“You prove time and time again that I made the right decision in hiring you. Very well, I’ll add it to the list. Shipments usually come in on Tuesday, so it will be here by then.” He stepped back, making space for you to turn the chair. “I’m looking forward to seeing your plans put into action.”
You smiled, tired but proud of yourself, “Thank you.” When you let go of the mouse, you stretched your fingers, which ached from all the writing you’d been doing, and from how tight you held your pen out of sheer nervousness.
“May I?” Silco asked, and when you looked up at him, he had a hand stretched out towards you, palm up like an offering.
“…huh?” you said, confused.
“Your hand,” he said, softly, “You’ve been holding yourself together all day. You’re hurting.”
Something in his voice, gentle, grounded, made your throat tighten. You nodded.
Silco took your hand. Bare skin to bare skin, his touch was warm, steady, deliberate. Not possessive, but not tentative either. Intentional, like everything about him.
He turned your hands over slowly, thumbs pressing lightly into your palms where tension had settled. The contact sent a quiet shiver up your arms—not startling, not overwhelming. Just… real.
“You did well,” he said softly. “And not because of any result. Because you trusted yourself.”