"Hard At Work," Fake News RPF
Title: Hard At Work
Fandom: Fake News
Rating: PG for mentions of drug use, (discussion of) man-on-man action, and Michael Phelps bashing (sorry).
Wordcount: 1,508
Summary: "It's just some pot!/Some weed he bought./He never thought,/That he'd be caught. Whoops."
Notes: Written for peapods42 at third_monday. Prompt was marijuana. This is my very first honest-to-goodness PRT fic and, er, the pun in the title was unintentional *facepalm*
Disclaimer: All copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. This work is not created for profit and constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.

From: scolbert@tcr.ccentral.com
To: jstewart@tds.ccentral.com, kolberma@msnbc.com, rmaddow@msnbc.com, acooper@cnn.com
Date: February 09, 2009 10:36 AM
Subject: "Pot Poem"


* * *

From: jstewart@tds.ccentral.com
To: scolbert@tcr.ccentral.com, kolberma@msnbc.com, rmaddow@msnbc.com, acooper@cnn.com
Date: February 09, 2009 10:40 AM
Subject: "Re: Pot Poem"


* * *

From: acooper@cnn.com
To: jstewart@tds.ccentral.com, kolberma@msnbc.com, rmaddow@msnbc.com, scolbert@tcr.ccentral.com
Date: February 09, 2009 10:53 AM
Subject: "Re: Pot Poem"

Well, I can't say I'm suprised about the whole thing. Having interviewed him, I mean.

* * *

From: scolbert@tcr.ccentral.com
To: jstewart@tds.ccentral.com, kolberma@msnbc.com, rmaddow@msnbc.com, acooper@cnn.com
Date: February 09, 2009 10:55 AM
Subject: "Aww, give the pothead a break"


What, Anderson, could you smell it on his clothes? I couldn't tell when he was on my show, 'cause I'd just finished a joint before taping.

* * *

From: jstewart@tds.ccentral.com
To: scolbert@tcr.ccentral.com, kolberma@msnbc.com, rmaddow@msnbc.com, acooper@cnn.com
Date: February 09, 2009 11:02 AM
Subject: "Re: Aww, give the pothead a break"

LALALALALA What's that about my employee getting high at work? Hmm? I didn't hear anything.

* * *

From: scolbert@tcr.ccentral.com
To: jstewart@tds.ccentral.com, kolberma@msnbc.com, rmaddow@msnbc.com, acooper@cnn.com
Date: February 09, 2009 11:09 AM
Subject: "Re: Aww, give the pothead a break"

Pfft, you're one to talk, Stewart.

* * *

From: acooper@cnn.com
To: jstewart@tds.ccentral.com, kolberma@msnbc.com, rmaddow@msnbc.com, scolbert@tcr.ccentral.com
Date: February 09, 2009 11:14 AM
Subject: "Re: Aww, give the pothead a break"

Actually, Stephen, I meant his intellectual rigor.

I imagine a few tokes before the show makes it easier to laugh at your own jokes, does it?

* * *

From: jstewart@tds.ccentral.com
To: scolbert@tcr.ccentral.com, kolberma@msnbc.com, rmaddow@msnbc.com, acooper@cnn.com
Date: February 09, 2009 11:17 AM
Subject: "hurr hurr hurr"

INTELLECTUAL rigor, huh?

* * *

From: scolbert@tcr.ccentral.com
To: jstewart@tds.ccentral.com, kolberma@msnbc.com, rmaddow@msnbc.com, acooper@cnn.com
Date: February 09, 2009 11:20 AM
Subject: "Re: Aww, give the pothead a break"

Hey! Leave the snark to the professionals, princess.

P.S. It totally does.
P.P.S. You should try it sometime.

* * *

From: kolberma@msnbc.com
To: jstewart@tds.ccentral.com, scolbert@tcr.ccentral.com, rmaddow@msnbc.com, acooper@cnn.com
Date: February 09, 2009 11:28 AM
Subject: "Re: hurr hurr hurr"

Jon? I have no idea what you're talking about.

* * *

From: rmaddow@msnbc.com
To: kolberma@msnbc.com
Date: February 09, 2009 11:31 AM
Subject: "Check your spam folder"

And while we're on the subject: did you give the guys my work email?

* * *

From: jstewart@tds.ccentral.com
To: scolbert@tcr.ccentral.com, kolberma@msnbc.com, rmaddow@msnbc.com, acooper@cnn.com
Date: February 09, 2009 11:35 AM
Subject: "Re: hurr hurr hurr"

Anderson thinks Michael Phelps is hot.

* * *

From: scolbert@tcr.ccentral.com
To: jstewart@tds.ccentral.com, kolberma@msnbc.com, rmaddow@msnbc.com, acooper@cnn.com
Date: February 09, 2009 11:37 AM
Subject: "Re: hurr hurr hurr"

Jon's right, Anderson. You're warm for his form.

* * *

From: kolberma@msnbc.com
To: rmaddow@msnbc.com
Date: February 09, 2009 11:39 AM
Subject: "Spam folder - Aha!"

Also, I'm hurt. Wounded. I would never betray the intense trust you bestowed upon me when you emailed to ask how much a bag of chips cost at the corner store.

It's not that hard to guess.

* * *

From: acooper@cnn.com
To: jstewart@tds.ccentral.com, scolbert@tcr.ccentral.com, kolberma@msnbc.com, rmaddow@msnbc.com
Date: February 09, 2009 11:41 AM
Subject: "Re: hurr hurr hurr"

Am not. Stephen, I think you're projecting.

* * *

From: rmaddow@msnbc.com
To: kolberma@msnbc.com
Date: February 09, 2009 11:42 AM
Subject: "Re: Spam folder - Aha!"

Oh, terribly sorry. Not all of us can have such cryptic email addresses, Kolberma.

* * *

From: kolberma@msnbc.com
To: rmaddow@msnbc.com
Date: February 09, 2009 11:45 AM
Subject: "Re: Spam folder - Aha!"

Shut up.

* * *

From: scolbert@tcr.ccentral.com
To: jstewart@tds.ccentral.com, kolberma@msnbc.com, rmaddow@msnbc.com, acooper@cnn.com
Date: February 09, 2009 11:45 AM
Subject: "Re: hurr hurr hurr"

If anything, JON's projecting. I'm just being childish.

* * *

From: rmaddow@msnbc.com
To: kolberma@msnbc.com
Date: February 09, 2009 11:46 AM
Subject: "Re: Spam folder - Aha!"

You shut up.

* * *

From: kolberma@msnbc.com
To: rmaddow@msnbc.com
Date: February 09, 2009 11:49 AM
Subject: "Re: Spam folder - Aha!"

Make me.

* * *

From: rmaddow@msnbc.com
To: kolberma@msnbc.com
Date: February 09, 2009 11:53 AM
Subject: "Re: Spam folder - Aha!"

I'll make you so hard you won't be able to give a Special Comment for months.

* * *

From: kolberma@msnbc.com
To: rmaddow@msnbc.com
Date: February 09, 2009 11:56 AM
Subject: "Re: Spam folder - Aha!"

Why, Ms. Maddow, how dirty that sounds.

***

From: jstewart@tds.ccentral.com
To: scolbert@tcr.ccentral.com, kolberma@msnbc.com, rmaddow@msnbc.com, acooper@cnn.com
Date: February 09, 2009 11:57 AM
Subject: "Re: hurr hurr hurr"

As the only one here who knows anything about psychology, I can safely say that no one's projecting anything. Really.

See you guys for lunch in 20 minutes. That sushi place, right?

***

From: scolbert@tcr.ccentral.com
To: jstewart@tds.ccentral.com, kolberma@msnbc.com, rmaddow@msnbc.com, acooper@cnn.com
Date: February 09, 2009 11:59 AM
Subject: "Re: hurr hurr hurr"

Yep. Race you!

* * *

From: rmaddow@msnbc.com
To: msnbc@msnbc.com
Date: February 09, 2009 12:00 PM
Subject: "Re: Spam folder - Aha!"

Shut up! See you at lunch.


***

The restaurant was crowded, the lunch rush ironically packing the patrons together like sardines in a can. Trying not to be too obvious, Keith casually leaned closer to Anderson in the booth.

"You're not really attracted to that swimming guy, are you?" he whispered.

Anderson popped a piece of sushi into his mouth and frowned, gesturing at his ear. "What?" he asked, speaking loudly to be heard over the din. "I can't hear you! This place is ridiculous, why did we come here?"

"Because it's delicious!" declared Stephen, and promptly stole one of Anderson's rolls. Jon mumbled something in response to that, but was too quiet to be heard - perhaps "Speak for yourself," or maybe, "So says the elf," - he didn't look impressed, at any rate. Rachel just rolled her eyes.

"I said," Keith hissed, deliberately keeping his voice as low as possible, "You're not really attracted that swimming guy - right?"

Anderson smirked. "Keith, baby, get a grip," he said. Under the table he gave Keith's leg a reassuring squeeze. "That pothead's got nothing on you."