#if they had promised Solomon there’s a chance it could have been a lie

[asmotheavatarofhorny]

If it is the case that a promise becomes binding if made in that cave, I have even more of a reason to hate Solomon’s guts. Not only is this pain in the ass TAKING ADVANTAGE of asmo and fucking up the timeline in the process, just so he can get a pact with him and use his power (which later proves to be useless because MC could have done it anyway even WITHOUT a pact with past asmo) but he’s also constantly trying to take advantage of all the other brothers as well, and now MC?? I don’t know what his deal is but I don’t trust him at all and would like to move house pls dia<3

Also, after the stunt he pulled in season 2(?) with Luci and the ring of light, I don’t trust him even more.

At this point I don’t even think he came to the past to help MC leave at all. He really just came so he could have them to himself and take further advantage of them being vulnerable (aka not having their 7 guard dogs around them at all times)

i.e. get them to promise to side with humans, aka HIM, “No Matter What.” In the cave of knowledge where he KNEW MC would be forced to keep it for all time.

Honestly, props to 13, if she hadn’t popped in MC would’ve been fucked over big time;;

I'm pretty sure all this talk about solomon wanting mc to promise him that they'll side with humanity and then mc promising the brothers that they'll always protect them means that in the future they would be a situation where mc has to choose between humans, angels and demons and even if they wanted to side with humans they'll have to side with demons because thirteen said that they shouldn't have had made a promise in that place which I'm sure would be something like if you make a promise in that place then you can't break it.

[dyns33]

Family trust

The Shelbys and the Solomons are back again with some new adventures about stupidity and love.

First there was a call from Tommy. Simple, short, straight to the point, her brother only telling her that her husband had been seen in the Russian quarter.

Several things were important to understanding this call. The Russians were dangerous, the last time the Shelbys had dealt with them it hadn't gone very well, and Alfie Solomons was partly to blame for it, because even though he hated the Russians, he thought of himself and his business first.

Her brother just wanted to know if Y/N knew anything about that. After all, maybe it was nothing. A necessary detour, without there having been a secret meeting. But he wanted to check.

She didn't know, but she promised to find out.

If she had asked Alfie directly, there was a chance he would tell the truth, or be unable to keep from groaning while trying to lie like a child. He would do this when she asked him if he had eaten the last loaf of bread, accusing Cyril.

To be sure of having an answer, Y/N asked Ollie if her husband had met the Russians.

"… Why are you asking me that, Mrs. Solomons ?"

“So that’s a yes.”

"I didn't say that, Madam ! I mean… You'd have to ask him, I wasn't there. He doesn't always say what he does."

“But you know he had to see them.”

"… I know he asked for a meeting. He came back in one piece, without a drop of blood and looking satisfied. I don't think it was important."

With his big eyes, Ollie silently begged her not to push it, because his boss was really in a good mood lately, and everyone wanted to keep it that way.

Y/N didn't go to see Alfie, and she hesitated to tell her brothers. Maybe it wasn't anything important after all.

Then Polly called her, to warn her that there had been an altercation between the Russians and the Peaky Blinders. Some men had been killed or arrested by the coppers. John and Arthur were injured.

“Tommy told me your husband saw these sons of bitches recently.”

"… Yes, but there is not necessarily a link."

"I don't believe in coincidences. Your brother is coming to Camden, I wanted to warn you. He needs to speak with Solomons to make sure he hasn't betrayed us again."

It wasn't really a surprise to see her brother walk into her house a little over an hour later. What was surprising was what he said.

“Get your stuff.”

"Tommy, what's going on ? Pol told me you wanted to talk to Alfie about the Russians, what did he say ?"

"Nothing. He wouldn't tell me anything except that I could go fuck myself. I know he's involved. Now you grab your things and come with me. You're not safe here. I should never have let you go."

Part of her wanted to protest, refusing to believe that her husband could have done such a thing, and asserting her right to stay with him if she wanted.

The problem was that her husband was perfectly capable of such a thing, having done it several times in the past. He had framed Arthur, he had participated in the Italian assassination attempt on Tom, he had let Charlie be kidnapped.

For all these things, Alfie had apologized, each time, several times, but that never stopped him from doing it again.

Everyone had thought their marriage was proof of change. Of trust. If he truly loved their sister, he would never go after the Shelby again, because that would definitely hurt Y/N.

And in the months that had passed since their union, that seemed to have been the case, until today.

If he had still given them to the Italians, Y/N would have almost been able to understand. Even to the Americans. But the Russians ?

Alfie spoke Russian because his mother was Russian, his mother who he loved as much as he hated those pretentious vodka drinkers who hated Jews and chased her through the snow with dogs.

He didn't do business with them, or only to make sure they wouldn't try to encroach on his territory.

If Alfie Solomons gave you to the Russians, that meant something, something terrible.

Y/N still remembered those many marriage proposals. Of all those nights when he looked at her with passion, whispering that he was the happiest man in the world since she became his wife. His love seemed strong and sincere, more important than anything else.

But maybe he lied. Or perhaps he had finally grown tired of her. He was able to realize that people had been right at the beginning of their story, that she was not good enough for him, that she shamed him, this little gypsy bastard.

So he no longer had any reason to be good with the Peaky Blinders. She left no words as she followed Thomas, taking nothing with her and quickly patting Cyril on the head who tried to follow her to the door.

Her departure seemed to come as a shock, because Alfie called. It was Arthur who answered, shouting throughout the house that he had no interest in trying to contact his sister, who should never have married him, and that he would be dead the second he would try to contact her again or if he was seeing in Birmingham.

After hanging up, his rage didn't go away immediately, and Arthur yelled at Y/N, asking her how she could have agreed to marry that stinking rat. But he calmed down when he saw his little sister's sad eyes, muttering apologies as he took her in his arms.

The anger completely passed, worry took place in the family, because Y/N remained sad. At first, they didn't understand why, because they had clearly told her that they didn't blame her, that it wasn't her fault, and that they still loved her.

Then, as she left her sobbing on her shoulder, Ada understood that her sister was sad because she missed her husband.

She loved her family and so she would choose them, but this betrayal had pierced her heart. She had loved Alfie, she had never imagined he would do such a thing. It was like a bereavement and she had difficulty accepting it.

They tried everything to cheer her up. Jokes, going to the sea, horse rides, nothing helped. Y/N was mourning the loss of her dear Alfie.

So it was with an air of shame that Tommy came and sat down next to her, taking her hand, remaining silent for a long moment.

"… Alfie didn't sell us out to the Russians."

"… What ?" Y/N asked as she came out of her trance, turning to her brother.

"I got some new information. I don't know what he was doing with them, but it had nothing to do with what happened. I… You were right, I'm sorry."

“But you went to see him.”

"As I said, he refused to tell me what he was dealing with, that it was none of my business. He looked suspicious, so I thought… I was wrong. There didn't seem to be any another explanation."

"… You were wrong. You are sorry. I abandoned my husband, who must hate me now, who will never want me again because I humiliated him, and you are sorry ?"

"Little sis…"

"Leave me !"

It seemed impossible to return to London. It had been weeks since she had any news, since she had not called, not trying to find out if he was innocent and leaving him without the slightest hesitation. How could he forgive such an act ? Y/N wasn’t sure she could.

She therefore remained locked in her room, her health deteriorating even more, causing her whole family to panic. They wouldn't be able to get over it if she died of grief, but she didn't want to talk to them anymore, not even her sister or her aunt.

Hiding under her blanket, she didn't move when someone came in, probably begging her to eat or telling her they were all sorry for the hundredth time. It seemed pointless to react, they quickly understood that they were not welcome when they saw that she did not respond.

“Treacle ?”

Her body moved before her mind fully understood what was happening. In an instant, she was sitting up, discovering Alfie kneeling by her bed. He looked terribly tired.

"Alfie. What… What are you doing here ?"

"Thomas called me. He told me you weren't feeling well. It's obviously even worse than the time I came for that nasty flu. Tea probably won't be enough, uh ? What’s wrong with you, love ?”

"What's wrong ?! I left you ! You must… You must hate me now." she cried, unable to stop the tears from falling.

With his large hands, Alfie wiped them all with patience and tenderness, drawing her to him to rest in his arms.

"Don't cry, love. I don't hate you. I'm not angry. At first I panicked when I found the house empty. Then Arthur said you didn't want to see me anymore, and I believed that you left me because I was a poor husband."

“You are the best husband in the world.”

"Yeah. You must have a fever or obvious lack of sleep. Tommy explained to me about the Russians. He asked me what I was doing with them, but he didn't mention the little problems that he had, otherwise I would have understood better what I was being accused of."

"I knew you wouldn't betray us. I knew that, but they said… They were sure…"

“Shh.” her husband said kindly, caressing her back. "I know. We have a complicated past, I understand why they would have believed that. I should have talked to your brother, I was afraid he would ruin the surprise."

"The surprise ?"

As usual, Alfie blamed Ollie and his men for the whole affair. And their wives. Because they had all noted the date of their boss's wedding, and they had told him that it would be good if he did something special for their anniversary.

Alfie hadn't thought of that. He didn't think it was that important, since he treated his wife like a queen absolutely every day.

But he had seen the couple's arguments about it, and besides not wanting to sleep in the living room, he wanted to make Y/N happy. He had first thought about buying a house in Margate. Paradise on Earth. They would still have their accommodation in London, but they could go there to have peace of mind.

When he talked to Ollie about it, the young man replied that it might be a little too much, or not enough. It was Alfie's dream to have this house, not Mrs Solomons', who would probably prefer to stay close to her family.

So he asked advice from these employees who were so good with women, and after hearing about flowers, perfumes, and food, someone mentioned diamonds.

He had given Y/N a lot of gifts, but never diamonds. Real diamonds, magnificent, pure, worthy of her. And the best diamonds were the Russians.

It actually meant something if Alfie Solomons agreed to talk to Russians for you.

Keeping her close, he took a necklace out of his pocket, placing it on the bed. A pure marvel indeed, far too beautiful for her. Y/N had never had jewelry like this.

“That’s what Ollie said.” Alfie sighed, resting his head on hers. "You little bastard. No gift was right for him. Well, I think he wanted to make sure you'd be happy, and since you're a goddess to my bakers, no gift was right. I can't totally blame them, I guess."

"I'm sorry."

"Nah, love. You didn't do anything. It's the Russians and your brothers' fault. A few weeks isn't that long. I told everyone you were visiting your family, and that I was very happy to have the house all to myself."

"And you were ? Happy ?" she asked shyly, still immersed in her sad state.

"Hmm. Maybe all of Camden will tell you that I wandered around like a lost dog, barking at everyone, and maybe even cried in my office once over whiskey. But people are liars."

"I missed you too."

"I wanted to come several times. I didn't care about your brother's threats, but I wasn't sure you wanted me to come, so I hung out on the station platforms, and I gave lots of contradictory orders to poor Ishmael, and finally I went home like a coward."

“I would like to go home now.”

“In London or Margate ?”

“… You bought the house in Margate ?”

"Of course, treacle. I've been thinking about it for a long time, before I even met you, and since I've known you, I can't stop imagining you there. It will truly be heaven on earth as soon as you're in this house. If you want to come with me."

Seeing her coming down the stairs, Tommy couldn't hold back a smile, relieved to see that his sister was better. He made a sympathetic comment about the necklace, but it was obvious that he too thought it was too much.

Still a little angry that he took his wife away, Alfie quickly greeted them to go wait in the car, giving Y/N time to say goodbye properly. She might have been furious too, but they had already paid for their mistake, now knowing what would happen if they separated the couple without a good reason.

In addition to these extravagant wedding anniversary gifts, Y/N learned that the Russian gang had been almost completely arrested by the police, thanks to an anonymous informant. But Alfie, with his lying face, said he didn't see why she was thanking him.

[teddy06writes]

Interrupted Date Nights

Alfie Solomons x gn!reader

Prompt: "Will you still be here when I wake up?"

Warnings: None

Premise: Stricken with yet another migraine, your forced to take a rain check on date night. Luckily for you, Alfie doesn't mind getting the chance to take care of you.

Alfie had been busy with work at the bakery all week, but had promised to treat you to a night out come Friday. You'd been looking forward to it all week, but Friday morning had come with the same tell tale ache behind your eyes that you had been dreading.

Still, you had gone about your day as if nothing was wrong, at least, as long as you could before the ache behind your eyes had spread to a pain throughout your skull, and you were forced to finally rest.

Now, you laid in your darkened bedroom, silently hoping that the pain would disappear before your husband got home. By the time you heard the door scraping open, your pain hadn't eased in the slightest.

"Alright, love, I'm home," Alfie called as he entered the house, "You ready to go, treacle?"

When you didn't respond, you could hear him moving further into the house, searching for you. By the time he appeared in the doorway to your bedroom, seeing how the curtains had been drawn, his voice had dropped to a low whisper, "Oh, petal... are you feelin alright luv?"

You pushed yourself to sit up a bit, trying to ignore the new wave of pain that rushed to your temples, "Alf..."

"Another migraine?" He asked, quickly moving to your bedside.

You nodded slightly. Alfie frowned, before gently pushing you to lie back down properly, "Right, you don't move, treacle, an' I'll be right back, yeah?"

You grabbed at his hand as he started to pull away, "But date night..."

"Can wait until your feelin better, petal. You just relax an' let your Alfie take care of you, right, love?"

This time, he didn't give you time to protest, instead quickly disappearing out of the room. You could distantly hear him in the kitchen, trying to keep quiet as he went about making you tea.

A few minutes later he returned, balancing a glass of water, tea cup, and a small plate of plain buttered toast, setting them on your bedside table, "Didn't know if you'd eaten or taken your tablets yet..."

When you shook your head, not meeting his eye, he sighed, "Tsk, tsk. Come on then, love, have a bite and I'll get your tablets."

Obediently, you picked up a slice of toast, as his disappeared once more. Alfie returned again a moment later, pressing two of the tablets you had been prescribed for your headaches into your hand, and giving you the glass of water.

After you had finished eating, and had drank the last of your tea, Alfie made you lay back again, kicking off his boots and laying down beside you. You tucked yourself closer against him, and he began to card his fingers through your hair, massaging your scalp gently, "Rest now, treacle, Alfie's got ya."

"Will you still be here when I wake up?" You mumbled, cracking your eyes open just enough to peak up at him.

"Of course, petal, always."

[tomhardyspinkyfinger]

Freddie Gets Caught

Masterlist

Summary: Freddie promises to be loyal, but lying always tops loyalty in Freddie's world.

Warnings: PURE SMUT. literal filth. Cursing and super kinky sex all around you've been warned.

A/N: yeah i really just had this idea and needed to write it. freddie needs to be put in his place and so here is this one shot. no one look at me im so ashamed. its hot tho i wont lie lmao. also hardly edited I wrote this so quick it was like flowing out

Word count: 1885

some people I think would like this: @hecatemoon87 @solomons-finest-rum @darklydeliciousdesires @potter-solomons (also known as some of my fave pages)

I had been seeing this guy Freddie for a few weeks now.

Well, fucking. I've been fucking this guy Freddie for a few weeks.

And god did he fuck.

He all but begged me for a shag when I first met him at the bar I worked at. I declined time and time again, but he kept showing up every night. I had to give props to him for his resilience but I didn't have sex with just anyone.

So I set guidelines.

1. I don't do one night stands, we don't have to date, but there will be a mutually pleasurable relationship.

2. During this brief relationship, the only people we fuck is each other.

Two very simple guidelines, if we fuck, we fuck exclusively.

"Freddie, do you understand?" I had asked him, pulling away from his firm kiss.

"Yeah yeah yeah, c'mon take this off." Freddie rushed out, pushing the straps of my dress down and pushing me against the wall of the dark alley.

That exchange was simple enough, he agreed to my terms and I gave him what we both wanted, a proper fuck.

Freddie was a possessive man in all aspects of our relationship, if by any rare chance we were out in public together his hand remained on my ass practically the entire time, and I can't say I didn't love it.

What I didn't love, was how aggressively possessive he could be. I couldn't look at another bloke without him blowing up on me, so we usually stayed at my flat to fuck to avoid his anger flare ups. But that time alone seemed to flare Freddie's emotions towards me.

He'd call, begging to come to my flat and fuck me senseless. I just couldn't find the space in my heart to deny him. And thus, our romantic relationship began.

It wasn't healthy in any aspect, he would do a line, shout at me, I'd hit him, he'd fuck me twice as hard.

Not healthy at all. But god was it fucking sexy.

It would always end pleasantly though, a hug a kiss and a back massage usually. He'd plea with me to forgive him and I always did.

Forgiving Freddie was usually pretty easy, until I caught him, which brings us to where I am now, staring at Freddie kissing a beautiful blonde woman outside of a hair salon she had just exited. Before I could second guess myself I walked up to the happy couple with a smile on my face.

"Excuse me, do you happen to have the time?" I questioned her. If I could've taken a photo of Freddie's face in that moment I would've. He paled instantly, his eyes widening while the pretty blonde smiled back at me.

"Of course love, its half past two." She spoke looking down at her watch. I spotted the beautiful diamond ring and I could feel more anger growing if possible.

"Thank you, your ring is absolutely gorgeous by the way." I said, still not looking at Freddie and smiling at the woman. She placed her hand on Freddie's chest and let out a chuckle.

"My Freddie knows how to spoil me!" She said, rubbing his chest, flashing her ring. I tied up the conversation and walked down the street, heading towards my flat. I heard Freddie telling the woman to go on home without him because he had work to attend to. At this I picked up the pace, arriving to my flat that wasn't very far away. I heard his steps running behind me, most likely delayed so he could make sure his wife was gone. I unlocked my door quickly, swinging it open and rushing in, attempting to slam it behind me.

Freddie slammed into the door just in time and shoved it open, clearly out of breath.

"Sweetheart, listen-"

"Get the fuck out, Freddie." I growled, moving to my bedroom and tossing my purse on my dresser. He grabbed me and turned me around, distress clear on his face.

"What can I do to make you forgive me? I'll do anything." He said, desperation clear in his voice.

Anything?

"Get on your knees." I spoke, crossing my arms. He released me, confusion clear on his face.

"What?"

"You heard me, do it or get out." I said. I watched as he slowly lowered himself to his knees, looking up at me.

"Beg for my forgiveness Freddie." Freddie let out a huff and paused for a moment, really debating if he was going to do this.

"Please forgive me my love, I should have told you about Jackie. I was going to break it off with her, honest."

Yeah, sure.

I pondered for a moment.

"Take your clothes off and lay on the bed." I commanded. He let out another breath and stood, beginning to do what I asked. When he completed the task. I climbed on top of him, straddling his boxer-covered cock that was pushing into my panty covered core, given I was just wearing a summer dress.

I began to kiss up his chest to his neck, nibbling the spot I knew he loved. His eyes closed and he let out a shaky moan. I quietly reached into the nightstand to the right of me and pulled out the cuffs he had used on me in numerous situations. I pushed his hands above his head with my non-occupied hand and cuffed them quickly.

His eyes snapped open and met mine. I smirked.

"What is this? Trying to take charge are we?" Freddie asked, a sly smirk gracing his features.

"You don't get to be smug now Freddie. Just you wait." I said, pushing myself down his body so I was now leaning over his growing member. I pulled his boxers down and placed him in my mouth suddenly.

"Oh fuck, that's right sweetheart, right there." Freddie moaned out. I continued pleasuring him exactly how I liked. Until a knock sounded out on my front door. Freddie halted his movements and held his breath momentarily. I slid off the bed and stood, smiling at his frustrated expression.

"Excuse the interruption darling, I told my friend Kelly she could borrow my camera for her holiday this weekend. I'll only be a moment." I began to walk towards the bedroom door when Freddie called out.

"Do not fucking leave me here, do you fucking hear me?" He all but yelled, anger growing.

"Oh sweet Freddie, if only you were in any position to be making demands. If I'm honest I've heard quite enough from you today." Freddie watched as I reached up under my dress, pulling my soaked panties down and off. I walked up to his tied up frame and pushed the balled up panties into his mouth.

"That's much better, isn't it?" He glared at me but his cock twitched.

"Oh Freddie, you like this don't you darling?" I teased, touching his tip with my finger. He exhaled loudly from his nose and I smiled wider. I left the room, shutting the door.

I welcomed Kelly in, handing her the camera and starting a small chat.

Well, a small chat that turned into a thirty minute conversation about her upcoming holiday. I was practically squirming at the idea of Freddie tied up on my bed, anxiously awaiting my return. The conversation shifted towards me with Kelly asking,

"How's that bloke you've been seeing? Freddie?" I smiled a wicked smile.

"He's married." Kelly gasped.

"What the hell are you smiling about? Let me have a go at this bloke!" She yelled, anger clear on her face.

"Oh no don't worry, he's in the room right there cuffed to the bed with my panties in his mouth, he'll have learned his lesson by the end of the day." I spoke, knowing Freddie could hear. Kelly's jaw dropped and she laughed.

"You dirty girl! I would say you're yanking my chain, but I know you better than that. I'll be out of your hair then, but that doesn't mean you get to spare me any details!" Kelly said, heading towards the door.

"Of course not, have a great holiday!" With short and sweet goodbyes, I reentered the bedroom, where Freddie laid with his face almost as red as the tip of his cock.

"Miss me?" The glare Freddie gave sent a chill down my spine, but as of now I was in charge, and the repercussions wouldn't be a problem yet. I noticed my panties stayed in his mouth, which widen my smirk. He very easily could have spit them out if he wanted to.

I stripped off the remaining clothes I had on slowly, letting him take in my body before mounting him again. I reached into my nightstand again, retrieving a condom and rolling it on his still rock hard cock. His breathing was heavy again, and watched as I slowly eased myself down on him.

I rocked my hips back and forth and let out a moan. I placed both hands on his chest and rocked faster, smiling at how hard his knuckles were clenched in the cuffs. I rode him until we were both close, but came to a stop suddenly. Freddie let out a loud groan. I pulled my panties out of his mouth.

"Beg me to let you come, Freddie." I said, holding still with him inside of me.

"When I'm out of these cuffs, you're going to fucking get it babe." Freddie growled out, trying to move his hips. I gently smacked his face, halting his movements.

"That's not what I wanted to hear baby boy." He closed his eyes and groaned, knowing he needed to give me what I want.

"Please, please, let me come." Freddie all but whined out.

Music to my ears.

I began rocking my hips back and forth quickly, both of our moans filling the room.

"Let go Freddie." I commanded, feeling my impending orgasm. We both came together, loud moans falling from both of our mouths. I collapsed on his chest, exhausted from the event.

I reached up and uncuffed him before rolling off of him and onto my side of the bed. He put an arm around me and grabbed a cig from the nightstand, lighting up and taking a puff. He placed it in-between my lips and let me inhale before speaking.

"I deserve much worse than what you did love, I'm sorry for lying." I exhaled the smoke from my lungs.

"It doesn't matter Freddie, I would've kept fucking you regardless." I said.

What? Don't judge, I already said our relationship was unhealthy.

"Let's just go to bed Freddie, I'm beat." He nodded and I snuggled closer into him, falling asleep almost instantly

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I awoke late into the night, feeling the warmth of Freddie's arms around my legs, his face pushed into my pussy, licking away hungrily. I moaned, overjoyed with this late night wake up call. I went to put my hands in his hair and hold him in place, but my wrists were stopped by cold metal. Freddie kissed his way up my body and out from under the blankets, looking at me with a smirk.

"I couldn't just let you get away with all of that, love."

Fuck.

[belphies-cuhm-sluht]

Ok I have an angsty one bc I live for it~ what ab mc dating Lucifer but she catches him cheating??????? if u don't wanna do it, it's fine!!!!

Grenada (Lucifer x GN!Reader) ANGST

A/N : The title is a Brothertiger song that I listened to on repeat while writing this... Word Count : 1.4K Warnings : cheating ; manipulation ; gas lighting ;

There was always something… Something keeping him from you, something that held his attention more than you ever could. There was no way that you could have known what that something was, he had never seemed like the type to do it, he was always a “gentleman”, and he had promised to never hurt you. That was the thing though… the promise would have been kept if you hadn’t been out of the house… if you hadn't left. He never planned on hurting you, because he never planned on telling you, he never thought that you would find out. You couldn’t hurt someone with something they didn’t know about… and that was just the way he thought.

A meeting at Ristorante Six with Lord Diavolo, that’s what he had said it was. A very important meeting, one that he couldn’t take you to. Now you know why he couldn’t take you… because Lord Diavolo wasn’t there, and it wasn’t a meeting, but it was very important to him. He leaned over, tilting up the chin of the demon who was beside him and kissed them softly, the way he would most likely try to kiss you when he came back home, the way you wouldn’t let him kiss you this time. You wouldn’t create a scene, much like him, you were too prideful to let him and everyone else in the Devildom know that he had hurt you. You turned away from the window, walking back towards the house, holding your head high. Maybe it was with pride, or maybe it was to keep the tears from falling down your cheeks. Your pride was broken, your trust was shattered, and your heart felt like it had dropped into your stomach, but you wouldn’t let anyone know. As soon as you walked through the doors you went straight to your room, not wasting any time as you started throwing all of your clothes into the small suitcase that you had stored away in the bottom of your closet. “What’re ya doin’?” Mammon’s voice caught your attention and had you looking up at him, standing in the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest. You weren’t going to cry in front of him. You knew he would attempt to comfort you, and that’s not what you needed. You needed to be somewhere where you could cry in solitude, where you could let everything sink in in silence. You needed to be home. Forcing a smile and a small laugh you shook your head, quickly closing your bag and picking it up. The longer you stayed, the higher the chance of running into Lucifer. “Vacation time, I’m going back home for a bit.” It never felt right to lie, but then again, you had been dealing with and dating a liar, so maybe you had just picked it up from him without even knowing. “Oh! Bring me back somethin’, alright?” Had he not realized? Or maybe he just didn’t care. The thought of a potential gift had his mind sidetracked, and that was a good thing. As long as you could avoid the rest of the brothers, you’d be able to make it to Purgatory Hall, and hopefully Solomon would be able to send you back. You didn’t want to get Lord Diavolo involved, his bond with Lucifer was too strong, and you knew he’d bring him into it.

Just as you were walking down the stairs, he was walking through the front door, a bag of leftovers in his hand. His eyes immediately landed on your bag, looking up at you with lowered eyebrows. “Where are you going, dear?” Your body's immediate reaction to the words was to gag, but you held it in, giving him the same smile you had given Mammon as you moved to walk past him. “I have vacation time. I’m going home.” You said it with a straight face, your voice not even breaking although everything else felt like it was falling apart. You had to keep yourself together just a little longer. His eyebrows furrowed, his eyelids casting a shadow over his eyes as he looked you over, grabbing the bag from your hand and walking into his office. You were tempted to still leave, you didn’t really need your bag, you still had clothes at home, but you knew Lucifer wouldn’t let you leave. As soon as you would even try to open the door he’d stop you and drag you into his office himself, so you reluctantly followed him. He was waiting for you at the door, shutting it behind him when you walked in and dropping your bag to the floor before going to his desk. “When were you going to tell me that you planned on going home?” He actually seemed… upset… that you hadn’t told him. He was so manipulative that he was going to make you feel bad for leaving, at least he’d try, but you weren’t going to let him. You were only doing what was right for you, what you needed to do. You didn’t even sit down, grabbing your bag off the floor and continuing to stand near the door, trying to stay as far away from him as possible. You didn’t want to be anywhere near him, just the sight of him made you sick. “I wasn’t going to tell you, because I wasn’t planning on going home until today. Now, I’d like to get going.” You were gritting your teeth together, trying to keep the tears at bay just a little longer, but the more you were around him, the more they threatened to fall. “What is wrong with you right now? Talk to me, dear.” He had been leaning against the edge of the desk, but he pushed himself away to start walking towards you. You moved your bag in front of you, backing up further against the door, and your actions had him stopping in the middle of his office, eyeing you with confusion. “What…? What’s wrong?” You rolled your eyes and you couldn’t help but scoff at the way he pretended to care. If he did care you would have caught him having a meeting with Lord Diavolo, like he said he was going to do. If he cared he wouldn’t have cheated on you to begin with. He didn’t care though, he was just a good actor. “How was your meeting today, Lucifer? Did Lord Diavolo have someone filling in for him?” His face went from confusion to irritation, his tongue pressing against the inside of his cheek as his fingers drummed against his crossed arms. “Do you know what’s wrong now?” “Please, Y/N. I’m sure your mind is running with thoughts and assumptions on what you saw, but it was nothing. I was just greeting them. The real problem is that you were out of the house on your own. What were you doing?” Of course he’d try to turn this into somehow being your fault, but you weren’t going to allow that. He wouldn’t sway your thoughts, you did nothing wrong. You nodded slowly, and for a second he thought that you were in agreement with him. He started walking closer, a smirk playing at his lips until you held up your hand. “No…” The smirk quickly turned to a grimace as he stopped again. “If that was just a greeting, then I’m sure you wouldn’t mind me greeting all your brothers like that.” Now it was your turn to wear the smirk as you heard the deep growl building in his chest. “But you wouldn’t like that, would you? Because it wasn’t a greeting, it was cheating. You’re not mad that I left the house, you’re mad that you got caught.” You turned towards the door to leave, your hand was already on the handle, but he had reached out to grab you, turning you to face him again. “So… what? You’re just going to leave? You don’t want to try to fix things or talk it out? You’re just

giving up?” He was pathetic. He wasn’t even going to apologize or admit that he was wrong. He never would. He would constantly find some way to turn things on you, and you didn’t need that, nobody needed that. You let out an exasperated laugh, you were already exhausted with this, you just wanted to go home. “Yes, I’m going to leave, because there’s nothing to fix or talk about. This isn’t just some petty argument that can be worked out. You cheated, and you gave up when you did it. This isn’t on me, it’s all on you. So I’m going home… and I’d like it if you didn’t try to stop me.” You let out a small sigh as he dropped your hand, turning your back to him again to walk out the door.

[thewritetofreespeech]

MC + Cursed Toddler-fied Boys

prompt: All the boys suffer the same fate as Satan by reading ‘The Forbidden Book of Toddlerization’

Lucifer

You have to wonder why they kept so many cursed books around, just out like this. You would think, like any normal person, with this continuing to happen, that they would keep them locked up or something. But no. They just leave them out for anyone to find….

“I’m going to the meeting!” Lucifer yelled, stamping his foot. His face twist in a petulant frown. It would be rather adorable, if you hadn’t been arguing with him for the past 20 minutes

“Lucifer, we talked about this. You can’t go to the meeting. You need to stay here.”

“No! I wanna go to the meeting! It’s very important and everyone is counting on me!” His arms are wailing now as he stamped his foot more.

Of course, you couldn’t let him go to the first of the month meeting like this. His pride would be wounded beyond compare if anyone else saw him like this. But reasoning with him wasn’t working. You had to resort to more, unsavory tactic to win. “But the meeting was cancelled. Lord Diavolo called earlier to let me know.”

Lucifer stopped stamping his feet and waving his arms to look at you with a vacant expression you didn’t know he could muster. “Really?”

Gods help you. “Yes, really.”

He seemed to think about this for a moment before he beamed, “ok!” His mood instantly brightening. “I believe you, because [Y/N] would never lie to me.” ‘Forgive me Lucifer’ You think to yourself. “What are we gonna do instead then?”

“Why don’t we play a game instead to pass the time? Would you like that?”

“I know chess!” He exclaimed loudly. “Let’s play that.”

Of course, knowing and being good at it were two different things. In this state you were actually able to beat Lucifer several times. When he retuned to normal the day was ‘conveniently’ put away for sometime after.

Mammon

“Mammon. Please. I’ll just be gone for a minute.”

“Nooooooo!” Mammon wailed when you tried to get up again. Clinging to your waist tightly to keep you on the couch. “Onii-chan said you had to stay with me! Stay with me! Stay with me!”

After reading The Forbidden Book of Toddlerization, Mammon had, of course, reverted to the personality of a small child. His brother made fun of him, say ‘what’s the difference’, but Lucifer knew that this could be a disaster if he was set to wander free in this state across the Devildom. So he sat you to babysit him.

“Mammon, I promise I’ll be right back. I’m just going to get us some snacks for our movie.”

“Then let me come with you!” He whined, still clinging to you. In this state it seemed he had also taken on the personality of a baby duck. Imprinting on you and following you around everywhere you went in his room. He hadn’t left you alone for 5 seconds since he got this way. “I promise I’ll be good!”

“It’s not a question of you being good or bad Mammon-chan.” He liked to be called Mammon-chan right now. “It’s that you need to stay here. If someone sees you like this well…they could use it to tease you.”

“No…I don’t want to be teased anymore….” His voice was low, and sad. His bright eyes looking on the verge of tears, like kids do when they’re said, before he buried his face into your side. “Mammon-chan doesn’t want to be made fun of anymore. Mammon-chan also doesn’t want to be alone anymore.”

You sigh. Unable to argue with him when he was like this. Your hand lifted to pet his head, which he seemed to appreciate, before you text Satan to bring you some snacks. He was always reliable and would do it for you.

Once the affects of the book had worn off, Mammon denied any of this happening. The mere mention would cause his face to turn red and yell about how, “that didn’t happen!” You almost wish you had taken a video of it to show him. Guess you would just have to keep Mammon-chan forever in your heart.

Levi

You went to Levi’s room after class to check on him in his….condition.

Since he did remote learning a lot of the time, being an otaku, it was pretty easy to keep him away from people so they did see him in the current state he was in. Apparently as a toddler he didn’t like being around people either.

So, you had set him up comfortably in his room before heading to class. Promising to come back that afternoon to be with him.

“Levi! I’m back! How are you—what are you doing?!?!”

“Playing with my toys.” Levi replied, with an obvious expression, as a sea of toys stretch out in front of him where he laid on his belly on the floor.

Your brain stopped. Completely at a loss for words. Levi was going to kill you when he returned to normal, because toddler-Levi, left unattended, had unboxed nearly all of his figurines from their packaging. Some of which were incredibly rare, and unable to get anymore.

“I just…I mean…Why?? Why would you do this??”

“They’re my toys.” Levi replied with a pout. Sitting up. “I can do what I want with them. What’s the point in having neat toys if you aren’t going to play with them??”

He did have a point there. But adult-Levi was going to be so mad!

“Do you want to play with me?” The demon asked with a hopeful expression. “You can even be blue Ruri-chan.” The limited edition, color swap Ruri-chan from 1999. He was gonna blow a gasket!

“Yeah. Ok.” But then again, when were you ever going to be able to touch them again.

As expected, Levi totally lost it when he came to his senses. Of course, there was no one to blame but himself, in the end, so he just had to be upset and mope alone. Thankfully, none of them were broken or beyond just out of their originally packaging. He bought them all clear showcase boxes for his ‘ruined’ figurines. Some of them he could rebuy to replace; which seemed to make him happy to have two.

Satan

It had been hours since the affects of the book had taken ahold of Satan. You were starting to wonder if they would ever wear off.

Lucifer had left in search of another book, one that might help speed the process along, and left his younger brother in your care. Of course you were happy to help, but you were getting nervous you would never see the old Satan again.

“[Y/N]-chan?” You look up from your phone, waiting for Lucifer to text you back, to see the blonde demon looking timidly at you from around the corner. 

“What is it Satan?”

“Would you….read to me?” His hands holding out the small children’s book he had some how found in the piles of books covering his room.

You smile softly at him. Your heart warmed by his request. “Of course,” you tell him, and the demon scampered over to sit on the bed beside you. His long legs and body tucked neatly into you as he waited for you to tell him the story of a little lost chicken and it’s journey back home. “[Y/N] tells the best stories!”

After 3 stories, he had fallen asleep. When he woke up, Satan was back to normal. He doesn’t answer your questions on where the children’s books had come from, but you spot the red & gold spines on his book shelves sometimes.

Asmo

There was no denying that Asmo was fascinated by art and all things beautiful. He went on and on about it any chance he got. So you shouldn’t have really been surprised when his toddlerfied self just wanted to draw all day.

“Look, look [Y/N]-chan! I finished another one!”

“That’s great Asmo.” You praise. Just like you had done with all the other ones he had handed to you. “Wow! This is really great! Is that a….chicken?”

“No, silly! That’s the white horse for our carriage when we get married!” The demon beamed, then shuffled over on his knees to instruct you on his picture properly. “That’s you, and that’s me. That’s the princess carriage that’s going to ride us off into the sunset. That’s Solomon and Simeon throwing flowers at us. That’s my brothers crying because I got to marry [Y/N]-chan and they didn’t.”

“You certainly seem to have all the parts here.” You praise. Giggling at his enthusiasm and picture.

“I want to have a perfect picture of when we get married. Because I love [Y/N]-chan! And we’re gonna get married and live happily ever after.” He replied, with certainty, with a smile.

“Well, I’ll be glad for that. Why don’t you draw me our perfect house for after we get married?” Asmo scampered off and did just that.

When Asmo came to, and back to his normal self, he took all the pictures he had drawn and framed them. Forcing his brothers and Solomon to take a tour of his mini-art gallery. The piece ‘Marriage of Two Bonded Souls’ was met with some controversy.

Beel

Beel, in his younger days, seemed to have boundless energy. Or you at least had to assume he did, because ever since he had read that stupid book he had been running around.

Lucifer had told you to take him outside. Irritated at hearing his large feet clump around the house, but trying not to show it since it wasn’t his fault. He even let you both take Cerberus outside to help run Beel out. It would be good for the pup too. Get some exercise, he said.

That had been sometime ago, and it seemed baby-Beel and Cerberus were an even match in energy. They had been running around, chasing each other, and play fighting in the back yard all afternoon. You were tired just watching them.

“Beel! Do you want to come in? I think it’s time for a break.”

Both Beel and Cerberus pop their heads up, in a comical and adorable unison head tilt, before jogging over to you. “Break time means snack time right?!”

You chuckle a little. Somethings never changed. “I brought some apple slices & peanut butter for you, for now. We can get you something bigger when we go inside.”

Beel grinned and sat in the grass with the container. “I like apple slices!”

“You do hn?” You don’t think you’ve seen Beel eat an actual fruit on its own. It was usually attached to, baked in, or covered in something, to get him to eat it.

“Yep! They’re crunchy and sweet. Just like you! Though, I guess you aren’t crunchy. Do you want one of my apple slices [Y/N]?”

You blush a little at Beel’s bright, unwavering expression. How could he look so innocent while still looking like that?

He finished his apple slices, minus one, before asking if he could go play again. You let him, but then all of a sudden he spotted playing with Cerberus and stood straight up. Seeming confused on how he got out here and what was going on. “Did I eat an apple? I haven’t had one since….do you think we have more in the kitchen?”

Belphie

It was honestly hard to tell if Belphie was under the spell of the forbidden book or not. He’d been asleep for most of the time; which was not uncommon for him. Then he would wake up and whine a little about something; again, not uncommon for him. Then he would take another nap.

You had figure out that he was still under it’s spell by the requests he was making when he woke up. Juice boxes. More plushies. His ‘blankie’. Eventually it would run its course though, and Belphie would be back to his own sleepy eyed, grown up self. “[Y/N]?”

You walk over to the bed when the demon called your name. The boy half sitting up, but still tucked under his covers. “What is it Belphie?”

“I can’t sleep.” He stated. Which seemed ridiculous since he had been sleeping most of the day. “I miss Lilli. And Be-be. Can you sleep with me?”

You blink at little at the request. You supposed it made since. Kids often wanted someone to sleep with them, so they didn’t have bad dreams or could keep them safe. Maybe that’s why he had been sleeping so much. Because he hadn’t been sleeping well, just sleep.

“Sure Belphie. I’ll lay down with you.” The demon smiled softly, sleepy, before he scooted over to give you some space to lay next to him.

He slept for a while this last time. Clinging onto you in his sleep, with a soft smile on his face. When he woke up, it seemed he was back to normal. “Gosh [Y/N]. If you wanted to sleep with me, all you had to do was ask. You didn’t have to trick me with that lame book.”

[certified-sloth]

Keep your promises (Yan!Belphegor/MC)

!!warning! May contain sensitive content so please read at your own risk!!

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

You slowly came back into consciousness until you noticed yourself being restrained tightly with ropes.

You were tied as you were sat on the floor. You groaned and looked around but everything was dark. You slowly focused your eyes and noticed you weren't alone.

"You're finally awake?" A chilling voice had asked through the darkness as you heard something being placed down on a flat surface.

You hear footsteps and the lights then switched open.

You flinched a little until you recognized the man that stood in front of you, staring at you with cold eyes.

"B-Belphie?" You stuttered as you slowly shook in fear.

His eyes brightened and showed a fond smile. "You remember me?" He asked, but then, his smile disappeared almost immediately.

"If you did, I had hoped that you didn't break our promise. However..." he trailed off as he placed his thumb under your chin, making you look at his dead eyes.

"I heard that you went running off with some man. Isn't that right, darling?" He mentioned with a sickeningly sweet tone.

"I-I didn't!-" you got cut off as the gentle touch under your chin was turned harsh.

It hurt.

"Do I need to remind you again?" He asked as he leaned closer, letting your foreheads touch.

You trembled as your tears had began to prick your eyes.

"Don't cry, MC. Soon, it'll be just you and me." He stated rather coldly.

You shook your head as you soon croaked. "N-no..! I don't want that!"

He hummed in confusion as he let go of your chin and leaned away from you.

"Then what had you expected? You were craving for my love, weren't you? Or... did you lie to me?" His eyes darkened as he changed into his demon form.

You flinched at the sight of him and your lips quivered. "I-I never lied, yes I wanted your love but not this! If you loved me, you wouldn't do this!" You replied hurriedly in panic.

He frowned and crossed his arms. He didn't like what you were saying. "I'm allowed to be insecure aren't I?"

He stepped closer. "The first time, you went mingling around with Simeon."

Your eyes widened and looked at him in panic.

"I let it go, because you were enjoying yourself. And you promised you would love me and wouldn't leave me no matter what happens."

He went to the table before picking up the book he placed earlier.

"Then, your interactions with him went on and on that it seemed as if you've forgotten about me." He said as he flipped the book open, scanning through it with his amethyst eyes.

"I felt quite uncomfortable with what I was feeling, and I had urged myself to eliminate him. It was a mistake, I respected him, but you made me feel something unbearable."

You opened your mouth to retaliate but nothing came out.

"You stayed with me after he was gone, it made me feel easy. But as time passed, you did it again. But with Solomon this time." He grimaced as he closed the book aggressively.

"I eliminated him too. I expected him to grief for the angel but he didn't. And every time you got close to any men, I became paranoid, that you'd leave me behind for them. So I resorted with silencing all of them."

He walked back in front of you.

"You being like this is driving me crazy. Do you know that?" He inched closer as you had slipped a few tears.

"I had warned you again and again. It always fell to deaf ears."

You couldn't speak. You were scared to what he'll do to you if you had talked back.

"Must I tie you up like this from now on?" He asked, it didn't seem like a question for you, but for himself

He hummed in delight. "Maybe I should."

Your eyes widened and shook your head numerous times. "No, please..!"

"Oh? You don't want that?"

You flinched and looked away.

"Look at me MC." He ordered calmly, he was barely holding onto his anger.

You slowly looked at him and he smiled approvingly.

"Now, answer me why you said no."

"G-give me a chance... I swear I won't do it again..." you stuttered in fear.

He hummed. "You've been breaking my trust over and over again, so tell me, do you deserve it?" He asked.

You whimpered. "Please... believe me just one last time." You begged.

His smile dropped. "Now how could I reject you if you're pleading so helplessly like this? I shouldn't be merciless to my lover, right? Alright then, this will be the last time."

"I hope you stick to your words this time." He finished with a stern voice.

"I will! I will!" You answered hastily. He smiled in content before placing a kiss on your lips.

He pulled away and stroked your hair gently.

"If you wish for me to kill someone, I will do so. If you wished for me to die... I would do so. Especially if those wishes will satisfy you and make you happy."

You weren't happy with how he smiled to have said those words.

You soon shuddered as he eventually had a pleased smile plastered on his face while saying these words with pure fondness.

"Keep your promises, or I really would end up having to kill you to have you stay by my side."

[cipheress-to-k-pop]

We’ll Be Free (Part 2)

Pairing: Billy Batson x Reader

Warnings: Minor/non-explicit violence

Word Count: 2.5K

Summary: Billy Batson tries to get into contact with his girlfriend who he left behind after moving with Victor and Rosa.

A/N: To the people asking me to write a part 2. This one is for you anons and @autumnfalls26 and @olyink and @nyeddleblog​

“I miss you; I love you.” You whispered, staring at the picture of the phone wallpaper that you had printed before switching off the phone permanently to prevent being tracked.

You took a picture of the two of you hugging in the mirror, with Billy’s back facing the mirror and your face hidden in his neck. His arms were wrapped tightly around your waist and yours were strewn carelessly on his shoulders.

You smiled at it, closing your eyes and sending a quiet prayer into the universe, “I hope you have a good day today.”

“(Y/N)! Come on! The first impression is the most important impression!”

“I’m coming!” You shouted, leaning of your window to see your foster mom pull out of the garage. You quickly leaped over the window sill to hear her scream, “Not that way!”

You rolled your eyes at her, “Would you loosen up? You look like ‘The Scream’.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t jump out of the window then. We’re protecting you from a gang, (Y/N), but if you end up killing yourself first—”

“Oh relax, at most I would’ve fallen a couple of feet.”

She sighed, giving up the battle and just opened the door to the jeep, “Just get in.”

“Yes mom~!!” You chirped and she rolled her eyes again once you slid into the front seat. It had been a month since you stared living with this foster family and you had to admit that they were pretty cool.

Your foster mom was a head neurosurgeon and was married to a military man. So, they were the perfect couple if anything were to happen to you, or if they managed to find you.

It had been a huge change to leave home and then get fostered. Your parents had been arrested after an attempt of murder when they tried to burn down the house with you in it but that had failed and luckily, you were so used to escaping through the window to see Billy that as soon as you smelt fire you had gotten out.

Once again you had Billy to thank for your life.

After that things had happened so fast and things were just spinning around you that you couldn’t even think straight. Before you knew it, you were sitting in a new house with new ‘parents’.

However, it didn’t come with much freedom. You were not allowed to leave the house usually, but they kept you occupied at home. And you weren’t going to ungrateful.

But spending so much time in solitude made you realize how good you had it. You were alive and well and now you had people to rely on. You didn’t have to fend for yourself anymore. You could go to sleep in a warm bed and wake up safely without any fear of who would be outside your locked door.

That’s what you told yourself when you missed Billy and wanted to go back to him.

You tried to convince yourself that this was the best for you, but deep down you knew that this wasn’t what you wanted if you couldn’t share it with Billy.

“Three more years, and we’ll be free.” The two of you used to say and now you were worried that time wouldn’t come and Billy wouldn’t know where you were when it happened.

You were getting bored being locked in the house for most of the day but you’d never let them know. You couldn’t make them feel guilty for protecting you. You would stay locked up at home for eternity if it meant that they wouldn’t get upset with you or think that you were ungrateful.

But not today. Today you could go outside, because today unfortunately or fortunately, you couldn’t decide but you got to go to school. Just to do the necessary paperwork to join a month later so it meant that you wouldn’t be a normal high school student for another month, but it was a step closer.

A step closer to leaving your old life behind.

***

“You should go.” You told your foster mom softly when she got a red alert from the hospital.

“But I have to finish up here.” She stammered and you could tell she was getting a bit panicked from having to leave you alone.

“I can do that; you go do your job.” You told her, giving her a little push towards the door. While you did want her to go from the pure selflessness of your heart, you also wanted a little peace from all her hovering. Not that you’d let her know that.

“I can’t—”

“I’ll be fine,” You urged, handing her purse, “I’ll go straight home. I promise. Scout’s honour.”

“You weren’t even a scout.”

Once she left you felt excited for some reason. You didn’t lie, you were going to go straight home after this but you were still ecstatic about getting to actually walk down the streets for the first time since you had gotten here.

You finished up any remaining work at school pretty quickly and headed home immediately, with your hands tucked inside the pockets of your, well Billy’s, jacket and hood pulled over your head. 

It was a safety measure, so no one would be able to see your face at first glance, but you still didn’t let it ruin your mood as you walked back with a skip in your step.

That was about to change very quickly....

***

It had been another normal, monotonous day for Billy as he walked back home from school. Freddy had gone ahead because he had a free period at the end of the day and hadn’t seen the need to stick around.

So, Billy was alone as he walked back.

He was actually kind of lamenting that the day had been so boring. He was a teen superhero, more interesting things were bound to happen to him but still the closest thing he got to an evil supervillain who wanted to end the world was his science teacher, which to be fair, wasn’t that far off.

His wishes for something interesting were answered when he heard a distant scream and immediately facepalmed, “Why did I even say anything?”

Running to the source of the noise, he ducked into an alleyway and immediately stuttered in his steps. He definitely wasn’t expecting this. He definitely wasn’t expecting to see the love of his life today.

And he expected to see her held at gun point even less.

You were frozen in fear as you stared down the barrel of a gun. He had whipped out the weapon when you had shouted for help and told you if you made any moves he wouldn’t hesitate to shoot.

You wanted to seem brave and stare him down but you felt your throat closing up and tears began brimming your eyes. You were scared as hell and you had no idea how to get out of this.

“Once we tie up this lose end, we’ll finally get those damn cops off our tails.” He said, cocking the gun and you whimpered, screwing your eyes shut. The next thing you heard was the sound of a gun being fired.

“SHAZAM!”

When you opened your eyes, you saw a blur of red and white move past you so quickly that you couldn’t focus your eyes on it. It beat up the man who held a gun to your head a few minutes ago after the man had wasted all his bullets trying to shoot him.

You wanted to hide, to duck and cover while the hero handled business but you were frozen, the thought of moving your feet and actually hiding never came to your mind but soon enough your weight was too much for your buckling knees to bear and you collapsed on the ground.

The fight was over pretty quickly. The man didn’t even stand a chance against a superhero and he was knocked unconscious. The hero picked up the gun and crushed it in his fist before chucking it in the dumpster.

When he turned to you, you were watching with wide-eyes, body shaking as you tried to process whatever just happened to you.

Realizing that you weren’t in the best state, he stepped closer to you with his hands held out like a was trying to coax a small animal, “It’s okay, (Y/N). I’m not going to hurt you.”

You bit your lip, staring at the older man who saved your life and nodded.

“Do you want me to take you home?”

You nodded once again and he stepped towards you, wrapping an arm around your waist before taking off. Unfortunately, you were too shaken up to take in the joy and wonder of flying and once he landed, setting you in your backyard were you only able to think clearly.

“I, um, don’t know how to that you for saving my life.” You spoke, wringing your hands nervously.

He looked surprised for a second but then he relaxed, sending you a smile before puffing out his chest a little, “All in a day’s work, citizen.”

He meant to take off again but you stopped him, stepping forward, “How did you know my name?”

He looked shell-shocked and completely caught off guard, like he didn’t even remember calling you by your name, “What?”

“You called me (Y/N). How did you know?”

He wanted to lie to you. He wanted to lie and tell you it was because he had the wisdom of Solomon that he was able to know your name and make a hasty retreat. 

But he couldn’t. He had been waiting to see you for so long. He had missed you so much. He couldn’t just turn away and pretend that he had never seen you. He couldn’t stay away from you any longer.

“I’ve missed you so much.” He breathed and you raised a brow, taking a step away from him.

“Do I know you?”

“Just...don’t freak out, okay?”

You didn’t say anything, just continued to stare at him and waiting for something to happen. It looked like he was trying to talk himself into something and he took a deep, cleansing breath before looking at you once again.

“Shazam.”

You shrieked as lightning struck the middle of the backyard, knocking you back a few feet and when the smoke cleared, there stood the boy that you had fallen in love with.

“Billy...?”

He was grinning brightly at you as you stared him down in disbelief before quickly walking up to him. You smiled gently, raising a hand to cup his cheek and close the space between you.

His expression and pure love and happiness changed into one of horror and pure pain before he doubled over and feel to the ground. You lunged forward, catching him in your arms as his dead weight pulled you to the ground.

It was then that you saw the bullet in his back. Your mind rushed to the moment before he stepped in front of you, he must have transformed too late. The world began spinning around you as Billy’s blood spilled onto the grass.

“Mom....” You muttered remembering that she was probably back from work by now before turning your head towards the house and cradling his body in your grasp, “MOM! DAD! PLEASE SOMEONE HELP!”

***

The surgery took hours and all the while you sat outside the operation theatre, staring at the closed doors. Your mom had tried to get you to go home and clean up but you refused, wanting to be with him.

From the outside, it looked pretty uneventful and you hoped that was the case. You hoped that the operation was going well and there would be no unseen complications.

You hadn’t taken your eyes off the door longer than the time it took you to blink but you were forced to turn your gaze from the door when a couple came bolting up the stairs.

His foster parents. Victor and Rosa.

The looked absolutely distraught and it made you sniffle, the weight of reality settling on your shoulders.

“What happened?” Rosa asked your mom and she could only turn to you.

“Yes, (Y/N), you need to tell us now. What happened?”

You bit your lip, your gaze averting to your hands that were still covered in his blood and your vision became blurry with tears. 

“He took a bullet for me.”

You heard Rosa gasped and the tears fell. You buried your head in your knees and sobbed quietly, praying that this would get over quickly so you could see him again.

***

“I missed you.” Was the first thing Billy told you once you walked through the door. You smiled but then blushed when you noticed the way his siblings were all looking at you.

“I can come back later.”

He sat up, taking support from Freddy and beckoned you over, “No, it’s cool, they were just leaving.”

It took a few pointed glares to get them out of the hospital room but they left eventually and you settled into the empty chair beside him. You immediately took his hands, cradling them between yours and pressing a small kiss to the back of them.

“I’ve missed you.” He said, looking over at you with a fond smile and he pulled one hand out of your grasp to brush a strand of your hair back before pressing a kiss to your forehead.

“I missed you too.”

Months of not seeing each other was finally catching up with you. The emptiness that you felt in your chest was finally beginning to fill and you had only wished that it had taken a different way. 

You wanted to apologize but you knew it wasn’t your fault. And he knew it as well. You wanted to say something, anything, that would make him and you feel better but nothing was coming to mind.

You were brought out of your thoughts by a hand on the back of your neck and he slanted his lips over yours. You responded immediately, your body taking control as your arms wrapped around his neck and you tilted your head.

He pulled away before kissing you again, once, twice and then one more for good measure, but even then, you were following his lips. He looked at you like you carried the world in your eyes and like you had strung the stars in the sky.

You kissed him again, as a hello, as a goodbye, as an apology, as a sign of forgiveness and poured all the incomprehensible emotions you were feeling into that kiss, allowing him to wrap his arms around you and pull you next to him in his hospital bed.

“I love you.”

“I love you more.”

[moony-meadow]

The Very Hungry Beelzebub (2)

Previous Part / Next Part

With an echoing splash, I fell into the space that could only be Beelzebub’s stomach. Terror took hold of me as the reality of my situation fully settled in. Desperately, I scrambled to my feet. There was liquid up to my knees, and though it was pitch black, the area felt more spacious than the previous stomach I had occupied. I didn’t dwell on those details long though.

I threw myself against the wall of the stomach I was trapped in, pressing my palms into the squishy surface as though I would be able to phase through it. “Nonononono--this can’t be happening, I can’t--” I froze. Had I just spoken? One of my hands jumped to my throat. “Ahhhh,” I tested. When I felt the vibrations beneath my hand, I became sure I hadn’t imagined my own voice.

Evidently, the silencing spell Beel cast on me had been temporary. The effects had lasted just long enough for the demon to get me exactly where he wanted me. “Maybe it’s not too late,” I breathed. It was just at that moment I noticed a burning sensation beginning to prick at the parts of my skin submerged in the liquid that pooled at the bottom of Beel’s stomach.

“Stomach acid. I’m standing in stomach acid,” I reminded myself. And unlike when I’d been in Mammon’s stomach, there was nothing stopping this acid from doing its job and dissolving anything it came in contact with.

I struggled to prevent my own panic from halting all rational thoughts. I needed to keep it together. There was still a chance I could survive this.

Pressing myself up against the wall I guessed to be the outermost, I screamed out Beel’s name as loudly as possible. I didn’t wait for a response before announcing my command. “I order you not to digest me!” My voice was shrill and shaky. The words sounded more like a desperate plea than a command from a master. Were I not currently in a life or death situation, I would have felt self conscious. As it was, I was just glad I had managed to get it all out.

In the next instant, I felt the muscles surrounding Beel’s stomach tense. And then suddenly, the painful burn from the acid retreated as the liquid drained away. A few moments later and I was standing in a completely dry environment, with only the stinging of my skin to show the dangerous liquid had been present in the first place.

Slumping down to the floor, I released a heavy sigh of relief. Ever since arriving in the Devildom, I’d had my fair share of near death experiences. Hell, I’d even been killed once (in an alternate timeline, of course). However, my familiarity with dangerous situations didn’t make them any easier to deal with. I still felt like I’d been figuratively run over by a truck.

“Y/N?” The sudden rumbling voice shook me out of my brooding. I startled slightly as the wall I had been leaning against was gently pushed inwards, no doubt by a hand pressing from the outside.

“Beel? Are--are you...yourself right now?” I questioned uncertainly. When he had said my name, it had been tentative and soft--much more like it usually was than what I’d heard only minutes ago. However, I had to remain wary. The last thing I wanted was to be struck with another silencing spell.

“Y/N, I’m so sorry!” Beel cried. Though he didn’t directly answer my question, his response easily gave him away. He was back to his normal self. “I-I didn’t mean to--oh god, I could’ve killed you!” Now that my panic had ebbed, it seemed it was Beel’s turn to freak out. His voice was riddled with genuine horror and fear.

After Beel had first told me about his secret eighth sibling, Lilith, and the crushing guilt he felt in regards to her death, I began to see the demon in a new light. He was someone who cared deeply for his family, someone who wanted nothing more than to protect those he cared about. So when he felt as though he failed in that task, Beel placed every ounce of that guilt on his own shoulders. It made my heart ache to witness, especially now that his guilt was in regards to me.

“Beel, it’s okay. I know you would never do that when you’re...well when you’re in your right mind,” I assured him, hoping he could feel the soft pat I gave his stomach wall.

“Are you okay in there?” Beel questioned urgently, giving no indication whether or not he accepted my forgiveness or not.

Automatically, my hand reached for my still slightly aching legs and feet. The fabric of my pajama bottoms and socks, while still present, did feel markedly thinner. I suspected it would have been only a matter of time before the clothing dissolved altogether. “I-I’m fine,” I told Beel. “Just a little shaken up, that’s all.” I was attempting to sound reassuring, but the fact that my voice was still wavering slightly probably didn’t help me to be convincing.

The giant hand resting against the outside of the stomach began to move in a slow back and forth movement. It was surprisingly soothing, given the circumstances. “You’re sure I didn’t hurt you?” Beel asked softly. It was crazy how such an imposing looking demon could manage to sound like a little puppy dog.

“I promise, I’m okay,” I insisted. “I just need you to get me out of here.” I almost wanted to remind Beel that this wasn’t my first time in someone else’s stomach, in an effort to assuage some of his worries. However, I still wasn’t quite comfortable bringing up that little tid-bit of information. The fact that I had somehow managed to end up eaten by two separate demons in a matter of days still caused me quite a bit of embarrassment.

“How can I do that?” Beel inquired, seeming uncertain.

“You just need to...well cough me up basically.”

The experience of Mammon forcing himself to hack me up hadn’t exactly been pleasant. In fact, I might even argue it was worse going up than it had been going down. But considering it was pretty much the only viable option, short of someone cutting Beel open and pulling me out, I was resigned to going through it again.

My statement was met with silence on Beel’s end. I was fairly certain he had heard me, so what was preventing him from responding? “Beel, is there a problem?”

There was a pause and then, “I...I’m not so sure I’ll be able to bring you back up.” the demon admitted miserably.

I raised a questioning eyebrow. “Why do you say that?”

Beel’s stomach expanded and then contracted as he blew out a low sigh. “Unless I’m sick, I-I really can’t spit out or throw up anything I’ve eaten.” He sounded sincere, however what he was saying must’ve been a lie.

“What about that time you accidentally swallowed some of Solomon’s cooking and had to hack it up?” The occasion was difficult to forget considering the taste of the food the sorcerer had cooked still haunted me to this day.

Another moment’s hesitation. Beel clearly was reluctant to voice whatever it was he planned on saying. The rubbing against the outside wall of the stomach came to a stop. “That’s because my body only lets me get rid of stuff I didn’t enjoy eating,” he finally divulged, the words sounding almost like an apology.

It wasn’t surprising to me that Beelzebub had taken pleasure in eating me. It had been well established that he found me to be delicious even before today. I’d accepted the fact that everyone in the Devildom (excluding Solomon and the angels) considered me to be some kind of delicious treat. No, that part wasn’t what bothered me. I was much more concerned with the news that Beel believed himself incapable of getting me out the only way that I knew worked.

Anxiety was threatening to sneak back into the forefront of my mind, but for the moment, I managed to push it back. “Well you can at least give it a try, right?” I offered.

“Of course, just--just hold on,” Beel replied.

When Mammon had coughed me up, it had seemed to help if I stood up straight and still. I assumed the same position this time, bracing myself for the oncoming onslaught of movement around me.

My environment folded slightly, I assumed in response to Beel bending over. Next, a firm weight appeared at the front of the stomach from his hand. Then came the coughing and retching that shook my whole world. Last time, when I’d been in Mammon’s stomach, it had taken only a matter of minutes before I was spat out onto the palm of the demon’s hand. This time however, nearly ten minutes passed with absolutely zero progress, and I could tell the process was beginning to take a physical toll on Beel.

“Hey, hey, you can stop!” I called out, lightly pounding on a wall of the stomach. It seemed pretty clear that Beel’s assumption had been right. We would have to find some other way to get me out.

The motion of Beel’s heavy breaths surrounded me. “I’m so sorry, Y/N.” His voice was riddled with guilt and sorrow.

I was about to insist that he had nothing to apologize for when suddenly I heard the distant sound of a door opening. It felt as though every muscle in Beel’s body tensed as he too realized someone was entering the room. Both he and I could only pray it wasn’t Lucifer.

“Oh hey, Beel. I was just lookin’ for Y/N.” I released a sigh of relief at the sound of Mammon’s voice. While I loathed the idea of letting the Avatar of Greed know I had once again been eaten, he was the only demon in the House of Lamentation I would even consider letting in on my current predicament. At least the secret would still go no further than Beel, Mammon, and I. “They’re not in their room, have you seen--” Mammon stopped mid-sentence. I could only assume he had just noticed the state of the kitchen. Sure enough the next words that came out of the demon’s mouth were, “What the hell happened here?”

[simpmeon]

Red: Companions

Pairing: Any Demon Brother x Gender Neutral MC, Diavolo x Gender Neutral MC Genre: Angst Word Count: 2k Rating: PG-13 Warnings: Cursing // Implied Smut

The Fall // Rebirth // Betrayal // Companions // Revenge 

His ability to charm all those he comes in contact with and how they all love him and all of them fell for the same lies he told you. You may have been the only one that those words may have been true to, but you didn’t care at this point. Every promise, every whispered affirmation, every touch he placed on your body was a lie. He was a liar and a cheater.

And you will have your revenge.

The masquerade was everything you expected it to be. You saw all the exchange students that followed you and each one left a more bitter taste in your mouth than the last. One seemed to be hanging off every brother, asking for the one you fell in love with and where he was. You could see the annoyance on their faces as they grabbed onto their arms and held their hands, begging for a dance. They were the one directly after you, a demonologist who dedicated most of their time to studying the demon brothers, both before and after the program. You could feel the disgust and anger waft off of them with every passing second. The one after the demonologist was a spoiled wizard who only saw their place as the new ruler of Devildom, only getting to the brothers to get closer to Diavolo. The third and fourth housemates were apparently twins that went down in different years. Those two did not not even bother showing up, citing fear of being eaten as their excuse, and the fifth housemate just strutted through the door, hickeys covering their exposed neck as they entered arm and arm with the demon you fell in love with. 

None of the brothers had really noticed your presence yet, but that was your own doing. Slinking between demons, hiding in the kitchen and hallways, standing behind Diavolo’s massive frame, anything to keep an eye on those fiery red locks and the other brothers. You wanted a dramatic reveal that you were not only a demon, but that you died with him being the last thing on your mind. You basically hung onto Diavolo all night, your composure eliciting praise from Diavolo.

Diavolo’s big speech was almost here, where he would introduce all of the exchange students that came before you, humans and angels alike. All of them were hanging out in a special room chatting away, but you mostly hung around on the outside of the room. Inside you could see Luke and Simeon, as well as Solomon, telling their stories of the first exchange program. 

“I heard the first person to live with the brothers was a descendant of Lilith! I must see if they match my sketch of Lilith!” The demonologist would squeal gleefully. Simeon would only laugh and go to describe Lilith in great detail from what he could remember. The demonologist ate up every word the angel breathed, ecstatic to meet one of the highest ranking angels in the entire Celestial Realm. Luke and Simeon have yet to mention the fact that they saw you fall to the Devildom, probably because you haven’t spoken to them since they last saw you on the pathway to the Celestial Realm. 

Poor Luke was still getting doted on by the angels and humans alike, his blush getting redder and redder with each head pet. Solomon was the only one who seemed to have noticed that you were behind the door, listening in and watching. You two would sneak glances at each other, almost conversing telepathically between each other. He was just as fed up with the other humans as you were which was refreshing to see. His eyes were glued especially on the one with fire red hair. No one really mentioned the fact that all the humans had a ring of some sort around their necks, all the humans giving some excuse of your old flame giving the rings as parting gifts to them so they would never forget their year in Devildom. You felt your body go rigid as they would talk about their times with the brothers and their times with your lover. 

EX-lover 

You had to remind yourself of that as you fiddled with the ring around your neck. Something that brought you immense comfort now brought nothing but pain to you. You had physically died twice in your life now, but the pain you felt whenever you would touch the ring was worse than any death. 

You felt someone’s hand on your shoulder, and your head snapped up to see Solomon looking at you with worry. The two of you walked further down the hall, away from all the commotion to be shrouded by the dim light of the candlelit hallways. You had been texting Solomon about your plan to reveal yourself at the masquerade, however he did express concern with the idea. Having not had the chance to speak face to face about the situation, he pulled you further down the hallways until you could barely hear the words from the room.

“Are you sure you want to do this? What if you lose control?” Solomon whispered, hand grabbing yours. 

“That’s what Diavolo is for and that’s what you’re about to be for.”  You replied with a chuckle. “If you make a pact with me you’d be able to get me to stop with a simple command, right?”

Solomon’s eyes shot open at that, completely in shock before relaxing with a smirk. “So. You’ve been a demon for a little less than a year and you want to make a pact with me?”

“If you don’t want to you don’t have to. I’ve known you for five years now…I agree that you’re a shady little shit but ….you’re my closest friend.” You said, squeezing his hand. “But I would like to make one with you one day.”

Solomon sighed and ran his free hand through his hair. “Listen Y/N, you’re powerful and would make an amazing pact mate considering you had all seven of the strongest demons I’ve ever known under your belt, but you’re not stable enough right now. Have you even been in your demon form tonight yet?”

“W-well. No. Dia wants it to be a surprise! And plus, if I was in my demon form heand the brothers would’ve saw me and so would Red over there and knew something would be up! It was easier to just maintain my normal form and slink around.” You explained, a light red tint on your cheeks.

Solomon smirked and let go of your hand to rest it on the wall, his free hand on his hip. “And what were you slinking around for?” He asked, amused.

You took a deep breath, blush tinting your cheeks at his playful tone. “I just wanted the rundown on those who came after me, and how they treated the boys. From what I’ve seen they’re all insufferable except for Red, but then again they showed up late so I couldn’t get a good read on them. They all seem to have no clue who I am.”

Solomon sighed again, now opting to lean against the wall with one leg and his arms crossed, although there was still that mischievous smile on his face. “That’s because the other students don’t know about you besides what they gathered themselves. I think the brother’s decided it would be best to not mention you and to stop comparing you to the other exchange students, for their sake. One of the few perks of having a twenty-four seven access point to this place is that you get to pick up on behaviors. For a whole month after you left Lucifer would grumble about how you were late with his coffee only to realize you weren’t there….Leviathan didn’t leave his room for three months….Belphegor slept in the attic more…even Satan began slipping back into his old habits of leaving books everywhere and untouched. I know Beelzebub stopped eating for a while and Mammon was almost never home, working constantly and then immediately spending the money….hell even Asmodeus stopped taking care of himself because you weren’t around. Do you know how annoying he can be sometimes? How many hours I spent cuddling him? Ugh, it was annoying.” He grumbled. “Don’t even get me started whenever Asmodeus would swing violently from being horny to being depressed.”

“Awww was someone tired of being the top?” You jested, poking his arm and giggling at the blush that took over his face. Getting Solomon embarrassed was such a delight because of how rare it happened.

“No! That’s not it at all! I’m just a very busy man.” He muttered, turning his face away from you to hide his blushing cheeks.

“Mhmm…of course you are wizard boy. Now go back into that room before Simeon goes searching.” You giggled, pushing Solomon gently, but he still managed to almost get slammed to the ground. The minute Simeon’s name left your lips, you frowned. How was Simeon? How was Luke? How were they handling the news…

“Why don’t you go in the parlor yourself?” Solomon asked, fixing his suit and tie, almost reading your mind. You pursed your lips together and gripped the ring that swung from your neck. Solomon picked up on the shift in your mood easily, once again standing closer to you. “Is it because of the exchange students?”

“They’re…..one of the reasons.” You answered, spinning the ring between your thumb and index finger. “Simeon and Luke were the ones to watch me fall…and I just don’t want them to know what I’ve become… not yet…”

“Oh…Simeon did mention that to me. He asked about you. Luke did too.”

“…What did you say?”

“That you became a demon. I didn’t tell them anything past that. Luke didn’t want to believe that, especially since they saw you on the way to the Celestial Realm. Simeon beats himself up almost everyday that he stood there and watched you fall from the heavens. Apparently Luke was practically beating him, yelling at him to save you with tears in his eyes. Simeon said he was crying too. They even went to Michael about asking God to save you, but by then you were already a demon and although you sinned as much as the next guy, the pacts with the brothers are what ultimately made them deny you passage.” He answered. 

“Oh…” You muttered, biting your lip. So they did know about you being a demon after all. That’s good at least, the shock won’t be too bad for them then.

“Having sex with them also didn’t help your case.” Solomon added with an evil smirk. 

Now you were a blushing, sputtering mess making Solomon laugh out loud. You pouted and crossed your arms, cheeks still a nice tint of pink. Solomon smiled and swung an arm around your shoulder so his laughter was right by your ear. He pressed a cheeky peck on your temple before flashing the peace sign and walking back into the parlor with the other students.

You watched him from around the corner as he entered back into the parlor, the warming glow of the candles casting orange light in the otherwise black hallways. You could smell the cinnamon and you could hear the laughter of all the students and part of you wishes you would have the courage to force yourself to walk in there, but you were too scared. Too scared of seeing Luke and Simeon and having their guilt take over them, too scared to see Red and to be bombarded by those who were just cheap replacements, not to mention the other angels who you’ve never met before. 

You sank down the wall, legs outstretched and arms crossed one over the other. You thought about the hickeys on their neck, how miserable he looked to be walking in with them, disguised with a smile. The way his brothers treated him like a stranger….how every exchange student under the same roof was enthralled by them. How cute for him to prevent them from entering the Celestial Realm and for leading them on because of his ways. His ability to charm all those he comes in contact with and how they all love him and all of them fell for the same lies he told you. You may have been the only one that those words may have been true to, but you didn’t care at this point. Every promise, every whispered affirmation, every touch he placed on your body was a lie. He was a liar and a cheater. 

And you will have your revenge.

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Devotional Hours Within the Bible

by J.R. Miller

The Kingdom Divided

The golden age of Israel closed with the death of Solomon. His empire was great, extending over wide limits. His revenues were very large. Everything in his kingdom was on a grand scale. He "made silver and gold to be as stones in Jerusalem." The palaces and public buildings were magnificent in their splendor. Yet the seed of decay was in the heart of it all. The rabbis say that while Solomon walked about in splendor - a worm was eating at the heart of his empire. This is another way of saying that the elements of corruption were in Solomon's kingdom. There were reasons. His heart had been drawn away from God by his heathen wives. At the same time the magnificence of his kingdom and the extravagance of his reign made it necessary to extort oppressive taxes from the people. Many of them also were drafted for forced labor. No wonder that they grew restive under these hard conditions. When Solomon died they were ready for the outbreak which followed. If Rehoboam had been wise, there might not have been an immediate rending of the kingdom from him - but in his folly - he drove the people to the extreme of rebellion.

Solomon largely outlived his fame. His reign became excessively burdensome to the people by reason of the heavy taxes they had to pay. His character also lost much of its charm through his departure from God. His aims were not lofty - as they were at the beginning. He was called in his earlier years, the wisest of men - but his later life was characterized by folly. His kingdom was no longer as secure and strong as it was, when he received it. Indeed, it was ready for disruption, and Solomon himself was responsible for its corrupt condition. It was a pathetic ending of his record that, notwithstanding the glory of his reign and the great things he had done - no word of commendation of him is given. All that is said of the close of his life is that he "slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father; and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead."

Solomon did not leave behind him when he died - a sweet, fragrant memory in the hearts of his people. "When he was gone, the people came to Rehoboam, asking him to lighten their oppressive loads. Rehoboam promised them an answer in three days, and then sought advice.

First he sent for the older men, and they advised him to grant the request. Experience had made them gentle. "Show yourself their friend," they said. "Listen to their grievances. Take a kindly interest in them. Think of their good. Speak to them affectionately. Give them the relief they seek, and serve them in any way you can. If you do these things - you will win their love, and they will prove your faithful subjects."

This was good advice - but Rehoboam was not satisfied with it. The aged men were too slow for him. He turned to the young men of his own age, hot-headed fellows like himself, and sought advice of them.

When the people came to the king for his answer, Rehoboam, following the advice of the younger men, and replied to them roughly. His answer, indeed, was insolent and brutal. Such words as he spoke would have kindled the flame of rebellion, even if there had been no tinder dry and ready for the spark.

Rehoboam has many followers. We should learn the folly and wickedness of sharp, rude, and bitter words. Anyone sees how unworthy of a king, Rehoboam's speech was - but such words are unworthy of anyone's lips. They were insolent, contemptuous, haughty, unmanly, and cruel. We are all too apt, under provocation, to give rein to intemperate speech.

Destinies have been wrecked by following foolish counsel. Every young person needs a wise older friend to whom he may go with his life's serious questions. Happy is the young man or young woman who has such a counselor, and who will then accept the wisdom which comes of experience. But Rehoboam rejected the wise counsel of the aged men. He answered the people roughly: "My father was harsh on you, but I'll be even harsher! My father used whips on you, but I'll use scorpions!"

The consequence of Rehoboam's harsh words was the wrecking of his kingdom. The people turned away, saying, "What portion have we in David?" It took but a minute to give the reply which Rehoboam gave - but the harm done by it never could be undone! Burke said, "Rage and frenzy will pull down more in half an hour - than prudent deliberation and foresight can build up in a hundred years." We need not go far, nor seek long - to find other illustrations. Many people lose noble, helpful friends, lose them beyond regaining, by the petulant, ill-tempered words of a minute. Many lives with splendid possibilities become utter failures through uncontrolled tongues. When will men and women learn to put bridles in their mouths?

The matter of seeking advice is always a serious one. Some people too readily turn to others to ask them what they should do. We ought to learn to think for ourselves. Each man must bear his own burden. We never can get clear of the responsibility of choosing for ourselves. However, there are times when we may turn to others for advice. The young and inexperienced especially may receive valuable help from those who are older and more experienced. But in seeking advice we should make sure of the people to whom we turn. Bad advice has wrecked many a life.

Rehoboam had good advice from the older men - but rejected it. There are many who follow him in this regard - they receive good counsel from friends, from parents, from teachers, from godly men, from those who are wiser than themselves, and then ignore it. There are many who, like Rehoboam, reject the good advice - and take the bad. There was One Rehoboam seems to have missed altogether in seeking advice - he did not go to God for counsel. We should always ask God what He would have us do; He never advises unwisely. No life was ever wrecked by taking His counsel.

One lesson we get from Rehoboam's undisciplined course - is that those who would rule over others, must have achieved both self-control and patience in themselves. Rehoboam had achieved neither. He thought only of his own personal gain - the last element that should influence one in dealing with others. He lacked altogether that spirit of meekness, which Jesus said shall inherit the earth. We should keep SELF out of our work for God, out of all our work of love. Whenever SELF comes in - it mars everything. We should think only of our duty, not of the way our act may affect us. If Rehoboam had asked, "What course will be the best for the country and for the good of the kingdom?" he would not have acted so foolishly. He would have shown patience and kindliness, and would have lightened the heavy burdens under which the people were bending.

Those who rule over others, should love them and be ready to serve them. Rehoboam is an example of those who try to govern others by tyranny. If he had really loved the people and had been disposed to serve them, sympathizing with them in their burden-bearing and showing them kindness, they would have continued loyal to him. "Through love, be servants one to another" is the New Testament law.

We all need to guard ourselves at these points. We are apt to be unloving and harsh in our dealings with others, especially when our dignity seems to be hurt. Even parents need to keep a careful guard upon themselves in this matter, lest their consciousness of having authority should make them unjust to their children. Paul exhorts fathers not to provoke their children to anger, lest they be discouraged. Teachers have like temptation in enforcing authority. So have all who are placed over others.

It often happens that a man who has been very kind and brotherly as a fellow-workman, or as an equal among men, becomes tyrannical and intolerant when in a position of authority. We should remember that all power is of God, and we represent Him in whatever place of authority we occupy. We should rule, therefore, in God's name - as He would rule if He were in our place. In all our dealings with those over whom we are placed in the Providence of God - we should be gentle, sincere, loving - that we may look into God's face without shame.

Life has its turning points for all of us. This was the turning point in Rehoboam's career. He had before him the possibilities of a prosperous and successful reign. All hinged, however, on one word. Should he say yes - or no? If he had said yes, he would have won the people to himself and his kingdom would have been established. He said no, however, and he drove the people to anger and rebellion. Men are continually coming to turning points when all their future depends upon a single decision. Two paths lie before them. One leads to beauty, honor, blessing; the other leads to dishonor and sorrow. The decision of the moment, settles for us in which of these two paths we will walk. Many a man or woman by a careless word - throws away the hope of infinite blessing and good.

It is interesting to notice that while the kingdom of David had failed of its best through man's fault and sin, it was not altogether cast off. The vessel had not come out what the potter first intended it to be - it had been marred on the wheel - but he made it again, another vessel, not so fine as the first would have been - but still a good vessel. The kingdom had a second chance. From the seed of David came at length the Messiah. There is encouragement in this for all those who miss their first and best chance. They may try again, and their life may yet realize much honor and beauty. When we think of it, most of the worthy lives of godly men in the Bible - were second chances. They failed, and then God let them try again. David himself, and Jonah, and Peter, and Paul are illustrations.

[ugly-crying-over-bucky-barnes]

Blue Eyes Part 6

Summary: After the Garrison is shot up, the youngest Shelby daughter finds a new home in London. She strips herself of her last name and tries to live a peaceful life far away from her brothers’ chaos in Birmingham. But fate leads her right back into it after she runs into Alfie Solomons.

Part 6: Ella grieves the loss of what she once had. Tommy tries to burn any remnants of it.

          “She won’t eat.” Ada came downstairs and placed the untouched plate of food on the table. It had been three days since Tommy caught Ella and Alfie together. The Shelby girl refused to leave her old bedroom. “She won’t even open the door.”

           Her brothers were all sat in the kitchen, Polly putting on the kettle. Tommy was on his third cigarette of the morning and he hadn’t even eaten breakfast yet. “Are you pleased with yourself?” Their aunt put her hands on her hips and glared at Tommy.

           “Pol, not now.” He muttered and rubbed his eyes. He was still trying to get the image of Alfie kissing his sister out of his mind. Trying to forget the sound of her crying every night in the room next to his. It made him conflicted, pulling him in two different trains of thought. He wanted to apologize and yet he wanted to scold her for being so careless and lying.

           “You could’ve taken her aside and asked her about it.” His aunt ignored his weary request. "You didn't have to have her followed. I'm sure it would've gone better if you just asked about her in private.

           “So she could just lie to me again?” Tommy retorted sharply. "Pol, I gave her plenty of opportunities to admit it to me and she just looked me right in the eyes and lied."

           “I’m just upset you didn’t fucking shoot him,” Arthur spoke up. "Fucking deserves it didn't he?"

           Tommy wanted to say yes, he did deserve it, but there was a matter of policy. “He didn’t know. Was just as surprised as I was when he found out. If he does it again I will shoot him.” He promised.

           “What in the fucking world does she see in him?” John asked in disbelief. He’d nearly keeled over when he heard what happened from Arthur. Never in a million years did he expect it, even after what happened at Tommy's wedding. "I mean honestly? He's just a fucking psychopath, ain't he? She's not crazy enough to fall for someone like that."

           Ada leaned against the wall, crossing her arms over her chest. “Maybe you should all be a bit kinder to her. She was hysterical when she came home.” She scolded her brothers. “Maybe she knows him better than you lot do.”

           “Oh, pardon me, Ada, shall I tell you ‘bout the time he shot Billy Kitchen and had me nicked?” Arthur retorted. “’Cause the entire fucking time I was thinking, ‘what a nice bloke he is, yeah, wish he’d kiss me fucking baby sister!’.”

           “Don’t speak to me that way!” Ada snapped.

           Suddenly, Tommy held a hand out. “Sh, shut up!” He smacked his brother upside the head when he wouldn't hush. “Shut your fucking mouths and listen.” The kitchen went quiet and finally, everyone heard what he did. Footsteps on the roof. John and Arthur withdrew their guns, thinking it was an enemy or some intruder, but Tommy knew better. “She’s making a run for it.” He jumped up and rushed out of the apartment. “Ella!” He came out onto the street and caught his sister traversing across the top of Watery Lane. He cursed himself for teaching her how to escape via the roof. “Get down here now.”

           His sister ignored him, instead carefully picking her way over the shingles towards the back of the building. There, she had enough wires, balconies, and window ledges to safely make it down.

           Tommy cursed and went back inside, pushing past his family and running through the apartment out to the back alleyway. He caught sight of her disappearing through the narrow alley, hidden by clothes and sheets on laundry lines. “El!” He shouted and chased her.

           It was a pretty even match. Both of them knew Watery lane like the back of their hand, Tommy was fit but Ella was petite and could slip easily between the gaps of the cramped buildings. Still, Tommy was always a bit sharper and he took a shorter way to cut her off.

           Ella screeched to a halt and faced off with him, breathing heavily from running. “Tommy, I’m going back to London.” She warned in a low voice. “You can’t keep me here against me will.”

           “You think I’m trying to punish you?” Tommy made sure he was close enough to grab her if she decided to take off again. “I’m doing this for your own fucking good, El.”

           “Really?” She scoffed. “Is that what you call it?”

           “You’re playing with fire, you don’t even know.” He cleared his throat to catch his breath. “Do you know what he would’ve done if he found out and I wasn’t there?” He demanded.

           Ella’s chest tightened when he even hinted at the idea. “He would never hurt me.”

           “You being so naïve tells me that you’re not ready to live alone in London. Now he could have people looking for you. You’re staying here. I'm making sure he doesn't get revenge for what you did to him.”

           “He would never hurt me!” She repeated herself louder. “You don’t know him like I do, he cares about me.”

           “Didn’t look like it to me!” Tommy raised his voice to meet her volume.

           “The only reason he left was because of my family. Because of you! The one thing in my life I can’t choose. But I’m going to make it up to him. I never want to see you again. Not after the shit you pulled.”

           “If you go back there, he’ll kill you.” Tommy was so sure of it. Someone who deceived Alfie Solomons didn’t have a good chance of survival. He'd only narrowly avoided such a fate so many times.

           “He’s not some monster.” Her hands curled into fists. “He was kind and sweet and for the first time in my fucking life I had someone listen to me.” Tears formed again in her ice-blue eyes. “He listened to me and he cared about me more than you lot ever did. A-And I lied to him, but I know he still cares for me.”

           Tommy could see in his sister’s eyes that she truly believed the words she spoke. The pain on her face was undeniable. She truly had fallen for that man. He pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head.

           “I’m not staying here.” Ella asserted again. “I have a life in London. And if Alfie never wants to see me again, then so be it. But I’m not rotting away in Birmingham. I’d rather be heartbroken in London.”

           He couldn’t imagine the weeks of hell he’d have to go through if he attempted to keep her there. Endless amounts of escape attempts crossed his mind. It sounded like a nightmare. His sister was an adult. Ada and Polly wouldn’t let him get away with locking her in her room for the rest of her life no matter how much he might want to. “Stay at Arrow House for a week.” He tried to bargain.

           “No.” She crossed her arms over her chest.

           “Just until I know that you’re safe.”

           “No.”

           “Ella…” He groaned and raised his head to the small sliver of gray sky poking out between the gaps in the buildings. “Just one week and I’ll pay your rent in London for the rest of your life.”

           She pursed her lips. “And I can have the dapple whenever I visit Warwickshire.”

           “Fine.”

~~~~~~~~~~

           Tommy was getting used to the stares he got when he walked through Camden Town. But this time, it was as if he’d grown three heads. Everyone stopped to watch him walk towards the bakery. He did his best to ignore it and went straight for Ollie who was by the heavy double doors.

           The curly-haired man looked up. A nervous look crossed his face. “Alfie’s not seeing anyone right now.”

           To say the Jewish gangster was in a foul mood was an understatement. After his heart was broken, Alfie raged through the bakery. He shouted at anyone who even remotely stepped in his path, threatened anyone slacking off, and knocked out at least five men. No one knew what had set the man off, but it had something to do with the Blinders because he kept mumbling about ‘fucking Shelbys’ under his breath.

           “I don’t care,” Tommy replied. He was angry with the man as well. Angry that he’d been so foolish with his sister, traipsing about London with her on his arm. Putting a target on her back for the Italians, the Titanic, anyone who decided Alfie Solomons needed to be knocked down a few pegs.

           Ollie chewed on the inside of his cheek and nodded slowly. “Let me ask, wait out here.”

           Alfie had barked out a laugh when his assistant said Tommy was waiting outside. A storm formed in his eyes when he allowed him to pass through. Ollie searched the Blinder and let him into the office.

           “Morning, Mr. Solomons.” Tommy took a seat across from the man’s desk.

           “Cut the shit, Tommy, whatdya want?” Alfie demanded. “M’very fucking busy.”

          He calmly took out a cigarette and lit it. “My sister lied to the both of us. I understand you’re upset. But I want to know that her life isn’t in danger.”

           “She’s a fucking Shelby innit she? Her life is always in danger.” Alfie didn’t want to even speak her name. He felt so scorned and yet, he couldn’t get the image of her out of his head. To think only her last name kept him away from her.

           “I was talking about you.”

           He scoffed. “Mate, you don’t hafta worry ‘bout me, right, ‘cause I never want to see her again. She ain’t worth the trouble, already wasted enough of me time on her.” He tried convincing himself that everything they shared was nothing more than a farce. It was meaningless. But he was tormented with the memories of her smiling at him, speaking tenderly to him, making him laugh, and touching him without flinching. How could she appear so genuine when she was keeping such a big lie?

           “Then we’re settled.” Tommy stood and took another drag of his cigarette. “As long as you stay away from her, we won’t have an issue.”

           Alfie stared off into space, his fingers grazing over his beard. “Just fuck off, Tom, I’ve had fucking enough of your gypsy family.” He snarled.

           Tommy lingered just to remind the man that he would return if so much as a finger was laid on Ella. “Don’t make me come back.”

           That was enough to make him snap. He rose with such a fury, his hands slamming down on the desk. “You fucking threatening me?” He shouted. “You’re lucky I don’t shoot you right now, mate!”

           “You’re lucky I didn’t shoot you the other day,” Tommy replied coolly. “You’re lucky me brothers weren’t with me because they wouldn't have even let you get a word in.”

           Alfie’s eyes narrowed and he pulled out his gun from his waistband. With a click, he pointed it at the Blinder’s forehead.

           Tommy merely flicked his cigarette to the ground and calmly walked back over to the desk. He leaned forward and pressed his forehead to the barrel of the gun. “Do it.” He prompted casually. “Then she’ll finally see what a fucking monster you are. She’ll never go back to you.”

           Fire raged in Alfie. He wanted so desperately to pull the trigger. His shoulders heaved and he glared right at the man. But then Ella’s touch returned to him. The way she clung to him, buried in the crook of his neck. What she said to him when they swayed together in the crowded club.

           I want my family to like you.

           Alfie’s hand shook as he slowly lowered the gun. No matter how angry he was with her, he could never do that to her. “Get out of me fucking office.” He growled.

           Tommy waited for a breath before turning and leaving without another word.

~~~~~~~~

           Ella returned to London after a week of staying at Warwickshire. She didn’t enjoy the little break from the city air. She was still thinking about how she’d hurt Alfie. How there was little to nothing she could do to make it up to him. She attempted calling him late at night when no one was awake in the large estate. But he never answered.

           When she returned to her apartment, she felt lost. The established life she had made for herself in the city was suddenly lacking the appeal it once had. She realized she didn’t have a place anywhere anymore. Not in Birmingham, not in Warwickshire, not in London. Alfie had made her feel so at home and so assured in herself as a person. But she had lied. Now she felt fake and undeserving of anything. Certainly, she didn’t deserve Alfie’s affection. He had trusted her and she had taken that trust and tossed it aside.

           It kept her up at night, her conscience admonishing her for being so cruel to a man that had treated her so well. But her heart still longed for him. She couldn’t stop thinking about him even if there was little to no chance that they would ever be together again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

          Alcohol was a vital medication for Shelbys. The cure for anything. Everything from general pain, headache, insomnia, to heartaches. Ella told herself she would never turn out to be the drunkard her father was. The angry man who she only had memories of how he always stunk of gin and whiskey. She never drank like her brothers did. Usually only accepting a glass or two when they were celebrating. The rest of them seemed to turn to liquor at every viable opportunity.

Now, she knew why. It alleviated so many of her pain. So every night after work, she kept a bottle of wine close. Every weekend she went out to the club with friends. Every morning, she woke up with a massive hangover that she was slowly growing used to. Every morning, she wanted to cry when she saw herself in the mirror. The face of a woman who had shattered the only man she loved.

To cope, she simply found comfort at the bottom of a bottle.

Ada became worried and called every night and every morning to check in with her, making sure she arrived safely home and hadn’t drunk herself to death. She voiced her concerns to her brothers but they couldn’t get close enough to talk with Ella. Polly tried showing up multiple times but her niece was always out.

~~~~~~~~~~~

It all came to a head one Saturday night, but no Shelby was there to save her from herself and the world around her.

“El, think you’ve had enough.” Even Amelia, who was used to partying, was growing uneasy from her friend’s reckless behavior.

Ella ignored her and took the glass of gin from the bartender. “Nonsense,” she giggled and shrugged her friend off. “It’s still so early, we've got the entire night ahead of us!”

Amelia’s forehead wrinkled. “El…”

She threw back the drink, hardly affected by the bitter taste anymore. “I’m going to go dance, don’t wait up.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Alcohol was a vital medication for Shelbys. The cure for anything. Everything from general pain, headache, insomnia, to heartaches. Ella told herself she would never turn out to be the drunkard her father was. The angry man who she only had memories of how he always stunk of gin and whiskey. She never drank like her brothers did. Usually only accepting a glass or two when they were celebrating. The rest of them seemed to turn to liquor at every viable opportunity. 

            Now, she knew why. It alleviated so many of her pain. So every night after work, she kept a bottle of wine close. Every weekend she went out to the club with friends. Every morning, she woke up with a massive hangover that she was slowly growing used to. Every morning, she wanted to cry when she saw herself in the mirror. The face of a woman who had shattered the only man she loved. 

            To cope, she simply found comfort at the bottom of a bottle. 

            Ada became worried and called every night and every morning to check in with her, making sure she arrived safely home and hadn’t drunk herself to death. She voiced her concerns to her brothers but they couldn’t get close enough to talk with Ella. Polly tried showing up multiple times but her niece was always out. 

~~~~~~~~~~~`

            It all came to a head one Saturday night, but no Shelby was there to save her. 

            “El, think you’ve had enough.” Even Amelia, who was used to partying, was growing uneasy from her friend’s reckless behavior. 

            Ella ignored her and took the glass of gin from the bartender. “Nonsense,” she giggled and shrugged her friend off. “It’s still so early!” 

            Amelia’s forehead wrinkled. “El…” 

            She threw back the drink. “I’m going to go dance, don’t wait up.” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Alfie did not like going to clubs anymore. He’d gone back to despising the loud, crowded spaces. It reminded him of the times he would take Ella dancing. How they would have intimate conversations on the dance floor, the way she clung to him while they swayed. 

            He grumpily shoved his way through the crowds to get to the bar. He had debts that were owed by the owner. Now he was in a terrible mood that he had to be there himself instead of sending one of his men. The last time he’d done that, the owner threatened them. So Alfie had to go himself. 

            Ella was oblivious to the Jewish gangster’s entrance. She was dancing with a man who was a complete stranger to her, but simply the first open arms. She was having the time of her life, buzzed on the gin she’d consumed, and so happy to be distracted by her heartache. 

            But she wasn’t too keen on the man letting his hands wander. She was just clear-headed enough to push him away. 

            “Fuck off.” She slurred and tried to pull away from the man. 

            “C’mon, love.” He kept an iron grip on her and grabbed at her. 

            “Ow, stop!” She shouted and stomped down on his foot with her heel. “I said fuck off!”

            He cursed and raised a hand to backhand her across the face. 

            Unfortunately, his wrist was caught by Alfie Solomons. The gangster looked livid with the seedy man trying to assault the woman. 

            Ella froze and for a moment thought she had drunkenly conjured up an image of Alfie. 

            “Mate, I suggest you fucking step away from the lady.” 

            The man went a little pale at the sight of the notorious baker. “Mr. Solomons…I weren’t…she started it.” He stammered. 

            Not looking amused, Alfie laughed. “Oh fucking hell, you should be thanking me for stepping in when I did, mate. That girl right there was ‘bout to fucking gut you like a pig. Yeah, keeps a blade on her. Then, ‘course, I couldn’t help you after that, wouldn’t be Kosher, would it?” 

            “I-” The man backed away with wide eyes. “I’m sorry…” He spluttered before disappearing into the crowd of dancers. 

            Alfie and Ella stood face to face on the dance floor. She was swaying slightly from the alcohol. 

            “You need to be careful, love.” 

            “Oh fuck off.” She spat back at him. “Don’ pretend like you’re some knight in fuckin’ shinin’ armor.” Her accent became thicker and she was only another drink from being completely incomprehensible or reverting back to Shelta. 

            “You’ve been drinking too much.” He grabbed her by the upper arm but she fought him off. 

            “So what? Can do whatever I want.” She retorted and nearly fell backward when she tried to rip away from him. “M’just a fuckin’ Shelby to you anyway. You never cared ‘bout me.” 

            Alfie rolled his eyes. “C’mere, I’m taking you home.” He’d deal with the club owner and the bartender who had over-served Ella, later. 

            “I ain’t goin’ anywhere with you!” She ripped her arm away from him. “You stand there, thinkin’ you can boss me ‘round?”            

            “Not arguing with you here.” He asserted firmly and continued ushering her to the door, ignoring her attempts to shove him off. Eventually, he got her out of the club and onto the street. She scratched his hand a few times but he felt like she was going very easy on him. 

            Still, she got one more shove in, but it backfired. Ella leaned forward too far and toppled over. She caught herself before she face-planted into the curb but scraped up her hands. A drunken mess, she sat on the ground for a moment, holding her scratched up palms in front of her. 

            Alfie sighed and held out a hand to help her up. Yes, he was still upset but decided he’d feel worse if he left her there. 

            Tears sprung from Ella’s blue eyes as she slapped his hand away. “G’off.” She snapped and tried to get up by herself. “Don’t need you…don’t need my bloody family…don’t need any man.” She staggered to her feet and pointed at Alfie. “You. You just turned away from me like I weren’t worth anythin’ to you.” 

            His brow wrinkled at the accusation. “S’cuse me, but did you or did you not lie to me?” He retorted. 

            “What’d you want me to tell you, aye?” She held out her arms wide. “I’m a fuckin’ Shelby? I’m a gypsy girl? What difference does it make? Thought you liked me for me!” 

            Her words were like thin blades of ice, stabbing through Alfie’s chest and piercing right through the armor he’d formed over his heart. He stared at her and merely listened, taking on the verbal abuse without so much as flinching. But deep down he felt like he was being brought to his knees. 

            Ella wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. Her makeup smudged and she looked to be in some state. Her dress was dirty from her tumble and a trickle of blood began to travel down the lines in her palms and drip from the tips of her fingers. She emulated the wild girl she once was. The Shelby girl who always was quick to roughhouse with her brothers to prove herself. Now she was proving her worth to Alfie. She was proving how hurt she was. 

            “Amelia told me all ‘bout you ‘fore we even spoke.” She continued on. Her voice thick with tears and words slurring from the gin. “But still I talked to you because I saw somethin’ different. I saw the man behind that fuckin’ reputation. Because I know people think me brothers are monsters. But I know that they aren’t. You’re the same fuckin’ way. You want people to fear you but deep down, you’re just as fuckin’ scared as the rest of us.” She approached him, invading his space, and getting right up to his face. Her blue eyes narrowed as she glared at him dead on.  “You’re afraid of dying just like everyone. ‘N you’re afraid of people forgettin’ the name, Alfie Fuckin’ Solomons.” 

            Alfie wondered if he’d forgotten how to breathe or Ella had somehow stolen the air right out of his lungs. For a split second, he wasn’t sure whether to be angry or to apologize. Apologize for being lied to? He scoffed at his own thoughts and shook his head. “Your brothers are monsters, love.” He sealed himself off from any feelings. Numbed himself up like an anesthetic and shoved away all the desperate thoughts he had for her. “And you’re their kin, ain’t ya? You lie just like them.” 

            Ella’s jaw clenched and she gritted her teeth. The alcohol in her system wasn’t doing her any favors and shut off any rational thoughts. She slapped him hard.  

            He should’ve been expecting it. After all, she’d been denied hitting the man in the club and Alfie was winding her up. But it was still another sharp blow to his ego and his heart. He couldn’t even react. 

            She spat at his feet and cursed at him in Shelta before storming away. 

            So he watched. Watched the only woman he ever loved walking away from him. Just like he had walked away from her. Her slap still stinging his cheek as she disappeared into the night. 

            Disgruntled, angry at the world, and possibly under some gypsy curse, Alfie decided it was a good time to go home. 

 ~~~~~~~~~~~

            Ada had the only spare key to Ella’s apartment. After the run-in with Alfie and Tommy, the Shelby woman had to use it much more often. She received a frantic call the next morning from Amelia saying she had no clue where Ella went the night before. 

            So, Ada walked over at the break of dawn and used the key to let herself in. She found a few dishes shattered across the kitchen floor and it caused her stomach to drop in fear. Had her sister been robbed? 

            She ran upstairs shouting for Ella. Down the hall, the door creaked open. Her younger sister stood in the doorway in a complete mess. 

            The rough night lingered on Ella like bad perfume. Her hair was still tangled in some pins, her hands were stained with dried blood that she hadn’t cared to tend to, and her entire face was blotchy from crying. Dark circles lingered under her bloodshot eyes and she still stunk of gin. 

            “El…” Ada sighed partly in relief. At least she knew her sister was somewhat okay, albeit a little worse for the wear. “What happened to you? Amelia called me in such a fright.” 

            “Sh, don’t talk so loud.” Ella closed her eyes and ushered her sister into the darker bedroom. She collapsed on her bed and moaned. “Ada, I feel like me whole life is falling apart.” 

            Ada frowned and crossed her arms over her chest. “What happened last night?” 

            “Alfie was at the club.” There was no use in lying anymore. She was too tired and didn’t care what her family knew anymore. It didn’t matter as far as she was concerned. 

            The mention of the Jewish gangster’s name was enough for Ada to need a seat. “Good God…” 

            “I got so angry.” Her younger sister continued, lying on her back and staring at the ceiling. “I just-I want to hate him but I can’t. I cared so much ‘bout him and I thought he felt the same way.” Fresh tears began to flow and she hiccupped helplessly. “Ada, it hurts so much.” She wailed. 

            Ada’s shoulders fell and she stood up to comfort her sister. “Sh, c’mon.” She sat on the bed and let Ella rest her head in her lap. “I know you’re hurting. I wish I could make it better for you.” 

            “I want him back.” It was a harsh realization to arrive at. 

            Her older sister gently stroked back Ella’s dark hair. She had said the exact same words when she lost Freddie. The world was falling apart around her as she gripped onto Polly for support. The fierce denial had driven her into a manic state. ‘I want him back! I want him back! Bring him back!’ She had screamed and cried for hours. 

            Heartbreak was the most painful emotion. Ada knew her sister was naïve when it came to love, but there was so much hurt in her eyes. What she was feeling wasn’t a little crush. Whatever she had with Alfie was something she hadn’t experienced before. 

            “I never asked to be born into this fucking family.” Ella closed her eyes. Her entire body was aching and exhausted from the night before. 

            “I know, none of us did.” Ada bit her lip. “Let’s get your hands cleaned up.” She suggested and prompted her to sit up. “I’ll put the kettle on too.” 

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~

            “Ada called this morning.” Polly walked into her nephew’s office with some documents to sign. 

            “About Ella?” Tommy knew about Ella’s downward spiral. But she wouldn’t speak to him about anything but day-to-day things. 

            How’s Charlie, Tom? 

            How’s the missus, Tom? 

            Get that new filly in, Tom? 

            Her words were detached over the phone, so much so that the pleasant conversation made him worry more. He would much rather her scream and rant at him about what he’d done. That way he’d know that it was still his sister on the other end of the telephone line. 

            Tommy wasn’t about to apologize for stepping in. He could forgive Ella for lying to him, but that didn’t mean he wanted her to go hopping on back to Alfie. 

            “She’s hurting,” Polly replied when she set down the papers in front of him. “But I think you know that.” 

            Tommy studied the contracts but the words didn’t register. “Not sure there’s anything I can do ‘bout that, Pol.” He reached for a cigarette, tossing the papers to the side to sign later. “She’s facing the consequences of her actions.” 

            His aunt raised an eyebrow and looked disappointed. “Do you think you would’ve reacted better if she came to you and told you the truth? Because I’m fairly certain you’d’ve done the same damn thing.” 

            His icy eyes flicked up to her. “Are you going to tell me I should allow her to see that man?” His voice was steady but challenging. 

            “That’s not what I said.” Polly was very good at squaring off with her nephews. They often liked to go toe to toe with her, stupidly forgetting how strong-willed she was. Out of all of them, Tommy probably pressed her the most. “But you can’t blame her for trying to find someone. I’m sure she feels lonely.” 

            Tommy cringed at the idea of Alfie keeping his sister company. “I’ve spoken to him and he doesn’t want to see her again. That’s the end of that.” He insisted firmly. “I’m done speaking about it.” 

            But Polly wasn’t done. “I’m well aware you think you know everything but I was put on this planet to remind you that you don’t. What has Alfie Solomons done that you haven’t?” 

            “Polly,” Tommy spoke in a warning tone and eyed her with a cold look. “I said I’m done speaking about it.” 

            She sighed in exasperation. “One of these days, you’re going to push that girl so far that she’ll never want to come back to this family. And I hope you’re happy when you’ve finally done it. This family needs to stay together, otherwise, we have nothing.” She jabbed a finger at him. “Don’t forget that you’re nothing without your family.” 

            Tommy allowed her to walk out with the last word. He knew she was right; he would never be where he was now without his family by his side. But that didn’t excuse Ella’s behavior. He just hoped she would get over Alfie soon and he would forget about it ever happening. 

Permanent Tag: @papa-geralt-of-cirilla​ @giftofdreams​ @biba3434​

Tag list: @deaflikehawkeye​ @octaviareina​ @mylovelykelsifer​

Masterpost 

PB Masterlist 

[thatfanficstuff]

A Condition - Alfie Solomons

Pairing: Alfie x Reader if you squint

Warnings: implied abuse off page, language (It’s Alfie) 

Word Count:1443

A/N: This is for @until-theend-oftheline’s Tom Hardy Challenge. My prompt is in bold below. I’m kind of in love with this fic, not going to lie. Let me know what you think!

***

Alfie groaned as he made his way to the car. It had been a long fucking day and his back was killing him. He was past ready for the comfort of his home. He’d nearly reached the car when you barreled into him, making him rock back on his heels.

Pain flared through him and he clenched his teeth to keep from crying out. He grabbed your shoulders and held you at arm’s length to get a better view while you struggled to get away. “Oi!” He gave a little shake to get your attention.

You went utterly still and Alfie heard a small gasp, as if you were just realizing the situation.

You glanced up at him and he narrowed his gaze. He’d expected a child, or a street rat. You were neither. In fact, he was sure you were rather beautiful when your face wasn’t contorted in fear. His anger and annoyance fled to be replaced with a desire to aid and comfort. What the bloody hell?

Apparently, you misinterpreted his silence because you started to twist in his hold in an effort to escape. “I’m very sorry, sir. I didn’t mean to run into you but I didn’t see you there and I need to go now. If I don’t get away right now, I’ll never get the chance and you can’t possibly understand what it’s like and if you would please just let me go I promise to be careful.”

The longer you spoke, the faster you went until Alfie couldn’t possibly follow. “What on Earth are you on about?”

“Y/N!”

You jumped at the shout and jerked your head to glance over your shoulder. When you looked back at Alfie, his heart twinged in his chest. He’d thought you look scared before but it didn’t hold a candle to the absolute terror on your face now.

“Please, you have to let me go. Before it’s too late.” Your voice had dropped into a whisper as you begged him to let you escape.

He looked into your eyes so you could see the sincerity there. “Easy, Sweetheart. I’ll take care of ya, yeah?”

For whatever reason, you must have believed him because you gave him a nod of your head and let him push you behind him. You clutched onto his coat as if you feared he’d vanish if you let go.

Moments later, a man stumbled from the shadows and came to a stop looking between Alfie and Ollie. He panted as he tried to get enough air to speak. Alfie scratched his beard and used the time to look the man over. Wherever he’d come from, he must have left in a hurry as his feet were bare and he wore naught but an undershirt with his trousers and suspenders. It was clear he’d been chasing you and it wasn’t difficult for Alfie to guess why.

Men that were cruel had a certain look about them. A shadow in the eyes, the curl of a lip, Alfie wasn’t entirely sure, but he had learned to spot them years ago.

“You seen a girl run past here? Willful thing full of piss. Likes to get my ire up.” The man’s eye twitched.

Alfie was silent for a moment and your hands grasped onto his coat even tighter than before. “What do you want with her?”

Now, if your pursuer had been familiar with Alfie, he would have recognized the tone in his voice and he would have known that he should forget about you entirely. Of course, if the man was even aware of who Alfie was, he would never have begun this conversation.

“What business is it of yours? She’s mine, ain’t she? Belongs to me she does. You seen her or not?” He puffed out his chest as if that would intimidate Alfie into answering his questions.

You trembled against the gangster’s back and it only served to make him angrier. He narrowed his eyes and his tongue darted out to lick his lips. “It’s my business because I’m Alfie fucking Solomons and I say it’s my business.” He glanced over at Ollie who watched everything with wide eyes, waiting for Alfie to show signs of needing him before he interceded. “Ollie, put her in the car.”

“No.” Your voice was little more than a whimper.

Alfie turned and took your hands in his. “It’s okay, sweetheart. He won’t hurt ya. Ya have my word. Go with Ollie so I can have a chat with…” He trailed off realizing he actually had no idea who this man was.

You shook your head. “He’s my uncle. He’s horrible.”

“Got that impression, love. Go on, get in the car.” His gaze followed you until Ollie put you in the car and shut the door.

By the time he turned back to your uncle there was nothing soft left in him. This was the Alfie that people feared. He took slow measured steps toward the other man and did his best not to limp despite the pain. He stopped a short distance away and inspected the man like one might a fly in his soup.

“You recognize my name, you know who I am, yeah?”

“Yes, sir.” He kept trying to look past Alfie to see you in the car.

Alfie fisted the front of his shirt and hauled him forward. “You don’t look at her. You forget she even fucking exists, mate. Understand?”

The man nodded frantically.

“Someone will be by to get her things and you’ll fucking cooperate with ‘em.” Alfie glanced back at the car before giving the uncle one last shake to make certain he had his attention. “Her an’ I are going to have a conversation. If I don’t like what I hear, I’ll be payin’ you a visit myself.” His grip relaxed and your uncle dropped to the ground with a thud and backed away. Once he was far enough he thought he was safe, he turned and ran.

Fucking coward.

Alfie slid into the back seat with a grunt and shut the door. “Alright, Ollie, let’s get the fuck out of here.” Once they pulled away from the curb, he turned to you. “You okay, lass?”

You nodded as you watched him with wide eyes. “Thank you.”

He could tell you wanted to say something so he stayed silent giving you a chance to find your words.

Your tongue darted out to moisten your lips. “What…what happens to me now? He’s the only family I got.”

Alfie hummed. “Figured as much. You can stay with me for now where I can keep an eye on you. We’ll figure out the rest later.”

“Okay, Mr. Solomons.”

“Tch. It’s Alfie, ain’t it. No Mr. fucking Solomons from you.”

A small smile was your only answer and Alfie could have sworn his heart twinged again. Maybe he was developing a condition.

***

It was late, or maybe early. Alfie was staring at the ceiling, fingers clasped together on his chest. He’d managed to curb his burning desire to ask you what you were running from. Instead, he’d settled for watching you love on Cyril while you ate something. You’d taken your time, savored your food in a way that told him you were never certain when you were going to get more. And damn if that didn’t make him even angrier.

He heard a noise in the hall and lifted his head up. His gaze found Cyril who let out a particularly loud snort. “Great fucking watch dog you are,” he mumbled under his breath.

“Alfie?” your soft voice called and he settled immediately.

“Come in,” he called back and you eased the door open. He licked his lips and his gaze ran over you as he took you in. You were wearing one of his long shirts, not having any other options for the night. “Everything okay?”

“I…” Your hands twisted together in front of you. “Can I stay in here? I just…you make me feel safe.”

“It’s not proper, lass.”

You snorted. “Like I care about what’s bloody proper. Besides, I’m staying in your house already, Alfie. They’ll think we’re doing more than sleeping.”

A grin curled his lips before he could stop it. He had a feeling this was his first glimpse of your true personality. “Come on then.”

You hurried to the open side of the bed and climbed in as Alfie held the covers up for you. “Thank you, Alfie. Goodnight,” you said before pressing a quick kiss to his cheek.

“Goodnight, Y/N.” And as you settled into the pillow his heart twinged again. He was definitely developing a condition.

[boogiewrites]

The past doesn't matter. All that matters now is the future.

Alfie Solomons One Shot

Word Count: 12,400+

Summary:  A one shot about a woman named Rachel and the infamous Alfie Solomons. Angsty and romantic, happy ending.. Rachel finds herself unhappy with her life, despite making the clear choice to choose it and live it. With yearly reminders of her mistake coming in the form of flowers from the man she left, all her regret comes to a head and she reaches out to him, the man she truly loves, to help him (and her) escape the dark hand of her husband. Some lessons are only learned the hard way.

Warnings/Tags: Language. FLUFF. ANGST. Cheating on your awful husband. Revenge. Mild violence. Explicit Sexual Content: Making Love. Long lost lovers. Regret. Lover’s reunited. Confessions of love.

Click on my icon then go to my Mobile Masterlist in my bio for my other works. (Had to do this since Tumblr killed links, sorry.)

From an outsiders point of view, your life was a picturesque little portrait of a wholesome family with a hard-working husband, a baby, and a dutiful wife. Although in most meanings of the words, that would be correct, but behind closed doors, after dark and beneath the surface, it was anything but. Years of built up lies, neglect and bitterness were the names of the pillars that held your life together. With a strong foundation that was built entirely on regret.

You woke up in your bed alone as you do most mornings, your husband, an inspector for the London police got up early every morning to phone his contacts and read the papers. Frequently his work had him get in at all hours. He would casually ready himself for bed, switching lights on and making no attempt at being quiet despite the fact you had a baby in the adjacent room. This would often leave you to have to go care for her as the commotion would wake her and it always seemed to happen just as you had fallen asleep. He would come in and leave you to hush the crying child. He had not once offered to comfort her himself.

He hadn’t touched you since you’d become pregnant and the baby was almost a year old now, he was always working, always tired and caring more about numbers and his arrests than his own family. You had had trouble getting pregnant and it was all Harold would act upon or talk about when you were first married. You assumed this meant he would be an involved father and be thankful towards the woman who gave him such a gift. But you had the child and now you didn’t know if you preferred the hollow sexual attention of before to the utter indifference towards you now. There were never sweet words or apologies for this neglectful and selfish behavior and you were left angry and bitter. You couldn’t believe you’d actually chosen this life for yourself. You had thought this life would be easier and more secure but you’d never felt more alone or worked as hard as you had keeping a home and raising a child practically alone.

It had been alone except for Harold's existence, until very recently when you’d gotten a maid to come and help a few nights a week. You’d begged for assistance as you were so exhausted you had slept through the baby crying one afternoon and Harold came home and did everything but hit you in retaliation to your so-called neglect. He only agreed to hire help at that point because of your incompetence with raising his child. It had taken you so long to become with child, he said he should’ve taken it as a sign you weren’t fit for motherhood. Since then you’d been so low, so depressed with near constant red and puffy eyes from crying for a life you could’ve had. A life with passion in it. A life with a man, however miraculously flawed he was, loved you wholly and truly. But you had made your bed and you had to lie in it now.

This constant haze of exhaustion and sadness was probably the reason you hadn’t recalled what day it was. You’re feeding your little Elizabeth, she’s content, the only in the house to be so as she suckles away at you as you make tea in the kitchen.

There’s a knock at the door and you think nothing of it, it could be a messenger, a coworker of Harold’s so you don’t acknowledge it and continued focusing on the task so you don’t mess up the brew and get a passive aggressive response to it.

“Again with these bloody fucking flowers!” He yells after you hear the door slam. He sits the large bouquet on the kitchen table and crosses his arms. “How many years in a row now? What the fuck is with this? These must be a mistake.” He says rubbing his chin.

“Please Harold watch your language around the baby.” you ask softly.

“She can't bloody understand me.” He says with a dismissive wave of his hand.

You turn and sigh. Your heart sinking to your stomach as you look at the flowers. You gulp and readjust the baby in your arms. You knew who the unmarked flowers were from. You knew why they were sent and each year, as your life became more and more hopeless and overwhelming they made you more and more depressed knowing what they signified.

Today marked the anniversary of the day you had left Alfie Solomons. A man you had known since before the war. After returning, you ran into each other by chance, you had thought, and something was different that time. That difference, unknown to you at that juncture had been him acting on a promise to himself to find you and tell you how he felt if he made it out of the war alive. A romance quickly bloomed. Something passionate and burning hot, long nights together that made your days apart feel eternal. He was trying to make something of himself, you’d known that. What you hadn't expected was for him to be so bloody good at being bad. His work became more and more intense, with more violence and danger and it had scared you. You didn’t want a life where you had to worry about your husband constantly and worry about your own safety because of things he did. It all frightened you and you had made the life-altering, world-crushing and heartbreaking decision to leave him for something safer.

You thought life with Harold would be common and simple but you soon found it to be anything but. The social ladder of his workmates and their wives held nothing for you. You were born and raised poor and lacked the certain air of arrogance and affluence that they did. It was as if they could smell the coal in your pores from your youth and knew you weren’t like them. There was nothing save sweet Elizabeth, an innocent in all this to soothe you now.

The flowers this year hit you particularly hard as your disappointment with your decisions weighed heavily on your chest. You rocked the sleeping baby and stared at them. Flowers you’d picked together when you were young in fields on picnics where you’d make love in the tall grass in the summer. Tears well up in your eyes, your heart literally aching for what you’d lost in him. He was a stubborn man, and it seemed even after you’d left he’d kept a spot for you in his heart. If these flowers were any indication. Every year, a large bouquet of flowers sent in the morning in a porcelain vase. Harold has tried to find who they came from but as was his way, Alfie had paid off the florist well and your secret was safe.

If Harold were to ever find out about it, it would surely be Alfie's downfall. Harold handled the crime in Camden where you resided, and of course, Alfie was more than well known. You had to hear your husband say the name of the man you truly loved every so often and it’d make your stomach turn with every syllable.

But you were far from an innocent bystander in all this. You would eavesdrop on your husband's conversations. For the first year you were married you forced Alfie out of your mind and tried to be a good law keepers wife. Something it soon became apparent you were never meant to be. But after the flowers were sent the first time, it awoke something in you and you became a deviant yourself. It hadn’t taken you long to catch on that Harold’s affections were hollow. He was a man who cared about his image and nothing much else. He held no loyalty to you truly in his heart, you were merely a box to be checked on a long list of things that were expected of him.

Alfie had always been loyal to you. He was far from perfect but he always took you into consideration. Harold never did that. That day a loyalty of your own was awoken and you became the person behind the anonymous tips leaked to Alfie of threats from the police. You paid the rough youngsters in the market to deliver the letters to his home and tell him nothing of who sent them. You’d saved him from certain demise and arrest countless times now. You liked to think the flowers were a thank you for your services that put you in harm's way if you were found out. Luckily, with the criminal activity you’d witnessed while with Alfie, and your questionable upbringing, you used those things to your advantage to not get caught.

The weeks pass and the flowers wilt. You dry them and press them into your journal as you always do. Just another secret kept from your husband. Despite the maid being with the baby in her room, you find yourself awake and wandering the halls. You see the door to your husband's office opened, which was rare. It was usually locked. He had come up to bed and gone into a deep snoring sleep quickly, not even stirring as you got out of bed. You move into the small office, a mess except for a small area on his desk. You see his work diary and your nose twitches. You take a deep breath, looking out of the room as your fingers trace the edges of the leather ledger. You could hear the faint snoring and knew you were in the clear from him at least. You flip through to find names and dates and arrests. Times of surveillance and names of places surveyed. They weren’t all about Alfie, but most were, you could tell from the Jewish names used. You flip to the most recent, a heavy sigh escaping you as a black star rests on tomorrow. You take in the scribbled notes. A warrant had been issued for the search of an office in Solomons' name. from what you could tell tomorrow night there would be a raid. You try to figure the timetable in your head. By the time he was out of the house tomorrow, you could make it to the market, but you couldn’t guarantee the message would get to him in time. Usually, your husband would’ve bragged about something like this. So you assume by the almost code like jotted notes this might have been something secret or something they thought would be fruitful to them. It was underlined and stared, and Harold wasn’t known for his flourishes so you assume this must be big.

You shut the book and leave everything as you found it. You switch off the light and shut the door, assuming he hadn’t meant to leave it open and shutting it would’ve been a perfectly reasonable thing for a wife to do. You cross your arms and chew your lip, walking slowly down the hallway. You feel a pit of worry deep in your chest and stomach grow.

If Alfie went down and you could’ve done something to prevent it you would never forgive yourself. But short of telling him yourself you didn’t know how to do it. You didn’t have his phone number, you couldn’t call. A telegram wouldn’t get there in time and sending it anonymously would be very difficult if not impossible, and you didn’t have money to pay off anyone.

You make a decision. One that would turn out to be one of the most important of your life and wasn't it suited it would involve Alfie. You go up to Elizabeth’s room and tell the maid you’ve heard from a friend and will be heading out, as she requires your emotional support. You ask her not to tell Harold unless he asks. She asks who the friend is and you tell her to relay that in your haste, you didn’t tell her. You will be back tomorrow certainly and she was to stay with the baby and she’d be compensated for her time. You go to your room and retrieve a dress and clothing suitable for the night chill.

With your coat tight around you, you walk the few streets to Alfie's Home. You silently prayed he would be there and would allow you to come in. You kept repeating the information you’d read to yourself on the way, your feet quick and your head covered with a scarf to hide your appearance so no one would recognize you.

With your breathing now fast and heavy, small puffs of steam from your lungs as you stand in front of his door. Your face is flushed and your skin tight from the cold and exertion. Your hand stops before making contact with the door. Were you really doing this? This was something you didn’t come back from. This was a line crossed and you hadn’t spoken to the man in years, hid from him in public when you’d see him in town, so you weren’t sure if he’s even seen you in that span of time.

You close your eyes and force a knock of your knuckles to the metal surface and wait with bated breath. There is a light inside, you can see it, but it could be from a maid or a guard. If he wasn’t there you weren’t sure what you’d do. You hadn’t planned that far ahead.

With no answer after what felt like forever you knock again. You hear a old familiar voice grumbling and swearing and your jaw tenses. You realize you’re about to come face to face with him and you feel a bit nauseous.

“Who in the fuck is it?” You hear him shout from the other side of the door and you find your voice gone. Your throat right and your breathing stuttering. “I ain’t openin' the fucking door unless you tell me.” he states obviously.

You take a deep breath and swallow. “It’s... It’s Rachel.” You force out. Eyes already wide and nervous.

There’s silence from the other side of the door for a moment. He knew that voice. He could never forget it. He didn’t have to ask Rachel who. He stares at the door a bit befuddled, brow low and face twisted in thought, eyes shifting as if he could see through the door. His hand hovered over the handle and he lets out a noisy breath. In all of these years, why would you be here tonight?

“Alfie?” He hears your say and it’s like a knife ripping open his chest. That voice calling his name haunted him in his sleep for years. The last time he’d heard it called so sweet it had had the same effect on him as you’d told him goodbye.

He opens the door, jaw tight and half expecting a shotgun blast to the chest for his stupidity to open his door to the wife of the man who was out to get him. But that was a big part of what made him open it as well. It had to be something of dire consequences for you to reach out to him. He takes his chances. Pulling back the door, squaring his shoulders and putting up a front of indifference as he was used to, he slowly reveals you standing with your hands clutches to the lapels of your coat, large hazel eyes batting at him on a face that looked fearful and concerned.

Neither of you says anything for a moment. He sees your lips trembling and your knuckles white with tension. You finally break under the hard stare of his piercing blue eyes.

“May I come in?” You ask softly, casting your eyes downward.

“Why are you here?” He asks, his voice now even and calm unlike the shouts earlier.

You open your mouth only to shut it and breathe out forcefully. “I came to tell you something.” Your voice meek and losing any confidence the longer he made you stand outside.

“And it couldn’t wait for a normal time when most people would call upon another person?” He still had his sarcasm down, that was clear and he sees your face stay sad and guarded, not bending to his tone and giving him any hint of annoyance or amusement.

“Please? It’s important. I’m risking a lot to be here right now.” Your eyes still aren’t meeting his, your brow low and your posture slumping. He was making you feel bad, perhaps hurting your feelings and that wasn’t his intention whether that’s what he should want to do or not.

“Come in, love” he eventually says, opening the door and showing you in. He watches you shiver and take the scarf from your head showing the same waves of dark auburn, similar to his.

“Thank you.” You say meekly. You were a shadow of what he recalled. You had been so full of life and self-assured last he’d laid eyes on you so closely. Now your eyes were more sunken, the only color in your face from the cold nipping at your nose.

“What...” he shakes his head and blinks in confusion. “Why are you here Rachel?” Saying your name aloud, having it hit his ears felt strange.

“There are some things I need to tell you, Alfie.” You begin, unbuttoning your jacket. “May we sit? This might...take a moment.” You say with a flinch in your face as if he might strike you for asking. What sort of life had you been living without him? He expected you to be fat and bubbly and a kept woman with Harold. But he found you acting more like a dog that had been kicked one too many times.

He nods, “Here love, let me take that.” he says softly, moving towards you slowly and the way your shoulders tense when he takes your coat from your shoulders makes him have to hide his sadness in his face. His poor little lost love, what had your decisions brought you to?

As you feel the warmth from his hands you want to shudder, not having been touched in so long by anyone for any reason it felt foreign to you. When he lightly touches your upper back you jump slightly as it catches you off guard and you’re ashamed of your nervous behavior.

“You okay? Are you hurt?” He asks as you walk to the living room where the fire roared and piles of books sat around a clearly worn armchair.

“Sorry I’m... no I’m not. Just nervous.” you stutter out.

“You have nothing to fear from me. I stand by my words I last said. I won’t hurt you love, no matter what you’ve come here for.”

“Thank you” is the only reply you can manage. You sit on the couch and he leans over and touches your shoulder, finding you cold and far less plump than he expected for having a baby.

“Would you like tea? I'm getting you tea, you’re cold.” He says and you can hear the worry in his voice for you. You’d missed hearing that from someone.

He strides into the kitchen and brings back two cups, and the taste takes you back to your time with him in an instant. It warms you in a way you didn’t expect as you sip away at it, trying not to appear too eager and stare into the fire as he studies you from his seat next to you.

“You still drink this?” You ask eventually, your face not turning towards him but your eyes look his way.

“I’m a creature of habit ain’t I?” He says with a lighter tone. “I find something I like and I keep to it.” His words sting like a slap to the face and you close your eyes for a moment. Who was this fragile little bird in his home? She certainly wasn’t the girl he once knew.

“I wish I could say the same.” You say quietly, sniffing then clearing your throat.

“Are you okay love?” He asks again, setting his cup and leaning towards you. “Are you in some sort of trouble?” He tries to get something out of you to ease his own nerves.

“Not...exactly no.Not yet anyway. I could be for coming here but...” you let out a sigh and finally turn his way, your back hunched as you leaned towards his crouching frame. “I had to.”

“You’ve got to start speaking in more facts and fewer riddles, sweetheart.”

“The police are going to go after your offices tomorrow. They have warrants and there’s a plan in place.” You say without eye contact as your purse your lips tightly.

“Wh-Why are you here telling me this?” His eyes narrowed and hiding his worry for you and the information's sudden appearance.

“Because if I sat by and let something happen to you, that I could have stopped...I couldn’t live with myself.” you admit, and your shining eyes finally turned to meet his that hadn’t left your pale face.

The words hit him hard. “This...” he clears his throat and thumbs his nose, his weight in his elbows on his knees as he leaned in close and spoke softly in his disbelief he was hearing such a thing from you. “This is Harold’s doin’?” He asks, not being able to bring it upon himself to call the man your husband.

“I saw it in his diary just tonight by chance. I knew my usual way wouldn’t reach you in time.” Your words seem to be coming easier now despite the closeness of him. You could smell the rum from the distillery on him.

“What you mean usual way?” He speaks slowly and his head tilts as your eyes go wide. He was far too clever to speak to when you were nervous. You were far too scrambled in his presence to keep cool and hide your secrets.

You hadn’t meant to word it like that. “I-uh..” you stutter and he sees your breathing pick up, the rising and falling of your chest, the only thing that looked healthy on you caught his attention. He knew you’d had a baby and that must be the reason for it, for the rest of you was slight in your modest dress.

“Rachel.” He says, reaching out and taking your hand and he feels you shake at the contact. “Love stop shakin’.” he says taking both your hands into his. “Now take a breath. You’re safe here.” You look into his eyes and you believe him without so much as a second guess. Those eyes were the same, a bit saddened perhaps but still full of love for you. As you took his advice and took a few slow deep breaths you look down to your hands clasped together.

“I’ve been giving you information.” You whisper as if barely saying it might make the offense not as bad.

“I haven’t spoken to you in years love and seen you almost the same, what do you mean?”

“Your anonymous source. The ones that come from the children and are delivered to you.”

The tension in his mouth leaves, just wide eyes glancing over your face to see if you were lying. “How do you know about that?”

“Because I’ve been paying them to do it.“

“They weren’t in your handwriting I’d recognize it anywhere.”

The confusion you both feel sitting heavy in your chests. “I wrote it with my other hand.” You admit. “So you wouldn’t be able to tell.”

He rapidly blinks before turning his face back to yours. “You’re serious?”

“Why would I lie about it? I’ve been risking being discovered doing it.”

“I’ve been gettin' those for years Rachel... this whole time...?”

“The first year you sent me the flowers.” You whisper swallowing noisily and his face softens. You had gotten them. You had remembered. The realization hits him hard and his heart starts to thump harder. “I started after that.”

“So you have gotten them.” He whispers, his grip on your hands tightening.

“Yes. Every year.” you look at each other and you feel the raised pulses in your gripping hands.

“You knew it was me?”

“How could I not?” The flash of a thought of a smile crosses your eyes.

“You remembered?” his voice makes his disbelief apparent.

“How could I forget Alfie?” Your voice was stronger and more certain. He knew you were speaking from inside now, the fear falling away to honesty.

“You haven’t said a word in years, I thought you’d forgotten me entirely to be honest.” he admits.

You pout and shake your head. “You don’t forget someone when you love them the way I did you.” You say almost offended

“And you’ve been givin' me information this whole time? Taking it from the police and tellin' me?” His voice tells you he doesn’t even know how to believe the statement. The woman he loved, that he thought had long forgotten him had been looking out for him for years.

“Yes. I couldn’t stand having to hear them talk about taking you down. Anytime I got wind of something I tried to tell you.”

“You did that...for me?” He asks with eyes that show more vulnerability.

“Yes.”

“Riskin' being found out by giving me info and coming here tonight to warn me?”

“Yes.” You say stronger.

“But why love?” His face showing his confusion. Why risk everything for a man you willingly left? “You could’ve really gotten yourself in trouble.”

“I know that.” You say more defiantly. “I have my reasons.”

“And you’ll share classified information with me but you won’t share the reasons why you do it?” his voice more demanding.

You feel the words build up in your throat and they burn. They want to be released. “What do you want me to say, Alfie?” You say with a harsher tone, tears appearing in your eyes.

“The truth would be nice, don’t you think?” He states obviously. Pulling your hands back towards him as you try to pull them away. “No Rachel.” He shakes his head and “I let you get away without the fight I should have. I’m not letting you leave here without answers this time.”

“Alfie please,” you rasp out. The tears burning in your eyes. You knew he deserved the truth. He had kept his distance and let you live your life, he could’ve tried to ruin your marriage, even kill your husband but he hadn’t. He loved you and he let you go. With which is something you had never been able to do. “I cant.” you whimper.

“But you can feed me information and worry about me? Put yourself in danger by coming here and doing so?”

“I can’t let anything happen to you. I couldn’t bear it.” your voice cracks and the tears start to fall.

“And why? Why would you leave me and marry another man and birth him a child and still do this?”

“You want to fucking know?” You finally break. A deep breath and a bold stare into his searching eyes make a fire light inside you both. There was his little Rachel. This was the raw and emotional woman he’d been in love with since even before the war. “You want me to admit that I failed? That I made the worst decision of my life leaving you?” The words escape you violently and he holds your hands tightly, his jaw clenched as the things he’s long wondered poured out of you in a display of honesty and vulnerability few ever see. “That the only thing that brings me any inkling of joy is my baby and she exhausts me to the point of forced unconsciousness because I’m left alone all the time? That my marriage is purely performative? I’m stuck without love or touch or even common decency and have been for years? Is THAT what you want to know so badly?” you choke out.

“Of course I don’t want you to have that sort of life love,” he says with a feverish retort “I want to know why you still care if I live or die?” He begs with his eyes.

“Because I... I fucking love you, Alfie. At no point have I stopped! And I hate myself for it and what I’ve done! What should’ve been the best years of my youth are now the darkest and cold I’ve ever known. I loved you but I was frightened! I didn’t want to die but now I see that life without love isn’t worth living for me and it’s all I can do to make amends. All that’s within my power to do is try to make sure you don’t die by the hand of my husband because if that came to pass I would kill myself, do you understand?!” Your breathing is ragged and fast tears fall down your face and you feel so alive. Things you’d never thought would ever admit were now shouted in the face of the man you had known, up until a few minutes ago, would never hear them. You laid your soul bare for him and you did owe him that much for making such a mess of things.

His eyes look at you like they had all those years ago. The same love rested within them that you’d seen even after you broke his heart. And though the face around them was older and more worn now, the eyes remained the same.

“My love...” he whispers, a hand traveling to the side of your face to make you meet his loving gaze but you shut them tightly and whimper. “Look at me Rachel, please.” He speaks with such softness and tenderness you don’t deserve.

“It hurts too much Alfie. Everything hurts so much.” You begin to sob.

“Shhhh, there, there my lovely girl .” He coos, bringing your head to his shoulder, the feel of warmth against you is too much for your weak constitutions. He strokes your hair and you sob, the affection too much to bear. You give in. He knew the truth now, what else was there to hide? You let yourself lean into him, a and wrap your arms around his neck.

“I’m so sorry” You whine.

“No, no, pet I am.” He rubs your back now, feeling his mouth ear your ear. “I should’ve seen you were just scared. I should’ve fought to keep you.”

“I’ve never loved him, Alfie.” You choke out and it felt so good to say.

His chest burns with your confessions. It’s everything he wanted to hear and nothing he wanted at the same time. He thought you were happy. He never wanted you unhappy, and if he’d known...it didn’t matter now though. You had both made your decisions and now you're left with what to do next now that the truth was out.

“I thought maybe I could forget you if I fell into my place. Did my wifely duties and acted proper. But I never did. I should’ve left when I couldn’t get pregnant. It should’ve been an obvious sign.”

“Shhh shhhh” he says wrapping his arms around your body.

“I could've died having her.” You say as your body stills and you feel him tense beneath you. You lean back to see his face and it was just as scared as yours. “ I Laid there alone, bleeding and terrified and all I thought about was how I wished you were there. That I could see you one last time.”

“Rachel..” his face, voice are pained, hand moving to touch your cheek and brush your hair back, looking over the gut-wrenching heartache across your face.

The confessions keep coming and you can’t stop them now. Not with him within a breaths distance of you. “God how I wished she was yours.” You look to his lips, just as soft as they had been as your fingertips trace over them. “I had hoped we had an affair I’d forgotten.” You huff out a noise that was almost a laugh.”That somehow she had been brought into the world with love. That she could be put into her father’s arms first instead of a stranger. You would’ve been there when she was born. You wouldn’t have left me alone. She could’ve been held by someone who would look at her like I do, like she’s the reason for living.” You see the tears in his eyes and you adore their existence, it meant perhaps there was hope, somewhere, somehow for love to exist. “I’m so sorry Alfie.” your voice begs.

“What I wouldn’t give to have given you that.” He whispers, looking over your pained and striking face.

“My God Alfie what have we done?”

“It doesn’t matter what we’ve done. What do we do now?” he holds your face firmly.

You stare at each other in silence. Neither having the answer. How would you begin to remedy this? Was there a remedy at all? You look over the face that sent love and lust through you so easily as a younger woman and it was still having the same effect on you. “Alfie?”

“Yes, love?” He whispers, brushing his nose against yours affectionately.

“Do you still love me?” You ask weakly.

“More than anything,” he says with a low brow.

“Then do what I know you truly want to right now. I see it in your eyes the same as I ever did.”

“Rachel...” He whispers hesitantly.

You lean into his lips and close your eyes. “It has been so long Alfie.” You beg. “So long since I’ve felt wanted and loved as I do right now in your arms. Show me that you love me. Make love to me Alfie. I feel I will live to have more regret than I do already if we do not.” There’s was no going back now. Even if you stayed apart and lived double lives, lied about how you felt to everyone else but each other, things were different now. They couldn’t truly go back to the way they were, not in your hearts.

“Are you sure?”

“Only about you my love.”

And with that, he gives in to you, as if he ever stood a chance. At first, the kiss was chaste. Hard exhales escape you both with pained expressions that gave away the hurt that resides inside you both. A whine escapes you unintentionally as you press against him. Your mouths show quickly the hunger that lives within you both. As his hand moved down your back, clutching at you before taking the back of your head to hold you fast to him, you hear him moan. A sound you never thought you’d hear again. You give it back in full, hands moving to his already messy hair and your lips work fiercely against each other. They part for tongues and moans, lapping against each other with no thought of shame for the needful sounds coming from you both.

He pulls back to your surprise, panting and holding your face. “No way I’m making love to you on this couch. We’re going to bed where I can do it proper like you deserve.” he says forcefully and you follow him without question, hand in hand up the stairs. The room is dark and cold and neither of you care.

You reach to unbutton his shirt as you kiss him, he undoes your dress to your waist where the buttons ceased. You take turns, steps toward the bed as you removed your clothes limb by limb.

You are down to your slip and nothing else, him with undone trousers hanging loosely on his hips. “Get under the covers love, I’ll not have you getting cold." He says, peeling the last layer off.

Watching your body now changed, hip bones more prominent, your bum more round and your arms lean and strong from the baby. He matches you in nakedness, and then in the bed.

Losing no time he pulls you against his chest, hands down your back to grab your bum. You hold yourself against him as closely as possible. You hadn’t felt skin against yours in so long, you hadn’t felt alive since the last time you’d been with him. It all comes flooding back, pieces of memories from your time together. At night in the garden in the rain, in the low light of dawn in a tiny bed barely big enough for you both, in his office on the settee, all different and all bringing you over the edge with sweet words and skilled hips. You’d missed him even more than you thought you had as you let yourself drown willingly in the memories.

You were softer than he recalled. Smaller but softer. He kisses you thoroughly, hand moving from sensual space to space, taking in every new scar and mark that he hadn’t been around for. You clutch tightly to his back and neck, almost fearing he might come to his senses and stop.

He moves you beneath him a swift motion, nothing had changed when it came to the two of you reading each other bodies, anticipating what the other wanted. Only after he has met his fill of your mouth on his do the kisses start to wander to your neck. You melt into the bed, hands holding around his back as you exhale noisily and whimper at the softness of his lips as they work against your neck and chest.

“My god, how have I lived without this?” You whine out, hands moving to his hair first before moving to his face and pulling him back to you. “How have I lived without you?” You whisper before meeting him in a feverish kiss, his hands traveling to your hip and thighs, pulling and squeezing, wrapping your legs around him.

“I have not lived without you, my angel. Let me feel you love, wrap yourself around me, I need to feel you.” he groans between sloppy kisses.

You obey without question. His mouth back to your neck as you hold your hand in his hair, remember the softness and finding it longer now. “Alfie I need you.” You moan without shame. “Please, love.” You whisper into his ear and he takes hold of your hip.

“Do we need protection?” He asks, his head lifting up, having totally forgotten about such a thing up to this point.

“No, darling, it took me years to get pregnant, we’re fine.” You say with a more focused voice as you faded in and out of your responsible selves for a moment. He grunts in response, settling his knees into the bed and reaching between your legs to prepare you as you seemed rather starved for it. There was no judgment in this observation as he was the same, knowing he was hard and leaking already at the thought of coming back home to your body. Your body enthused the same as he found your thighs slick with proof of your honesty behind your words of needing him.

“Rachel, you have never been so wet for me.” He whispers against your lips, finger frictionless between your lips.

“It’s been so long, Alfie, so long. Years.” you whine and he pushes his fingers into you to find you taut and hot.

He watches your face barely visible in the moonlight dancing through the curtains. a flutter of lashes before your eyes roll back. Your mouth trembling open and a lustful moan rising out of it just for him. Your sounds were deeper now, slower and building, rawer than he recalls. He moves his fingers in you, finding their place naturally as ever as he finds you still grasp his shoulders when her circles your clit, some things never change.

“Please Alfie.” A breathy and soft moan in his ear. “I need your cock. I’m more than ready, darling.” You cry and he grasps himself, gliding between your thick soft lips to cover himself in your wetness. “My god...” you whisper, feeling the heat and hardness against you. You had given up on feeling it ever again. You recall the first time you had sex with Alfie. How surprised you were by everything about him. An almost femininely beautiful face, shaven back then. A harsh voice and rough hands from work, same as now, and the thick stretch of him that made you gasp for air just as it was tonight.

“Alright love?” He asks with a tender kiss to your temple as your mouth lies open and mewls as he pushes into you.

“More.” You request, hand snaking to the back of his neck, pressing his lips against yours and keeping a tight grip on him as he buried himself inside you. The lack of hesitancy you had for him was intoxicating. He hadn't felt so full since you’d left, filling you and filling himself simultaneously.

Your grip on each other is almost bruising, his hands traveling the width of your ribs as his lips press soft kisses to your breasts with every slow pump inside you. He handles with you care, like you are as physically fragile as you are emotionally while in his arms. He licks across your nipples, bringing kisses into the heavy weight of them and groaning as his face rests between them as you press them together for him.

“Your body is heavenly my love.” He rasps in your ear, returning from your chest to press his soft lips to your neck again.

“You feel so good, Alfie. Better than I can ever remember.” You whine out before a moan takes away the eye contact you were holding, your head falling back to the pillow. This was what making love was, you think to yourself. He moves slowly but purposely inside you, the slight weight and hang in his stomach you both have from getting older and having a child press against the other, seeing your bodies together completely, finishing it with the meeting of your mouths as he his body moves against yours, giving you the extra touch your body needed. Alfie's touch lit your skin on fire and told yours what it needed before it knew itself. The roaming of his hands, grasping at you with desperation, the other by your head in your hair to keep your face in sight, his insistence to watch your face told you he wanted you, and with his moans, his body told you it needed yours.

His thumb traces over your panting mouth, watching every expression your face made and committing it to memory. “I have missed you more than words can express.” He says softly, your eyes rolling back to meet his.

“More than anything.” You whisper back. You take a quick inhale, rising to touch his face again, to feel the beard under your fingers, the pulse on your palm. “I love you.” You say with a pained express born from the same emotion and pleasure

“And I you. Always.” His face shares your same expression of downturned brows, your eyes continued to tell of the emptiness you felt without the other.

He didn’t know what would become of the two of you, but he knew he wouldn’t make the mistake of this miracle happening between the two of you tonight being taken for granted. This could be the last time he gets you like this, he wasn’t letting a single nuanced flinch of your face go unnoticed.

He hears the sequence of breathing he recalls as he hums with contentment at the sound. He knows what that sound meant. Your thighs pull tight against him, and he holds your hip to keep you in place. He pushes into you harder, a dull slap of skin to skin your toes start to curl.

“Alfie.” You moan and gasp, the same calling of his name he heard in his dreams.

“That’s it my love,” he whispers into your ear. “Let me hear you, please.” He asks with eyes screwed shut for a moment, the pain in his chest from the fear of thinking he’d never hear you again settles.

“Oh Alfie.” you mewl, your skin beginning to tingle, letting your thoughts come through as he wished.

“Yes, love, yes.” He says against your cheek, pressing his face to yours.

“Oh my god.” You gasp, your breathing fast and quick as he hit into you.”Oh my god yes.” he feels your thighs tense and start to shake.

“Come for me Rachel, my love, my god let me feel you again.” As he speaks it overtakes you. Your eyes are now permanently housed, rolled back and fluttering as your back arches and your whole body convulses against his. It comes wave after delicious wave, you’re sure you moan and cry out but you can’t focus on anything but how impossibly good it feels. This was life with Alfie, not only love and care but a deeper satisfaction being met by both body and mind.

Your body remembers before you do of the feel of his hand suddenly tight and still against you. His forehead to yours as it has done hundreds of times before, you hear the shouted wordless cries as his back hunches and you know by the deep home he’s made in you that he’s found his end as well.

You come down together with much noise. Moans continuing as you pant and groan as your muscles shift, the small convulsions of aftershocks that make you both shake. He stays inside you for a while, and neither of you says anything.

You both know you have to go in the sobering air after an orgasm. You kiss softly, hands to faces, eyes spilling out apologies for so many things.

You tell him you’ll figure something out. He kisses you after he helps shield you from the cold in your coat, buttoning it for you. You tell him you meant everything you said. To take care of the warning for tomorrow and you would try to take care of things on your end. He nods and kisses you one last night, truly and honestly believing it would be the last time.

You walk home quickly, only a few hours have passed and the sun is nowhere near up. You could get lucky and return unnoticed.

You’re still thinking about what to do as you’re sipping tea in your kitchen the next day, surprised it seemed you’d gotten away with it. Harold had still been asleep and you paid the maid extra just for not telling him you’d left. What was another secret added to the life-changing night you’d had, after all?

The day passes and Harold comes home defeated and you silently rejoice in your love having bested him yet again. But your celebrating wouldn’t last too long.

Almost two months pass and you stand in your bathroom, wiping the vomit from your face and dress. As you stare at your reflection. You knew this meant a few different things. One, you were most certainly pregnant as Elizabeth had made her announcement of conception in the same way. Two, that it was not your husbands, but Alfies. And three, that the problem with conceiving had never been you as you’d been berated into thinking, it’d been Harold’s.

A twisted sense of revenge is filled within you. There had been nothing wrong with you. And you had proof. You had the child of the man you truly loved growing inside you, just as you’d pretended with Elizabeth from time to time. You only had a certain window to act now, and perhaps it was for the better. Now you couldn’t idle. You just had to come up with a plan.

But both lucky and unlucky for both you and Alfie, fate intervened.

You answer the door not even a week after realizing you were pregnant. A young boy, bent over and gasping for breath and trying to speak stands before you.

“Take a breath dear, breathe.” You say, with the motherly tone you had fallen into speaking with as you only really talked to Elizabeth.

“Mr. Solomons sent me miss.” He gets out and your eyes go wide.

“What is it? What’s happened?” Fear sits fat in your throat at the rushed words.

“He has me run here when the coppers showed up at his house. They were takin' him away when I was running to you.”

“He was arrested? Why for?”

“I heard them saying he was a suspect in a murder case.”

“Oh fucking hell.” you mumble.

“Yeah.” the boy says nodding, standing back up straight now.

“He said to come find you to let you know.”

“And you don’t know anything else?”

“Fraid not.” He says with an apologetic glance. His voice breaks your rushing minds thoughts. “Are you gonna help him miss? If he gets put in jail I don’t know what’ll happen to my family. We live off what he pays me to be his eyes and ears right now

“I’m going to do everything I can to get him out of there.” You say, moving to grab a few pounds from your purse and giving them to him. “Thank you for telling me.”

“Thank you, Miss.” He says with a nod as he hops off the stairs and scurries away.

You phone the maid and tell her to come over, you dress and feed the baby and wait by the door.

Within a few hours, you’re in the police station acting calm and asking questions. Lying and saying you heard your husband caught someone big and you were here to congratulate him. People started talking without any inquisition. With an open file you’re told on the night of the murder he was seen. You ask which night, as you frequently took late night strolls and wanted to know when might be safer to do so. The night in question is the night you were at his home with him. This made you his alibi. This meant your confession was the only thing keeping Alfie Solomons from getting convicted of murder. Multiple witnesses were given, and that seemed awfully suspicious for a crime at night in an abandoned part of town. The whole thing read set up. Perhaps the black star wasn’t for Alfie in the ledger, but for the night when murder would be committed to frame him for. You weren’t sure if it was the influx of pregnancy hormones or the risk of losing him to a false claim but you dismiss yourself politely and go up the stairs to find your soon to be ex-husband.

You find Harold floating and looking very surprised as you walk around the corner.

“Rachel? What on earth are you doing here? Is their an emergency? You should have just called.” He begins.

“I heard you brought in Solomons finally.” You say flatly and he perks up.

“Oh yes come to congratulate the newest town hero have we?”

“May I speak with you for a moment? I’d like to hear what happened from you.”

“Oh, she lives for a bit of gossip.” He teases you and laughs with the other men.

You take him to a hallway to talk. And it would seem happenstance was all about you today as you chose the door to the room Alfie was in to talk in front of. He hears Harold blabbing on again, thinking he’s about to come in to gloat again.

“I’m afraid I have some bad news for you Harold.” You say flatly.

Alfie recognizes your voice immediately and he perks up.

“What’s that?” Harold asks

“He didn’t do it.” You respond in the same tone.

“What shite are you on about woman? Of course, he did it.”

“No, he didn’t. What are the chances of there being three eyewitnesses in an abandoned part of town in the middle of the night? The whole thing is a setup.”

“What do you know Rachel? Leave the police work to the men alright sweetie?” he spits out defensively, giving himself away.

“He has an alibi.” You say with more anger in your voice.

Alfie's eyes go wide as he stares at the door.

“What another child, another slag they’ve paid off to lie on his behalf?”

“No. A very reliable source.”

“And where are they? Why are you here and sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong? You should be at home minding your own bloody business and taking care of the baby.” he says with cold accusation.

Alfie was fuming at how he was speaking to you. Any bit of guilt he thought he might’ve had for sleeping with another man’s wife was gone.

“They’re here. And I’m not going to let you send an innocent man to jail.”

“INNOCENT?” He laughs in your face loudly. “Sweetie you don’t know Solomons from a hole in the ground and you want to speak on a known criminals innocence? Christ Rachel, are you affected in the head?”

“I do know Alfie.”

“On a first name basis are we?” He rolls his eyes and lets out a condescending groan. “What’d he do? Pay for your food at the market one day? Help you jump over a puddle and now you’re gonna claim he’s a good man? He kills people Rachel. He’s an evil and manipulative man who uses people to get what he wants.”

“And so are you.” You spit out

Alfie's brow shoots up and a smile appears on his face.

“Fucking WHAT did you say to me?” He hisses and Alfie hears you make a pained sound and growls.

“You kill people. You’ve done nothing but use me and you're incapable of love. I call that evil.” you angrily whisper.

“You’re as mad as a fucking hatter Rachel, my god. We’re going to call the doctor and see if we can get something to calm you down.”

“No. WE aren’t doing anything. YOU are going to release him because he wasn’t at the docks that night.”

“And what proof do you have?”

“My word.?

“And how would you know?”

“Because I was with him.” You say with such malice in your voice Alfie can feel it. His heart races for fear of what Harold might do and also from being proud and surprised.

“Don’t be daft you were in bed with me all night.”

“Was I? You never do so much as touch me so how would you even know?”

“Get the fuck in here.” he says roughly pulling you in the room Alfie was in. “Do you know this woman?” He asks him, holding you by the arm.

“I do.” He says calmly.

“And how do you know her?”

“Intimately.” He says with such gall it sends a fearful thrill up your spine. “We used to be sweethearts.” He adds.

“You used to fucking what?” He hisses, moving to hold your face tight by the chin.”Is this fucking true? And you better not lie to me because I’ll know!”

“I’m finished lying to you, Harold. Alfie and I were together for a very long time before I, unfortunately, decided to marry you.” you sass back.

“Watch your bloody mouth.” He leans in close.

“Or fuckin' what eh? You lay a hand on her and you’ll have more than framing me for murder to worry about.” Alfie says territorially from across the table, his arms shifting in the cuffs.

“You were with him the night the murder happened? Where were you?”

“At his house.”

“Why?” He says angrily and louder.

“To warn him about you coming after him.”

“You did what now?”

“I told him I thought you planned on coming for him soon.”

“And why the fuck would you do that?”

“Because I didn’t want anything bad to happen to him.” You say sternly. You take a deep breath and yank his hand off your face.

“The time frame on the murder is a few hours, you can’t cover all of that.”

Alfie lets out a deep chuckle from across the table. “You wanna bet?” He smirks.

Harold moves fast and strikes him across the face, grabbing him by the collar and shaking him.

“Stop it you brute! He didn’t do anything! I did” You hit Harold on the back.

“So’kay love, just love taps, this one has a temper innit he?” he spits out blood into the floor.

“Shut up!” He says slamming him into the chair and quickly turning to you.

“Harold I demand a divorce.” you say with a boldness Alfie recalls from your youth.

“You fuckin' what? YOU want to divorce me? After all I’ve done for you?”

“What the fuck have you done for me?!” your voice rises.

“A roof over your head, food on the table and a child for starters!”

“The baby was your idea if you recall! I never asked for it! And not like you were much help in making her with how long it took you to get me pregnant! You’re hardly a man at all!” You shout back and shove him and he slaps you across the face.

Alfie is on his feet in an instant but Harold pulls his gun on him.

“If you take one more step I will fucking shoot you and blame her.” He says glaring at you but speaking to Alfie as he stands still but doesn’t sit. “You’ve never been anything but a little bloody beggar girl have you? Cockney trash. Your mum was a slag your father was a criminal And you’re just the same aren’t you?”

“Better than being like you.” you spit out, rubbing your face.

“You were at his house for hours that night?”

“Yes.”

He takes a deep breath before he speaks “And what were you doing?”

“You already know the answer don’t you?” You say quietly. “Just cockney trash coming together how it should be eh?” You say with your accent coming through.

“You fucking didn’t.”

“I did before I met you and I did that night and I’ll do it again. I want a divorce Harold. I don’t love you. I don’t even like you. I tried. And I couldn’t. Do you know how bad that makes You? That not even I, with my criminal family and my storied past couldn’t manage to see the good in you?”

“And I suppose you think you love him instead?”

“I know I do.” You say getting in his face and Alfie has never been more proud. Or shocked for that matter. You kept your word. You figured something out. "So now you're left with a choice, Harold. You let him go, and no one finds out your wife was fucking a criminal while you slept, or you try to charge him and I'll scream the truth about how this is all a setup and how you're just a crooked as he is." you hiss.

He moves to Alfie and unlocks the cuffs “Get the fuck out of here.” he sighs. No one moves for a weighted moment. “ARE YOU FUCKING DEAF?!” He screams and Alfie takes you by the hand and leaves without looking back. ------ A man was already waiting outside for him, and he pulls you into the car with him, which under normal circumstances would've been fine. But as his man pulls away fast and the motion triggers your nausea and your head starts to spin.

"Oh god I think I'm going to be sick." you groan, trying to steady yourself in the car and grabbing Alfie's knee.

"And rightfully so, love, you should'nt've had to even witness that let alone be handled in such a way." his hand rubs across your back to comfort you. You continue to breathe your nose and out your mouth, eyes shut and hands still tight against him. "Oh you mean actually sick?" he says with realization. "Oh hell, breathe love you're fine." he leans forward, pushing your hair out of your face. "I shouldn't have jostled you so, my apologies." he says softly, his hand still rubbing against your back.

In these few moments, you realize what he was doing was more than Harold had done to ease you during the entirety of your marriage. "Elizabeth. We need to go get the baby." you say as you flutter open your eyes.

"Drive on to her house, eh?" is all he has to say to the driver, and it hits you not only he, but this man who worked for him knew where you live. It said so much about how he'd spent your time apart.

You pull up and give no explanation, having him stay in the car as to not arouse suspicion. You gather a suitcase of your things, heirlooms and clothing, following with Elizabeth's, only bringing the things that couldn't be replaced, as you knew Alfie would have someone purchase the necessities for you. It all happens in a rush and being the well-tempered child, despite whos she was, Elizabeth doesn't pay much mind to the ruckus around her. You have your trunk put into the back of the car, Alfie taking the case of the baby's and placing it in the floor as he helps you into the car, sliding in quickly behind you. And like that, in a span of mere minutes, you'd left your husband, taken your baby and had everything important to you in your life within a close radius.

"'Ello little one." Alfie says, reaching out a finger to the wide eyed bundle in your lap.

She takes him in for a moment, a tilt of her head and prompt bubbling of spit from her lips that you chuckle and wipe away. She coos and lifts a hand out to grab his beard and give it a tug.

"Ah. Yes. Not used to one of those eh?" he asks, nose twitching as she tugs rapidly. You let out a chuckle, and how long had it been since you'd let yourself make that noise? As she brings her hands to his face, patting away at his cheeks as she explores the friendly stranger, you lean forward and kiss his temple. "What's the for love?" he asks, one eye shut so the baby doesn't blind him as he turns to you.

"For you," you say with a soft smile. "Is this alright Alfie? Me and the baby I mean? I'm coming to you with an awful lot of attachments." you say apologetically.

"And we'll handle them all." he says obviously. "I love you. Fully. You don't love parts of a person, darling. And it's not as if being with me is some walk in the park." he grins.

"I'll take all of you as well. Happily." you lean in to share a brief kiss and Elizabeth lets out a squeal and you both laugh before you pull away.

"She seems to approve." he says, wiggling his fingers as he explores his rings with her tiny hands.

"She's never seen me kiss a man before," you explain. "She seems to approve as much as I." another subtle upturning of your lips as you watch your baby chew away at his fingertips.

"Oh, my darling..." he says with a heavy sigh, making you turn to face him at the sadness of the tone. "What sort of loveless prison were you in my love?" he holds the side of your face and kisses you again, but this time the baby is distracted by the shiny rings. "I would have taken you from it if I had known." another chaste kiss. "Never again, Rachel." he whispers. "You'll be kissed every day and I'll make it a point she knows her mum is loved. Just the same as her."

"You really don't mind that she isn't yours?" you force out.

"She is yours. And that's all that matters to me. You." he says with a firm nod. ------ The night, Alfie comes back home, having things to settle and not wanting you to have to lift a finger. His maid helps you unpack, setting up space for you in his room and overtaking a guest room across the hall for the baby. His men bring in a bassinette and pram for you, the food you'd listed that she liked to eat and even a few dolls for good measure. You're breastfeeding a rather cheery baby, being very vocal as she smacks away at you while you softly tell her about the day you'd had.

"And that's why we're going to be living with Alfie now. Your mum is very happy about this and you should be too. I'm sure a happy mum will be much more pleasant to deal with compared to have I've acted as of late little one, and I am sorry for that." you sigh, brushing back the curls on her head.

"Certainly even on your worst days you were lovely." he announces his arrival from the doorway, now in hanging braces and only his loose shirt, untucked and billowing out from his trousers. "I got back as soon as I could love." he says quietly to not disturb the baby. He leans in as you tilt your head up to speak, and gives you a kiss. Something you weren't certain you'd ever get used to. "Did everyone take care of you this evening?" he asks, bending at the waist at your side, a warm and comforting hand on your back.

"They were all wonderful. Thank you, Alfie. Really. I can't say it enough to you."

"You don't have to say it at all." he smiles, a light tap to your chin after he cups the side of your face. You sit in silence as you watch Elizabeth suckle away, gurgling and happy, you wondered if she could feel the difference in the air, the calm and the care. "She's a rather good babe innit she? She's not been fussy a'tall." he muses.

"She is a good baby. Somehow quiet despite the environment she's been in up to this point. But she seems rather giggly today." you smile.

"Good," he states with a nod. "And what of you dear?" he asks, the back of his hand brushing against your forehead. "Ida said you were sick today. Or has the excitement of it all gotten to you?"

"It did but..." you shake your head, a lump rising in your throat. "I have been upset by a few things. Mostly from Harold." you frown.

"Wasn't it you that called him barely a man? You mustn't worry about a thing like him any longer." he shakes his head.

"Well I called him that for a reason..." you begin softly, Alfie can see the change in your face.

"Do go on, love." he says, pulling a stationary chair up to your rocking one, taking your hand to listen. Your stomach flutters, and even though it was too soon for such a thing, it was as if the second little one knew it was home.

"He'd said terrible things of me, accused me of nasty things while we were trying to conceive. And I was always told I was the problem. That it was my fault." You feel his grip tighten on your hand, likely from anger. "But I've come to find that I was never the problem." you say with a shaky breath, turning to look at him, your eyes bright in the dim light of the room as he tilts his head at you in question.

“And how’s that, darling?" he asks, eyes narrowing slightly.

“Because you and I slept together only once and I got pregnant.” you rasp out.

His eyes go wide and he looks at you and your puppy eyes, large with worry. “You...what now?” he rapidly blinks.

“I’m pregnant.” You say clearly.

He sits up straight. “Are you Bloody serious?” he whispers, eyes shifting from your stomach to your face. His other hand moves to wrap around your one, leaning in closer to you as if a further inspection of your honest face might give him more answers.

“Entirely.” you swallow noisily.

“And you're sure its-“ his chin lowers.

“Yours. Yes. Couldn’t be anyone else’s." you shake your head slowly.

He lets out a heavy sigh and furrows his brow. He releases your hand with one of his, moving it place it on your stomach that wasn't covered by the baby in your lap. “We decided to make up for lost time dinnit we?” He says, his eyes moving back up to yours.

“Apparently so." you watch his face, looking for anything negative, but you don't find it. "Although I can't bring myself to mind it.” you whisper, leaning in closer to him.

“Neither can I, love.” He shakes his head. "More than a bit of a shock though innit?" he huffs out an amused sound before taking a moment to look at your face. He leans in and kisses you, you feel the heat of his hand through your dress to your stomach, fingers moving ever so slightly as if he might feel something. “I do love you." he whispers, forehead against yours.

"And I you." you smile back, eyes shut and letting yourself be emersed in the feeling of affection.

"And I'll love this little one here." he pats your stomach. "And I'll love this little one here." he nods to the baby in your arms, he promises. "So may I ask you, in the spirit of making us a family, of making you and them mine... would you have any interest in pushing forward this rather unconventional romance?” he asks, a smirk falling across his face.

"Nothing about us has ever been traditional." you grin. "So why start now?" you shrug.

“It would seem proper, with there being a new little one coming into the world because 'a me 'n all...would you like to get married? As soon as your divorce is final?”

“You...really?" you ask, and the surprise in your face almost breaks his heart, why wouldn't he want to keep you forever?

“Yes. How could I not be? I can’t lose you again.” He says more serious.

"I'm not leaving you again." you shake your head and your lashes flutter with emotion, you reach out to cup his cheek. "I spent all my time worrying about you when I was somewhere else. Despite leaving you because I didn't want to worry." you huff out a soft laugh. "I'd rather worry and be with you than be anywhere else, Alfie. I'm sorry I had to learn that lesson the hard way." you whisper, an apologetic smile tugs at your lips.

"The past doesn't matter anymore, love." he shakes his head, holding your soft palm to his rough cheek. "All that matters now is the future," he states with more certainty than you feel. "And I'd love that future to be one where we're together. We'll make yours and mine one, Rachel. You can finally be my little missus like I used to tease you about bein' when we was younger, yeah? My little Rachel Solomons. My wife. Mother of my children."

"Love of your life." you whisper back the sweet words he used to promise you years ago. After you'd make love in your tiny flat, on your uncomfortable bed, he'd twist your ring finger and tell you how one day he'd be able to buy you a ring, he'd tell you everything you wanted to hear from a man and you'd taken it for granted then. But you didn't plan on ever doing that again.

"Always. I meant it when we's young and I mean it more now knowing what the world is like." his eyes don't hold that whimsy they had the last time he'd said these things to you, but that made it more reassuring to you, more honest. "I love you. Let me be with you so I can take care of you, darling. You deserve that and more. Let me be the one to give that to you." he asks, kissing the palm of your hand as your fingers gently stroked his face.

"I love you, Alfie. Of course, I'll marry you." you say with a smile.

"I will go and get the ring come morning then." he says before leaning in to kiss you again.

Elizabeth interrupts you with a tiny snore from your breast to let you know she's fallen asleep as you laugh against Alfie's lips while he kisses you. You chuckle and pull away. "Let me put her to bed." you whisper and kiss his cheek, placing her in the new crib with her favorite blanket and toy you'd brought with you.

"She looks just like you, love." Alfie says, standing behind you, arms slowly wrapping around your waist and head resting on your shoulder. "And if we're lucky this one will too." he chuckles, kissing the side of your head, hands splayed across your stomach. "Are you ready for bed love? You must be exhausted after the day you've had on top of caring for her and cookin' up my little one, yeah? I've been told by my mother the Solomons babies will exhaust you long before they're born, I'm afraid."

"Lucky I've been taking care of one for a good chunk of my life then, hmmm?" you laugh quietly and turn in his arms. He's warmed to his bones at the sound of it and the sight of you without tension on your face, as he'd only seen you with a veil of worry for so many years.

"Oh there she is." a warm smile appears on his face. "There's the funny little girl I fell in love with. Givin' me hell from the start." he laughs as he holds you close and kisses you.

"And you want me to give you hell forever. What does that say about you?" you hum contently.

"That I'm hopelessly in love with you." he answers. "Come now love. Let's get us to bed. We've got a new life to start together come morning."

"And what if all this love talk has made me not want to sleep?" you say with a cheeky smile.

"Then I will give you whatever you want of me, my love. Tonight and the rest of the nights hereafter."

@fangirlfreakingout @jaegeeeeer @cosettewinchester @lookuptheskyisfalling-blog @brianaisasongbird @cry5t4l-w4rri0r @iliveonchocolateandnetflix @jess2464 @hardygal69 @thegarrisonpublichouse @a-flock-of-angry-pigeons @pootle @negansdirtygirl22 @musingsby-night @wtf-is-wrong-with-this @shine-dont-shadow @vale0413 @lafayettes-baguettes-1 @sxlomons @aphnxrising @emerald-bijou @elaenom @give-jack-a-lightsaber @anrm1 @ultrablackwidower @tinastarkandco @arrowswithwifi  

I just tagged everyone who is tagged in my other Alfie fic, Choking On Sapphires. 

[ms-camucia]

Footnotes’ Chapters

So in procrastinating getting this second-to-last chapter of Footnotes finished, I went back and did something I meant to do ages ago, and actually gave each chapter a title and pull quote summary. I know for me writing-wise, this instantly made going back and figuring out when/where something happened a whole lot easier, it’s a lot more reader-friendly, and it’s something I’ll be better about in the future - I mean, for god’s sake, Alternative Methods managed to have chapter titles from the get go.

Before you call out my first two chapter names as super lazy, it’s because they parallel each other, and really should have just been one chapter, but oh well. Here they all are, for anyone interested, including the Song of Solomon quotes I’m using for the last two chapters, since they don’t have titles yet:

1. The Jedi Alone

2. The Leader Alone

3. From A Certain Point of View

4. A Guardian of Hope   

5. The Ghosts of Yavin IV

6. Forbidden Insights and Stolen Thoughts

7. The Wayward Prince

8. Inebriated Negotiations

9. Fumblings of the Repressed

10. Repercussions and Resolutions

11. The Prince in Disguise

12. A Dance With Death

13. Passions of the Jedi

14. The Leader’s Possession

15. A Mother’s Machinations

16. Lessons in Trust

17. A World Between You and Me

18. The Return of a Certain Jedi

19. Resistance is Peace, Chaos is Order

20. “I belong to my beloved, and his desire is for me.”

21. “All night long on my bed I looked for the one my heart loves; I looked for him but did not find him.”

22. Epilogue: Footnotes’ Footnotes (Come out, and look, you daughters of Zion. Look on King Solomon wearing a crown, the crown with which his mother crowned him on the day of his wedding, the day his heart rejoiced.)

Pull quotes under the cut:

1. The Jedi Alone

Rey felt warmth travel down her spine, and her stomach tied in knots. This… this was not what she was expecting to find at all. Beneath the hurried notes, Rey found - in a much more deliberate, calligraphed script - poetry.

2. The Leader Alone

In the end, that was all they were - just glimpses. Visions just brief enough for his chest to clench - in anger? That was certainly the easiest one. After all, she was the one who left him, when she, of all people... Was it anguish? Sorrow? Those seemed closer. Regret? Best to not examine those feelings too closely.

3. From A Certain Point of View

How did this turn around so quickly on him? How did she know exactly how to rip him apart every time? Rey was right, his ambition, his drive, his dreams - his visions of her - had distracted him yet again.

4. A Guardian of Hope    

Rey took a shaky step back from the podium, and right into a large, warm body. 'I've got you,' came a whisper at her ear as a black, gloved hand slowly ran its thumb down Rey's arm, leaving her shivering in its wake.

5. The Ghosts of Yavin IV

Call it attending a fundraiser, call it giving a speech - Kylo knew what was happening here. They wanted her to be a rallying cry. They wanted to turn her into a weapon. They wanted her as an attack dog. They wanted her face as the one people associated with the power of the Resistance. They wanted to do to her exactly what Snoke had done to him.

6. Forbidden Insights and Stolen Thoughts

These were not the flowery, fanciful words of Ben Solo. This was not a boy extolling the beauty of the world around him, longing for the girl in his dreams. This... this was him becoming someone else altogether, Rey realized, her heart in her throat.

7. The Wayward Prince

For so long, it had been Kylo Ren who had protected him. Kylo Ren, who shielded the tattered remains of the boy who had been Ben Solo. But here, surrounded by opulence and aristocracy - the crusader, the warrior was useless. He needed to be the Prince.

8. Inebriated Negotiations

“You know I’m not going to agree to... whatever it is you have in mind. You’re clearly trying to set something up here for you to win.”

Ben allowed a small smile to cross his face as he twirled her shoe on his finger. “You’d think that. But for you, Rey, I’m willing to give you everything.”

9. Fumblings of the Repressed

Ben Solo currently had the literal girl of his dreams strewn across his lap, he had just confessed more to her about how he felt than he would have ever admitted sober, and instead of her recoiling in horror, she felt compelled to seize his shirt and bite his lip. He was quite convinced that he had never, in his entire life, had so many things go right.

10. Repercussions and Resolutions

As much as Rey found honesty in his declarations last night of only wanting to ‘figure things out’ between them, and claiming that he was only here to discuss terms of ownership with his journal, she knew that it was ludicrous to assume Poe and Finn would trust his intentions.

And now they were all planning on showing up here at the same time.

11. The Prince in Disguise

“That’s - that’s the rest of the Resistance! They can’t see you here!” “Why not? It’s my damn apartment!” “It’s - it’s too hard to explain right now, and it’s the General’s-” “Got my name on it.” “Kriff, Ben, this is not the time for a lesson in property ownership!” “I’ll give you a lesson in property ownership.”

12. A Dance With Death

“Clearly,” Ben hissed, glaring down at Poe as the shard moved closer to his skin “-we have different views of last night’s events. I saw a very real, and very capable threat. I saw a man who had obviously been manipulated with the Force. I saw Rey inches and milliseconds from dying. And I will not allow them a second chance.”

13. Passions of the Jedi

“Please, Rey. Let me know that I’m - I’m not alone in this. That it’s not just the Force, that it's not just our bond - that it’s us - that there’s actually something - something more here.”

14. The Leader’s Possession

"Ben would have died a happy man without Rey discovering that, in his weakest moments, all he could fantasize about was her absolute acceptance of him, and her sincerity in promising to never leave. Why couldn’t he just imagine simple, baseless sex like a normal person?"

15. A Mother’s Machinations

“From what I’ve read so far… I’m not sure... I... want to be a Jedi?”

An ashen look came over Leia’s face, suddenly making her look years older. Shakily, she took another long drink from her tea, the silence filling the air between the General and the would-be Jedi.

“That’s… That’s not the first time I’ve heard - you sound just like Ben.”

16. Lessons in Trust

Quickly, before she could get distracted again, Rey broke away from him - “Ben Solo, you do not get to just… Just kiss me and act like you didn’t- mmmf!”

He sealed his mouth to hers, his hot tongue softly imploring she just… oh. This was so much easier than being mad at him. Ben groaned, and Rey could feel it vibrate through his whole massive body as he crushed his chest to hers.

17. A World Between You and Me

“Stay here. They’ll come back for you.” the lie was like ash in his mouth, his voice dead as he delivered the damning words. The words that would trap her here for years of struggle and starvation. The words she would repeat to herself over and over until they lost their context and meaning, twisting them until they came from her parents, not some stranger in the desert. She would forget who said them, and convince herself that somewhere, she had parents who loved her.

18. The Return of a Certain Jedi

“Wait - Rey, I don’t understand - you called me-”

“Kylo? I know. His - your voice guided me.” She raked her fingers through his hair, holding his gaze as though imploring that he understand. “Ben Solo, Kylo Ren - it doesn’t matter. It was you. It was always you, wasn’t it?”

19. Resistance is Peace, Chaos is Order

"Ben, knowing the full scope and potential of their power here, insisted that they command the Force in bringing varying minds together, making them agree and come to a consensus. Rey was adamant that they take a more passive role, merely showing the path and letting people decide for themselves how, or even if, they wanted to find compassion in their enemy’s soul."

[cottonwren]

A Well Dressed Woman | Part 6

Summary: The garrison is empty, but their cups aren’t 

When Jamie showed up to the Garrison, it was closed. She had expected as much, but entered anyway. Her Oxfords clicked on the tile flooring, and she heard someone pouring drinks as she made her presence known. Her hair was in long tresses down her back, the suit she was wearing prim and proper, as always.

“Alfie Solomons has tried to warn me about you, Jamie Leanne Pine” Tommy told her, walking towards her. He had tried to plan what he was going to say to her many times in the night, but none of those starters were that. “Should I be wearing some type of guard?” He asked with a smirk.

“Depends, Thomas, what did he say I was coming for?” Jamie smirked, stopping in front of him “Cause there are some things you just can’t guard” She teased, looking him in the eye and noticing a fresh cut on his cheekbone “Oh, someone beat me to your pretty face.. What a pity” Jamie pouted, reaching up and brushing her thumb gently over the cut.

“He generally warned that you’re mad” Tommy hummed, his voice low and quiet, a hand placing itself on her waist gently “I told him that I already knew, and I knew what I meant when I told him you were headstrong and lethal”

“Almost sounds like you’ve been singing my praises, Tommy” Jamie told him, gently moving away “Drink? Seems like a good idea, or does his lordship, MP of Small Heath, suddenly not drink in the morning?”

“His lordship? That’s a new one” Tommy laughed, walking towards her and getting out the key for the back of the bar “What do you want to drink?”

“What rum have you got, bartender?” Jamie asked, smiling at him and hopping onto one of the barstools and straightening up her jacket.

“Here you go,” Tommy nodded, pouring her a glass and then doing himself one “What’s a pretty girl doing in a bar like this, eh?”

“Invited by someone, I can leave if you want?” She teased, rising off of the stool to turn and get out of the Garrison.

“No, no. I’d only have to send you another letter and bring you back” He told her, walking back around “Come on, let’s sit down,”

“You’d do all that to bring me into a closed bar, eh?” Jamie asked with a faux coy smile, following him into the booth. “Ooh, private booth and it doesn’t smell like piss or sweat! A first, I must admit”

“You have surprisingly low standards” Tommy chuckled, sitting down and nodding at her to sit down “The booth is for me and my brothers, and despite popular belief, we’re not pigs.”

“Eh, I can believe as much for three of them…” Jamie commented with a hum “You, however”

“Scathing, Jamie, scathing. Do me a favour and tell me which comments are meant to do anything, won’t you” Tommy replied coolly, taking a sip of his whiskey “So, how’d you know?”

“How’d I know what, Thomas?” She asked, pretending to be confused by the question - she knew exactly what he meant, she just wanted to hear it. Jamie wanted to hear him admit his betrayal.

“How’d you know that I was going to open the crate” He asked, now looking at her with a dead eye “Don’t play dumb” Tommy muttered under his breath

“First of all, Thomas, I do whatever the fuck I want” Jamie reminded him, raising an eyebrow “You’ll do well not to forget that. Then, about the container - you’re incredibly predictable, you haven’t made a straight deal with anyone. Ever. Why should I be any different? Because you’re an incredibly good actor? You have feigned affection for many women, all of whom, except one, I have spoken to” Her own words were like harpoons - admitting everything he’d done left a foul taste in her mouth.

“I’ll have to change that, then, if I’m that predictable” Tommy nodded, then tilted his head “I have fucked everyone you’re on about, that’s fair enough, but I haven’t ever pretended to be interested in someone as I am you” He told her, waiting for her reply apprehensively.

“Come again, Tommy?” She asked, awestruck. Jamie did her best to keep a straight face, but really, who could? “This better not be another one of your plans, I swear, I’ll fucking kill you”

“No, love. I mean it.” He nodded. “I mean it, and it’s why I sent that letter, and it’s why I’m talking to you now”

“And it’s why you planned to overtake my business” Jamie replied cynically, rolling her eyes “Tommy, as much as I would love to believe this, and trust me, I would, but this is sounding a lot like another one of your business plans”

“Trust me, it’s not, alright?” Tommy pleaded, finishing his whiskey “Look, let me invite you for dinner. Just us, no business, no fucking cocaine, just us”

Jamie bit her lip, tipping back the whiskey “Alright. Tommy, if this is all a big joke, right, I am going to have to do things to you that I wouldn’t wish on my enemies, and I’m not just threatening. I’m promising” She told him, hating how vulnerable the position left her “Alright?”

“Alright, I’ve got it” Tommy nodded “If that’s the only thing coming to get me, I’m going to live a long life. So, is that a yes?” He asked, wanting to shoot something or to get completely and utterly pissed.

“It’s a yes with a very strong warning label” Jamie nodded, leaning back into the booth “When does this place open? Most pubs in Cradley open at 11am,” Jamie commented, looking out of the booth window and then back at Tommy “Really shows my roots, but I can’t lie and say that I’m not proud of them”

“Opens in an hour, Arthur will be in in half an hour, along with the staff.” Tommy informed her, “You’re welcome to stay, you’re also welcome to do your best to sneak out without anyone seeing”

“That would insinuate that I’d got something to be ashamed of, Tommy, or something to hide” Jamie gasped dramatically and then held a hand to her chest “Do your family not know about you asking me to dinner? Scandalous, Thomas”

“They don’t know, but now you’ve said yes, they will.” Tommy chuckled, a smile breaking through at her dramatics “I have a feeling trying to keep you a secret wouldn’t work,”

“Eh, depends if I’m on board with it - my ex girlfriend, we were together for three years, and only Linn knew.” Jamie shrugged “But if I’m not on board with it? I can make the world and his dog aware,”

“Ex girlfriend?” Tommy asked, lighting a cigarette. “Didn’t know you liked both”

“Yeah, ex girlfriend. Would have been wife if we had any say in it, but there we go. Is there an issue, Tommy?” She asked, not afraid to talk about her past relationships. If she and Tommy were going to be together, he’d find out sometime.

“No, fucking hell, no. My sister, Ada, she’s like that. Her choice in women is… particular, but I have nothing against it.” Tommy shrugged “So, your ex girlfriend…”

“Died, otherwise we’d still be together today. Her name was Barrett, and she was, well, she was everything” Jamie told him with a sigh “You’ll understand, if anyone, but I loved her more than anything - just when we were at our lowest, and Linn was going to the ragged school, Barrett came along.”

“Yeah…” Tommy nodded, watching her face as she recalled the memories, heart aching slightly as he remembered Grace. They were parallels in many ways, but it was becoming more and more apparent by the day.

The door opened, steps echoing shallowly through the tiled hall. Jamie’s hand instinctively went to her gun, Tommy nodding at her and looking through the misted glass “Jamie, relax, it’s a peaky cap. Could do without you blowing my brother to shit, yeah?”

“Tommy?” Arthur called, then his footsteps got louder, making Jamie smirk. This should be fun. He opened the booth door and nodded “Oh. Uh, I’ll leave you be, then”

“Nonsense, it’s worth you two meeting before Polly does and decides to kill me” Tommy nodded “Jamie, Arthur, Arthur, Jamie Pine”

Arthur nodded in acknowledgement and then left rather quickly, which made Jamie chuckle. “Does he think I’ve got the clap?” She asked with a smile.

“Nah, just doesn’t know what to think of you. Your sister is going to think I’ve killed you if I keep you any longer,” Tommy told her, refilling her glass with rum “Doesn’t look like she could hurt a fly, though.”

“She’s catching the train to go out dancing, she won’t notice I’m gone… Solomons isn’t in the area is he, by any chance?” Jamie asked him, clinking her glass with his and taking a sip “If he is, I will break his fucking kneecaps”

“We had a business meeting today, he’s in town.” Tommy confirmed “Probably shouldn’t kill him.”

“You’re not helping his case, I just want to kill him more now you’ve said that I shouldn’t” Jamie huffed, taking another sip and pouting “Linn has told me not to kill him, and I’ve told her I won’t unless he hurts her”

“Are they… you know..? Your sister is a little young for Alfie” Tommy shrugged “Anyway, I was hoping to keep you a little longer”

“You can keep me for a while, then, Tommy. Your family’s going to come in though, aren’t they?” Jamie reminded him “I can barely deal with one Shelby alone, bloody hell”

“I’ve been told I’m the worst of the lot by a very reputable source, or at least it was insinuated” Tommy told her with a wry smile “They normally start showing up when it gets dark,”

“Looks like I’ll take my leave soon, then. Where should I meet you? For dinner”

“I’ll pick you up from your offices, if that’s alright, or should I pick you up from your house?”

“I live in the woods, Tommy, it’s a good idea to pick me up from my office. Don’t want you and your pretty face getting lost” She teased, getting up and kissing his cheek. With that, she was gone, and Tommy was left in the booth. He smiled, finishing the whiskey and awaiting his brothers and their antics.