Don't Worry • Credence Barebone X Reader

Twenty-Eight

You walked down the streets. The snow was pushed to the sides of the sidewalk and it was dark and wet and cold. You wrapped your coat tightly around you, trying to break the wind blowing against your body. Your face was frozen as tears fell down it. Your eyes were burning from the wind. You were miserable. But the biggest discomfort was that Credence was out there someone, in this awful weather with no coat. The reason he was out here was you, and you couldn't live with yourself.

You were frantic.
You didn't know where he could be, or if he could find his way back. So many thoughts were running through your head at the same time.

After what felt like hours of searching, you decided to turn back home.
You got to your front door and stumbled in from the cold weather. Your mother rushed to you when you came in. "I c-couldn't find him." You cried. You hadn't stopped crying since you left.
"Let's get you warm." You mother said, practically carrying you to the living room.

She sat you down on the couch, in front of the fireplace. She wrapped a blanket around you and rubbed your arms, trying to get you warm.
"It's all my fault." You said a while later. You stared into the fire as tears ran down your cheeks. "If I hadn't gone, he never would have ran away. How could I have been so selfish?" You burst into tears, leaning into your mothers arms. "Shhhhh." She said, running her fingers through your hair. "He'll come back. I know he will."
"But what if he can't find his way back?" Your voice was muffled from her hug. "Everything is going to be alright." She told you, as you continued to sob into your her as the fire lit the room.

"I'm going to head up to bed, you should do the same." Your mother said, after your crying slowed down. "I'm going to stay up." You said, adjusting yourself on the couch. "Honey-" "Mom, I have to be there if- when he comes back." You cut in. She nodded, leaning over to kiss your forehead. "Good night." She said as she walked out of the room.
Without meaning to you dosed off on the couch after she went upstairs.

You woke up to the sound of the door being shut. It was so quiet, but you slept so lightly, not wanting to miss when he came back. You quickly rushed toward the front door, but nothing was there. Your heart sank and you bowed your head, feeling tears form in your eyes. You suddenly heard a creak on the stairs. You rushed over to the bottom of the steps. There he was, slowly making his way up the stairs. "Credence." You said, worriedly through your tears. "What are you doing?" You said as you took a step up. "I'm going to bed." He turned to face you. You could tell he was really upset. It broke your heart to know you hurt him. "I was out looking for you." You started. "I'm so sorry, Credence. So sorry." You trailed off, bowing your head. Little did you know, Credence saw you out looking for him. He hadn't gone far from the house because he was scared he couldn't find his way back. But he hid, not wanting to talk to you.

You looked back up to see him in his hunched position. "Can we talk?" You whispered. With his head still bowed, he turned it a little, resting it on his shoulder. "Please?" You said, reaching out your hand. He began to walk down the stairs, not taking your hand. He passed you, your hand still extended. Your heart broke into a million pieces. He never refused your touch.

You walked into the living room and sat on the couch. He sat so uncomfortably, like he sat when he came to your house for the first time. You stared at your hands in your lap. "I'm so sorry." You whispered. "I never should have left you. It was stupid and selfish and I'm sorry." The words went out into the deafening silence. You both sat there, quiet for a while. "I understand why you're upset." You said after a minute later. "I don't blame you. It's all my fault." You started to cry again.

So much was weighing on Credence. All of these feelings and emotions bottled up inside of him. "Remember that night when we- when we d-danced in the kitchen?" He started. The sound of his voice caught you off guard. Your head shot up at him speaking. "Yeah." You whispered. "I said, 'don't leave me.' And you said 'never.'" He mumbled out. "You told me I didn't have to worry." His voice started to shake from his emotions. Your heart sank. "I'm no better than Graves." You sobbed, ashamed of what you had done. You pulled your legs against your chest, trying to comfort yourself. You rested your head on your knees and sobbed uncontrollably.

Credence sat uncomfortably beside you. He wanted so badly to comfort you, but he didn't know how. He was still upset with you, but he knew he could never stay mad. He watched you as you cried to yourself. "You were starting to get back into the world." You started, after getting yourself together a bit. "You were making progress, healing. And I totally ruined everything." You held back the tears as best you could. "If you don't want me anymore, I understand." The words stung as they left your mouth. Credence's heart fell at what you had just said.

"Aunt Florence said I was weighing you down. She said you'll never have a normal life with me around." He said, staring at his hands in his lap. "Credence, no." You lifted your head to look at him. You scooted closer to him, hoping he wouldn't back away. "You are not weighing me down. You have helped me in ways you don't understand." You paused, gathering the words. "Back in high school, Will and I were close, really close." Credence's heart stung at the mention of the name. "I've wanted to live in New York for as long as I can remember. And the night before I was going to leave, Will came to the door. He asked me to stay here, with him. He was pretty much asking me to marry him." You took a second to breathe. "I told him that it was my dream to live in New York, but he didn't seem to care. I got mad and broke it off. It wouldn't have worked anyway because he was still in Maine." You continued to tell him the story. "I, of course was heart broken. I still had feelings for him and it hurt to leave, but I knew what I wanted. He was always in my head and I got lonely being all alone in New York. Then I met you, and everything changed." You looked up at him. You saw his lips slightly curve in a smile. "I started thinking of Will less and less. Then you completely took over my thoughts." You told him. "Then you started to live with me and everything was perfect. Then we came here and you met my family and everything was going well, except for my aunt." You chuckled a little.

"Then this morning when I got the flowers and the note." Credence's head fell lower. "And I guess the past came rushing back all at once. I was flattered and I was excited. I wasn't thinking of you." Your voice trailed off. "But tonight when I got back. I told Will that I didn't have feelings for him." You paused. "He asked me if you were the reason, if I loved you. I told him that I loved you more than anything." Your heart pounded in your chest. "And I realized that since the second I walked out that door, I hadn't stopped thinking of you. Even at the party, seeing old schoolmates. The only person I wanted to see was you." The silence took over. You both sat there, soaking in the words. "I'm so sorry, Credence. I can't say it enough."
He suddenly lean into you. Your stomach flipped at his action. You quickly wrapped your arms around him, nuzzling your head into his neck. "I love you more than anything." You said to him. It was quiet for a while, then Credence said, "I love you forever." You melted into him, feeling all of the stress leave your body.

After a very long hug, you both let go. "It's really late." You said, tucking your hair behind your ear. "We should head to bed." You stood up, straightening your dress. "Are you warm now?" You asked. "Yes." He whispered. "Will you?-" He started, nervously. "Sure." You smiled. He extended out his hand in front of you. You placed your hand in his and walked to the stairs.

You both laid on your backs in your bed, thinking about all that had happened that day. "Good night, Credence." You said, turning over on your side, away from him. "Good night." He said quietly. He turned on the same side as you, staring at the back of you. He shyly placed his hand on your waist. The touch startled you, but you put your fingers in between his and pulled his arm around you. He scooted closer to you, his face resting against your hair. His breath was warm on the back of your neck. "Don't leave me again." You said, into the silence. "Only if you won't leave me." He whispered. You smiled, scooting closer against him. "Never again."