Chapter Text
"Are you just gonna film the entire time you're here, ooor....?"
Katie stared at her boyfriend, arms crossed and eyes showing a slight glare behind her sunglasses. She had invited her boyfriend to her home for the first time since she's returned from her trip, chaos and all still fresh from the many explosions and affected friendships since she arrived back. He's been here a few times already, the pink couch he usually sits on still placed near one of her own pictures. As much as some people liked to assume he was forced to follow her or approve of her wishes, he was always the first one to rush to wherever she was. No matter when she woke up, her boyfriend would teleport to her in milliseconds.
Back to the current topic though, as Tomate seemed unsure of whenever to put his camera away or not...His former coworker disappeared simply for doing his job, what would happen to him and especially Katie if he was to just...not do his job? Especially for an islander...He was supposed to film everything happening on the island and keep track of any rules breaks too...
"BOYFRIEND! Are you listening?" His ears perked up at his girlfriend's yelling. "I don't want a bunch of people watching me and my boyfriend in front of the television in my own home! Come on!" Her glare furthered, foot tapping impatiently before she suddenly moved onto the ground and started her usual push-ups. Whenever excited, sad or mad, where there's a Katie, there's a pushup....
Tomate let out a chuckle, which quickly gathered the attention of Katie. He almost forgot that she wasn't really...used to him showing any emotion, except for the rare occasional laugh or cry when there is a group of people. But just the two of them? The most she usually got was a crouch...
"BOYFRIEND!" She gasped. I would be mad at you for probably making fun of me if it wasn't for that laugh! Since when do you laugh?! You better have learned how to talk too since I've been gone!"
He shook his head. Something also previously quite rare for him to do. So many small habits have started to creep into his life. He wasnt supposed to do ANY of this. But...being around the islanders, especially...her, it just...made him want to be more. More than a simple camerman or federation worker. To be human, to...feel, to experience, to LOVE. He never even took Katie on a real date and neither of them properly asked out one another, but what ever since the two started seeing each other romantically, he just...He wanted to. He wanted to show her how much she meant to him. How much they could become together, how much they could possible even change the world around them. How-
"Okay so just ignore me and film my secret underground house, I guess. You changed, boyfriend! Did you cheat on me while I was gone? I'll leave your ass in seconds, you know!"
He never dropped his camera as quickly as he did in that moment. Fuck it. The federation was probably gonna make him disappear anyway, they didn't care for any of their own workers. So even if these were his last days on this islands, he was gonna spend them in his own privacy with his girlfriend.
Tomate rummaged through his pockets with messy fumbles before finally grabbing what he needed. A few wooden signs, looking a bit worn but good enough to do their job. He placed one down in front of Katie and started to scribble something down.
Katie's eyes widenend as she exclaimed, "You- OH! Are you mute? I kinda had the feeling you were...There better be apologies and compliments on that sign when I look!" He hadn't written in a bit. They weren't really supposed to either, only in emergencies, so he was trying as best as he can to remember his old teachings. But it would be worth it.
When he finally finished the small writing and Katie snuck a glance at the sign, a small blush formed on her face. Written on it was the simple symbol "<3". Short, simple but...as much of his own affection as he was allowed to show. It would be small steps at first anyway. He was not the type to yell into the void how much he cared for something, maybe she was, he was eager to find that out about her just like any other traits she may have. That was what love and affection were, weren't they? To see someone for who they truly were and could be and to notice any smell detail about them.
Like how Katie liked to teleport to a bunch of other spots before going to her true destination, or how she liked to bow to someone as a greeting or thanks, or how she always took pictures of herself to gift to others. She was kind, hardworking, and never truly gave up no matter how much shit life threw at her. He saw her in bad states before, upset after a fight with Ewron or sad from yet another KFC sabotage. But she kept on going. Just like he will. The regime locked him in, threw him into the void and stripped him of his camera. He trusted them, because Katie trusted them, and while he held not a single grudge against his girlfriend for that, he knew he would have to start choosing who he can truly trust.
Like her.
"My man, my man, my man!" sang Katie while opening her arms towards him. She had tried a few times to hug him before, it never being reciprocated and leaving her with a hopeless feeling to ever receive a hug back. Until now at least, as he slowly moved towards her and nervously lifted his own white arms. Neither said anything, it was just their own breathing and the meows from above that filled the silence. As quickly as the hug began though, it ended.
"Woo, didn't know you knew how to hug, boyfriend! Or, Tomate? Whatever Graf said your name was...Honey fits better anyways! Come on Honey, television time!" Katie rambled on. Tomate chuckled yet again and watched as she sat down on the couch and pat the spot beside her. No matter how put together and proud she tried to appear right now, he was able to tell she was as much of a blushing mess as he was. Both were...quite new to all of this it seemed...But they would take it slowly. One step at the time, no matter what his bosses would do.
So the rest of the evening was spent watching some shitty soap opera on TV that Katie would make fun of as Tomate laughed to her jokes. No other feds watching them,no other players bothering them...Just the two of them. On their small pink couch, hands barely apart.
That's all he could wish for.