apendaye:

>You raised a brow as the words typed across your visuals. How to cope with loss? Your programming immediately piped up to a search, but you felt it needed something more personal. Not a mechanical touch, but a genuine one. You’re not sure why you thought that, but it seemed to fit the situation.

Several results found, but if you don’t mind, I’d rather give you my own advice. Helping someone cope with loss is like trying to patch a proverbial wound with a thin bandaid. It’s not an easy task, but it’s one that can be done with small means. Being there for them, presenting them with comforting words, sending them silly messages and uplifting things. You could just smile at them, let them lean on you and cry, and that helps.

It requires something of a personal touch. What you feel would be helpful is what would be the wise choice.

> You appreciated the response endlessly, but unfortunately with Dirk it just wasn’t that easy. You sighed, out loud, flopping back onto D’s bed. That’s where you’d been staying, every night, since he left. He didn’t mind you sleeping there, and you sort of had wanted to keep his scent nearby. Maybe if you absorbed all of it Dirk would stop being so sad. You didn’t think you had the capacity to hate, but what you felt seeing Dirk so upset must have come close.

I wish it was that easy... Dirk is. Ah. Well... He doesn't like it when people touch him. Not just 'doesn't like'. He... breaks down. He's very frightened of people touching him. He was doing well with his brother trying to rehabilitate him? But D hasn't been home in a very long time, and well...

>You aren’t ready to admit that he’s gone for good, because he might come back! He did before, and even though Dirk was upset to begin with they made up and things were a lot better.

...I miss him, too. He was the first person to give me a real hug when I came home. He hugged me a lot. I think he liked hugging me because I reminded him of Dirk? And he couldn't touch Dirk very easily. Not like he wanted. I think D missed him even though he was right there. And now I miss him. He was my best friend.

> You were beginning to upset yourself, and dammit - you just wanted to help Dirk, and now you missed one of your best and only friends. Was the realization of him being gone for good finally starting to settle in?

There's a very strange feeling in my throat? I try to swallow, but it doesn't go away. Oh, I'm sorry. I'm deviating from the subject at hand. Um. ...Dirk. And his brother.