runnning-outof-time - Tumblr blog

runnning-outof-time · 46 minutes ago

Text

Ok Flor I’m finally here and ready to jump into the world of Rose and James!

What an amazing starting point this is for their Great War story! 🤩 I love how you’ve introduced them - giving some backstory while telling the readers where they are in that moment….where we first find them.

Reading this line: “At least if I die here, now I know no one is going to miss me.” broke my heart! At the same time though I was like ‘no, sir, your world’s about to change for the better soon!!’ … it’s terrible that he’s fighting in the war, going through such unthinkable things, and now has to deal with the fact that his fianceé has called off the engagement and is pregnant with someone else’s baby. I’m sure he’s better off without her though.

I love how you’ve set them both up as not wanting to find another person … they’ve tried love and its failed them so why go through that again?? Both of their worlds are going get rocked soon, aren’t they? 🤭

And the Northern Lights!!! I love that that’s their thing!! The universe was telling them something…and the fact that they were looking at the same sky and pondering on those same lights has my heart full!

I can’t wait to see what brings them together!! 🥰

True Colours • Part I

RxJ masterlist

Summary: 1915. Seven month passed since the Great War started and the whole world seems to be a different one because of it. In middle of the battlefield, in that cold French winter, an Irish Sargent called James Thorne receives news from home that wasn't expecting at all. In London, despite the war, some suffragettes are still fighting their own battle for what they deserve. || Rare but not impossible, the northern lights appear in both countries and they watch at them, unaware they have a deeper meaning than the one they believe.

Warnings: Topics related to WWI. Cheating. Past abuse.

Words: 2.1 k. || Series Masterlist

1915.

"Claude is dead, Sargent Thorne."

A boy, younger than he was, was holding his helmet and his face was covered in blood and mud. His eyes green as the landscape around them were wide open and James could see the panic in them.

How old was he? 18? 19? There was no way that the private in front of him were over twenty-one.

"The body is still there?"

"There's no body, sir. It was a bomb and…"

"It's okay," he interrupted "Go and rest, soldier."

"Yes, sir" the boy said, saluting him before walking to the trenches.

Another one. Another family who had lost a son, husband or father. Maybe all of those together. And another family who wasn't going to have a grave where to mourn him. James just turned away and following the steps of the young boy, went to the trenches, too. Only six months passed since he arrive at France to fight and he was already indifferent to the amount of dead soldiers day after day. But there was no other option, thinking too much about those poor men it was going to affect him and the rest. They needed to keep fighting.

Yet, sometimes, it was extremely difficult.

There was a letter waiting for him when he arrived there. Letters were a thing all men there considered a treasure. They usually contained pictures of their girlfriends or wives and sweet words from them that they didn't waste time to reciprocate.

This time James read it and his face remained serious. That was an awful day in several aspects. He put the envelope in his pocket and threw the letter into the fire that men use to warm them up.

He should've guessed.

It wasn't until early night that Jared, his older brother, finally could sit next to him. All three brothers were on age to fight and none could escape from that fate. Fortunately, for now at least, they were all alive.

"I can't feel my feet," Jared protested sitting next to him holding a dirty cup of tea in his hands. James barely looked at him. "I could trade my soul for a hot bath and an even hotter man. Ol' Conrad was right, this shit kills more souls than bodies. I miss home in ways I didn't think it was possible."

"Life is shit everywhere, Jared. The difference is the real word is decorated with flowers and butterflies but don't think it's better than this because it is not."

Jared frowned. "Okay, Thorne, what's going on?"

James' own breath and the smoke of the cigarette he had in his hand, covered his face in that cold night but Jared could see something was wrong in his eyes. After two more puffs, James replied:

"Anya returned the engagement ring to me. Also, she's four months pregnant and if I didn't see her in seven months, clearly isn't mine."

"Holy fuck, James. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I don't need pity and right now I don't need one of yours 'I told you', either."

"It's not pity, James and I'm not going to say that. Don't worry. At least she had the decency to give you the ring back, isn't she?"

"It's the least she could do. Fuck her."

Fuck her.

"I hoped that things were going to work, really work, after this" James continued. He had his eyes fixed on a tree but his mind was beyond it. "Obviously not. We were condemned to fail from the beginning. How fucking idiot I am! I bought the ring thinking it was going to be the solution and she was already fucking that son of a bitch. Her rich boss, Gregory. I know the baby it's his. Who else? I always suspected that something else apart from work was happening between them and I confronted Anya but she called me insane. They probably laughed at me, even now I'm here."

"Maybe it was for the best, James."

"Maybe. At least if I die here, now I know no one is going to miss me."

"This is the second time this month, Mrs. Coldwell."

"Hopefully, will be a third one. How could I resist the hospitality y'all provide to me?"

The old chief filling the papers looked at her over his glasses. The war was claiming the souls of thousands of men but his personal war was against a group of activist women claiming for rights that according to him, they were never going to get. Women like Rose Coldwell should be grateful that conscription was just for males because otherwise, the ones in charge could be delighted to put people like her in the frontline.

"Go, Mrs. Coldwell. My man will give you your belongings."

"Hope you didn't steal anything," she said and the chief sighed.

"We're the good people here."

"I know plenty of women who could say the opposite."

"You should get a husband. A man will keep you out of troubles."

"I had one. Worst experience of my life. And I'm not a person who makes the same mistake twice. I will see you again, I know you're going to miss me."

Fucker.

Without further words, Rose examined her purse and bags before leaving the police station and confirmed that everything she had was still there.

The spirits around England, at least London, weren't the best. Most of the women that used to protest with her were now working on factories to help with the war, in France as nurses or crying the death of their husbands, sons or friends. Yet, a group of them still were an active part of the riots against the king and Henry Asquith, the still Prime Minister. Fortunately, Rose didn't have anyone to mourn. His brother Samuel was fighting in Belgium but he wasn't in the frontline but helping with papers, being a professional lawyer had its advantages. As for little Louis, he was still a young boy and his age kept him saved from being called, but if the war continued over time, Rose was sure that even her youngest brother was going to answer the call. She offered a ticket for her mother and him to Canada where they could stay safe until the war was over but both of them refused the offer and it was understandable considering Samuel was far away. And in wartime, no one was really safe.

There were soldiers everywhere around London. Some going to battlefield, others coming back for a while before returning to hell. Those who were allowed to come back, it was common to see them in the streets around pubs or brothels. Some laughing out loud with their mates, others resting quietly against a tree or a wall. Others accepting the attention of women, because if anything, soldiers were a good prize to catch if you were a single woman.

Her car was still parked under the tree where she left the night before and she let out a sigh when was alone inside it. Her head in right moment ached like hell and was really tired and sored.

The price of fighting for justice.

"You should get a husband."

His voice and words resounded in her mind despite she tried to avoid it and she hated it a lot. At her 27 years old, she had been a widow for the last six years now. Rose was aware that everyone, except her mother and brothers, expected her to get married again. She was young and some men showed interested in getting married to her. But she also knew the truth: none of them were really interested in her but in the fortunate her late husband left in her hands. Lawrence Evert was a lord owner of lands and mines the family had for generations. The difference between him and his ancestors was that Lawrence Evert lacked intelligence. The lands and gold that in theory should be inherited by his younger brother in case of death, belonged to Rose because Lawrence accepted to sign legal papers that he shouldn't. Certainly no one expected him to die, not even Rose, but that mosquito infected with malaria that killed him was a blessing for her. Not only she was free but also rich in ways she never dreamt of.

A new husband meant that Rose's fortune was going to be legal his as soon as she became his wife and she as woman was going to have any right over it. And that was something she never was going to allow.

When was about money, desperate men were like leeches and she despised it. They were like pathetic creatures crawling on their knees in front of her, promising eternal love. No one managed to even get close to her and no one will.

Rose Coldwell didn't trust men and certainly she didn't allow them to even touch her hands.

Not always she was like this. There was a teenage girl who dreamt about getting married by love and daydreamed about a handsome man who was in love with her. She was 18 when all those dreams shattered like glass in thousands of pieces and it was the night that Lawrence Evert touched her for the first time and for the next three years. There was a word for that but Rose never said it out loud. The joyful girl she was once, now was a woman full of resentment against the opposite sex and every single man was for her a reason to spit on them.

"Get a husband," she snorted, starting the engine "fuck you, pig.

Instead of going to her school for girls and refuge for women she went to her house. Big and only inhabited by her, the housekeeper, her two maids and the ghosts of its previous owners it provided her with the comfort she needed in that moment. Pebblebrock, for now, could wait.

The French night was dark and cold. The quietness was welcomed by everyone there. By them and them, the enemies. Not always happened and most of the time all soldiers could hear were the bombs and shoots. The dark night was always illuminated by fire. But not tonight.

James was lost in his thoughts alone and unable to sleep. His arm was behind his head looking at the stars.

He never wanted kids but imagining Anya with a baby hit him harder than he was ready to confess. It could have been his, but it wasn't and the life he left in Dublin wasn't, and never was going to be, the same anymore. Maybe it was time to move to London as he wanted. His superiors allowed him to return to the UK the next morning for two weeks so he thought about looking for a place to live there once the war was over.

If I survive, he thought.

It was when, he saw it. A green light colouring the black sky. James blinked twice to confirm he wasn't dreaming or imagining things but clearly he wasn't because other men started to gasp, too. Those were the Northern lights.

It wasn't impossible, but it was absolutely rare to see them in France, yet they were there. Crossing the sky over his head like a magnificent show full of colours.

The legend of the Valkyries crossed his mind. For the vikings the Northern Lights meant that their god, Odin, had sent the Valkyries to retrieve the souls of fallen warriors. They believed that the aurora was light reflected from their battle armour. And Odin knew that the French battlefield was full of innocent souls.

James wasn't aware that another legend associated to the Aurora Borealis said that there was more in the world that mortals could think.

He remained in silence watching the lights and for some reason he felt comforted by them.

There was a massive black out in London that left the city in total darkness and no one knew why but until they could fix it, there was nothing people could do except for waiting. From her bedroom, Rose spied the sky and contemplated the stars. It was easy to forget they were there when you lived in middle of one of the most populated cities in the world and the lights were on day and night, making impossible to see them. It was a pity, because they were beautiful.

But there was something else apart from the stars that night, something she never saw before and only read in books. The Northern lights were illuminating the Londoner sky.

Rose ran the stairs down and opened the front door raising her eyes to see them more clearly. Maybe they were the reason for the black out. Wrapped in her nightgown, the woman couldn't help but think why that was happening. Why, when it was almost impossible for London to see them.

Tomorrow the newspapers were going to speak about it like a miracle but it was just Mother Nature showing mortals a show she had been doing for millions of years.

If that was completely unexpected and happened before they could see each other for the first time, it was just a coincidence.

Maybe.

I did my research and it's difficult but not impossible to see the aurora in both places. Accuracy before anything else. I was ready to move them to the North if I had too, but it wasn't necessary.

I love to associate characters with nature. Alfie and Rose have their willow tree that appears everywhere along with them, so, after my Game of Thrones AU and the little moodboard I made there, the northern lights are for her and James.

Thanks for reading!! ❤️.

@peakyswritings @littlepeakydevil @evita-shelby @call-sign-shark @brummiereader @zablife @hoodeddreams13 @cillmequick ||

@runnning-outof-time (in case you want to read it when you're back)

#10/10 would recommend #rose x james

23 notes · View notes

runnning-outof-time · 2 hours ago

Text

I love this Juli!!!

The look of the ‘oh shit this man is hot’ realization that forms on Eva’s face is golden … and meanwhile Jack’s just lounging there petting a pup 😆

trying out Jack with his alt face claim y'all

gifs by @franckeggelhoffer and @corneliagifs

#jack x eva

9 notes · View notes

runnning-outof-time · 4 hours ago

Text

Shark this reblog is long overdue .. I’m sorry it took me so long to share my thoughts on this amazing drawing you’ve created but please know that I’ve cherished it every moment since you shared it. 🥹🥹

You’ve done an amazing job at depicting Jane here — her hair is probably my favorite aspect of it because it’s perfect. The one thing about Jane in my mind that always stands out about her appearance is the whispy, loose strands that frame her face. It was something about Kaya’s appearance in Wuthering Heights that sucked me in immediately….I just knew Jane had to have it too. And you’ve shown that beautifully here! The loose curl, but still pulled back hairstyle that you’ve given her is exactly what I imagine her having when she wears her hair down.

I also need to take a moment for those eyes because damn Shark they took my breath away!! If she and Tommy ever have kids their eyes are going to be literal fricken oceans!! I swear I couldn’t stop staring into them … they’re almost hypnotic. And I love that even in their intensity they still have a softness about them. In fact, your entire depiction of her has a softness about it that is so true to her character. I love how you’ve shown it here.

The background is also perfect for her — it’s funny in the last part I’ve written I mention a sun room and now I’m going to picture this as being her in that room! It adds to the light, airyness her character exudes to me…you’ve hit every aspect of this right on the nail!

And the ref board *squealing intensifies * !!!!!!! You know that it’s one of my favorite features of the drawings you’ve been sharing — this board is perfect for Jane!! Obviously Bronte is an inspo because her fc comes from a Wuthering Heights adaptation….I really loved the visuals of the film she was in and wanted to incorporate it into Jane’s aesthetic. I had never thought of Dickinson, but of course I did a quick Pinterest search and added maybe twenty plus pics to my TBLOAT board 🤭 and ugh the mention of the ‘melancholy but still warm’ way of thinking in regards to her and Tommy together has me just about flopping around like a fish out of water!!!! It’s PERFECT!!

Gosh, perfect seems to be the word of the day, doesn’t it?? I’ve used it so much because there’s simply no other word I can think of to describe this.

No one’s ever done something this kind for one of my characters before — I’ll be forever grateful you made this for me Shark. Thank you SO VERY much!! 💛

Shark's Exchange Event

Jane Rivelli for @runnning-outof-time

Bonus: ref board (main pictures used for inspo)

Want a fan art of your own OC? Check Shark's Exchange /! last call Monday 21st !\

Each drawing comes with the lineart, the flat-color version, the rendered art without background and effect + a bonus (the reference sheet used for the creation process) all sent in DM for higher quality.

sidenote: Even if your character has a faceclaim, the result = my vision of your character, your descriptions, and my art style.

#shark’s art trade #tbloat #jane rivelli #tommy x jane

13 notes · View notes

runnning-outof-time · 4 hours ago

Text

Awe thanks so much! 🥰❤️ I’m so happy you enjoyed the story! I hope you’ll also enjoy all of the other additions into this family’s story!

Ugh I 100% agree!!! Girl!dad Tommy holds such a special place in my heart — I’m always going to jump at the chance to write and share him!

Tommy & His Girls | Tommy Shelby x Reader

read more of the Girl Dad Mini Series — HERE.

request: yes by anonymous

pairing: Tommy Shelby x fem!Reader

summary: When things get rough, Tommy can most certainly count on the girls in his life to lighten things up.

warnings: drinking, smoking, Tommy being a horsegirl

word count: 2089

a/n: back at it with another girl dad!Tommy fic - I just love using this little family I’ve created (if you couldn’t tell) I hope you like this installment of their story!! p.s…I’m sorry if the ending’s corny…I didn’t know how to, well, end it. Enjoy!! :)

I’D LOVE TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK! YOUR COMMENTS & REBLOGS HELP ME WRITE!

Tommy barely said a word as he entered Arrow House. He handed his things to Frances and made a b-line to his study. Things with the business were rough today...they'd been rough for as far back as Tommy could remember. It seemed like he was the only one in the family pulling the weight and that left him feeling like there was war happening inside his head as he made the drive home.

He pushed his study's door closed behind him as he walked into the room, not even caring if the door had enough velocity to latch or not. He trudged his way to his desk after pouring himself a generous glass of whiskey. Half of it was downed in the first drink; he really wanted the pain in his head to cease.

Setting the glass down, he went through the motions of lighting himself a cigarette. The first, deep drag he took finally made some of the noise quiet down.

It's unclear how long he sat like that: slumped back on his chair with a cigarette burning between his fingers. The next time he came to, however, was when the office door opened slightly.

"Dad?" a small voice came from the opposite side of the room, making Tommy sit up straighter in his seat.

"Yeah," he answered, his voice not quite audible. He cleared his throat before responding louder, "yes?" He focused in on the doorway, seeing his oldest daughter, Thea, standing in it.

The young girl said nothing else as she fully entered the room and made her way right over to his desk. “You didn’t come to my room to say hello,” she stated, a slight frown present on her face.

She stopped in front of his chair as she finished speaking, her arms open to show him that she wanted a hug. The second he opened his, she fell into them.

Tommy let out a sigh as he felt the weight of his eldest daughter against him. “Hello, Thea,” he breathed, a sigh escaping with his words. He couldn’t deny the fact that he felt terrible in that moment. He always made sure to greet Thea when he returned home from work, no matter what type of day he had.

How could he have gotten so frustrated that he forgot one of the most important parts of his day?

Thea was the one to break away from the hug — Tommy could have sat there like that all evening if she allowed it — and step back to look at her father.

He watched her, waiting to see what she’d do next. To his surprise, she made her way over to one of the seats that faced his desk and sat down.

The two stared at each other for a few moments longer. Thea looked as if she was studying her father; like she was taking notes on the entire situation. Tommy was quite confused as to why the ten year old wanted to stick around after greeting him.

Finally, after several moments of silence, he had to ask her just that, “why have you decided to stay, love?”

“I was able to tell that you’re stressed out over work, dad. I don’t want to leave you alone,” she answered him, sounding simultaneously like a ten year old and like a person who was beyond their years.

Tommy took a moment to let her words sink in. Then he couldn’t help but smile as a soft chuckle escaped his lips. The innocence that his daughters held despite the line of work their father was present in was always something that grounded him, no matter what was going on. He knew that he could count on it to bring him back down from that position of power to just being their dad.

“You can keep working,” Thea’s voice broke through his thoughts, making him realize that he had been sitting there, staring at her for some time.

Tommy glanced down at the papers that were scattered across his desk. They were covered with statements that he truly didn’t want to read anymore. Then he looked to one of the photographs that sat proudly on his desk. It was of Thea, Evie, and Juni. They were all hugging onto each other and smiling their biggest smiles. His eyes finally moved to Thea, who was still sitting with a smile on her face.

“I can’t work any longer,” he said to her then as he stood from his chair, “let’s go and see what your sisters are doing,” he suggested, his statement making Thea rise from her seat as well.

Tommy and Thea found Evie and Juni playing in the front room.

“Dad’s home!” Thea exclaimed, making the two younger girls quickly turn around.

“Dad!” they both cheered in unison, smiles lighting up their faces.

Tommy smiled as they rushed over to hug him. He could slowly feel the stress leaving his body. “Hello, girls,” he greeted them, rubbing both of their backs as they held onto him tightly.

“Come play, dad!” Juni exclaimed as she pulled away from him to go back to the toys they had strewn about on the floor.

“Have you ladies finished your homework?” he asked the older two before making his decision.

“Course I have,” Evie answered in a matter-of-fact tone, “it was too easy.”

“Mine’s finished as well,” Thea answered with a smile.

“Good,” Tommy nodded, smiling at his girls.

“Let’s play!” Juni shrieked from where she was standing by the toys. By this time she already had one leg in one of the ‘princess dresses’ that the girls had specially made for them. Tommy smiled as he saw the one she’d chosen - it was one that Thea had been given when she was little.

“What game?” Tommy asked, watching as his other girls followed suit and grabbed the things they needed from their toy chest.

“Princesses, of course,” Evie answered like it was common sense….well, in this Shelby household it kind of was. Tommy chuckled at that thought.

“Thea’s the queen!” Juni shouted excitedly.

“She’s always the queen though!” Evie protested, a frown on her face as her hands dropped to her hips.

“I’m the queen because I’m the oldest,” Thea calmly explained to her disgruntled sister, “it’s just one of my jobs as the oldest sibling. You and Juni are princesses because you’re my younger sisters, and you’ll get to be queen once I’m older.”

Tommy couldn’t help but smile as he listened to her explanation. She was truly wise beyond her years, and she handled everything with such grace.

“Fine,” Evie huffed, deciding to accept the decision even though she sounded a little disappointed.

“What’s my part in this?” Tommy asked the three once their conversation had ended.

“The part you always are, dad,” Evie was the one to answer.

“Got it,” Tommy nodded, surpressing a groan as he lowered himself to the floor. I’m getting too old for this, he thought to himself, but he didn’t dare let that feeling show. He’d never turn down the opportunity to play with his girls.

(Y/N) was finally finished with discussing all of the changes that were to be made with the grounds and house keepers. A lot went into preparing Arrow House as one season rolled into the next. Despite the magnitude of the task and all of the moving parts that were involved, (Y/N) would be lying if she said she didn’t enjoy overseeing these changes.

Now, however, she was more than ready to get back to her family.

She was able to hear them before she saw them. The giggles of her girls and one of Tommy’s unmistakable impressions. She laughed to herself just hearing it.

The sight she was met with in the front room brought the widest smile to her face. “What’s going on in here?” she made her presence known with a question.

“Mum!” came as a chorus of yells from the three girls as they forgot what they were doing to run and greet her.

“Hello, my darlings,” she greeted them, eagerly accepting their hugs. “What’re you playing in here with dad?”

“Princesses!” Juniper chirped, holding up her wand excitedly.

“Ahh,” (Y/N) nodded in understanding, “and what part is dad playing?”

“He’s the prized horse,” Evie happily answered.

(Y/N) finally looked to her husband. The sight she was met with had her stifling her laughter. Tommy was still down on all fours, and was wearing a rather strained expression as he looked at her through the longer strands of hair that had fallen over his eyes.

“Of course he is,” she finally responded, grinning at him before focusing her attention on the girls. “How about we give him a break now, hmm? Frances has informed me that dinner is ready,” she then suggested.

No pushback was received from any of the girls, who promptly began making their way to the dining room.

(Y/N) looked over at Tommy again. He was now wearing a look of relief, and he matched his eyes with hers again just briefly before he began the process of standing up. (Y/N) couldn’t help but giggle at his predicament, waiting for him to be on his feet again before she started walking to the dining room.

For once, Tommy was actually relieved to have heard that dinner was ready.

After dinner the family decided to go out onto the grounds and enjoy one of the final warm, late fall evenings before winter hit.

Juniper, of course, wanted to go to the stables and check on the horses. Tommy happily took her while the older two stayed back with (Y/N). It wasn’t a surprise, however, when he saw the three cresting the hill to join them in the stables.

Later that night, Tommy was - surprisingly - ready to be in bed at the same time as (Y/N). He helped out with tucking the girls in, wanting to spend as much time with them as he could.

(Y/N) didn’t miss the groan that left his lips as he sat down on his side of the bed. “Not as nimble of a horse as you used to be, huh?” she teasingly commented, biting on her finger to stiffle her giggles when his head snapped to look at her. “Maybe they should put you out to pasture.”

Tommy shot her a look that told her she should watch what she was saying. His look made her giggles escape.

“They’ll still treat you as their prized pony,” she conceded, moving over to where he was so that she could drape her arms over his shoulders. “You know how much they enjoy having you play with them,” she said, pressing a kiss to his cheek before she nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck.

Tommy smiled at the sentiment, nodding his head slightly as he brought his hand up to set it against the spot her wrists crossed each other.

“I don’t believe I’ve asked you…” (Y/N) started after a few moments had passed. She lifted her head from his neck before continuing, “how was your day?”

A breath of a laugh left his lips and he closed his eyes for a moment, silently recounting his day’s events and deciphering what he wanted to tell her. “I came home stressed, but the girls were able to put me into a better mood,” he decided not to go too far into details, settling with a short summary.

“They’ve stolen my job then, hmm?” her question wasn’t the sort of response that he was excepting, and it was one that had him turning his head in confusion, hoping that she’d offer more explanation. “It used to be my job to put you into a better mood,” she remarked, the smile she was wearing telling him that she wasn’t being completely serious about this.

“All of you girls put me in a better mood,” he responded in a matter-of-fact tone before adding, “don’t know what I’d do without you.”

And that was the truth. Without those girls, he probably would have still been in his office, droning over the same stack of papers and nursing his umpteenth whiskey.

Without those girls, he probably would have had to deal with another night of keeping his demons at bay as the shovels hit against the walls.

Without his girls, he would most certainly be a completely different man than the one he is today.

MASTERLIST

Tagged: @mystcldydrms @the-anxious-youth @cloudofdisney @look-at-the-soul @elenavampire21

@mrsalwayswrite @julkaamazing @evita-shelby @theshelbyslimited @peakyswritings

@just-a-blackhole @watercolorskyy @strayrockette @peakyduchesss @alexxavicry

@captivatedbycillianmurphy @yummycastiel @dark-academia-slut @tommystargirl @emotionalcadaver

@stevie75 @lyarr24 @signorellisantichrist @zablife @anotherblinder

@cillmequick @strayrockette @dandelionprints @letal-y-poetica @garrison-girl-08

@insanitybyanothername @depxiety @justrainandcoffee @dragons-are-my-favorite @mrs-bond

@cljordan-imperium @brummiereader @red-riding-wood @everythingelseisextra @little-diable

@thomashelbyswife @shaddixlife @ryecosse @padfootdaredmetoo @novashelby

#comment reply #tommy & his girls

896 notes · View notes

runnning-outof-time · 4 hours ago

Text

I’m so happy you’re liking how the story’s progressing, Daisy! 🥰❤️

Things move fast around here, don’t they? 😆😆 the tension is very much present between them because what do you say to someone you knew so intimately but yet haven’t seen in so long??

I really hope that yearning and nostalgia comes through as much as I’m trying for it to in these next chapters … a lot is in store for Tommy and Jane!

CHAPTER 1: A Letter, Mr. Shelby

Summary: Tommy receives a letter from someone he hasn’t heard from in thirteen years.

Pairing: Tommy Shelby x fem!OC

Warnings: smoking

Word Count: 2556

A/N: Thanks for liking the prologue enough to come back and read this first chapter. We’re really gonna get into it now! Hope you don’t hate it! :)

A/N 2: Inspo for the letter in this chapter was taken from Red Dead Redemption II — I’ve linked it at the end!

COMMENT/MESSAGE ME TO JOIN THE TAGLIST!

[PROLOGUE] [SERIES MASTERLIST]

Tommy rode the black horse along the gravel path, the sprawling estate he now resided in slowly coming into view. He felt a fog roll over his mind, one that grew denser with each step that was taken closer to the towering manor. The closer he got to Arrow House, the more it seemed as though its walls were already swallowing him up.

He entered the foyer and found it empty, as he expected it to be. Most of the staff had been let go, save for the few essential personnel that were needed to keep things up and running. No woman in the house meant there was no one there to boss the extras around.

Nobody bothered him. The few maids he encountered on the walk to his office knew better than to offer more than the simple nod of respect. The last thing anyone wanted to do was come off wrong to Mr. Shelby, especially during these trying days.

Tommy went straight to his desk upon entering the office. He busied himself with lighting a cigarette, then taking a long drag and slowly blowing out the smoke as he sat in the seat behind the sturdy, wooden piece of furniture. He stretched out his arms, placing them near either edge of the desk so that he could push his chair back and hang his head down. A deep, tired sigh escaped his lips.

“The post has been delivered,” a voice came from the door. The sound of it made Tommy look up again.

“What is it today, Mary?” Tommy questioned the woman he considered to be the head of his staff.

He was thankful for her; she’d been keeping things up and running around the home whilst he was off trying to cope with what was going on. At times, though, it seemed more so like he was just running away from everything the house reminded him of.

“A letter, Mr. Shelby,” Mary answered, holding out what she had.

Tommy raised his hand and motioned for her to come over. She wordlessly listened, walking to the desk before handing the stark, white envelope to him. “Thank you,” he said once it was in the palm of his hand. His voice came out in a gruff whisper, but Mary heard it. It was enough for her to nod and turn to exit the room.

Tommy wasted no time in opening the letter he wasn’t expecting to receive. It wasn’t uncommon for him to receive written correspondence, but the penmanship present on this particular letter was one that he wasn’t sure he’d seen recently. Moreover, it intrigued him that this letter had ‘urgent’ stamped on its envelope in bold, red letters. He took the letter out and unfolded it slowly, reading it once he had it opened:

Dear Thomas,

It has been hard to find the words to write this letter out. What do you say to someone you’ve not spoken to in years?

It’s me. I’m sure you were able to tell that right away from the terrible penmanship. I know that things between us did not end on the best of terms, but I think of you often, Tommy. I hope that in this case my reaching out to someone who cares, or rather cared, for me is warranted.

I saw your name on the trucks driving around the city and got your address through some asking around. You’ve made something rather impressive of yourself and knowing that fills me with a deep happiness. I remember your ambitions were something we commonly talked about when things were simpler, and now they’ve been made a reality.

I’ve arranged a tea time at the Café Royal in London this Thursday at four in the afternoon. I want to speak to you about a rather urgent matter. I hope you’ll be able to spare this time to meet. I would love to see you again, Tommy.

Yours,

Jane Rivelli

Memories flooded back to Tommy’s mind as soon as he started to read the letter. Once finished, he tipped his head back, resting it against the leather chair as he was transported back to the summer of 1910.

Things were much simpler then. He was given the opportunity to look after the horses owned by a family that resided on a sprawling estate. What he did not know was that along with this opportunity would come a bright-eyed, beautiful young woman who he quickly became attracted to and utterly enthralled with.

Her name was Jane Rivelli. She was the eldest child and only daughter of the Rivelli family, who were the owners of the estate Tommy was working at.

Tommy managed to find out that the family’s money came from the mother’s side. Isabella Cardona-Rivelli’s father owned a prosperous brass manufacturing factory in the heart of Birmingham. Her father had no sons and she was his eldest daughter, which made her the heir to the family’s fortune and the one who would carry it into the next generation. This was why the Rivelli family did not need to live on the streets of Birmingham. The Cardona family was, and still is, quite an influential one within the city. Her father had the MPs in his back pocket, which meant he and his business got rather favorable treatment. If there was something happening, Antonio Cardona most likely knew about it.

Jane’s father, Albert Rivelli, came from a family that was more similar to Tommy’s. It’s unclear of how he and Isabella met, but whispers tell of the fact that he worked at the company he now “owns”. That could have very well been why he wasn’t afraid to still put in a shift from time to time…as a way of keeping skin in the game.

Tommy remembered Albert as being a lot more personable than Isabella. He was willing to actually have a conversation instead of just barking orders and expecting everything to get done.

Jane’s younger brother, Anthony, was the only member of the family that knew of Tommy and Jane’s relationship. He was a good kid who was always picking Tommy’s brain, asking quite inquisitive questions. In a way you could say that he looked up to Tommy. Tommy didn’t mind having him around as he was working in the stables or out in the pasture. The boy enjoyed talking about horses and was almost like a sponge, sucking up all of the knowledge on the animal that Tommy had to give.

And then there was Jane. Jane was different from any other woman Tommy had met up to that point. She was kind, smart, caring, and god was she beautiful. She didn’t see Tommy the way her mother did. He was equal to her. She valued his thoughts and genuinely enjoyed being in his company.

It didn’t take either of them long to realize they had feelings for each other. Tommy was enamored by her from the start, but he waited to make that known to her. He knew he couldn’t screw it up, that he couldn’t just admit it like it was another passing sentence. This wasn’t something he intended on taking lightly.

Instead he waited until Jane realized that she was frequenting the stables for reasons other than just to ‘spend time with the horses’, which was what she always told him when she’d come walking in as he was turning out the stalls.

It was hard to part the two when Jane finally realized what her feelings towards Tommy truly were — as well as the fact that they were mutual — and acted upon them.

Many warm, summer days were spent roaming around the Rivelli property. They’d take the horses out to the pond under the guise of giving them their daily ride only to find themselves lying close together on the bank after going into the water to cool off.

Tommy took Jane to meet his family when summer was nearing its end. She would tell her parents that she was going to meet some friends to prepare for school, when in reality she would meet Tommy on the outskirts of the estate’s property so that he could take her to Small Heath by horse. He was surprised by just how well she adjusted to the stark change in scenery. She was eager to explore the streets he called home — with his accompaniment, of course, and was kind to all of the members of his family.

Jane took Tommy to her favorite parts of the property when autumn arrived. He swore he could listen to her go on for hours talking about how she loved being out amongst the trees as their leaves turned, and the two did spend hours together as they sat together under a tall oak; Jane resting against Tommy’s legs with a book in her hands as Tommy relaxed against the tree’s trunk, his hands busying themselves weaving through her hair.

Winter came quickly after the leaves fell, but the snow couldn’t keep Jane and Tommy apart. The two were able to continue seeing each other thanks to Jane’s insistence that Tommy come around to check on the horses weekly. ‘He knows them best’, was the reason she gave her parents. Suspicions never rose on the matter, but it was much more difficult for Jane to get out of the house to see her lover. It was hard for both of them to go from spending hours outside together to sparing a passing glance.

That’s when the midnight meetings in Jane’s quarters began. Tommy would return to the property late and let Jane know he was there by throwing pebbles at her bedroom window. Once she was alerted to his presence, Jane would quietly rush downstairs and be swooped up by Tommy. There were times where the two were hardly able to make it to her room before they got lost in each other.

Spring was just starting to show its face again when Tommy and Jane’s relationship was discovered by Isabella Rivelli.

Tommy still vividly remembered the look of heartbreak that was present on Jane’s face as her mother ordered him off of the property, and out of her daughter’s life forever. He remembered kicking himself, wishing there was something that he would have been able to do to make it so he could continue seeing her. If only they’d been able to make it a few more weeks, they would have been able to be out at the property’s pond once more.

There was no way that Tommy Shelby was going to be able to change Isabella Rivelli’s orders though. Any fight to do so would quickly end up as a lost cause. The last thing Tommy wanted to do was cause Jane any more pain, so he swallowed his pride, gave up without a fight, and rode into the rainy May night…never to see Jane Rivelli again.

Or so he thought.

Tommy must’ve read the letter fifteen times over. Each time that he did another memory bubbled to the surface. He finally set the piece of paper down on the desk after that fifteenth time so that he could stamp what was left of his forgotten cigarette out in the ashtray. A sigh escaped his lips as he ran a hand over his face.

There was only one question on his mind as he tipped his head back to rest it against the chair: will I go meet her?

Jane couldn’t stop herself from picking at her nails as she sat at the table she reserved for two. The Café Royal was busy, and if Jane thought that the constant hum of people conversing around her would help quiet her racing mind; she was dead wrong.

What if he doesn't come? was one of the thoughts that wouldn’t escape her mind. There was a great chance that Tommy would decide not to bother with her after all of this time. Hell, she wasn’t too sure she’d agree to the meeting if she were the one in his position. She knew it would be a longshot reaching out to him after thirteen years of silence, but it was a shot that she had to take.

A quick glance to the clock on the far wall told her that it was 3:50. He should be arriving any moment, she thought to herself, scanning over the room of patrons yet again.

What if the letter didn’t reach him? was the next thought that kept repeating, anxious to put itself at the forefront of Jane’s mind. There was also a chance that this could be true. Sure, she took a trip to the postmaster herself to be certain it was marked and made urgent to get to Tommy in time, but you could never wholeheartedly trust something like the post.

Jane’s knee started bouncing as she glanced at the clock again: 3:52.

What if this meeting doesn’t go as I hope it does? This was yet another thought that had been crossing her mind. It was no secret that the last time Jane and Tommy were together things ended rather terribly. What she was hoping would be an amicable reunion could very easily be an argument riddled with tension that was years in the making. There was a very likely chance that Tommy could come just to say that he wanted nothing to do with her. Yet still she had to try this route. Every other option had already been exhausted.

3:55.

Oh my goodness, what does he even look like?! a completely new thought popped into her mind. This sent her into a whole new realm of panic. She hadn’t even taken this sort of thought into consideration. Of course he wasn’t going to look like the twenty-one year old man whose bright, charming blue eyes she could get lost in for hours. Years had passed since then. Now she was wondering how they would have affected him.

She could no longer focus on a single thought. They were taking over her mind, going back and forth like a championship tennis match. The room’s temperature felt like it was steadily increasing as she applied pressure to the base of her thumb in hopes that it would alleviate some of the anxiety that was bubbling up quicker than ever now. I don’t know if I can do this anymore, she thought to herself, letting her hands go so that she could twist around and check for her purse that was hanging on the back of the chair. Do I go?

She then looked at the clock. 3:57. Maybe I could go. Maybe I still have enough time. She looked to the front of the room, hoping to find a clean path to her exit.

But what she saw instead was the maitre d that escorted her to her table walking in her direction with a man following close behind. The majority of his figure was still obscured, so Jane couldn’t quite see who it was. She had a good guess as to who it could be though. This has to be him. It’s too late to run now.

Jane took a deep breath and mustered up the best smile she could offer despite the nerves that were coursing through her at that moment. Here goes nothing.

CHAPTER 2 (coming soon)

Check out the letter I got the inspiration for Jane’s letter from HERE!

Taglist: @mrsalwayswrite @justrainandcoffee @zablife @superdinosaurnacho @mrsnms

@littlepeakydevil @call-sign-shark @goblinjnr @sindcostan @novashelby

@kittygirl634 @evita-shelby @johnathancanines @wiseyouthinfluencer @kmc1989

@wonderlanddreamer @ithinkimaslutforharry @brummiereader @taorislover94

#comment reply #tbloat

106 notes · View notes

runnning-outof-time · 4 hours ago

Text

Ahh Daisy I’m so happy you enjoyed this intro into Jane and Tommy’s story! 🥰❤️ thanks so much for this lovely comment!!

I really wanted to capture that whirlwind sort of romance that was happening between these two — they were as attached at the hip as they could be with this being kept secret from her family.

I hated having to rip their world apart, but I promise to put it back together again!

PROLOGUE: May 17, 1911

Summary: What the two young lovers hope will be a romantic evening quickly turns into the last night they ever see each other…or so they thought.

Pairing: Tommy Shelby x fem!OC

Warnings: language, classism

Word Count: 2899

A/N: Well here it is everyone! I’m so very excited to embark on this journey with y’all….this chapter was one of the very first ideas that came to me for this series. I’m quite happy with how it came out. Hope you don’t hate it! :)

COMMENT/MESSAGE ME TO JOIN THE TAGLIST!

[SERIES MASTERLIST]

A strange pattering noise made Jane forget about the book she was reading. It was late in the evening and she was just about ready to go to bed, but the incessant tapping that was happening against one of her bedroom windows had now thrown her out of her nightly routine.

She had to go investigate the source of the sound.

The person standing below the window didn’t surprise her. The noise she was hearing had to have been the rocks he was throwing to get her attention.

All he needed to do was flash a smile and she was away from the window, quietly rushing down the steps to meet him at the front door.

“What are you doing here, Tommy?” she asked him in a hushed voice, hoping to not alert any of her sleeping family members. The house she lived in was big, sure, but she still wanted to be cautious when pursuing the relationship her parents didn’t know about.

“Wanted to see you, love,” he answered her, his smirk still present.

“You couldn’t wait until morning?” she asked, even though it was easy to tell she wasn’t upset that he decided to make the late night trip.

“No,” was his simple response, and he finished it by leaning in and pressing his lips to hers.

“Tommy,” she was able to get out his name as he pulled away just slightly, “we can’t do this here.”

“Hasn’t stopped you before,” he refuted her, leaning in again.

“My parents are here now…” she paused, putting her hands to his chest, stopping him just before he could kiss her again, “follow me to my room.”

“Lead the way,” he grinned at her, letting her take his hand and lead him up the grand staircase and down the hall to her bedroom.

The two lovers quickly scurried behind the bedroom door, hoping that their flitted laughter didn’t wake anyone.

“This better?” Tommy questioned, turning Jane and taking her in his arms the second the door was latched.

“Much,” she smiled brightly up at him before eagerly pressing her lips to his again.

His kiss made her feel giddy. Come to think of it, just being in the presence of Tommy Shelby made Jane Rivelli feel giddy. Who would have thought that the young man her father hired with the intention of taking care of the family’s horses last summer would pull her into this whirlwind romance. She couldn’t seem to get enough of him.

“Tommy how…” Jane breathed between the kisses they were sharing, “how did you manage to get here?”

“You’re still stuck on that?” he asked, his grin evident as he kissed her lips again.

“I’m curious,” she clarified, pulling back just enough so that he could see her raised eyebrow expression.

“I took a horse from Charlie’s yard. ‘Ve got it tied to a tree on the edge of the property,” he told her.

“Clever thinking,” Jane commented, her lips tugging upward into a smile as she fiddled with the buttons on his waistcoat.

“I wasn’t about to hitch it to the fountain up front,” he joked, earning a light smack against the chest. The feeling of it made him chuckle and pull her tighter into his frame. “You know sometimes…” he paused, resting his forehead against hers, smiling softly as she brushed her nose against his, “sometimes I think you want us to get caught.”

“Me?” Jane pulled away, adding onto her act of feigned surprise by removing a hand from Tommy so that she could rest it against her chest, “I could never think that.”

“I don’t know…” Tommy trailed off with a grin.

“My brother knows already…isn’t that enough?” she questioned.

“What’s enough for you is enough for me, love,” he settled the conversation, sealing its finality with a kiss.

Jane didn’t pull away to continue anything. Instead she got back to what she’d been doing before. This time, however, she acted with purpose, steadily unbuttoning his waistcoat so that he could remove it from his frame. She then went about doing the same with the collared shirt he was wearing; undoing the buttons with haste so that she could push it off of his shoulders as well. That left him in his trousers, braces and a loose, white undershirt. Jane huffed when she saw this.

“Must you wear so many clothes?” she questioned him exasperatedly, fully breaking their kiss to step back and have her wide eyes match his.

“Quite frustrating, eh?” he poked fun at the situation, his grin widening.

“Very much so,” she huffed, blowing the few stray hairs that had fallen from her braid out of her face.

“C’mere,” he beckoned her over to him again. His deft hands found the edges of the thin, flowy robe she was wearing. She let him slowly remove it from her frame, shivering slightly at the coolness of her room.

“This doesn’t help your clothing situation, Tommy,” she mumbled against his lips. Her statement was true. Now she was only left in a satin nightgown.

“What’ll you do about that?” he questioned her, intrigue present in his low tone.

Jane wasted no time in sliding the braces off of his shoulders so that she could then begin un-tucking the undershirt he was wearing from his trousers. Tommy removed his hands from her waist and raised them, allowing her to lift the shirt up and over his head.

“Mmm, that’s better,” she commented, content present in her voice as she slowly trailed her hands down the front of his chest. It was Tommy’s turn to shiver now. The cold touch of her hands left goosebumps behind as they continued on their trail to hook onto the waistband of his trousers.

They became engaged in another kiss, one that wouldn’t break until Jane let out a quick shriek at the feeling of being moved. Her surprised noise quickly turned into soft giggles as she realized Tommy was moving her over to where her bed was. His attempt wasn’t so smooth though.

“Shit,” he muttered as his back made contact with one of the four bedposts.

“You were close,” Jane commented, giggling softly at the mishap that had just occurred.

“You think it’s funny?” Tommy questioned her, furrowing his brows in feigned anger. The grin that broke onto his lips gave his act up rather quickly. He couldn’t ever be angry when in Jane’s presence. In fact, her company alone washed all traces of those feelings away.

“I do,” she affirmed, giggling more as she reached out and ran her hands along the plane of his chest again.

Tommy’s grin only grew as his hands found the sides of Jane’s waist. Without warning, he moved the both of them to the left and —finally— succeeded in laying them down on the bed. Sighs of content left both of their lips as the silk sheets enveloped them in a cool softness. It was a complete flip from the heat radiating off of their bodies.

“Thomas!” Jane shrieked as this movement occurred, both of them becoming another mess of giggles as their eyes met just centimeters from each other.

Tommy didn’t say anything in response, instead pressing his lips to hers in a more fervent manner than he had in their previous kisses. Jane matched his haste, her hands finding their way into his hair as he turned his body to balance himself over hers. His leg slotted between hers and their kisses grew even more heated. Jane’s hands moved to run down his back, her fingertips pressing slightly into the skin as she moved them downward.

Tommy was the one to break this kiss, but he didn’t move his lips from her body. Instead he began to trail them down her jaw to find the spot just below it where he knew even the slightest kiss would drive her crazy. And he succeeded in doing so. A breathy moan escaped her lips the second his found her sensitive skin.

“Tommy…” she breathed, her hands moving back to his shoulders, “Tommy come here,”

He obliged, raising his head so that their lips could meet once more. He busied his hands by sliding the straps of her nightgown down her arms. It still covered her chest, but Jane managed to slip her arms out of the straps so that she could tangle her fingers in the locks of his hair again without hinderance.

Tommy’s lips moved south once more, this time finding the skin on her upper chest that had been newly exposed from the moving of her nightgown.

His touches and kisses alone had Jane feeling more and more impatient by the second. She needed to remove their last pieces of clothing and truly feel him.

The door to her bedroom flying open ruined any chance of that happening.

“What is going on in here?!” the shrill voice of Isabella Rivelli, Jane’s mother, rang out in the room. The booming nature of it made Tommy jump away from Jane. Both of the young lovers’ eyes were wide with surprise. The last thing either of them were expecting at that moment was one of Jane’s parents discovering them. “What are you doing with my daughter?!”

“Mum, what are you doing?” Jane asked as she sat up, her eyes wide as she held tightly onto the top of her nightgown in hopes it wouldn’t fall any lower.

“I heard noises. Being that it is my house, I came to investigate. The last thing I expected to find was my daughter engaged in intercourse with the hired on stable boy!” the older woman’s words gained anger with each one that was said. Her face was contorted into a furious expression, her cheeks tinted a dark red.

“Oh my goodness, mum, we were just…we weren’t having sex!” Jane exclaimed, mortified that her mother had just called her out on it, but yet thankful that they hadn’t made it any further before she barged in.

“Explain to me what it is I’ve walked in on then,” her mother insisted, a deep scowl present on her face as she raised her eyebrows at her daughter.

“He…we…” Jane began to stumble through an answer, looking frantically between her mother and Tommy, who was fumbling with the articles of clothing they’d previously discarded in attempts to put them back on.

“It’s ok, Jane. I’ll go,” he softly said to her when he noticed the panic in her eyes.

“You’d better go,” Isabella chimed in, her tone making it clear that this was a demand that was not up for discussion. “You’d better go and never return to this home again, do you understand me?”

“Mum!” Jane interjected, her heart breaking at her mother’s words, “you can’t do this, you…”

“I absolutely can, Jane. I am your mother and what I say goes,” the older woman insisted.

Tommy looked over to Jane again. The expression she was wearing made his stomach drop. He had to do something to make this better…to make it right. “Now ma’am, I’m sure you’ve gathered assumptions based on what you walked in on, but I can assure you that I care very deeply about your daughter. This was not some one-off thing. I love her,” he pleaded his case in hopes that it would alleviate the situation.

Isabella’s face grew even redder. His words had done the opposite and moved the situation from bad to worse. “You need to leave now. If I catch you on the grounds of my house again I’ll make it so it’s the last thing you do, do I make myself clear?” she spoke in a tone that was flat and clear, making it evident that there was no more room for discussion.

“Yes…yes, ma’am,” he responded, all of the mirth now knocked out of his gumption. He hung his head in hopes to show some sort of respect while he finished buttoning his shirt up. His heart broke when he looked at Jane again. He wanted so badly to reach out and wipe the tears from her cheeks.

“Out. Now.” Isabella’s insisting voice made him return to his rushed pace. He was obviously moving too slow for her liking.

Tommy nodded, silently acknowledging her demand. He then took one last look at Jane before walking to the door. Isabella let him exit first before turning to send her daughter a glare. Then she turned and exited the bedroom, shutting the door behind her.

Jane didn’t stay seated for long. She quickly slipped her arms back into her nightgown before hurrying out the door. She was hoping that she could catch one last glimpse of Tommy before he left her life forever. Thankfully she was able to. She stood at the railing of the grand staircase as her mother showed him the door, undoubtedly sharing some more choice words as she ensured he exited the home.

“Go to bed, Jane,” was the first thing her mother said upon turning around.

“I will not,” Jane mustered up the will to speak, trying to keep her voice as steady as possible.

Her mother gave her a pointed look, surprised by the push back she was receiving. “You will do as I say,” she demanded, walking up the staircase with purpose.

Jane stayed stagnant, waiting for her mother to stop in front of her until she spoke again: “how could you do that, mum?” She let her voice waver this time, hoping that her mother would catch the emotion and go back on the stance she was currently taking.

“I’m doing what’s good for you,” the older woman insisted.

“How do you know what’s good for me?” the younger woman spat back, hurt clear on her face as her brows furrowed up. “I love him,” she declared.

“You’re nineteen, Jane…you don’t know what love is.”

“I’m twenty in a month, and I’m certain what I feel when I’m with Tommy is what love is,” Jane corrected, insistence present in her tone.

Her mother scoffed at her assured nature. “If you could hear how silly you sound right now…” she trailed off, shaking her head and almost laughing at the act her daughter was putting on.

“I mean it,” Jane tilted her chin upwards slightly, showing that her mother’s words weren’t taking the effect she desired them to.

“Even if it were love, that boy’s not right for you,” her mother took a different angle.

“Why not?” the younger woman questioned.

“He doesn’t have the same standing you have…the same standing your family has,” Isabella gave her reason.

“Neither did dad when you first met, but you still married him,” Jane pointed out. She hated that she was bringing her father into this, but she’d be willing to try anything at this point to get her mother to see sense.

The scoff that the older woman let out upon hearing what she had to say told Jane that she still had a lot of work to do.

“Your father comes from a good Italian family. My hope is that you’ll find a man who comes from the same,” the older woman laid out her reasoning.

“Tommy comes from a good family,” Jane was quick to insist.

“Oh please, Jane,” Isabella paused for a moment, truly perplexed that her daughter was putting up this much of an argument. She couldn’t possibly be so blinded by her “love” towards this boy that she’d lose sight of what was real, could she? The silence persisted, so she continued with the truth: “his mother’s dead and his father’s a drunkard who’s not around to support the several children that he’s made…why else do you think he needed a job here, hmm?” She finished her statement with her eyebrows raised, waiting for the younger woman to respond.

Jane stayed silent.

“I am doing this because I know what is best for you; what is best for this family. You’ll see my intentions one day and you’ll thank me for handling this the way I did.” Isabella’s statement held a cold tone, one that told Jane that their discussion was finished; that what her mother had to say on the matter was what would be final. “Now, is there anything else I need to make clear to you?” she asked. She waited a few, silence-filled, beats before continuing, “good. Go to bed, Jane,” she then ordered her daughter.

There wasn’t much Jane could do now. She was stuck between a rock and a hard place. What her mother said is what was to be done; she never accepted any questioning or pushback. She wished things could have been different for this situation though.

“Good night, mother,” Jane mumbled, turning on her heel so that she could walk back down the hall to her bedroom.

She couldn’t stop herself from going over to the window once the door was shut behind her. She was half-hoping that Tommy would have stuck around, and that he’d be waiting for her outside. That he’d have the horse ready and they’d be able to ride away and start a life together, away from the expectations her family had put on her.

The grounds of her family’s estate were empty though, and the once fair evening had shifted as well. It was raining now, and the water was washing away any sliver of hope Jane Rivelli had of seeing Tommy Shelby again.

CHAPTER 1: A Letter, Mr. Shelby

Taglist: @mrsalwayswrite @justrainandcoffee @zablife @superdinosaurnacho @mrsnms

@littlepeakydevil @call-sign-shark @goblinjnr @sindcostan @novashelby

@kittygirl634 @evita-shelby @johnathancanines

#comment reply #tbloat

90 notes · View notes

runnning-outof-time · 4 hours ago

Text

Awe Jas thanks so very much for this incredibly lovely comment!! 🥰🥹❤️ I’m sorry it took me so long to respond to it It makes me so happy to hear you’re enjoying their story so far!

That longing is definitely going to show its face as they meet again, although who knows if either will comment on it or not…..maybe some dancing around the fact will occur 🤭 and there’s definitely going to be that balance of the younger Jane and Tommy showing up mixed with the fact that they’re now sitting across from each other 13 years later.

I hope you’ll enjoy how their story unfolds!

CHAPTER 1: A Letter, Mr. Shelby

Summary: Tommy receives a letter from someone he hasn’t heard from in thirteen years.

Pairing: Tommy Shelby x fem!OC

Warnings: smoking

Word Count: 2556

A/N: Thanks for liking the prologue enough to come back and read this first chapter. We’re really gonna get into it now! Hope you don’t hate it! :)

A/N 2: Inspo for the letter in this chapter was taken from Red Dead Redemption II — I’ve linked it at the end!

COMMENT/MESSAGE ME TO JOIN THE TAGLIST!

[PROLOGUE] [SERIES MASTERLIST]

“The post has been delivered,” a voice came from the door. The sound of it made Tommy look up again.

“What is it today, Mary?” Tommy questioned the woman he considered to be the head of his staff.

“A letter, Mr. Shelby,” Mary answered, holding out what she had.

Dear Thomas,

It has been hard to find the words to write this letter out. What do you say to someone you’ve not spoken to in years?

Yours,

Jane Rivelli

Her name was Jane Rivelli. She was the eldest child and only daughter of the Rivelli family, who were the owners of the estate Tommy was working at.

Tommy remembered Albert as being a lot more personable than Isabella. He was willing to actually have a conversation instead of just barking orders and expecting everything to get done.

It was hard to part the two when Jane finally realized what her feelings towards Tommy truly were — as well as the fact that they were mutual — and acted upon them.

Spring was just starting to show its face again when Tommy and Jane’s relationship was discovered by Isabella Rivelli.

Or so he thought.

There was only one question on his mind as he tipped his head back to rest it against the chair: will I go meet her?

A quick glance to the clock on the far wall told her that it was 3:50. He should be arriving any moment, she thought to herself, scanning over the room of patrons yet again.

Jane’s knee started bouncing as she glanced at the clock again: 3:52.

3:55.

She then looked at the clock. 3:57. Maybe I could go. Maybe I still have enough time. She looked to the front of the room, hoping to find a clean path to her exit.

Jane took a deep breath and mustered up the best smile she could offer despite the nerves that were coursing through her at that moment. Here goes nothing.

CHAPTER 2 (coming soon)

Check out the letter I got the inspiration for Jane’s letter from HERE!

Taglist: @mrsalwayswrite @justrainandcoffee @zablife @superdinosaurnacho @mrsnms

@littlepeakydevil @call-sign-shark @goblinjnr @sindcostan @novashelby

@kittygirl634 @evita-shelby @johnathancanines @wiseyouthinfluencer @kmc1989

@wonderlanddreamer @ithinkimaslutforharry @brummiereader @taorislover94

#comment reply #tbloat

106 notes · View notes