This is incredible! I haven't been this interested in a story since my first playthrough of Fate as a teenager years and years ago...
I worked a night shift at Amazon—and a lot of other factory/warehouse/hard-labour jobs for that matter—for quite a long time. At first glance, I'm physically the furthest thing from Xio. But the way she describes that "previous chapter" in her life... I felt that fluorescent lighting beating down on my neck.
To have that feeling, while just reading a story... I've had that before, but never anything to do with work. In a space where it couldn't actually hurt me, it felt like those moments coming off of a really cool scare in a horror movie. My sincere thanks for writing so powerfully on a topic most stories barely think to approach. I'm sure things will end great for Xio!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bell and Honey were delightful. At the start, I thought Bell might have some relation to Emil, but I was completely blindsided by her actual situation. I was right there with Honey, retroactively wanting something better for Bell. I'm really rooting for the both of them.
Apologies for the tangent! You've got a sharp hold on a great story so far, I can't wait to see where it goes. Keep writing with your heart!!!