Work Text:
3:45 pm, October 28, 2024
Ed: hi babe doing my check in
Ed: how’d the meeting go? did you kick ass?
Ed: i bet you did
Ed: lmk if i need to call you with a super super important emergency to get you out of there
Ed: (wink wink nudge nudge) (no real emergencies please)
3:58 pm
Ed: not trying to bug u, everything ok?
4:04 pm
Ed: sorry i'm an idiot ur probably in ur meeting right now. ignore the buzzies 🙂
4:15 pm
Ed: i gotta head off to work but text me when ur outta there superstar. swing by the bar if ur feeling up to it after, ok? X
5:30 pm
Ed: kinda worried, just shoot me a text let me know you’re alright please?
Ed: or answer my call…?
Stede: Sorry! I’m fine!
Ed: ????
Ed: hello? whats up?
Stede: Nothing! I’ll see you later 💗
Ed: well no now i’m interested
Ed: did something fun happen
Ed: did you get the promotion?
Stede: No.
Stede: It’s fine, though. Don’t let me ruin your shift. I don’t think I have the energy to come out tonight but I’ll see you in the morning!
Ed: oh baby did it go poorly
Ed: i’m sorry :(
Ed: if u want to talk about it i’m around.
Stede: You’re at work…?
Ed: yeah but fuck em all whatever
Stede: Only if it’s not an issue! I would like to talk to you but don’t let me disrupt you…
Ed: no no it’s okay really. no disruptions here.
Ed: my break is now anyways
Ed: call?
Stede: Can we just message?
Ed: course we can
Stede: 💗
Ed: do u wanna talk about your day or about something else
Stede: Tell me about your day
Stede: Please?
Ed: hmm okay
Ed: well i woke up this morning in a rlly good mood bc my boyfriend was making me breakfast
Ed: and so then my beautiful boyfriend went to work and he said he had a really important meeting so i made sure to kiss him extra to give him the ✨star power✨ for later u know
Ed: and then when he left i was so sad he was gone but his breakfast was good as fuck so stopped all my weeping and ate the spread and it was still warm and perfect so thank u
Ed: took a shower, etc.
Ed: went on a walk all around downtown and picked up some groceries and a drink (also stede we need to stop going to the shop on 5th my chai latte was 3 bucks more than it usually is at that other little cute bookstore coffee place u like) anyways i drank my latte and i wrote a little bit
Stede: What did you write about?
Ed: wrote some songs. I can sing them to you later if you’d like. but they’re kinda shit.
Stede: I doubt that they’re shit
Ed: well thank u honey
Ed: after that i bought some duck feed
Ed: made friends with a duck, consequently. named him gerard.
Stede: What kind of duck was he?
Ed: sorry baby i dunno
Ed: he had a yellow beak…?
Stede: And a white body?
Ed: yep. all fluffy.
Stede: I believe your friend Gerard was a call duck. They’re quite cute.
Ed: <3 so true
Stede: They’re my favorite.
Stede: They’re much smaller than other duck breeds, but tend to be louder. LOL. Used to have one as a pet when I was younger and named her daffy.
Stede: Sorry
Ed: ?
Ed: why r u sorry u didn't do anything wrong ??? Daffy sounds cute wish i met her<3
Stede: Because you were talking about your day and I interrupted and started talking about myself.
Ed: you didn't interrupt at all
Ed: we’re just having a conversation
Ed: i want to know everything about u
Stede: So anyways what did you do after that?
Ed: stede i love u. i never don’t want to hear me some stede facts
Ed: after that i went home and tidied up a little bit, made some minty tea, got ready for work
Ed: & the bus was super fuckin cramped
Ed: & the bar’s been super dead so i’ve been chilling daydreaming u know
Stede: What have you been daydreaming about?
Ed: stede…
Stede: ?
Ed: take a wild guess
Stede: Gerard?
Ed: babe…
Ed: you!
Stede: That’s sweet
Stede: Thank you for saying that
Ed: speaking of my fave person what about your day
5:42 pm
Ed: stede?
Ed: u don’t have to talk about it if u don’t want to
Ed: just know i’m here when ur ready cause i’m getting a vibe that you’re for sure not alright and i love u i want to make sure ure okay
Stede: I love you too
Stede: Sorry I’m just trying to figure out how to phrase it.
Ed: just say what’s on ur mind don’t even worry about phrasing.
Stede: Ok
Stede: Well I don’t even know I’m really embarrassed to be honest
Stede: Please promise you won’t be upset
Ed: ?
Ed: promise
Stede: Because I had this presentation for the sustainability committee prepared for months
Ed: ik and ur practice rounds were so so good like i was invested and u did such a good job with preparations
Stede: Thank you honey
Stede: So you know it was just meant to be the small group but my father was in the office because of course he was and insisted he be part of the meeting and I can’t say no so he was there and interrupted me the whole time to talk about what a waste of time the whole project is
Stede: And I knew he was just pushing my buttons so tried to ignore it but it was like my body did not know that. I was panicking and it felt like I couldn’t breathe and It felt like I couldn’t speak. I can usually talk my way through these things but I just couldn’t I was quite scared. And everybody saw.
Stede: And I had to step out in the hall to get a breath but he followed me outside and said some really nasty things to me and I don’t want to type them out but he was talking about me and about you and I couldn't do it any more and I felt like I was a child and trapped and I really felt like I wanted to cry and I’m not sure if I did there or not
Stede: I think I must have. Eyes are all puffy now.
Stede: But he said I was acting unprofessional and to get it together and I tried to I really tried to because this job has always just been my father tossing me around and I hate it I hate him but in saying that I know that I just need to man up because i put so much effort in. But he slapped me there he said it was “to wake me up” and I hit him back and everyone could see through the door and I think that I quit. I don't know. I don’t remember what I said but he told me to not bother coming back.
Ed: oh my god stede
Ed: what the fuck?
Ed: i’m so sorry
Ed: where are you now are you safe
Stede: Ha
Stede: You don’t have to be sorry it’s fine. It’s whatever
Stede: It was my decision to work here and deal with him and I should have done better and just persisted through because now we’re fucked because I can’t handle a bit of criticism and I’ll never be able to get any other job because my only skillset is being a daddy’s boy pushover
Ed: woah hey
Ed: that’s not true at all
Ed: not one bit
Ed: you’ve done more for that company than he ever did you’re the smartest man i know
Ed: i completely understand why you would work there you felt forced
Ed: you WERE forced
Ed: we’ll figure it all out later don’t even worry i’ll take care of it. i just want to make sure you’re safe. are you still at the office there?
Stede: Oh sorry
Stede: No
Stede: On the bus home
Ed: oh babe
Ed: k that’s good though glad u didnt drive💙
Stede: Oh shit I’m sorry I forgot I took the car
Ed: no worries
Ed: no sorries
Ed: completely fine we’ll get it tomorrow
Stede: All safe
Stede: I brought my office plant with me. Don’t really know why I did that.
Ed: haha
Ed: that’s okay. good to have a friend there.
Ed: are you feeling any better now? than u were earlier, i mean?
Stede: Little bit.
Stede: Not actively panicking. Did the count three things i can see thing. I kinda hate that that works.
Ed: thats great babe really great
Stede: Sorry for bugging you with this at work
Stede: You’re probably off of your break now.
Stede: I’ll see you tonight!
Stede: Or in the morning I guess!
Ed: no way mister
Ed: not bugging me
Ed: he hit you?
Stede: Yes
Stede: just on the cheek
Ed: “just”
Ed: fucking anywhere is not okay. that piece of shit.
Ed: i’ll fuck him up i promise u
Stede: Please don’t do anything right now
Stede: I need to get my wits about me before anything escalates
Ed: i won’t if u don’t want me to. not rn at least.
Stede: Okay
Stede: Almost home now
Ed: okay
Ed: i love you, you know that right
Ed: so fucking much and i’m so proud of you
Stede: Why would you be proud? The way I acted this afternoon was cowardly
Ed: not at all
Ed: you left and you kept yourself safe
Ed: and i’m proud of you everyday. you went in there with the best intentions it’s not your fault that he fucked it.
Ed: I’m sorry the day was so shit. i’ll give u big cuddles when ure home if that helps
Stede: When I’m home? Aren't you home after me? 2?
Ed: I’ll be here when you’re home stede
Stede: Ah.
Stede: You don’t have to do that.
Ed: think maybe i do
Ed: think maybe we have to have some take out and have some quiet time.
Stede: Don’t really feel like I can talk right quite yet
Ed: that’s why the quiet time is quiet
Ed: you can do whatever you want to i just want to make sure you’re not hurt too bad
Stede: I love you
Stede: Very very much
Stede: And I’m not hurt too bad
Ed: thats good baby we’ll see if i can kiss it better
Stede: 💗
Stede: 😗
Stede: I guess I’ll have more free time now. If I’m not going back.
Stede: Maybe tomorrow you can go and show me Gerard. And we can get the expensive lattes. That sounds like a better afternoon.
Stede: And you can sing your songs to me?
Ed: whatever you want
Ed: i’ll meet u at the bus stop
Stede: 🙂