Title: Live The Moment
Summary: Josh and CJ are adorable on Election Night. Pre-admin gen.
Notes: Short. But I am back! And want to write so if anyone has any prompts or requests for basically anything, leave 'em!

Live The Moment

You don‘t smoke, not really, not since college, but tonight- tonight is different from anything you‘ve ever felt. Colors, streaks of blue and red and more blue, a lot of blue, the navy of Josh‘s tie when he hugged you when they called Ohio for you, whispering “so goes the nation“ into your ear, and the bright, growing, bleeding cobalt blue of states on the map: Ohio, Illinois, Florida...

All that blue, victory balloons in red and white and more blue, tumbling down as the Governor, no, my God, the President-Elect now, made a speech so beautiful that when he was done there were two streaks of mascara under on your cheeks that shimmered navy in the a flurry of flashbulbs surrounding him and Abbey, and you needed to stare at a black New Hampshire sky speckled with stars and focus on the yellowy glow just in front of you.

It‘s starting to seep in. You sit on the windowsill of the bathroom of the staff suite, dangling your legs outside, breathing in deep gusts of icy-cold air and let the truth fill you up like the cold, nicotine scented air: you actually won.

This is really happening.

With your head leaning against the cool window frame, you try to summon the joy and triumph you felt half an hour ago, but it‘s gone, used up, perhaps, passed on to Toby, who kissed you full on the mouth, and Sam, who refused to let go for minutes, and when you pulled away, your shoulder had gone a little wet and warm where his eyes had been. All that‘s left now is exhaustion.

There‘s a knock on the door, “CJ, what the hell are you doing in there?“, Josh, sounding boistrous and amused, like a little boy.

“C‘mon in,“ you call back, softly, and move to slip down from your seat. “Did you need-“

“Nah, I was just looking for you,“ Josh smiles. “You smoke?“

“Just tonight,“ you shrug. “Wanna sit?” Josh nods and hoists himself beside you, and you nestle your feet under his legs and close your eyes.

“We need to get ready to-“

“Josh?” You don’t open your eyes. “Shut up or leave.”

“It’s just… I can’t stop thinking about tomorrow,” and you can tell he’s beaming, despite himself.

“Well, keep it to yourself, would you?” Silence falls for thirty seconds, tops, you can feel Josh jiggling beside you, unable to keep his excitement to himself, and that’s fine, he deserves this, maybe more than any of you, but you just wish he would take it somewhere else.

“We’re going to the White House.  I mean, we’re gonna be working there.” You crack your eyes open. Josh’s beam falters. “Sorry.”

“Joshua, do something for me.”

“Get you a beer?”

“No.” You smile. “Close your eyes.” He sighs, and jams them shut. “Now-“ You wrap your arm around his frame and pull him firmly towards you, until his head is head is leaning on your shoulders. “Try not to think of tomorrow,” you tell him, strictly. “Because when you’re old and gray you are going regret the fact that you were too busy stressing about the transition to live this moment.”

“Fine.” He sighs. “Why do I have to be sitting with you in a bathroom where it’s cold as fuck to live the moment?”

“Because I say so. And because we’re family and family means spending important moments together.” Josh opens his eyes, and you stare at each other, until a grin breaks on his face. “Works for me.”

Five minutes later: “Are we done living the moment?”

“As in, can you go and find Sam and booze now and start obsessing about cabinet posts?”

“Well, yeah.”

“Long as I can come.”

“Wouldn’t be the same without you.”