Joe stirred awake quite abruptly, a string of drool leaving his mouth as he sat up, he was at his desk, Mr Mooneys desk. In the basement. He'd been sleeping on his arms, the frabric from his shirt printed into his cheek, and his hair sat flatter on one side.
'Oh my back-'
Joe yawned, blinking quietly, rubbing the drool from his mouth and looking around, he stopped at the man taped to the chair inside the glass box, he had a bruised eye, Joe linked that to his busted knuckles, 'shit, note to self, don't go to sleep mad'
He pushed the chair out a little and stood, eyeing the man with duct tape across his face, a small cheeky smile spreading across his features, "morning beautiful, did you sleep well?" Joe asked casually, leaning against the glass box, "I'll bring you some food down before I start work," he stopped, "you didn't think I'd starve you right? I'm not a monster," he scoffed. Shaking his fist slightly, "you know, your face is a lot harder than it looks," he unlocked the door, casually stepping in, he was wearing everything from last night except the jacket, that was tossed over the office chair he'd just been sleeping on. He bent his knees, leaning forward to Evan, he could see the area that had dried blood on the back of his head, the reflection in the glass showed it perfectly, "look, I know you have questions," he breathed, "we can have a conversation later, man to man," Joe said calmly, patting Evans cheek hard, it was more of a slap than anything, "sit tight," he winked, stepping back and leaving the box, locking it behind him before heading upstairs to clock on.
Ethan was already there, he had a new plate of mystery pastries sitting at the front counter, humming some sort of tune as he played Elton John.
"Shit, Joe you scared me, I didn't hear you come in," he breathed, clutching his heart.
"Sorry, I Ah-"
"Weren't you wearing that last night?" He questioned, eyeing the man's messy appearance, a smirk fell on his face, "you lucky dog, you got laid didn't you?!" He asked, slapping the man's chest.
'Ow,'
"No, no- Ethan, no," he sighed, "I ah, actually just came to get started on some orders and fell asleep," he grumbled,
'I could have lied, but that wouldn't be right, lyings wrong,'
Ethan's smile dropped, "oh, damn, sorry dude," he sighed, "oh hey, I made muffins, help yourself,"
'Oh good I'm starving'
Joe grabbed a muffin, taking small bites as he walked over to grab his apron.
"What happened to your hand?" He questioned,
Joe stopping mid chew to examine his knuckles, "oh, that, I turned to hard downstairs and smacked my hand against the wall, clumsy me," he muttered, holding the muffin with his mouth as he slipped his apron on. Ethan going to work completely unaware of the beaten man in Mr Mooneys basement.
*
Joe clocked out, right on 12. He'd worry about Evan tonight, perhaps he could share knowledge on Ella that he hadn't yet learnt.
Joe sighed, looking down at his phone, sighing with relief when a text popped up,
"Don't stress, my furniture choices won't be mad :),"
He shoved his hands into his pockets, doing a double take as he spotted the woman jogging slightly over to her, she was beautiful,
'Oh if I could take a photo of this moment' he breathed.
Giving her a smile he pulled a hand out and waved, "hey you," he smirked, shrugging, "hey don't stress.
'Stop somewhere? Where? Are you seeing someone, did you see someone?'
Joe had so many questions, she can't be seeing someone, she's seeing him, ok they were only friends, officially, but Joe was getting Evan out of her life. She should be focused on him now. Right?
Joe walked casually into the first store, looking over at Ella with adoring eyes, he loved the way her lips curved slightly when she smelt something nice, her eyes closed ever so slightly. She looked so pure.
"Oh I agree, though, like i said, I am awful at decorating, honestly, my apartment needs something a little.. new," he shrugged, following her around like a lost dog. He raised an amused eyebrow at her when she turned to him, letting out an offended laugh, "I'm not three hundred," he mocked.
'Old soul.. is that even a compliment?'
"Ok, you got me, I dabble in antiques, but there's something so sophisticated in old creations, old books, what, never met such a classy guy before Ella?" He smirked,
Joe swallowed as she pointed out the ugliest table he had ever seen, opening his mouth to say something, he didn't want to be rude but it was a little.. much, "oh.. Ah- maybe... I was thinking something a little less.. Smurf," he smirked, looking around until he spotted a claw footed, dark brown coffee table, "like that,"
Joe smoothly moved away from the eyesore and ran a hand over the smooth wood, "this screams ,class, book reader, I drink coffee beans," he mocked. "Me," he laughed, turning to her, "that," he pointed back over to the blue vomit shaped table they had just seen,
"Maybe your friend Evan would like that, he seems like that type," he muttered,
'Joe, you just said that out loud, with the MOST obnoxiously sounding attitude of your life,'
"Ah- I didn't mean that- I'm sorry," Joe was quick to say,
He wasn't in the position to bad mouth her best friend, but what he had been holding back had slipped out,
'Ella, he's a dick! He can't even handle a punch, and I know he's going to cry when I pull that duct tape off his mouth'
