Kate's POV:

I woke up with the faint beeping of a machine beside me. My body felt weak, every muscle weighed down as if I had been carrying the weight of the world. I blinked against the sunlight streaming through the curtains, my head turning slightly to see Lucio sitting slumped in the chair beside my bed, his face buried in his hands. The sight was strange—this man, the ever-commanding and controlled Lucio, looked vulnerable, like a storm had passed through him.

"Lucio?" My voice was barely above a whisper, cracking from dehydration and exhaustion.

His head snapped up, his green eyes meeting mine. Relief flooded his expression before he quickly masked it with his usual stoic demeanor. He stood, moving to my side with a mix of urgency and hesitation.

"You're awake," he said, his voice softer than I expected.

I tried to sit up, but my body rebelled, and I sank back into the pillows. Lucio immediately moved to adjust them, his hands surprisingly gentle. "Don't push yourself, Kate."

"How long...?" I trailed off, my throat dry. He poured water from the pitcher on the bedside table and held the glass to my lips, his hand steady as I drank.

"You've been out for nearly a day," he said, his jaw tightening. "You fainted from exhaustion and starvation. What were you thinking?"

I looked away, unable to meet his gaze. The guilt and shame clawed at me, but so did the stubborn part of me that didn't want to explain myself to him. "I wasn't thinking," I muttered.

"No kidding," he snapped, and I flinched at the harshness of his tone. His expression softened immediately, and he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Kate, I... I'm sorry. I should have noticed. I should have been there."

His words caught me off guard. Lucio never apologized—not to me, not to anyone. I stared at him, unsure of how to respond. "It's not your fault," I said finally, though the words felt hollow.

"It is," he said firmly, leaning against the side of the bed. "I made you feel like you couldn't rely on anyone. I pushed you to this point."

I wanted to argue, to tell him he was wrong, but the truth was, he wasn't. Still, hearing him admit it out loud felt strange, almost unsettling.

"Can you help me to the bathroom?" I asked, changing the subject. My pride was screaming at me to get up on my own, but my body had other plans.

Lucio nodded, slipping an arm under my shoulders to help me sit up. His touch was firm but careful, and I found myself leaning into him more than I intended. When I tried to stand, my legs buckled beneath me, and he caught me effortlessly, scooping me into his arms.

"You could've just asked me to carry you," he said with a smirk, his earlier tension momentarily replaced by his usual arrogance.

"I'm not helpless," I shot back, though my voice lacked its usual bite.

"You're stubborn," he retorted, carrying me into the bathroom and setting me down gently. "Do you need me to stay?"

I felt my cheeks flush. "No! I can manage."

He smirked again, the corner of his mouth twitching. "Suit yourself. But yell if you need me."

He left, closing the door behind him. I sat there for a moment, collecting myself. My reflection in the mirror caught my attention—pale skin, dark circles under my eyes, hair a tangled mess. I looked like a ghost of myself. With a deep breath, I splashed cold water on my face, willing myself to feel human again.

When I came back out, Lucio was leaning against the doorframe, waiting. His arms were crossed, and his piercing green eyes studied me with an intensity that made me want to squirm.

"You're not eating just to spite me, aren't you?" he asked, his tone laced with exasperation.

"No," I said, my voice quiet. "It's not about you, Lucio."

"Then what is it about, Kate?" His voice softened, his frustration giving way to genuine concern. "Why are you doing this to yourself?"

I hesitated, the words caught in my throat. How could I explain something that didn't make sense even to me? "I don't know," I admitted, my shoulders slumping. "It's just... easier this way."

"Easier?" He stepped closer, his eyes narrowing. "Starving yourself, fainting, making me lose my goddamn mind—how is any of that easier?"

"Because I don't feel like I deserve it!" The words burst out of me before I could stop them. My hands trembled as I clenched them into fists. "I don't deserve the food, the care, the attention. I don't deserve any of it, Lucio."

He froze, his expression unreadable. For a long moment, the only sound in the room was the faint hum of the air conditioning. Then, to my surprise, he reached out and gently cupped my face, his thumb brushing away a tear I hadn't realized had fallen.

"Don't you dare say that," he said, his voice low and fierce. "You deserve everything, Kate. You deserve to be cared for, to be happy, to live a life that isn't filled with pain and self-doubt. And I'll be damned if I let you destroy yourself because of some twisted belief that you're not enough."

His words hit me like a tidal wave, breaking through the walls I'd spent so long building. I collapsed into him, my tears soaking his shirt as he held me tightly. He didn't say anything more, just let me cry until there was nothing left.

That night, he stayed by my side, refusing to leave even after I begged him to go. He sat in the chair beside the bed, watching over me like a silent sentinel. And for the first time in a long time, I felt a glimmer of hope—a fragile, tentative thing, but there nonetheless. Maybe, just maybe, I wasn't as alone as I thought.

Lucio stayed by my side the entire night. Each time I woke up, his figure was there, a steady presence in the dimly lit room. His head rested against the back of the chair, his eyes closed, but I knew he wasn't asleep. His fingers tapped lightly on the armrest, a small habit of his when he was deep in thought.

Morning arrived quietly. The first rays of sunlight crept through the blinds, casting a soft glow over the room. My throat was dry, my body weak, but the pain in my chest—the emotional ache—felt a little lighter. Lucio stirred as I shifted in bed, his sharp green eyes snapping open instantly, locking onto mine.

"You're awake," he said softly, his voice rough with fatigue.

"You didn't have to stay," I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes, I did." His reply was firm, and he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "You don't get to push me away, Kate. Not anymore."

His words hung in the air, heavy with meaning. I wanted to argue, to tell him he didn't understand, but a part of me was too tired to fight. Instead, I nodded slightly, looking away from the intensity of his gaze.

"I should probably get up," I said after a long pause.

"You're not moving until you eat," Lucio said, standing abruptly. "I'm not letting you skip another meal. And if you try to pull that stunt again—" He stopped himself, taking a deep breath. "Just... don't."

"Lucio, I—"

"No excuses," he cut me off. "Stay here. I'll be back."

Before I could respond, he left the room, his footsteps heavy as he descended the stairs. I stared after him, feeling a mix of guilt and something I couldn't quite name. Comfort? Security? Whatever it was, it was foreign, unfamiliar. It scared me.

He returned a few minutes later with a tray in hand. The smell of warm toast and scrambled eggs wafted into the room, making my stomach growl despite my determination to resist. He set the tray on the bedside table, his movements deliberate and calm.

"Eat," he commanded, sitting back in his chair.

"I'm not hungry," I lied, looking anywhere but at him.

"Kate," he said, his tone warning. "Do you really want to test me right now?"

I glanced at him hesitantly. The tension in his jaw, the tightness in his posture—it was clear he wasn't in the mood for games. With a resigned sigh, I picked up the fork and took a small bite. The food was warm, comforting, and my body betrayed me by craving more.

Lucio's shoulders relaxed slightly as he watched me eat, though his eyes never left me. "See? Not so hard," he muttered.

I rolled my eyes but didn't respond, focusing instead on the plate. When I'd eaten most of the food, I set the fork down and leaned back against the pillows. Lucio nodded approvingly but didn't say anything, his silence more comforting than I'd expected.

After breakfast, I felt a little stronger, enough to sit up without feeling like I'd collapse. Lucio stayed nearby, his presence a constant reminder that I wasn't alone. We didn't talk much—he wasn't the type to fill the silence with unnecessary words—but there was an unspoken understanding between us.

"Why do you care so much?" I blurted out suddenly, the question slipping out before I could stop it.

Lucio looked at me, his expression unreadable. "What kind of question is that?"

"You barely tolerate me most of the time," I said, my voice quieter now. "You say you hate me. So why do you care if I eat? If I'm okay?"

He leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees as he studied me. "I don't hate you, Kate," he said finally. "I've never hated you."

I frowned, confused. "Then why do you act like—"

"Because I'm an idiot," he interrupted, running a hand through his dark hair. "Because I don't know how to handle this... handle you."

"Me?" I asked, my confusion growing.

"You make me feel things I haven't felt in a long time," he admitted, his voice low. "Things I thought I'd buried. And that scares the hell out of me."

I stared at him, my heart pounding in my chest. His honesty caught me off guard, leaving me unsure of what to say.

"You're not alone, Kate," he continued, his gaze locking onto mine. "Not anymore. So stop punishing yourself. Stop shutting me out."

I opened my mouth to respond, but no words came. The raw vulnerability in his eyes, the quiet plea in his voice—it was too much. I nodded instead, the simple gesture carrying all the weight of the unspoken promise between us.

The rest of the day passed quietly. Lucio stayed by my side, keeping a watchful eye on me as I rested. It was strange, having someone care for me like this, but I couldn't deny the comfort it brought. For the first time in a long time, I didn't feel like I had to face the darkness alone.

As night fell, I drifted off to sleep, Lucio's presence a steady anchor in the chaos of my thoughts.