Obscure Occurrences |C. BAREBONE|

☛ Eleven ☚

• December, 1925 •

He was on a murky street corner, surrounded by a swarm of people but he wasn't any warmer. His threadbare jacket didn't even protect him against ice, cold wind. Nothing could save him from the biting winter air.

Credence just wished for a nearby fire and maybe a loving smile. And with that he realised how long it had been since he had seen her.

It had been five days and Genevieve hadn't attempted to contact him. Of course she couldn't send a letter because of Mary Lou or transfer a message through another person. Yet he desired he could do just that if she couldn't. Maybe... He could. However, he wasn't able to pull his letter together before small, thin arms wrapped around his neck.

At first he flinched and expected some form of strangulation. But Genevieve's hugs weren't that strong and he realised he was fine by the time she pulled away and smiled up at him.

Those eyes... He had missed them as he consciously dropped the leaflets and held her tightly. Genevieve was forced to bury her head into his shoulder, just to smell the murky aroma of his unclean body. She didn't care though, it smelt familiar and inviting. He was her best friend after all, he had to be her pillar of normality.

"What are you doing here?" he whispered quietly, their bodies engulfed in smoke as he spoke quietly.

"I snuck out" Genevieve replied, her voice full of glee when she once again pulled away. Credence could see the joy coating her silver orbs, it was apparent and like sunlight. Pure and undiluted.

"What about your Father?",

"What he never knows won't kill him" Genevieve smiled before untangling their arms and gripping his hand tightly in her own. That's when she led him into a nearby café, seeming to be open until late night.

Hurriedly, they sat themselves in the corner of the shop and hid from the view of the window, they didn't want to be seen. Especially, once Credence told Genevieve Chastity was out on the same night.
Genevieve refused for him to be caught. So they kept small and in the background noise of late night chatter and clatter of cutlery.

While they sat opposite one another, Credence and Genevieve intertwined their fingers upon the table with their hands meeting in the middle.

"How have you been?" Genevieve asked from the silence between them. It was pregnant with questions.

"Fine..." he mumbled back.

"Good, I was hoping you were well" Genevieve announced as she pressed her palms against his, just to skim the rigid scars against the balls of his hands. Oddly enough, she liked them. She knew they held such traumatic memories. But to her, when she felt them against her skin Genevieve knew she was home.

"W-What about you?" He asked as he leaned closer to the table.

"Good, I went to meet a family my Father works for. I made a new friend... You would like her, her name's Emma",

"She... She sounds nice".

"Yes, she is" Genevieve smiled, keeping the intention behind the dinner to herself. She didn't want Credence to think she would leave him. Especially for an arrogant fool like Henry Shaw Jr. 
"Maybe you could meet her one day...".

Credence nodded in agreement- despite knowing he would never be introduced.

She's too embarrassed of you, of course you'll never meet her an ominous voice whispered against his thoughts. Yet, he once again pushed them away.

"And we could go ice-skating. I heard from my Father that a skating rink is open at Central Park for a few days", that was another lie.
Polly told her, her suitor's mother.

"I-I would enjoy that" he announced, finally raising the volume of his voice as his black eyes flickered up.

"I can't skate that well, but we could learn together".

"It will be fun" he tried to smile.

"Extremely... Because, you know... You'll be there" and with that, Genevieve squeezed his hands and ordered them both a hot drink. It was going to be a long night.

As he sipped on the sweet, hot chocolate Genevieve had ordered; she proceeded to observe his every movement. He appeared so vulnerable and sweet and Genevieve was only wishing to meet another side of Credence. Each day was an adventure through his mind and she revelled in his soothing aura.

"Genevieve..." he spoke up at last, breaking her from her daydream.

"Yes?",

"Why do you come here?... W-Why do you meet me?" He asked with a vulnerability.

"I come here because I want to. Isn't that obvious?" Genevieve announced, leaving him to contemplate her questioning.

When he didn't answer, Genevieve pushed further and shuffled her chair around to be right beside him.
Credence could feel her breath on his ear, feel her exhales tickle his jaw and her eyes study him with a widened curiosity. The only thing she didn't do -which she desired to- was run her fingers lightly over the broad, bridge of his sharp nose.

"Why do you doubt my intentions Credence?" Genevieve proceeded to ask as she tilted her head to see him clearly.

"P-People don't do this... I-I'm not supposed to h-have this" he stumbled.

"Why? You deserve it, just as I do",

"No, I don't-" he said as he raised his head to capture her image fully, "- people like me- f-freaks like me are not allowed this".

At that horrid word, freak, Genevieve shuddered. Ultimately, causing her to cup his face in her hands and forcibly turn his head toward her.

Credence couldn't look away as his eyes glazed over with fear. Had he done something wrong? What had he done?...

He honestly didn't want to know. He just wanted her to like him. He wanted this to be real.

"Don't you ever say that-" Genevieve whispered harshly, "- you are not a freak. You could never be a freak because you are too soft, too kind, too beautiful and...-" she breathed out with a shuddering sensation, "-you are just absolutely breathtaking".

By now, Credence expected the whole café to be staring at the peculiar couple. A girl in such fine clothing with a boy with a simple appearance. They didn't match, they didn't join together in perfect compatibility. That is why he couldn't surrender to the boiling heat in his gut.

"You don't mean that" he whispered.

"But I do-" Genevieve replied with an identical tone, "- I never meant something so strongly".

"T-Then why me?" He asked, trying to find some betrayal in her words.

"Because Credence... It just had to be you".