. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry to have gotten you into this mess. I'm sorry the President got us into this mess. I, um," he paused, "no matter what anyone else may say, you're the finest group of people I have ever known. The President, the whole damn country, is lucky to have benefitted from your substantial abilities."

CJ closed her eyes, Toby dragged his hand across his beard, Sam cast his eyes floorward before they filed from the room. Lyman remained, tormenting the nearly-melted cubes for a minute before draining his glass and sticking out his hand.

Wordlessly, the older man clasped it in both of his, swaying slightly while a tear, the first Josh Lyman had even seen him shed, slid down the craggy face.

Josh grasped the older man's arm, steadying him, tears brimming in his own eyes before, with a sigh, he gathered his things and plodded wearily into the night.

Link: A Season in Hell