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You drop two bowls of noodles at a waiting couple's table, giving them your quick spiel before dashing off again. You're busy as all get out, and it's barely even five yet.
Chad won't be back until six, and then he'll need dinner before he can hop into the fray. You barely manage a tight-lipped smile as you get a man's order. It’s about six different things- his family will be joining him soon, and he’s ordering for them. You write it all down at the speed he rambles them off (far too quickly), before moving onto the next table.
The TVs are all on above your head, talking about the Ninja's newest and greatest victory yet. It puts a sour taste in your mouth. Straight from the last world-destroying threat to the next one.
You're still hurting from Garmadon's power of destruction. No one’s even asked you about that. Six months, and not even your girlfriend cares, does she?
You push the thought away from your mind as you pass the order slips to Jal, who nods her understanding at you. You’re too busy to be stewing in your anger.
Both Casey and Krys called out earlier, so you’re left with a barebones crew on the busiest night of the week.
A regular, Cable, shouts to you, and you dash over with a smile.
It's half after six when Chad joins you, immediately hopping into the fray. He takes one look at you, and without a word, takes over half of your tables.
Nya is on the screen now, talking about how she wouldn't have been able to do it without her teammates. Her family.
You snap a pair of chopsticks unknowingly when she says that, standing at the server’s stand and collecting utensils for the newest table.
Chad’s at your side suddenly, grabbing the remote for the TVs and changing the channel to some sports one. You can hear some kid complain about it nearby, and you bite your tongue to keep yourself from saying anything.
“There,” He mumbles, “Won’t help you any to be thinking about it.”
“Thanks,” You half-whisper back, slamming the chopsticks down on the stand. He pats your shoulder, bolting to a customer waving him down.
You can’t be thinking about this right now.
You have a job to do, and that’s what you should be focusing on.
"Sky," Chad’s at your side suddenly, "Go to the back, right now, please."
You turn to him, sliding the newest batch of orders to Jal. "Why?" The rush is only worse, and while, yes, he could probably handle it, you can see the bags under his eyes. You’re both exhausted.
"Just, go, Sky, okay?" He shoves you, but it's too late.
There are a few shouts of excitement from the front of the restaurant, and you turn to see what the big deal is. There’s a queasy feeling in your stomach, one that you know exactly who it’ll be.
You want to scream. You’re glad you’re not holding much more than your small notebook.
The Ninja stand right in front of the Host’s stand, speaking with Nehad. The Fabled Ninja, the protectors of Ninjago, have waltzed into your restaurant post-battle for some sort of victory meal.
And your girlfriend, who has not spoken to you in three weeks, let alone sent you a message to let you know she is alive and okay, stands right in the front of all of them, looking proud as could be.
Once upon a time, you would have found that endearing.
Now, it just pisses you off even more.
"You need a break, Sky, please,” Chad pushes your shoulder again. “I can cover your tables for now, go.”
You relent, pushing into the back of the restaurant. He can handle this.
You have half a mind to send one of your other staff members out to keep any media from getting in. The paparazzi tend to surround the restaurant whenever they’re here, especially after something happens and Ninjago is finally safe.
You take out your ponytail and move to redo it. Once. Twice. This cannot be happening right now. This cannot be happening right now.
All you’re good for is good noodles.
The thought spins in your head.
You redo your ponytail once more.
They’re only here for noodles. Their victory meal, only visiting you when they’re hungry. She doesn’t want to see you, doesn’t think about you when she’s saving the world.
Only when your specific skills are needed.
Only when you’re the key to their victory.
You place a hand down on the counter, breathing heavily.
“Skylor?” Someone asks, and you know it’s her. You start to feel dizzy. You wonder if you can blame it on Garmadon. It wouldn’t be a complete lie.
“Not now, Nya,” You spit out, and it comes out harsher than you’d anticipated it being.
“What did I do?” She asks, and she sounds so fucking sincere that it breaks your heart, just a little.
You pick up an order that was meant to go out two minutes ago. “I said, not now.” You walk back out into the main dining room, taking the long way around as to avoid the Ninja.
Chad shoots you a look but wisely doesn’t try to talk to you.
You speak with customers and help tables out until you can see Nya has sat back down with the others. You take a many tables as you can without being in an easy distance of the Ninja. You don’t even spare them a glance, smiling at a young boy as he babbles to you excitedly about the Monster Truck toy he’s holding.
You’re going to make this work and not even spare a second glance at any of them.
“She asked about you,” Chad mumbles, as you stand in the back with him, the commotion in the dining area calmed. You have a few moments of time, you know, before you’ll have to run back out and make your final rounds.
“Did she?” You ask, and a silence hangs over the both of you. Nya’s been a tense topic for the past few weeks.
Chad sighs. “We both know she did.”
You swallow.
“Skylor?” Kai’s peeking into the kitchen, and you, or Chad, must have sent him the glare of a lifetime, as he shrinks back in a wince. “Is something wrong? Nya wanted to see you, but you haven’t come out to see us all night, and-”
“When she spares me a thought and stops playing in the public’s eye, then maybe we’ll talk.” You spit out, and yeah, you were the one glaring.
His eyes widen. “What?”
You should not be taking this out on Kai, but it’s tumbling out all over again, a story you’ve kept bottled up. Chad frowns at you, but it’s too late.
“I should be higher on her list than the news.” You can feel tears burning at the corners of your eyes. “Does she even care?”
Chad places a hand on your shoulder, and you know he’s doing so to calm you down. It doesn’t work.
“She hasn’t spoken to me in three weeks. Not even a single text, and the one time she comes to visit, she’s here for some sort of victory meal, media in tow.”
“Skylor,” Kai says, slowly, and you shake your head, biting your lip. You’re trying desperately not to cry, and he’s her brother, and it’s not her. Even though you sent her away earlier, it still hurts. “You should be telling her this.”
You bite the inside of your mouth to keep yourself from saying anything you'll regret. You take a deep breath, grabbing a plate that's destined for the opposite side of the restaurant, far from the Ninja's table. “Tell her she can talk to me after we close. Then and only then.”
You leave the back room.
You can feel Nya's stare on the back of your neck as the last hour of you shift goes by. It's an agonizing wait as you walk through your closing list, helping customers the whole way through.
You know the media remains outside, waiting.
You can hear their calls whenever the doors open.
As soon as you flip the sign to closed and everyone has left, she's there. The rest of them are gone and your crew have all left. Chad is hovering off to the side, watching.
“Skylor,” Nya whispers, touching your cheek with her fingertips. You push her hand away, not violently, but not gently at the same time.
You don’t even want to look at her.
“Skylor,” She repeats, “Kai told me that…” She doesn’t try to touch you again, letting her hand drop down to her side. “I’m sorry, I-”
You look at her, despite everything. She’s watching you with wide, concerned eyes, and you can feel yourself begin to splinter.
“Why didn’t you say anything?” You ask, “Not even a call or text, and you’re giving full interviews to every news station around you.” You’re telling people about your family, the people you care about, and I remain unnoticed.
“I didn’t…” She trails off, and you know the answer. She didn’t think about it. Slipped her mind.
Blinded by the lights.
You nod, once. “I know.”
You feel like you cannot do this anymore. “You can go,” You take a breath, “I don’t know if I can…” You trail off, and she frowns.
“Skylor…”
“I had that channel on for hours and you never even mentioned me,” You whisper, “Like you don't even care.”
Nya pulls you into a shaky hug. You cannot let yourself cry. You hug her back, though, for a fleeting moment, before she pulls away.
She tilts her head at you, biting her lip. She doesn’t say anything before she turns on her heel and walks out of the door. The bright lights of a hundred cameras light up her face as she smiles and waves, shouting something that you cannot understand over the rushing in your ears.
“Skylor?” You can hear Chad’s voice, faintly, but you don’t pay him any mind.