[RL -- Maraich's Place; The Counseling Crew]

[youknowthadrill]

[And with an unceremonious FLASHBANG, a slightly disoriented Englishman-by-proxy lands on Maraich's carpet.

Nerds are a messy type...let's just assume he showered!]

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[maraihi]

Maraich was sitting on the couch by himself. He wasn't about to talk much about it over the internet, and much less to people he didn't know very well. Especially not about something so emotional.

He was resting his head in his hands and obviously had already cried some, but was holding back. He'd had a sudden void in his life that he needed to fill somehow and he didn't know where else to turn but Komui.

At the same time he didn't know what to actually say. He didn't have a speech prepared or anything. He just needed him there.

With a deep breath and a slight sigh he spoke, "...Hi."

[youknowthadrill]

Uncomfortable was a good word for it. Komui'd had his fair share of the aggrieved in his office before, but it had been a good few years since he last had to deal with grief....unprofessionally.

Komui stood up and dusted himself off. Then, seating himself on the couch beside Mariach, he wrapped his arms around his brother.

"You look like you could use a hug," he said, chuckling slightly.

[maraihi]

Luckily that was about what he needed. It took him a second, but he wrapped his arms around Komui and squeezed hard. He was a bit stronger than he looked and not particularly good at holding back; especially when he was running high on emotions.

"You're not going to leave, are you?"

[youknowthadrill]

Komui paused. Well. Those were words he never thought he'd hear again, hoped he'd never hear again. He held Maraich even tighter, hoping there was reassurance in the gesture.

"No, never. I'm not going anywhere, and that's a promise." He thought for a moment, then added:

"You can come stay at Headquarters for a bit, if you want. I can't stay away for too long, but if you want to be nearby, we've got more than enough free rooms."

[maraihi]

Hearing Komui promise made him feel just a little better.

Leaving sounded nice but he wasn't sure. He had bills and work; not that he hadn't left his planet before. Still, he'd been flimsy on his responsibilities ever since he'd started worldhopping around.

"What are the Headquarters like...?"

He was still hanging on. He had Komui in a death-grip for now.

[youknowthadrill]

"......big. Headquarters is very, very big. And there are people there from all over the world, amazing people. I won't lie, it's a little scary-- because all the dead bodies are shipped home after every mission-- but it's a wonderful place."

He sighed.

"Everyone you can meet...Jerry will spoil you rotten, you and Matthias both. And Johnny's your man if you're the chess-playing sort...you'll be welcome any time, for as long or short a stay as you'd like."

[maraihi]

He didn't know who those people were, but it dd sound nice. Especially the spoiling part. And moreso being around some people.

Slightly reserved, "What about that annoying guy?"

[youknowthadrill]

"You mean Cross? You have my express permission to kick him."

He lifted one hand to pat Maraich on the shoulder. It wasn't much to offer-- loss was a tricky thing like that, and Maraich, like all the others, had every right to his feelings until things settled down. He only wished there were some way he could make it better somehow.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

[maraihi]

He snuggled himself up to Komui; so much so that he was practically on his lap.

"I guess so," he answered, but it was really more of something to say. He would rather say 'no', or something else, but it just didn't seem like people ever said that.