SheepGirl Quest
You lean in, putting on the most comforting face that you can, and gently push the subject.
"I can see it written all over your face. I know that you're trying to hide it, and I know that it's not going to work. So please, tell me, what's bothering you?"
His face twists. On it, you read confusion, you read apprehension, you read a hint of desire, and you read shame. After a while, he gives in.
"My name is Brian." He starts with a little sigh. "I work in IT. It isn't really a bad job, the people there are nice enough, I just-it-" He takes a deep breath and thinks for a moment, tries to stir his muse into giving his feelings shape, giving them form, giving them meaning.
"I work almost 16 hours a day, and have to do so many projects and write so many lines of code and get it all done by tomorrow because management wanted it done yesterday and it's just-it's really tiring." You noted that he began to slump again. "I didn't even really get actual training, just a quick primer and off I went. I feel whittled down. Every day, every hour. A whetstone being ground. More and more, till there's nothing left, and they replace it. That's what's been bothering me." He rests his chin on the table, hands on his head.
You frown and understandingly nod, going over what he said. He feels he's being ground to dust at his job because they work him too hard. It might not be directly because of his co-workers, but they might contribute. Now, how do you fix that? Unless you happen to make some friends in high places, he's not really going to get out of that anytime soon. You guess you'll just have to treat the symptoms for now. Anyway, you should probably speak up, you can hear his breathing, and you really don't think it should be going that fast.
"Wow, they didn't even take the time to properly train you. That's, that's not a good sign. That's really not a good sign." You pause for a moment, trying to figure out where to go from here. "Do you have any alternatives? Any openings in other companies you've heard about?"
"I-no. Maybe? I haven't looked yet, and I don't think I'll have the time to for a while. Besides, we're in the middle of a project right now and I don't wanna be the guy who just leaves the work for everyone else."
You hum in understanding.
"Omurice for table 5!" Iyel'rrie calls from the kitchen.
"Ah, that's for you. Just a second, and I'll be right back!" You say as you get up from your seat.
You walk to the countertop that separates the dining area from the kitchen. Grabbing the plate of omurice, you give a little smile.
"Thanks Iyel'rrie. And remember, if you need anything, I'm here, and I'll help you."
Iyel'rrie looks at you through the gap. Her face still says confusion, she still isn't quite sure.
"It's alright if you need time, no matter when, no matter where, I'll be there for you." You grimace internally at the amount of lactose that your statement emanates. Y'know what, you should probably just go. Yeah, let's just leave.
You give one last glance at Iyel'rrie, who seems to be still confused, but a little less apprehensive. Your grimace fades into a smile and a little fist pump. Progress!
Walking back to Brian's table, you see him with a thousand yard stare. On his face reads shame, apprehension, fear, and regret. You don't like it.
You set down the plate of omurice onto the table and slide it in front of him. He turns to you, and you give him your kindest smile.
"So, what do you want me to write on it?" You say, producing a bottle of ketchup.
"I-uh um." He thinks for a second. Then another, and another.
"I don't know." He admits, sinking into his seat.
"That's alright, I'll come up with one for you!" Now, what to write?
[ ] Write-in (what you write will have an effect, don't worry)
[X] Your now isn't Forever
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Sorry about the 2-3 week wait, I was taking a break for the holidays and it must've slipped by me. So here's your chapter, and as the first post for 2021, I hope that this year will be prosperous. 
