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“fuck you. so much” Steven leaned back in his chair and stretched his long, chicken boy arms out. it had been a long day of filming and now it was time for friendly coworker banter. “im just saying if i were to suddenly turn into a frog i wouldn’t have been that calm about it.” Cib said. he laughed and reached over for a pillow next to him to hug. “like i wouldn’t have just went up on some girls balcony and just… chilled there.” “im not here to debate how realistic the princess and the frog is with you. no actually- im not PAYING you to debate how realistic the princess and the frog is!” Steven said, spinning around to face Cib. “actually dude, you aren’t paying me at all. you just give me 3 thin mints a day and i chew on those boys. well, i chew on those boys all the way to town, if you know what i mean.” Cib said, matter of factly. Steven stared at him. “what the fuck are you saying. ever.” their conversation was interuppted by footsteps entering from the second room of the office. James walked in, sliding his phone into his back pocket. “im gonna head out i think.” he yawned. “its like, 10 pm right now.” Steven looked up in surprise. “oh shit really? didn’t know it got that late.” James nodded. “yeah, i have to wake up tommorow pretty early so i should probably get going.”Steve patted the side of the chair and nodded at James. “yeah sure. i’ll see you tommorow i guess!” he smiled up at him and waved.“mhm. bye!” and he walked out. Cib turned towards Steve and set the pillow to his side. “i actually should probably get going too.” he said, and stood up. “oh ok! yeah that’s fine!” “mkay.” he picked up his phone and put it in his pocket. “bye!” he said, as he walked out. Steven waved, and watched as he walked through the door. Autumn left a few hours earlier, so he was alone in the office. He leaned back in the chair again, and stared up at the fluorescent lights on the ceiling for a bit. he worked on editing for a two more hours. he didn’t do any narrating that night, just because he was too tired to manage an ok sounding voice. eventually he exited out of the editing program and opened twitter. he scrolled through pages of news story titles he was interested in but didn’t feel like actually reading. he rolled back in his chair and looked at his hands. he stretched them out and then retracted them back into a fist a few times. suddenly his phone started ringing next to him. he grabbed it and checked who was calling. it was Parker. he reluctantly answered. “dude, it’s like 11 pm, what is it?” Steven asked. he rubbed his eyes and laid back in his chair.“sorry, uh, i just needed someone to talk to before i do this.” Parker replied. Steven’s eyebrows furrowed. “what? do what?” he said back. “it might be good news to you when you find out, actually.” noises of traffic could be heard in the background. Steven sat upright. “Parker where are you?” “look, just think about how other people feel after this, Steven… just… just treat people better.” Parker said. “what? after what happens? what are you doing? where are you?” Steven said, panicked. he hoped to god this was a bit, or a prank. “tell me where you are, i’ll pick you up.” “it’s ok. you wont have to worry about me in a second! you can carry on and i-i won’t be a burden to you anymore!” Parker breathed out.“it sounds like traffic near you. i think i know where you are just. just please don’t do anything, Paker. i’ll be there soon.” Steven grabbed his keys and ran out the door. “i’ll keep you on the line.”Parker laughed on the other end. “you don’t have to do this. think of how much easier it would be for you. you wouldn’t have to deal with me! let me do ONE thing right for you! since i always seem!” he paused. “..since i always seem to get everything wrong.”Steven sped toward the Colorado Street bridge, with one hand holding his phone up, and one on the steering wheel. “you don’t do everything wrong. you’re so important to me. please dont do this. please. i’m almost there.” Steven yelled into his phone.Parker scoffed. “you sure make it seem like i do everything wrong. you literally waterboard me.”“those are just jokes! i was joking!” Parker was quiet for a second. “maybe to you they were.” Steven turned the corner that brought him to the bridge, and parked his car on the side of the road. he got out, and started sprinting up the hill towards the bridge. he looked up and saw someone sitting on the edge, beyond the fence. how did he even get past it? “ha. i see you.” Parker said, kicking his legs back and forth, staring down towards the ground. Steven got to the end of the bridge and started running towards where Parker was sat. there was an object in behind the bridge’s fence. as he came closer he saw it was a footstool. of course it was. he stopped one he got to Parker.“you’re probably gonna get a ticket for parking there.” he said, hanging up the call on his phone and setting it down next to him. he was still staring towards the ground. Steven stared at him, catching his breath. “i don’t fucking care!” he swallowed. “wh-what are you doing?” “oh..” Parker laughed. “y’know… chillin” he joked, but he was breathing heavy and his knuckles were white from being locked in a fist for so long. Steven took a step towards him. “Parker.” he stood behind him and the fence. “please just. come over here. and we can talk.” Steven anxiously said. “no thanks.” Parker said, picking at a loose string on his jacket. “i just-i.” Steven held his hand to his forehead and sighed. he took the footstool and used it to carefully step over the fence. he sat down. Parker looked up at him. “you joining?” he joked, with a pained smile. “stop joking, please. i was so worried... i AM so worried” Steven replied. “why.” Parker said quietly. “because you’re my fucking best friend, that’s why!” Steven yelled. “you’re my best fucking friend. and i took you for granted from the moment i met you. and i regret that so much now. i never.. i never realized what i was doing. i was so caught up in my own brain and my own feelings that i never took into account what the fuck i was actually doing to people, and i owe you a fucking massive apology. i can’t believe i was so blind to this! fuck!” he said, tears growing in his eyes. “you mean so much to me. and i’m an idiot for pushing you to this point.”Parker leaned back against the railing and stared at the sky. “you’re only saying that to try to stop me.” he turned towards Steven. “i’m not cut out for life, anyway.”“i will do anything for you to not do this. anything.” Steven said, sincerely. you could see the pain and regret in his eyes, and his glasses were fogged up from breathing so intensely. he was wearing a yellow flannel over a t-shirt, and the flannel was falling off at his shoulders from running up the hill. he stared at Parker.Parker stared back. maybe it was from the impulsivity he was feeling from sitting on the ledge, but he took a breath, and said “would you kiss me?” Steven’s eyes widened, and he smiled a little. “me?”Parker waved his hand around. “who else?” they were both quiet for a second. “look, that was insensitive for me to say. i don’t want to manipulate you into… doing something you dont want just because im about to kill myself. i-” and he stopped. because he felt gentle hand rest on his face. and they kissed. simply. Steven pulled away and stared at his feet, waving back and forth off of the edge. He laughed. “your skin is really soft.” he said. he looked up and saw Parker looking away at the city in the distance. “hey. i’m gonna take your hand.” Steven said, and he reached over and took Parkers hand. Parker turned around and laughed. “you didn’t have to tell me, dude.” “i know, but like, i was afraid you’d freak out and fall off or something.”they both smiled. Parker looked down and his smile faded. “i actually… meant for this to go the way i thought it would.”“i know, but im so glad it didn’t. i can’t imagine life without you.” Steven said, shifting closer to Parker. Parker turned to Steven and sighed “i’m gonna have to get my computer back from the goodwill.” fin.