Challenging Perception
Rating: PG
Pairing: Will/Donna
Disclaimer: Not mine
Notes: Written for the LiveJournal Writer’s Choice “Date” challenge
“This is
not a date!”
Every head in
the bullpen turns at Will’s strident proclamation, and Ginger, who has worked
with Toby Ziegler for years without flinching, actually takes a step back.
“I’m sorry,” he says immediately, pinching the
bridge of his nose. “Just a lot of people have been asking me that today.”
The
Vice-President, who is taking more than a passing interest in Will’s love life,
and the fact that the question was posed right after his weekly lunch with the
President is in no way lost on Will.
CJ, who
warned him that his kneecaps were in serious jeopardy were he ever to hurt
Donna.
Toby, who
said nothing, but stood beside CJ as she issued her edict, and glowered.
Sam, who
called from
Josh, who
had been nothing but polite, too polite in fact. He has, though, spent a lot of
time finding out exactly what their plans are for the night, and Will knows
they’ll be pretty lucky if they get through the evening without him calling.
Elsie, who
actually squealed when he told her he was taking Donna to the Kennedy Centre,
and immediately began making plans for a wedding.
And now
Ginger, who had simply asked him if he was looking forward to his date with
Donna.
“It’s just because
we care,” she tells him now, blue eyes wide, and Will feels instantly guilty,
which he’s pretty sure is the intended effect; Ginger’s well-aware that no-one
can stay mad at her when she’s got those eyes working.
“I know
that,” he says, drawing in a deep breath, trying to stay calm. “But Donna and I
are just friends.”
“Right.”
All hurt innocence a second ago, now she’s the very picture of scepticism, and
he nods quickly, because he’s telling the truth.
“It’s not a
date.” The words are quieter this time, and her eyes rake him up and down.
“You’re
wearing a suit,” she points out, and before he can protest that he always wears
a suit, she adds, “A nicer than usual suit.”
In point of
fact, it’s his best suit, but he’s got a reason for that. “It’s La Boheme at the Kennedy Centre,” he
reminds her. “I’m hardly going to wear my work suits.”
“Well
obviously.” Will thinks he should be insulted by that, but Ginger moves
straight on. “But that’s a better than just friends suit.”
“It totally
is.” Will jumps when Charlie’s voice comes from behind him, and when he turns
to see the look on the younger man’s face, he knows he’s in trouble. “I’d wear
a suit like that if I really wanted to impress my date.”
“This is
not a date.” Will’s staying perfectly calm only with considerable effort, and
Charlie’s reaction doesn’t make it any easier.
“Uh-huh.”
“That’s
what I said.” Will shoots Ginger a look, and it looks very hard like she’s
trying to keep a smile back in response.
“Look,
guys, really…” Will tries to reason with them, to convince them. “Donna and I
are just friends. I had an extra ticket to the performance, she wanted to go, I
said that she should go with me… there’s really nothing more to it than that.”
All of
which is true, even if over the last few months, he and Donna have grown used
to the second looks and questioning glances that have come their way when
they’ve eaten lunch together, had dinner together, caught the occasional movie
together. They never talk about it though, practically the only subject that
they don’t about.
Well, that
and the fact that she’s in love with Josh.
“You’re
just friends,” Charlie states, coming around to stand beside Ginger, crossing
his arms as he looks at Will, radiating scepticism.
“Yes.”
“Which is why
you got a haircut,” Ginger notes, arms crossed like Charlie’s, one eyebrow
raised.
“Good
catch,” Charlie tells her, as Will opens his mouth in shock, and Ginger shrugs
nonchalantly. “I would not have caught that.”
“It’s a
female thing,” Ginger says blithely.
“This is
not a date!” Will says for the umpteenth time, wondering idly if there’s any
way he could get it tattooed across his forehead, and Charlie is about to say
something when a strange expression crosses his face. His eyes go wide, his jaw
goes slack, and then a wide smile makes its way across his face. Meanwhile,
Ginger just beams, a look of unmistakable admiration on her face.
“Wow,” is
all she says, and Charlie chuckles.
“What she
said,” he says, and, knowing what’s probably behind him, Will turns slowly.
What he
sees there makes his mouth go dry.
Donna leans
against the door, a smile on her impeccably made up face, her hair swept up in
some sort of elaborate gravity-defying coiffure. The dress that she is wearing
is long and black and clinging in all the right places, with a neckline that
manages to be low-cut without being indecent, and when she takes a couple of
steps into the bullpen, doing a little turn for their benefit, he sees that it
dips low down her back.
She looks
incredible, and Charlie steps forward, putting an arm around Will and patting
his shoulder. “You might want to reconsider that,” he says, and all Will can do
is nod.
Donna takes
charge then, takes his arm and waltzes him out of the bullpen, waits until
they’re out of earshot of anyone before asking, “What was that all about?”
He finds
his voice enough to say, “I was just making it clear to them… that this is just
friends on a night out… it’s not a date.”
Her smile
is radiant, unfaltering when she says, “Of course it’s not,” but while her lips
say one thing, her eyes say something else, and Will swallows hard again.
This is not
a date his head reminds him sternly.
Now he just
has to convince his heart.