#not sure what to tag re: food if anyone has suggestions lmk

[tired-of-being-nice]

taking a quick pause from febuwhump and starting on @whumpsday's conflict whump challenge!!!! i was VERY excited about the man vs. society prompt in particular, as it gives me an excuse to do some proper expositing for the story i've been posting

content: dystopia, systemic whump (i think that's the right term?), brief reference to brainwashing and violence, really unhealthy workplace culture, sleep deprivation, forgetting to eat, general Man I Hate Capitalism vibes

Life is simple. You're born. You grow up. You choose which company to stake your life to. You pick the one you think will exploit you the least. You realize you were wrong. You keep your head down and try to be obedient and hope no one notices you. You look away and don't complain and try to find little bright spots here and there, just enough to keep you going until you die. 

Of course, some people aren't satisfied with this. Some people try to fight it. Some people have stupid hopes and idealistic dreams about taking down the system from the inside. Some people are very, very wrong, and look where it gets them.

Supposedly, Milo is doing very well for themself. Supposedly, they're the top employee at their company. In actuality, all that really means is an excuse to keep piling more work on them, a bunch of coworkers who hate them, getting dizzy from exhaustion every time they stand up, and...

(You can't take down the system by yourself, of course. Milo had a friend—a best friend, even. Now, all that remains of it is a brainwashed shell, who out of what Milo can only assume is some sick sense of dramatic irony is tasked with hunting down anyone who tries to fight or flee the Company, or really anyone it feels like. Now, the only times they interact are when it's trying to hunt Milo for sport or when it's sobbing in an alleyway somewhere because it's employers don't mind letting it bleed and bruise and break as long as it keeps anyone from running.

Even so, Milo envies it sometimes. At least it doesn't remember everything it's lost.)

Milo's stomach growls, snapping them out of their brief reverie. Hm. That's right, they didn't have time for dinner today, and they spent their whole lunch break trying to stop crying. They never eat breakfast anymore, either, so...oh, that's not good. Maybe they should—

There's a chime from their email inbox, and Milo sighs and pulls it up. It's a very politely worded request for them to do just one more thing before clocking out for the night.

Milo glances at the clock. It's 2:49 AM. Their vision is blurry and their wrists ache from typing. They barely remember what sleep in their own bed feels like.

They send a reply in the affirmative. No rest for the wicked, it seems. They'll work here until sleep overwhelms them and hope that when it does, they'll dream about the good old days, of having Coren by their side, ready to take on the world. Back when they thought happiness was possible.