Intertwined ~ Credence Barebone

06: The Confession

"O-oh! I apologize! I am sorry! Please!"
I furrowed my eyebrows and peeked between my fingers and saw him cowering down on the back wall of the shower in a fetal position holding his hands out.
My face fell and my heart dropped. I immediately pushed away my embarrassment and crouched down beside the tub.
"Credence. Look at me" I spoke gently reaching my hands out to pull his trembling ones away from his face.
"No. I-I am dirty! I deserve to be p-punished!" He exclaimed, his tear filled eyes cast downward at the tub floor.
I furrowed my eyebrows.
"Dirty? Credence what do you m-" I stopped midsentence when I let my eyes drop down to his groin.
I felt my eyes widened and my face flushed again as I realized what he was upset about.
I tried not to stare as to spare him from his embarrassment but from the glance I had gotten he was larger than the average man and he was hard.
"Credence, hun. Listen to me. What your body is doing is completely natural. You are not dirty you are human and you are a man. These things happen" I explained, bringing my hands to either side of his face and forcing his eyes to meet my own.
"N-No these things don't happen! Only when I am with you" he whimpered.
My breath caught in my throat as my brain tried to process the fact that Credence has just unknowingly admitted he was attracted to me.
"Credence. Finish cleaning up and get dressed. I will explain this better over a cup of hot tea okay?" I suggested standing up and extending my hand out to him.
He hesitated for a minute or so still shaking slightly before he reached out and grabbed my hand.
"O-Okay. I am so sorry Thea" he apologized again.
"You have absolutely nothing to apologize for Credence " I frowned before leaving the bathroom so he could finish with some privacy.
The second I left the bathroom my mind was filled with overlapping thoughts and my heart raced violently in my chest.
"Cynthea Margaret what on earth are you doing!" I scolded myself as I made my way to my bedroom.
I quickly changed into a white silk nightgown.
I sat down at the end of my bed and let my thoughts consume me as I ran a brush through my hair.
If the MACUSA finds out about us we are totally and completely screwed. How can I get involved with him without taking out that evil wench and angering the MACUSA? I could ignore it and allow him to suffer through her but what kind of life would that be for him? Wait- am I actually contemplating being with a no-maj right now? Never in my 25 years of life did I see myself doing this.
"Thea?"
I jerked from my thoughts once again and turned my head to see Credence now clothed and looking rather embarrassed as well as ashamed.
"Oh, Credence. Come sit" I used my hand that was free to pat the bed beside me as I finished brushing my hair.
He walked slowly towards me, looking down at his feet the entire time, not once meeting eyes with me.
As he finally reached the bed and sat down beside me I sat my brush down.
"Credence. How do you feel about me?" I asked cautiously.
His eyes flew up to mine as he blushed and immediately became a stuttering mess.
"Y-You a-are ver-very pretty! I rea-really like b-being with you"
I blushed softly myself.
"I think you are very handsome Credence and I also enjoy my time with you" I explained.
His face went flush again and began stuttering again but this time I was struggling to understand him.
"I-I re-really- well I do not- can we- d-do you-"
I sighed as a small amount of courage built up in my stomach.
"I am gonna get in so much trouble for this but screw it"
I leaned foreward and cupped Credence's face with my hands before quickly placing my lips on top of his.
I closed my eyes and took in the welcoming feeling of his calloused lips on my soft ones.
He froze up and I knew he had never kissed anyone before so I backed off, sitting back where I once was and removing my hands from his face.
"I apologize if that startled you Credence" I blushed, smiling softly at him.
"N-No! I apologize! I-I have never..." he trailed off bring his hand up and tracing the pads of his fingers over his lips.
I smiled again at his reaction and his seemingly curiosity at the sensation of the kiss.
His eyes met mine again and I was surprised to not see the usual fear lingering behind them.
"C-Can you do tha-that again?"
I couldn't help but laugh softly before leaning into him again and placing my lips on his.
This time I felt him begin to experiment moving his lips on my own, and I slowly followed suit, being wary of overwhelming him.
I felt lingering thoughts entice my mind but I quickly shook them off.
That would be too much too fast. I need to go at Credence's pace.
Pulling away from him we both panted slightly.
"I love you" he blurted out all of a sudden.
My eyes widened and my head snapped up in his direction.
H-He what?
His eyes immediately widened at the realization of what he just confessed.
" I-I apologize! I should not have said that!" He panicked and looked away from me as I watched his shrink back into himself.
Without thinking I lunged for him.
He flinched back but stilled as I wrapped my arms tightly around his stomach and buried my face in his chest.
I felt tears slowly fall from the corners of my eyes.
"T-Thea?" He sounded confused and his large hands made they way to my back.
"I have never met anyone who has made me feel the way you make me feel. I had thought I knew what love felt like but I think I mistook it as the feeling of enjoying being loved by someone else. I know we have known each other for an extremely short amount of time but I feel safe in your arms and under your touch. I love you too Credence Barebone" I pulled back from him sniffling slightly.
His eyes stared at me in shock and almost immediately welled up with tears.
He quickly pulled me back into him.
Closing my eyes, I rested my head on his shoulder enjoying his warmth and affectionate presence.
"I apologize if we are moving too quickly" Credence spoke quietly.
I was shocked at his words but I was also taken back by the fact that he had not stuttered once.
"Credence, we have not done anything I have not consented to. You make me happy. We just have to be careful" I warned him.
"Of my mother?" He asked.
I hesitated.
"Yes. I don't know what I would do if she were to hurt you because of us being together" I explained.
I wasn't lying I just wasn't telling him everything I was concerned about...
Suddenly pulled back from me and cupped my face into his hands forcing me to meet his eyes.
I looked up at him startled.
"What are you-"
"If my mother hurts me in order for me to still see you it would be worth the pain. I can bear the pain of her leather belt but I could not bear the pain of not seeing you again"
I blushed darkly, my entire face including my eyes feeling warm.
"Please don't leave me" he whispered into my ear as he rested his chin on my shoulder.
"I could never possibly leave you my dear Credence" I whispered.
After a bit more cuddling we finally pulled our bodies apart.
"I should leave. I will already be punished for being late already" Credence whispered leaning down and pulling me into a hug.
I frowned and the thought but knew he was right.
"I know.. I am so sorry. When will I see you again?" I frowned.
"Thursdays Mother takes Chasity and Modesty out to help her gather more orphans to help her cause. She leaves me home because she says I will scare them off. I will come to you then" he explained taking my hands.
"A whole week...." I frowned glancing down at our hands.
"Any other time and Mother will notice. We are always out preaching but it's too risky for us to meet there" He sighed also saddened by the time between now and then.
"I will miss you" I smiled softly before leaving a small chaste kiss on his lips.
He smiled and returned the kiss before leaving another one on my forehead.
"Are my clothes dry?" He asked.
My eyes widened slightly and I realized I'd never hung them up.
Swirling my index finger behind my back I did a quick spell.
"Yes, the should be hanging up in the bathroom" I quickly explained.
"The bathroom? I did not see them in there earlier?" Credence looked at me doubtfully.
"They are there! Promise!" I smiled before leading him back downstairs to the bathroom to reveal his now dry clothing hanging on a coat hanger over the door.
"O-Oh.. I guess I did n-not see them..." he blushed embarrassed.
"Y-Yea" I laughed anxiously rubbing the back of my neck.
I turned my back to him for a moment to slide the shower curtain back in place when I felt one of Credence's hands grab the back of my upper bicep and the other one move my hair over my shoulder.
"Credence-?"
"What is this" he tone was different, he was concerned and distressed.
Suddenly I felt Credence trailing the pads of his fingers diagonally across my back.
I knew what he was tracing on my back, a large scar that ran from below my left shoulder blade down to just above my right hip.
I was surprised he had noticed it from underneath my hair but it was my fault for wearing a night gown with nearly no back.
"Someone hurt you?" He frowned deeply.
I quickly turned my back away from him, embarrassed and also somewhat ashamed of the hideous mark that plagued to porcelain skin of my back.
"Like I said. I never experienced an affectionate touch until I was 15 years old" I referred to the story I had told him earlier.
"Who" his face became angry and dark.
I was startled by his sudden demeanor and I felt a slight energy in the air that I could not quite explain.
Maybe I accidentally sent energy into the air while we were kissing
I quickly shrugged off the thought and looked back at Credence.
"Clement Lavet. The rich bastard who lives on sixth street. I guess I stepped in the way of his carriage when I was 12 and rather than whipping his horse to move around, he whipped me" I explained.
He already dark eyes seemed to go almost black for a moment.
I frowned and quickly leaned into him and placed a soft kiss on his lips.
"Forget about it now. It has been many years. I am fine" I hummed against his lips.
He hesitated not entirely confused but seemed to let it go anyways and grabbed his clothes from the door.
I left the bathroom and waited for him in the living room.
Credence got dressed and gave me one last kiss before quickly leaving the apartment.
I watched as he immediately put his guard up the second he took a step out of my apartment and his fearful demeanor returned to him seemingly instantaneously.
I sighed watching him walk away into the night.
Closing the door I made my way back inside my apartment and into my bedroom.
I glanced at the window seeing it was I pitch black outside.
Removing my Robe I allowed myself to sink into the comfort of my bed and let the exhaustion of the latest event in my life, lure me into a deep sleep.
But that's when the real nightmare began.