interstellar90210 | Twitter (@cosmicqueen)

yeah, that looks really peaceful. I think I'll go now, actually

talk to you later

and thanks.

[She's definitely caught on by now, though she could stand to be a little more subtle.]

Edited 2016-01-18 01:33 (UTC)

Enjoy your visit there.

[A visit that, by some coincidence, Meril will be making at the exact same time.]

[Well, look at that, their visits are just about perfectly orchestrated! When Meril arrives Nariko will already be in line, but she's looking around, expecting her friend. She's got sunglasses on and is wearing a nondescript sort of outfit but the long, long black hair and her cell phone case - "Queen of the Cosmos" - will tip off the observant.

And Meril is certainly that.]

[Meril herself has her massive mane hidden beneath a large knit cap, and is wearing a coat that actually provides sensible coverage against the cold -- so no one will recognize her. Casually as can be, she steps up to join the other woman in line.]

So today I learn you are capable of not being stylish.

Not exactly the best thing to learn about someone, I'd say.

[But it was true. Even Nariko had her moments where she was lazy or, as now, far too concerned with what was going on to give a shit about makeup or even something as basic as her perfume.]

... Can I hug you? [Which might really translate into 'hold onto you for the entirety of this meeting'.]

I disagree. It is nice to know you are not perfect.

[Meril might be overselling this just a bit, but Nariko seems to need it.]

You do not need to ask me for permission. We are friends. [All this time had made Meril a little more accepting of body contact, because she and Greg had fallen into that habit.] It is assumed.

I never was, believe me.

[She just happened to be incredibly talented at keeping up the illusion. But what she really needs is that hug and the words that come with it because despite Meril's tone and overall formality Nariko can't help but think there's a lot of warmth in the intent.

So she doesn't bother with modesty and practically flings her arms around Meril, squeezing tight.]

Thank you.

[For the hug, for being herself, for being here.]

[Meril returns the hug, and though outside little changes, her heart goes out to poor Nariko. She understands exactly how the other girl feels, and in truth envies her a little to be able to seek comfort like this. What had Meril done but retreat into her penthouse and hide from the world?]

[So she returns the hug with quite a bit of force, because Meril is pretty strong.]

You are having a very rough time of it, aren't you.

[The strength in Meril's arms is incredibly welcome right about now. She feels utterly grounded in that moment, more so than she has since finding out about the loss of her family member. She lingers there, and just nods without saying a word. To hear it said so plainly makes her want to cry, and she grips her friend harder even though it's nothing compared to the other young woman's strength.]

It sucks.

[That's said somewhere in the vicinity of Meril's neck.]

[Meril pats her back. Awkwardly, but all good intentions and an effort to be helpful even without the knowledge to do it properly.]

Get your drink, then come tell me about it.

Okay.

[She sniffles and tips her head back as she pulls away, trying to dissuade more tears. She doesn't doubt that Meril would understand! But ugly crying in public is just a step too far. So she works through the process of ordering and getting her drink (though not without asking Meril what she would like) so that they can take a seat. Hopefully somewhat far off from most of the room.]

[Perhaps a quiet threat to anyone who might trouble them shines through in Meril's eyes or face, because they manage to get themselves a table around the corner where there isn't much space for anything but two seats. It's fortuitously private.]

[Settling down, Meril turns her full attention to Nariko, implicitly beginning the conversation with an offer to listen. Talk to her.]

[The focus of that attention makes her smile, and she nods but it takes her a sip of coffee or two to work up to actual speech. She doesn't really want to talk about her feelings but that's probably the only way to work through them, so what choice does she really have?]

He just disappeared. All of his stuff was gone, like he was never there in the first place. And it's ... Not like him. He kept to himself, sure, but Richard cared about all of us. I can't accept that he wouldn't at least say goodbye, or leave a letter or ... Something.

[She taps at her cup.] I don't understand why so many of us are just leaving.

In the same way, no less. [As Meril could attest, when Nariko's description might as well have applied to her four bandmates.] I do not understand it either, but you are right. It is happening to many others as well.

How did you deal with this? [Nariko doesn't know so much about what's going on with Virgo, despite the amount of friends from that side of the proverbial sea.] It was Gage who left, right?

[Krieg had mentioned it back at the festival, but Nariko's not entirely sure if she's getting the girl's name right. It's ... Oddly difficult to remember. Huh.]

[Meril shuts her eyes, then takes a deep breath.]

Gaige. Krieg. Lora. Weasel.

Defying Atmosphere is only me and Greg, now.

Krieg?

[Her voice is impossibly small when she says his name, and Meril gets a front row seat to her heart breaking all over again.] He's - When did he leave?

[Just fucking end her it would be so much simpler.]

[In this moment, Meril realizes that Nariko is a bit selfish. But she can forgive that. The girl is hurt and upset and younger than Meril herself, so little surprise.]

Recently. I do not even know how public it will be made, considering that we have been on hiatus anyway. Likely we will be reconstituted with all new members... or broken up.

[Krieg's -- And Greg and Meril?? - And - And -]

Why didn't you say anything before? [Of course she'd known about Gaige, but Lora and Weasel had never come up, and maybe she is wrong for not keeping up with her Virgo sources, but shit had been kind of nuts in the last few weeks. Something's had to give.] You've been alone in that place this whole time!

[And it's not like she's doubting Greg or what kind of bandmate or friend he would be! But how could it be healthy to just stay there in the remains of their band - their family?

... This, from the young woman who trashed her room and then stared at her own mess like it had the answer to the universe.]

[Meril, incongruously, lets slip a little smile.] It is not my nature, Nariko. You know that. And I have not been alone -- Greg has been there with me. We have been getting through this together.

[Not necessarily well, not necessarily in a healthy way, but together. (Make of that what you will, Nariko!)]

But it is why I came out. I know how you must be feeling right now... and I hope a sympathetic ear can help you.

[That response pisses her off, frankly. It's not my nature isn't an answer, it's an excuse. There's a bitter kind of jealousy that comes with hearing Greg's name, though it makes sense in as many ways. She has to swallow all of that down, turning her eyes away from her friend and just ... Deciding that this isn't the battle worth having at the moment. It's easier to feel like a shit friend than it is to argue about ending up one.]

Did it help you?

[It isn't a question to be flung back, it's honest. Meril had been with Greg the whole time and was calm enough to come out here and have a whole talk.]

...It kept things from getting worse, Nariko. To be honest, we are embarrassments who have handled this terribly poorly. Do you know, in the past month I have leveled a Battlecraft character all the way to 100? [Meril chuckles, a hollow and humorless tone.] There have been days where I woke up, took my laptop to the living room, laid on the couch, and played until it was time to go to sleep. If Greg hadn't been there, I would have probably forgotten to eat.

But he was, and it helped. I am not familiar with accepting such help... and to be honest, I am not good at offering it either. I do not know what I can do to help you, but... I will do it, if it is within my power. Whether that is listening, or counseling, or hugging, or what have you.

[The thing is... it isn't in Meril's nature to speak openly of all of this. She is emotionally closed, empathically blocked, unaccustomed to friendship, and the sort of girl one hesitates to hug without asking first.]

[But maybe it had been that terrible month, or maybe the images that kept trickling into her head are breaking her down, or maybe just because Nariko is a friend and in pain. Really, the answer is somewhere in between. Nariko asks, and Meril answers. Much more honestly than the Ice Queen normally would.]

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