Long Awaited News

It had taken Lakshmi a bit to find the workaholic, unexpectedly he had went home instead of staying in Sixth and keeping himself busy there. She had been informed he would be back later, of course, but still that he had left in the first place was odd in and of itself.

The news must have gotten to him something fierce... Hopefully her news would alleviate some of his worries, though much like herself it would cause more in that they now had to fake mourning.

Though Lakshmi wasn't really too happy even still, so it wouldn't be too hard to pretend on her end.

Coming up to the gate, she waited to be announced in all the proper manner as one noble should. She may not be officially, but there were certain protocols to adhere to.

Masaru had headed to his office within the mansion, he may have been talked into going home for a bit but that didn't mean...he didn't have work that also needed to be done here. It was...a good enough distraction.

Hearing a knock at his door, he glanced up giving the servant permission to enter before they explained there was a guest, and that guest was Lakshmi.

He gave a nod, allowing them to give her proper entry; he stood shortly after the servant left, heading off towards the door to greet her properly...even if it would be difficult to do so in his current state...

Heading down the halls, he took a few deep breaths in attempt to compose himself enough it would do neither of them good to see him on the verge of being an emotional mess...they were both mourning...

Lakshmi was quickly let inside once the okay was given, though once she was inside she left a bit of propriety at the gate. The Shirakawa family could do with a few less sticks up behinds and she was a doctor so she was the one most suited for the removal of such things.

Moving swiftly towards the signature heading her way, she met him before too long. It took one look to see he wasn't holding up as well as he might want others to think. Her eyes watered a bit as she moved up to the taller man, holding out her arms for a hug. "Oh Masa, look at you..."

She needed to tell him but he needed soothing and hallways be damned!

When Lakshmi appeared in sight, Masaru brought himself to a stop in the hall as she neared him; it...was obvious she'd seen right through his quickly built charade then...

"I..." He stepped closer to her, though wasn't entirely sure what to say...so instead he shut his mouth and accepted the hug she was offering him. Despite the fact she'd seen through it, he was still attempting to hold up his easily cracking composure.

He almost wanted to apologize that she had to see him like this, but...it was a given he'd be this way, it would be unusual for him to be fully composed at such a time.

"Take me somewhere private." Lakshmi pulled back slightly from the hug after a few moments, knowing Masaru was barely able to stay composed out here. He had needed the hug right away but he would be better served to get more elsewhere.

Taking his hand as she stepped to the side, she gave it a small squeeze and a soft smile while her other hand wiped away a few tears. He needed to be told as soon as possible, he...was so torn up about this...

"We can go to my office, if you'd like...I apologize though...it might be a bit messy..." A bit was likely an understatement. There was a lot of paperwork scattered about his desk in piles, he'd been working on whatever he could since yesterday really...anything to distract himself.

Still, it was private like she had asked of him...

"Does it have comfortable places to sit? If so, lead the way." Masaru would be better off taking the news sitting down, Lakshmi deciding to at least give him that dignity. The urge to hold him and soothe the little fluffy red panda was strong, she supposed her deeply buried and withered maternal instincts were kicking in.

Poor Setsuna, her plans for the future were utterly ruined by her own almost death. If Lakshmi had felt minor physical attraction before, now she mostly felt like she should ruffle his hair and give him a sucker.

Masaru nodded, "There's a couch in the room to sit at if that's suitable...there's also a chair for my desk."

Both were comfortable, so it seemed his office was suited to what Lakshmi wanted. The sofa was at least away from the mess at his desk, so she could sit there and he could pick up a little...make it a bit more manageable to look at...

Distraction.

He stopped at his office door, sliding open the door after having recently left; he would have apologized for the mess again, but repeating it wouldn't be of any use. He doubted that Lakshmi would mind too heavily right now anyway...

That would definitely work. Lakshmi gave a nod in return and followed Masaru down the hallways. It took them only a moment to reach it and as he slid the door open. It was quite messy really... Most unlike the man.

Instead she placed a hand on his back and gently pushed him inside while her other hand closed the door behind them and locked it. "You should sit on the couch, and no apologies about the mess. Sheesh, I can almost sense the wish to do so coming off of you in waves."

She wouldn't be able to sit, though maybe she should to comfort the man? Lakshmi wished to pace though...

"Aha...sorry..." One of his hands moved up to the back of his neck out of habit; she wanted him to sit on the couch? He'd expected a...talk, but had expected her to sit there and him nearby at his desk at least...

He did as suggested though, and moved to sit down on the couch.

Lakshmi followed him, leaning down as Masaru sat on his couch before pulling him to her chest in a hug. It wasn't as if he was buried in it, but her arms were gently wrapped around his head and neck as she laid her head on his.

"It is okay Masa. It will be okay. You are allowed to be sad and breakdown... you know that right?"

Masaru didn't resist as Lakshmi pulled him to her in a hug, though he shook his head slightly at her words; "I've done....enough of that already, I'd rather not here...Nozomi still...doesn't know yet..."

He hadn't known how to break it to her, especially when he was still this bad...so if he did so here and she heard...

He'd need to be strong to try to explain something like this to her, and right now he could barely hold on to his composure in the presence of others much less be strong right now to explain.

"You obviously have not. Do not lie to a doctor, Masaru. You are a wreck right now and it is fine to be." Lakshmi started petting his hair lightly, sighing a bit. He was so hurt by this...

"Apparently Gigi will have a lot to answer for when she returns, considering how upset you are. The Aunties and Grandpa reassured me that Gigi should be fine and reforming in the next few months, though she may not be entirely healthy." Lakshmi petted his hair more, wanting more than anything to let this poor young man be allowed to be a poor young man.

He couldn't exactly retort to her words; he wasn't fine...it was all too obvious, in time...he would be but right now it was still too soon. It'd only been a day, after all...

That's when Lakshmi's next words hit him.

"H...Huh?" Return? Reform?

What...What was she saying? That Setsuna was alive? That...

"Gigi's zanpakuto is how she has stayed alive so long. She um... is a phoenix of sorts. She should reform, though the explosion was large... so there may be unexpected oddities this time." Lakshmi spoke calmly and softly, knowing Masaru might be on the verge of panic or other reactions.

She wanted him to not freak out, but well it might be expected. Her hold on him loosened a bit though her hands kept playing with his hair.

That...

Masaru's eyes had widened at the news, not having expected to hear something like that. She...She wasn't dead? There...maybe be oddities, but she was...still alive? Reforming...

His shoulders were tense, mostly due to holding back again; Lakshmi had said not to hide his emotions and just let them out, but...

At the news though, some of it did escape before he was able to control himself again.

She was...alive then...

"Let it out force once Masa. You can...it is fine..." Lakshmi chided, having felt the few emotions escaping as she pulled the man against her a bit tighter. How could he bare to be like this? Though...she was one to talk... At least in private, alone where no one could see she could relax. They were such now, he needed to do so.

He was so tense, she would force him to get a shoulder and back rub as well... He needed her to be strong for the moment at least, so she would keep her feelings well under wraps.

Eventually Masaru's shoulders began to shake slightly, though he was still obviously holding back whatever he could manage. He couldn't...couldn't just start crying here...

He' couldn't...

"Stop being so silly...cry. You can...no one else is here, no one else is even around." Lakshmi stroked Masaru's hair more, her voice soft and soothing. He held so much in, the poor man. He was going to break, he held everything in and never showed anyone anything. He never opened up...

He was so alone.

If...If he could just put his focus on something else he could compose himself, if he just... He doubted that Lakshmi would allow him to move, much less head to his desk to just...force his focus on the papers over there.

He...Even if it was just the two of them here, he couldn't...no matter how much his emotions were begging him to just let it all out...

His shoulders were still tense and shaking, but other than the occasional moment where he was unable to hold himself back he continued to keep himself from doing so when he could help it. He didn't...couldn't just...

Lakshmi's head leaned down, stroking his hair softly as she sighed. Really! Was it so hard to stop fighting her? He was trying so hard to hold it in that it was making him worse. Masaru was a silly man and she kissed the top of his head in a maternal fashion.

He was too much of a mess, even with the good news to leave him alone. She's stay by him for now, giving him someone to be around at least... Maybe she should take him out drinking? That could be a good plan.

It seemed Lakshmi was intent on trying to comfort him, but that was fine...he didn't mind, even if he was going against her advice to just let everything out. Her being here was helpful, even if the thought of being like this in front of anyone wasn't...something he was particularly fond of.

Lakshmi smiled against Masaru's head, he was barely holding her at all! She needed hugs too and cried silently into his hair, though with his locks he'd never notice. "You are going to break at this rate you know. Emotions are meant to be shown."

Like she was one to talk, always hiding hers. How silly of her.

"I..." He bit back a sob that attempted to escape, though just barely as he tried to speak. He...He just didn't want someone...to hear him like this...Lakshmi...it was fine, he'd gotten...used to it after a bit, but he didn't want someone walking by and just...

Even if she'd shared good news, his emotions were still rather overwhelming...

His rather weak hold on her became a bit stronger, noticeably so at least.

"It is just me here. Everyone else seems to have fled the area." Lakshmi murmured, wondering if he was worried about Nozomi hearing still. Masaru's attempt to speak and his sob made her wince, her hold on him tightening a bit for a moment as her tears grew.

Masaru was holding her a bit more, but it seemed he hadn't notice he even was in the first place. It was comforting a bit.