Tom Riddle - Downfall

Chapter 55: Home

We didn't say a word the whole way home, but Tom never let go of my hand. We took the train, but unfortunately, I left my broom at Hogwarts. Riding the train and Tom Riddle, a combination I could never have imagined, but right now, he just wants to be with me.

We went into my mother's small house and I put my finger to my lips, because my mother was probably already asleep. We go quietly into my room, and I close the door behind us. Then I whisper, "My mother is asleep, I'll explain everything to her tomorrow, and she won't mind. Of course, I'll only tell her the bare minimum. " Tom nods in agreement and stands in my room, completely disoriented. My room isn't very feminine, more mahogany wood, and there are books all over the desk, old books from my research. "Are you okay?" I say softly and lean my forehead against his. I can tell he is a little bit overwhelmed by the environment, but at the same time, he looks very relaxed and comfortable. I'm the most familiar thing in this whole room. He closes his eyes and leans his forehead against mine, too, and takes a deep breath.
"You know? I think I really needed this. I've been feeling so alone. So lost. So... tired and afraid. But you...I feel like I'm already home when I'm with you." I gently kiss his cheek and help him out of his jacket because he seems to be in pain. There are bloodstains on his shirt, but I try to remain unimpressed. I don't want him to think I'm judging him. I don't want to justify what happened, but I know he's not a monster.

"Do you want to shower? I have my own bathroom..." I point at the blood at the same time, and he looks kind of dirty too. He must have been through a lot. He nods and lets me help him out of his clothes, and it's not hard to see that he's a bit exhausted, and his body definitely went through a lot during this summer. But he's not upset when I bring up the dirty subject. In fact, he looks very grateful in his eyes. He nods again, and the two of us walk towards the bathroom. Tom steps inside without any hesitations, and he begins to undress himself. Then suddenly he snaps his head towards m3 and whispers: "Can we...can we shower together? Please?" I nod and undress because the hot shower does me good too. I can feel that he's in a bad state, but it's still a super intimate moment that we're sharing. We show ourselves vulnerable in front of each other. I take a sponge and lather him up while he leans his head on my shoulder as if he's looking for support. The warm water washes away his exhaustion as he leans against me in the shower. His head is almost completely resting on me now, and his eyes are closed. His muscles relax, and he leans more and more against my body. Then he whispers softly: "You don't look at me like I'm a bad person. Or a monster. You look at me like you're still ready to love me... how? How are you still able to do this..."
I whisper in his ear, "I know who you really are, Tom. And I can not stop loving you."
I stroke his hair while he still has his head on my shoulder. And he strokes my cheek while the water splashes on us. This moment is almost too pure. It's as if the whole world has melted away, and now it's just the two of us in this shower together. My fingers caressing his hair as they move through the strands, and he keeps on stroking the side of my face... There is nothing else in the world that matters more right now than this.

After a few minutes, I gently take his face from my shoulder and look at him. He takes my cheek, takes a deep breath, and then kisses me intensely. We kiss for several minutes, and then our heads lean against each other, and I feel his breath on my face. "Let's get out of the shower. You really need to get some sleep and we'll see tomorrow, okay?" He nods, and we step out of the shower together. He's still dripping wet, but his touch is softer now as he takes my hand in his. He looks straight into my eyes as I lead the way. We enter my bed, and he gets next to me and pulls the covers over us. Then he cuddles up to me and leans his body against mine, and he holds me close. His breath is still coming in short gulps as he finally starts to relax. He holds me tight, and I can feel his breath on the back of my neck. We fall asleep together without talking. But words aren't even necessary. I know he's going through a lot, and I just want to be there for him. Tom's breathing is so slow and peaceful now, and his body isn't moving at all anymore. We are cuddled up in each other's arms, the way it should be. I keep on holding onto him, and he is holding onto me. And I know that he needs me right now, and I want him to know that he is safe with me. It's a feeling of pure love and tenderness.

I wake up the next morning, and Tom is still asleep. I don't wake him up and want to go downstairs to talk to my mom. When I open the door, there's a note in front of it
"Hey Luci, saw you had a visitor. I'm in town to do a few things. Maybe you can introduce him to me later. Mom"
My mom is just the most caring. I knew she wouldn't be angry, and when I go into the kitchen, there's even a fresh pot of coffee for us. I take two cups and run back upstairs. When I walk back up the stairs, I see that the morning sun has already made it inside of my bedroom, and it's shining on the bed where Tom is still asleep. His face still looks calm and relaxed, but I can tell that he hasn't slept very well. He looks very peaceful, though, and I can't help but think how beautiful he is like this. Then I walk up to him and start to caress his hair, hoping that it will slowly bring him back into consciousness. "Tom..my darling..wake up" I say gently and put the cups down next to the bed.