#dear new alfie

[pikavani]

Hannahpocalypse doodles!

As you may know, dear listener, Hannah never had trouble communicating—well, at least in her mind. It’s hard to steer and control a zombie that’s entirely focused on chasing down the next meal, maybe a rat that wandered a little too close. Gross... But for this very reason, I drew what Hannah might still imagine herself looking like! After 150 years, it’s easy to forget what you used to look like.

In addition to that I drew the very gorgeous and muscular Cali and her new best friend Alfie! 🥰💛

[deadsetobsessions]

To the mf who had my house before me, if you see me on the street, turn around and run the other way. Because if I see you, know that it’s going to be on sight. Who even puts tile like that?? Anyways, I'm kind of sick, so that's why I've been kind of inactive.

But good news (ish) I got me a house! Yay! Let’s hope I can keep it. To celebrate, y’all can have this! And a few chapters! So technically this is a chapter update post?

——

Danny’s most favorite thing to do with Alfred Pennyworth is groundskeeping. While he might not be Sam, Danny could still appreciate the serenity and beauty of nature.

“Ow, fuck!”

“Master Danny, please refrain from using explicit language.”

“Sorry, Alfred. I got stabbed.”

“Oh dear. Will you be needing a bandage?”

“Nah, it’s okay. I think…” Danny hummed, peering closer at the reddish brown thorns sprouting from the ground. “That might be the rose bush?”

Alfred paused his snipping, turning around and coming closer to inspect the plant. “How peculiar. It seems to have grown a branch beneath the soil.”

In unison, Danny and Alfred lifted their heads to look at the rose bush, innocuously sitting three yards away.

“Huh. Weird.”

“Indeed.”

The door to one of Bruce Wayne’s many gardens, all opulently gothic to hide their vigilante disturbances, opened. The hinges swung without a single creak, as Alfred the butler always carried WD-40 on his person and a squeaky hinge in this mansion was an affront to his professionalism.

"Hey, guys! Whatcha doing?" Duke greeted, followed by Jason.

"Gardening! You wanna help?"

"Nah, I'm a Gothamite, not Poison Ivy, man. I don't do grass." Duke replied, plopping down on one of the lawn chairs with his drink. "But I can totally give you moral support... from over here."

Danny snorted. "What about you, Jason?"

Jason shrugged. "Sure, what are we doing?"

"There's a rose bush that grew all the way over here."

"Woah, crazy."

"Indeed, Master Jason. I shall go get the shovels."

"Okay, Alfie," Jason absently agreed, focused on finding where else the rose bush had grown to. "You wanna keep the bush, right?"

"That would be preferable."

"Duke, can't-" Jason paused, throwing a quick look at Danny before visibly changing tracks. "Can't you get us some drinks?"

"Kitchen's right over there, Jason." Duke pointedly leaned back and took a sip.

Danny piped up. "I'll get it! What did you want, Jason?"

----

Two hours later, covered in all manners of dirt and blades of grass, Jason and Danny sat back to survey the messed up garden.

"You sure we can't hire Ivy to move the plant somewhere?"

"She'd just make it worse," Jason grumbled.

"You guys can do it!" Duke cheered, scrolling through his phone and cherry picking the most hilarious pictures of Jason and Danny to send to the group chat. He chose the selfie, where he was grinning into the camera as Jason fell on his ass as Danny pulled up a long section of thorns.

Duke gets nailed in the face with two clumps of grass from his disgruntled brothers.

"I believe it is time for a shower." Alfred Pennyworth smiled, content. Days like these made him glad that his grandchildren found their way back.

[muneca-lemon-steppa]

A Brother for Cyril

Alfie Solomons x Wife!Reader, fluff

733 words; Alfie is tricked into getting you a new dog...and it's all Thomas Shelby's fault.

Warnings: Swearing.

“Now Tommy… what the hell is that?”

“It’s a dog Alfie. A very sweet dog that you will love.”

“You silly boy that is not a dog. That thing is a rat. Cyril, now that’s a dog yeah? That thing is smaller than my boot, and I can’t even see it’s rat face. There’s nothing there. It’s a ball of hair.”

“Well it is a puppy Alfie. And it isn’t a rat, they call it a shi tzu. All the finest ladies have one.”

“...Are you trying to tell me something Tommy?”

Tommy Shelby rolled his eyes, “I’m trying to give you the dog. Lizzie refused to take it and Polly doesn’t want animals in the house. So I thought, ‘Hey. Mrs. Solomons is a beautiful woman, and Alfie could probably use help spoiling his wife.’ You’re welcome Alfie.” 

Alfie leaned forward, with an accusing finger twitching at Tommy, “Listen to me yeah? Don’t talk about my wife, in fact don’t even think about Mrs. Solomons alright? That woman is an angel, and there is nothing holy that goes around that twisted little mind of yours. Now, regarding the… thing. I can assure you that Mrs. Solomons will not want -”

“What won’t I want darling?”

Both men have their heads snap to you in the doorway, with a soft smile on your lips, and a curious twinkle in your eye. Alfie quickly looked at the clock, 2 p.m, he should have been home an hour ago for lunch with you. Despite Alfie’s insistence that you don’t come to the office on weekends, even when he was here, he knew that you would always disobey to come fetch him. Before Alfie could say anything to you about going back home with Ollie, Thomas Shelby beat him to the punch, “Alfie was just saying how you will not ever want to be parted with this… adorable little animal.” Thomas held up the small ball of fur, as little whimpers began to emanate from the puppy. 

“Oh my goodness Alfie you shouldn’t have! Oh darling he is precious! What a sweet precious baby! Oh now Cyril will have a little brother won’t he! Alfie you spoil me so, thank you so much darling!” You immediately took the little dog into your arms, pressing kisses to the top of it’s head, and the dog nuzzled its small face into your chest, soon falling into comfortable sleep. 

Alfie stared at you, mouth agape. For someone who could be so vicious with her words when the occasion called for it, you really babied the animals you came across. You walked behind the desk to kiss Alfie tenderly, “I was so upset that you didn’t come home for lunch, I’m so sorry my love, I didn’t realize that you were picking up such a darling little thing.”

As you kissed his cheek, Thomas Shelby smirked in the face of Alfie’s scowl. Once again, Thomas Shelby had manipulated the situation to his benefit, and now Alfie was left with this… dog. A happy wife too.. But also another dog that Cyril could eat. But how could he say no to you when you were so incandessently happy and kissing him the way you were? “That’s right my darling I was bringing you a gift, and you are most right, Cyril does need a brother to look after, earn his keep yeah? Now my dear, what do you think you’re going to name him?”

“Hmmm, he does look like a Bartholomew to me. And we can call him Barty for short.” 

Thomas began to cover his mouth to smother his laughter, a ridiculous name for such a runt. But Alfie just scowled at him, if you gave the name it was perfect, “A wonderful name treacle. Now let’s get home and introduce the boys to each other yeah? Tommy? Get the fuck out, I’m taking my wife home. Ollie!? Get the car we’re going home.” 

As Alfie wrapped his arm around you to lead you out with him, you turned your head to look over Alfie’s shoulder at Tommy, “Goodbye Mr. Shelby! See you soon! Give your Aunt Polly my love.”

Tommy tipped his hat with a smile, “Goodbye Mrs. Solomons, a pleasure as always. Enjoy Barty. See you Monday Alfie.”

Alfie just grunted and pulled you closer, wanting to get away from the thorn in his side. 

[xxgoblin-dumplingxx]

science experiment is my new favorite, dear lord it’s incredible

"We might have a problem, Alfie," Dick sing-songed as he leaned against the wall where Alfred was making sure the outdoor shenanigans that were serving as "training" today didn't get out of hand.

The butler glanced up to where Jason kept watching you, almost hovering near you. But trying to make it look like he wasn't. "So far as I'm concerned, it looks like the opposite of a problem."

"Maybe," Dick mused.

"How much did he see? Last night, I mean?"

"The aftermath," Dick sighed. "Mud, blood, tears, and snot."

"Oh dear," he tutted. "Master Bruce told me that he found Jason tending to the wounds on her hands and feet this morning. And that he seemed... almost like his old self."

Dick nodded to where you'd made your way over to Cass, the newest addition and offered to be on her "team". Cass wasn't a big talker- she could hardly speak at all- but. Thanks to your empathic quirk, neither of you really needed to talk to team up. And it hadn't taken Cass long to figure that out. OR to figure out that you were physically not very durable. Still. The smiles and the fist bump said it all. "Do we have extra hydration packs on hand?" he asked.

"Always," Alfred said. Reasonably, no one expected you to participate. And no one pulled punches when you did. But- watching you laugh with the other girls when Dick jogged over to even it up properly... well. Maybe, you could get a couple nights of decent sleep.

Bruce strode out onto the lawn and dropped into a chair with a grunt. "How's it going?" he asked.

"Swimmingly," Alfred said, pouring cold drinks and making sure that yours had the specific blend of things that had been prescribed to you in your bottle. "Miss Y/N and Miss Cassandra have been working out some things they can utilize in the field and the others have been enjoying creating chaos to facilitate that."

"Hn."

"And Jason has been hovering like a mother hen," Alfred chuckled.

"So much for not having a crush," Bruce hummed. "How is Y/N holding up?"

"Tiring out, I think. But they've been doing what they can to keep her from having to over-exert herself- after all. It's not like we need to know what the upper limits are."

"Fair-" But before he can finish asking for specifics, you waver on your feet halfway through a strategy you'd been working out with Cass. But before you crumple, Jason is right behind you. Picking you up against his chest.

His face burning as he murmured something against your flustered protests. You radiated flustered embarrassment. And he deposited you in a chair carefully. "It probably would have worked," he muttered, "Dick and Steph talk too much."

You nod and accept the proffered water bottle awkwardly and take a drink, "Thanks."

"What were you trying to do?" Bruce asked? He hadn't SEEN Cass, but that didn't mean anything.

"Lead her into the best position for a sneak attack using my location with emotional resonance... since I can make the people feel things we were playing hot and cold. So I was picking up on where she was and kinda leading her to where she needed to be as we were wandering around."

"Hn." Bruce nodded. Considering that. He'd THOUGHT about using that as a strategy before. You did possess the ability to hone in on people you knew well-

"You okay?" Jason asked, breaking into his thoughts.

"Fine," you murmur, rolling your water bottle between your hands and looking down. Taking a few deep breaths to shove all your emotions back under control as the others lope back up from the grass for drinks and snacks. Cass sat on the arm of your chair and thudded her head gently on your shoulder. Smiling a little when you lean your head on hers.

Bruce watches the little exchange with bemusement and nods to himself. It made sense. Cass had few words and you could make yourself understood without it. But0 he did wonder, as he watched Jason watch it all happen, how he felt about it.

[remembering-angels]

His ultraviolence (18+)

Arranged merriage with Tommy shelby

Synopsis - the niece of alfie solomons marries alfie's cold-hearted gangster friend, tommy shelby.

(Based on a prompt I saw on character.ai, but the writing is my own entirely!!!)

I am writing in first person because writing in second person confuses me as a non native English speaker.

(Content- car sex (in public), misogynistic 1920s stuff, tommy is being mean ,you are reading a story about a gangster,dubcon, fluff ending )

First ever smut ,nobody bully me.

My uncle alfie solomons the leader of the Jewish gangs I London was a harsh and strict boss offering deal or death sort of buisness partnerships, to me though he was a good uncle, spoiled me and doted on me as much as he could, maybe that's why I never grew out of fairytales about princes and princesses. "Come come here my beautiful dove, come sit with uncle alfie, let's chat shall we" uncle alfie calls me to his office, I nervously bite my lip, alfie never wanted me to be a part of the buisness ,I wonder why he summons me now. "Uncle?" I come in to his office confused when suddenly I notice beyond the cloud of cigarette smoke sits a man,in a dark three piece suit, I had to admit my breath almost stopped ,he was handsome, too handsome to sit in a dusty "bakery " office, his blue cold eyes stared in to my soul it seems. "Lovely Lovely yes sit next to uncle" mumbles alfie summoning me to him,I sit nervously next to him, I seemed even more small next to alfies big frame and even more ridiculous sitting between two gang bosses in a pink and white dress.

"Darling this is tommy shelby ,he is a good friend of mine yes very good friend and he recently lost a wife" he takes off his glasses and turns to me "he needs a new wife" ,I look at him confused where this is going, alfie always had a way to talk and talk around his points, perhaps it's his defence mechanism. "Alfie get to the point " the man with the blue eyes finally speaks up, his voice gruff and commanding ,how dare he command alfie like that ,but alfie doesn't seem phased at all. "Oh yes yes right ,my point is,I offered mr shelby here your hand in marriage, now I know its a big change but he is a strong ally and this union will be beneficial for us both and for the buisness " alfie says ,looking at tommy again as if looking for reassurance, tommy doesn't answer ,he barely even blinks.

"W..what" I say confused, I knew women didn't have much say in the gangster world but alfie just offering me up to his friends was a hit to the gut. "Uncle!" I say again shocked, looking between tommy and alfie, "now don't make a scene love, thomas is good buisness man and a very dear friend, I am sure you'll be fine" ,my jaw almost drops at this, if tommy is such a great guy why doesn't alfie marry him instead huh. Alfie shifts uncomfortably in his chair, even his bubbly and loud personality couldn't save everyone in the room from the tension that was slowly getting more and more tense. "Uncle ..this is so sudden I dont-" alfie touched his beard in annoyance "Now darling this union is VERY important for me ,if you refuse I'll be very upset " alfie always sugarcoated everything with me ,lucky for me tommy didn't "if you refuse ,I'll break this partnership and start a war in London " he says in his trademark detached and cold voice. My heart sank, it was straight up blackmail .

It was not a happy occasion as alfies men put my entire life in boxed to be shipped off to bermingam, it was not a happy occasion despite alfie happily kissing me on the cheek and sending me off in to Tommy's car "you two have fun alright, I'll see you in the wedding, be a good girl love" alfie kisses me again, tommy rolls his eyes as he starts the car "bye alfie" he says almost happy to be going home finally. I was shocked at how much trust alfie and tommy put in each other, does alfie seriously trusts tommy that much to give out the closest he has to a daugher just like that?

The ride to bermingam was silent,silent enough for me to memorise by heart the way the engine moves ,the sound it makes, "so..is your name tommy or thomas" I finally try to break the ice ,"thomas but we are getting marries so tommy is fine" his answer was cold and short, he barely looked at me. "I see...um do you have a big family..tommy" I ask nervously. "Yes, I have 3 brothers, Arthur, finn, john and a sister eda..there is aunt polly too ,you'll meet her soon" his voice grown a bit softer talking about his family ,it was endearing. "A..are you all gypsies then?" I ask trying to find any way to continue the conversation that seems to be holding on only thanks to my talking. "Yes, we all live in caravans and practice witchcraft" he smirks, the sarcasm in his voice wasn't lost on me. I laugh,the kind of polite laugh you give a stranger when you don't know what to say "I see" ,I look in to the green fields before me as the car keeps rolling.

After some more minutes of tortured silence ,finally he decides to speak "are you a virgin?" He asks bluntly ,no shame in his voice, I blush ,looking at him wide eyed "is that the first thing you ask me?" A hint of shock in my voice, "you are my future wife " he says again with no shame. "You don't even want to know my interests? Hobbies? Favourite book?" My voice a tone of scolding to which tommy raises an eyebrow, looking at me finally for the first time during our ride "this is a buisness arrangement sweetheart, not a date, and I sure do have the right to know if my wife is a virgin or not" he answers sternly ,causing goodbumps to run down my spine. "Well you don't.. you don't have the right" I cross my arms in protest at his rudeness which causes tommy to let out a chuckle "I think I have my answer then" he says in a matter of fact "my lovely new virgin bride, lucky me eh" he teases ,the way he could get from cold and emotionless to humorous and playful was a bit jarring to say the least. "I..I'm not a virgin " why did I say that ,of course he was right but my head was spinning and alfie threw me to the wolves so I had to not seem as innocent as I probably looked.

"Not a virgin eh" tommy says skeptically, looking me up and down he suddenly drives off the road ,parking his car at a nearby tree grove, "let's fuck then " ,my eyes widen and my hands begin to feel cold "shouldn't we...wait to our wedding night " my throat feels dry,why did I lie about it, stupid me. Tommy narrowed his eyes "one of those girls eh, good girls who wait for their wedding night" his blue eyes were staring right through and inside me, nothing was hidden from him.. "Yes.. " I squirm under his gaze, "you are lying to me. I do not appreciate it" he shook his head ,his voice returned to the trademark detached tone "you are a shelby now, and there are rules,you don't lie to me" he raised his finger and then sighed again "I.. " the words get stuck in my throat, "get out of the car" he orders, a clear command, something told me not to break,I open the passenger car door with trembling hands and climb out ,shortly after he gets out of the car too and opens the back seat car door, "bend over the seat" he takes out a cigarette and rubs it between his lips.

"What? Why?" I take a small step back ,"you are gonna lie to me about being a virgin then you are gonna get fucked like an experienced woman, bend." He says nonchalantly, making my shiver again. "Couldn't this wait for a bed?" I look at the back seat covered in black leather . Tommy takes another smoke of his cigarette, a moment of silence and then him grabbing me by my jaw pinning me to his car "I told you,you are my property now, everything belongs to me and I'll take it anywhere I damn please, don't make me repeat myself " he warns ,I let out a shaky breath and a gasp as he lets go of my jaw, I can't cry ,not now. "You can't treat me like this, my uncle won't stand for it" I said trying to regain a bit of control, "you think I am afraid of alfie?" He asked in a mocking tone "I'm your husband"

With that he spins me around and bends me to the seat, the humiliation rose to my cheeks as he started touching my behind, slow circular motion and then, SLAP, I gasp, the sound of his palm smacking my ass was echoing, I gasp and whimper ,trying to hold on to the car seat, "this was for lying" he says, and this ,he pulls down my baby blue chemise , the cool air hits my bare parts ,making me gasp ,he brings a hand to my folds "hm i might believe you aren't a virgin after all, getting so wet already eh ,like a true whore" I blush "tommy please not here please" I beg him ,which causes his to press his fingers in to my sensitive bundle of nerves "alfie is such a fool, giving something so innocent to me" he says in dark amusment, playing with my sensitive knots and entering a finger inside me, "hmm tight like a virgin, why would you lie about something so easily checked?" ,"I..I don't know it was a spar of the moment" I say through humiliating tears.

"Don't cry,you brought this on yourself " he says in a cold detached voice ,a sound of a zipper is heared ,I dig my nails in to the car seat and enters ,slowly at first, positioning himself "you know I wanted to be gentle for your first night, but I think you enjoy being bent over and fucked more" ,I blush harder as he says it,my head is spinning, "tom it hurts" I cry out as he starts breaking through the thin layer of maidnehood "isn't it romantic your husband taking your virginity, isn't that what girls like you want" he asked as he starts moving inside me,picking up the pace which each thrust . "Not like this" I sob, "like what hm? What did you imagine tell me" he picks up the pace even more as I try to form a coherent sentence, "let me guess a nice man and a nice slow fuck, sorry love you married a gangster" his pace quickens even more to my gasp and moans, I almost forgot we were at a tree orchad ,the feeling of him stretching me is the only thing i can focus on, "tommy" I moan more ,he leans his body over me ,brushing the hair from my face "you'll be such a good wife, I am going to fuck a baby in you ,you want that hm? " I whimper and moan until he finally releases inside me ,I let out a shaky moan and a gasp ,he pulls out and zips himself up.

With shaky legs I climb off the seat ,I look like a baby deer as I try to stand on my shaky legs, he stands by the tree looking at me, taking a cigarette out and puffs a cloud of smoke. I look at him slightly fearfully. "Well you are not a liar anymore " he takes another puff or his cigarette, I look like I am about to cry "do you smoke" he asks, "n..no" I say my voice still shaky. "Drink whiskey?" ,"sometimes" ,"ride horses?" "No" he looks to the side annoyed, "so all you do is day dream about fairytale?" ,"sometimes ".

"Come here" he says ,his voice more gentle now, "I am not the kind of man you dream about, not some actor with a nice smile or Prince charming, I am a bad man and I do bad things, so I'll give you a choice, run back to your uncle or stay" I look at him wide eyed, my legs still shaky from his use, the way he said "stay" tugged at my heartstrings, it almost sounded desperate, raw, almost sounded like he was begging, " if you stay, If you stay you'll be cursed" he looked away ,a hint of pain in his voice, he lookes behind me as if he is seeing ghosts. "I'll stay" I say silently, I don't know why.i don't know why,I said it. he made me cry. My heart broke when I looked in to his mesmerizing ice blue eyes, the sadness in them ,could make me forget everything and hold him for hours ,but it wasn't love, no not yet, not the love that a young girl dreams of, a fairy tale sort of love with Prince charming, instead there is a cold gangster with a red right hand ,a blood he will never wash off him and a sadness planting its roots in his core so deep his blue eyes can never hide it. "Fine..stay" he says again ,walking to his car with me,I sit back in to the passenger seat, tommy looks at me more softly now "well be home soon, you can rest, the wedding can be in a week, buy yourself a nice dress" ,I lay my head on the seat closing my eyes.

[leenieweenie12]

You're Too Sweet For Me

Ok this is literally the first little fic I've ever written (and completed) so please give me the tiniest amount of grace, I am begging you. I am so afraid to post this but I figure, why the hell not?! Gotta live a little. Also side note, I know this is so cliche to take place in a flower shop but I am ~unoriginal~ and that's what I came up with.

Warnings: none, this is fluff

Words: 1,213

Inspired by none other than the lovely Hozier and his new song Too Sweet

Divider by @animatedglittergraphics-n-more

The bell over the door chimed, letting her know that a customer had just arrived. 

“Be with you in a minute!” she called from the side room where she was arranging a colorful spring bouquet. 

“S’alright, it’s just ol Alfie,” a familiar gruff voice hollered back. 

She smiled to herself and glanced at the clock above the doorway. Five o’clock, right on time. She wiped her hands on her already dirty apron and walked out to the main shop. Her dear friend Alfie Solomons was standing with his back toward her, looking at the rows of blooms spread around the room. He had his signature long black coat and hat on, his small cane clutched in one hand. 

“Is it Wednesday already, then?” she asked, placing a hand on Alfie’s shoulder. “Could’ve sworn it was still Tuesday.”

“That’s the thing about the days, love, once one ends, the next one begins,” he put his arm around her waist and gave her a small sideways hug. “Got anything exciting going on back there?” his head tipped slightly to the side room.

She shrugged. “Nothing too thrilling. Come back and give me a hand, would ya?” 

She walked ahead of him into the small area that was dedicated to arranging. In a glass vase on the counter was a sprawling bouquet of peonies, roses, and cosmos. 

“Think Mr. Klein stepped out on the missus again,” she snickered. “This is the third arrangement he’s ordered just this month for her.” 

Alfie reached out and gently touched one of the peonies with a calloused ring adorned finger, a funny sight to see from such a burly man. “Yeah, well,  I can’t blame the man. Mrs. Klein is about as irritating as they come, with that God awful nasally voice of hers constantly droning on about fuck all.” He took half a step back to admire the bouquet in its entirety. “Put some larkspur in there, add a little height.” 

She chuckled and shook her head, “You always have to have a say in my work, don’t you?” Despite her words, she turned and grabbed a few stems of the purple larkspur in the bucket on the counter and carefully added them to the vase. “But you’re always right, which you know annoys the hell out of me.” 

The man smiled and gestured with his hands, “See, there ya go, love. Perfect.” 

She smiled and turned to face Alfie, her back leaning against the counter. She looked at the older man’s face and studied it intensely, as she had countless times before. It wasn’t much of a secret that she had feelings for him. He had been coming into her flower shop for almost two years by then. He started coming every other week to pick up arrangements for his mother. Every other week quickly turned to once weekly, then every other day. Now it was routine for them; every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, at exactly five o’clock, Alfie would come to the shop. He had stopped buying bouquets for his mother after her passing roughly a year before. Now he just visited her for pleasure. They had become quite good friends in that time. Alfie would often bring her some dinner if he knew she had to stay  late to fill an order. Other evenings he would take her out either to a local pub or restaurant to enjoy food and drinks. Her feelings grew by the day but she never acted on them. She figured that if Alfie felt the same way he would have made a move by that point, so for the time being she let it go. She tried not to let it bother her too much, the ache in her heart that left a pang of emptiness. Most of the time they were having far too much fun for her to realize it was even there. But every once in a while, in the quiet moments such as the one they were having in her little flower shop, she felt it. 

There was something about that day, that moment, that she felt the overwhelming urge to fill that empty void. She would never know what it was that made her do it, but she grabbed the lapels of Alfie’s coat and pulled herself to him, pressing her lips to his. At first, there was no reaction from the bearish man, but as she didn’t back off, she felt Alfie’s large hand snake behind her neck. He deepened the kiss, pushing her back against the counter. Her arms went around his neck as he moved his own hands to her waist and effortlessly picked her up to sit her on the surface. Their lips crashed together like two teenagers indulging their pubescent hormones for the first time, tongues intertwining at a fervent pace. 

When they finally released each other, Alfie took half a step back. “Fuckin ‘ell,” he said with a smirk. “Not that I didn’t enjoy that, but what the hell are you thinking, love?” 

She looked into his impassioned eyes sheepishly and gave him a small smile. “Don’t be daft, Alfie. You know how terrible I am at hiding my feelings. Don’t tell me you’re surprised by this.” She brought a hand up to his scraggly beard and gave it a pet. 

Alfie’s gaze intensified and his brow furrowed. He looked back and forth between her green eyes. searching for some sort of answer. “Darling, I-” he started before she put her hands on his chest.

“And don’t tell me you don’t feel the same way because a kiss never lies, and the way you just kissed me revealed a whole lot of truth, Alfie Solomons.”

He snickered and put his hands back on her waist. “You got me there, treacle. Not even gonna try to be coy with you. I’m just a bit taken aback is all.”

The next few hours were spent just the two of them in her modest flower shop vacillating between conversation about their feelings for each other and intimate caressing and necking. When they finally realized how late it was by the darkness outside, Alfie turned toward her with a serious glance. 

“I’m not a good man,” he declared in a serious tone. “I’ve done awful things to a lot of people.”

She closed the gap between them and laid her cheek against his broad chest, waiting for his bulky arms to enclose around her. “But you’ve never done anything awful to me, Alfie, and that’s what I care about. Everything you’ve done you’ve done for a reason. I know that.”

He wrapped her small frame up with his own body and sighed, “You’re too sweet for me, love.” He bent his head down and gingerly kissed the top of her head. 

“Let’s get out of here, yeah?” she said as she linked her arm through his and stepped toward the door. 

With the chilly night air greeting them, they strolled out to the quiet Camden street, arm in arm, both with minds racing of the future to come for their newfound romance, smiles spread wide across their faces. 

They could feel the electricity of love sparking between them, lighting up the night. This was the start of something beautiful.

[dyns33]

Arthur : "I know how to torture the asshole." Y/N : "Please don't insult my husband." Alfie: "Oh, I think there's a lot of progress here, treacle, before it was 'Jewish asshole, stingy, liar, traitor'…" Thomas : "I want to wait for the new torture method." Alfie : "I'm curious too, dear Arthur." Arthur : "Has our sister ever told you about her previous lovers ?" Alfie : "…" Arthur : "Nine years old, adorable little girl, who with a shy smile announcing to us that she really liked the neighbors' son, Henry. Then twelve years old, first kiss with Bill, the…" Y/N : "That's enough." Arthur : "A problem, Alfie ?" Alfie : "No, I think it's cute. Because you think I could judge my sweet wife on her past, and because you imagine she didn't tell me about all of it already." Y/N : "I didn't remember Henry and Bill at all." Alfie : "I think it's beautiful that I waited for her my whole life and that she compared a lot of men before deciding it would be me." Y/N : "I didn't have a lot of men, I was a child. The only ones who mattered a little are…" Alfie : "Yeah, yeah, we get the idea, love." Thomas : "Torture works." Arthur : "I can see that."

[solomons-finest-rum]

“As The Crow Flies” (Alfie Solomons x fem!Reader) — PART 4 (FINALE)

SUMMARY — By all accounts Anna Gray died in Australia and had no business standing in Alfie’s living room, nor calling the man “darling” for that matter. But there you were, identical to the picture they took when they shipped you off to the colonies.

AUTHOR’S NOTE — I feel like, perhaps, that is enough said in that little Alfie corner of mine. I'm not sure if I will return with any more stories. Thank you so much for the support along the way! I love you all dearly. One more note, some dialogue here is directly stolen from the show, because it was just too good not to.

💗💗💗💗💗

WORD COUNT — 2,434

Masterlist

You stayed observant through that bizarre meeting at Tommy’s equally bizarre mansion and gathered information as quietly and efficiently as you were taught to do. As you quickly learned, in Tommy’s new circles nobody suspected women of anything. This, you suspected, would surely be their downfall.

Jack Nelson was as infuriating as you had expected him to be. Not only did he insult your entire family by pretty much assuming you all still lived in caravans and told fortunes, he continued to be offensive even when he didn’t speak. Which wasn’t often. The man loved to hear the sound of his own voice and didn’t try to hide it.

Your infamous sister-in-law, Gina Gray, didn’t take too kindly to another woman present at the table—but seeing as she had felt so emboldened to restructure the Shelby organisation pretty much straight off the boat, you didn’t pay her any mind. She earned herself no favours with her ill-placed boldness.

What did amuse you most was the perpetual scowl on Lady Diana’s face, along with Oswald Mosley’s poorly concealed surprise at your presence. For a split of a second you regretted you had agreed to the plan. Perhaps you should have stayed in Margate… As your husband would say, life was so much easier when you were dead.

But it was too late to dwell on it. Somehow, both sides of your family came to accept a consensus those weeks ago, when the Shelbys invaded your seaside sanctuary on a misguided rescue mission. If there ever was a moment to compare your life to “Beauty and the Beast,” that would probably have been it.

Now one foot in the Shelby camp, one with the Solomonses, you really had to try very hard not to laugh in Jack Nelson’s face when he opened his mouth once more and the following came out:

“So you’re the sister,” he pointed to Ada whose scowl in comparison to Lady Diana’s was truly unmatched, “you’re the aunt,” he looked at Polly, “and you… You are cousins with Thomas, which I suppose makes you the sister-in-law to my favourite niece. How queer.” 

“Astute observation,” you muttered.

Jack Nelson remained unaffected. It seemed he could only pay attention to the words he spoke, the rest was lost to him.

“So it seems you and I are in the minority, Mr. Mosley. This,” Jack let out a humourless chuckle, “this feels too much like a witch coven and too little like a business meeting. Meant no offence, ladies.”

“Oh, Jack, you’re so blunt!” Gina rolled her eyes and gladly accepted her drink from Mosley.

“How refreshing,” sighed Lady Diana, “a man who isn’t careful with his words.”

Fish out of water, you didn’t comment, but Polly then spoke for the both of you:

“Yes, surely speaking your mind around gangsters should prove most beneficial.” She lit a cigarette in her usual dramatic way and handed you a match. You lit yours, too.

Jack looked at you both with an incredulous look, then let out a most uncomfortable chortle.

“I can see the family resemblance, you know…” He pointed towards you then turned to Gina. “Doesn’t she look just like Michael with that stony stare? I wondered… I wondered, sister dear, if you weren’t a fake, but now I see the Shelbys have not one lying bone in their bodies.”

How about the Solomonses?, you thought to yourself, but otherwise responded by leaning back in your seat and blowing out the cigarette smoke at the ceiling. Fortunately, the details of your marriage remained undisclosed for non-family members, because they weren’t yet useful.

And you didn’t consider the Americans your family.

Your indifference didn’t earn you any allies, but at least it seemed that Jack Nelson was most content when monologuing, so you let it be. Better they thought you a moron instead of suspecting the plot.

“Now, see, this is what I was hoping to hear from Thomas Shelby himself, but I wonder… What does Shelby Company Limited actually do?” Jack asked then, looking like the cat that ate the canary.

Oh, he thinks himself so smart, you thought, still silent as a grave.

Ada glared at him instead, like one might at a roach, and you started to wonder how many in the present company were actually holding any weapons. Gina looked too doped to care, you reasoned, and Lady Diana would never get her hands dirty, this much you could already tell after having known her for about thirty minutes. Jack might be carrying a piece and Mosley too, but both looked entirely too placated and confident in the company of women.

Of course, having predicted your fiery nature, you remained under strict orders from Tommy not to murder anyone. Yet. Alfie judged him well, you thought. Tommy truly could read anyone’s character like an open book.

But, as things stood, you were under no orders that concerned you plotting, and so you plotted in silence. Killing one of them would probably mean the other would attack immediately, but which would be easier to subdue should the occasion arise? You considered that precise conundrum when the door to the parlour opened once more and in it stood Tommy Shelby.

“Apologies for the delay, gentlemen. Ladies.” 

Now Tommy, you reasoned, he’d probably be greatly opposed to you starting a shootout in his home, but then he wouldn’t dare to kill you, not in front of Polly, and probably not while Alfie still drew breath. But by gods, you were growing tired of Jack Nelson’s tongue.

As Tommy sat down, a cigarette between his lips and a glass of Irish whiskey in his hand, you looked him in the eye and let yourself smile just a little. As far as cousins went, Tommy wasn’t so terrible.

“Tommy,” Gina cajoled. “Care to finally clue us in?”

“In what?” Tommy asked, his face a stony mask that revealed nothing, but somehow you already knew he despised the woman just as much as you all did.

Despite Jack Nelson’s sincerest efforts in assumption, though, your family wasn’t yet adept in mind reading and further explanations had to follow:

“Now, Mr. Shelby, Gina tells me this young lady there, your cousin, was presumed dead for the past decade or so,” said Mosley. “How curious indeed. I wonder why she is then present at the meeting? Is she sympathetic to the cause?”

The thought of a shootout came back to you like lightning. This time you got slightly panicky. You had no idea where the fascist’s reasoning would lead and you didn’t want to find out. 

Tommy looked at him as he lit his cigarette, then back at you to give you the tiniest nod of approval. You almost laughed. Maybe you were wrong. Maybe his grandfather’s gift truly allowed him to hear your thoughts.

“So not only can you Shelbys reach the dead, you can also raise them. My, my, Mr. Shelby, that will soon prove to be a very useful skill,” Mosley commented and Diana gave him a brilliant smile.

These people, you concluded, were trained parrots and fucking idiots. With the exception, perhaps, to Gina, who all in all seemed to have been trained in nothing.

“That remains to be seen.” Tommy took a long drag of his cigarette.

“Seeing as we’re all women and scarcely any men here,” Jack swiftly changed the subject, “I wonder where the husbands are? Are they not involved in family meetings?”

An ice-cold shiver went through you and Polly grasped your hand in hers to stop you from reacting. But you already felt panic settle in. Either this was idle talk or Jack Nelson wasn’t as ill-informed as you had judged him.

“Mine’s sadly dead now,” Ada answered sharply to Jack Nelson’s provocation, “but of course we speak often.”

If looks could kill, the one she sent Jack would burn him to a crisp. You smirked at the thought.

“Well, I’m bored now,” Gina announced and Ada rolled her eyes at the bratty behaviour. “Are we waiting for anyone else? Or can we finally get to business?”

Funny she should speak of business, you thought, seeing as she had no say in any. You, on the other hand, remained most curious on the subject of vendetta. Polly turned to Tommy and gave the slightest of nods.

“Perhaps, Mr. Mosley, we can turn to what practical things Mr. Nelson can do to further our cause, while he’s in the country,” Tommy said.

“Wouldn’t you I rather whisper in the President’s ear?” Jack Nelson smirked. “That is kind of why I’m here, right?”

Mosley seemed either pleased or exasperated at the suggestion, you couldn’t quite tell. His eyes remained dark and lifeless.

“We do, indeed, have things for you to pass on to the President,” he murmured, “but not while we share the table with Jewish whores.” He turned to you and in an instant you knew the charade was over. “Mr. Shelby, I truly expected better from you, but then again… Some blood runs thicker.”

There would be no swaying the room. Not when Mosley turned sharply to Jack and Gina and declared:

“That woman is the widow of Alfie Solomons, the late… king of Camden Jews,” he scoffed. “She is no aid in our cause, but a spy. One, I must say, very poorly concealed, Mr. Shelby.”

“Is that true?” Gina turned to you, eyes bright and wide from prolonged cocaine use. “You’re his wife?!”

“The widow,” Lady Diana corrected snidely, not without satisfaction. “His motley crew of sewer rats is no threat to anyone anymore, I assure you.”

You tried your best to remain calm, but the thought of the knife you kept concealed in your skirts grew stronger. The fascist idiot didn’t know your husband yet lived and while the information wouldn’t exactly help you right then, you held onto it for dear life. Nothing would happen to you while Alfie drew breath, this much you knew.

“Well then,” Ada sighed, “I’d say the negotiations are over?”

“Well,” Lady Diana chuckled humorlessly, “I’d say it was a pleasure, but my parents raised me better.”

Polly stood up first and perhaps that would be the end of it, had Lady Diana kept her mouth shut and didn’t whisper to her what she did:

“Gypsy scum.”

The movement was swift and sharp—obviously well-practised. One moment the hairpin was holding up Polly’s rich brown curls, the next it was firmly lodged in Lady Diana’s nose, all the way to her brain; Lady Diana’s face froze, twisted in pain and horror, and blood dripping through her eyes. 

Then, chaos ensued. Everyone rose from their seats, but only Tommy remembered his drills and, unlike Mosley, he would never be as arrogant to have come unprepared. 

“I will have no gorja speak like that of my kin,” he said calmly as he raised his revolver to Mosley’s head. “So when you meet the devil, say my greetings for me.”

Tommy shot him in cold blood and that, alongside a curse in his tongue of old, seemed enough to subdue even a man like Jack Nelson. Of course, to your great satisfaction, Gina swiftly joined her uncle’s bloodied corpse on the beautiful Persian rug—the corpse with your knife stuck in his neck.

“Now then, Tommy, what are we to do with you, hm?” Alfie exclaimed as soon as Tommy’s men let him inside the parlour that was now undergoing impromptu redecorating efforts. 

To their credit, Tommy’s maids scrubbed the blood off the furniture like it was their lives true calling, all the while you sat side by side with Polly and Ada, smoking cigarettes and pretending to be fine.

“Hello, Alfie,” Tommy hummed his usual greeting and handed Alfie a drink the man obviously refused.

“Nah, I don’t touch that stuff, mate, but I should see to my wife, perhaps, she looks like she dearly needs some looking after, right, especially since you Shelbys remain savagely as per fuckin’ usual!”

Tommy smirked at that, then motioned Arthur inside as soon as he saw his brother in the hall.

“Is it done, Arthur?”

“We burnin’ them outside, Tom, like you said,” the elder Shelby grunted.

“And can I say, right, about fuckin’ time that fascist burns in hell!” Alfie roared and came closer to place an affectionate kiss on your cheek.

“You alright then, sweetheart?” he asked and you nodded, reaching for his hand.

“She’s fine,” Polly scoffed.

“Right, high time I take my bride back home then, Tommy, since your war efforts are quenched, I hope, yeah, an’ I now find myself avenged,” Alfie concluded, thoroughly ignoring Polly’s implications. “Don’t think on any debt collection, though, Tommy, I know ya well enough and one look at this mangled face should halt any such notions from you, all right?” 

You stood when Alfie offered you his arm and smiled at Polly affectionately, seeing as she still remained vigilant around the man. Perhaps that would be their way.

“Hope to see you again, Cousin?” Ada grinned at you in a manner that greatly reminded you of Tommy—something feral in that smile still kept you on your toes.

“I hope so as well,” you said.

“Perhaps we should turn to Boston, dearest?” Alfie’s gruff voice brought you back to reality. “I hear my uncle remains a man of wisdom, even now he’s past sixty. But such is the way in my family, don’t you worry. I ain’t leavin’ you a simperin’ corpse anytime soon…”

As you said your goodbyes to the Shelbys, despite Alfie’s annoyance and pointedly showing you his pocket watch, your heart felt fuller than ever before in your tortured existence. You entered your curious marriage an orphan and somehow along the way found you had a clan to call your own on two continents.

“Lead the way, husband,” you chirped as Alfie led you to his car.

“Aye, I should hope to finally lead you away from the viper’s nest, wife,” Alfie grumbled, though you could tell he was only mildly annoyed. “Now that ya saved England with your damnable cousins might I humbly persuade you not to leave my side for the foreseeable future?”

“Why, Alfie, with talk like that people might think you grew fond of me.”

“People can well think what they fuckin’ like,” he scoffed and then kissed you the way he knew you liked to be kissed—like the world stopped for a second around you two and nothing mattered, just as long as your gangster husband would not stop kissing you.

[wa-royal-tea]

Previous | Beginning | Next

(Transcript under the cut - Click Pics for HQ Version!)

@thebrixtons

Magnolia House, Holan (10:58pm)

Alfie (text message): I’m home. I’ll wait for you in the living room. Don’t come home too late.

Alfie: You’re home early. I thought you’d stay at the party longer.

Catalina: Huh? Oh. Wasn’t in the mood for it. I’m tired.

Alfie: Are you okay? Do you feel sick?

Catalina: I’m fine. Just really really tired.

Alfie: Let’s get inside then. I’ll run a hot bath for you. We can watch Simflix tonight too if you want.

Catalina: That sounds great. You’re a lifesaver.

Alfie: *chuckles* I try, my dear.

Catalina: What’s on the menu?

Alfie: “Crash Landing on You”, “Dr. Cha”, “King the Land”, and-or “The Red Sign”.

Catalina: Isn’t that Carlos’ movie? I thought we already watched it.

Alfie: Yeah, this one is the sequel to “The Red Dress”. We haven’t watched it yet.

Catalina: Hmm, we can go for that one then.

Alfie: Aight. Your wish is my command~

Catalina: *inhales deeply*

Alfie: What are you doing?

Catalina: Nothing. You smell good by the way. Are you using a new cologne?

Alfie: I didn’t. It’s just the shower gel you got me last Winterfest. I’ve been using it everyday.

Catalina: Really? I never noticed it before.

Alfie: L-Lina—

Catalina: Shhh~

Alfie: Y-you said you were tired.

Catalina: I don’t feel tired anymore.

Alfie: But the movie—

Catalina: We can watch it later. I want you, now.

Alfie: Wait, hold on—

*rustling sounds from the kitchen*

Alfie: *yawns* Lina?

Catalina: Alfie? Did I wake you?

Alfie: Yeah. It’s four in the morning. What are you doing up?

Catalina: Sorry. I was just very hungry. I had to look for something to eat.

Alfie: You could’ve woke me up. I can make something for you.

Catalina: You seemed tired. I didn’t want to bother you.

Alfie: It’s not a bother. Next time just wake me up.

Catalina: Hm, okay.

Alfie: You’ve been acting weird lately.

Catalina: Why’d you say that?

Alfie: First of all, what we did earlier…rarely happens when you’re “tired”. And second of all, you’re eating my onigiri. I thought you hate sushi.

Catalina: Onigiri is not sushi.

Alfie: Okay, but you don’t usually like onigiri too.

Catalina: Whatever. I’m hungry, okay? We don’t really have any leftovers from yesterday.

Catalina: What? Why are you looking at me like that?

Alfie: Sorry. I was just thinking.

Catalina: About what?

Alfie: About what Dira told me. She said you’ve been getting stuff you don’t usually do when you guys went out to eat. And she told me that you complained about your chest being tight at the fitting too?

Catalina: Urgh. It’s nothing. She’s just overthinking it.

Alfie: Is she though?

Catalina: Alfie, everyone in our family knows we’re trying for a baby now. So they could be seeing these “symptoms” as a sign because they’re excited.

Alfie: I mean, what if they’re right?

Catalina: But what if it’s not? I don’t want to get anyone’s hopes up.

Alfie: It doesn’t hurt to try, right?

Alfie: Look, I know you don’t want to disappoint anyone. I understand that.

Alfie: But it wouldn’t hurt for you to get a test and check it first. If it’s positive, great! We’re having a baby. But if it’s negative, it’s okay. We can try again.

Catalina: I…I’m scared.

Alfie: I’ll be there with you. I promise.

Catalina: Can you give me some time before I check it? I still have a few days before my period is supposed to come. I don’t want to jump the gun yet.

Alfie: Of course. If that makes you feel better.

[diazsdimples]

Hello, dear husband! I’m here to request some Alfie lore because I am always thinking of him 🥹

I wanna know all about how he came to be. Who brought the topic up first, Buck or Tommy?

What was finding a surrogate like?

How did they find out? Like were Buck and Tommy together when they got the news? Or did one find out and have to keep it secret (even for just a few hours)

Who cried harder at the first ultrasound?

I wanna know All the Things™️ please and thank you 😘

*rolls up sleeves* right, lets get into it!!

Tommy bought it up first. He knew Buck loves kids - you've only gotta watch how he is with Christopher and Jee to know that - but it took Tommy a second longer to decide how he felt about them. He's got a lot of trauma in his past with his parents to unpack but he knew he wanted a family with Buck and he would love his child with everything he could. Buck, as it turns out, hadn't been wanting to pressure Tommy so had been waiting for him to bring it up, to see if that was something he wanted.

Finding a surrogate wasn't as hard as they expected it to be and they managed to find someone that was willing only a couple of months into searching. An egg donor was a little more difficult but after going through a fertility clinic, they ended up finding someone that ticked their boxes. Their surrogate (Holly) was a lovely mother of 3 with an extremely supportive wife (Megan), who ended up becoming an integral part of their life/family and they remain very good friends to this day.

They knew which day was meant to be the day of the bloodwork to confirm the pregnancy, so naturally Buck is a complete nervous wreck his whole shift and it takes a significant amount of distraction from Eddie to get his mind back on course. They'd planned to have dinner with Holly and Megan after their shifts, and they'd find out then. Holly and Megan have remarkably good poker faces on and I'm sure fully intended to string them along until dessert time (they'd bought cupcakes with little pacifiers frosted on them) but Buck practically jumps them the second they're in the door. When Holly produces the cupcakes from her tote bag, Buck is so excited he grabs her in a big bear hug and then immediately puts her down like "fuck you're pregnant, you've gotta take it easy!!". Tommy is so excited he has to do a couple of laps of the house, cheering and whooping like his team won the playoffs, and he's grinning so hard he can barely eat his food

Everyone was definitely expecting Buck to cry the hardest but it ends up being Tommy who does. One of the super cool things about them doing IVF is that they're invited to see the embryos at when they're still in the cellular stage so they see Alfie (and 4 other siblings) all at 4 cells old, and Buck makes all these jokes like "awww they've got your nose babe!" The embryos are a mixture of Buck and Tommy's DNA, the clinic knows who's are who's, and they use one of Buck's first. ANYWAYS. The second Tommy sees that little jellybean wiggling around on the screen he breaks the fuck down, the overwhelming realness of everything flooding him because that there!!! That is his baby!!! And any and all reservations he had about parenting and being a father go out the door because in that moment he knows he'd do anything for that little blob, he'd move mountains to make sure the baby is okay. Buck, of course, cries and sniffles and is a general overall mess but Tommy has to give himself a minute to recover cause he's never loved anything so goddamn hard and it's a little overwhelming.

Thank you for asking me about Alfie!!! He is my most favourite little man ever and I will yap about him for years!!! Obligatory @theotherbuckley @perfectlysunny02 @actuallyitsellie and @slightlyobsessedwitheverything for alfie lovers tag

[call-sign-shark]

I absolutely have to know Arthur's and tommys reaction to the dogs destroying the garden while they are just chilling tgt

Dear little shadow: You asked, I provide! 😁 Beware, Kaiser the disaster is back.

A Bone To Pick With It

Words: 1.4K

Notes: blurb related to this one shot. This work is a part of Heaven in Your Eyes' universe, but you can obviously read it as a stand-alone.

Arthur emptied his glass of whisky in one only mouthful, the alcohol leaving a pleasant burning sensation in its trail, “Well, if you have nothing more to tell me I’ll be off then, Tom.” Saying so, the oldest Shelby brother put back the glass on the varnished wooden table before getting up from the couch with a faint, slightly confident smile. And when he smiled, it struck Tommy: Arthur looked like a man who had finally found peace — such a thing he never thought his older brother was capable of. Yet, it had been evident from the moment he entered the mansion that his decision of leaving Birmingham and marrying you was the best thing he could have done for his well-being, no matter how painful it was for Tommy to admit it. Thomas Shelby and his never-ending neutral expression answered Arthur with a faint “hm” as his ice-cold turquoise eyes followed his movements. 

“Where is your wife, Arthur?” He inquired. The truth was the question had been burning his tongue for a while, but he did not want to sound like he really cared about you. Since you’ve been bailed out of prison, you had seen Tommy only once and it was during your wedding. Despite the raging hatred you felt for Tommy, you didn’t want to deprive Arthur of his little brother’s presence on such a significant day. Even less when taking into account he still wanted him to be his best man. 

Arthur raised one brow, “Erm. She’s waiting outside, eh.” 

“She should have waited inside. The air is fresher and Frances would have served her a drink.” His quiet voice retorted. But Arthur wasn’t fooled by his nice words, for Tommy’s tone remained empty of affection. He was just being cordial — maybe trying to make up for the whole prison thing.

“She said she wanted to read under a tree and play with Kaiser,” Arthur paused, his beautiful steel blue eyes looking at his feet for he hesitated to utter the following words, “And she still holds a grudge for what you did to us — which I perfectly understand. She has every right to feel so,” He paused, “They made her sleep on the ground during the first week like she was a bloody animal, y’ know.” 

“Arthur. She’s safe and sound now.” Tommy corrected.

“If you say so, Tom.” Arthur waved off the topic with a quick hand gesture for he really did not want to argue with Tom. More than anyone else he was aware of his little brother’s tendencies to never apologize, and it was not going to change. Moreover, they just had a pleasant moment together, and he wouldn’t want to ruin it. Tommy finally nodded, understanding his brother’s limits. 

“Well, I’ll see you to the door.” 

Thereby, the two brothers walked through the long corridors of Arrow House, talking about what they were planning to do for Christmas, or how Charles had started to learn violin. He even mentioned, to Arthur’s greatest surprise, how great your wedding has been. 

When they reached the door, Tommy was the one who opened it. With his eyes still focused on his brother, he did not immediately notice the chaos that was taking place in his garden. It was Arthur that saw it first and, as he did, his eyes widened with shock. 

Fuck, he thought.

“Oh. Fuck.” Alfie blurted out at the sight of Tommy’s frame, “Well, Mrs. Shelby, meeting you was a real pleasure. I hope you’ll come to Margate so that our two gentle beasts can play together again. I would be saddened to deprive Cyril of his new friend. In the meantime, I wish you well! Cyril?”  The huge bullmastiff looked at his master, blinked, and then kept scampering across the yard with Kaiser. At first, this sudden change in behavior left you slightly confused, but everything became clear when your mesmerizing eyes fell on Tommy and Arthur.

“If you thought you could leave and let me face the consequences alone, well, joke on you Alfie.”

“Pretty sure you’ve cast a spell upon my dog!” Alfie exclaimed.

You replied to the king of Camden Town with a mysterious smirk, whose beauty was embellished by the little spark of amusement that was shining bright in your ethereal eyes. In any case, you wouldn't have the time to answer properly for Tommy’s booming voice raged in the garden with the terrifying power of a lion’s roar.

“WHAT THE FUCKING HELL IS THAT?!” His hoarse tone was quivering with both anger and utter shock. Now you were in trouble, you thought. His voice was still echoing in the wind when the two huge dogs stopped playing and looked at him. He went on, staring at you and Alfie with fury blazing in his sky-blue eyes, “I can’t believe it, eh. You let your beasts ruin my garden without batting an eye eh. Is that how you thank someone who invites you into his house?!” 

“Cm’on, Tommy, mate, we would be heartless creatures if we kept our dogs from playing together in this oh so-beautiful property of yours. A truly idyllic place for a play date uh! It’s nothing else than a few crushed flowers and holes. You should learn to chill — eh, maybe adopt a dog too. It would do good to your old rotten heart, y’know.” As he talked, Alfie patted his chest where his heart was.  

“Just a few crushed flowers, Thomas.” You reiterated, biting your lower lip to hold back the giggles that were threatening you to burst at any moment. 

“Fuck. Both of you.” The gangster turned to his own brother, “How many times I’ve told you to control your damn witch. The same applies to your fucking dog, now! Look at my fucking garden. Look at— Wait,” He leaned to his brother, “Are you laughing at me, Arthur?”

“N-No,” He snorted, an adorable pink shade has blossomed on his hollow cheeks. As for his eyes, they blurred with tears of hilarity. At this very moment, Arthur was trying hard to keep his composure but each time he glanced at Tommy’s face, which was contorted with disproportionate wrath compared to the dogs’ wrongdoing, he felt his self-control break down. The way Tommy was staring at him with his eyes squinted and his lips parted was too comical to remain impassive. Arthur let out a shaky sigh, still battling with the urge to laugh. Then, he crouched down to be at Kaiser’s level, “Oi Kaiser, ye big disaster, what did ye do eh? You’re a very mean boy, eh. Our Angel’s far too understanding with ye.” The Cane Corso’s ears perked up at his master’s gravel voice, causing his small beady eyes to look at him with attention, “Yeah I’m talking to ye, bloody rascal. Cm’here.” Kaiser wagged his tail in contentment, his back paws stomping the ground as he listened to Arthur, “Big boy’s happy eh?” It was enough for the mutt to rush toward his master with the speed of a cannonball and caused Arthur’s smile to vanish when he realized that a hundred pounds barking beast was about to plow into him with absolute zero intention of being gentle, “Oh fook no!” He exclaimed, panic spreading within his chest. Judging by how lean he was, he would not give much for his bones if the muscular dog bounced on him.

“OH MY GOD KAISER STOP!” You yelled at the dog when you saw him rushing toward your poor husband, but it was in vain. Kaiser was so excited at the idea of being pet by Arthur that it only made him run faster. Afraid of being smashed by the giant Cane Corso, Arthur, in all his survival instincts, moved behind Tommy to hide from the beast.

“Oh no,” You whispered, your frail hand covering your mouth.

“Oh yes,” Alfie smirked.

“DONT YOU—“ Tommy could not finish his sentence. Kaiser was running so fast that he did not get that Arthur had moved from the way until it was too late. That was why the giant dog jumped at Tommy and, doing so, tackled him with all his strength. Before anyone could do something, Kaiser shoved the infamous Peaky Blinders boss into a puddle of mud. Tommy hit the ground with a big thud, and mud splashed all over his clothes. But it did was not enough for Kaiser, who aggressively started to lick his face and shower him with doggie love.

At first, silence hovered above Arrow House’s garden as everyone was slowly realizing what had just happened.  

The confused look on Tommy’s usually placid face. The expensive suit ruined with fresh mud. Kaiser’s doing his best to cover Tommy’s with his sticky drool… Arthur, Alfie, and you burst into laughter at the very same time. 

“He likes you, Tom!” Arthur stated, tears running down his cheeks. He had to press his hands against his right side, convinced he would crack his ribs by dint of laughing, “Even if you seem to have a bone to pick with him, eh.” 

“Shut up, Arthur.” Tommy growled. His face was red with rage, yet you did not know if it was due to Kaiser or to the bad pun, “Shut up.” 

✞ Any comment, review, reblog, or constructive criticism is welcome. Your reactions really motivate me and keep me alive, so please don't be shy. English is not my first language.

[look-at-the-soul]

The Photoshoot -Peaky Blinders edition

Modern Tommy Shelby x reader (+Alfie)

Summary: Y/N is hired to do a Photoshoot at a pub, but she’ll find much more than just an object to capture.

Word count: 4,500

A/N: I’m practically drooling with the Photoshoot series (for Cillian), so I thought why not give it some kind of twist and create the same magic for the peaky world… my dear @raincoffeeandfandoms this is for you! For your 3K followers celebration 🎉 thank you for being a lovely mutual, for your kindness, for your stories, I’m so grateful that I’ve met you here ✨ps: there are two moodboards as part of this story 🤭

Ps2: if you’re ever to Texas let me know! The bar that’s mentioned in the story is real! And it gave me all the peaky blinders Garrison’s vibe 😍 and brisket is OMG!

“Look at the numbers brother.” Arthur walked in without knocking first into his brother’s office.

Deep blue orbs hardly looking away from his laptop as Arthur placed the papers with numbers and graphics next to his glass of whiskey.

“Hmm.”

“The place is packed again.” Arthur’s mustache moved up and down as he smiled pleased.

Tommy took the almost consumed cigarette from the ashtray and took a long puff as he ran his eyes across the papers.

“That’s great brother.”

A knock on the door interrupted their conversation, two pairs of eyes looked back.

“Arthur, the photographer is downstairs.” Lizzie announced.

“Are you a model now Art?” Tommy cocked an eyebrow.

Arthur giggled nervously, but shook his head. “Finn hired her to get photos of the place for our social media.”

“Fucking social media.” Tommy mumbled to himself, it was all everyone was talking about lately, are you posting that? That’s so asthetic, why didn’t you like my post?… he was so done with that shit.

“But works like a charm, look.” Arthur showed him the screen of his phone, a video of someone making a cocktail and then the door to The Tavern. “We’re getting lots of likes and comments.”

Tommy hummed, he had been listening a lot about this photographer lately and all the fantastic work she was doing with the pub. And now he had to admit curiosity was winning over.

Secretly he had been watching her photography media, the videos she created to give tips and tricks to achieve certain images or effects, she was a natural and had a very sharp eye to find little gems everywhere. It was such a surprise and a treat to see flirty sneak peek she shared about the pub. He was particularly curious about the profile photo of her Instagram account, because her face was hidden behind the camera, he could only see a blurry reflection in a mirror

An incoming call kept him busy for a while as he was trying to solve a problem with one of the tobacco vendors, a new law affected the price and now he was in the middle of an endless negotiation.

It was until a few hours later when he finally called for the night at the pub and decided to head somewhere else, one look at his phone and he practically had a catalog to choose from, these women weren’t exactly discreet or lady-like…

Placing the peaky cap on his head and he stopped on his tracks as his eyes fixed on the woman holding the camera in front of the bar, her hair in a messy bun at the top of her head with a few loose locks here and there, she adjusted something and a bright light focused on a couple of empty glasses.

He observed her checking the camera angle and she walked again towards the bar to adjust one of the glasses she previously placed.

After blinking for the flash, she focused on the screen placed at the end of the bar.

Tommy saw her smile forming from the side and felt as if time stopped suddenly.

The petite form moved to the side with the light and tripod close to her and without saying anything, she captured the captain of The Tavern placing an order.

“Sorry, I wanted to capture your natural essence, without posing.” She announced in a soft tone that had a lot of effects on Tommy. “Look! You’ve a nice profile.”

As she showed Pablo her camera, Tommy saw him smile shyly.

“You make me look good.”

“Can I squeeze in behind the bar? I’d like to get a few shoots of the barrels.”

“Of course.” He winked. “All yours.”

As Pablo moved back, she squeezed uncomfortably between him and the bar, holding her camera above her head.

She removed a piece of cloth to the side and then Tommy saw her do something equally weird and funny, as she closed one eye from different heights, he was fascinated by the way she moved and arched her body to capture the image she wanted. After a few clicks, she kept staring at the small screen in the camera.

“Can I have a pint please?” A deep voice startled her.

Looking from side to side she blinked nervously.

Struggling to find her voice at the bluest eyes of them all staring back at her with a smile. “Sorry, errm I’m just a photographer.”

“Oh! Apologies then, I didn’t see the camera.” Tommy lied leaning closer to the bar and extending his hand to her. “Thomas Shelby.”

“Y/N Y/LN. I better get going and leave you to a real bartender.” She chuckled and the dim light didn’t hide her blush.

“‘S okay… how’s The Photoshoot going?”

“Great! I’m in love with this place.”

“Are you drinking something?” He asked as she walked around the bar to stand in front of him now.

“Just water, I’m in working hours.”

“I’m sure the owner won’t mind a glass.” Tommy winked at her.

“Thank you, but I don’t think it’d be appropriate.”

“A snack then? Have you tried something from the menu yet?” Tommy tried again, raising his hand he called for the closest waiter. “Make sure to provide Y/N with anything she needs please, on the house she’s our guest tonight.”

Y/N gave him a confused look before realizing how he matched the atmosphere of the place in total sync. He belonged there, he owned such an interesting presence, elegant, business-like, a troublemaker. As he nodded, she went back to focus on her task, the one thing that was consistent in her life; her love for photography, to capture an instant, not noticing that Tommy instead of going home to an unknown blonde, stayed close to the bar to see her work.

The following days, Tommy took a moment to step out of his office upstairs once he heard she had arrived, he would casually walk past her and sit in a corner where he could see her working, not wanting to interrupt her in the middle of shooting something at the pub.

Even if it was for a brief moment, they’d engage in a interesting conversation.

Arthur even teased him for leaving his cave for once, oblivious to the real reason behind his actions, he’d just brush it off saying he wanted to see people’s reaction over the drinks and he even made a few adjustments in the music choices that were being played.

But deep down, he was really enjoying seeing Y/N in her element as she kept pressing the shutter.

As she finished another day of photos, she placed the camera strap around her neck, ready to pick up her equipment. Secretly she was looking forward to see certain Shelby brother around.

“Ready to go Miss Y/LN?” A deep voice called.

Y/N turned around to find Tommy in one of the booths.

He stood up slowly, giving her this predator vibe and walked towards the bar, leaving her speechless for an instant.

“Sorry to ask you this, but… would you mind if I take your portrait?”

He never posed for pictures, but there was something about her that made him say yes to anything she asked. So he listened to her guidance and leaning against the bar, he looked at something in the opposite wall.

“Hold it for me…”

Click.

She didn’t even use the extra light on him, his cheekbones caught it effortlessly, and his eyes… she wanted to make a whole photoshoot for them.

“Yeah, I gotta start editing tonight to put together the work and hand you guys the final version.”

“So you’ll be done with the project?” He asked without hiding the disappointment in his voice, but soon he cleared his throat.

The hostess walked past him, trying to get his attention, but his eyes were fixed on Y/N’s.

“Is there anything you might need to carry on?”

She bit her lip.

“Actually yes, I’d like to get a few shoots of the place without customers, if that’s possible.”

She saw him produce a smile and a nod. “Stop by tomorrow at eleven o’clock before the doors are open to the public.”

“I really appreciate it.” She sighed and threw a quick glance at the place. “The design and vibe makes me go back in time to one of those pubs from back in the day.”

“That’s exactly what I wanted to achieve.” Tommy smiled proudly dragging his eyes around the room.

“Well you have good luck, I’m here to capture the beauty of this place and immortalize so more people can know about it.”

“A woman with a strong drive and passion I reckon?” He guessed giving her a nod in approval.

“Photography is one of the rare tools that help us remember someone or something forever.”

She made him remember an ancient photograph he kept of his mother as the most precious treasure he possessed. It was a bit damaged on the edges and the paper was so old and fragile but it still held such sentimental value.

That was all he got left of her.

Sensing she touched a sensitive matter she excused herself to continue photographing the place while he was watching her every move intensely. Canceling the original plans he had for some booty call.

***

Y/N cursed herself for not hiring an assistant for the day to help with the lights, computer and camera, but these days it was a luxury she couldn’t afford. Luckily she wouldn’t be photographing people as they were harder to deal with, barely paid attention to the clothing suggestions she’d made or taking any instructions in general.

“Need a hand with that?” A husky voice called from behind her back, she had been so focused on planning to how get everything in just one round to avoid the stairs twice that she never noticed Tommy had been watching her.

“Hmm…” a blush covered her completely, it was impossible to not being smitten by his presence. “I don’t wanna bother you.”

“None of that, gimme.” He mumbled with the cigarette hanging from the corner of his mouth.

“Thank you.” She smiled but soon it was replaced by a gasp when he took the laptop case and lights from her, his hands covered in leather gloves holding the equipment as it weighed nothing.

Climbing the stairs, Tommy couldn’t stop himself from looking at her bum swaying from side to side as she took the steps, that sweet little thing had a huge impact on him.

“You can leave it here, I’ll set up the lights, thanks again.”

“My pleasure, if you need anything just shout.”

She saw him disappear upstairs and decided to shake her head a little because his cologne was too masculine that it was even intoxicating and her heart was beating so fast.

The place offered her a million different perspectives to shoot, she loved catching the lights of the vintage chandeliers, the details on the booths were absolutely gorgeous, the bar, she was in love with every touch she discovered through her camera lenses.

Adjusting the height of the tripod, she got a fabulous shoot of the private area with comfortable couches, the oil lamp was a lovely detail that captivated her.

Time flew, she got carried away with the endless images she was capturing.

With a content sigh, she pressed the shutter one more time, to immortalize part of the table with a Reserved sign, the oil lamp blurred, but the final shoot looked fantastic.

Two things happened simultaneously; her stomach protested for the cup of coffee and the granola bar she eat for breakfast and Tommy emerged from the kitchen.

“Not to hurry you or anything, but are you done there?” Tommy’s voice startled her, she noticed he wasn’t wearing the suit jacket, he had the sleeves of his shirt rolled up, showing his forearms.

“Yeah, got everything I wanted.” She answered adding a lovely smile.

“Good, now.. this way.” He motioned her to follow him and held the door open. “Pictures here are forbidden just a little FYI, specially because you’re about to taste a piece of heaven.”

That’s when she realized he had been working in the kitchen all this time.

“Oh! That sounds promising.”

“It is.” He reassured her. “But I need your honest opinion though.”

Tommy turned around to face the grill again, pressing the sandwich.

“Finn told me he saw you taking photos of a building and asked you to do a shooting for us.”

Y/N studied his back, broad shoulders, the sides and back of his head was shaved sharply, intimidating posture. Yet somehow it was a huge contrast while he was enjoying preparing the food.

“Yes, it was a new condo and I had already done the interior photos, so he photobombed one of my shoots.”

“That’s such a Finn thing to do.” Tommy chuckled. “But I’m glad he did, so now you’re taking care of our media.”

Placing a plate in front of her, he added a separate bowl full of French fries. Her mouth was watering so bad.

“You’re not going to complain about the calories, are you?”

Closing her eyes at the taste, she ran her tongue over her lower lip to remove the crumbs. To Tommy it was a simple gesture that had a different -sexual- effect on him.

“You were right, this is heaven.”

Y/N took a bite of the brisket sandwich and a small satisfied groan escaped her mouth.

“I didn’t see this on the menu last time I was here. It’s so good!”

Tommy cleared his throat while resting his palms on the industrial island.

“That’s because it’s not… yet.” He admitted cutting a piece of the sandwich to eat it. “Been trying to decide if it’s a good addition or not.”

“You definitely have to, it’s amazing!”

There was something about her that pushed him to do this. He thought she could see something else in everything judging by the way she took photographs, to her it wasn’t just a vintage oil lamp, it was the main focus of the shooting.

“Why are you doubting?” She called, making Tommy pull out from his daydream.

“I don’t know if people will like it.”

She noticed the doubt in his eyes and his eyes flashing for a second.

“This is Michelin worth it, trust me.” She admitted taking the rest of the brisket with a fork. “It’s perfect.”

“If it fails you’re the one to blame eh?” He smiled, aching for a cigarette, but it was forbidden in the kitchen.

“I’m sure it will be a success!”

Tommy felt grateful for the encouragement, cooking had been once of his hidden passions and he realized showing it to her could only be because she was special.

“I could bet you anything it’ll get a high demand… if I could I’d have this everyday.”

He wondered if she was always trying to please and compliment people with her comments or if it was out of pity, but after seeing her interacting with the staff, he knew this was a natural and genuine thing for her.

“Well you could if you wanted, love.” He arched one of his eyebrows seductively that made her blush immediately.

Reaching the desire effect, he added a wink.

She felt both excited and scared, because of the meaning behind his words, what he was implying it wasn’t something to take slightly and the alarm started ringing inside her head.

“Guess you say that to every woman that sits in front of you.” She knew how men like him acted all the time.

Tommy was about to answer that no, as a matter of fact he had never cooked for another women. This was a first time for him and he wasn’t even completely aware of what made him do that, he just felt the urge to be close to her.

But he wasn’t able to because Arthur stormed in, interrupting the moment.

Tilting his head, he stared at the crumbs on the plate, to the girl and then to his brother. Confusion written all over his face, he wanted to ask why the hell he ordered the pub to be open later, but judging by Tommy’s eyes, he decided to not do it.

“Oh, sorry about the interruption, brotha.” he made a small reverence and pointed at the door to disappear, but it was enough to break the moment.

“Actually I’ve to go and do some editing, thank you for lunch.” Y/N stammered, giving Tommy a small look back, taking that as her opportunity to leave. A heavy ache pressing her chest.

Arthur looked at his brother from the corner of his eyes. “Wha-?”

“What the hell are you doing here? Thought you had to be out of the city.” Tommy barked, far too annoyed now. “You better keep this to yourself if you want to be on one piece for the holidays.” Tommy warned with an accusing finger before leaving the kitchen.

If someone knew him, it was Arthur. And deep down, Tommy knew all of his effort it wouldn’t go unnoticed by his brother and the huge meaning this had.

“I was just going to say that she’s a fine gurl.” Arthur whispered, hands up in surrender. “And that I think you found the one.”

***

“Tommy,” Lizzie poked her head inside his office after knocking the door, he had been starting absently at his screen, “the photographer is here.”

Tommy felt his stomach making a sharp turn at the announcement. He felt torn between wanting to see her one more time and feeling rejected that one time he decided to cook for her.

“Ask Finn to handle that matter.”

Lizzie gave him a deep frown, these past days he was very adamant to be informed once she arrived. “He’s busy with something else.”

“Then ask Arthur. Or take care of it yourself.” Turning off his laptop, Tommy took his wallet and keys to walk out of his office, taking the stairs quickly he rushed past the hall and then the bar, eyeing Y/N siting close to the door.

She went there with two objectives that day, first present her final work to the Shelby brothers and last but not least, find a moment to talk to Tommy about what happened in the kitchen the other day, she had been terrified by the intimate moment they shared over him cooking that delicious sandwich for her, she wanted to explain that she had been hurt in the past and over therapy she had been able to slowly work things around, but the constant fear was in the back of her mind.

He wasn’t going to admit out loud to anyone that the photographer had been on his mind ever since he met her. There was something about her that caught his attention, the way she smiled or the way she saw things through the lenses of her camera.

But she also hurt his fragile ego by rejecting him. So when he was close for her to listen, he pretended to get a phone call. “Yeah Mandy, I’m on my way sweetheart.”

He never noticed the long look she gave him, because if he had, he’d have noticed the way her heart broke into million pieces by listening to his words. So she decided to let him go that day.

And somehow that’s exactly how life is, it’s messy, it goes badly and you meet the right person at the wrong time.

****

Y/N nerves started growing with every minute passing at the auction. She decided to donate one of her photographs to raise funds for women in need at a local charity, but she couldn’t help but wonder if it would sell or not.

“You never told me what happened with that Shelly boy.” Flor asked casually as she started eyeing the entrees.

She wanted to get one of each, but her stomach was completely closed and the butterflies in her tummy were out of control.

“It’s Shelby… and nothing happened.” Y/N remembered the photographs she took of The Tavern a couple of months ago now.

“You can’t keep sabotaging yourself!” Flor hissed. “What happened?”

“Look, he had trouble written all over his face, maybe it was for the best.” Y/N brushed it off, or she tried to at least.

“And you let him go why exactly?” Her friend pressed, waving at someone.

“I got scared because he was too much, he was… never mind.” Her voice trailed off. “The auction is about to start, we should move.”

But Flor had a different idea, so she stopped her friend by the arm. “You actually like him! And don’t even try to lie to me.”

“It doesn’t matter how, he’s probably busy with Mindy, Randy… whatever.”

“Maybe it’s not too late… but you gotta stop doing this to yourself, you deserve to be happy.”

“I was still healing and I literally stormed out, he probably doesn’t even remember my name. He just flirted to busy himself.”

Flor shook her head in disbelief. Y/N got the chance to be happy and she decided to hide in the dark too afraid for it to be a reality.

But they were both oblivious that across the gallery, there he was, the man himself staring at Y/N with his eyes fixed on her every move. Realizing that his memory hadn’t made a mistake of remembering her soft features, or the dimples on her cheeks, neither the sparkle of her eyes. As much as he tried, it was impossible to forget about her.

“Tom, it turns out Y/N listed a photograph for the auction.” Arthur informed him in a low voice, he had just his brother to investigate as soon as he found her among the people gathered for the event. She looked more beautiful than he remembered and there it was again, the same force that had been pulling him towards her from the moment they met.

“Buy it.” He stretched his neck to find her walking around, the sequins of her black dress catching the light.

It didn’t matter how much time had passed, there hadn’t been a day or night where he didn’t end up thinking about her, she was stuck in his mind.

“But it’s-”

“Arthur,” Tommy pointed at his brother in a warning tone. “Buy the photograph, I don’t want anyone else getting it.”

“Man you should try this…” John shoved something into his mouth and as a waiter passed by with a tray of drinks, he got a glass of champagne.

“John, I need you to-”

“What the hell are you doin ‘ere?” Alfie’s voice interrupted them.

Arthur found him midway with a huge grin on his face.

“They started whining about the price it might reach, so I doubled the amount.”

“Good.”

And in that very moment he saw someone approaching Y/N’s piece to place a card that could be read as SOLD and a woman walked towards Y/N to let her know her photograph had been bought by someone anonymously. And he’d pay an absurd amount of money anytime to see her reaction again. The shock of her face, her hand flying to her mouth, the small jumps she was making… she looked at the woman next to her and asked her to pinch her arm.

“I thought you’d only send the donation over, mate.” Alfie joined them, giving the Shelby brothers a long look, one of his hands rubbing absently his beard.

“What’s the fun in that Alfie?” Tommy answered, giving Y/N one more look. “Actually I just bought a photograph.”

“You can’t do that, there’s an auction!”

Arthur showed him the cheque he just signed off, enjoying the annoyance in his face, but Alfie’s eyes were fixed somewhere else, Tommy realized that he was looking at the woman standing next to Y/N.

His smile grew even bigger in that moment.

“Tell me this is real!” Y/N squealed squeezing her friends arm.

Turning her head around, and her eyes crossed with Tommy’s, who raised his glass at her. Embarrassment flashed through her eyes, so she took a small step towards him, holding his gaze at all times.

An apology would be a first step.

“You’ve to introduce me to that bearded man.” Flor whispered behind her back, making Y/N chuckle.

As the small group reunited, Y/N felt a blush covering her face.

“Just heard your photography sold, congratulations.” Tommy announced.

“It’s a night full of surprises,” she admitted and then looked at Alfie. “Mr. Solomons, I want to thank you for the opportunity to join the auction.”

“It’s my pleasure dove, now I don’t think we’ve been introduced… Alfie Solomons.” He extended his hand at Flor, whose smile couldn’t be bigger.

And before anyone could react, the pair moved away from the group.

“Y/N and her friend should be present at the next business meeting with Alfie.” Arthur pointed out, then noticing that his brother and Y/N were staring at each other, he waved at John. “Let’s go get a drink.”

“If he makes more brisket let us know!” John shouted over his shoulder.

Tommy rolled his eyes at the comment, but a chuckle escaped his lips.

“I hope you won’t run off this time around.” He raised his eyebrows, half joking, half serious.

A veil of embarrassment and shame covered her. “I’m sorry about that…” she began to explain Tommy how after realizing how attracted she felt towards him, she didn’t knew how to handle her feelings and how much she regretted it, that’s why she came back to try to explain him that, but well, things took another turn.

“It doesn’t matter now.” Tommy assured her as they moved towards the balcony.

“So… shall we start again?” She asked with hope sparkling in her eyes, just like the stars in the background. He nodded.

“On one condition.”

“Anything.” She agreed looking from his eyes to his lips.

“Over a brisket sandwich?”

Y/N nodded, the smile reaching her eyes.

He could take her to any restaurant in the city, the best place out there, but to her seeing him cooking, it mean a lot more than words could explain. And his brisket was to die for.

Finally leaving her fears behind, she wrapped her arms around his neck and his hands sneaked around her waist, lips connecting in a kiss they both had been longing since the first time they met.

Mouths molding perfectly against each other, it felt much better than they imagined.

After a moment, they pulled apart, but remained close with a satisfied look in their eyes.

“Good because I was going to call you anyways, I need a photographer for my son’s birthday party.” Tommy explained and captured her lips once more, but now, it was the right moment to start over… and everything thanks to a Photoshoot session.

****

Thank you for reading! If you liked this, your feedback means the world to me ✨🥰xx

Photo credits to The Tavern@ig

Tag list: @lyarr24 @runnning-outof-time @cillmequick @datewithgianni @cloudofdisney @gretelshelby @gypsy-girl-08 @lespendy @onlydeadcells @fastfan @stevie75 @prettylittlehoneyeyesxoxo @esposadomd @forbidden-forest-witch @ange-thoughts @moral-terpitude @elenavampire21 @forgottenpeakywriter @thenattitude @winchestergirl22 @zablife @elk96 @heidimoreton @imichelle-l-rigby @allie131313 @already-broken144 @peakyscillian @babaohhhriley @shelbydelrey @shaddixlife @sloanexx @sydneyyyya @adaydreamaway08 @pono-pura-vida @thomashelbyswife @darleneslane @everythingelseisextra @kmc1989 @mariaelizabeth21-blog1 @lau219

Master list

[justrainandcoffee]

Against all odds (Alfie Solomons x fem!oc) Part 12. -End of the first half-

Peaky Blinders - Hunger Games crossover

Masterlist. Parts One Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten Eleven

Summary: Finally the 75th Hunger Games started. From the Parade to the interview with Caesar Flickerman, Alfie and the rest of the rebel victors, express their thoughts about this new Quarter Quell. No one is happy. || Finally Rose's plan is revealed. || The Arena is harder than any of them expected and it shows that their bodies, mind and hearts are nothing but puppets for the Capitol.

Warnings: Angst. Blood. Death.

Words: 6.5K. || I know is long, but a lot of things are happening at the same time so it's easy to read. The longest part is the Arena but it's also dynamic.

Thanks to those who read this first half of the story. See you soon in district 13.

It was the morning after the announcement that Rose composed herself and the anger made her be more awake.

Snow didn't know the things she was capable of doing for her husband. Maybe she couldn't save him for going to the Arena again, but she was going to prevent him to die there.

She had nothing to lose. Nothing.

"Do you have it?" she asked Aberama the night of the 3rd of July. Next morning the eyes of Panem were going to be in the different districts where their old champions will be reaped again. One day later after that, they will be arriving to Panem. Before that moment Rose needed that thing she begged him to get.

"I have it, it's made especially for him. Do you understand? Just for him."

"I know."

Aberama gave her a golden locket with a wheat ear on it. Inside, was what she wanted.

"How much?"

"It's nothing. I paid for it."

"Thanks."

"Don't worry. See you , Rose."

-

It was raining in district 9 during the reaping day. Alfie and Nina walked to the square where the stage was, escorted by two peacekeepers. In case they just wanted to escape. To where! As if they had any other options.

Alissa was there but the usually cheerful woman was a shadow of herself. Her eyes were red, as she had been crying. But she did her best as soon as the cameras started to record her.

"Welcome to the reaping day for the 75th Hunger Games! Let's make this quick before the rain ruin our hair. As always, ladies first…"

Alissa gave Nina a sad smile before reading her name.

"Nina Ferrante! Come, love. You're beautiful as ever, sweetheart," she said once Nina was next to her. The young woman didn't talk. "And now the boys! Alfred Solomons! Here, Alfie dear. Ladies and gentlemen, the tributes of District 9!"

Nina couldn't say goodbye to anyone of her family. Alfie had no one.

Both of them were forced to enter the train as soon as the ceremony ended and they went directly to the Capitol. In the other wagons, their friends from district 12, 11 and 10 where already there. There was no mystery for the people who were there. Same as them, Lucy and Tommy were the only ones from 12 and Eva and Matt were the only ones from 10. 11 had three victors and Alfie preyed that Aveline weren't one of them. She was not just one of the people he just couldn't kill ever, but also was a reckless woman. If she had to kill, then she will.

Luckily for him, Aveline wasn't part of the tributes.

"I'm sorry," said Alissa, "I'm so sorry."

Alissa part of thre crew as much as Rose and both victors were. In fact, she was the first one. She was there with Alfie when he was reaped 20 years ago. She saw him became a victor and a mentor. Alissa like no one, literally no one, cheered the romance between him and Rose. Alissa celebrate with them when Nina won. So, of course the woman was sad and was upset too. They were her people and her boss had no mercy of them.

"It's okay, Alissa. It's okay," Alfie said squishing her shoulder briefly. No one of them talked again during the journey.

.

Rose was shaking. After a all those months apart, she was going to see Alfie again.

"For a last time", said a part of her brain. A very negative part of her. But she ignored the voice.

Unlike other people, she wasn't waiting for them in the main hall but in the ninth floor. There was so much she wanted to tell him, but she couldn't.

Alfie pushed the door violently and enter there.

"Sweetheart? Rosie are you here?"

"Al!"

She jumped in his arms and hid her head on his neck. She was sobbing against him. Alissa and Nina left them alone.

"Don't cry anymore, luv."

"I can't.

"Snow will need more than a bunch of mutts and deathly tributes to apart me from you. He has no idea."

Rose kissed him and Alfie picked her up and went to the bedroom.

"I love you," he said "you saved me, sweetheart. So stop thinking that you failed me. If someone never failed me that's you."

"Don't you think I'm the one to blame for this? After that infamous auction, things went from bad to worse. He killed my family and now…"

"I'm still here, Rosie. My Rosie. I don't blame you. Never okay?"

"You didn't deserve this."

"You neither."

Alfie hugged her resting his head against her chest. Feeling her soft skin, hearing the beat of her heart. Remembering her like never before because in that hell called Arena, she wasn't allowed to go with him.

She caressed his hair, while she felt tears running down her cheeks.

.

Night arrived sooner that they wished. Rose apologized with them because the costumes they were wearing were really big and heavy. Plus bith of them were carrying scythes, representing the wheat fields of their native district.

Staff from the Capitol helped Nina to get in the chariot. Alfie stood up next to his wife few more minutes. They were kissing. People were looking at him, Snow probably was looking them, but it did matter anymore.

"You need to trust me," she said, pulling apart.

"I tru-"

"No, you don't understand. I need YOU to trust me like never before. Alfie, I can't stay. If I stay, Snow will kill me. You're the untouchable, at least for this week, but not me."

"What? What do you mean? Rose! What's happening!!"

"You'll understand once the parade start. Do you remember what I said to you two, minutes ago? Untie the black ribbon half way through the runway. Something will happen."

"You go?"

"I have to. For you, for me. Because if they killed me, it's over and tonight is the night. This," she said touching his costume, "is a big fuck you to him. I didn't told you this morning because I wanted to pretend that we could be together as always. I'm heading to you know where. I'll see you in a week. I promise. You'll be fine. Me too. You're the best thing I have, no one can steal that. I love you, Al. I love you, I always did."

"Rosie!! No!"

"I need you to trust me. Trust me. Just trust me. I love you. Only you."

Alfie was forced to get in the chariot once the Panem's anthem started to sound.

Last time he saw his wife was when the horses started to run and Rose was walking through the multitude towards the street. A white car was waiting for her. She didn't saw people's reaction to her final costumes.

.

Alfie and Nina untied the ribbons that Rose said and the surprise inside the capes she made for them was revealed.

Hundreds, thousands, of dandelions flew away in the air. Dancing around both tributes, the little white puffy flowers, formed a kind of magical mist that reached the tributes behind them. At the same time, the gold capes they were wearing started to burn and the warm gold fabric disappeared. Now the capes were dark black.

District 9, carriyng the scythes and the black capes were now the Reaper. And the Reaper was exactly in front of Snow.

Some dandelions were still around them. And the black capes made them more visible to the eyes of Coriolanus Snow who had a sinister smile in his face.

.

"Do you really expected to see her here?" the woman said to the peacekeepers who entered abruptly in the ninth floor, following the orders of their President. "She's not here fucking losers."

"Where the fuck is she!!" A tall man, broaded shoulders and deep voice was pointing at the woman with a gun.

"As if I know… and even if I know, I won't tell you."

"Take her!" the man ordered "and register this fucking place!"

The rest of the peacekeepers didn't found anything. The only thing left in Rose's bedroom was a plate of fortune cookies that the soldiers didn't bother to touch.

Maybe they should have.

Later that night a gunshot could be heard in that illegal prison. Defending her friend, Alissa, the sweet escort from district 9 was dead.

.

Lawrence Evert saw his wife entering their manor sweating and started to put some things in a bag.

"We need to go, now!"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Rebels are coming soon, Lawrence. And no matter what the fuck do you think, this city isn't safe and can't contain them."

"What!!?"

"Rebels, Lawrence!! And the richest people of the Capitol are in danger. Your friend Matthew is waiting for you. Some of others too. There's a car waiting for us. We need to go, now! They want to kill you."

"Tonight is the presentation! They can't!"

"They can! And they will, we need to go, goddamn, let's go, Lawrence!!"

Lawrence Evert looked at Rose confused but her anxiety and yells didn't allow him to think clearly. Rose gave him the bag and almost pushed them into the same white car that she arrived with there.

"Where are we going?"

"The safest place I know."

.

Nina and Alfie saw the chaos in their floor when they arrived after the parade. The chairs were over the carpet, some flowerpots were broken, the bedrooms' doors were open, same as the closets.

Alissa was nowhere to be seen.

"Are you sure Rose left?"

"She told me so. Trust me, she said."

"Then, what happened here?!"

"Snow wants her dead. I think the peacekeepers believed she was here but she's not" Alfie guessed.

Nina didn't say more, even when probably she wanted to add something. Instead started to pickup the chairs and threw away the broken things. Alfie went to Rose's bedroom and there he saw the fortune cookies. Unlike the soldiers, he did pay attention to them.

It didn't take long for him to put them in order and read the hidden message. Alfie opened a drawer and there he found the locket. Inside, was exactly what the message that Rose left for him, said. Alfie closed the locket again and from that moment he carried with him at all hours.

Trust me, like never before.

.

Two years earlier.

The Capitol considered the previous Arenas touristic places. If you paid, you could visit them and walk through the same places where the victors won and where the other children were massacred.

First time Rose visited one of the Arena, she did it with a tour group. She paid for visiting the volcano island where Aveline Young won. The volcano obviously was off but being there you could see its magnitude. The surrounding lands where fertile and full of trees.

That week, she visited several of them.

The other week she went with Aberama and Bonnie. Previous to that Aberama visited the Arena where Alfie won. The frozen forest was the only place that Rose couldn't go yet.

And the next month she paid for a tour just for the three of them. No other people were allowed, it was a private trip. And when it was the about money, the Capitol never asked questions. Of all the Arenas, three were the chosen to visit again: the volcano island, the desert and the frozen forest.

The tour guide never noticed the different electronic devices that the Golds and Rose put in every single one of them.

The reasons behind it, started when Rose began to work as official stylist for district 9. Only that as the years passed, her initial plan started to change. And during the 73th games she had everything planned.

She needed to wait two years until the Quarter Quell.

Now.

Rose was hidden. For a week she had to be strong like Alfie and for Alfie. It won't be easy, but he was living something much, much worse. At least she could close her eyes and pretend, Alfie couldn't.

Aberama and Bonnie were far away from their house. The night after he gave her the necklace they went to district 3, where everyone were working in the plan. It had to be district 3, not just the people that Aberama contacted were smart, they were loyal. And because district 3 had a man who few could dare to confront. Mr. Von Trapp.

Georg Von Trapp was one of the first rebels. Born three years after the begging of the games, the man lived his whole life under the regime of tyrants during almost 20 years. When Snow became President he lived under the regime of the Devil.

He had only one daughter and he was lucky enough to see her back after she was reaped. His girl, nicknamed Wiress, was the first victor of district 3. Smart like anyone else he knew, until he met Beetee, Wiress was the perfect example that a strong body wasn't always the answer.

And Von Trapp was furious now. They promised not to touch her again. Immunity, they said. Until they shitted on their own words and Wiress was forced to go to the Arena again. After her games, Wiress couldn't speak again. Her mind wasn't the same again, but she was still incredible smart. Her father took care of her until the moment that Snow asked for her again.

So, yes, Van Trapp wanted to help the rebels because he waited 72 years to that moment.

Aberama, his son and part of his people were hiding there. And for the last two years, they had been illegally transporting technological devices. The kind of things you could find in the Capitol's underworld where the Golds were kings.

Why Rose spied the control centre in the Capitol for 13 years? Why did she risk everything year after year to do that?

To built a Control Centre 2.0. This one in hands of the rebels. The data collected helped the people from 3 to built computers and the same softwares that the gamemakers had. The spiders she bought years ago and that she introduced in the central, gave them the information that she couldn't collect listening to them.

The folders, the USB flashes, her own computer were part of them. And it was worth.

That's why Rose and the Golds went to the old Arenas. Because they reactived the old softwares there. The Capitol used those places as tourism, they didn't need them like in the past.

But the rebels had other plans. The 76th Hunger Games were in their hands.

And the tributes were the pedophiles.

.

While Rose was hidden with the rest of the members of the auctions making them believe that she was part of them, while they were unaware of their fate, Alfie and the rest were facing the final presentation.

Rose left a dress for Nina and a matching suit for Alfie. The blue-grey dress for her was made of silk and tulle and had little silver dandelions embroidered on it. Alfie's suit, was made of the same silk, but the dandelions decorated the inner jacket and the lapels.

"So tell us, Alfie!" said Caesar smiling and showing his artificial white teeth " I wasn't here as interviewer last time you were sitting here. This is the first time we met. Let me tell you that it's a pleasure. So please, tell about you after all these years!"

"There's no much to say, Caesar. Life is quite simple in district 9. Same birds chirping, same neighbours."

"No love?"

Alfie chuckled "yes, I'm married."

"That's wonderful!! Do you love her? Or him?"

"Her. I do love her, yes. And I promise to see her again."

"Let me tell you something, Alfie: You win and you will be happy with her. Anything else you want to say?"

"Yes. Fuck you, Snow."

_

Alfie and Nina were separated the morning of the beginning of the Games. They gave them a wetsuit, so Alfie understood that he needed to swim, even if he never swam before. It couldn't be that difficult, right?

Besides he couldn't imagine long distances. The Capitol wanted blood and inside the water they won't get that. They needed land.

The peacekeeper who was with him to make sure he get into the tube, didn't stop to glance at him.

"What?" he asked. The man shook his head but then spoke, almost whispering.

"Your wife says that she's thinking of you."

"What!?"

"There are rebels everywhere, Alfie, like dandelions. I work for Mr. Gold and my brother is with her!"

"Is she okay? Is my Rosie fine?"

"I saw my brother four days ago, she knew I was going to be with you, so she sent the message through ny brother. She was okay back then. It's complicated to keep in touch these days. But I assure you that if my brother is with her, she's fine."

60…59…58…57…56…

Alfie got into the tube and looked at the soldier. "Thanks."

"Good luck, Mr. Solomons."

The peacekeeper saluted him before turning around while, he was ascending.

The sunlight blinded him for a moment. He couldn't see Nina but he saw Lucy's red hair next to him. She didn't smiled but nodded at him.

35…34…33…

Tommy, Eva and Jack were five spots away from him. Finally he saw Nina, she was next to the morphlings from district 6.

15…14…13…

Lucy pointed with her head to the nearest beach and Alfie nodded.

3…2…1. Bang.

The Quarter Quell officially begun. Alfie jumped into the water towards the beach, the cornucopia could wait. He needed to be safe first, to think a plan later. He underestimated the power and the resistance of the water. His arms ached but finally he reached the beach where he was able to breathe. Lucy was next to him, but her green eyes were looking around them.

"He's on the other side," Alfie said pointing with his finger. Jack's height was visible in the distance and Eva and Tommy were with him. Nina, on the other hand…

"We need to hide," she said even when she wanted to run through the lake again towards him. But in between both groups were the strongest ones: The woman from district 2 and the siblings from 1 (It was lucky for them that Jack wasn't a career anymore) So, Lucy knew that run to be with Tommy was impossible now.

They got in the forest. And walked, first, towards the place where Nina supposedly was.

Lucy and Alfie heard five canon shots. That night, they were knew who they were. Neither of the friends wanted to think that was one of them.

Suddenly it started to rain. Lucy screamed and soon after her, Alfie grunted. That wasn't water. It was blood. She started to run ignoring the odor and Alfie went behind her.

"What's happening!" Alfie heard Lucy but he couldn't respond. The smell of blood was nauseous.

If someone was behind them, they ignored it. The only thing that Alfie and Lucy knew was that the gamemakers were pushing them again to the beach.

A familiar voice made them to stop. Nina and Danny Owen were running towards them. But an invisible and electric wall prevented them to be together.

"To the shore! Run to the shore!" yelled Nina pointing with her finger to the West of them. "To the shore!"

Lucy and Alfie nodded.

It took them about an hour to did it. The thirst was burning their throats but there was nothing to drink. The lake was salty and, on purpose, the Gamemakers didn't leave a source of water for them.

"Where's the rest?" asked Nina.

"We saw Tommy, Eva and Jack on the other side of the Arena," replied Alfie but that was hours ago. "Did you see the bloody rain?"

"What rain? The blood on you is a rain?"

"Yes. But… if you didn't see the rain, then?"

"Monkey-mutts tried to attack us," Danny said, "they're enormous. They killed the male tribute of 7."

The four of them remained in silence. As far as they know, there were six deaths now. Maybe not all of them were friends, but they knew them. Some of them were their colleagues for decades.

A bolt made them jump on their feet. It seemed to come to their left. The four of them were alert.

"What the hell is this Arena?!" Lucy asked, almost yelled.

"We need to move. We need to find the rest," Alfie said. "But we need weapons first. Do you have something, Nina?"

"I stole two knives from the tribute of 7."

"It's not fucking enough. We need to go to the Cornucopia."

"It's suicidal."

"It's suicidal too stay here with two fucking knives. You stay here with Lucy, if necessary run an look for the rest."

"Alfie…"

"You disobeyed me during your games, you're not going to do it now! And I'll not take another answer from you than a yes, Ferrante! I'm going to the Cornucopia and if you have to run, then run!" Alfie pointed at her with his finger "I'm trying to save you."

To calm the situation, because Nina was about to reply, Danny spoke "I go with you." And Alfie nodded.

The rocks were slippery. More than once both men had to control their balance to not end in the water.

As suspected, the Cornucopia wasn't empty. Three tributes were fighting there and one of them was Tommy.

The male tribute from 4, the woman from 2 versus him. It was Alfie who grabbed the back of the neck of the man and pushed him away from his friend. Alfie, who promised not to kill again, smashed the head of the man against the Cornucopia until his blood painted its the silver wall and the tribute fell dead in front of him.

"I'm sorry, man, I'm sorry."

Enobaria was a whole other story. Two men against her and she was ready to kill them and Alfie and then take a nap if it was necessary. She was fearless and strong. Dangerous combination.

Tommy and Danny, managed to dismantle her but still she had her teeth. Sharped teeth, perfect for destroy throats.

And to Tommy and Alfie's horror, that was what happened. One moment Danny Owen was with them and the other, Enobaria jumped in the water and stuck her teeth in him. The transparent water was soon dyed with red and neither of Enobaria or Danny were there anymore. She, because she swam to the other side of the lake and Danny because he was dead. And the sound of the cannon confirmed it.

"Are you okay?" Alfie asked. "He was a close friend of yours. I'm sorry mate, I'm sorry."

"Yeah. He was. He was" Tommy sighed and looked again at the water. There was one of those people who deserved better. But that was no time, nor place, to mourn. "Where's the rest?"

With a gesture of his hand, Alfie indicated Lucy and Nina that it was safe to cross the rocks. While Lucy and Tommy finally were reunited, Nina and Alfie picked up several weapons. And all of them went to the side of the shore where Eva and Jack were. Aurora, the pregnant girl of the previous year was with them.

Night was finally approaching. All of them were hungry but most of all, thirsty.

The very familiar music made them raise their heads. The fallen tributes of the first night. The image of Danny made them realise that any of them could be the next.

A new sound, diverted their attention from the sky. It was a gift that landed just in front of Alfie. He opened it and saw the little note on it.

'Stay hydrated. I love you- R. Solomons.'

Nina smiled "if she would, this woman would give you her own life."

"I know."

Inside the box was a thing that Eva indentified as a spile. "To drink water," she said. Her aunt had one and during the hot summers in district 10, they nailed one in the trees and that way they could get water.

When Alfie stood up and walked towards the nearest tree and did exactly what Eva said, for a moment nothing happened but after few seconds water started to fall of it. Never in his life Alfie enjoyed drinking water like in that moment. Not just him, the rest of them too.

Alfie wasn't sure if his wife was watching, but a 'thank you' directed to her scaped from his lips.

But that was one the last moment of peace they had. It was impossible for them to rest, the Arena was designed to tired them to death. Literally. They lay down in the sand watching the sky. Alfie allowed himself to close his eyes and fall asleep for what he thought it was an hour. A yelled woke him up. Eva was running from what it seemed to be a fog. Alfie was still confused.

"It burns!! It burns!"

He was running behind his friends. Eva was still screaming and holding her arm. Aurora sprained her ankle running and Jack carried her on her back.

"Keep running!" her husband to her. The extra weight was making him stay way behind the group.

The toxic fog reached Lucy back and it was Tommy who pushed her to him but it seemed that her whole body was paralyzed. And it was. "I can't move!! I can't move!! My muscles!! Tommy!!"

Nina stopped and both of them dragged her away from it before it was too late. Luckily she was tiny, but it felt like carring a furniture. Lucy was complete paralyzed.

They reached a new part of the forest and the fog started to disappear.

"Where's Jack! Where's Jack!!?" Eva was searching around them but he wasn't there. Aurora either.

"Evie!!" his voice reached their ears but he wasn't there. It was few meters away with Aurora in his arms. The girl was crying. "No!! No! Stay there!!"

Jack warned her and the rest. The same invisible wall that earlier that day separated Alfie from Nina was now between Eva an Jack.

"I'll find a way. Stay fucking there! Fuck, this fucking place!! Fuck you, Snow!! FUCK YOU!!" The big, tall man helped the girl to stood up and both of them disappeared in the trees.

The group was again separated.

While Lucy started to recover the control of her limbs. They couldn't stay there as Jack ordered because a familiar scream made Alfie startled.

"Alfie? Alfie? HELP ME, ALFIE! HELP ME!! AL, WHERE ARE YOU? HELP ME!!"

"Rosie? Rosie, love?" he started to run but he didn't know where.

"ALFIE!! ALFIEEE!"

The screams where everywhere and they were different voices.

"Mommy? Mommy!!"

"Laurie? They have my kid! They have my kid!" Eva was running in s different direction of Alfie.

Nina was in the floor covering her ears with her hands. "They're jabberjays!! It's not real, it's not them!! Just jabberjays!!" but either of them were listening to her.

The voice of his brother Arthur made Tommy run to the deepest forest, Lucy followed the screams of her brother Teddy.

"ALFIE!! ALFIE!!"

"Stop!! STOP!! Rosie!! Rosie!! They're torturing her!! Snow found her!!"

Nina tried to ignore the screams. The voices were too familiar for her, but she knew it wasn't real. And grabbing her friend's shoulder forced him to listen to her. "It's not her, Alfie!! It's not her!! There are jabberjays, look!! Birds!! It's not Rose!!"

"They imitate, Nina!!"

"Not this time!! Not this time, Alfie!! Listen to me!! Not to them!! They generated their voices!"

The birds started to attack him, torturing him with his wife's screams but Nina covered his ears and made him to look at her. "It's false. It's false."

As soon as started, it was over.

Humiliated, defeated. That was how the group was. Physically and mentally drained. Eva was still crying and Nina, once again, was the one to say that it wasn't real. It was never real.

"I'll try to fish," Nina said when she managed to calm the most nervous of them. "We need to eat."

The sun was up again. It seemed that the nights were shorter and the days extremely long. Nina left the group near the trees and grabbed a spear.

But it seemed that the Arena finished with their torture yet. This time, and just minutes after she went to the lake, all of them recognised Nina's screams.

-

Far away from the Arena, Rose and the rest of the members of the auction finally started to move. Rose was leaving the Capitol, forever.

A hovercraft landed where they were and the richest people of the Capitol, those who were part of the trauma the victors' had, got in.

"Where are we going?" Lawrence asked.

"You to the 62th," replied a girl around 20 years old. She was Bonnie's girlfriend, disguised as member of the Capitol. "Give me your arm, Mr. Evert."

"What the hell is this?!" He said as the girl injected him a microchip.

"A tracker. So we can find you after is over."

"What? What're you doing? Rosebeth!! What's this shit?"

"The safest place, Lawrence. The old Arenas. No one is going looking for you there."

Nor anywhere else.

Lawrence and the rest, started to protest. They weren't doing it. Treated like filthy tributes from the disgusting districts. They were millionaires, billionaires, they were more important than any rebels. But as soon as Bonnie's girl mentioned that their head had prices and the rebels weren't interested in their money as method to leave them alone, they calmed. Not all of them were going to be together. And either of them were going to survive these Games.

The first time that the hovercraft landed again it was in the volcano island. Some people as Matthew Sutton were there.

Lawrence Evert and the group he was in, landed in the dry, deathly desert where Eva Smith won.

"May the odds be ever in your favour, son of the bitch" yelled Rose to his husband with the biggest smile he saw in her ever. Followed by showing him her middle finger.

"Come back, bitch! Come back!!"

Too late Lawrence Evert realised that it was a trap.

Only one person member of the auction was still there apart from Rose and it was laughing.

"I should've known… let me guess. The 53th Arena."

"Yes," replied Rose.

In front of her was the woman who raped Alfie. Old now, but the same disgusting woman who the love of her life mentioned.

"There are any rebels. You're the rebel."

"There are rebels. Everywhere, like dandelions."

"It was consensual," she said, after a moment in silence. Her grey cold eyes were on her.

"No. It wasn't. He was terrified of you. He still has nightmares… and you're going to pay for it. Happy Hunger Games, ma'am."

The frozen forest was beautiful as it was tremulous. White but dark. That was the first time that Rose was there and she barely imagined Alfie's pain. He was a kid.

"I'll kill her," she whispered to Tina, the girl.

"That wasn't part of the plan! Rose if your stay here, I don't know if we will be able to rescue! We can't stay without bringing Snow's attention to us! And tonight we need to save th group!"

"Then go. This fucker ruined Alfie's life. Because of her, he lived traumatized for almost a decade! I need to kill her!!"

"Rose…"

"It's my fucking choice, Tina. Tell your friend to land this ship and then go."

Tina wasn't sure but nodded. She gave Rose her own jacket, matches, a ligther and ordered the rebel pilot to give her his gloves.

"We will back in an hour."

"Just go!"

-

At the same time that Tina and Rose were debating what to do. The official Arena had his own drama.

Alfie was furious and was all adrenaline. He wasn't thinking. They killed Danny in front of him, Jack was missing somewhere in the Arena and he was still traumatized for the attack of the jabberjays.

"Alfie! Help me, Alfie!"

Rosie's voice. Her screams.

Then he saw that man with his hands in Nina's neck, and Alfie went blind. Maybe he wasn't 17 anymore, but he was stronger than his younger version. His fist found the man's jaw and thanks to that he released Nina.

"Run!!" he ordered. Nina didn't dare to contradict him.

She found the few members of the original team that were still there.

Alfie was fighting in the water with the other one. Both were big, both killed before and both were ready to do it again.

"He's going to kill Alfie!! Tommy!! He's going to kill him!!"

From the seashore Tommy, Lucy, Nina and Eva were looking at his friend fighting with the male tribute. That man was Glass.

But his friends couldn't allowed it. Eva grabbed Nina's arm when she tried to run and help her former mentor.

"Let me go!"

"Nina, no!! If I let you go, you're dead! You can't fight Gloss! You can't! He's going to kill you like nothing! How many more are we going to lose!! For god's sake!! You can't do anything!!"

While Eva was forcing Nina to stay still. Lucy and Tommy went towards them. Lucy had their knives and Tommy and arrow and a bow.

The Arena started to move when both threw their weapons. Two things happened simultaneously: Lucy's knife ended in Glass' throat.

And Tommy's Arrow ended in Alfie's eye.

Glass fell first, already dead, in the water. The sound of the cannon made it official.

Alfie was still on his feet. Tommy watched horrified how his friend had his arrow standing out of his face. Trying to understand what happened. Alfie touched his face and saw blood in his hands.

Nina was screaming from the seashore, watching the scene with Eva still hugging her.

Lucy was petrified.

Alfie finally fell on his knees and landed on his side with the back to them. A new cannon shot made their nightmares come true and they saw the hovercraft picking up his body.

-

"You need to trust me like never before."

Alfie gasped as if he had been under water and finally was able to breathe again. He found himself in a strecher with an oxygen mask on his face.

"Welcome back, Alfie."

Looking around him, he just saw different medical devices.

The arrow. Alfie touched his face only to find that it was covered with bandages. He wasn't in pain, probably thanks to the anesthesia.

And that could explain why he was extremely confused.

At his side was a man with brown hair and a smile that looked familiar to him.

"You're safe. Just rest. Sleep that everything is fine."

Alfie was too sleepy to react and just closed his eyes. He couldn't even think why that man's smile was so damn familiar when he didn't know him.

.

The remaining members of the group were in silence. Unaware that Alfie was alive, they felt like living a nightmare.

Jack and Aurora were lost. Alfie and Danny dead and weren't signals of the rebels to rescue them.

A new sponsor sent a package for them. This time for Nina. Inside was a compass and a note "Always go to the North." It was anonymous.

"To the North? What's there?"

"The tree," said Lucy. "That one."

The tallest tree, the one where the bolt every now and then struck it. They had nothing to lose, except their lives. But Eva was reticent.

"No without Jack. I won't go anywhere with out Jack!!"

"When need to move! We are too exposed here! Not all the remaining tributes are allies, Eva! And he's alive! He's the strongest of us and he has Aurora with him! He's protecting the girl! And can't protect you if you stay here!" Tommy said.

Eva was tired, like the rest of them, but the idea of going there and lost Jack was horrible.

.

"Are you ready?"

One of the rebels, one of the most loyal men that Aberama had, asked to his partner and this one nodded.

"It's now or never. The hovercraft is ready to pick up the rest of them. We sent them messages to reunite them under the tree."

And both rebels pushed the bottom. The whole Capitol trembled. It felt like an Earthquake, but in a small proportion. Debris and dirt flew everywhere, like confetti. When everything settled, the disaster could be seen.

The majestic, big, luxurious building. That building that for over 60 years received tributes from all around Panem and that was the symbol of power, wasn't there anymore. And inside it, the Control Centre of the games with all of the gamemakers there, where now part of the history. Tons and tons of debris and rubble were over him.

The dome that was protecting the arena was deactivated with the explosion.

And several hovercraft appeared in the sky. In one of them were Eva, Lucy, Nina and Tommy. But Jack wasn't there. Neither was Aurora. The rebel hovercraft left the Arena towards district 13. Inside, Eva was still claiming for Jack. But no one listened to her. They needed to escape.

.

At the same time, in district 3, under the orders of Aberama and Mr. Van Trapp they activated the new control centre. And the tvs around Panem showed now three different but familiar Arenas.

"Welcome to the 76th Hunger Games!" A voice said. "Do you want to know our new tributes?"

The cameras that the Golds installed in the frozen forest, showed bloody footsteps that disappeared in the trees. And in middle of the scenery, surrounded by her own blood, was the body of an old woman.

Second part.

[muneca-lemon-steppa]

Interviews for New Beginnings: Part 2

Alfie Solomons x Fem!Reader; Word Count 3.4k

Warnings: Swearing, Sexism

A/N; Hi everyone! I am so glad you guys liked the first part! It was so much fun to write, and when someone asked for this to be multi-chapter, I just couldn't get it out of my mind. So here's another part! I have no clue how long this will be yet, but I do have a plot in mind. Please enjoy, have fun, much love , <3. - Mo

Eli and you made a pact to not tell the family that you now BOTH were working for one of the most feared men in the city. Eli would’ve been berated for an hour or two at best, thrown out at worst. You? One could only imagine how many years you would be locked in your room. When your mother and father asked about your interview and your new boss, you gave the prettiest pieces.

He is quite successful papa. The bakery is very large, easily 100 men employed!

Yes mama, I get my own desk, and I get Rosh Hashanah off.

Yes papa he is Jewish. Yes very respectable. No I don’t know what Temple he attends.

Yes mama Eli never left my side. And I suppose he is handsome. No mama I don’t know if he is married.

Your mother bustled about, checked all of your dresses and stockings, making sure they were all in perfect condition for your new job. She checked your bag of supplies possibly 30 times by the end of the night, just to ensure that you had everything you could possibly need, even things you may not have needed. A mother could never be too careful.

The next morning as you began to walk out of the door, your mother and father kept fussing over you, straightening your hat and sweater.

“Now dear since Eli’s shift does not start till later you will have to walk yourself ok? Be careful, don’t talk to anyone, you go right to the office yes?” Your mother reminded you for the umpteenth time.

“Yes mama of course. Straight to work.”

“And be on the look out for those awful gangsters poppet. The Peaky Blinders have been seen milling about town, and you know that God forsaken Solomons has his disgusting paws on every corner of the city.” Your father grunted out still drinking his morning tea.

You felt the tips of your ears warming. You hated to lie. You were so bad at it. “Of course papa. I’ll be careful, I love you! I might be home late, I’ll send Eli to alert you.”

You kissed them both and made your way down the street. Excited for a new start, and for what the day may hold.

It’s interesting how Alfie insisted on being at the office at 8, yet still had not shown up by 8:20. Thankfully Ollie had given you a tour of the distillery, shown you your desk (situated right in front of Alfie’s door) and given you the times of the meetings today. You had taken the liberty of starting up some tea on the small stove by your desk, and clearing out some of the crumpled paper strewn out across the floor. ‘Honestly for such a tyrant he really keeps this office unruly.’

You hear your name bellowed from outside the office, and you run out quickly. There you see Alfie, smiling at you. “Shalom my little viper! So you weren’t bluffing were you? Glad to see you aren’t as cowardly as Eli.”

You crossed your arms and you felt your mouth firm, “Shalom Alfie. You are late this morning and I have to talk to you about todays schedule. Ollie had to show me around the distillery and he informed me that you have 5 meetings today, FIVE! One of them is set to start in 20 minutes, and -.”

“Now now treacle hold your tongue, be sweet to me yeah? My back. Let get to work yeah?”

It was only then that you noticed the cane he was clutching. You immediately felt your chest become heavy, and guilt override. “Oh..Alfie I’m so sorry I didn’t know I-“

“Hush now pet don’t even begin to fuss. It’s just my back yeah?”

“What are you taking for it?”

Alfred just scoffed and rolled his eyes walking away from you and into his office.

“Mr. Solomons what are you doing to help your back!?”

“Be quiet woman! You want the whole town to know that Solomons’ got a bad back? Hush damnit! Now what is on the calendar? Who am I meeting with?”

“Well you have a Mr. Abrams coming in at 8:40. A Mr. Clochester at 10. Rabbi Rubin at 12. And a Mr. Shelby at 4. But you’re not seeing anyone until you-“

“Till I what huh? Till I what? Are you my mother? No! Now hush! Ollie! Get this woman a notepad now! Treacle sit there on that coach and be quiet!”

You just stared at Alfie, and you couldn’t help but feel shame and embarrassment. And Alfie was faring no better. He could see hints of tears threatening to spill, but your chin set firm, fists clenched. Alfie wanted grab you in his arms and… tell you he was sorry, but…

“Aw fuck… treacle… no you’re right. Treacle come please. What do you think?”

“Think about what Mr. Solomons?”

“Nah fuck that I told you Alfie. Tell me what you think I should do about these meetings and my damn back.”

"No not at all Alfie. If you don't need anything for the pain in your back then you don't. I'm just a woman right?

"Well now you're acting like a fucking child."

"Of course Alfie. Whatever you say Alfie."

You closed your ears off to what he was barking at you. Fine. If he wanted to suffer, he could suffer. It was far too early to fight with such a stubborn...beast of a man. And besides, you had things to attend to.

Despite the tiff this morning, the day went by smoothly. As smoothly as it can be in the distillery you supposed. Mr. Abrams left the room with a black eye and tears, promising he would never lie to Alfie again. Mr Colchester left more bloody than he came in. Rabbi Rubin was a delight, complimenting the tea you made, and scolded Alfie for not coming to temple recently.

Throughout the day, you could slowly but steadily see the stiffness working it's way up Alfie's spine. Though it didn't quite deter him from inflicting pain and vengeance on those who came in, you kept your eye in careful study. The small twitches of his eye. The rougher grunts when he got up from his seat, and the heavier footsteps as he walked around. You also noticed that he hadn't eaten all day, and when you asked about it he merely mumbled, "mmnot hungry''. But based on the way he quickly avoided your gaze when you caught him staring and the loud grumbling you heard at 3, you figured his resolve would have to melt soon.

At 3:45 you were at your desk, drafting out some letters Alfie had requested. It was while you were in deep focus, chewing on the tip of your thumb when you heard a soft cough.

Your head snapped up, and you were met with the iciest eyes you had ever set your eyes on.

Pretty.

That's the only thing you could think as you looked at the man in front of your desk. Clean shaven. Well dressed. The smell of tobacco and soap and...something secretive radiating off of him. You internally shook yourself out of you consideration of the man to finally say, "Good Afternoon sir, how can I help you?"

He smiled, in a soft way though you felt a rush in your chest, "My name is Thomas Shelby, I have a meeting with Mr. Solomons."

Oh. This is Thomas Shelby. Leader of THE Shelbys. "Oh yes Mr. Shelby I've been expecting you. You are a bit early, so if you could please sit. Can I offer some tea?"

He nodded, turning to the soft couch across from your desk, "Tea would be lovely, thank you love."

After serving him tea, you went back to work at your desk till the clock struck 4. At least you tried to. You felt those eyes all over you. You felt as though every muscle movement was being scrutinized. "Since when did Alfie get a secretary?"

"Today is my first day, he hired me yesterday."

Thomas hummed in understanding, looking out the window to your left, admiring the soft rain. "If I may be so bold, could I ask your name? I don't like not knowing who gave me tea."

You gave your name, looking directly into his eyes. He repeated it back, as if he was feeling out every consonant on his lips. Even though it was an innocent enough question, you couldn't shake the feeling that you needed to be on the offensive. As if he wanted something. "Where did he find you? You're far too pretty to be working for someone like Alfie."

"I found him. And I can assure you Mr. Shelby that my face had nothing to do with my hiring."

"As you wish darling."

As soon as he said it, you heard your name being called from inside Alfie's office. You quickly got up to meet him, and felt those eyes all over you.

Alfie looked horrible. His hair was sticking up in all directions, his vest and shirt were both half done, and he was scribbling away on some paper, "Oi, is that bastard here yet?"

"Mr. Shelby? Yes, he is sitting down waiting for you. I've just given him tea."

His head rose from his hands, and his thick brows were furrowed together, "The fuck did you give him tea for? He doesn't need tea, no he doesn't deserve tea!"

"Alfie you can have tea too if you ask me."

"No no no already told you I don't want tea. I don't want lunch. I don't want your help beyond taking the notes. I am a grown man damnit! Now for fucks sake, bring that damn bastard in here, sit on the couch, take the notes, and hush your mouth!"

He was teetering. This wasn't just being a gangster. This was a child who was fighting to take a nap. He was going to snap soon. So you just smiled cheekily, "Of course Alfie. I'll be right back."

You nearly skipped to the door. Alfie was growing increasingly frustrated, "AND TAKE AWAY THAT FUCKING CUP. NO ONE GETS TEA."

You did take the tea cup away from Mr. Shelby , and ushered him in, settling yourself down on your seat with your pad and pencil.

As Mr. Shelby settled in, he smiled and looked at Alfie, who was looking more and more disgruntled, "Good Afternoon Alfie. You look well."

"Fuck off Tommy. What do you want?"

"Yes the weather is quite dreary, but I am doing well thank you. But yes let's get down to it. Alfie...are you familiar with gaming clubs?"

In your opinion, this meeting should have taken 30 minutes at most. But you were going on hour 3 at this point. 7 o'clock and you were growing tired. You know Eli had already gone home to tell your parents you were held up. This was becoming ridiculous.

The idea was interesting enough. Gaming clubs have been an up and coming social house for the high society. Men (and their women) would gather in clandestine areas, playing cards, placing bets, drinking, doing snow, all types of things. But the real trade was information. Yes their main products would be successful in such places, but the information that would be dripping from loose lips would bring more power than they could get now. More than they could get in decades.

The only thing they disagreed on was the split ownership. Alfie offered a 90/10 split. And when Tommy refused Alfie was quick to pull his gun. And maybe you should have been afraid, but frankly you were too irritated with Alfie to care, or to believe this petulant act he was putting up. Your pad was almost filled with doodles, crossed out numbers and terms when they finally shook on it, you would write up the agreement in the morning.

As Tommy stood to leave so did you, and when he took your hand to shake it, he raised your knuckles to his lips, pressing a kiss and giving a wink. Your eyes widened at his boldness. He smirked at your response, turning to Alfie again, "Love the new secretary Alfie. Definitely brightens up the place."

He turned back to you and tipped his hat to you, "See you soon darling."

Tommy sauntered out of the door, and Alfie stayed standing until the door closed and he heard his steps fade. It was then that Alfie nearly collapsed into his chair, hands rubbing his face, "Treacle come here."

You came and sat right back in the chair Tommy Shelby just occupied, "You want me to reread the agreement to you?"

"Nah I trust you got it. Just write it up tomorrow. But listen to me yeah? You do not go near Thomas Shelby. I know the young girls tend to fancy him but listen to me... that man is evil. He is not safe. And I don't want you caught up in his nonsense."

"He's evil yet you're doing business with him."

"I'm a bad man darling, but that doesn't mean you need to get wrapped up in it. Just say that you won't fratrenize with him alright? Or do you need to fight with me about this as well?"

You nodded, "I understand."

You just stared at him, waiting for him to dismiss you when you heard his stomach growl again, and his face twitch in pain, hand rushing to his back. "Are you ready to admit defeat Alfie?"

He scowled at you, "I don't know what you're talking about. Go home it's late, you don't need to stay."

You smiled, "If it's already late no difference is made at this point. But I'm not about to let my boss go home hungry and in pain... or go home without saying I was right."

He puffed out his lip, "There's nothing to eat here anyway."

"I brought you lunch. Beef, roasted veg, and bread."

He looked at you quizzicaly before you said, "Eli told me that Ollie told him that you haven't been eating recently. I just took upon myself to bring you something. There's also a muffin, but you will have to share."

You heard him say something about mutiny, but then told you to go fetch the lunch you brought him. You only brought enough for one lunch for him, but he ended up insisting you share with him, since, "You haven't eaten supper. It's not right."

Eventually, once his stomach was warm with a good meal, you got him to let you tend to his back. "What are you going to do hmm? Give me a strange draught your grandmother taught you that will make me vomit for three days?"

You laughed brightly, and he couldn't help but smile and stare at the way you threw your head back and laughed loudly. Deep in his chest he hoped that you would let him make you laugh like that forever.

"No you ridiculous man. My father was in the war, and he got shot in the shoulder. He lived thankfully, but he feels a deep pain like you do. The muscle tightens and he can't move. We get a hot rag, place it on his shoulder, and my mother needs to work out the pain."

Alfie felt a flush on his neck, "Well that would require me to take my shirt off darling."

You rolled your eyes, "For a gangster you act like a child. I won't tell if you won't Alfie. Now will you cooperate?"

In truth you hadn't thought that far into it. But it was pitiful to see him like this, and you can definitely be professional about this. Alfie shrugged and pulled off his vest and shirt, and you couldn't help but feel the heat rise, and not just from the hot rag in your hand.

You knew he was imposing, it was hard not to see him and hear him. But seeing the breadth of his shoulders, the width of his body and the hair on his chest made your cheeks heat up and your face freeze. Alfie caught your stare, smirking, "Now who's acting like a child?"

You rolled your eyes, and placed the rag on his lower back, hearing him hiss and try to relax into the heat. You began to work the knots out of his back when he asked, "Do your roommates know where you are?"

"My roommates are my parents, Eli, his parents, my little sister, my younger brother, and our grandparents. And they know that I am at work, helping my boss finish a business meeting. Eli told them."

Alfie nodded, "Do they... know where you work?"

You smiled, "They know that my boss is a respectable jewish man, who owns a large bakery that employs many many men, and that I get my own desk."

He snorted, "So you lied to them?"

"Not lie. Just...reframed it for them. Shall I tell my mother that I am the secretary of the fearsome Alfred Solomons? Or should I tell my father that I directly disobeyed his orders to stay away from Solomons boys, and went directly to the top?"

He laughed, "Alright now alright... so why this office? Educated girl like you can't work anywhere else? Unlikely, seems like you like being rebellious to me."

"Well... if you can believe it Mr. Solomons... my back talk does not do me many favors. Truthfully... Eli brought me here because you were my last chance at independence. It was either your office, or I would have to visit the matchmaker."

A silence washed over you, and you began to worry that you shared too much. "Well... I like that you speak your mind. Even if it drives me fucking nuts. Never give it up darling. You stay just the way you are alright?"

You smiled softly to yourself, "Yes Alfie."

A comfortable silence took its' place, and you eventually were able to work out all the knots from his back. You began to pack up your bag, and as Alfie redressed himself he asked, "Is Eli coming to pick you up?"

"No I don't think so. He is probably having to help with the tailoring, and he won't be able to step away. I'll be ok."

"Fuck no. You're a woman, you don't walk alone at this time at night, especially not here. I'm taking you home."

"You don't think women are capable of taking care of themselves?"

"No I know you could hold your own darling, but it is cold and I am not about to let you get hurt on my watch. Come we'll take the car."

The drive to your house was comfortable. You couldn't understand it. You had only met Alfie yesterday. And yet you felt as though you had known him for years. As if you never knew life without him. The whole ride you talked. From business for tomorrow, his childhood, his dog, your interests and what your opinions were on the business. You laughed and spoke the entire time, and it felt like no time passed. The car pulled up right to your door, and Alfie walked to your door to open it for you and help you out, "Alright watch your step treacle, still wet from the rain yeah? There you go darling."

You took his hand, and your breath hitched at the contact, his warm and rough hand covering yours. You looked up into his eyes, face partially obscured by his hat, "Thank you Alfie. You didn't have to."

"Of course I did. And it was no trouble. If you are kept in the office till dark, I drive you home yeah?"

You nodded with a smile, and he shook his head in affirmation, "It's a deal then. Now get inside you little viper, you'll catch a cold."

You began to walk to the door, turning around to say, "Goodnight Alfie."

He smiled, "Goodnight darling."

As you walked up the stairs to the home of your family, you couldn't help but run through the day in your head. Especially the end of it, smiling to yourself and feeling the rush in your stomach. You opened the door as quietly as you could, but heard you mother say, "Who was that in the car dear?"

[wutheringcaterpillar]

The One That Got Away

Summary: It had been a year since your ex-husband Tommy had seen you. He was hoping for the chance to see you again to show you how much he has cleaned up and changed for you. He didn't think that when he saw you again, you'd be engaged to one of his closest friends.

Warnings: Smut, p-in-v

Thomas thought his eyes were deceiving him.

Throughout the crowded room filled with women wearing beautiful, exemplary gowns, and their makeup and hair done elegantly, only one woman stood out to him.

The one he treated so unfairly, so immaturely but was always the most respectful, most beautiful, most hypnotizing woman in the room.

He froze in place, jaw clenched when he saw you standing there, hair flowing down, your bright red lipstick and silver dress. It shattered him inside to see your once innocent eyes that he corrupted by the way he handled your marriage.

It was as if he was seeing a ghost and it broke his heart.

He wanted to fix things, wanted to prove to you how much he’s changed and improved, all in the hopes of seeing you one day.

He just didn’t think the day he did see you again you’d be engaged to his dear friend Alfie Solomons.

“Brotha!” Alfie pulled Thomas out of his gaze, pulling him into a friendly bear hug.

“You’re engaged to my ex wife Alfie.” Alfie pulled away from the hug, taking a swig from his flask. It seems someone at this party had already beat him to the punch of telling Tommy the news.

“I am. I am.” Alfie rubbed at his beard, eyebrows etched together trying to think of just the right words to explain.

“I can’t really explain how it happened. She was looking for comfort after your divorce, right? It was all innocent, just things get a little complicated mate. Y’know what I mean, yeah?” Tommy knew all too well what he meant.

He let his business get in the way of his marriage to you, he allowed other women into his life for nights when you weren't around. He’s the one that made it complicated.

“Yeah, yeah. I know what you mean Alfie.”

Staring off into the distance, both of their eyes landed on you, mingling with strangers, and Tommy felt strange that he was doing it out of making sure you were safe even though that was no longer his job.

“I haven’t seen her smile like that in years Alfie. Not since our wedding did she have that bright, beautiful smile.” Thomas tried his best to keep a straight face but Alfie could see right through him in his broken, hurting state.

Alfie had no bad intentions and didn’t plan to fall in love with you. He wasn’t out to get Thomas,never has been, never will be.

“She’s perfect ain’t she?” Tommy looked away, pondering if Alfie would allow him to talk to you one last time.

“Do you mind if I have a word with Y/N, it will only be a couple of minutes.” Alfie extended his hand respectfully in the direction of you to where you were talking with your friend to let Tommy air his thoughts out to you.

“Just don’t try none of that charming, conning crap on my future bride to be!” All joking aside, Tommy nodded sincerely, ever so grateful that the man he still calls his friend hasn’t changed.

Alfie also knew it wouldn’t be from a bad place and his friend wouldn’t sabotage him or you. Tommy thanked him graciously before making his way to you.

Out of the corner of your eye you saw him dressed in his suit and tie, hair smoothly combed, still looking as handsome as the day you married him, making your breath hitch in your throat.

You had moved on, you were happy, but there was something about Tommy that would always stick with you.

A few of the women surrounding you giggled and blushed when Tommy approached you.

“Hello, I was wondering if I could have a moment with Y/N?” Tommy looked at you for an answer with his crystal blue eyes that looked guilty, but pleading in the hope you would give him the chance.

Alfie stood by the wall, chatting with your sister as he kept an eye from afar.

“Can we make this short?”

“One last dance. That’s all I’m asking.”

You looked over to your fiancé as Tommy extended his hand as an invitation. Alfie nodded, reassuring you he hasn’t got a problem with it.

He wasn’t the jealous type and he still trusted Tommy as a friend and you as his future wife.

Taking his hand, there was still that sense of an electric current moving through your veins when your skin touched.

His hands were cold, as they’d always been, but it still gave you the sense of being safe. Nonetheless, you’d never be able to forgive Tommy for all the things he had managed to do to you in the short one year you were married.

The music changed, into a slower tempo and you followed in Tommy’s footsteps. “So engaged to one of my close friends, eh? Didn’t see that one coming.” Tommy chuckled, no hatred in his voice. “Well there’s a lot of things we don’t see coming, isn’t there Tommy?” He sighed and his eyebrows etched in guilt when he thought of all the ways he went wrong and treated you terribly.

When he spoke his voice was hoarse, and you could tell in his eyes this was difficult for him and he was trying to keep his composure without breaking down. That wouldn’t be fair to you.

“Yes, there is. Alfie’s a good man, a much better man than I could ever be. I took the insecure way with you. I couldn’t face myself and I wasn’t there for you. I know Alfie will be.”

“I’d like to clarify neither of us wanted you to find out like this.” Tommy twirled you slowly and caught you in his arms securely. He’d never let you fall again. Your eyes connected with his. Something about his baby blue eyes always felt like they would draw you in, drag you back but you’ve made progress in the two years you haven’t see him. That was no longer possible.

“Our love went cold because of me, and it would be very unfair of me to have an opinion on your engagement. I just want you to be happy Y/N.”

“I am happy, and I just want to say, I do forgive you. Alfie has taught me so much, and made me realize in not forgiving, I will never be truly at peace.” Hearing you say you forgive him, made the growing heart inside his chest feel as if it was slowly starting to shatter into pieces.

Thomas couldn’t stop the one, singular tear stream down his cheek. He didn’t deserve your forgiveness by any means, he didn’t deserve to even have this dance with you.

The song was nearing an end but you didn’t feel like you had anymore words to say.

Maybe Thomas has changed but it was quite too little too late.

In one last twirl, he dipped you and caught you in his strong, toned arm, other hand intertwined with yours.

All time felt like it stopped when you locked eyes one last time.

As the music changed, he still had you in this position and the people around you started to disperse.

“I still and always will, love you Y/N.”

Memories of your past together flashed their way through your mind. What was a beautiful, romantic start, and the way he first asked you to join him for dinner. He was quite the gentleman and went out of his way to surprise you with small trinkets, and expensive jewelry but then the rotten memories of catching him with women and lying to you about his business affairs found their way into your mind, breaking you out of this trance you found yourself in so much.

He didn’t break eye contact once and you were still staring into his convincing, yet sincere blue eyes. He was being truthful; he was putting himself in a fragile state by speaking his true feelings.

He assisted you in standing up and guided you back to where Alfie was still talking with your sister. Tommy nodded at her.

“Allison, nice to see you again. Hope you’ve been well.” Your sister made a disgusted face, she seemed to be the only woman in Birmingham that was never affected or influenced by Tommy’s charms and looks.

Alfie pulled you gently into his side, holding you with a loving arm around your waist. He handed you your coat that he had been holding and assisted you in putting it on.

“I’ve had a grand idea, Tommy my boy, why don’t you come to our wedding, yeah? I was going to ask you to be my best man, but I can see that may be difficult considering the circumstances, right?” Tommy shook his head, not feeling as if he should be there. You both knew Thomas had grown up, but Alfie wanted his best mate there in support, he wanted Tommy’s support.

“C’mon. Past is the past yeah? I can’t have my wedding day without my best mate Tommy Shelby there, now can I? Of course, if that’s alright with you love?” You nodded in agreement.

Tommy and Alfie had known each other longer than you’d known either of them, but it would warm you heart to know that Thomas could set the past aside and move on.

Thomas wanted to be there for you, but he wasn’t sure if he could handle seeing you at the altar with another man. “I’ll sleep on it, eh?” You both nodded before Alfie noticed you were shivering.

“Are you cold love, yeah? Why don’t we get the car, and I’ll drive us home. That damn dog is probably tearing everything a part with how long we’ve been at this social shit show anyway.” Tommy said his goodbyes and went to excuse himself to go and talk to Ada but before he could, you stopped him.

“Thomas.” He looked back at you with winded, yet content eyes. “Y/N. Alfie, treat her well. Don’t let her get away like I did.” You wanted to thank him for his modesty and honesty but he didn’t give you the chance.

“Well I’m not fucking stupid now am I mate?” Thomas laughed and waved him off before bidding you both ado.

~

The rain pattered against the window of the car as you lay your head rested on Alfie’s shoulder. “You didn’t have to give him that opportunity, you’re far more gracious than I am at times, and that’s one of the things I love about you y’know.”

“I know love but who am I to deny him the chance of forgiveness.” You bit your lip, looking up at your husband to be. He leaned down and placed a kiss to your lips, his beard gently rubbing against your soft delicate skin.

~

When you had arrived home, the two of you we’re greeted with Cyril laying at the door asleep. “Lazy fuck, couldn’t even do the dishes could yuh?” You smacked Alfie playfully as he leaned down to give the sweet pup a hearty, loving pet.

Once upstairs the two of you took a hot much needed shower. The water ran down your cold skin and you couldn’t help but hug your husband around the waist, pressing your head into his firm, toned back.

Tracing your fingers around his muscular figure.

Alfie was in more than great shape, every toned muscle, curving his body just perfectly. It turned you on more knowing that this man was yours and he wasn't going anywhere.

Turning he ran his hand through his hair, slicking it back, making you bite down on your bottom lip, looking up at him with begging, lustful eyes. He stared down at you with dark eyes, as his member downstairs began to grow.

You ran your hand down his chest, further to his happy little trail where you rested your hand upon his plump tip, rubbing it ever so agonizingly slow that he was beginning to lose patience. He had been wanting to fuck you all night long seeing you in what he thought was way too tight of a dress.

“Jump.” In an instant you were wrapping your legs around his waist and he had caught you with his firm, large hands and they settled right underneath both your ass cheeks that he could devour any second of the day.

Lining himself with your entrance, as soon as you felt his tip in just the right spot, you dropped your body weight down onto his large member, forcing a throaty groan that sounded like music to your ears to escape from your husband to be’s rough lips.

You felt complete, like your body was whole when his cock was buried deep within you.

“Fuck love, you’re so fucking tight.” He couldn’t help but start to rapidly pound into you over and over again at the sight of your tits dripping with water and at the feeling of your ass cheeks cupping his hands rather perfectly. “My bride to fucking be!”

“Harder.”

“Darling if I go any harder i might snap you in fuckin half.” Tugging at his hair you aligned your lips next to his ear.

“I said fucking harder.”

Wasting no time, he slammed you against the shower wall as the water continued to fall, thrusting in and out of you, his dick hitting all the right spots, you were already feeling yourself soaking him and you were close.

Your moans began to get louder, and he demanded you look at him when you were about to cum.

The sight of your fucked out eyes, and how desperately close you were to cumming took control of him. He didn’t hold back.

His free hand found its way to one of your tits grabbing it roughly, tugging at your hardened nipple. He continued at his pace and he could feel your walls squeezing around him. Within seconds you both were cumming, his warm seed shooting up into you, coating your insides. “Fuck me! Are you alright love?” You nodded still trying to catch your breath.

“I love you Alfie Solomons.” He couldn’t help but grin and smirk to himself. “Yeah I bet you fuckin do future Mrs. Solomons. after that fucking. I love you too.”

He placed a kiss to your lips before turning off the water. “Now why don’t we get to bed, yeah? Long fucking two weeks ahead of us.”

~

The two weeks until the wedding had passed rather quickly as you had been so busy with planning and now here you were standing in your dress, awaiting for the doors to open.

You were nervous to see Alfie cleaned up, and in a tuxedo on a day like today because you were scared of crying out of happiness.

When the door opened and you were met with the room full of people the first person you noticed and was the only one that turned around was sitting in back row right by the door.

There Thomas was staring at you, taking in your white eccentric dress, and your hair pinned up in the thin white vail.

He smiled at you in adoration and you silently mouthed a thank you to him for coming.

Thomas had made a vow to himself that he had let you fall too many times, and he wanted to be there whenever you asked him, never again would he let you down.

Once you reached the altar Alfie was smiling bright, fully with his teeth showing. He was astonished at how amazing you looked, and it absolutely took his breath away. “You look fucking beautiful sweetheart.” A tear was rolling down his cheek, his eyes full of love and joy that the day had finally come that he was marrying the woman of his dreams.

Trying your best to hold back tears from ruining your makeup you thanked him as the priest began the ceremony.

The vows were exchanged, no objections said. “You may kiss the bride.”

“You bet your ass I’m gonna kiss her, and more tonight!” Everyone laughed at his joke and in a lightning movement Alfie’s hands were on both of your cheeks pulling you into his welcoming plush lips in a kiss that you wished would last forever.

Tommy stayed seated in the back row, he may be regretful but all he wanted was for you to be happy, even if it meant it wasn’t with him. He watched as you walked hand in hand with Alfie down the aisle as a newly happy married couple.

He reminisced back to the day where that was him and you, ready to take on the world, but he understood he needed to move on.

Standing up and setting the pamplet down on the pew, he began to clap for the two of you.

Tommy was proud of you for getting away from him, even if it hurt him but he felt more at ease knowing that the man you were marrying would never hurt you or even think about doing half the things he did to you.

Winking at you, he smiled. All he could now was a friend to you, continue to be a friend to Alfie, and accept the consequences of his mistakes.

[incorrectsibunaquotes]

House of Anubis Characters + Taylor Swift

Every character and their song off each album

Nina:

TAYLOR SWIFT: The Outside

FEARLESS: Bye, Bye, Baby

SPEAK NOW: Long Live

RED: The Lucky One

1989: Wildest Dreams

REPUTATION: Dancing With Our Hands Tied

LOVER: Soon You’ll Get Better

FOLKLORE: the last great american dynasty

EVERMORE: it’s time to go

MIDNIGHTS: You’re On Your Own Kid

Fabian:

TAYLOR SWIFT: Stay Beautiful

FEARLESS: Fearless

SPEAK NOW: Last Kiss

RED: I Almost Do

1989: Wonderland

REPUTATION: New Year’s Day

LOVER: It’s Nice to Have a Friend

FOLKLORE: cardigan

EVERMORE: closure

MIDNIGHTS: Hits Different

Patricia:

TAYLOR SWIFT: Tim McGraw

FEARLESS: Untouchable

SPEAK NOW: Dear John

RED: Stay, Stay, Stay

1989: I Wish You Would

REPUTATION: Getaway Car

LOVER: Afterglow

FOLKLORE: mad woman

EVERMORE: no body, no crime

MIDNIGHTS: Anti-Hero

Amber:

TAYLOR SWIFT: Mary’s Song (Oh My My My)

FEARLESS: Love Story

SPEAK NOW: Never Grow Up

RED: 22

1989: Welcome to New York

REPUTATION: So It Goes…

LOVER: ME!

FOLKLORE: epiphany

EVERMORE: dorothea

MIDNIGHTS: Bejeweled

Alfie:

TAYLOR SWIFT: Invisible

FEARLESS: Jump then Fall

SPEAK NOW: Electric Touch

RED: State of Grace

1989: Shake it Off

REPUTATION: Endgame

LOVER: Daylight

FOLKLORE: the lakes

EVERMORE: long story short

MIDNIGHTS: Snow On The Beach

Jerome:

TAYLOR SWIFT: Should’ve Said No

FEARLESS: You’re Not Sorry

SPEAK NOW: Back to December

RED: Better Man

1989: You Are In Love

REPUTATION: Delicate

LOVER: All Of The Girls You Loved Before

FOLKLORE: betty

EVERMORE: cowboy like me

MIDNIGHTS: High Infidelity

Joy:

TAYLOR SWIFT: Tied Together With a Smile

FEARLESS: You Belong With Me

SPEAK NOW: Foolish One

RED: Nothing New

1989: Clean

REPUTATION: Call It What You Want

LOVER: The Archer

FOLKLORE: august

EVERMORE: tolerate it

MIDNIGHTS: Question…?

Mara:

TAYLOR SWIFT: Picture to Burn

FEARLESS: Mr. Perfectly Fine

SPEAK NOW: Mine

RED: Babe

1989: Bad Blood

REPUTATION: I Did Something Bad

LOVER: Cornelia Street

FOLKLORE: this is me trying

EVERMORE: happiness

MIDNIGHTS: Mastermind

Eddie:

TAYLOR SWIFT: A Place in This World

FEARLESS: The Other Side Of The Door

SPEAK NOW: The Story of Us

RED: Message in a Bottle

1989: Out of the Woods

REPUTATION: Gorgeous

LOVER: Cruel Summer

FOLKLORE: mirrorball

EVERMORE: coney island

MIDNIGHTS: The Great War

Mick:

TAYLOR SWIFT: Our Song

FEARLESS: We Were Happy

SPEAK NOW: Superman

RED: We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together

1989: How You Get The Girl

REPUTATION: Don’t Blame Me

LOVER: I Forgot That You Existed

FOLKLORE: the 1

EVERMORE: ‘tis the damn season

MIDNIGHTS: Midnight Rain

KT:

TAYLOR SWIFT: Cold As You

FEARLESS: Tell Me Why

SPEAK NOW: Innocent

RED: I Knew You Were Trouble

1989: New Romantics

REPUTATION: This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things

LOVER: The Man

FOLKLORE: seven

EVERMORE: marjorie

MIDNIGHTS: Karma

Willow:

TAYLOR SWIFT: A Perfectly Good Heart

FEARLESS: Today Was A Fairytale

SPEAK NOW: Sparks Fly

RED: Starlight

1989: Style

REPUTATION: King of My Heart

LOVER: You Need To Calm Down

FOLKLORE: invisible string

EVERMORE: willow

MIDNIGHTS: Sweet Nothing