Work Text:
After 15 years dedicated to making violent first-person shooter games, Ed had parted ways with Izzy Hands and turned his company around. The first game set to release since Izzy left the company was a really cute pirate themed mmorpg. Ed had spent years working on this thing. For the first time in decades he felt really passionate about all the different aspects of creating a game, from the character and art design to gameplay mechanics to the story of this world.
Unfortunately, letting one guy go did not solve all the problems with the video games industry. Stede sobbed in his arms one night trying to explain to Ed how seeing him work these long hours was killing him. So Ed physically forced himself to leave eight hours after clocking in. Setting that example did so much to improve the crunch culture at Blackbeard Studios. While it was unavoidable to some degree, Ed hadn’t worked a 16 hour day in five years. The studio hired more people and everyone worked fewer hours. Ed didn’t need a ridiculous paycheck that would come from hiring as few contract workers as possible. He’d honestly prefer this game be out in under 20 years without him or anyone else killing themselves over it, and if that meant more employees, then he should employ people!
But then “Republic of Pirates” was six months from launch day. Eight hour days crept up to eight and a half (he wasn’t working during his lunch so he’s really only working eight hours anyways!), and then that slowly crept up to nine. And so on. Stede had been quiet on the issue. This was a short term problem anyways, right? He’d go back to his normal schedule once the game was released.
One Thursday, about a month before launch, Ed woke up at 6:15am to be at the office by 8. He didn’t leave until 11:40pm. By the time he got home, showered, and ate something, it was 1:30am. Then he got up at 6:15am the next day and did it all over again. And then Saturday was Pete’s birthday party at the local mini golf place.
Pete’s party didn’t start till 4, so afterwards everyone could move en masse to dinner and drinks. Ed didn’t set an alarm and they both had every intention of sleeping in. But then…
Stede woke up at 10am to the clicky clack sounds of laptop keys.
“Ed?”
“Did I wake you?” Ed asked, apologetic. “Sorry. I was just giving feedback to some of the team. Some people stayed later than me last night and emailed me their stuff.”
Stede bit his tongue, rolled over, and went to use the bathroom. He didn’t wanna ask when Ed woke up. He worried he’d really hate the answer.
~~~
Stede saw the signs and asked Ed if he wanted to stay home and rest today. Ed was adamant about going to Pete’s party. He was going to see all their friends and play mini golf and eat cake!! But shortly after the mini golf began Stede’s prediction came true. Ed was completely shut down, not talking or joking, just quietly playing when it was his turn. The further they got along the course, the more Ed looked like he might just fall asleep standing right up.
They made it through to the end of the course, and then the whole gang was standing in front of the place just chatting and hanging out before going to their cars for dinner. Ed was standing in the circle swaying back and forth between his feet.
“Ed?” Stede asked, pulling back from the group. Ed belatedly looked up at the sound of Stede’s voice, and Stede pulled them into a corner. “I really think it’s time to go home and rest, love.”
“No, ‘m fine,” Ed said.
“Pete picked Giovanni’s for dinner,” Stede reminded him.
“I love Giovanni’s.”
“But it’s always crowded and loud. And it’s Saturday. It’s going to be a madhouse in there.”
“But they make really good meatballs,” Ed said in a small voice.
“Then we can go home and order their meatballs and someone can bring them to us,” Stede said a little bit more forcefully.
Ed wiped at his face and sniffled, then his whole bottom lip quivered.
“I wanna go home,” he finally admitted, sounding like he was on the verge of tears. Stede hugged him and Ed nearly put his full body weight on him when he returned the hug.
“Ok, little love,” Stede said, feeling a wave of relief inside. “You wait here just a tick.”
Ed waited where he stood while Stede told the group that Ed wasn’t feeling well and they had to head home early. He could hear all the well-wishes coming his way. Then Stede came back, grabbed his hand, and they walked together to the car. On the ride home, Ed focused on not falling asleep just yet.
“Stede?” he whispered.
“Yes, ketzele?”
“I’m… I think I’m a little small right now.”
Stede reached out and patted Ed’s thigh. “Thank you for telling me. I’m thinking we just order food and go to sleep when we get home, huh? Or do you want to shower first because we were outside? Or take a bath?”
“I’m not that little,” Ed fussed. “I can take a shower. It’s quicker. An’ I can put my hair up.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
As much as Stede loved helping little Ed in the bath, it really didn’t sound like Ed was that little at the moment, and showering would be quicker. Which meant he could sleep sooner, hopefully.
When they got home, Stede ordered dinner and Ed immediately showered. The food came right when Ed was all dry and in his pajamas, and they had a quiet dinner with an episode of Gravity Falls on in the background. Ed was still pretty quiet through most of it.
“‘M sorry,” Ed said when his plate was empty. “You should be with your friends right now…”
“No, I shouldn’t,” Stede said gently. “I should be with you.”
“You should be out!” Ed cried. “With your friends! Drinking and-- and--- schmoozing!”
“Eddie, you’re the most important person in my life,” Stede said, firm and kind. “Pete will have more birthdays. OUR friends will get together again. You’re my priority, always. And you don’t need to feel guilty for that.”
Ed looked down at the ground. “You’d feel guilty if I said that to you…” he said.
Ed could sometimes be frustrating when he was at the upper upper end of his regression zone. Old enough to make remarks that hurt, but he was still in his child headspace, so Stede would rather step on 1,000 wasps’ nests barefoot before arguing with him.
“Well… we should be each other’s priorities,” Stede said, pushing down everything else for later. Because yeah. Eddie fucking called him out. If the situation was reversed Stede would feel just as much if not more guilty.
Ed pushed the sauce left on his plate around with his fork.
“You still sleepy?” Stede asked, breaking the awkward silence.
Ed nodded. Then he silently got up and went to bed. Stede super speedy showered, and by the time he was in bed cuddling Ed, Ed was nearly asleep.
“Love you,” Ed said.
“I love you too, ketzele. More than anyone.”
“More than anyone…”
They could have a chat about Ed’s work habits in the morning. For now, Ed could cuddle his favorite bunny plushie while Stede held him, safe and warm and secure. Somewhere in Ed’s psyche, big Ed decided that the blowback from gamers about pushing back the release date was way less terrible than putting himself through nearly 16 hour days again. And there were his employees to think about too. And there was Stede. Stede, who Ed loved more than anyone, and who was being unfairly hurt by all this. Ed didn’t want to spend more time at the office. He wanted to spend more time with his soul mate.