Work Text:
You're just going about your day off at home, when you get a text from Lucius.
Lucius: Hey y/n, it's Lucius Spriggs. I got your number from the emergency contacts sheet. I know we don't know each other very well- hope this isn't weird 
. Izzy would kill me if he found out I was telling you this, but Ed has been running him ragged all day and the man looks like he's about to pass out. I tried to tell him to go sit down or something, but he wasn't willing to hear it.
Lucius: Idk, just figured you'd want to know. Maybe you can do something about it.
You frown. That sure does sound like Izzy. Since you first met him, you've admired how much pride the man takes in his work. Unfortunately, that dedication can sometimes wind up being to a fault.
Izzy had mentioned that he didn't sleep well last night, so you aren't surprised that he would be extra tired today. It's really sweet that Lucius cares enough to reach out to you, you think.
You're sure that Ed isn't intentionally overworking Izzy, but they have a couple big projects coming up at the company so it's been all hands on deck so to speak for the last month.
You: Hey Lucius. Thank you for letting me know, I really appreciate it. Do you have any idea if Izzy has had lunch yet?
Lucius: Idk. Probably not, knowing him.
You: Ok. I'm going to come by with some food. I won't tell him you texted me. Will you still be at the office for a while longer?
Lucius: Yes, doing research for the bosses 
.
You: Ok, I'm bringing you a coffee.
The only reason you happen to know what kind of coffee Lucius likes, is from listening to Izzy bitch about how "The boy is just like Ed with their sugary drinks. I don't know how either of them still have teeth in their skulls."
Lucius: Aww, thank you!! 
After making sure you look presentable enough to go out in public (you may or may not have still been in your pajamas), you head down to a little cafe that's about midway between your place and the office building where Izzy works, along with the rest of Stede and Ed's crew.
You've met most of the crew through knowing Izzy, but you don't know any of them very well. You genuinely would like to change that since they seem like a cool bunch of people. You've even hung out with Stede and Ed a few times on what Izzy staunchly refused to call double dates.
At the cafe you grab an iced coffee for Lucius and a sandwich that you hope he'll like, as well as a couple sandwiches for you and Izzy.
When you get to the office, you head over to Lucius' desk first.
Although you've only been to the office two or three times before, you have a decent idea of the layout since Ed insisted on giving you a tour the first time you came by.
When Lucius looks up and sees you headed his way, he gives you a bright smile and makes grabby hands in your direction.
"Ooo, yes, thank you." He takes the drink and sandwich from you. "You are literally a lifesaver, I've been sitting here dying from boredom all day."
Olu comes walking in just in time to hear Lucius's complaint and he rolls his eyes. "Right, because I totally didn't see you sneaking off with Pete like an hour ago."
Lucius just rolls his eyes.
"Do you guys know if Izzy is in his office?"
Olu nods. "Yeah, he told us that if anyone interrupted him for anything that wasn't important, we wouldn't like what would happen."
Lucius snickers. "Olu's too polite to repeat what Izzy really said."
You have to laugh at that. "Alright, thanks guys. Consider me duly warned if he murders me," you joke.
You head back to Izzy's office and knock on the closed door. A best of silence goes by before you hear the sound of a chair scraping back.
The door swings open to reveal an annoyed looking Izzy. When he sees that it's you, his annoyance fades away, leaving only tiredness in its place.
He gives you a tired but soft smile that practically knocks the air out of you with the way it makes your heart swell.
"What are you doing here?" Izzy asks.
You hold up the bag from the cafe. "I brought lunch."
Izzy hesitates for the barest moment before nodding and stepping back to let you into the office. "Suppose even Ed can't complain about me actually taking a lunch break for once."
You hold back a disapproving look. More often than not, Izzy tends to slowly peck at whatever food is on hand while he works, rather than actually taking a break to sit and eat.
After coming aware of this habit of Izzy's, you started packing him lunches whenever possible. For the times when you don't have the time/opportunity to actually send him with food, you try to keep the fridge stocked with foods that are easily grabbed and eaten on the go, like yogurt and salads.
Ed once joked about how you take care of Izzy, but it's far from being one-sided. On top of the normal mutual support that comes with being in a healthy relationship, Izzy takes care of you by helping you keep track off all the little things that you tend to have trouble with, like remembering to make and keep appointments, and making sure you fill your prescriptions before you run out.
Joining Izzy in his office, the two of you settle in and start eating your lunch.
Izzy's normally neat and organized desk is covered in stacks of paper and folders, and there are a bunch of post-it notes stuck various places within reach of the desk chair.
The two of you chat easily about this and that. You go over your plans for the weekend, both together and separate. Izzy tells you about an insufferable conference call that he had to endure this morning and he updates you on how the ongoing company projects are going.
The conversation lapses into silence as you finish eating.
You take the opportunity to really look Izzy over and the bags under his eyes make you frown. "You look like you could use a nap."
"No time for that. I'm surprised that Edward hasn't already come looking for me."
An idea begins to form in your mind. Izzy's office has a futon. You've never asked, but you're guessing that it's either a hold over from when they moved into this building, or that its existence is a product of the time when Stede insisted on funding all new, upgraded furniture for everyone.
Izzy frowns. "There's still so much to do. I need to call one of the distributors and let them know about the changes Stede made, and Ed needs me to get some numbers together to see if we're on track with the budget."
"Can it wait an hour? I'm honestly asking, I'm not trying to be minimize how much work you have."
Izzy sighs. "No, I guess not... It's just that until I get it done, I'll know that it's still hanging over my head."
"Why don't you lay down on the couch for a bit and close your eyes? If Ed, or someone else shows up with some sort of emergency, you can deal with it then. You'll be more productive, if you get a little rest."
Izzy looks torn, but finally the exhaustion must win out, because he nods. "Alright, you win. But I'm setting my alarm for an hour in case I do fall asleep."
You watch as Izzy grabs one of the little throw pillow on the couch (those are definitely a product of Stede) and lays down with it behind his head. Izzy closes his eyes and almost immediately his breathing start to even out.
"I'll see you later, love you."
Izzy mumbles "Love you" back, already sounding half-asleep.
You quietly shut the door behind you and station yourself so you're sitting on the floor outside Izzy's office with your back to the door.
Not long after sitting down, Lucius walks over and hands you a magazine to flip through.
You don't hear any sounds coming from the other side of the door, so you figure it's safe to assume that Izzy passed out just like you'd expected him to.
A short time later, Frenchie goes walking by and he raises an eyebrow when he sees you sitting on the floor.
You shrug in response and Frenchie just smiles and makes a mock 'tip of the hat' motion before continuing on his way.
No one else seems to pay you much mind. You get a few curious looks, but no one asks what the hell you're doing camped outside of Izzy's office, so you take it as a win. It amuses you to think about how they're probably just glad that Izzy isn't out here barking orders.
At one point Fang starts heading towards Izzy's office and you look up warily. You have no problem at all with Fang, it's just that you've never really spoken to him before.
Fang's eyebrows raise in surprise when he notices you guarding the door. "Hey- y/n, right?"
Your eyes shoot up from the magazine quiz you'd been halfheartedly taking. "Yup, that's me. Try not to be too loud, ok?"
To Fang's credit, he immediately quiets his voice to match your own low murmur. "Why? Is something wrong with the boss?"
You shake your head. "He's ok. Izzy just laid down to take a nap, and I really don't want him to get woken up before he has too."
"Wow" Fang says, sounding impressed. "How'd you get him to do that?"
You shrug, feeling a little bashful at the unspoken praise. "I didn't do much. I told him to lay down for an hour and that if someone needed him, he could always get back up."
A slow grins spreads across Fang's face. "I take it you're out here to make sure no one bothers him, then?"
The man's smile is so charming, you can help but sheepishly smile back. "Yeah. Did you need Izzy for something? I won't keep you from doing your job if you really need to talk to him."
Fang's smile softens and he shakes his head. "Nah, it can wait until later. I'm glad the boss has someone looking out for him. I think the captains are supposed to be back soon. If they get here before Izzy's nap is over, I'll try my best to keep them distracted."
Izzy had told you before about how for some reason, Stede and Ed like to use nautical terms around the office like "crew" and "captain," but it's still funny hearing Fang call them captains. You wonder if that makes Izzy first mate. Actually... you wouldn't be surprised if Ed had called Izzy that before and Izzy just hasn't mentioned it to you.
You make a mental note to ask Lucius.
"Thanks Fang, I really appreciate that. You're a good guy."
You watch the big man blush and duck his head bashfully before walking away.
Man, if you weren't already kind of obsessed with Izzy, you might have to ask Lucius if he wouldn't mind sharing.
After that, you make it through the rest of the hour without anymore interactions with the crew.
Izzy's alarm suddenly going off makes you jump. You scramble up off the floor as quietly as you can manage and scurry off. If one of the others tells Izzy, then so be it, but there's no sense in getting yourself caught if you don't have to.
On your way out the door Lucius winks at you and raises his now empty coffee cup in farewell.
You grin. Oh, Izzy is going to be so pissed if you and Lucius become partners in crime after this.