//ext. cup cake's bakery and cafe - early morning. july 9th. @deputydarling
He hasn't really been functioning like a human being yet. Forcing himself to be one during the development camp for prospects in LA was the most he's done and that took a lot out of him to put on that mask. But getting to hang on to the pillar of friends, Fitz, Ruth, Aggie, Claude. He woke up today feeling like he could walk outside again. It's easier when you've made a promise and someone is equally hurting and counting on you.
They agreed to meet at cup cake's first to get their coffee and sit to talk and then take a slow walk over to Winnie's work before he himself headed to the rink, to properly work this time, not to pretend to work but actually crash out on the ice. Ash got there earlier, stealing them a quiet al fresco table with the early morning still cool and breezy enough, Dawn laid down under the table, watching the streets as they both waited for their friend. The German Shepherd was first to notice Winnie, tail wagging at the first signs of her.
"-hey," Ash looked up to Winnie, just in time as he came back with cups of their usual coffee orders to settle down on the table. His voice still a little hoarse, nose still a little stuffed, and eyes still a little puffy, but he flashed her a sad empathetic look of understanding before immediately reaching over to wrap her in an warm enveloping hug, murmuring into her shoulder, "I'm sorry, it must really suck." He held them there as long or as short as she wanted the hug. They both needed it.