Work Text:
“I can’t believe I let you guys convince me to do this,” Jimmy sighed. “I have work in the morning!”
“Exactly!” Sausage cheered. “One night of fun for you to relax for the big day!”
fWhip nodded. “What could go wrong?”
Jimmy ran a hand down his face. “A lot.”
Sausage looped an arm through his and pulled him towards the door. “Come on! Just one drink.”
fWhip grabbed his other arm. “We’ll keep an eye on you.”
“…Okay.”
The bar was full to the brim. Couples lounged on couches and every stool was occupied by someone. The dance floor in the back was flashing bright lights. fWhip pulled Jimmy over to the dance floor while Sausage got them drinks.
Jimmy wished he’d accepted his sister’s invitation to join them. It was louder than a kindergarten room of fifty kids, and smelled just as bad. fWhip seemed to be enjoying himself though.
“Heya cod boy!” Sausage called, squeezing between two dancers. “I got you something lovely.”
Jimmy took the glass with a smile. “Thanks Sausage.”
“Come on! Drink, dance, maybe find a cute girl…”
Jimmy took a swig of his martini and tossed the rest in Sausage’s face. “Very funny.”
“Hey, it could happen!”
“No.”
fWhip nudged him. “Come on Jim! Liven up!”
He shook his head in shame. “You two have fun. I’m going to—”
“Dance?!” a girl called from behind him. He turned to apologize but she grabbed his hands and pulled him into a group. “I’m Katherine! It’s nice to meet you!”
“Jimmy…”
“Nice jacket, Jimmy!” she turned from him to a smaller girl and pulled her over slightly. “This is Shelby!”
“Hi…”
“Hello!” the girl held out a small hand and Jimmy shook it. “Nice to meet you, Jimmy!”
Minutes turned to hours, one drink turned to ten. Before he knew it, it was past midnight. He stumbled away from the group he was with to find Sausage and fWhip. They were in a drinking game, downing shots of whiskey.
“Sausage can I—”
“I booked y’ a room a’ th’ hotel dow’ th’ street,” Sausage slurred, chugging another glass. “We’re stayin’, an’ I’m no’ givin’ y’ my keys.”
Jimmy ran a hand down his face. The world tilted on its axis, and he sighed. “Fine.”
“Room key,” fWhip said absently, tossing him a plastic card. Somehow the redhead was still sober after who knew how many drinks. “Give you ride in mornin’”
“I think I’ll be fine. Thanks guys.”
Sausage gave him a thumbs up, eyes staring over Jimmy’s shoulder. The card had a generic hotel brand on it. He hoped there weren’t too many of them around.
Turns out there was only two hotels near him, and only one was the right chain. He found his room on the third floor and entered. He hadn’t brought a change of clothes because he hadn’t been planning on being here so late, so he just flopped on the bed and curled up to go to sleep.
Before his eyes closed, there was knock on his door. He groaned and sat up, rubbing his head which panged at the movement. He left his key on the bed and walked to the door. He peaked through the peephole and saw only teal hair.
Jimmy sighed and unlocked the door, cracking the door open. “Hello?” His voice croaked badly.
“Hey, my name is Scott, is this Jimmy?” he asked, holding up a 100-dollar bill.
“Holy—yeah, that’s me,” he said. “What’s the money for?”
“I was paid to come see you,” Scott said bluntly.
“Uuuuuhhh, okay?”
“Can I come in?”
Jimmy in his alcohol-filled brain thought this was a great idea and opened the door wider for the stranger. One of his stupidest ideas he’s had while intoxicated, but oh well. He closed the door behind them.
“How can I help you?” Jimmy asked, moving to the bed again. He sat on the too-soft mattress.
The teal-haired man pulled off his coat, laying it over the back of a chair and approached Jimmy. “Well, I was paid…”
“I’m confused,” Jimmy said, scooting backwards. “To do what?”
“He was right, you are cute.” Scott sat on the bed next to him. “What do you want?”
The look in the man’s eyes was something akin to curiosity and Jimmy shrugged. “I mean, I don’t want to keep you from your job…”
“That’s what I thought.” Scott smiled and put a hand on Jimmy’s chest, pushing him to the mattress. “This is going to be interesting,” he whispered.
When Jimmy woke up in the morning, he was missing many important things. Mainly his clothes from the day before. Huh, where had those gone? Laying next to him was an unfamiliar figure crowned in cyan hair.
Jimmy poked the man on the head. No response. Well, he had something today… right? Yeah! Wait!!! It’s his first day!!! Cods! He scrambled out of bed and dressed himself, running out into the hall. Where were Sausage and fWhip?! They’re his ride!
He pulled his phone out and checked his messages. Lizzie had been off the hook. Oops. He dialed up her number and she answered in less than one ring.
“Jimmy?! Where are you?! Are you dead?!” Her voice buzzed over the line and Jimmy held the device away from his ear.
“Hey Liz, um, I’m stuck downtown and don’t have anything to wear for my first day of work, because Sausage and fWhip were my ride and I can’t find them and so I’m stuck here and don’t know what to do, also can you pick me up?”
“…You are an absolute idiot. Mom dropped you on your head as a child, didn’t she?”
“I tried to tell you,” he said with a smile.
“I’ll be there in ten. What do you need?”
“Business casual?”
“Got it.”
“Taxi!”
Jimmy whirled around and saw the teal-haired man run into a yellow cab, bolting off down the road. Scott, right? Yeah. Well, good to know he’s getting on with his life. Though Jimmy can barely see the streetlamp across the street with the brightness of the sun.
“Jimmy!” Lizzie called, when she pulled up in front of the hotel.
“Hey Liz,” he said, sitting in the back seat. She tossed back his change of clothes.
“Put up the blinders.”
He pulled up mesh coverings that clocked the windows and began to change.
“I brought sunglasses too,” she said, turning a corner. “Figured you had too much to drink last night.”
He winced, sheepishly. “Maybe…”
“Yeah, that’s what I thought.”
“Thanks,” he patted her shoulder and pulled the shirt on, doing up the buttons.
“Anything for my small, damaged egg.”
He rolled his eyes, grabbing the sunglasses from the center console. “Let’s hope I’m not late.”
“When do you clock in?”
“…9:30,” he said slowly, trying to remember the schedule they’d sent in the email on Monday.
“It’s 9:17. You’ll be fine, Jim.”
He sighed, slouching back in the seat, pulling on his seatbelt. That was more of a relief than getting a ride itself. He would’ve walked if he had to, but the fact that he was going to be on time…, that was a miracle.
His pink-haired sister stopped in front of the towering glass building and he hopped out, thanking her again. She assured him it was fine and headed off to her date with Joel. With that, Jimmy walked into his new workplace for the first time.
He approached the front desk and presented his ID to the lady. She handed him a badge and instructed him to head to floor 27. The elevator was empty until he reached the 11th floor, when an attorney-looking lady joined him and introduced herself as Lauren. She was the one he interviewed with over the phone!
At floor 27, Lauren led Jimmy through the offices. There were lots of cubicles, but most of the offices were their own separate rooms which looked nice.
“Mr. Major is waiting for you in there,” she said when they reached the end of the offices. This door was closed while the others had been open, and a plaque on the door read: Head of Marketing. She opened the door and ushered Jimmy inside. “Mr. Major, your new shadow is here,” she said, gesturing to him.
The man only hummed, barely acknowledging their presence. Jimmy recognized that teal hair… oh no. Nope. Absolutely not. Fire him right now. He can get another job. …Maybe.
“…Mr. Major…” she said again.
Scott glanced up once, looking back down at his paper. He froze. He looked up at Jimmy again who waved, embarrassedly. The man choked on his coffee, cup slipping from his hand. All watched in horror as the brown substance fell on white cotton, staining it instantly.
Jimmy grabbed a tissue box from the shelf by the door and offered it to the man. “Hello Mr. Major.”
Scott glared at him. “…Mr. Solidarity, I presume?”
He nodded and Jimmy’s new boss grabbed the tissues and began trying to scrub coffee out of his button up.
“…Mr. Major,” Lauren said.
“Yes Zside?” he asked, not looking up. Jimmy stood off to the side, awkwardly.
“Do you know Mr. Solidarity?”
“…You could say that.”
Well, this was going to be interesting.
He approached the front desk and presented his ID to the lady. She handed him a badge and instructed him to head to floor 27. The elevator was empty until he reached the 11th floor, when an attorney-looking lady joined him and introduced herself as Lauren. She was the one he interviewed with over the phone!
At floor 27, Lauren led Jimmy through the offices. There were lots of cubicles, but most of the offices were their own separate rooms which looked nice.
“Mr. Major is waiting for you in there,” she said when the reached the end of the offices. This door was closed while the others had been open, and a plaque on the door read: Head of Marketing. She opened the door and ushered Jimmy inside. “Mr. Major, your new shadow is here,” she said, gesturing to him.
The man only hummed, barely acknowledging their presence. Jimmy recognized that teal hair… oh no. Nope. Absolutely not. Fire him right now. He can get another job. …Maybe.
“…Mr. Major…” she said again.
Scott glanced up once, looking back down at his paper. He froze. He looked up at Jimmy again who waved, embarrassedly. The man choked on his coffee, cup slipping from his hand. All watched in horror as the brown substance fell on white cotton, staining it instantly.
Jimmy grabbed a tissue box from the shelf by the door and offered it to the man. “Hello Mr. Major.”
Scott glared at him. “…Mr. Solidarity, I presume?”
He nodded and Jimmy’s new boss grabbed the tissues and began trying to scrub coffee out of his button up.
“…Mr. Major,” Lauren said.
“Yes Zside?” he asked, not looking up. Jimmy stood off to the side, awkwardly.
“Do you know Mr. Solidarity?”
“…You could say that.”
Well, this was going to be interesting.