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The pink wooden interior and blinding brightness of the quartz meets Ash’s eyes as he walks in to KTB HQ. The pink matched Katie’s energy and aura so well that the building felt full even though it’s lacking furniture and decoration. The leader drags his body up the pink stairs, the sound of his footsteps marking a powerful presence. As he takes his last step from the stairs to the second floor a weeping tone fills the air, coming from Katie’s therapy office. Mahogany wood leads him to the source of the sorrowful sound, and there she sits.
Katie’s sobs fill the air, now slightly muffled by the hand lightly covering her mouth in distress. Her cheeks are wet and the black streaks of mascara are a sharp contrast to her fair skin. She sits curled up in her newly- renovated pink therapy chair, looking like she desperately needs therapy herself. Her knees sit close to her chest, arms wrapped around her legs in an attempt to look smaller. To disappear. The sight is a worrying contrast to her usual bubbly self. Even with the times she’s expressed anger and sadness, it’s never felt this real. It fills Ash’s chest with a distinct feeling he recognizes as worry and a need to care, even though he won’t admit it.
The sound of Ash’s footsteps finally seems to reach the crying woman as her head shoots up to look at Ash’s tall frame standing in the entrance. Her eyes widen and shine, but not with her usual glee. Instead, having been replaced by miserable, wet tears rolling down her face that she quickly wipes away at the sight of her supreme leader.
“Ash!” Her voice cracks as she attempt to hold her tears back, her face scrunched up in a tense way as she sniffles. “What are you doing here?” An all too big, strained grin forms on her distressed face. She straightens her body, sitting properly and clasping her hands together in an attempt to look put together. It definitely doesn’t work as Ash looks at her, unimpressed with his eyebrows laced together tightly.
”Hello Katie.” He straightened his back and cleared his throat awkwardly, unsure what do in a situation like this. He had never been the best at comforting people. ”How… are you doing?” The tall man attempts, looking at the distressed widow in front of him, clearly displaying the answer to his question. The widow fidgets with the hem of her black mourning dress as she avoids Ash’s gaze. ”I’m doing good.” She sends a swift glance at the man before looking back down at her clasped hands in her lap.
”Are you sure? Cause I’m pretty sure I saw you crying.” He remarks as he sits down in the couch in front of her. A tense atmosphere spreads in the room, until Katie breaks the silence. ”Just… A hard day. That’s all.” She glances to the side as tears involuntarily spill from her eyes sparkling with wetness, spilling onto her cheeks as she brings her bunched up hands up to her eyes. Hands bound tightly together press against her damp eyes in an effort to stop the tears from spilling. Her lips give a quiver and a shaky sob escapes her lips as she lowers her head slightly, the dark veil spilling in front of her face and covering her distressed look from Ash’s view.
“I miss Tomate.” She whispers, barely heard by Ash. A sniffle evades her with her tears falling rapidly. He furrows his eyebrows and his frown deepens, eyes full of worry for his fellow regime member, his family member. Ash opens his mouth to say something, anything, to comfort Katie, but gets cut off. “A-And I know that you hate the federation, and I do too, but I just miss him…” She manages to get out in between shaky sobs.
Ash gets out of his seat on the couch, crouching before Katie in her chair and placing a careful hand on her arm in an attempt to ground her. “You’re okay, you’re okay…” He mumbles as he rubs his thumb on her arm, her sobbing continuing. He pulls his hand away and instead opens his arms, gesturing for a hug. Katie glances up in between her sobs and lowers herself into his arms, clinging onto his embrace, burying her face in his shoulder and letting her tears spill freely.
Ash had never been the best at comforting people. As the leader of the regime he wanted his image as tough and powerful to be upheld. But, seeing Katie, who he against all odds cared about, weeping and sniffling in front of him he felt the need to provide her with as much support as possible. Throwing away his image as a resilient leader just this once. For her.
Finally, her sobs begin to quiet down, instead fading into mere sniffles and an inconsistent shaky breath. Her eyes and nose are red from her bawling, her face and hands wet from tears. Ultimately, pulls away from their embrace with a small smile, glancing at the man. “Thanks.” She mumbles, a small smile appearing on her face. She turns her face and wipes it with the sleeve of her black dress, sniffling slightly. Ash sighs, opening his mouth. “You know I despise Tomate and the feds. That isn’t gonna change, even though he’s your husband.” Katie sends a sort of guilty look. “But, I…” The man pauses, words wanting to come out pause but eventually escape from his grasp, “I care about you and I want you to be happy, so I’m willing to help you look for him.”
The sadness on Katie’s face is replaced by hope, a willingness to search for her husband with the help of the supreme leader. An even wider grin spreads across her damp cheeks, replacing the formerly sad look. “Thank you sir!” She exclaims, in her usual cheery tone. To match her smile, a slight smirk spreads on Ash’s face at seeing her upturned mood.
“Yeah whatever.” His smile betraying his words.