AUDIENCE FOR: Butt Strife

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[skyagain]

But only a little.

[ he says it wryly, like he knows it was probably more than a little helpful. he pats sora's head which is not affection and 100% because he said his brain's been hurting so he is making fun of him!!! 0% affection who would believe it at this point ]

[reconnective]

It could've been worse. I could've had to pretend to be somebody like the guy Estelle knows, or the guy with no personality.

[this is obviously not affection from cloud at all but there is affection from sora because he leans into it. hee. cloud has to deal with this now.]

[skyagain]

The guy with no personality...?

[ he does not know which one this is because he did not talk to all eight of them. he doesn't have the emotional strength.

he is also not acknowledging sora leaning into it. but he's also not like, immediately removing his hand either. shhh he's stoic ]

[reconnective]

Cetus. [sagenodding like that means anything. but he's still leaning into the hand like an idiot.]

...we all had to learn to play pretend pretty fast. We didn't have a lot of time for mistakes.

[skyagain]

Right.

[ i guess cloud is just petting sora like a needy dog now. this is happening. ]

You all did pretty good for that time limit. Undercover work's not my thing. Not sure I'd have managed it.

[reconnective]

[you say this as though sora isn't a needy dog in the first place.]

I didn't think it would be mine either, but the stakes were a little too high to even think about messing up. So it just meant we had to try even harder.

[skyagain]

Pretty sure if it wasn't for that memory stuff, no one would've figured you out. Maybe you can turn your hero work into spy work later.

[ sora would never and he knows it. ]

[reconnective]

I still haven't figured out why that happened either, but...it's a little funny since I never knew it was you until your memory stuff in the Realm, too. [it's not funny that's just sad. but he makes a face.]

What would I even have to spy on anymore? [cloud wasn't serious and yet.]

[skyagain]

Difference is, I didn't know that was me either.

[ ha ha. memory junk. and he shrugs ]

You never know. Maybe you could spy on that guy in the black coat.

[reconnective]

[he's about to say something like "yeah, and then you weren't even the cloud i knew" but he's immediately derailed...]

...you think? That might not be such a bad idea. If he already knows me, he might expect me. But...

[this wasn't a real suggestion, and yet!!]

[skyagain]

[ it was Not a real suggestion, and yet. he pauses ]

... But it might be worth trying anyway?

[reconnective]

[...]

If it'll get me answers. And if means keeping all of the other worlds and my friends safe instead of letting some weirdo maybe experiment on them? Yeah. It's worth it.

[skyagain]

He's definitely a weirdo. [ he looks at the hotel warily ] ... But I have to give him credit that his weirdness seemed less...

[ ...well he still gave away some wishes somehow ]

[reconnective]

...malicious? [tiredly. he knows.] Yeah. Even after everything that happened, the Realm felt less...hopeless, in the end.

[skyagain]

... I really hate giving that guy credit. [ kind of sighs and looks at sora ] That he's not totally evil might make him more dangerous. Means he's got an actual agenda, and it's harder to guess.

[reconnective]

I never wanted to give him credit either, but comparatively? No contest. [...] That's exactly why I have to go back though.

[skyagain]

... Can't say I'm the biggest fan of that, but your friends'll find you.

[ he sounds more convinced of that than sora probably is. it's fine. ]

[reconnective]

Yeah. They will. [he does sound a little more confident.] But you should still try to visit before I get back if you want. If you guys finish your job in time.

[skyagain]

If I manage that before they find you, I'm kicking your ass for real. [ he's going to be HITCHHIKING around MULTIPLE CONTINENTS ] You've waited long enough.

[ a year is too long thanks ]

[reconnective]

You'd have to catch me first. [a joke. but...] I don't mind waiting. As long as I know there's still stuff waiting for me, too.

[skyagain]

[ ruffles his hair at that. there. he caught you. ]

Yeah, well, I'm not showing up at your island unless you're there. I don't do stranger parties.

[reconnective]

[hee. unfortunately, again, without the veil cloud can see that sora's just :D about this.]

It would not be a stranger party. [a beat.] Besides, I think...I might ask Clem if she wants to go back there with AJ and her other friends.

[skyagain]

[ stop being obviously :D he'll stop!! ]

... Permanently? [ he looks at sora curiously ]

[reconnective]

[no!!!! then he'll just obviously be :(!!!]

Yeah. Uh. [...awkwardly petting meow wow instead.] We kinda talked. She was thinking about trying to find somewhere new and permanent for her and the others at the place she's at right now.

[skyagain]

[ huh. ]

Might not be a bad idea. Her world still isn't fully safe even if she got rid of all the undead in it. [ a beat. ] You think she'd go for it if you're not around, though?