Coco: One shots, Preferences, and Scenarios ((Requests Closed!!)

O/S: There for You (Ernesto x Reader)

This is a long over due request for @whodunnitfan2013 who wanted Ernesto to comfort the reader at a time of great loss. I'm so sorry for the delay love, and I hope you're happy with it!

Slight tw for family death. Nothing explicit but it is referenced.

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You sat on the edge of your bed, head in your hands. You felt like the whole world was collapsing in around you, like at any moment the space around you would come crashing inward, dragging your whole existence with it. But at the same time, you didn't care. You almost wished it would. Everything felt so...empty...so meaningless... Even as the tears streamed down your cheeks, you didn't utter a single sound. You just didn't have the energy. Or the desire.

Meanwhile, Ernesto de la Cruz, your dearest boyfriend, was just on his way home to you after a long night playing music to whoever would listen. He was in a cheery mood, humming some songs to himself on the short walk. He couldn't wait to see you, wrap you in his strong arms and maybe share a dance with you. But as he grabbed the knob of your appartment door, he couldn't help but notice the lack of....anything on the other side. You were normally such a happy, peppy person. You had to be to keep up with his lifestyle. As such you were often dancing about in the living room or cooking away in the kitchen when he came home. Regardless of what you were doing, there was always a delightful rukus from behind the door. Tonight only silence could be heard. His heart began to beat rapidly as he opened the door slowly. What could be wrong?

The darkness that welcomed him was not of much comfort. It felt as though he had just walked into an empty tomb, cold and empty. Ernesto began slowly walking inside, his usual calm and confident demeanor faltering in the unusual uncertainty he was experiencing. He crept through the empty halls, eyes shooting back and forth around the seemingly abandoned apartment.
"Y/N...," he rasped, hearing his baritone voice vibrate off the walls, much different from the vacuum effect of the open, filled bars he was used to. A loud gulp from him even took on a life of its own, the sound seemingly amplified by the still world. The floor creaked painfully below him as he made his way towards the bedroom. No response had come from you, and he began to wonder if he was dreaming. Or maybe having a nightmare. Once he ventured close enough, he placed his hand on the doorknob, shivering realising it was cold too. He began pushing lightly, half expecting the door to fall apart as if made of frozen glass.

But it managed to stay together, and the light that illuminated in from the pale moonlight outside casted a cold, blue light upon your fram, still sitting on the bed. Ernesto let out a small gasp upon seeing you. You looked like a statue, white blue skin colored by the pale moonlight and still as a rock. He began to approach, usually perfect hair fraying in the sweat dripping from his forehead.

"Y/N...Amor...?" He sat quietly down next to you, placing his hand hesitantly on your shoulder. Much the like the door on the way in, he thought you might break as well if he touched too hard. You didn't make a sound, didn't make a move. You didn't even acknowledge him. This kind of thing would usually annoy him, but right now it frightened him. He was genuinely unsure if you could hear, see, or feel him. He shook you gently.
"Y/N...Please, speak to me...What's wrong?" Then, a spark of life. You turned your head slowly towards him, janky and rigged like you had in fact been frozen in your original position. Usually you would have been so happy to see him home, so glad to see his handsome face after a long day. But not today. Your numb state prevailed, causing your head to retreat back to its original position.

"Hello, Ernesto...," you hissed, the beginning of the world breaking as your throat had almost accepted you never speaking again. The mariachi was almost hurt. 'Ernesto'-! You hadn't called him that since the two of you had been together. You always had a pet name ready. Hell, you at least called him 'Nesto! But to be called by his full name...Something wasn't right. He placed his other hand on your opposite shoulder, desperately trying to get you to look at him again.
"Answer me, querida! What is wrong?! Did someone hurt you!?" He swore, if anyone had laid their grimy hands on you-! His fists clenched slightly at the very thought. But you just weakly shook your head. He relaxed a bit, but was still very concerned.

"Then what happened?" You turned to Ernesto, eyes still puffy from all of your crying. You seemed to stare through him, looking in his direction, but not really looking at him.

"My Nana...she....she died this morning...," you state flatly. Your voice was so cold, so empty. Ernesto felt his heart sink. He knew how important your Nana had been to you. You used to tell him how she cared for you so well as a child, how you two would play together, how she used to make you smile. Yet you had told him the news so...calmly. It shocked him. In reality, you had just been mentally broken. You couldn't muster any emotion. You just stared blankly. Ernesto gently wrapped his arm around you. He figured you must have been just shook into comatose.

"Mi amor, I....I am so sorry...I know how much she meant to you...," He stated, rubbing small circles into your back. His warm touch stirred up something inside of you. He didn't know it, but your Nana used to comfort you the same way. Finally, you let out a sniff. It was the first emotional noise you had let out since you stopped wailing in agony a couple hours before. Still looking straight ahead, you felt your lip begin to quiver.

"She was...o-one of the closest people t-to me...you know?" You managed out, voice cracking. Ernesto solemnly shook his head. He did understand. He knew what it was like to have very few people you let get close to you. He was the same way. He let so few people get close to him that the thought of losing any of them made his entire being hurt. He could only imagine the pain you were going through right now. You let out a tiny whimper. His presence was starting to move you more than you have ever been before. It was in that moment that you realized how much Ernesto genuinely meant to you. Just like your Nana, Ernesto made you smile and laugh no matter how sad you were feeling. He was the one to boost you up when you were feeling worthless. You felt strong when he was around. And no matter how defeated you felt knowing your Nana was gone, you felt that as long as he was with you, you would be okay. A desperate sob left your lips as you finally whipped around and wrapped your around around his broad, strong body. He let out a small yelp in shock, but slowly regained his composure and held your shaking frame closely.

"I-I-I'm g-going to miss her s-so much, 'Nesto-!" You wailed into his shoulder. Ernesto felt tears well up in his own eyes seeing you so distraught. But he fought them back, closing his eyes and running his hands through your hair. He allowed you to scratch his shoulders and grip him as hard as you wanted to.

"I know, querida...I know...But just remember that she would want you to be happy. She didn't live her life, loving you so much, to have you be this upset. I know that it hurts. I really do. But remember that she is always with you. As I am," he whispered lightly into your ear. He then placed a gentle kiss on your cheek. Then he placed another on your hair. You buried your face even harder into his strong shoulder. You were so grateful for him. You knew he was right. And just like your Nana before him, you knew he would continue to bring you happiness and strength for years to come. You moved back and placed a passionate kiss to his lips. He pushed back into you, allowing a single tear to flow down his bold features. He was glad he had gotten through to you, to have brought his amor back to him.

"Thank you, my dearest~ I love you so much-!" You pant desperately, holding him as close as you could as if you were afraid of losing him too. But he wasn't going anywhere. He wouldn't allow it.

"I love you, too, mi amor. And I will always be there for you."