guestservices | AUDIENCE FOR: Butt Strife

Because you haven't been there for at least four months, have you?

[there's a pause.]

No. I went back for a little while before I came here.

[which is what makes this a little worse! sometimes your heart breaks the first time, and you accept it. then you go to a place where you meet friends and do something good, you have to leave, and you accept it. but doing it a third time is where it gets a little rough, and they're not sure how to really verbalize that when everything and everyone else is falling apart around the hotel for a variety of reasons.

cloud, at least, is someone they trust enough to confirm that part.]

...

[ he hesitates for a second before he shuffles a bit closer, putting an arm around gemini's shoulder in a kind of side hug ]

Still means you've left it twice so far. You really think it being permanent would do anything?

[they seem surprised at first because this is cloud.

but eventually they do sort of sag into it.]

I don't know if I want to risk it is the thing. After what Chirithy said about messing with the laws of nature or whatever. And with what that guy in the black coat said, and Yozora...it feels like I have to be there. Even if I don't know why yet.

... I guess. [ it's their choice, ultimately, even if cloud doesn't agree with it or even fully get it. ] Sounds like a shitty deal to me.

[ that doesn't mean he won't tell sora he disagrees tho :T ]

Well...Chirithy warned me before I did it. So I knew what would happen before I went back to save Kairi the last time. [so this is their own fault and they've accepted that, too.]

I'm not talking about the initial one. [ that one, he gets making that choice. but. ] I'm saying having to go back to it is.

...I'm trying not to think too much about it. [haha.] Because it's going to bum me out a little, and that's gonna show, and then people are going to think I'm upset about stuff and I don't need or want to tell everyone about what's going on. It's different with you because you cheated already.

[eavesdropper.]

[ gently moves his hand so it baps him in the head. it won't move the veil but the sentiment ]

It wasn't cheating, there's only so much I could tune out.

[there's a pause. and they kind of. scuttle a little closer. if cloud doesn't move, they are going to lean against him very lightly.]

I kinda wish it was only a few people. I have to listen to everybody and it's a lot to sort through. [you all talk so fucking much. anyway.]

But okay, so it wasn't cheating. You still get it. [a pause.] It has been quite a challenge to fulfill my role as customer complaints while being as neutral and objective as possible. [another pause.] Subjective? I still get those two mixed up.

[but it means it's been difficult to also think about their own problems while they're on the job, so with a week left it finally came to a head.]

[ they can lean. he's letting it happen. ]

I don't know how you deal with having everyone in your head. [ it felt like a lot of sort through even when he only had like, three people left. people talk so much. hell. ] Objective. That's the one that's supposed to be unbiased.

[ it's answering irrelevant comments as he mulls what sora said over, thinking ]

... The job's a good distraction from everything else. It was sort of the same for us.

[ sort of because they didn't have full memories to worry about, but they also all kind of ignored their own personal lack thereof memories because of the present issue. ]

[thanks cloud. they are...kind of exhausted in a whole different way at the moment.]

Uh. The same way I dealt with having so many people in my heart before, I guess. [this means nothing to cloud and they do not bother to explain.] But right. Objective. Like...objection. I haven't really minded the distraction so much. There's always something bigger to focus on, but...people are going to start asking what to do, and talking about bringing people back like it's such a sure thing this time, and asking if we're going home, too.

[it's. cloud. so they're hesitant to continue, but:]

...I dunno. Everything just feels wrong today right now.

... More wrong than usual?

[ he means by being gemini. in General. there's no judgment there, just concern ]

[...they just scrub a hand over their face.]

Maybe I'm just in a really bad mood, I don't know. I don't know how to make sense of all of this anymore.

[being gemini, the last week, this stupid numbing thing, the hotel falling apart, their own stuff, the dead, everything sucks!]

... I don't think anyone'd blame you for being in a bad mood after all of this. [ first of all. important to note. he can't say no one expects them to make sense of things because he does know people do and that. sucks. when you don't. ]

[they sort of stare blankly before shrugging.]

Are you allowed to complain when you're customer complaints? Is that a thing? [uggggh.] You guys have the harder job right now anyway.

You ever meet anyone who worked for customer service? All they do is complain. [ it's a dry joke but also a real one. ] Also, pretty sure when we said stuff like that in the Realm, you were the first one to go on a speech about how it wasn't about who had it the hardest.

Just Moogles. [what.] ...you're not gonna let it slide if I say it's different this time, huh.

[ distracted for two seconds; ]

You have Moogles too?

[ anyway back to normal; ]

Nope. I'm not.

They run the shops in the different worlds. [sage nodding. but also. making a face cloud can't see.]

...mm. Maybe that's still true, but...[...yeah they don't have an argument that isn't "i can't help the way i want to and i don't want to upset people by not being able to help and also i'm not myself and this is annoying."]

... Don't think I've ever seen one be a storeowner.

[ he tilts his head. he might not see the face Gemini is making but he can feel the petulance, so; ]

But what? You gonna tell me you wouldn't make the same argument if you were on this side instead?

They switched to being holograms a while ago and stuff, but they have all kinds of stuff for us to buy. [stop talking about moogles.]

I mean maybe I'd make the same argument, but...it's still different, Cloud.

[ they need to stop talking about moogles for real and he has to shake his head to stop being ??? about it. ]

... They're different circumstances. I'm not denying that. Doesn't mean you can't still feel like shit about them.

...[they think about this for a second.]

...okay. Then...I do. I really, really do. [for a multitude of reasons, but they let that sit for the time being.]

... Yeah. I figured.

[ but he's glad they're at least saying that much, tightening his hold on them for a second ]

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