#Reb 🖤

[call-sign-shark]

Asking this question back to you, Shark!

If Heaven and Tina were in GoT, which would their houses be?

Aw Reb, thank you so much for returning the question! @justrainandcoffee also sent it to me so I will use yours to talk about Heaven and hers to talk about Tina, if you don't mind. <3

I wanted to start with Heaven because this is the most obvious one. She has natural white hair, abnormally pale eyes and she is dangerous. Also, her face claim is literally from GoT. 🤭

Heaven would be a pure ✨Targaryen✨. Probably Daenerys' was one of the most powerful ancestors but whose fate was to mysteriously disappear in the frozen forest up in the north with her gargantuan ice dragon after being banned for her black and cruel magic.

[mischievouslittlecreature]

@peakyswritings Winston and Trouble having a playdate? 🤭

[mischievouslittlecreature]

If you have not yet read this series, WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? It's amazing. Reb, you are such an amazing writer. Your characters, world building, and storylines are all so masterfully crafted. I'm sorry that it took me so long to get around to reading this! 🖤🖤🖤

Heart, Body and Soul || Masterlist

Tommy Shelby x OC! Nina Ferrante

Summary: When the conflict with a powerful family threatens to bring down the Shelby Clan, Tommy takes a trip to Italy. In order to stop the disaster, two families must become one: marriage seems to be the only way to seal an alliance and bring peace. It’s Nina Ferrante, fierce and rebellious, the one who slowly makes her way into his heart, with steps so light he doesn’t even realise it. But things are not as easy as they may seem: one, Tommy is expected to marry her cousin, and two - Nina has no intention of getting married.

Warnings: mentions of arranged marriage, slow-burn, small age-gap (Tommy’s 30, Nina is in her early 20s), time-typical misogyny, talks of triggering topics such as SA and domestic violence, eventual sexual harassment, violence, English is not my first language.

MEET THE FERRANTE FAMILY

ADDITIONAL CONTENT

PLAYLIST

PART 1

PART 2

PART 3

PART 4

PART 5

PART 6

PART 7

PART 8

PART 9

PART 10

More to come…

ADDITIONAL FICS

Of Biscuits and Memories

MOODBOARDS:

NINA’S MOODBOARD

MOODBOARD 3

Tommy and Nina eating homemade biscuits

Nina and Agnese moodboard

Nina and Agnese moodboard 2

Chapter 6 -sneak peek

Mother and daughter

Chapter 7 moodboard

This ends in blood

Divider credit

[saintflint]

@siiraj2024 reached out to me personally & asked for my support in sharing their campaign to aid siraj’s family’s safety & survival.

as of right now, their situation is still dire, with only 429 donations towards rebuilding their destroyed home.

if you cannot support at this time, please share. 🇵🇸🖤 this campaign has already been vetted ✅ & the original posts can still be found @siiraj2024

[wizardofrozz]

✨️ROZZ!✨️

I humbly request a First Kiss prompt for SAWBONES.

Both of these seemed like they'd be great for him, so feel free to pick which one gives inspiration or mix the two or whatever you feel like:

*the first initial kiss being a simple peck, then they immediately go back in for a stronger, more passionate one.

* taller gently grasping the shorter's chin

I readily admit I am feral for your grumpy medic OC. 💅

Through the Darkness

OC Sergeant Sawbones x jedi!reader (gn)

Word Count: ~2.3k

Warnings: mention of war, mention of claustrophobia, violence, reader is said to be shorter than the clones, slight angst

A/N: I'm alive lmao work has been kicking my ass but I finally had a few days off and managed to get some writing done. After this, I also have a Fox fic that's ready to post 😈

Thank you for the request Reb and I'm sorry it took so long 🫂 🖤

Silence hangs in the air, your labored breathing deafening as you inch through the tunnel. Another mortar hits the rockface, knocking another cloud of dust loose, and you're forced to cover your mouth and nose to chase off a coughing fit. You can feel him lingering behind you, stopping when you do but saying nothing; even if you weren't trying to stay quiet, you wouldn't expect him to have anything to say anyway. 

Sawbones leans forward, the empty visor of his helmet tilting toward your face. Even through the barrier, you can sense the question: are you okay? You wait for the tickling in your sinuses to fade before you nod, noting how his shoulders seem to drop slightly. Without thinking, you nearly give in to the urge to take a deep breath but clench your teeth at the last second, settling for another shallow inhale before you take another step down the narrow tunnel. Sawbones inches along behind you, his quiet breathing filling the small space. 

The buzz of battle ebbs and flows, but you can't tell if it's coming from in front of you or behind you. You ended up stuck in this tunnel after an explosion caused a rock slide, and Sawbones, the trooper standing near you, yanked you off your feet. One side of the tunnel, the side where the rest of the wolfpack and your fellow master, Plo Koon, are still fighting, is mostly blocked, leaving you and the medic only one exit. Glancing over your shoulder, you catch a glimpse of Sawbones matching your steps as he walks backward, his rifle never lowering.

Most of your time during the war has been spent battalion hopping, a Jedi general without a squad, and so far, the 104th is your favorite place to spend your time. However, you refuse to admit why. 

Sawbones taps your bicep. 

A shiver races down your arm, fingers tightening around your unlit saber as you turn to face him. Every clone stands almost a head taller than you, but something about being this close to Sawbones, his height forcing you to tilt your head back, makes your stomach somersault. He nods toward the bend in the tunnel, his fingers gently curling around your arm, and you let him direct you out of his way. It isn't until he approaches the opening that you realize what he's doing.

Sawbones freezes, his head turning to look at you when you grab his elbow and stop him from stepping into the entryway.

"What're you doing?" you hiss. Your voice sounds too loud after the silence you've been moving in for some time, but you shake off the worry and stare into his dark visor. 

"Checkin'," he replies just as quietly. The modulator in his helmet makes it sound staticky, almost inhuman, but there's still a hint of his natural voice and you find comfort in it. Logically, someone should check that the coast is clear, but the fact that he automatically assumes it has to be him is what makes your stomach turn. 

"I can do it." 

Sawbones tilts his head, and you can imagine the narrow-eyed look on his face; the thought almost makes you smile. He tries to reach for you, but you side-step, staying just out of his reach. The action is immediately followed by a frustrated growl that bounces off the walls curving over your head. 

It's empty, blessedly empty, and your knees wobble for a moment. It's easy to put on a brave face, to act like fear isn't eating you alive, but the relief that rocks you is a little harder to hide. You glance up when Sawbones moves to your side, his faceplate still looking down the long tunnel. 

"That was stupid." 

"Not to me," you counter lightly with a shrug. The only response you get is a quiet scoff. Your mouth twists to the side to hide your smirk, but the way Sawbones shakes his head tells you that it was a failed attempt. 

"Come on," Sawbones huffs, lightly nudging your shoulder.

Pebbles bounce off the narrow walls as you start forward again. It's hard to tell if it's an illusion or if the walls are closing in, the walkway tapering. Sawbones moves from your side to walk behind you, making your fear spike. Are you walking into a dead end? Are you trapped inside a mountain?

Rough fabric brushes against your arm, snapping you out of those spiraling thoughts with a soft gasp. His fingers linger on your arm, the touch grounding as you steady your breathing, clearing your mind of the fear starting to seep through your shields. 

You've never been claustrophobic before, but you've also never been trapped inside a mountain, hoping the other end of this tunnel isn't blocked, too. It's probably not the best problem to worry about at the moment when your chest feels like it's going to cave in on itself. The grip on your arm tightens, drawing your eyes up to the dark visor.

Your reflection looks as panicked as you feel. 

"We should keep moving," you force out. Embarrassment burns high in your cheeks at how frail your voice sounds, and before Sawbones can mention it, you step away from him. 

Thankfully, the tunnel makes a sharp turn, widening again. 

***

Time is a funny thing without having the sun as a gauge, and you try not to pester the medic stuck with you too much about what the readout on his HUD says. 

The muffled thud of explosions subsided roughly an hour earlier, but you don't stop walking until the tunnel opens into a cavern large enough to make a small camp. Sawbones doesn't object, merely disappearing back the way you came for a few minutes before joining you again.

Doing a double take, your lashes flutter when you look up at him from your seat on the uneven ground, taken aback by the dark eyes staring back at you. Sawbones looks weary, his mouth drawn into a thin line under his unkempt mustache. 

It hits you just how exhausted he must be after days of fighting, followed by trudging through a dank, stuffy tunnel with you as company. Your expression twists into a mixture of sympathy and guilt, but it only seems to make his features harden. 

The crinkle of the ration bar landing in your lap makes you jump, and by the time you look back up, Saw's already turning away to set his rifle against the cavern walls. Releasing a long sigh, you look down at the ration bar in your hand again, and a small smile lifts the corner of your mouth when you note that it's your favorite flavor.

Favorite flavor or not, the ration bar is still chalky, and you call the canteen of water closer with the aid of the Force. The soft scuff of boots to your left draws your attention, and you find Sawbones lowering himself to the floor beside you. The cavern *is* small, but when he finally settles, long legs stretched out in front of him, there's no denying he's sitting closer than necessary. 

Your stomach flips pleasantly, forcing you to hide a smile with another drink of water. 

The silence is comfortable - it usually is with Sawbones - and you let yourself reach for the Force to soothe the tension still needling at you. 

"We're almost out." 

The sound of his voice jerks you back to the dusty little cavern. When you twist to the side, he's not looking at you; his attention is fixated on a piece of ration bar he broke off. 

"What?" 

You almost laugh at the hard warning look he throws your way. If you were certain other Jedi generals, maybe you would've reprimanded him; your soft spot for this specific medic probably doesn't help, either. 

Lowering your voice, you find his eyes again. "If we're so close, why the hells would we stop?" 

"Do you feel better?" 

The question catches you off guard, and you blink at him. Now that you have considered it, you do feel better: the pounding in your temples has subsided, and it doesn't feel like your limbs weigh a thousand pounds. 

"We haven't stopped walkin' since the landslide, and you haven't eaten since yesterday," Sawbones points out, looking back down at his ration bar. "No clue what we'll run into out there. Seems like a waste to make it this far only to die at the finish line."

"Oh."

You've been so focused on getting out that you weren't even thinking about what waits on the other side of the mountain. Coms have been static for hours, and for all you know, the rest of the Wolfpack could've been ordered to retreat. When you glance at Sawbones again, his expression seems to have softened - well, softened for him - and not for the first time, you find yourself grateful to have been trapped with him of all people.

"Eat," he murmurs, tossing a piece of ration bar into his mouth to make a point.

***

Darkness seeps into the mouth of the tunnel, and from where you're standing, you can see a few stars twinkling in the night sky. Sawbones' presence over your shoulder is grounding, and despite the danger that could be waiting just a few feet away, you find yourself pondering how quiet his mind is. Carefully, you reach out, your caress brushing against beskar walls that rival your own; Sawbones shifts, rumbling deep in his chest. Right, not the time.

He follows your lead, following your footsteps without making a sound, which is impressive with his armor. The Force brushes past you like a river moving around a rock, and you only find tranquility. The reassurance is what has you stepping through the archway, and the fresh air fills your lungs, almost making you dizzy. 

Nothing. There's no clank of metal feet or tinny voices calling attention to you. There's only silence. You nearly stumble back into Sawbones as the relief hits you like a ton of bricks. 

"Read ya loud and clear, commander."

You tilt your head to look up at Sawbones. His helmet is already angled down, and even if you can't see his face, the tone of his voice is enough to assume he's feeling the same relief you are. Clipping your saber to your belt again, you wait out the rest of the conversation as the tension in your muscles finally starts to melt away, and you tilt your head back to look up at the stars.

"They set up camp not far from here." His unfiltered voice draws your eyes down again. The exhaustion still lingers in the lines of his face, but there's a ghost of a smile on his lips. 

Maybe it's your full-body exhaustion or the realization that you aren't going to die, but you can't stop yourself from admiring him. This close, you can see the faint wrinkles around his eyes and the thin patch of hair on his left cheek that struggles to grow. For one single moment, you let yourself pretend you're not a Jedi, that you aren't in the middle of an active warzone, or that you shouldn't want this. Your chest aches with the emotional turmoil, but you can't deny the attraction. 

Sawbones goes rigid, and if you weren't shocked yourself, you would've laughed at the muffled surprise that makes it through his shields. The kiss is brief, your lips barely brushing his before you pull away, wide-eyed and shocked at your own boldness. He blinks at you, and the only indication that you have caught him off guard is how his brows arch upward. 

Your surprise morphs into horror now that your mind is clearing, keenly aware of what you just did. Stumbling back a step, you worry that your heart might explode with how hard it's hammering against the inside of your ribs, and you immediately start to spiral again. The panic welling up in the center of your chest blinds you to everything else around you. The clatter of a helmet hitting the ground is lost in the chaos of your thoughts. 

Then, every worry is ripped from your mind. 

Sawbones gently cradles your face, a stark contrast to the urgency with which he kisses you. Your eyes shoot open, nearly bugging out of your head, but you aren't strong enough to fight the draw you feel toward him, which seems to be stronger than ever. Melting into the kiss, you throw your arms around his shoulders as your lips part. 

Heat blooms under your skin when he releases your face to grip your hips, pulling your body flush against the unforgiving plastoid covering his body. Maker above, why hadn't you done this ages ago? 

The first brush of his tongue against yours draws a soft, involuntary moan from deep in your chest. The answering growl Sawbones muffles against your lips is downright sinful, and right then, you decide you need more. 

If you hadn't heard the faint roar of a speeder engine, you would've taken whatever he offered right there in the dirt. 

Sawbones huffs softly, the exhale brushing against your lips, and you consider dragging him back into the tunnel you had been so desperate to escape. 

He lingers a little longer, almost too long, before breaking away with another deep sigh just before the speeder comes into view. Quickly, you straighten your robes, hoping to look less disheveled and like you hadn't just kissed the sergeant like your life depended on it. 

The speeder starts to slow, Wolffe and Comet's armor sharpening as they get closer, but you can’t resist one last glance at Sawbones. He pauses before sliding his helmet on, dark eyes flaying you open with a single look. 

"Find me after the debrief," he says before putting on his helmet and turning to greet his brothers. 

Your throat clicks as you swallow. Yeah, death is the only thing keeping you from that meeting.

Taglist:

@a-single-tulip @wings-and-beskar @anxiouspineapple99 @secondaryrealm @dystopicjumpsuit

@moonlightwarriorqueen @msmeredithrose @starrylothcat @starqueensthings

@multi-fan-dom-madness @trixie2023 @mythical-illustrator @hetalianskywalker

@Bankseys-rat @sev-on-kamino @dickarchivist @dukeoftheblackstar

[evita-shelby]

Hi Juli! A three-word prompt for Eva’s birthday party: It’s witchful thinking

I think “it’s” may count as two words, not one😅 but I found this expression somewhere and it made me giggle, and I thought it would suit Eva!

omg i love it 🖤 thanks for the request Reb

witch-ful thinking

There was no such thing as impossible for this woman.

There were, but it is easy to forget Eva’s magic has limits when she can do shit like engineer a situation where she can befriend Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon and ensure Section D will never bother them again.

How could they when Eva has joined the circle of the future Queen Consort of England, and their children are now playmates to the future Queen Elizabeth II? Hard to get rid of the person who has the House of Windsor eating out of her hand, wouldn’t it?

They aren’t monarchists, Eva could easily slice their throats as easily as she can kiss the princess’ cheek. They do not believe in the English Empire having a right to own the world and keep everyone under their boot, but what does that matter when they are the thing removing the sword hanging over your head?

But for that to be complete, they needed King George the Fifth and Queen Mary of Teck.

“And how do you hope to achieve that? Wishful thinking?” Tommy asks having no clue how she’d go from the new friend to the Duchess of York to the woman who handles the Queen’s investments.

“It’s witch-ful thinking, mi vida, very different from what you said. Just watch” the witch dismissed his doubts with a daring smile.

[p0pp3t]

My dear friend,

Welcome, I hope you are well *Subject/Invitation to support me in rebuilding the house*

When the hope of returning home evaporates, and you become displaced and homeless without housing, for an open period, you feel that all your energy has been exhausted, and terrifying nightmares begin to dominate your mind.

I worked long hours and borrowed a lot to complete the house, and I am not happy with it yet. Now all I have is the tent, in which I will stay until an unknown date. My children are living in a state of despair and loss, and how difficult it is to stand in front of them when you are unable to provide them with food, drink, and housing.

My goal now is to rebuild the house, and I am very far from the goal that is a dream for us, so how difficult it is to become homeless indefinitely.

You can help in the following ways:

1. Provide support and share the last 5 posts on my page.

2. Writing a post about my campaign.

3. Send the campaign link to your friends and family via mail or other social networking sites.

4. Post the question on your page as it is.

The campaign is documented by Nabulsi✅

Accept my greetings🌹

Note: Please contact me via messages if necessary

https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-sirajs-family-in-rebuilding-their-home

hi siraj, thanks so much for reaching out 💐

siraj’s campaign is #219 on @/nabulsi and @/el-shab-hussein’s vetted gaza evacuation fundraiser list. please share their fundraiser and donate anything you can

❤️🖤🤍💚

[dickarchivist]

Send this to all your favourite moots and pass the pumpkin round! KEEP THE PUMPKIN TRAIN GOING 🎃🖤🎃🖤🎃🖤

Cozy pumpkin blanket for you Reb ��♡♡♡♡

PUMPKIN!!!!!!

[victorianpining]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY REBS i love you and I hope you're having a wonderful day 🖤🖤🖤 this year is gonna slap for you I can feel it

THANK YOU MO!!! I love you too 💛🤍💛🤍💛

[heladodev]

Reb cubito 🖤

[effelants]

Thank you effe for tagging me in the WIP game! 🖤 I have also come to be a nosy little bean and inquire about either [The Heart of the Underdark] or [Splat], whichever one you'd rather give us a sneak peek of 👀

Ahhhhh, thank you so much for asking, Reb!! <3<3<3 The Heart of the Underdark is a write-up of a personal quest I'm writing for my Tav-turned-companion-OC Vierna Do'Urden, and Splat is a terribly titled fic of the first kiss between between said Vierna Do'Urden and @anderstrevelyan's Dark Urge, Valas DeVir.

I suppose I shall share few excerpts of the latter, and so, I give to you, the incredibly unromantically titled Splat:

[...] insert some more exposition here [...]

(I'm so not normal about them, by the way.)

[call-sign-shark]

Awful hot take: Heaven chose Arthur as he’s more easily manipulated, but still plays with Tommy.

As I did in all the previous awful hot takes I sent I’m gonna specify I DON’T think this at all ahsshntjr

Reb, you went so hard with this one 😱

I’m going to be honest with you: it could have been possible if she was an actual canon character written with the sheer intention to create drama. What’s interesting is also this depiction of Heaven as manipulating — which is something a reader told me once and I feel like she is in a way. Anyway, I LOVE this one and it would be very cruel 🥲 (no really, I love it)

(I replied to this while typing the upcoming HYE chapter with Tommy and I’m laughing sm :’) )

[mischievouslittlecreature]

@peakyswritings Found this on my Pinterest. Looks like Winston maybe partied a little too hard last night 🤭😂

[mischievouslittlecreature]

*Smashes through window* REB. I am SO SORRY it has taken me so bloody long to start this series! I've had it in my reading list for ages and I've been so excited to get to know Nina more! Especially since I've already grown to adore the version of her that you presented us with in your Hunger Games AU!

Had he been in a different situation, he would’ve enjoyed that sound, along with the feeling of the sunlight on his face.

Yes, yes! I love this! Tommy is an outdoorsman at heart and I will die on this hill. I've always felt that nature brings him a certain level of peace and tranquility.

I really love how you describe all of Tommy's mannerisms. They all fit perfectly with what we've seen canon Tommy do. And I'm really enjoying how you've given particular weight to the importance of his bond with Polly.

“Think of it like this: if I don’t come back, all of this will be yours.”

Oof. I know he was joking here, but given how he and Polly, especially in seasons 1 and 2, seemed to be in a bit of a power struggle at times, I wonder if there was an edge of truth there too? Poor Tommy, he always seems to have such a hard time understanding the people care for him and not just the things that he can provide them with, like money and power.

He had no idea, and that was terrifying, even for someone like him.

Oh, this is *chef's kiss*. Seeing Tommy in such a situation that is out of his control, when he is mostly the one in control, is so fascinating. I am loving being in his head with the way that you write him!

And there was something defiant in the way she refused to be the first to break eye contact. It was something that Tommy wasn’t used to, he had grown accustomed to people lowering their heads in his presence, not daring to even look at him.

Oh, she's gonna give him so many headaches I can already tell! 🤭 He was so instantly captivated by her though! I really can't wait to see their dynamic develop. And the dramaaaaaaa over him being expected to court her cousin 👀.

You've got me hooked with this first part, Reb! I can't wait to read more!

Heart, Body and Soul || Tommy Shelby x OC

PART I

Summary: When the conflict with a powerful family threatens to bring down the Shelby Clan, Tommy takes a trip to Italy. In order to stop the disaster, two families must become one: marriage seems to be the only way to seal an alliance and bring peace. It’s Nina Ferrante, fierce and rebellious, the one who slowly makes her way into his heart, with steps so light he doesn’t even realise it. But things are not as easy as they may seem: one, Tommy is expected to marry her cousin, and two - Nina has no intention of getting married.

Warnings: mentions of arranged marriage, slow-burn, small age-gap (Tommy’s 30, Nina is in her early 20s), English is not my first language.

A/N: here’s the first chapter of my new series. This is set somewhere between season 1 and 2. At the end, you’ll find the translation of a couple of Italian expressions. Feedback is always appreciated🤍

SERIES MASTERLIST

SERIES MOODBOARD

Gif credit

Dividers credit

Tommy gazed out the window of the car, watching the landscape pass before his eyes. The small Sicilian village was so different from Birmingham. It was rural, peaceful, and the air was clean, he could fill his lungs without smelling the smoke and the shit. Beyond the uphill road, he could even hear the sound of the sea. Had he been in a different situation, he would’ve enjoyed that sound, along with the feeling of the sunlight on his face.

But he had to stay focused. Because he was alone, and the men in the car with him were speaking words he couldn’t understand. They could’ve easily taken him to an empty field and put a bullet in his head, and no one would’ve known. His hand went to the gun inside his coat, taking in the feeling of security brought by the contact of the cold metal against his skin.

Vincenzo Ferrante said something to the driver, then his eyes met Tommy’s through the rearview mirror. There was a strange glimpse in them, something that vaguely resembled amusement. He knew he had the upper hand.

A familiar tingling sensation crawled over the back of Tommy’s neck. It was the way of his body to tell him that danger was near, had started to get it in France, and it hadn’t left him since. His fingers forcefully pressed against the grip of the gun as his hold tightened for a few seconds. Then, slowly, he released it, his hand coming to rest on his lap. He took a deep breath, pulling himself together. He had a deal with those people, and it would go through.

One week earlier

Tommy walked into the betting shop, his steps resonating over the wooden floor as he strode among the desks in the empty room. Empty, except for his aunt, who was waiting for him behind the main table.

“Here’s the information I found.” He said, tossing a folder on the wooden surface. Polly furrowed her eyebrows, grabbing it so that she could examine its content. It was full of photographs, letters and documents. God knew how Tommy had managed to get his hands on them.

“Go on.” She mumbled.

“Antonio Ferrante has two brothers, Vincenzo and Mario. They came to England when they were children, and they were raised here. Twenty-five years ago, Vincenzo and Mario went back to Sicily to start their business, both legal and illegal, while Antonio stayed here to carry on their legal race tracking operation. Of course, his organisation also has two sides. Vincenzo moves between Italy and England to help him with the other side. He’s here now. He’s been helping him with the attacks.”

Three attacks. Three attacks in one week. Tommy had never seen something like that. Those Italians were sly and quick, and extremely organised. They started by blowing up two of the pubs under the Peaky Blinders’ protection, then they proceeded to find one of their warehouses, and they blew it up as well. It was a matter of time before they came for the Shelbys.

Polly sighed, putting the papers back into the folder. Just when everything seemed to be going in the right direction, another bomb was dropped upon them. Quite literally.

Tommy rubbed his eyes, taking his time before continuing. “Ferrante was cooperating with Kimber. Thanks to this alliance, the family had secured a place at the top of the betting business. By killing Billy Kimber…”

“We stepped on their toes.” Polly finished his sentence.

“And now they want revenge. Yesterday they took three of our men.” He sighed, leaning against the desk behind him. That was another thing he had to take care of. He had to write to their families, send his condolences, and open a fund for them so that they could manage to sustain themselves without their husbands, fathers and brothers to take the money home. It was unpleasant, but it had to be done.

“It’s the Italian Mafia we’re talking about.” Tommy spoke again. “They have an organisation of bigger dimensions. If Ferrante calls the rest of his relatives from Sicily, it’s over for us.”

“So what’s the plan?” She asked, taking a cigarette from the pocket of her apron before placing it between her lips.

“Antonio Ferrante only has sons,” He started to explain, taking a match to light his aunt’s cigarette. “But his brothers have daughters-”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Polly’s head shot in his direction, eyes wide with disbelief as she could already imagine what he was trying to say.

“I’m talking about marriage, Polly. I’m going to marry one of the girls.”

Tommy couldn’t even believe his words as he said them. Before Grace, marriage had never crossed his mind, and after she left for New York, he was quite sure he would never find another woman. But there he was, selling himself so that his family could survive.

Despite the initial shock, Polly quickly regained her composure. She took a long drag from her cigarette, pondering her nephew’s words. “Why would they accept your offer?”

“Because by joining our forces, we can take down Sabini.”

“Do you think they’ll go against their own?” She inquired, a hint of scepticism in her voice.

“The Italians are fighting among themselves, now. Ferrante is also at war with Sabini, and he can’t defeat him on his own. Once Sabini’s taken care of, we’ll grant the Ferrante family a good place at the top of the business, even better than the one they occupied with Kimber.”

As much as Tommy tried to sound confident, he couldn’t hide his agitation. He couldn’t estimate the odds, there were no chances, no percentages. Everything felt unpredictable and beyond his control. He turned to grab the bottle of whiskey from the desk and poured himself a glass under Polly’s stare. It felt like she could read into him, like she could see right into his brain and know each one of his thoughts. It had always been like that, since he was a kid. It bothered him, sometimes, but deep down it was a relief to know that there was someone who could understand him without needing him to speak.

He downed all the whiskey in his glass, relishing the burning sensation. It grounded him, in some way. “Today I’m meeting Antonio and Vincenzo Ferrante.” He said, placing the glass on the table with a thud. “I’ll make the terms for peace.”

“How did it go?”

Tommy heard Polly’s question before he could see her. As soon as he entered the kitchen, he was met with her expectant eyes, her gaze scanning his face, looking for an answer. She poured him a glass of whiskey as he removed his coat and placed it on a chair.

“They accepted.” He just said, grabbing the glass. Polly’s expression relaxed for a moment, and she breathed a sigh of relief, but that relief was swept away as she noticed how her nephew was avoiding her gaze.

She waited for him to continue, but her patience ran out quickly. “And?” She asked.

Tommy sat on a chair and took a sip of whiskey. “And I’m going to Sicily to meet my spouse.”

There was some kind of inflection in his voice, one that not even Polly was able to define. But there was also a small particular in what he had said, and it didn’t go unnoticed.

“You’re going to Sicily?” She inquired, raising her eyebrows.

“Yes.”

“Alone?” She emphasised, leaning with a hand on the table, not taking her eyes off of his face.

“Yes.” He repeated, keeping his eyes on the bottle in front of him, well aware of how dangerous and imprudent it sounded.

“Tommy, are you mad?” She yelled, yanking away the bottle so that he would look at her. He finally raised his eyes, and silence fell between them for a while as he tried to find the words.

“I need you here to take control of the business while I’m gone. You’re the only one who can do that.” He explained, standing up so that he could speak to her face to face. “And I can’t take John and Arthur with me, because there need to be Shelbys here in Small Heath.”

“You’re going to get yourself killed.” She spat.

Tommy placed his hands on her shoulders, the hint of a smile making its way on his face. “Think of it like this: if I don’t come back, all of this will be yours.” He pointed towards the door that opened on the betting shop. “You’ll make a good fortune.” He joked, trying to lighten the air.

However, his aunt didn’t seem amused. She just shook her head, a look of defeat in her eyes. “I could try and talk some sense into you, but you’ve already decided, haven’t you?”

Without answering, Tommy walked past her to take ahold his glass and drink the rest of his whiskey. He cleared his throat, gathering himself as best as he could. “Vincenzo Ferrante is going back to his family in three days. I’m going with him.”

Present day

The car drew to a halt. Beyond an iron gate stretched a large garden, which was divided in two halves by a gravel path that led up to two big houses. As the driver got out of the car to open the gates, Tommy couldn’t help but feel relieved. No empty field. No ditch waiting for him.

“I guess you’re hungry, Mr. Shelby. It’s been a long journey.” Vincenzo Ferrante suddenly spoke, taking him away from his thoughts. Before Tommy could answer, he continued. “Later we’re having lunch, and I’ll introduce you to the family. Communication won’t be a problem, me and Mario raised all of our children to speak both English and Italian, just like Antonio. For the sake of business.” He clarified.

Tommy just nodded, unsure about what to say. He half expected to be dead before even getting to the village, so communication had been the last of his thoughts.

Not caring much about his silence, Vincenzo pointed towards the house on the left. “That’s my house, and the other is my brother’s. You’ll be my guest. Since we’re suggesting you to marry my niece Agnese, we thought it would be improper for you to stay in the same house as her.”

Agnese. She was said to be the oldest, and the prettiest, and the most fitted to be a wife. However, they had assured him that if he were to find someone more to his liking, he would be free to choose, he just had to make the decision before starting to court her. They wanted things to be done the proper way.

Tommy leaned back in his seat, the need for a cigarette suddenly kicking in. “It’s understandable.”

The brief ride towards the houses was silent. In that short amount of time, Tommy tried to guess what the following weeks had in store for him, how his life would look like in a month, but truth was, he really couldn’t tell. He had no idea, and that was terrifying, even for someone like him. But he had to stay calm, focused. He couldn’t allow himself to let his guard down.

When he got out of the car, he had to keep himself from breathing a sigh of relief. He was finally able to stretch his legs after being seated for what felt like ages. He thanked the driver who handed him his suitcase, then proceeded to take a look around. The two houses - even though they were separated from each other - formed some sort of angle. In the shared garden a long table had been set up, and from the numbers of chairs Tommy could tell that a great number of relatives would be joining them for lunch.

“Papà!”

A female voice echoed in the garden, and a raven-haired girl ran down the stairs that led to the front door of Vincenzo’s house. In a matter of seconds she was in the garden, and she wrapped her arms around the man’s neck.

“Ciao, amore di papà.” Ferrante said, taking her face in his hands to leave a tender kiss on her forehead. “Come stai?”

She opened her mouth to say something, but was quickly distracted by Tommy’s presence. A glimpse of confusion flickered across her dark eyes, then something really close to realisation seemed to hit her.

Ferrante took a step back, so that Tommy and that girl could be in front of each other. “Nina, this is Tommy Shelby. Mr. Shelby, this is Nina, my daughter.”

Tommy watched as she furrowed her brows, hesitating for a couple of seconds before holding out her hand. Her eyes, that a few seconds before were warm and full of affection for her father, were now cold and wary. And there was something defiant in the way she refused to be the first to break eye contact. It was something that Tommy wasn’t used to, he had grown accustomed to people lowering their heads in his presence, not daring to even look at him. This girl clearly knew who he was, and yet she refused to be intimidated. It was quite admirable.

Soon, Tommy realised that he had probably let his hand linger in hers for a bit too long. He let it fall to his side, clearing his throat. “Pleasure.”

“Nina, why don’t you show our guest his room?” Ferrante suggested, placing a hand on his daughter’s shoulder. “So you make yourself comfortable before lunch, Mr. Shelby.”

She said something in Italian, and even though Tommy couldn’t understand a single word, from the tone of her voice and her disgruntled expression he could tell that she was displeased. Nevertheless, a reproachful “Nina” uttered by her father, accompanied by a stern look, seemed to do the trick.

She glanced at Tommy one more time, before turning around and starting to walk towards the house. “Come with me.” She said, without worrying about whether he was following her or not.

Tightening his hold on the suitcase, Tommy started to walk behind her. If Nina’s cousin was half as hostile as her, he was truly fucked.

“Ciao, amore di papà”: “hi, darling” (literally - “hi, dad’s love”)

“Come stai?”: “how are you?”

NEXT PART

Tagging @zablife , cause I remember you asking me to tag you when this was out🤍

[sweetxvicky19]

Feeling the good vibes ❤️🎆🫂

Desde hace más de 4 años no e tenido la vida que e querido, ni e deseado, tanto así que todos estos años e sentido que e perdido años de vida, y momentos importantes de mi.

Gracias a dios había conocido distracciones o mejor dicho hobby’s que me mantenían ocupada, sin pensar que en ese momento podía estar en una escuela (si eran las 9 de la mañana), aprendiendo cosas nuevas, con un profe que no le preste atención, pero, que yo agarré sol, vida y pueda convivir con personas de mi edad.

Entre esos hobby’s está el mundo de twitch y los creadores de contenido, lleno de muchas comunidades muy bonitas; empeze con el que ya conocía más de YT el grandioso Auron(🤍), realmente en esos momentos estaba apenas conociendo la plataforma y me había subscrito con prime, además estaba que veía stream en clases y estaba que intentaba ocultar a los demás que veía streams en vez de prestar atención a la materia que sea que estaban dando, pero sin importar disfrutaba de lo poco que podía ver; rebuscando y conociendo un poco de este mundo conocí a Reb, dure más de 5 meses viéndolo (😭🥺🫶🏻) el streamer que se ganaba mi corazón con sus cositas extrañas, me consideraba (y lo sigo haciendo) una trajeada de corazón (🥰), pero, por temas personales me cortaron la felicidad, tuve momentos hermosos con esa comunidad que tanto se critica, pero, que con todo y comentarios negativos (que son más que falsos) de gente externa, seguirá siendo mi feliz para siempre; después deje twitch y como estos momentos estaba a mitad de tórtola veía los resúmenes de Auron, entre esos conocí con quien me quedo de por vida Axo(🤍🖤🫂) con quien llevo conociendo más de dos años, con quien más e interactuando y compartiendo momentos lindos (🥺❤️), tuve mis cosas y siempre las tendré con esa bella comunidad, tengo fotos, videos y capturas, de años de estar con el loquito y nunca dejará de tener un puesto en mi cucharon <3

En fin la verdad me quejo y a la vez aprecio tener el tiempo de disfrutar de las pequeñas cosas de el día a día que llevo, pronto se me acabará, pero, no me arrepiento de aver vivido todo esto, personas de un país tan lejos de mi, que me hacen reír hasta llorar, quererlos sin conocerlos tan bien y que me hacen querer protegerlos y defenderlos a toda costa de la gente que los quiere lastimar o difamar.

En fin amo y siempre amere mi etapa en sus momentos bonitos que son hechos por extraños a través de una pantalla que me acompañan más de 5 horas al día…❤️☁️

[eyes-of-metal]

Free space to scream about Winger because I'm not into them yet and have no idea what to ask specifically 🖤

Yay! I get to info dump my favourite band!

First I’ll start out by introducing the members! So the original 1988-1992 line up was this,

Rod Morgenstein -> drummer

Reb Beach -> Lead Guitar

Kip Winger -> Singer/bassist

Paul Taylor -> Keyboards/guitar

In 1992 Paul left because he was just bored of writing with Kip because they’d been playing together since 1986 in Alice cooper together. (No animosity)

So they replaced him John Roth, note he’s only a guitarist not Keyboardist.

This line up was short lived because “hair metal” went out of fashion and Winger had a big hate campaign against them because of bevis and butthead among other reasons so they desloved the band in 1994.

When they came back in the early 2000’s they pulled an iron maiden and kept Johnny while also bringing back Paul. Though note Paul didn’t play ALL shows, (he played in other bands had other projects, they all do btw). occasionally because of this Kip would play keyboards on the songs that required it and Johnny would play bass in place or they’d just have no bass. (You can see this in Winger Live from 2007).

Now Paul’s back full time and Johnny is still in the band though once again due to scheduling conflicts they sometimes have a replacement guy playing for Johnny. So the currently line up and the one from the early 2000’s has pretty much always been this with minor chances due to scheduling conflicts. They are actually one of the few bands to consistently play with all original members form the 80’s and they’re all like buddies so it’s nice.

Current day winger, and how they all look!

(If you want to know about the individual members just asks I’ll tell)