Fandom:

The West Wing AU

Pairing:

C.J./Danny

Rating:

PG-13 for topic

Distribution:

How much do I owe you for hauling it off?

Spoilers:

Up to and including Full Disclosure, from which the series follows on

Email:

exfilia at livejournal dot com

Disclaimer:

if I owned them, they'd have a lot more fun

Warning:

mentions nonconsensual sex

Note:

Hoynes lovers should probably be hitting delete right about now.

"Leo?"

"What is it, Josh?"

"Sam called. He's scared Bob Russell is going to out him."

"For what?"

"For Hoynes. I told him he was being stupid, that you can't get outed for having some perv feel you up, but... Leo?"

"Sit down, Josh." Josh sat.

"You've got that look again," he said, avoiding Leo's eyes.

"What look?"

"The look like I just put my foot in it again and you can't decide whether to laugh out loud or chain me in the dungeon."

"Is there a switch that shuts off your brain when we talk about Hoynes? Because everything they do to the girls, all the questions about flirting with the guy and flirting with other guys and how they dressed, or whatever, it'll be ten times worse for Sam. No one is going to believe us."

"Us?"

"Us guys. I mean, any guy. There are actually people on earth who can be convinced that a woman was raped, but a guy? He must have been a faggot in the first place, right?"

There was a dawning light in Josh's eyes. Leo flinched away from it until he found himself backed up against the door to the Oval Office.

"Leo? Did he...?"

When Leo didn't answer, Josh sat down on the sofa and covered his face with his hands.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Leo just looked at him.

"Because I've been so intensively supportive of the ones I knew about? I'm sorry, Leo. I... I'm going to kill him. I'm going to have to kill him."

The answer came out as a whisper: "You think you could do it in your own office, please?"

"Yeah. Sure. Thank you." Josh crept out of the room and closed the door behind him. Leo stayed where he was, letting the strength of the panelled wood support his back, until he felt a soft knock against it. He stepped away and opened the door for the president.

"Was that Josh?"

"Yeah."

"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah."

"Did I sign a proclamation for Monosyllable Appreciation Day?"

"Probably. Josh called you?"

"Yeah. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"How's C.J.?"

"She says she's going to take the next briefing," said Leo.

"Is she okay?"

"She's tough."

"You're sure?"

"Either she's tough, or she's not, and we're about to find out which."

"Does she need more time?"

"We don't have any more time. People get hurt, but they need to heal and be done with it."

"C.J. wasn't the only one."

"Thank you, Mr. President, but I have seen the list."

"She wasn't the only one in this room that was hurt."

"She's not...." Leo took a deep, shuddery breath and looked into the president's eyes, but he couldn't make his mouth form words.

"Nobody thinks you're gay, Leo. Nobody's going to think that. Why would anyone think that?"

Leo looked away, and his answer was nearly inaudible.

"'Cause I let a man kiss me in public?"

"It was not in public! It was in a hospital room!"

"In an emergency room in front of doctors and nurses and Secret Service guys and God knows who."

"I don't remember. I only remember that I was hurt and scared and I needed you and you were there."

"Where would I be?"

"Leo, what is this about?"

"It's about you. What they call me doesn't matter. You kissed me, though, after I let John Hoynes...."

"Let him?"

"I don't know. He hugged me while I cried, and I didn't think about where he was putting his hands. I guess I thought he was just trying to help. And then, God, poor Mallory...."

"We're not talking about Mallory."

"This is all about Mallory. This is about a guy that I... and he turned around and did my little girl... and I get to sit here and listen to...."

"Listen to us go on and on about poor C.J.?"

"She's the one who's going to have to deal with the public and the press, and she deserves all the support anyone can give her. I've got no right...."

"You have every right. Leo? Can I touch you? Is it going to freak you, if...?"

"Of course, it's not going to freak me."

"Okay, then." An arm settled around Leo's shoulders, and he realized just how badly he was shaking. He stood absolutely still, just letting that arm lie there and be warm and firm and halfway comforting. Then there were fingers combing through his hair, clasping his neck, gripping his shoulder and pulling him against another body. "It's okay," came the whisper in his ear. He let his head fall forward until the warm wool of the jacket pressed against his face, and then he felt it, soft as a snowflake: warm lips brushed against his cheek.