Work Text:
When Nightmare woke up, he already knew it was gonna be a bad day.
He tossed and turned in his extremely comfortable bed while his alarm was screaming at him.
Not wanting to leave the warmth that seems to only exist when you can't bask in it, he finally opens his eyes, which then drift to his alarm to finally shut off that blaring noise.
Realizing that this was his last, final alarm, he wanted to perish, knowing he overslept.
He sighed before letting panic overrun him to still make it to his shift on time.
He was scrambling in his tiny apartment, seeming to trip over most things, slowing him down.
Irritation was building in his chest, and he hadn't even been awake for five minutes. Taking the utmost minimum care of himself to still pass as a person, he was finally on his way out.
Only to immediately realize he hadn't taken his meds, which made him turn around with a grumble once more.
After dropping the pills twice, he made a sprint to his front door, fumbling with the keys to unlock it. Jogging his way to his car, he pressed the wrong button on his key, making him almost dislocate his arm as he was trying to rip it open.
After sorting that out, finally sitting down, he glanced at his watch, making him want to call out.
He was extremely late.
The only way he'd make it kind of, barely on time was if he was speeding.
Now, Nightmare would usually tell you that this is extremely dangerous and stupid, but right now he still likes getting paid ( he barely gets by most days, but let's not mention that).
By the time he finished that thought, he was already on the street, being a danger to society and anyone trying to traverse to work.
He felt extremely bad about having to cut off a few cars, ignoring any hand gestures being thrown at him.
After trying to overtake a slow driver, seriously, who goes 30 under the speed limit?? And they say he's the hazard, he arrives just 3 minutes before his shift starts.
He sighs in relief before tensing up again, knowing he's still gonna get chewed out for not being there twenty minutes early.
As he enters through the employee entrance, he punches his code in, silently cringing at the time being displayed.
Not wasting anymore time, he tries to silently walk through the store, hoping his boss doesn't catch him being late.
" Nightmare, a bit late, aren't we?"
He turned around in defeat, luck has never been on his side after all.
"I'm sorry ma'am, I just overslept. I'm really sorry it won't happen again."
He tried a shameful smile, sweat was running down his neck, he never liked her.
" Well, it seems to have happened quite a bit now, hasn't it?"
His shoulders tensed, clutching his belongings he still had to put away.
Shit, she must have snooped through his times he logged in.
"Ah.. I'm sorry I won't be late again, promise."
She hummed before deciding work was more important.
" Well, get to it then the customers won't serve themselves."
" Yes, ma'am."
He took this chance to scuffle away and away from her strict, piercing gaze.
Out of her sight, he finally manages to relax. He puts his belongings away before getting mentally ready for nine hours of abuse from customers.
Having time, he is finally able to rub the sleep out of his eyes. He hisses, quietly cursing after rubbing his sockets, the dark circles of his eyes being irritated, making them even more visible.
He yawned, his adrenaline from oversleeping having long since worn off.
"Aw damnit" he mumbled when he saw a customer beelining straight in his direction.
The doors just opened, whatever they needed cannot be that important to be waiting in front of the door.
He put on his best customer service smile he could muster before he could regret ever being born.
After being berated forever for things he wasn't responsible for and a customer who saw no reason, he had to call his boss for a decision he was not able to make. He did not have permission for such decision making, even if he'd like to just give them what they want to make them leave.
Please.
He wanted to cry as the call did not go as expected.
Instead of receiving help, he was just screamed at, because 'why did he not know how to do that, he must be stupid, right?'
Trying to handle the angry customer as well as his arrogant boss he was at an impasse.
He could either admit that he really needed her help, and yes, he did not know what to do, and get screamed at.
Or he could try to wing it and then get screamed at later because he did it wrong.
Today was a bad day.
Nightmares Superior has always been weird, even before she was his boss, always talking behind other people's backs for things that are either completely out of control or just straight up stupid to gossip about.
He always tries to ignore her remarks about others' performance.
It was always 'oh look what blank did wrong and did you know that blank did this.'
He always knew he wasn't exempt from her harsh words, but after hearing his work friend rely to him what nasty things she said about him, made him want to never get out of bed for work again.
Yes, he knows he is not the best at his job, really, mediocre most of the time at best, but man.
It happened about a week ago, she had her day off so there was no worries for her overhearing that they were talking. She seems to stalk them, always 'controlling' that they are really working.
"- yeah, she's a nasty piece of work, really one of a kind."
He chuckled at his coworkers remark they always made working so much more bearable.
"Did you know yesterday she told me she'd really rather not have you here at all, saying something about you not meeting the sales quota."
That, in contrast made him frown again.
"Told me that she'd rather not have you training the new hires before you teach them everything wrong, the audacity of that wo-"
Man that really ruined that day, thinking back now. Like he knew she didn't like him, but he didn't make any major mistakes anymore.
Only when she would give him any of the work she doesn't want to do. Doesn't she get it that he obviously didn't know everything? She worked here for 20+ years, of course she knew how to do it!
Stopping his reminiscing, he stood in front of the information desk, looking at the computer at his station, eyes drawn to the time- what the??!? How did only 40 minutes pass? He had already had so many customers?!
Tensing, he felt that awful aura approaching, not being able to react before she stood right next to him, breathing down his neck.
"Nightmare, you ain't got work to do?"
Cringing, he forced himself to quickly answer without being snippish. Did she not see him working the past hour?
"Ahh- yes, I do I just quickly needed to check something?" He nervously replied, wringing his hands.
She condescendingly clicked her tongue. "Also, when do you finally intend to collect the goods from the warehouse?
Nightmare tried to evade her piercing gaze. " I had a lot of customers, I was actually going to get them just after this."
She sat down at the customer service desk- the one he was just using, mind you.
" Yeah sure, just actually try to do it right this time, and no slacking off, I am watching you."
He nodded not knowing what to answer to that, smiling what he hoped was nice and respectful ( he knows he probably looks like he's grimacing).
With that, he turned around on his way to do what she ordered, smile falling and his brows furrowing.
As he's walking to the warehouse, he's getting lost in his thoughts. Is he really that bad?
The one thing he hates about her the most is that most of the time- right now obviously not included- she is so nice to him, just to go behind his back and tell everyone that he can't do anything right, that he's stupid and that they'd be better off without him.
Sometimes, there are others that join her. But this time their words are more direct, no hiding who they really are.
Rubbing his eyes and sighing he gets to work putting his thoughts aside.
Only eight more hours.
After more than a dozen annoying, angry customers and unnecessarily rude side remarks, he finally watches the time as his shift ends.
His mood instantly lifted, finally a little pep in his step at being able to stop faking who he is.
Swiftly cleaning his workspace, he collects his personal things and tries to leave as quickly as possible.
Just as he was about to reach for the door handle which separated him from freedom-
"Nightmare!" "I want you here thirty minutes early tomorrow. We need to talk about your work ethic."
Turning around to face her he forced one more smile. "Yes, of course, I'll be on time, ma'am."
As disrespectful as it may be he did not wait for her answer, if there even was one and finally stepped into freedom.
The only thing that darkened his mood was the fact that it was still early spring, which means it's already dark outside.
He missed the sun, but his work hours hindered him from seeing it at this time of the year.
He can't get himself to stand up earlier. He already struggles taking care of himself most days, being a 'functioning' member of society.
He fished his keys out of his pockets and finally drove home (maybe a bit faster than allowed but he just wanted to go home).
Exhausted from keeping up a front all day, he made it to his couch and just collapsed.
The only thing that kept him from sleeping was the fact that when he woke up, he'd have to go to work again, and he'd rather not.
His actions led to him watching stupid mind rotting videos on his phone for way too long before he passed out from exhaustion at the crack of dawn.