Between our hands

Chapter 92: Fragments of Fear and Love

Maëlle hadn’t slept a wink all night. The hours had stretched on, interminable, and the darkness in the room weighed on her like a suffocating blanket. Her fingers gently slid across Samy’s chest, lightly caressing his abs in a repetitive, soothing gesture. She watched over him, absorbed by the details of his breathing, the warmth of his skin, and the bruised, black-and-blue shoulder still sore from the blows. Her mind was a whirlwind of memories, haunted by images of the attack, that moment when she almost lost him.

Dawn began to filter through the curtains, casting a soft glow into the room, and the atmosphere was both calming and heavy. Samy stirred slightly, a groan of pain escaping his lips. He opened his eyes just enough to meet Maëlle’s gaze. Seeing him awake at last, she couldn’t hold back her emotions any longer. She threw herself into his arms, bursting into tears against his skin.

“Samy...” she whispered between sobs, her arms tightening around his neck, as though afraid he might vanish again.

Samy, still in pain but overwhelmed with emotion, kissed Maëlle’s forehead tenderly. He held her close and, for the first time, shed a tear of his own. His throat constricted as he whispered into her ear with a trembling voice.

“I thought I lost you...” His voice broke. “I still see that man... that moment he came toward you... and all I could think about was protecting you.”

His body trembled slightly, silent tears streaming down his face as he buried his head in Maëlle’s neck. He relived every second of the attack, each pulse of fear that overtook him at the thought of never seeing her again.

Maëlle, gradually regaining her composure at the sight of Samy’s distress, pulled back slightly to look into his eyes. Her tears continued to flow, but now they were laced with a mix of anger and relief. Without warning, she raised her hand and gently slapped his uninjured shoulder.

He looked at her, surprised, his face contorting first in pain, then in confusion.

“Why did you do that, Samy?!” she cried. “Why did you take such a risk? I don’t want to lose you!”

Her words spilled out unfiltered, heavy with the love and fear she’d harbored all night. Samy couldn’t help but smile through his tears. He laughed softly, a nervous, light laugh, as if to release the tension pressing down on them.

“You’re scolding me when I took a bullet for you?” he joked, wiping away a tear that still clung to the corner of his eye. “I’d do it a thousand times, Maëlle, without hesitation.”

He pulled her into his arms again, tighter this time, ignoring the pain radiating from his shoulder. He held her as if he never wanted to let go, whispering once more, his voice barely audible.

“As long as you’re okay, that’s all that matters.”

Maëlle remained against him, her tears blending with the warmth of his body, finally finding comfort in the fact that he was there, alive.

After those intense exchanges, Maëlle felt the tension that had kept her awake for hours slowly dissolve. Nestled against Samy, her face buried in the crook of his neck, she breathed in his comforting scent, her tears finally drying. Her fingers gently gripped his chest, as if needing the physical contact to reassure herself he was truly there, by her side. At last, she drifted off to sleep.

Samy, despite the pain still throbbing from his thigh and shoulder, held her tightly, careful not to move and disturb her newfound slumber. He felt the rhythm of her breathing gradually slow, a sign that she was finally surrendering to the rest she so desperately needed.

After hours of keeping watch, Maëlle was finally lulled to sleep by the tenderness of his embrace and the steady beat of his heart. Samy watched her with infinite affection in his eyes. Despite his exhaustion and the pain, he stayed awake a moment longer, memorizing every detail of her peaceful face. A smile crept onto his lips, touched by the strength of their bond, so fragile yet so powerful.