The Office - Gen (with mentions of Dwight/Angela) - PG - Untitled Author: Emily (lightningrapier) Fandom: The Office Pairing: Gen fic (mentions of Dwight/Angela) Rating: PG Warnings: Desired violence against Andy. But is that really anything new? Summary: Jim wants to know something Dwight knows. Andy gets involved. Disclaimer: The Office, Jim, Dwight, and Andy are property of NBC and the show's creators. I just wanted to write some fic! Notes: Written for a drabble meme for starstruck_16, in which I was told to use the word "finances". Harder than you'd think.
Originally posted at LJ on February 20, 2007. Moved over because SixApart are fucking whores. :D
Jim knew for a fact that corporate only sponsored one party a year, and with the way Michael threw them, he was having a hard time figuring out exactly how Michael financed them. He'd come up with several theories with Pam (things such as Michael being a secret supervillian jewel thief in the night, or having a very, very rich (possibly Bill Gates) uncle), but when it came right down to it, Jim honestly had no idea how it was possible. Was Michael paying for this stuff out of his own pocket? It seemed like the only possibility, and the thought of it made Jim feel almost guilty. Sure, the parties usually turned out to be some kind of nightmare, but they were parties just the same, usually pretty elaborate, and almost always for no reason.
The thought made Jim feel fantastically bad for ever making fun of Michael in his life.
It was thoughts like these -- long, rambly, and usually nonsensical -- that plagued Jim's mind Monday mornings, and he glanced around the office, trying to think of something else he could think about -- maybe some other great mystery of life that needed pondering. When his eyes rested on Dwight, however, he grinned. Of course. Why hadn't he thought about this before? If there was anyone who knew something about Michael, it was going to be Dwight. There was another plus, too -- maybe Jim felt guilty about making fun of Michael (for the moment), but for making fun of Dwight? Not a chance.
"Hey, Dwight," Jim said casually, glancing towards the man. Dwight looked up, raised an eyebrow, and silently offered to let Jim continue. Jim fiddled a little with the pen in his hands, boredly. "Y'know those parties we're always throwing?"
Dwight paused, watching Jim carefully. It looked as if he was thinking the question over from every possible angle, certain it was some kind of trick. Jim didn't really blame him -- coming from him, it was probably a good defense mechanism.
"I wouldn't know anything you don't know about those parties, Jim," Dwight answered, finally, turning back to his computer screen and typing away. "And especially nothing about the people who plan them."
Jim made a face, sort of surprise mixed with amusement. God, this whole Dwight and Angela thing. "Oh, nah, not like that." He waved Dwight off, who had since turned a wary eye back on him, considering. "I was thinking more about the money. You know, finances, and all that--"
"If you want to ask someone about people in accounting, Jim, you're asking the wrong person. Why would I--"
"Dwight." Jim cut him off, grinning a little. This was turning out to be far more amusing than he'd originally planned. "No. I meant more about Michael."
With the mention of his boss' name, Dwight turned fully towards Jim, leaned forward across the desk, and watched him carefully. Jim had long since gotten used to feeling like Dwight's eyes were boring through him, and was hardly phased.
"I'm listening," Dwight prompted, and Jim easily continued.
"I was just thinking, does Michael finance all these parties by himself, or what? Corporate won't pay for more than one, so..."
Dwight sighed, sitting back in his chair and looking as if Jim had just phenomenally bored him.
"Where else did you think the money was going to come from, Jim? It doesn't just grow on trees, you know."
"Actually, since it's made out of paper, it kind of--"
But then they were both interrupted, as Jim glanced up and saw Andy looming over the both of them, a cheesy sort of grin on his face. Jim quickly decided he didn't want to know what Andy was happy about.
"Hey, guys. What are we talking about over here? Something exciting? Some kind of corporate scandal? Gotta know the details, Tuna, c'mon!"
Jim sighed, glanced towards Dwight (who had gone from looking bored to looking completely infuriated in an impressive .02 seconds) and turned back to his computer.
"It's nothing, Andy."
"Ahhh. Well," Andy leaned in, his hands resting on Dwight's desk. Dwight looked like he was heavily considering stabbing his pen into one of them. Jim didn't doubt he was capable. "Secrets don't make friends, Tuna. I hope you know that."
"...I'll keep it in mind," Jim murmured off-handedly, making a point not to look at him. They stayed in that pose for what seemed like full minutes before Andy finally stood back up.
"Okay then! See you two on the flip side." He mimicked gun motions at them, for no apparent reason, and then turned, disappearing into the breakroom. Jim sighed, knowing better than to bother talking to Dwight now. He wouldn't be calmed down from Andy's visit for another twenty minutes, at the very least. Jim hadn't even really gotten the scoop he wanted, either. Then again, he didn't really know why he was so surprised. It was just another day in the office, as far as he was concerned.