zarahemla: (the office | the lean)
zarahemla ([personal profile] zarahemla) wrote2006-07-13 03:12 pm
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This here is the Office (US): Bob Vance / Todd Packer. It's for [livejournal.com profile] annakovsky. Anything can be done if I put my twisted mind to it, apparently.



Phyllis brings Bob to the Dunder-Mifflin Mid-June Soccer Tournament And Barbecue. She feels like she ought to. She has no idea whether she loves Bob, or wants to bring him to more office functions. But it seems like that's the thing to do, so she does it.

It's a cloudless summer day, and she feels the heat immediately as she steps out of her car with a bowl of potato salad. She hates hot days; she likes air conditioning; she wishes she could stay in the car. But Bob has opened the door for her, and she has to get out.

"Oh hey, honey, let me take that from you." He is such a gentleman. Phyllis never has to worry about that. She doesn't really like him calling her "honey," but it's such a small price to pay. They walk towards the large gathering at the other end of the field, and then Bob stops short.

"Todd Packer," he says, "I can't believe it." There's an odd tone in his voice, but Phyllis has no idea what it is, and she doesn't get a chance to ask. Michael comes bounding toward them in a referee's uniform and begins remarking on her outfit and the salad and the people and all the things he likes to talk about. She just tunes him out.

Phyllis is drafted, against her secret wish, to play on Pam's team. Pam gives her puppy-dog eyes and says, "If I have to play ...." And truly, they are both terrible soccer players, and Phyllis is afraid of Oscar and Jim, both on the other team. They look like they will kick the ball hard.

Before she goes in to play, she sits down laboriously to tie one of her tennis shoes. Bob sits down next to her, eating a chicken wing.

"Go get 'em, honey!" he says, but she really has nothing to say to that.

She sees Todd Packer coming over towards them and decides to sit there just for another minute, to catch her breath. Todd wanders over their way and then seems to make up his mind. He comes over and stands in front of Bob and says, "Hi, Bob, do you remember me?" He looks more serious than Pam has ever seen; he's usually cutting jokes at her expense, but this time he doesn't even look at her.

"Hi, Todd," says Bob. "I remember." He turns to her and says, "We used to meet each other on the road, when I was selling fridges for my dad and he was just starting in the paper business. It was, oh ... twenty-five years ago."

"I was only twenty-two," says Todd. Then Meredith, no doubt fueled up on vodka, comes running up to tell Phyllis that they need her, they need her now.

She plays about fifteen minutes and then has to sit down for a rest. Jim and Oscar haven't kicked the ball at her head yet, but you never can tell. She gets a cup of Gatorade and happens to glance over at the picnic table where Bob and Todd are still sitting. They have turned around so their backs are to her, but their heads are close together. She sees -- she thinks she sees -- Todd Packer put his hand on top of Bob's. Could it be? But she can't get a closer look, because Kelly sits down beside her and starts talking about how great Ryan looks in his uniform.

After the game they all sit down and eat. Michael has donned a chef's hat and does all the barbecuing. Phyllis's burger is redder than she likes it, but she doesn't say anything. She and Bob sit at one end of the enormous table, and Todd sits at the other, next to Michael. He is cracking jokes like a storm, keeping Kevin and Oscar and Jim in stitches. Bob eats his jello salad stolidly, not seeming to notice or care that they're supposed to be having fun. Phyllis picks at her burger and eats her carrot sticks. She wishes she'd stayed home.

[identity profile] voleuse.livejournal.com 2006-07-13 10:30 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, Phyllis. Poor thing.

♥!

[identity profile] zarahemla.livejournal.com 2006-07-14 05:35 am (UTC)(link)
Yeah, I laid it on pretty thick. :D Too thick? I dunno.

[identity profile] typicrobots.livejournal.com 2006-07-13 11:28 pm (UTC)(link)
More than anything I love how you got Phyllis' voice!

but she really has nothing to say to that.
I think that one line is totally her.

And... Bob Vance/Todd Packer. Their "two ships passing in the night" romance. HAHAHAHAHA.

[identity profile] zarahemla.livejournal.com 2006-07-14 05:36 am (UTC)(link)
Yeah :D I was thinking more, Brokeback in a cheap motel 6 off of -- uh -- whatever highway runs through Pennsylvania, but yeah.

Updating my previous comment and bringing them up here

[identity profile] minorshan.livejournal.com 2006-07-14 12:39 am (UTC)(link)
I'd recc you rent the UK Office from Blockbuster - it's an interesting study, since many of the early plots are what early eps of the US Office are based on.

Also, they call it a "Mockumentary" and the editing style is slower, like a documentary, while I'd cal the US version more of an.... UnReality show? More fast paced, etc. Anyway, a different watch.

Re: Updating my previous comment and bringing them up here

[identity profile] minorshan.livejournal.com 2006-07-14 12:41 am (UTC)(link)
OH! And...

Anyone out there know an Office community option that isn't entirely fic centered?

Re: Updating my previous comment and bringing them up here

[identity profile] annakovsky.livejournal.com 2006-07-14 04:09 am (UTC)(link)
[livejournal.com profile] theoffice_us is the general one! The news always gets there fast, and it's not horrible, as those type of communities go.

Re: Updating my previous comment and bringing them up here

[identity profile] zarahemla.livejournal.com 2006-07-14 05:37 am (UTC)(link)
And there you go, [livejournal.com profile] annakovsky knows all. Hm ... I'll have to go get the UK version from our crappy Blockbuster, if they even have it at our crappy Blockbuster.

[identity profile] smartlikejustin.livejournal.com 2006-07-14 02:12 am (UTC)(link)
That is such perfect Phyllis. I loved it!

[identity profile] zarahemla.livejournal.com 2006-07-14 05:37 am (UTC)(link)
Thank you very much :D

[identity profile] annakovsky.livejournal.com 2006-07-14 04:08 am (UTC)(link)
Oh my god, this is amazing. Great Phyllis, and weird Bob Vance/Todd Packer HISTORY, and I love how it's totally true that if you've lived in one place for a long time, you have gone to school with/worked with/run into a LOT of people, which makes this really plausible. Awesome.

[identity profile] zarahemla.livejournal.com 2006-07-14 05:38 am (UTC)(link)
I know! You are turning my brain into a fertile machine, cranking out the crazy fic like nobody's business. SCARY.

[identity profile] allthingsholy.livejournal.com 2006-07-14 07:43 am (UTC)(link)
Oh, all the things Phyllis doesn't say. Poor thing. True to character, I think. She's a toughy. Well done.

[identity profile] zarahemla.livejournal.com 2006-07-14 08:08 pm (UTC)(link)
Thanks very much. Yeah, I think Phyllis is just full to the brim with things she wants to say, but doesn't.

[identity profile] llaras.livejournal.com 2006-07-14 08:04 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, man. This is really fantastic. Kudos.

[identity profile] zarahemla.livejournal.com 2006-07-14 08:10 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you very much!

[identity profile] honey-wheeler.livejournal.com 2006-07-14 11:24 pm (UTC)(link)
Ooh, you are a brave, brave soul to tackle the Packer.

Poor Phyllis! I love how nervous she is about them kicking the ball too hard. She's so timid.

[identity profile] zarahemla.livejournal.com 2006-07-18 02:51 pm (UTC)(link)
Hee hee! Thanks! Yeah, poor Phyllis, I can imagine her being scared to go out on the field, but also too scared of Michael not to go.

[identity profile] elucidate-this.livejournal.com 2006-07-15 01:40 am (UTC)(link)
*pets phyllis*

aww! sad! (but yet i love the idea of bob vance and todd packer hooking up)

[identity profile] zarahemla.livejournal.com 2006-07-18 02:51 pm (UTC)(link)
Yeah, me too. Those crazy salesmen on the road, you never know what could have happened. :D Thanks!

[identity profile] spamdilemma.livejournal.com 2006-07-18 10:15 pm (UTC)(link)
Salesmen with history! Bob Vance/Todd Packer works disturbingly well.

"Go get 'em, honey!" he says, but she really has nothing to say to that. -- Oh, I love Phyllis. <3<3<3<3

[identity profile] zarahemla.livejournal.com 2006-07-19 01:35 am (UTC)(link)
Agreed -- it is mighty disturbing. But I'm glad you liked it! Or were disturbed by it! Or something :D

[identity profile] shamoogity.livejournal.com 2006-08-10 06:19 am (UTC)(link)
I just found your fic and I've been making my way through it. It's all great; really original, but I think this one's my favourite so far. I love your Phyllis. I don't have much to say that hasn't already been said, but since I'm adding this to my memories I figured I should comment and let you know how much I enjoyed it.

[identity profile] zarahemla.livejournal.com 2006-08-10 04:47 pm (UTC)(link)
Why thank you! I'm glad you liked it. You should join up with [livejournal.com profile] office_romances, it is just chock-full of awesome Office fic.