Chapter Text
Bitty was running and if there was one thing he couldn’t be it was late. That morning his alarm hadn’t gone off so by the time he had, eventually, woken up he was already meant to be in the middle of the queue at Starbucks a block away, getting his boss’ morning coffee. He didn’t even have time for breakfast as he changed in, what must be, world record time and rushing out of his front door. Thankfully there was no trouble on the commute downtown otherwise he really would be pushing his luck. If he didn’t have to get his boss his ridiculous coffee order every morning he wouldn’t have to run around like he was but no, he worked for a freaking slave driver. Rushing into the coffee shop he groaned at the size of the queue until he saw his knight in shining armour grinning at him from the pick up counter, two cups in hand.
“You’re late today.”
“Lardo, you literally saved my life!” Bitty grinned as he collected the drinks off of her. “Thank you, thank you!”
“Yeah, whatever. Now get, I’ve got drinks to make!”
“Yes, ma’am!” He called back as he rushed towards the exit. He might just make it this time.
Stepping out of the coffee shop he began to make his way towards work, making a mental note to message Lardo later and thank her for literally saving his life. Hopefully his boss hadn’t turned up yet. Bitty couldn’t wait for the day he no longer had to serve that walking icicle anymore. Ever since he started working for him three years ago his life had become almost insufferable. Any scrap of a social life he once had vanished. He barely had any time for his friends and often had to cancel his meet ups with Lardo because he got called away on some stupid, last minute errand that really could have waited until Monday. Don’t even get him started on the last time he managed to go see his family. Holiday days were nonexistent so it was probably around the time he actually left and came up to New York to work for Knights Publishers. His family told him to quit constantly but no matter what they said to try and convince him he wasn’t about to give up. He had invested three, long years into that job, and that insufferable man, and he wasn’t about to back out now. No matter how much he wanted to hit his boss around the head.
As he walked through the doors of Knights Publishers Bitty couldn’t see any of the tell tale signs that his demonship, aka his boss, was yet to grace them with his presence. This meant he had actually managed to beat his boss to the office. Thank the Lord on Sunday! All he had to do now was go up to his desk and wait for the storm to arrive. Then the real fun would begin. The elevator ride was calm and he tried to savour it for as long as he could because it was bound to be the only form of quiet he would be allowed all day. Unfortunately that peace was ruined the minute the doors opened and he was met with Nursey’s smirking face waiting for him.
“Cutting it close there, Bits. One of those mornings?”
“Thank you, Captain Obvious,” Bitty sighed, heading for his desk. Looking back over his shoulder he went to make a joke when the mail cart crashed right into him causing his boss’s morning coffee to spill all the way down his shirt.
“Sorry, B-”
“Gosh darnit! Come on!” He exclaimed, looking down at his now ruined shirt. His boss was going to kill him or mock him or probably a combination of both at the same time. “He’s going to be any second, Dex!”
“I know, Bits, I’m so-”
“Give me your shirt.”
“Bits, I am not giving you my shirt.”
“I need it, Dex,” Bits pleaded. “He is going to ridicule me.”
“He’ll do that anyway.”
“Rangers game. This Tuesday.” Dex raised his eyebrows, hand brushing against the bottom of his shirt. Ha , Bitty thought. Got him . “Two seats for your shirt. You have five seconds to decide. Five.”
“Bits, I don’t kn-”
“Four.”
“Eric , come on.”
“Three.”
“You haven’t even-”
“Two.”
“Where are the seats?”
“Behind the goal, second row from the glass. On-”
“Fine, fine! Deal!”
One shirt change later and Bitty felt a lot better than before, just in time for his boss’s arrival. The coffee was reaching the perfect drinking temperature, the calendar was prepared for the day and Dex’s shirt wasn’t as big on him as he first feared it would be. Everyone around the office was smiling, talking about their plans for the weekend and sharing casual office gossip over their morning coffees, until the familiar sound of beeping filled the air and every single smile dropped. Eric did not need to check his phone to see what it said
It’s here.
Suddenly it was all hands on deck. Picking up the one coffee that didn’t spill he made his way towards the elevator, waiting for it to open.The office was starting to talk in hushed voices, everyone rushing to put away their breakfasts and making an effort to look like they had been already started work. This was Bitty’s least favourite part of the day. Where he had to go back to being called Eric and pretend that he loved serving the antichrist. It was as if the fun was being sucked out of the room. He didn’t care how great his boss actually was because everyone was terrified of him. It was absolutely ridiculous. The man couldn’t even smile sweetly to save his life and if he ever yelled at you it was like getting chewed out by a general in the army. It reminded Bitty of his father, back in his old football coaching days. The elevator dinged, Eric put on his nicest smile and prepared for war.
“Good morning. You have a conference call in thirty minutes.”
“Yes. About the marketing spring books,” came the usual icy reply as the coffee was snatched from Eric’s hand. “I know.”
Repressing a sigh Bitty could already tell that it was going to be one of those days. “Staff meeting is at nin-”
“Did you call… what’s his name? The one that wrote that 17th century Russian novel?”
“Alexei?”
“Yes, Alexei!”
“Yes, I did call him and told him that if he didn’t get his manuscript in on time then you won’t give him a release date. He’s sending it by noon.” Bitty rambled on as they made their way towards the office at the end of the hall. After all his boss did prefer to walk and talk. “Oh and your lawyer called. He said that it is imperative that yo-”
“Cancel that call, push the meeting until tomorrow and keep my lawyer on the sheet.” Eric nodded, heading towards his desk to make the arrangements. “Oh and get a hold of PR, have them start drafting a press release. Marty is doing Oprah.”
Stopping in his tracks Eric turned around in a mild state of shock. Sebastien St. Martin never did interviews. Hadn’t done so in years. The guy was almost a literal hermit. “Wow, nicely done!”
“If I wanted your praise I would have asked for it, Eric.”
Sucking in a breath Bitty went back to making his way towards his desk to reschedule the meetings. Sometimes his boss nearly came across as a normal human being. Just looking at him it was easy to think that at least. The man was built like a Greek God. As if Aphrodite herself had sculptured him specifically to torture Bitty. Plus there was no denying that Jack Zimmermann was a powerhouse in the publishing world. If he wanted a book he would get it and they were bound to be a bestseller. Bitty had been over the moon when he first got the opportunity to work for such a man but three years down the line and it was starting to break him. All those snarky remarks, the insufferable attitude, the rudeness. Bitty was one man and there was only so much those baby blues made up for. The work portfolio was the only thing keeping him going anymore. It was as if Jack was secretly Miranda Priestly and Bitty was actually Anne Hathaway and all he needed was the perfect pair of Chanel boots. Then he could ditch Jack in a car somewhere in the middle of Paris and spend the rest of his days never having to think of cerulean blue ever again.
“Who is Bits?” Eric froze. Crud. Lardo had written on his cup. “And why are they meant to call someone?”
“Erm I’m Bits. Well Bitty actually. It’s a nickname of mine. That was originally my cup.”
“And I am drinking your coffee, why?”
“Because your coffee spilt.”
Jack took a sip of his coffee, raising his eyebrow at Eric as he did so. “So you just so happen to also drink triple shot Americans with one pump sugar free hazelnut and a dash of light soy?”
“I do,” Eric lied. He hated americanos with a goddamn passion. Give him something sugary and probably topped with whipped cream any day. “It’s like pure energy in a cup.”
“Is that a coincidence?”
“You know, incredibly it is. I wouldn’t possibly drink the same type of coffee as you just in case yours spilt. That would be pathetic.” Luckily the phone began to ring, giving Bitty the opportunity to avoid talking to Jack any further than he had to. “Good morning, Mr Zimmermann’s office. Oh hey, Chad.”
At his desk Jack made a hand gesture at Eric and began to make his way towards his office door.
“Actually we are heading to your office right now. Yeah.” Hanging up the phone Bitty quickly sneaked out his mobile and send a quick warning message out to the office. The dings filling the office. “Why are we heading to Chad’s office?”
Opening the door Eric knew that Jack wasn’t going to give him a response other than the click of the tongue that he had no idea how to interpret. At least his warning message had worked, he thought instead, as he looked out into the office. Everybody was working hard as if their lives depended on it or at least were making it look like they were working that hard anyway.
The witch is on his broom.
“Oh did you finish the manuscript I gave you?” Bitty asked, chasing after Jack.
“I read a few pages. I wasn’t impressed.”
Frowning Bitty did his best not to snap back immediately. Deciding to chose his words carefully. “Can I say something?”
“No.”
“I have read thousands of manuscripts and this is the only one I have given you. There’s an incredible novel in there. The kind of novel you used to publish!”
“Wrong.” And that was the end of that conversation apparently. They were nearly Chad’s office now, making their way past Nursey and Dex at the water cooler. As they past Dex was trying to hide his, obviously, too tight, coffee stained shirt by pulling his blazer shut. It did, unfortunately, not go unnoticed. “And I do think you order the same coffee as I do just in case it spills which is, in fact, pathetic.”
“Or impressive?” Bitty suggested hopefully.
“It would be impressive if you didn’t spill it in the first place.” As they stopped outside of Chad’s office door Jack turned to look at Eric. “Remember: you are just a prop.”
“Won’t say a word.”
As they walked into the office Bitty could see Chad walking around, folders in hand. He never really did like Chad much. He reminded him of those insufferable lacrosse players that he used to live across from in college. Although Bitty had to put up with Jack on a daily basis and he already had four years of experience dealing with a Chad so really? Chad was nothing.
“Our furious leader and his liege,” Chad grinned as he gestured towards the seats in front of desk. “Please do come in.”
Instead of taking a seat however Jack waved him off, choosing to look at the new piece of furniture that now adorned the office wall. Bitty couldn’t help but admire the beautiful craftsmanship that went into it. It also reminded him of some of the pieces he had seen in Jack’s apartment the few times he had been summoned there. By the looks of it they had just interrupted Chad in the middle of curing the wood which, considering how old it looked, was probably for the best. One day, he thought, one day I will be able to buy pieces like that for my own office.
“Beautiful breakfront, is it new?”
“It is English Regency Egyptian Revival built in the 1800s,” Chad smirked, “but I suppose, yes, it is new to my office.”
“Witty,” Jack muttered. Jack definitely knew what type of furniture he was looking at, Bitty had no doubt about that. Bitty also had no doubt that the eyebrow raise that Jack just did towards Chad was no good. He had seen it too many times before. “Chad, I’m letting you go?”
“Pardon?”
“I asked you a dozen times to get Marty to do Oprah and you didn’t do it. You’re fired.”
“I told you it’s impossible! Marty hasn’t done an interview in ten years, Jack!” Chad was raising his voice now, glaring at Jack with such fury that Bitty couldn’t wait to get out of there. Jack however looked unperturbed by any of this and looked down at Chad as if he was just said something like good morning or lovely weather we’re having. Both Jack and Bitty knew that Marty was going to do Oprah, Jack had said so less than ten minutes ago. Bitty couldn’t blame Chad for his reaction though. The last time he had done an interview Barack Obama was running for president for the first time. After that he just dropped out of the public eye to spend more time with his family and since not a single person had managed to get an interview. Plus now that Marty had a young son the odds of coxing him out to do a single interview, let alone an entire book tour, became slim to none.
“That’s funny because I just got off of the phone with him and he’s in.”
“Excuse me?”
“You didn’t even call him, did you?” Jack sighed.
“Bu-”
“I know, I know. Marty can be a little scary to deal with. For you.” Heading towards Chad’s office door Jack took a quick sip of his coffee before turning back to Chad. “Now, I will give you two months to find another job and then you can tell everyone you resigned, okay? That seems fair enough to me.”
And with that Jack walked out of the room, leaving Bitty to chase after him so he wasn’t left with Chad. The man looked ready to explode. As he caught up with Jack he checked over his shoulder to see if Chad was going to remain in his office. The pacing didn’t make him feel reassured.
“What’s his twenty?”
“He’s moving. He had crazy eyes.”
“Don’t do it, Chad. Don’t do it.” Sadly Jack’s words were in vain because almost instantly Chad charged out of his office looking like a man gone mad.
“You poisonous bastard!” The office around them hauled to a stop. Everyone had paused their word to watch the encounter, unsure how to react. “You can’t fire me! You don’t think I know what you’re doing here? You sandbagged me with Marty thing so you can look good to the board! You’re threatened by me.”
“Chad, stop.” Jack warned.
“Just because you have no semblance of a life outside of this office you think you can treat all of us like your own personal slaves! You know what?” Chad laughed. “I feel sorry for you because you know what you’re going to have on your deathbed? Nothing and no one. Except maybe Shitty who you must be fuc-”
“Listen carefully, Chad,” Jack interrupted. Firmly putting a stop to anything Chad had to say. “I didn’t fire you because I feel threatened by you. I fired you because you are lazy, entitled, incompetent, and you spend more time cheating on your wife than you do in the office.”
“He-”
“And if you say another word Eric here is going to have you thrown out, okay?” Chad went to interrupt again but Jack raised his hand and cut him off before he got the chance. “Another word and you’re going out here with an armed escort. Eric will film it with his camera phone and he’ll put it up on that internet site. What was it?”
“Youtube?” Bitty replied, wishing the floor would eat him up. Why did Jack have to bring him into this?
“Exactly! Is that what you want? Didn’t think so. Now, I have work to do. See yourself out,” Jack concluded before walking back to his office. Bitty made a sympathetic face at Chad before following suit. The man may be a pig but he didn’t deserve that. It wasn’t even nine in the morning and it was already, definitely, one of those days. “Have security take his breakfront out of his office and put it in my conference room.”
“Oh and I need you this weekend to help review Chad’s files and his manuscript.”
“This weekend?” Eric asked, praying he had heard wrong.
“You have a problem with that?”
“No. I just… It’s my grandmother’s ninetieth birthday so I was going to go home and… it’s fine. I’ll just cancel it. You’re saving me from a weekend of misery,” Bitty rambled. Jack paid no need, disappearing into his office and shutting the door. The tightness in Jack’s shoulders didn’t escape Bitty’s notice but right now he couldn’t care less. “So… good talk, yeah. Damnit.”
His family were going to kill him. When they rang, telling him all about it, had had explicitly promised that yes, he would be home for Moomaw’s birthday. No ifs or buts. Now he had to ring up his Mama and explain how he couldn’t make it down for the weekend anymore and Bitty wanted the world to swallow him up. She was going to give him the world’s biggest talking it and he hated disappointing his Mama. Even worse he would be letting Moomaw down. Picking up with work phone Bitty gulped before punching in his folks’ number. Hopefully it would go to answerphone.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Mama, it’s me.”
“Dicky! I was just about to message you about Moomaw’s birthday. We’re putting you in your ol-”
“Mama, I can’t make it.” The silence on the other end of the phone was deafening. Bitty wished his Mama would just yell instead of making him wait like this. “Mama?”
“Eric Richard Bittle.” Bitty winced. Full name. He was a dead man. “You promised your Moomaw herself that you would be here.”
“I know, I know! Tell Moomaw I’m sorry, okay?”
“You are not getting out of it that easy, young man!”
“Mama, what do you want me to tell you? He’s making me work again this weekend! He just told me now”
Bitty heard the sharp intake of breath and knew exactly what was about to happen from the other end of the phone. Another talk where his mama, once again, told him to quit and come home, as well as a few choice words about Jack that would make even Coach blush. She meant well, Bitty knew that, and to be fair what she was saying made complete and utter sense. He couldn’t even remember the last time he heard Moomaw’s voice in person and not through a phone. He missed them too damn much but his hands were tied. Bitty needed this job. It would do him wonders for his resume and he was so close to being promoted he could feel it. Then there would be no more morning coffee runs or cancelling dates last minute to run and get some weird Canadian drink they only sold in one shop at the far edge of town. His father just didn’t understand that. It was all too easy for them.
“That man! You march into that office right now, Dicky, and you quit!”
“No, I’m not… no. I’ve worked too hard for this promotion, Mama, I can’t just throw it all away now!”
“Your daddy is fuming, Dicky. He wants to speak with you.”
“No, Mama! Mama, don’t put him on. I am sure Coach is mad something awful but-” Bitty stopped as he heard the sound of Jack’s office door opening and cut himself off. Personal calls during work hours were a big no no. Especially when he was meant to be rearranging a conference call. So he put on his best phone voice smile and tried not to meet Jack’s eyes. “But we take all of our submissions here very seriously. We’ll get back to you as soon as we can.”
Bitty regretted putting the phone down the moment he did so, making a promise to himself that he would ring his mama the moment his lunch break started. He was going to have to do some serious apologising. Perhaps he would send her some things from that little cooking shop she liked the last time she visited. He’d have to send Moomaw the biggest card he could literally by and that wouldn’t even be enough. Maybe he could sneak himself in the envelope and mail himself back home to Georgia. That could be worth a shot at least. Looking up from his desk he saw Jack looming over him, a file in hand.
“Was that your family?”
“Yes.”
“They tell you to quit?”
“Every single day,” Eric sighed as he took the file off of Jack and went to open his rolodex for the number he would need to ring. Must to his dismay the phone rang for him and Bitty prayed it wasn’t his mama ringing back. “Mr Zimmermann’s office. Yeah. Okay.”
Jack raised his eyebrows as he watched Eric put the phone down and look back up at him. “What was that?”
“Hall and Murray want to see you upstairs. Shitty is with them.”
“Come and get me in ten minutes. Shits won’t let me escape otherwise,” Jack said as he straightened his tie. Bitty hadn’t even noticed that it was crooked until he did so. Jack must have been fiddling with it in his office. Not that he cared, he wasn’t even sure why he was fixating in on it. “We have a lot to do.”
“Okey-doke, boss!” Bitty faintly smiled as he watched Jack walk away, making sure to send another quick warning out to the rest of the staff. Not that it mattered, if Jack was going to see Hall and Murray he wouldn’t bother with the rest of the workers. Exhausted Bitty sat back in his chair. He just wanted to go back home and hop into bed and pretend this day never happened. It wasn't even an hour in and he ruined a perfect good shirt, saw someone get fired, and had to cancel his plans with his family via a phone call. Oh no, Bitty thought, I have to ring Mama. Bitty put his hands over his face and screamed. Jack Zimmermann was the literal devil.