Crimson fears and Comforting arms

Esmeray's Pov

I guided him to his room and led him to the bathroom, where he sat on the closed toilet seat, trying to gather his thoughts after everything that had just happened. I carefully unbuttoned his bloody shirt and removed it, creating a pile of clothes stained from his 'business matters.' He took off his pants and added them to the pile, seeming completely unaffected by the fact that his only remaining clothing was his boxers. He looked completely drained, as if all energy had been sapped from him.

When I heard the loud "SHUT THE FUCK UP!" from earlier, it had startled me deeply. I was terrified, imagining all the ways things could have gone wrong in his office. Was he in conflict with his brother? His men? Or even Daniel? The fear of what could have happened left me anxious and unsettled.

I dampened a cloth with warm water, wrung it out, and began gently cleaning the blood from his skin. My touch seemed to pull him out of the whirlwind of thoughts in his head. He looked at me as I worked, a small, grateful smile appearing on his face. He then asked if he could hug me, his voice soft and vulnerable from his position.

As he buried his head in my chest and wrapped his arms around me, I could feel the intensity of his need for comfort. His embrace was both gentle and firm, as if he was clinging to me for support and reassurance. It was clear he needed this hug more than anything, that it was his way of finding solace after a tumultuous day.

In that moment, it felt as if I was the one he turned to for comfort after a long, exhausting day of work. I was the person who could offer him the support he needed, the reassurance he craved. It was a tender moment of connection, and I was there for him, grounding him amidst the chaos of his world.

Just as I finished wiping the blood from his face, I heard him sniffling, his head bowed to avoid making eye contact. Was he crying? His hands were covering his eyes. "Oh, Emiliano," I murmured. My heart sank, but instead of walking away, I held him tighter. I would never judge a man for expressing his feelings. As he cried, I began to speak softly.

"Emiliano, it's okay to cry. Please don't feel ashamed of shedding tears in front of me. It's normal to express how you feel. I know you might have shown your emotions differently over the years, but your body needs this release, and I am here to comfort you, hun."

Emiliano's shoulders shook with each sob as he let himself cry in my arms. I held him close, feeling the warmth of his tears against my skin. His breath came in ragged gasps, but I didn't let go. Instead, I gently rubbed his back, my touch meant to soothe and reassure.

After a while, I guided him to the shower. "Come on," I said softly, "let's get you cleaned up and cooled off."

He followed me numbly, his steps slow and heavy. We stepped into the shower together, and I adjusted the water to a warm but not too hot temperature. As the steam enveloped us, I helped him strip away the bloodied clothes and stepped under the gentle cascade of water. I could see him start to relax, his tense muscles loosening as the warmth seeped into him.

I turned him towards me, cupping his face in my hands, and looked into his eyes. "You don't have to be strong right now," I murmured, brushing the wet hair from his forehead. "It's okay to feel everything you're feeling. I'm right here with you."

The water ran over us, a soothing backdrop to the quiet exchange. Emiliano leaned into me, his head resting on my shoulder as I wrapped my arms around him. I could feel his body gradually relaxing, his sobs tapering off to soft, shaky breaths.

I pressed gentle kisses to his hair, whispering words of comfort. "You're safe here. You don't have to carry this alone. I'm here, and I care about you so much."

He clung to me, the warmth of the water and my embrace a balm to his raw emotions. "Thank you," he finally said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Anytime," I replied, squeezing him gently. "Just let yourself feel. It's okay. I'm not going anywhere."

We sat there in the shower, the water washing away the remnants of the day's turmoil. I held him close, the steady rhythm of my heartbeat a constant reassurance. With each passing moment, the weight on his shoulders seemed to lift, if only a little, and he found solace in the comfort of my presence.

We stayed there for what felt like hours, and as time passed, he fell asleep in my arms. We were sitting on the floor of the shower, and I didn't mind that my clothes were soaked. What mattered was that I was there for him after a long, difficult day.

He had explained to me what had happened—how someone had been sending messages about me to Daniel. Emiliano wished he had caught it sooner so that my safety wouldn't have been at risk when returning home. This poor man was clearly overwhelmed, and my heart ached for everything he had been through. It's crazy how people often assume the worst without understanding the full story. Nobody knows the struggles he's faced, and yet, the world seems quick to judge without compassion.

After a while, the water began to cool, and I gently helped Emiliano to his feet. We both stepped out of the shower, and I wrapped him in a fluffy towel, patting him dry with careful, comforting strokes. I took a moment to dry myself off, my clothes clinging uncomfortably, but I didn't mind. Emiliano needed me more than I needed dry clothes.

As I finished drying him, he looked at me with gratitude in his eyes. "Thank you," he said softly, his voice still tinged with emotion. "Thank you for being here. I don't know what I would have done without you."

I smiled warmly and hugged him gently, holding him close. "You don't have to thank me," I said, brushing a damp lock of hair from his forehead. "I'm here for you, no matter what. I'm glad I could be a shoulder for you to lean on."

We finished drying off and dressed in cozy, oversized sweaters that I found in his closet. Surprisingly he didn't throw a fit about what I gave him and I to wear, he was cool with it and I the other hand thought it was cute to be in his clothes. As we settled onto the bed, wrapped in blankets, the room felt warm and safe. I made us some hot cocoa, and we sipped it slowly, the sweetness providing a small comfort after a challenging day.

Emiliano looked at me, a soft smile on his lips. "I feel better now, thanks to you."

I smiled back and tucked a blanket around him.

We spent the rest of the evening curled up on the couch, sharing quiet conversations and occasional laughs. Emiliano's hand found mine, and we held it comfortably as we watched a lighthearted movie. The stresses of the day seemed to fade away, replaced by a calm, contented peace.

As the night drew to a close, Emiliano turned to me with a sleepy grin. "You really are my rock, you know that?"

I leaned in, giving him a gentle kiss on the cheek. "And you're mine. We make a good team."

With that, we both settled into the warmth of each other's presence, ready to drift off to sleep, knowing that no matter what the future held, we had each other to lean on