#peaky blinders meets masters of the air

[evita-shelby]

Thinking of a diane x bucky one shot again and now i need to know whether this picture in this post should be it

[look-at-the-soul]

Behind the scenes- Peaky Blinders (Part 1)

Cillian Murphy x reader

BTS master list

Request

A/N: I wrote this to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the series… right on time before this day ends! I had to cut it into two parts because it got a bit longer… there are no words enough to thank each of you (the peaky fam) for what writing and reading has given me. This little project is really really special and I want to thank @notyour-valentine for tagging me in this request a while ago, thank you for your generosity Val, there’s a little gift between the lines for you. And for the help you provided for another part related to horses♥️

But also @heidimoreton for creating this gorgeous moodboard to go with this story! And my dear @holacia3 for the help you gave me too about horses and @forbidden-forest-witch this is for your belated birthday and the little surprise♥️

Word count: 4,745

✨ Summary: Join us at the stables as Cillian gets riding lessons for his iconic role as Tommy Shelby in the series Peaky Blinders. He came to learn all about horses, but he ended up falling in love not only with them.

During his career, he had played several roles, learned how to walk on heels for Breakfast on Pluto, about space for Sunshine, even played a part in a film that was close to home in “The wind that shakes the Barley” about the historic war between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.

Acting was such a treat to calm -in a way- his hyperactive mind.

He preferred to not answer what he wasn’t willing to do for a role, because he’d probably do anything.

That included riding horses. Which, in reality he wasn’t a bit familiar with.

He had never even been close to one in his life. His driving skills were so poor, how would he fucking manage an animal that big?

Yet, here he was waiting in the living room of the horses sanctuary located in a remote place of England he had never heard before.

The sighting was breathtaking, the air so pure, no city noise, it was quiet, calm, everything he was looking for before the storm started, he had never been on a series before and the mental challenges of this character was the biggest of his entire career, he had never met a man as complex and with so many layers as this Tommy Shelby he had spent weeks reading, the internal turmoil this man has been through after the war wasn’t his only problem, his background included a household with lots of family problems, taking care of his younger siblings while stepping up to build an ilegal business and endless enemies that he would encounter along the way.

Cillian was greeted by the teenager behind the desk and asked him to wait because the trainer hadn’t show up that morning and she rushed to call someone else on a radio.

“Someone will be here shortly, can I offer you something to drink in the mean time sir?”

Cillian chuckled at the sir part.

“Water would be great.”

Turning around, he was able to see through the window, finding a woman galloping at speed and coming down from the horse without really stopping with just a jump.

Seconds later, the same woman entered the reception out of breath and walked straight to the girl.

“Your horse trainer called in sick again.” Cillian heard the teenager say.

“Thanks Willow, can you help me reschedule the appointment with the bank?”

“Sure, Y/N. Will you also reschedule his sessions?” The teenager pointed at him.

Until now, Cillian had only being able to watch her from behind; petite but lean frame, she had black tight pants, riding boots and a cream jumper on, her hair up in a high pony tail cascading on her upper back.

But when she turned around, Cillian was lost for words as the most angelic face met him.

And he wasn’t one bit religious.

“Mr. Murphy nice to meet you, I’m Y/N.” She offered her hand firmly along with a smile. “Our trainer isn’t available today, please accept my apologies could we reschedule?”

He stammered, not knowing what to say.

“Y/N, you could show him how to ride too.” The teenager proposed.

“I thought you’d be on your way to school young lady.” Y/N raised her eyebrows at the girl. God she was just like her aunt.

“Whatever, I was just saying.” Getting her bag, she stormed from behind the counter. “Should I tell aunt Val dinner is cancelled?”

Oh no.

She knew that look, it was the same her aunt would give her.

“Honey don’t tell your aunt anything.”

“Bye auntie! Bye Mr. Murphy!”

“Sorry, so? I think one of our trainers comes back from a horse fair on Saturday if that day works for you.”

Leaning on the counter, Cillian decided to take a risk. There was something about her.

“I’m in a bit of a hurry, would it give you a lot of trouble if you show me?”

“Not at all! I just thought you wanted a professional trainer that’s all.”

He smiled and for an instant, Y/N’s heart skipped a beat.

“Right, well… follow me this way.” She lead the way outside of the property. “Is this some kind of bucket list thing?” Mondays were usually quiet days at the sanctuary, nothing like the weekends when they were usually packed.

Cillian walked next to her, hands inside his pockets. Unsure about how much to reveal.

“I need to learn how to ride.” He chuckled a little, the script was phenomenal and he was extremely excited about it, but until now he wasn’t able to talk about the project.

Y/N guided him towards the stables, he had seen a few in movies or the telly, but being there in person, it was another story, it was huge and his heart got too excited as his eyes found the horses.

“Do you’ve a particular preference for a horse?” Y/N asked curious about the hermetic man before her.

“Racehorses.”

Y/N turned around slowly to look at him. There was a subtle accent different from his voice, but she brushed it away.

Cillian tried to clear his throat, aware of the voice tone he just used, he was still practicing the accent and mannerisms he had been building over this new character.

“Okay… I can’t let you ride a racehorse if you’ve never been on a horse.”

“Why not?”

“Look, horses are just like people, they’ve their own temper, feelings, the know when we’re scared or aggressive, we don’t mess around them… I’d suggest you start with a gentle horse first.”

“You seem to know a lot about them.” Cillian observed the way she was caressing one as they walked.

“I grew up in this place, my grandparents started this sanctuary, my mother was the only child and she kept the family business, then it was my time to take over.”

“How long have you been running this place?”

“Since I was eighteen.” Y/N admitted. “This is Sally, she’s a good girl.”

Cillian observed Y/N’s moves, the way she approached the horses. And she showed him the right way to caress the animal.

“Can I touch her?”

Bringing the hose to her by the muzzle, she giggled. “She says you can.”

“What else does she says?” It felt soft and he noticed the way Sally was moving her ears.

“That she doesn’t believe you, horses are one of the most intelligent creatures.”

Cillian chuckled, accepting the snack Y/N brought over. He was fascinated by the level of trust she showed with each animal, the way each of them reacted, it was so true, as he was noticing little differences in each horse as their own personalities, it was amazing and as Y/N shared more details about the place with him, he found it was impossible to keep lying to her, she had such an energy that was so inviting, giving him a lot of comfort.

Y/N introduced him to all of the horses, caressing each of them, mentioning little details about their personalities or a couple of qualities. She seemed to know them all well and Cillian was marveled by the way each horse behaved with her. Y/N spent a good amount of time explaining him some of the basics.

“I think I learned how to ride a horse before I started walking, all my childhood I was eager to get out of school to come home and run straight to the stables. They’ve been with me through my worst moments, they own such a healing power humans do not understand about, they’re pure creatures… sorry, I’m boring you.” She mumbled feeling her cheeks burn.

“Not at all, I find it fascinating… the way you talk to them and about them, it’s magical.”

“Y/N! The foal is coming early!”

Y/N’s face went blank they still had a few week left. Turning to Cillian she apologized, but she needed to be there, so she asked Jonah the guy how took care of the saddles to show Cillian around while she was gone, but it could be hours.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be fine, I’m staying at the small bed and breakfast that’s close.”

And he saw her run out of the stables, Jonah explained to him they built a small facility to those special occasions. The boy around his early twenties showed him the racks full of saddles and other equipment they used, he was surprised by all of the things they had around to use with the horses.

It was until around nine o clock when Y/N came down from the stairs, after taking a long bath, she had been so tired helping in the delivery that she just wanted a cup of tea and head off to sleep.

“Jesus, what are you doing here?” She gasped closing the robe tight against her body, she wasn’t expecting to find Cillian sitting by the window.

“Well I asked if I could use the books you’ve here and they said it was alright.” He smiled gently pointing at the pile of books he placed on the table next to him, an empty cup in the corner.

“You’ve been here reading since I left the stables?”

He chuckled a little, not aware of the track of time, he had been reading. “Yes, they’re fascinating.” He debated himself whether revealing her the truth or not.

Y/N threw him a puzzled look.

“You live here? Upstairs I mean.”

She nodded. “Yes, the house was so big so I turned the first floor into the main offices, the kitchen is in the back if you need anything.”

“Thanks, I’ve been looking around at the portraits, hope you don’t mind.”

Just as Y/N was about to answer him, a loud thunder echoed through the property. it was so loud it felt like the house would come crashing down. The sound of droplets of rain against the windows followed right after.

“I’d love to stay and talk about the books with you but I really need to go.” Y/N explained just as she rushed upstairs to get changed when she came back down a few minutes later, he noticed her hair was pulled back in a loose braid, cascading down her back.

“Wait.” Cillian stopped her placing his hand on her arm, “can I come with you?”

She was unsure because of his lack of knowledge, but Cillian seemed to read her mind. “I promise to stay back.”

“Okay.” She nodded and offered a rain jacket from the small closet next to the door.

“Is everything alright?” Cillian asked her with curiosity after getting in her vehicle to protect themselves from the heavy rain.

“It’s one of my horses… he gets pretty scary of this terrible weather.” She explained absently, holding the steering wheel with such force that made her knuckles turn white.

“Tell me about him.”

“Thunder is… special, he was born on a night like this and I know doing this sounds ridiculous, but how can I stand there and do nothing?”

She looked at him for an instant, all of her feelings right there in the surface for him to see and read. Cillian nodded, fighting against the lump on his throat that formed after detecting the passion in her voice.

In silence, Cillian followed Y/N inside the barn rushing immediately towards Thunder.

“There it is my good boy.” She started caressing the horse by the muzzle, gently. The horse was extremely agitated. “Everything’s fine… just a loud noise, you know that.”

Cillian found himself staring at her, unable to look anywhere else, he was under some kind of spell.

“Shh, shh.” She held the horse by the curb rein, -he now knew some of the horsemanship-. “Listen to me, Thunder.”

Marveled by her tactics and control over the horse, he couldn’t help it but start whispering a Romany poem he recently learned as part of the script for the series he was working in. Locking eyes with the beautiful animal, he felt like time stood still, it was as if the horse was going through every layer of his mind and soul and the rest of his surroundings faded away. Eventually, the horse started to give in, coming to a calm state.

“What did you do?” Y/N asked squinting her eyes. “It takes me ages to calm him down.”

Cillian shook his head, realizing the deep connection with the horse was gone but it was impossible to explain that it wasn’t him… it was his character’s nature. It was in his blood.

“It’s a poem.” He admitted quietly noticing the storm was coming down.

“In a foreign langua-?

“Thunder!” A boy stormed through the barn directly in the horse’s corral.

“Arlo what are you doing here? You’re supposed to be sleeping.”

“I thought Thunder might get scared.” He argued, poking his head in to make sure the horse was safe.

“You’re not allowed to come here by yourself in the middle of the night.” She argued.

“But Muuuum!”

Cillian’s heart skipped a beat.

“No buts, Thunder is perfectly fine.” She transformed into a completely different person. “We’re going back to the house right now.”

“Who are you?” Arlo gave him a look, a serious one.

“I’m showing him to ride a horse, focus… on the truck now.” She then turned to look at Cillian. “The only road that could take you to the b&b is probably stuck, it would be better if you stay at the house tonight.”

He wanted to argue, but judging by the intensity of the storm, she was right.

“Sure, thanks.”

She touched the horse’s nose a few times before closing the gate. Cillian followed them in silence, still moved about what just happened with that horse.

“How long are you staying?” Arlo asked Cillian from the back seat.

“A week.”

“What’s your favorite horse?” The kid asked.

“Arlo, it’s late and Mr. Murphy is probably tired.”

He shook his head. “Just Cillian please and it’s fine.”

Y/N’s breath caught in her throat as she saw Cillian giving her a wink and tilting his head.

Parking the truck, Arlo flew inside the house, leaving a wet patch on the floor of his footsteps.

“Boots and bed.” Y/N instructed with a firm voice. “You can stop by tomorrow morning to meet the new Filly.” Cillian saw her kissing the top of the kid’s head and the hint of a smile spread on her lips. “Sorry about that.”

“He looks like you. Must be awesome to have them help you around.”

Y/N made a face. “Them?”

“Arlo and his father?” Cillian asked in confusion.

And now she was moving her head from left to right. “There’s no father around, he left us after learning I was pregnant.” Y/N looked towards the stairs where her son disappeared a few minutes ago, shuddering. “Can I offer you some tea? It’s cold.”

“‘M sorry… shouldn’t have assumed.”

Brushing off the topic, she started the kettle and Cillian went back to feel extremely comfortable around her. And considering the personal revelation she just shared with him, he needed to be honest in return.

“I’m working in a project that involves horses, but like such a real passion for horses.” He ended up confessing after meeting all of them.

“That sounds interesting.” She admitted but decided to not ask further.

“Yeah,” Cillian ran his hand over the back of his neck. “I need you to show me everything about them… please. I’m portraying a character that involves a man that used to be in love with them, horses are a huge part of this man’s soul, it’s for a BBC series.”

Y/N turned with two cups in her hands, her mind trying to register his words.

“I-I’m an actor.” Cillian revealed after an instant. “But I need you to keep this between us because I signed a confidentiality contract and I could get kicked out of it.”

“Goodness I’m sorry, thought I had seen you before but I couldn’t remember where,” an adorable blush turned her cheeks pink, “I hope you understand I don’t go to the movies a lot, my whole life is this sanctuary and my son…”

“Please don’t even say it.” He chuckled. “I actually prefer it that way.”

“I think the last movie I saw you in…” Y/N stared into the ceiling thinking about it, “was it Inception? Probably.”

Cillian smiled and he lighted the entire kitchen with it.

“Yeah.”

Pouring both cups, Cillian stood up to take them from her hands.

“So uhhm… this project? Why exactly do you need a racehorse?” She asked cautiously.

“My character is a bookmaker, he arranges races… it’s placed in 1919 so he moved around horses after World War I. It’s quite interesting.” Cillian raised his eyebrows in appreciation for the tea after taking a sip. “Fascinating actually.”

“Definitely sounds intriguing.” Y/N admitted leaning her elbow on the table.

“As soon as I started reading the script I was attracted into his world.” He smiled, revering when he got the call for the audition. “Sorry I don’t want to keep you up.”

“It’s fine, I’ll stay for a little longer checking some paperwork.” Her thumb rubbed a chip in her mug. “So would it be okay if I show you everything? From brushing the horse, how to hook the saddle? The way you should approach one?”

Leaning back, Cillian looked at her with his head tilted to the side. “I actually need to learn how to ride bareback.”

****

The following morning, Y/N was preparing the lunchbox for Arlo when a deep voice startled her.

“Good morning.” Cillian saw the little jump she did.

“Hello, did you sleep well?”

Nodding, he smiled in her direction. “Thank you for the accommodation, much better than the B&B.”

“So! I just came here to check the new-” Val announced from the front door just as Arlo stormed into the kitchen but she cut herself when she spotted a man in the corner, “horse, but I see you’re busy.” She replied looking at you. “Just wanted to say it’s highly approved by the comitee. Hello, I’m Val.” She greeted Cillian.

“Nice to meet you.”

“Val…” Y/N added as a warning, knowing how Val was.

“What? It fills all the requirements… great breed, elegance, experience.” She made an OK with her hand.

“Val.” Y/N repeated. “Arlo go or you will be late for school.” She kissed the kid goodbye and felt Val’s eyes on her.

Of course her best friend wasn’t talking about a goddamn horse!

“How about I see you later today? I’m about to get a bit busy.” Y/N asked, she needed to get her friend out of her house before she could keep talking about Cillian as if he was a horse. “We’ve a riding lesson about to start.”

“Have a great time at the barn!” Val gave her a look before leaving them.

After a quick breakfast, Y/N gave him a pair of high boots and introduced Cillian to the different tools they used with the horses.

“To check the heel, you have to take your horse from here.” Y/N showed him how to carefully bend the horse’s leg. “It’s important to let them know that you know what you’re doing. They’re very sensitive.”

Cillian watched intensely every single move she made, how her tone was soft while she had a firm grip on the horse. He couldn’t get to move his eyes from her as she used one of the many tools to brush the mare’s neck.

“They also love to get petted.” Y/N added as she noticed Cillian got quiet. “Would you like to give it a try?”

Finally snapping from his trance, he took the brush and tentatively started to brush the mare.

“She likes that.” Y/N encouraged him noticing the little noises Goldie was making.

“She’s beautiful.” Cillian complimented.

“One of the most gentle ones I’ve seen so far.” Y/N caressed the mare from the other side, giving Cillian space to get comfortable around Goldie. “Her owner, Cia is a great friend and client.”

“And I assume the name is because of the color?” Cillian asked with interest, toiling the soft texture of Goldie.

Y/N nodded profusely.

“She’s recovering from an injury so well, now just needs some rest and she’ll be able to go back on the road in no time.” Cillian noticed the way she whispered to Goldie, looking straight into her eyes.

And she showed him how to get Goldie saddled, adding important tips and tricks to do it right, how to do it properly. It took him a few tries to do it right, but Y/N was so patient, she even admitted that was a virtue she had to thank the horses for.

“Y/N I’m sorry for not coming yesterday.” A woman approached them. “They said I could find you here.”

“Brie don’t worry, is everything alright?” Y/N asked while she eyed Cillian from the corner of her eyes.

That’s when Bries’s eyes sparkled. “Yes! Oh! Y/N… I’ve something to tell you.”

Cillian didn’t even look at them, he was totally engrossed on Goldie, all of his senses on brushing the mare, carefully to not stand behind her just like Y/N instructed. She had been answering all of his endless questions.

“Brie what’s happening?” Y/N looked at her horse trainer with curiosity.

“I just found out I’m pregnant!” She explained with excitement, unable to contain it or hide it any longer.

Y/N pulled her for a tight hug. “Brie, congratulations! This is the best news.”

There were tears in her eyes. “That’s why I couldn’t make it yesterday, I got morning sick and stayed in bed all day. But everything is perfect!”

Y/N couldn’t be happier, by the corner of his eyes, Cillian noticed the genuine smile on her face.

“Okay, so how about you go into the office and help me with the paperwork? I will be in charge for the training from now.” Y/N wrapped her arm around Brie and gave her a tender squeeze. “Made some sandwiches, help yourself.”

“That’s delicious! I brought some chips because, well cravings!” She chuckled giving Cillian a quick glance, it had been ages ago when Y/N went to the barn to give riding lessons.

Turning again towards Cillian, Y/N noticed how good he was, and he learned fast. “You’re a natural.”

Cillian smiled pleased with his improvement, he couldn’t wait to get on the horse.

“Got the best trainer to teach me.”

As time was flying, she noticed it was almost time for Arlo to come back home. “Look, how about we take a break? I need to make lunch for my son but you can join us if you want.”

“I don’t want to disturb your dynamic, Y/N.”

Y/N shook her head. “Non of that.” After caressing the horse’s ears, she added; “come have lunch with us.”

Leaving the boots right next to Y/N’s, Cillian changed into his shoes as they walked into the kitchen, finding Brie with her back at them.

“I hope you don’t mind, I made some pasta.” She smiled at them. “Enough for all of us.”

“Brie you’re going to spoil me just like that baby with some delicious food all the time? I mightjustb open the guest bedrooms and rent them.” Y/N joked leaning over the pot, the smell made her stomach growl.

“Well given the financial circumstances that isn’t a bad idea.” Brie admitted.

“Congratulations.” Added Cillian from the corner of the kitchen.

“Thank you!”

“Mum! I’ve already chose a name for the filly!” Arlo’s voice resonated from the entrance.

“Hello, good evening to you too, can you show some modals please?”

“Hello!” Arlo went to wash his hands and started helping his Mum set the table, Cillian offered to assist the kid. “Do you like riding?”

Looking at him, Cillian nodded. “I’m hoping I won’t be an embarrassment.”

“It’s easy!”

Cillian chuckled at him. “You say that because you were born riding.”

“Are you friends with my Mum? Does it means you’re my friend too?”Arlo gave him a hopeful look. Cillian answered him with a nod. “She needs some.”

Catching the last part of the conversation only Y/N approached them with the food, Brie following her steps.

“I need you to not bother our guests.” She answered and disheveled his hair playfully.

“Y/N I was thinking on what you said.” Cillian looked at her cautiously. “If you want of course… I could pay you and stay here instead of the B&B.”

“Are you sure?” Y/N asked considering his offer.

He nodded. “I rather stay here and use the driving time from there to here and back in learning more.” Deep down he loved the familiar energy.

“Mum, say yes! I can show Cillian my cars collection!” Arlo suggested excited.

“Well, yes. How can I say no?” She accepted earning a round of happy chants from everyone.

By the end of the day Cillian learned how to get the horse saddled, it was so important to hold it firmly in place. But also he learned to listen to the horse, he needed to make sure the horse was comfortable. Y/N suggested they could go for a walk and take the horses, it was extremely important for Cillian to learn to control the horse while being on the ground first to then be able to ride one.

The following day, they spent a good amount of time working on showing Cillian how to get on the horse, it took several attempts. It was harder than Y/N made it look. But Cillian was determined to give all of him. And more than once, he found himself staring at her until she motioned him to get closer to have a better look and he’d snap out from his trance.

In just a few days he realized Y/N had a very kind heart judging by the way she treated the horses, she showed them respect and loved them with every fiber in her body. The work she did was admirable, being right there away from everything and everyone allowed him to really understand a fundamental part of his character.

By the third day in the facility, Cia paid Goldie a visit, she wanted to take her mare back home but Y/N suggested waiting a few more days until she was fully recovered. While Y/N walked Cia to her vehicle, Cillian decided to stop by Thunder’s corral.

“Hello! Is Y/N around?” Val approached him. “Arlo said she was here.”

“She went to walk Cia out after checking her mare.”

Val doubted whether to ask him directly or not, but she knew her friend better than anyone. “I hope you don’t find me or what I’m about to say rude… but I’ve seen the way you look at her, Brie says Y/N is smiling again, something she hasn’t done much apart from Arlo of course. Do you like her?”

Cillian took a step back, surprised by Val’s sharp eye. But he ended up nodding.

“Don’t look at me like I grew another head, I care about her but I also know she has been disappointed and hurt before,” Cillian looked down, not knowing what to do or say, “she likes you, secretly.”

Val’s words made him snap his head up to look at her.

“She does, I can see it in her eyes… so all I ask is give her time, slowly just like you would start riding a horse, you don’t go galloping after getting on them. She’s like a wild horse after getting kicked so many times, she acts on defensive mode but underneath she’s a softy.”

And just as she arrived, she left, leaving Cillian alone to face an avalanche to a door he closed because when he signed the contract for the Peaky Blinders series, he decided to end the relationship he was in and making the firm decision that he’d focus on this project only.

But sometimes, life has a different plan than yours.

“I came here willing to learn how to ride, but I think I’m getting so much more than that.” Cillian confessed to the thorough, extending his hand to caress the horse’s muzzle.

***

Part 2

A/N: Nothing, just THANK YOU! ✨♥️🚬🥃

Tag list: @lyarr24 @runnning-outof-time @cillmequick @datewithgianni @cloudofdisney @gretelshelby @gypsy-girl-08 @lespendy @onlydeadcells @fastfan @stevie75 @prettylittlehoneyeyesxoxo @esposadomd @forbidden-forest-witch @ange-thoughts @moral-terpitude @elenavampire21 @forgottenpeakywriter @thenattitude @winchestergirl22 @zablife @elk96 @heidimoreton @imichelle-l-rigby @allie131313 @already-broken144 @peakyscillian @babaohhhriley @shelbydelrey @shaddixlife @sloanexx @sydneyyyya @adaydreamaway08 @pono-pura-vida @thomashelbyswife @darleneslane @everythingelseisextra @kmc1989 @rangerelik @lovemissyhoneybee @ironpen @kittycatcait219 @shelundeadxxxx @speckledemerald @creativepawsworld

[forasecondtherewedwon]

second's (eclectic) masterlist

Hello! Under the cut, you’ll find all the fics I’ve written for these fandoms:

television:

The Artful Dodger ⁎ Bodyguard ⁎ Bridgerton ⁎ Daisy Jones & The Six

Daybreak ⁎ Deadly Class ⁎ Dickinson ⁎ A Discovery of Witches ⁎ Dollface

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier ⁎ For All Mankind ⁎ Gilmore Girls ⁎ Hawkeye

Heartstopper ⁎ The Irregulars ⁎ Loki ⁎ The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Masters of the Air ⁎ My Lady Jane ⁎ Nancy Drew ⁎ Never Have I Ever

Peaky Blinders ⁎ Percy Jackson and the Olympians ⁎ Preacher

The Queen's Gambit ⁎ Riverdale ⁎ Sanditon ⁎ Schmigadoon! ⁎ Sex Education

The Sex Lives of College Girls ⁎ Stranger Things ⁎ Ted Lasso

The Umbrella Academy ⁎ WandaVision ⁎ Why Didn't They Ask Evans?

The Wilds

film:

Avengers: Endgame ⁎ Black Widow ⁎ The Hunger Games ⁎ Inception

King Kong ⁎ Marriage Story ⁎ No Time to Die ⁎ Spider-Man ⁎ Star Trek

Thor: Ragnorak ⁎ Top Gun: Maverick ⁎ Twisters ⁎ Wonder Woman

daisy jones & the six

E / 3k / Eddie x Camila - “Just Like Andy Warhol Said”

T / 1k - “Life and Death in Laurel Canyon”

E / 4k / Karen x Graham - “Typical Wonderful View”

deadly class

E / 5k / Petra x Billy - “Rats’ Waltz”

E / 9k / Petra x Billy x Lex - “We Test on Rats”

dickinson

M / 2k / Emily x Sue - “Another Dickinson”

T / 1k - “How Luscious Lies”

G / 376 / Emily x Sue - “Lands Away”

a discovery of witches (phoebe x marcus)

E / 2k - “Gladly Be a Fool”

E / 3k - “The Night Today”

the falcon and the winter soldier

T / 7k / Sam x Bucky - 3 Simple Rules for Dating a Centenarian

T / 1k - “À la Carter”

E / 5k / Bucky x Sarah - “Chasing Water Pumps”

E / 8k / Sam x Bucky - The Great Madripoorian Snake Off

T / 3k / Bucky x Sarah - “Guest Side Story”

T / 3k / Sam x Bucky - “Never a Gull Moment”

T / 4k / Sam x Bucky - “Stare Enough”

T / 2k / Sam x Bucky - “They're Sayin' (You're Gonna Be My Man)”

for all mankind

T / 1k / Margo x Sergei - “The Bridges of Madison”

G / 286 / Pam x Ellen - “Ode to the Front Porch”

T / 1k - “This Mortal Doyle”

gilmore girls (rory x jess)

E / 11k - Dreams I’ve Yet to Find

E / 24k - You Need Me to Be With You

the hunger games

E / 2k / Peeta x Johanna - “Elevator Pitch”

E / 2k / Katniss x Peeta - “Finally, Finally”

E / 4k / Katniss x Cato - “Lonely at the Top”

loki

G / 1k - “If You're a Robot and You Know It, Clap Your Hands”

G / 1k - “Mr. Second Chance”

T / 2k - “Riding in Cars With Lokis”

my lady jane

T / 1k / Guildford x Jane - “After the Horse Has Bolted”

E / 3k / Jane x Guildford - “Bad Latin”

E / 3k / Jane x Guildford - “Emotionally Stabled”

E / 15k / Jane x Guildford - It's Enough, It's Enough

E / 4k / Guildford x Jane - “Pure Grey”

T / 4k / Stan x Frances - “So, Hey, Check Me Out”

E / 1k / Jane x Guildford - “These Days Forth”

never have i ever (devi x paxton)

E / 4k - “Boy Meets Girlfriend”

M / 2k - “No Harm, No Towel”

T / 4k - “Runaway Ride”

M / 5k - “Swimming the Sonoran”

peaky blinders

E / 15k / Tommy x Grace - The Grand Dream of Things

E / 3k / Tommy x May - “Preferred Pastimes”

percy jackson and the olympians (2023- )

G / 830 / Sally x Poseidon - “but for the grace of gods”

G / 1k - “lullaby for a rottweiler”

T / 1k / Percy x Annabeth - “salt-and-vinegar dreams”

G / 967 / Percy x Annabeth - “soundtrack to a tooth alignment”

M / 875 / Sally x Poseidon - “a tall, tall tale no one believes”

sex education

E / 3k / Ola x Lily - “and the stars (they all aligned)”

E / 2k / Maeve x Isaac - “Please May I…?”

star trek

E / 3k / Bones x Carol - “The Deserted Planet, the Gorgeous Woman, and the Goddamn Torpedo”

E / 7k / Scotty x Jaylah - Something to Fix

stranger things

T / 2k / Steve x Nancy - “Always Mr. Right”

T / 458 / Eddie x Chrissy - “And Here’s to You, Chrissy Cunningham”

T / 1k / Lucas x Max - “The Kate Escape”

T / 1k / Lucas x Max - “The Lovers’ Lake Effect”

ted lasso

E / 8k / Keeley x Rebecca - “Cat Ladies”

T / 1k - “Crimminology”

E / 2k / Roy x Keeley - “The Halftime of It”

E / 3k / Ted x Sassy - “Sass Backwards”

wandavision

E / 34k / Darcy x Jimmy - Hex Life

G / 1k / Wanda x Vision - “Mailbox Blues”

T / 1k / Wanda x Vision - “The Neighbour Never Rings Twice”

G / 1k / Wanda x Vision - “One Papaya, Two Papaya”

T / 26k / Darcy x Jimmy - Only in a Sitcom

G / 1k / Wanda x Vision - “Our Names in a Heart”

why didn’t they ask evans? (frankie x bobby)

E / 2k - “One-Man Chauffeur”

E / 5k - “Sailors’ Hands”

the wilds

T / 2k - “Fourth Coming”

T / 738 - “Interviews by the Pool”

T / 1k / Shelby x Toni - “a verse about expecting the worst”

one-offs

Avengers: Endgame : Dolls' Eyes

Black Widow : “Same Day, Different Jumpsuit”

Bodyguard : “Don’t Ever Let Me Start”

Daybreak : “Garden-Variety Monsters”

Dollface : “Fender Is the Night”

Hawkeye : “An All-American January Christmas”

Heartstopper : “we sum up perfection like a handbook”

Inception (2010) : “Je Ne Regrette Rien”

The Irregulars : “The Sun Is Coming Up (I Think It’s Time)”

King Kong (2005) : “I’m Actually Quite Familiar With Your Work”

Marriage Story (2019) : “the whole night and the next day together”

No Time to Die : “The Blood You Owe”

Preacher : “Lonely, Handsome”

Sanditon : “Finding Georgiana”

Schmigadoon! : “I Fleetly Flee, I Fly”

The Sex Lives of College Girls : “An Abundance of Caution Tape”

Thor: Ragnorak : “In the Arms of the Anus”

Twisters (2024) : “get ya thinkin' (that you need me)”

The Umbrella Academy : “The Park Across the Way”

Wonder Woman (2017) : “Unconquered”

my fic masterlists

10 fics - the artful dodger

10 fics - bridgerton

13 fics - the marvelous mrs. maisel (midge x lenny)

12 fics - masters of the air

13 fics - nancy drew

13 fics - the queen's gambit (beth x benny)

38 fics - riverdale

71 fics - spideychelle

21 fics - top gun: maverick

[kkmix-writes]

Welcome to my little world of daydreams

Thank you for visiting my blog, where you will find everything related to history, writing, and love.

This is an 18+ blog due to the mature, thematic content in my writing, and it should be read with attention to the tags listed.

Pop by my inbox and feel free to ask questions, prompts, requests or just say hello. I love hearing from you all!

A03 Profile Current Works in Progress:

Twenty-One Doves (Masters of the Air: Bucky x OC)

Felicity Steele has lived in Thorpe Abbotts her entire life, spending each regimented day to the minute looking after her father and scraping by as a laundress. When war brings the 100th Bomb Group to her front doorstep, Felicity fights the changing world around her, desperate to hang on to the normalcy she thinks she desperately needs. Until one morning, John Egan stumbles into her laundry and unravels her carefully orchestrated life at the seams, making her confront all she thought she knew.

Completed Works:

The Sapphire Lioness (Peaky Blinders: John Shelby x OFC)

Caroline Rivers is a woman forced into a life as a frontline nurse during World War One. Conflicted by her duty to support her family while searching for a way out of her hard London lifestyle she collides with a soldier by the name of John Shelby who threatens to pull her right back into the fray. Caroline and John both grew up fighting for everything they wanted to call theirs. But neither was prepared to have to fight for a love that caught them by surprise in the midst of a war without end.

Ends of the Earth (Top Gun: Maverick: Bradley Bradshaw x OFC)

If there is one promise I will keep to myself, it is this. I, Liv Hayes, will never, ever go anywhere near a man in the Navy again. Not ever. There was nothing but trouble and heartache waiting down that road.

The choice of joining an ocean swimming club in San Diego will turn out to be her greatest test of that promise. After meeting her mysterious swimming partner, Bradley, on her first day, a man who keeps to himself as much as she does, Liv will have to question everything she thought she knew about love and find out how committed she can be to that promise.

On the Shelf:

In the Shadows of the Desert (Peaky Blinders x SAS: Rogue Heroes)

"In the Shadows of the Desert", unfolds against the backdrop of the North African Campaign during World War Two, where Raven Cherwell, a young and versatile woman with a talent for assuming different identities, finds herself entangled in a high-stakes mission orchestrated by Winston Churchill and Tommy Shelby. Tasked with infiltrating enemy lines and relaying crucial information, with the help of a SAS soldier by the name of Declan Shelby, Raven navigates the complexities of espionage, duty, and personal identity. As she faces challenges that push the limits of her abilities, Raven must confront not only external threats but also the shadows of her past, complicated by her growing feelings for her young and handsome counterpart tasked with seeing her plan through.

A stand-alone follow-up to "The Sapphire Lioness." It is recommended that you read it first, but not necessary to understand the events of this story.

[saintsir4n]

Girl, I just reread Until we meet again, after watching Masters of the Air on AppleTv (it’s a WW2 based around pilots during that time period) and has ✨the boys✨ (Callum Turner, Austin Butler and Barry Keogan). Would definitely recommend. I find that a lot of writers especially POC struggle to write stories during these time periods due to racial constructs set around those time. But, I think with your story you are able to write a main character that is desired not in a festish way but as a character that has skills and attributes that make her likeable. I’m dying to find someone to fan girl over this show with me, cuz the guys are something else.

Also Callum Turner is currently my white boy of the month, so I had to put you on, he was also in the boys on the boat (and he definitely looks better as a blonde) but all the real girlies know him as Theseus Scamander from Harry Potter Universe!!! 💖💖

-🐜

I’m so happy you enjoyed and also reread my peaky blinders story! I’m grateful you think I can write POCs in period pieces, I think if can be hard but once you get into it becomes easier. And I also heard about the Callum turner show/ film, I want to watch it so badly especially because I really like Callum. I’ll let you know when I start watching because I thankfully have Apple TV for the moment.

[eve-without-adam]

Masterlist and AO3 Links

Peaky Blinders

Tommy Shelby x Chester Campbell

Zapoi ao3; rated M; finished

Zapoi (Russian) being drunk for several days and waking up in an unexpected place that you don’t recognize Tommy didn't know how Ada had managed to get them the jobs, but he could imagine a better way to spend his time than serving overpriced food to the rich at a charity gala. The evening was going exactly as he'd expected until he met a certain stranger. Never would he have imagined waking up in said stranger's bed, days later, with no memory of how he got there.

Tommy Shelby x Luca Changretta

Kintsukuroi ao3; rated T; finished

Kintsukuroi (Japanese) to repair with gold; understanding that a piece is more beautiful for having broken That's what he loved most about Tommy. The little cracks that he would try and hide away from the world. On the inside, he was littered with them. Like a porcelain doll that had been dropped one too many times. His doll. And he would do anything to show him how much he appreciated it.

Tommy Shelby x Grace Burgess

Running Towards You ao3; rated M; finished

Tommy was fine. He was just dealing with a lot at the moment. Tommy was going to be fine. He just needed some more time. No need to raise concerns. He would be fine. He had to. He should have been fine.

A Quiet Place

Emmet x Monster

A Change of Perspective ao3; rated E; in progress

He thought they would be safe on the island. He had been wrong. But why wasn't he dead?

Masters of the Air

Gale "Buck" Cleven x John "Bucky" Egan

Not above a Love to Cash in ao3 / tumblr; rated E; in progress

John Egan, CEO of Egan Enterprises, made a name for himself and climbed his way to the top of the business world after inheriting the company from his late father. While on a business trip to Los Angeles, he ends up getting lost. There, he meets a man who might finally bring some excitement to the monotony of his daily life.

Dune

Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen x Paul Atreides

Spread my Arms and Fly ao3; rated E; finished

He craves pain. Needs it more than he needs to breathe. And maybe he finally found someone who can give him what he needs. But does he really know what he is asking for?

Star Wars

Din Djarin x Boba Fett

cet'jaon te vhekad ao3; rated M; in progress

Tatooine was a strange place. A new king didn't change much about that.

[firstfrostfall]

A Cold Lament - Chapter Four

a tommy shelby fanfiction

In the winter of 1918, the Shelby brothers returned home from a war-torn France. In the winter of the following year, the middle brother, Tommy, recognizes an opportunity for his family to move up in the world, and it came in the shape of a misplaced crate of weapons.

In the meantime, per the request of his aunt, he gives a struggling young woman a job.

Little did he know, that like the smell of snow on the wind in late autumn, everything was going to change, and it wasn’t just because of some stolen guns.

Takes place during Season One.

Anna knew what business the Shelby’s were in. They were gangsters, plain and simple.

There was an earlier time in her life where even the very idea of that particular business frightened her. But things were different now. She was different now.

Really, nowadays, she was content to live and let live. She didn’t care much for what other people did, or how they made a living, as long as she could exist somewhat peacefully. That was all she wanted.

When she arrived in Birmingham, most of the men were away at war, meaning that most gangs in the area were few and far between, including the Peaky Blinders.

Her first run-in with a Blinder wasn’t until a few months after the fighting had ended, and the men suddenly returned home en masse in the early days of 1919.

It was also around that time where Anna attempted to forge a rebellious streak for herself. She had been cooped up inside of their tiny home almost all day every day with her cousins, save for a few trips to the market and back, of course. Her aunt worried too much to let her niece venture off in the city by herself.

But Anna craved for the opportunity to prove to her aunt that she was just fine. That she could go about the city on her own. Back in Eastcliff, she was able to come and go from her home whenever she pleased.

So, one night, Anna decided to sneak out.

It was late, too late. Late enough that midnight had long already passed, and the wee third hour was just moments away from ringing. She climbed out of their first-floor kitchen window and, rather unceremoniously, tripped onto the sidewalk (she had a terrible bruise on her hip for days after).

She wandered from street to street, gawking at how ominous the neighborhood looked in the dark. Even under the shroud of night, the sky was still laced with a thick layer of smog from the factory chimneys. She couldn’t help but smile at how good it felt, the cool night air, that buzzing sense of stolen freedom.

At some point, however, she had gotten herself lost, despite the fact that she had been living with her aunt in the city for a little over a year. Fortunately, she knew the area well enough that she could at least find the grocer, and from there, she would be able to find her way home.

It was a fine and dandy plan until she took the wrong turn down the wrong street, which led her through an alley, where she stumbled upon something that was surely not meant for her eyes.

She watched as a man in a flat cap beat the living hell out of another individual. A few others stood by and observed, all wearing similar caps. A lump formed in her throat as she stood there, the sounds of the beaten man begging for mercy ringing in her ears, the rusty color of blood on the assailant’s knuckles. She surely felt her heart stop beating when the man removed the cap from his head and began swiping at his victim’s face with it, his cries growing louder with each slice.

There’s something in his cap, she thought, there must be a blade in his cap.

Anna knew this city was different from Eastcliff, of course, but she didn’t think she would see something like that with her own eyes. She wasn’t going to scream but placed a hand over her mouth anyway. In situations like that, you can’t scream. Instead, she backed out of the alley slowly, and then ran to the grocer, and ran home. She fought back the tears that welled in her eyes.

When she finally got home, her aunt was frantic, frightened, afraid. Apparently, one of her cousins had snitched on Anna’s master escape plan, and her aunt was moments away from ringing the police. Her aunt sobbed with relief when her niece came barreling through the door, and then, as any parental figure would, she got mad. Her aunt asked her a million questions. What were you thinking?! I thought you were smarter than this, Anna. It’s dangerous out there, especially at night.

Anna started crying and told her what happened, what she saw. Her aunt had wild eyes and kept asking about their caps.

Her aunt then explained who the men in the flat caps were. Gangsters, part of an even larger organization. The Peaky Blinders, she called it.

They were big in the city before the war, but most of them were shipped off to France, and now that they were home, they would be big again. She told Anna that they were in a gang, yes, but they were good to the little people. They would offer protection for a price. That they were more than just a gang, they were a business.

Anna thought she was going to throw up. She couldn’t shake the images of the weeping, bloodied man in the alley from her mind. She had only read about gangsters in books or heard about them in stories her grandfather would tell about times where he had to take the train into the seedy parts of London. There weren’t any gangsters in Eastcliff. No, certainly not.

The same few questions gnawed at her stomach in the days following the attack.

They were good to the little people, offering protection for a price. That phrase made her resent her aunt for a while. How could she be justifying the actions of an “ organization” that brutalizes people? What good would come from beating a seemingly helpless man within an inch of his life?

However, as time passed, Anna learned that the world was a little grayer, and a little bleaker, and a whole lot darker than the breezy seaside town that she grew up in. The world wasn’t just good or bad- it was a terrifying mix of the two. She felt painfully naive and then accepted the notion to live and let live. She had bigger things to worry about than what gangsters did in the city. She had to help make ends meet with her aunt. At the very least, the gangsters weren’t stealing food from their table.

The day before her first shift at The Garrison, her aunt sat her down for tea and gave her a stern warning.

I didn’t want to scare you before your interview… but these people are serious, Anna. Polly is a friend, and I know that no harm will come to you. You’re good, Anna. I know you’re good. Remember when I told you that the Peaky Blinders look out for the little people? This job is an example of that. Mind your own business, be respectful, and speak when spoken to.

When she got the job through the Shelby’s, whom she now knew were the heads of the Peaky Blinders, she realized that maybe her aunt was right. That they were good to the little people. And after meeting Polly, she believed that even more. She was kind.

But there was another thing Anna remembered about them, too. That they were good to the little people for a price.

What would her price be?

She started to notice the flat caps more and more, like the one Mr. Shelby had sitting on the booth beside him during her interview.

On her first day at The Garrison, Harry gave her a similar warning, too.

She knew the deal, speak when spoken to, keep to herself. Although, she supposed she was pushing it with Mr. Shelby. In fact, she was still reeling in embarrassment over telling him to call her Anna.

Perhaps the rebellious streak still lived inside of her. Like a little bird trapped inside of a cage, vigorously flapping its wings and cawing, desperate to come out. She felt like a mystery, tucked away in her aunt’s house, and now in her own lonely flat. She hoped this job would change that.

But then again, she was content to simply let things live and let live.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

A little over two weeks had gone by since her first shift. Anna wasn’t an amazing barmaid (by any means), but she was getting the hang of things. Slowly, she was getting the hang of things.

Polly would come in to say hello, or rather, check on her, usually before an evening mass where she would see her aunt at church. Always asking if she was getting home okay, or if anyone was giving her trouble. Anna told her she was fine each time, like clockwork. She really was fine, nothing she couldn’t handle (yet).

One evening, a young man, who was more of a boy really, came rushing into the pub asking for Harry. He wore a flat cap that was far too big for him, and his eyes were as wide as saucers. Harry spoke to the boy quickly, his own cheeks turning beet red by the end of their conversation.

Harry ran a hand through his hair and tossed a stained rag onto the bartop with an audible sigh.

“Is everything alright?” Anna asked in passing, glancing at him from the corner of her eye while she poured a drink for a patron.

“Yes, yes,” Harry’s voice trailed off, clearly preoccupied.

She didn’t want to pry, so she simply nodded, and continued on with her work. Harry paced back and forth for a bit, opening and closing his mouth quickly to speak each time he walked past her.

Finally, he started talking.

“Do you think you can close up tonight?”

The question tinged that hidden rebellious streak in her, the tiny bird inside of her chest started fluttering its wings.

“Of course, I can take care of things from here.”

Harry's shoulders sagged in relief. As he untied his apron, he gasped. “But can you get home by yourself?”

Anna nodded, a little too fiercely, and cleared her throat. “Without a doubt.”

He stared at her for a few moments too long, skeptical, before continuing to untie his apron and folding it over his forearm. “Are you sure?”

“Absolutely.”

She flashed him her best smile, but he still looked hesitant. “Mrs. Gray said I was to escort you home.”

Anna waved a hand at him. “It’s just one night. I know the way home from here like the back of my hand now.”

That response was good enough for him it seemed. He nodded and took hurried strides toward the back room. Anna exhaled a sigh of relief. The bird inside of her started cawing.

Much to her relief, the rest of the evening was fairly slow. She assumed it was because the weather was so cold. Cold enough that not even the thirstiest man would venture out of his home for a beer tonight. Only a few regulars here and there, but it was nothing she couldn't handle. In fact, she only spilled one drink and managed to keep her blouse clean. It was a new personal record.

When the sky grew dark and the night was waning to the early hours of the morning, she tucked a butter knife into her apron. She felt silly, of course, but it was better than nothing. Perhaps she could whack a potential assailant with the mop from the back room.

There was about half of an hour left until close, and Anna kept herself busy by trying to work out a scuff that was on the floor. She tied her hair back into a tidy bun at the nape of her neck and scrubbed at the floor. Her wrists ached.

“Good to see you’re keeping busy.”

Her heart nearly leaped out of her chest. She gasped, rather unceremoniously, and dropped the soaked rag to the floor with a smack.

A pair of glossy shoes were in front of her. Slowly, she trailed her gaze up past a sharp tweed suit, only to reveal that it was Mr. Shelby who towered above with a perfectly balanced cigarette between his lips. His nose and cheeks were tinged red, and the collar of his winter jacket was pulled up close around his neck. A testament to the weather that evening.

“Oh, it’s just you.” Anna sighed with a wry chuckle, wiping a forearm across her brow with a sigh. “You gave me a fright.”

“Where’s Harry?”

“He had other business to attend to,” She said as she dropped the rag into the soapy bucket. “He won’t be back this evening, I’m afraid. I’ll be closing up.”

“You’re closing up alone?”

Anna simply nodded. “I meant to lock the door, I must’ve forgotten. I was too busy working out that scuff on the floor.” She gestured to a particularly polished plank on the floor. “I’m quite pleased with myself.”

Mr. Shelby, on the other hand, didn’t look nearly as impressed as he stared down at her, his eyes piercing as ever. She grimaced, realizing that she was still sitting on her knees with the sleeves of her blouse pushed up around her shoulders. Not ladylike at all.

She cleared her throat and stood up, patting out excess dust from her apron. In the process, she felt the outline of the butter knife in her front pocket. She felt her cheeks grow warm, her pathetic attempt at self-defense with a knife that could barely cut a loaf of bread would have been embarrassing to explain. Forcing a smile, she reached for the bucket and lugged it behind the bar. “Can I get you a drink in the meantime?”

He nodded and jerked his chin to a specific bottle.

The pub was silent while Anna fixed a drink for him, the only other noise came from the wind outside that rattled the windows.

“Is he coming back to walk you home?”

Anna shook her head. “He offered, but I insisted that I could do it myself.” She corked the bottle. “It’s just one night.”

Mr. Shelby clicked his tongue against his teeth, a smirk quirking at the corners of his mouth. “What about Polly’s instructions?”

“He seemed to be in quite the hurry, I didn’t want to trouble him.” She slid his drink toward him with a smile. “It’s one night, and far too cold for anyone to give me a hard time.”

Mr. Shelby hummed in response and took a sip of his drink. She didn’t want to hover while he was drinking, so she gave him a curt nod and continued her work around the bar. Sweeping the floor, wiping down tables, cleaning soap scum from glasses. It was all very monotonous.

Without turning toward her, he placed his cap on his head and said, “I’ll walk you home.”

“Oh, Mr. Shelby,” She blinked, pausing mid-sweep. “It’s too cold.”

“You said you live nearby, yeah?”

She nodded when he glanced at her from over his shoulder.

“Then you’ll be on the way home for me,” He said dryly. “Polly’s instructions are something to be followed.”

“Well, that is incredibly kind of you. Thank you. I just have a few more things to clean, I’ll be quick.” Anna laughed under her breath, returning her attention to the broom in her hands. When did she start gripping it so tightly?

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Mr. Shelby walked a few steps ahead of her the whole time. Normally, Anna would have felt funny in the silence, she hated it, but it was far too cold to even pretend to be chummy. So, she happily trailed behind him, her hands shoved deep in the pockets of her coat.

“Right here,” She pointed to the building in front of them. It was dreary and gray, even in the hazy orange light of the street lamps.

They stood in the damned silence for a moment, before Mr. Shelby cleared his throat. “You live there alone?”

The question was slightly off-putting. Employer or not, being asked that question so late at night by an almost stranger was certainly... uncomfortable.

“Yes,” Anna answered quickly. “I used to live on the next street over with my aunt.”

“I live around there.” He motioned to the other street with the jerk of his head.

“Whereabouts?”

“Watery Lane.”

“I’ll be,” Anna replied, warming up. Perhaps pretending to be a little chummy wasn’t too terrible after all. “I suppose that makes us neighbors, doesn’t it?”

He hummed in response, never looking directly at her, instead, his eyes were fixated on the building in front of them.

Sensing that the conversation was ready to come to an end, Anna took a few steps backward toward her flat.

"I won't keep you any longer. I'd invite you in for tea, but I suspect I'd be poor company. I could fall asleep at any moment." She felt stupid, filling the silence when it didn't need to be filled.

He tipped the brim of his cap to her.

“Thank you for walking me home, Mr. Shelby.”

“It was no trouble.”

A lie, she thought. It was late and dark and cold. It was certainly trouble for him. But, she appreciated the sentiment nonetheless.

Anna stopped short on the front steps when she heard him say her name.

“Goodnight, Anna.”

As she turned around to look at him, he was already walking away.

Hell, she didn’t even know his name.

[michaelgrayyy]

One of us (8)

Michael Gray x Reader/ Peaky Blinders x Reader

Master list - https://michaelgrayyy.tumblr.com/masterlist

Aberama hangs out on the side of the car as we near our destination, the further into the countryside the more Michael seemed to sulk. You keep looking over at him feeling his eyes on you as you sit beside Bonnie facing him while Bonnie faces Polly. Polly gets out first followed by Bonnie, who turns to help you down and then you turn back to help Michael but decide against it seeing his expression. You step out onto the woodland floor looking around, it made you miss your cottage, you hoped you’d be able to get back there when this was over, whenever that was. 

“No! No, fucking way” you hear Michael complain from behind you and Polly meets your eyes, you stifle a giggle quickly covering your mouth and keeping your back to him. 

“You ever eaten Hedgehog Michael?” Aberama asks seeing his reaction and you can’t contain the giggle that leaves you. You look back at Michael who sends you a glare before carrying on.

“I’m getting back in this car” he states pulling a cigarette out to smoke 

“Michael, you’re number two on Luca Changretta’s hit list” she looks at me. “Well maybe three” she debates before carrying on. 

“Yeah and I’ll stay in a hotel, we’ll stay in a hotel right, y/n?” he says trying to get you to side with him but you just raise your hands showing him you aren’t getting involved.

“You stay in a hotel, I’ll know where you are, so will the people who take you there, so will the people who work in the hotel, and hotels don’t move around. They don’t even know where they’ll be tomorrow, they follow the Patrin and the crows.” Polly argues back to him, silencing him. He knows she's right he just hates to admit it. 

“And should anyone come for you, Michael, the Palmers and the Boswells will put up a fair fight” Aberama adds as Polly gets Michael medicine.

“Why are they talking as if you aren't coming with me, y/n?” he asks with a clenched jaw. Oh boy! 

“I’ve got unfinished business with the Italians”

“And I don’t?” he snaps back instantly pissing you off. 

“Right now, you don't.” you reply as Polly continues to go through his medicine looking between you both. 

“Your painkiller..” Polly says passing them to Bonnie.

“The healers up there, will heal you much quicker” 

“It's true, pretty sure I’d be dead without them healing me after getting me from Luca” I add trying to reassure him but Michael just looks over at you annoyed. 

“Fucking witches, the lot of them” Michael grumbles earning a chuckle of Aberama who shakes his head at him.

“Show some respect, Mr. Gray. They’ve agreed to welcome you on account of your blood” Bonnie replies to him, you shake you head at Michael as he glares back at Bonnie not responding. You walk away getting yourself in the carriage, with the help of the men at the steps, having heard enough of Michaels complaining. Soon Bonnie joins you and not long after Michael joins you as well, you blow a kiss to Polly as the door shuts and she smirks.

“Will you quit sulking. These people are risking their lives to protect you” you break the silence after so long having had enough of his moping. Bonnie looks over before quickly looking back out the window guessing this is heading for an argument. 

“Why are you coming with us if you aren’t staying?” he asks changing the subject.

“Because I thought you’d help you settle in, clearly that was poor judgment on my behalf.” you reply

“How are you going to get back to Small Heath?”

“Bonnie has a boxing match tonight, I’m going” you reply and Michael starts to work his jaw again so you turn the conversation to Bonnie. “You ready for your fight?” you call out to Bonnie who walks back over to sit down with you both.

“Sure am” he replies.

“Have you met Goliath yet?” he nods with a smirk. “Are you worth betting on?”

“Mr. Shelby seems to think so” he replies.

“Honestly, I can’t tell if Tommy is a genius or mad” you state. “But, I reckon you’re a good bet” 

It's not long till the cart is pulled up and Bonnie opens the door, telling you that you’ll need to start making a move back to Small Heath in an hour before he walks off to help the others set up their camp. This is only a temporary camp until they make it to their main base, a part of you felt a bit gutted you wouldn’t get to see it but you needed to get back. You turn round motioning for Michael to come with you as you step outside, he reluctantly follows you both walk over to a fallen tree. He sits down and you slowly lower yourself next to him closing your eyes as you do.

“Still bad isn't it?” he asks watching your movements. 

“I’ve had more fun” you respond. “Look, Michael I know you aren’t happy about this. But, please try and be nice to them, they are part of your heritage whether you like it or not and they are good people. This is better than you being shot again...we’ve already lost John” you plead with him and he softens ever so slightly before sighing.

“Alright, alright. I'll try, but I don’t like this.” he agrees mostly just trying to shut me up but I'll take it. “You and Gold’s son are awfully friendly” he tries to sound nonchalantly about it but fails miserably. 

“He did save my life by getting me away from Luca, that's a good way to become my friend in my book.” you reply with a shrug before looking at him as he looks ahead of him with a hard expression. “Are you jealous?” you ask with a  smirk. 

“It was just a question, y/n” he replies in a clipped tone and your smirk grows into a cocky smile.

“You are!” you exclaim with a little laugh.

“I’m just being cautious is all, not like you who just befriends anyone and everyone” he replies and your smile fades.

“Is there a reason you are trying to provoke an argument every-time you speak to me?” you question running out of patience with his mood. He doesn’t respond just pulls out a cigarette to smoke, he takes a drag before you reach over taking it from his lips and taking a drag yourself. You both let out a sigh as a peaceful quiet settles amongst you both.

“As much as I hate to admit it, I do miss the fresh air” he says breathing in and you laugh watching him puff on the cigarette.

“What were your family like?” you ask him and he pauses before realising you are talking about his adopted family. That’s how you pass the time until you need to leave, Michael tells you about climbing trees and playing games with his little brother, about the pies and cakes his mum would make and how he used to help his father around the house doing jobs like cutting logs and fixing up the sheds. You smile as he talks not seeing this side of him before, part of you wishes he never came back to Polly so he could still be there but then you remember the stories of him blowing up the village wishing well and the priest and you know he would have come sooner or later. 

Bonnie walks over to tell you its time to leave and you nod at him as he stands away so you can speak privately to Michael again, you lean over placing a kiss to him lips, you pull away looking him in the eyes with a serious glare. 

“You stay alive, alright” you tell him

“You too, no running at guns or getting kidnapped. Deal?” he replies and you roll your eyes with a smirk. 

“Deal” you agree as he kisses you quickly again before you get up off the tree walking over to join Bonnie. “Ready” you tell him as he nods.

“We’ve got a short walk until we get to where my father is picking us up, is that okay?” he asks looking at me apologetically. 

“That’s okay” you reply walking alongside him, feeling better for the fresh air. 

///////

Its a few hours later when you walk down the stairs wearing a emerald sparkling dress alongside, Polly, Linda and Lizzie ready for the big fight, Ada also joins as you go try find Finn in the crowd, you try to spot Tommy but he’s nowhere in sight. Looking back where the girls were you see they've also all moved, great, at least you know they’ll be in the toilet as you head that way. You walk in to see  Linda setting out a line beside Polly and Ada at the sinks, while Lizzie is across the other side. 

“Ah, good. Y/n, we’ve been looking for you, Lizzie’s got some news” Polly greets you as you walk in, Ada turns seeing you and smiles brightly at you before noticing your pained movements. 

“I’m pregnant” Lizzie announces.

“Oh, and who’s the father? Have you managed to narrow it down?” Linda comments before taking a line of snow at the same time you let out a little squeal walking over to Ada to give her a hug not being able to resist. She grins at you carefully hugging you back as she raises her eyebrows at you at Linda’s comment. 

“Yes. It's Tommy’s” Lizzie responds and you notice a glass of gin on the counter taking a swig.

“Congratulations. You’ve won the raffle at last” Linda remarks and you ignore her going over to give Lizzie a hug and kiss on the cheek. 

“Congratulations, Lizzie” you say sincerely as Linda rolls her eyes you just glare back at her. Lizzie, Linda and Polly head back in as you stay behind with Ada, she sits on the counter as she asks how you are not having seen you since you were taken by the Italians. 

“It makes you tougher” she says and you nod

“It’s the only thing it can do in this line of life” you reply as she agrees, you pull out a hip-flask of whisky passing it her after you take a swig. She fixes the rest of her make up before heading back out the door, you stay behind gathering yourself, just enjoying the peace and quiet before you have to go anywhere. Taking some of your painkillers alongside the whisky, walking outside ready to carry on watching the fight when you hear a gunshot followed by Tommy yelling in the hallway not far from you. You head off in the direction rushing not caring about the pain in your ribs, you round the corner seeing Polly up ahead being held by Tommy. He looks up noticing you and they both turn.

“What? what's going on?” you manage to say

“Arthurs dead. He’s dead” Tommy says coming over to you

“What no, he's not. Stop this” you say trying to shove past him “HE’S NOT” you yell out trying to hit out to get him away from you. He hold onto you until you stop fighting him, you push back from him walking back. He follows after you.

“Polly, go tell Linda” he shouts back rushing behind you as you run through the halls.  “We need to tell Finn” you call out to him before trying to weave your way through the crowd, its not use everyone is jumping around excited about the win in the ring, Tommy grabs onto you pulling you with him over to Finn. Finn smiles at you both patting Tommy on the back for his win, but Tommy grabs onto him pulling him close to whisper to him, you see his face drop as Tommy pushes him away towards Isiah. Tommy goes over to tell Lizzie before disappearing off again and you try get over to Charlie (old) in the ring beside Aberama and Bonnie but the crowd is too lively. Charlie see’s you struggling through the crowd and jumps out to come help you get through, he gets you to the side of the ring and you look over seeing Polly and Lizzie with a sobbing Linda.

“Arthur’s dead” you say to Charlie who looks at you in confusion before Tommy jumps up into the ring firing a gun in the air. He tells the crowd Arthur is dead before crouching down as he takes a breath, Charlie quickly rushes over up into the ring and you walk over to the girls, Lizzie stands up pulling you into a hug. 

///

The next few days pass by in a blur you find yourself permanently glued to the bar stool in the Garrison, joined mostly by Finn and Isiah. It’s not like your usual drinks where they’d try and pick up girls while you’d dodge the advances of men that didn't realise who you were, no this was just drinking with the intent of numbing it all. You don’t remember how but you some how end up sat in the family home beside a silent Tommy, Ada and Polly waiting for Michael’s arrival. You’re heart breaks even more when they tell you the plan, but you nod having guessed bits off it all along, but not wanting to believe it.You hear him walk in the door and see Polly walk over to greet him but you don’t move, just sat swirling the cup of Tea Ada made you. Micheal walks over to you squeezing your shoulder in comfort as he looks to Tommy. 

“Tommy, I’ve been trying to find the words” Michael says and you get up walking over to the drinks section.

“Don’t. Words don’t work” Polly cuts him off as you pour a glass of whisky. “Micheal we’re in a grave situation. But, Tommy has a plan. Instead of going to Australia you're going to go to New York.”

“Why?” he asks in shock

“Because the company has business to attend to in America” Ada responds, Michael looks over at you and then to Tommy, the only two not to speak to him yet. 

“Will I be coming back?”

“You’re train leaves in an hour Michael.” Tommy breaks the silence. “You made a choice. You knew I was going to be shot and you chose not to tell me” Michael looks over to Polly. 

“I chose my mum” he responds.

“When all this business is over, we’ll all be free to make our own choices” Polly says to him with tears in her eyes, you wipe away some of your own that have managed to slip.

“So is that it?” Michael asks looking at the back of Tommy. 

“You get the train to Liverpool then the SS Monroe. The boat sails tomorrow.” He passes him the tickets “Now you can go”. 

“Y/n?” he looks over at you and you bite your lip.

“Please just go” you plead wiping some more tears. “Please” you croak out and he closes his eyes in regret before turning to leave. 

[murswrites]

Insane ⎯ John Shelby One-shot

Pairings: John Shelby x Solomons!FEM!Reader Fandom: Peaky Blinders MASTERLIST Word Count: 1.7k (ish) Warnings: Cursing, drinking, description of puking  SUMMARY: When you and your best friend go out for a drink at an unfamiliar pub, you run into John Shelby. A man who you just happen to “hate”.  Request from @encounterthepast​: If requests are still open could I go for John with "He’s driving me crazy” and “Have you totally lost your mind?” ... ? Thank you!! (Also I'm loving your social media AU)

A/N Hi! Thank you for requesting!!! It means a lot & I’m glad you’re enjoying SBE <33 I’m really proud of this? I actually thought about what I was going to do b e f o r e writing it... which is new to be quite frank. Y/F/N means “Your friend’s name” & Y/F/E/C means “your friend’s eye color.” I tried to keep them gender neutral since I made the reader female :D, enjoy!

Y/N Solomons was a name many knew. It was one many feared, except for John Shelby, of course. That sarcastic little fuck was always flirting and trying to hook up with Alfie Solomons’ sister. The fear that surrounded her, was due to her brash and no-nonsense attitude. Y/N, apparently wasn’t that way when she was young, she was sweet and wholesome. The war changed her, many say. But Alfie and John knew otherwise.

The fact that they were in the war beside (not literally) her, gave them a perspective many didn’t have. Alfie hadn’t wanted his little sister to be a war medic, but she was adamant about helping. The war didn’t change her, for say, it just caused her to grow up at an alarming rate. She went from the ripe age of twenty-four to practically forty in those long four years during the war. Being in your twenties usually meant partying and doing illegal things.

For Y/N, it was quite the opposite. She went through so much, trying to save so many lives, and losing so many due to the lack of supplies. It was hard, but she made it through by becoming numb to it all. And John Shelby seemed to be the only bloke able to get through her stoic surface. Managing to make her irritated with a smirk or snarky compliment. 

“Look, it’s that angry woman.” John would sometimes say, or he’d say something that held a double meaning. “I bet you like being in control everywhere, love.” The pet names were annoying enough as it was. Y/N hated and loved the attention in a strange way. She never got the attention of men anymore, it surprised the younger Shelby boy. Y/N’s beautiful, everyone knew that.

Everyone also knew that she was Alfie’s sister and that often scared men away. But not John, John’s adamant. He’s insistent that Y/N has feelings for him too. So he tries, for months he tries to woo her in any way possible. Little does he know that it is in fact working. Y/N took a long time to master appearing unamused and uninterested. It was hard work, but holding her angry resting face became a habit, a mask… hell, even protection.

Showing no emotions gave her an advantage. When all others showed everything with their faces and body language, she was left to read them like books. John Shelby was one of those people, he was young and she knew that. Along with reading him like a story, she could tell that he wasn’t pulling her leg. That he actually found her to be interesting and he wasn’t interested in forming a contract between them too. One to mutually benefit the Solomons’ and the Shelbys. 

Y/N wouldn’t lie, he intrigued her. How he blatantly flirts with her even with Alfie present. It entertained her, watching Alfie lose his shit over harmless flirting. “I don’t like that boy one bit.” Alfie often spat out while stroking his beard thoughtfully. 

—

 “He’s driving me crazy,” You mumbled while holding your head in your hands. Y/F/N and you were out drinking, it had been a long day with Alfie moaning and complaining about everything under the sun so Y/F/N thought it’d be nice to forget it all for one night.

Y/F/N turned to you, a drink in hand, and raised an eyebrow, “Alfie?” You chuckled, that was a reasonable question. All damn day, your brother had been cursing up a storm and complaining about everything in sight. 

“No, John fucking Shelby,” The annoyance in your voice was clear as their eyes widened. You haven’t ever openly complained about John’s pestering, perhaps it was the alcohol pushing your thoughts out. You picked up the full glass– it was whiskey, Irish, your favorite –and downed it in one go. “Always askin’ me out and fucking flirting with me… it’s annoying as fuck.”

“Maybe if you sleep with him, he’ll stop?” The slap you sent to Y/F/N’s arm startled them, your eyes were cold and hard.

"Y/N Solomons doesn’t lie with any man, especially not a fucking Shelby.” You spat your words out bitterly, tapping your glass on the counter to let the barman know you’re empty. The bar that the two of you sat in, wasn’t the usual place you chose to forget in. It was dark and kind of gross. But that didn’t matter, the alcohol was making your brain fuzzy, that was what mattered. All that mattered was that John’s taunting was forgotten.

But it seemed like the original plan was stunted, the many memories of John giving you a cheeky grin or saying something obscene surfacing in the presence of the shitty alcohol. “Now that’s not a very nice way to talk about me.” Immediately, at the sound of hearing the bastard’s voice, you groaned loudly. 

“Just my fuckin’ luck. Where are we Y/F/N?” Their Y/F/E/C eyes looked toward the floor sheepishly, they planned this. “Of course.” The sound of your voice made your best friend flinch, expecting an outburst. John Shelby stood behind your chair, you could feel his presence easily. Since he often made an appearance during the meetings between Alfie and Tom, you saw John frequently. It was annoying, not enjoyable. 

You turned in your chair at the feeling of John’s hand on the back of it, raising an eyebrow in question. “Why, you’re at The Garrison, love. Best dam pub in Small Heath.”

“That’s debatable.” Y/F/N muttered under their breath. John calling you love was a normal occurrence, something he often did. You never paid any mind to the flirtatious comments that often left his lips. For some reason, tonight, the name caused heat to spread throughout your body. Your nose, ears, and cheeks felt warm. The thought of John seeing the blush oddly worried you. As if seeing you react would only entice more flirting. 

The pub was growing hot and you suddenly felt the urge to vomit. You quickly grabbed your purse and practically ran from John and Y/F/N, clutching a hand over your mouth on your way out. Thankfully the night air of Small Heath was cold and bitter. It helped you as you nursed the vomit from your bowels violently. It felt like you puked for hours before you walked away from the bush and leaned on the brick wall in an alleyway. 

—

“Jesus.” John’s voice brought you from your thoughts, why was he here? “Are you alright, love?” That stupid nickname… you cursed under your breath as John took a swig from a flask. He held the silver flask out to you and you gladly took it. The taste of vomit making your stomach churn even though puking now would only cause pain.

The alcohol burned your throat, but you welcomed the pain since it tasted better than the puke. “I’m fine.” You wiped your mouth with the back of your hand, itching to get away from the young man. It wasn’t that he disgusted you or made you want to punch him (although he often did). It was the feeling that your lack of sobriety made you feel with him standing there, with that shit-eating grin like he knew what you were thinking without even knowing.

John wasn’t ugly, you knew that, he even knew it. He annoyed you to no end, constantly flirting and trying to gain a reaction from you. The pet names, the jokes, the sinful glances… it wasn’t like you didn’t secretly crave the attention. You were beyond touch starved and you knew it was your fault. From being a blatant bitch to downright turning men down, soon they stopped trying. Add being Alfie Solomons’ sister to the mix and you’ve got the potential for a natural disaster.

Shelby’s and Solomons’ don’t mix. Everyone (not everyone. Those in the Peaky Blinders and Alfie’s boys knew)  in both Camden Town and Small Heath were aware of the icy slopes that the businesses were on. That any rock in the boat could shoot everyone off-board and into the murky water of the cut. These thoughts are the reason why you hesitated when John fucking Shelby kissed you with enough force that you had to grab the lapel of his suit coat. 

It was why your eyebrows screwed in confusion before you realized what was happening, right before you melted into his touch, you pushed him back harshly. John’s breath was ragged and fast, like he’d just been underwater. “Have you totally lost your mind?” You spoke over one another, “That was amazing.” 

John caught onto your words, his pale blond eyebrows also furrowing. “What–” 

“This would never work.” Your voice was stoic, John sighed as he realized that you retreated back into yourself. He saw the real you for only a moment it felt like, but it was a wonderful moment. When your hands held onto his suit and pulled him in. How heavenly your lips felt against his own. 

He nodded, jaw twitching, “We could make it work, Y/N. You and I– we’d be the most powerful couple in all of England.” You scoffed dryly, of course, he was thinking of business.

“And here I thought you actually liked me–”

“What? I do! No– that’s not what I meant, I meant that nothing could stand in our way, we’d be dynamite.” A laugh forced its way through your rouge lips, how hilarious… you thought to yourself. He was worried about his image and not how he truly felt. John’s cheeks were surprisingly red as he rubbed the back of his neck, this was an odd sight to see. The flirtatious Shelby boy… all meek and shy.

It made you feel powerful, like you held the strings that controlled him. You knew it wasn’t true but it was quite the sight to see, him blushing before you. All because you tripped him up with your confidence, so you did the one thing you’ve been forcing yourself to not imagine for the past few months. You grabbed the lapel once more, only this time, you were initiating the contact. 

John replied immediately by holding your cheek and neck lovingly as you two kissed passionately in the dark alleyway. The feeling was strangely euphoric, the adrenaline rush high, and your hands moving across one another’s bodies. Trying to feel every part of them. Soon though, you had to break apart for precious air. Your hair felt a mess and John’s cheeks were even redder than before, if possible. He had a smile on his face and you had half the mind to smack it off.

“You’re insane, John Shelby.” You whispered into the night, enjoying the feeling of his embrace.

“Says the Solomons girl.” John quipped back.

“Ouch.”

[evita-shelby]

A worthy man

Or tommy butted in and made it about himself when this was supposed to be a cute diane x buck cleven one shot, part of the no one has to know universe

Did i edit marjorie's hair to match diane, yes, yes i did

While Tommy Shelby was shocked that his eldest daughter would have a dalliance with a soldier while her fiancé was at sea and become pregnant from said dalliance, he was relieved to know the Yankee who knocked her up was better than any boy she’d ever brought home.

Gale Winston Cleven, despite being an American from fuck knows where, was somehow worthy of his daughter’s hand.

He had no vices, a good reputation and was a math genius with the intention of finishing university once the war ended. That last bit he had not expected, but at least he knows the family company would have someone competent running it if left in his hands.

Should he survive the war and prove he is deserving of his little witch, Tommy Shelby may actually be proud to call him family.

“Mr. Shelby.” The young Major, who was the same age Tommy had been when he himself was at war, greets him courteously and with only a hint of embarrassment for the circumstances.

“Major Cleven.” Neither he nor the blond soldier believed they’d meet dressed in their best clothes at the latter’s hastily arranged wedding. Frankly, they weren’t supposed to meet each other at all, but they have and now their lives would be forever tied thanks to Diane. “I don’t know if I should kill you for knocking up my daughter or thank you for doing the right thing.”

“The Luftwaffe might do it for you, sir, but even if there was no baby, I’d still marry your daughter.” I love her, the words are unspoken but the message was clear all the same.

“Good.” The dark haired father fought the urge to smoke knowing his soon to be son in law frowns upon the habit.

A man who hates gambling marrying the daughter of a man who made his fortune gambling, odd pair they make.

But Tommy has to admit he’s never seen his little girl so in love with a man before ---and for that man to even look worthy of her--- and even if Wyoming is too far away, at least he knows Cleven will be a good husband and father.

“He reminds me of you. Sigmund Freud wins again.” His wife, Eva, whispers quietly as Diane becomes Diane Cleven before their eyes.

“How so?” he asks the all-knowing witch beside him.

“Both of you saw what your fathers were and decided to be the best man you could be instead.” His wife answered and for a moment he decides to believe he is a good man.

“No grandson named James, then.” Perhaps he and Gale were more alike than he thought. Tommy looks at his son-in-law and wonders how his own life would have been if he had let his mother’s good sense win instead of his father’s devilment the day he first donned his cap.

[mxpseudonym]

A Generous Check

Pairing: Tommy x OFC

Summary:  Tommy and his wife consider staying in

Length: 1162 words

Warnings: Cursing?

A/N: My first contribution to the Peaky Blinders fandom! I’m writing a longer story with Rose but this is a little piece that came from it. Enjoy!

Rose took a deep inhale and let the cool breeze from the open window carry smoke through the air. Driving to London that morning for a full day of meetings then back to Arrow House was the unpleasant end to her already hectic week. She got home and collapsed in the living room without her usual greetings to the house, letting the settee suck her in.  

She didn't know how long she'd been laying there, but realizing the only thing between her and a long, hot bath was the maid’s bell just out of reach led her to smoke.    

"We have a gala tonight.”    

The short sentence, even spoken by the rugged, Brummie accent that usually made her heart melt, ruined her slice of serenity. She heard his footfalls come closer until he was leaning on the settee and looking down at her. Even with her eyes closed, his gaze was heavy.  

“Is this the one for the councilman," she asked.  

“No, it’s the fundraiser.” She took a drag when she didn't recognize it immediately, and her mind was too overworked to rack through itself. He tried again. “The one for the children, I believe.”  

“Which children?”  

“The children.” He repeated, making the corner of her mouth twitch upward. The toffs never knew what they were raising money for, and neither did anyone else.    

“Ah, yes. I tell the Commissioner's wife off hand that ‘we’ll be at the next one, Isabel’ and now we’re going to spend a night keeping the toffs at bay.” Rose groaned as she thought back to her talk with the Commissioner's wife, socialite, and nitpicking drama queen, Isabel. Finally opening her eyes, she met the blue ones looking down at her with dark circles underneath. In a few hours, he’d be stifling yawns and incessantly clearing his throat to keep his eyes open.

“It’ll be over before you know it,” he said, though it was more of a means to comfort himself at that point.  

“You look as tired as I feel.”

“I believe I got a pillow to the head the last time I said that to you,” he reminded her as she sat up and put out her cigarette.  

“And don’t you forget it.”    

It was already six o’clock, and the party started at eight. The concept of being fashionably late worked in their favor as they slowly went through the motions of putting themselves together. A tuxedo with cufflinks that matched a floor-length teal, beaded dress.    

“You look fucking stunning.” Tommy wrapped his arms around her waist from behind as she looked in the mirror. Her dark hair was pinned up to reach her shoulders, and her makeup was smoky for the night ahead. He loved it when she wore her dark lipsticks and tonight’s was a deep plum.    

“Thank you, Mr. Shelby.” She smiled at him teasingly through the mirror.    

“Of course, Mrs. Shelby.” He buried his face in her neck as she put on her final diamond earring.  

“I’m glad you like the dress. Isabel was talking my ear off about how she’s wearing red the other day, so I had to pick up a new one. If we look anything alike, she’ll start a bloody rumor about how much the gypsies love mimicking society folk,” she told him, laughing humorlessly as she shook her head.  

He pulled her closer. Rose seemed to make strategic and meticulous choices amongst the women of high society on his behalf. From her dress to her jewelry that she made sure were only things he’d boughten her to show that Tommy Shelby spared no expense. He didn't think about these things, much less really understand them, but Rose did. It was one of the ways she looked out for him. She gave him a soft smile that told him she didn’t have her usual fire to ward off the comments about gypsies and criminals, but she’d do her best.  

"I'm almost done if you want to call the car.” She sent him off. Fifteen minutes later, she expected to see Tommy straightening his tie in the foyer mirror and teasing her about taking her time. Instead, she found him in the living room the way he'd found her earlier.  

His feet were kicked up onto the table, and his head was tilted back. He breathed deeply, and she hated to wake him since he rarely slept, but a few clicks of her heels were enough to jolt him. Never too far off from being awake. He cleared his throat and sat up as she placed her hands on her waist with a sigh.    

“If we send a generous check,” Tommy said after a long moment of silence.  

“And maybe a nice card,” she added.  

“It’ll be just as good as if we were there,” he finished. They nodded in silent agreement before sitting back on the couch.

“You said you didn’t want anything." Rose giggled between words as Tommy grabbed her hand and redirected a spoonful of Raspberry trifle from her mouth to his.  

“I did say that, didn’t I? Now, why the fuck would you ever listen to a fuckin’ scoundrel like me?”  

After revealing he never actually called the car, Tommy's bowtie found its way to the table, and he'd pulled Rose's legs onto his lap to take off her heels before ringing the maid's bell for her. A fire, a dessert (one that Tommy initially denied wanting), and a hot bath were now all in the works thanks to Frances.  

“I have no idea. I should get a doorman to keep the riff-raff out.” With another spoonful, he attempted redirecting her hand again, this time only getting halfway before Rose leaned forward and reclaimed it. They both broke out into childish laughter.  As they calmed, Tommy leaned his forehead against hers, bringing a hand up to cup her cheek as he looked into her eyes.  She returned his gaze in anticipation.  

“I don’t want you to ever feel like you owe those fuckers anything. You don’t owe them your fucking presence and you sure as hell don’t need to dress for them. Especially not because of me,” he told her firmly but quietly. “I don't care about them; I care about you. If they talk, they talk. Let ‘em. Understand?”    

The moments when Tommy reminded her to take care and feel loved were some of her favorites. She nodded and agreed, feeling content as they leaned back again. In a call for peace, Rose fed him a bite every so often and Tommy massaged her calves as they talked of Shelby family drama.  

Frances went to announce that the bath was ready, but stopped with a smile. Tommy’s head was tilted back as he slept, and Rose rested on his shoulder. Frances knew Mr. Shelby’s work wasn’t all good or legal, but she couldn’t deny the sweetness she found between the Master and Mistress of her house. Some would even say it warmed her heart.  

[forasecondtherewedwon]

My (Eclectic) Masterlist

Hello! Under the cut, you’ll find all of the fics I’ve written for the fandoms listed below!

TV:

The Artful Dodger | Bodyguard | Bridgerton | Daybreak Deadly Class | Dickinson | A Discovery of Witches Dollface | The Falcon and the Winter Soldier For All Mankind | Gilmore Girls | Hawkeye | Heartstopper The Irregulars | Loki | The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Masters of the Air | Nancy Drew | Never Have I Ever Peaky Blinders | Percy Jackson and the Olympians Preacher | The Queen’s Gambit | Riverdale | Sanditon Schmigadoon! | Sex Education The Sex Lives of College Girls | Stranger Things Ted Lasso | WandaVision | Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? The Wilds

Film:

Avengers: Endgame | The Hunger Games | Inception King Kong | Marriage Story | No Time to Die | Spider-Man Star Trek | Thor: Ragnorak | Top Gun: Maverick Wonder Woman

One-Offs

Bodyguard : “Don’t Ever Let Me Start”

Daybreak : “Garden-Variety Monsters”

Dollface : “Fender Is the Night”

Heartstopper : “we sum up perfection like a handbook”

Inception (2010) : “Je Ne Regrette Rien”

The Irregulars : “The Sun Is Coming Up (I Think It’s Time)”

King Kong (2005) : “I’m Actually Quite Familiar With Your Work”

Marriage Story (2019) : “the whole night and the next day together”

No Time to Die : “The Blood You Owe”

Preacher : “Lonely, Handsome”

Sanditon : “Finding Georgiana”

Schmigadoon! : “I Fleetly Flee, I Fly”

The Sex Lives of College Girls : “An Abundance of Caution Tape”

Wonder Woman (2017) : “Unconquered”

Deadly Class

“Rats’ Waltz” - E / 5k / Petra x Billy

“We Test on Rats” - E / 9k / Petra x Billy x Lex

A Discovery of Witches (Phoebe x Marcus)

“Gladly Be a Fool” - E / 2k

“The Night Today” - E / 3k

Gilmore Girls (Rory x Jess)

Dreams I’ve Yet to Find - E / 11k

You Need Me to Be With You - E / 24k

Peaky Blinders

The Grand Dream of Things - E / 15k / Tommy x Grace

“Preferred Pastimes” - E / 3k / Tommy x May

Sex Education

“and the stars (they all aligned)” - E / 3k / Ola x Lily

“Please May I...?” - E / 2k / Maeve x Isaac

Star Trek

“The Deserted Planet, the Gorgeous Woman, and the Goddamn Torpedo” - E / 3k / Bones x Carol

Something to Fix - E / 7k / Scotty x Jaylah

Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? (Frankie x Bobby)

“One-Man Chauffeur” - E / 2k

“Sailors’ Hands” - E / 5k

Dickinson

“Another Dickinson” - M / 2k / Emily x Sue

“How Luscious Lies”  - T / 1k

“Lands Away” - G / 376 / Emily x Sue

For All Mankind

“The Bridges of Madison” - T / 1k / Margo x Sergei

“Ode to the Front Porch” - G / 286 / Pam x Ellen

“This Mortal Doyle” - T / 1k

The Hunger Games

“Elevator Pitch” - E / 2k / Peeta x Johanna

“Finally, Finally” - E / 2k / Katniss x Peeta

“Lonely at the Top” - E / 4k / Katniss x Cato

The Wilds

“Fourth Coming” - T / 2k

“Interviews by the Pool” - T / 738

“a verse about expecting the worst” - T / 1k / Shelby x Toni

Never Have I Ever (Devi x Paxton)

“Boy Meets Girlfriend” - E / 4k

“No Harm, No Towel” - M / 2k

“Runaway Ride” - T / 4k

“Swimming the Sonoran” - M / 5k

Stranger Things

“Always Mr. Right” - T / 2k / Steve x Nancy

“And Here’s to You, Chrissy Cunningham” - T / 458 / Eddie x Chrissy

“The Kate Escape” - T / 1k / Lucas x Max

“The Lovers’ Lake Effect” - T / 1k / Lucas x Max

Ted Lasso

“Cat Ladies” - E / 8k / Keeley x Rebecca

“Crimminology” - T / 1k

“The Halftime of It” - E / 2k / Roy x Keeley

“Sass Backwards” - E / 3k / Ted x Sassy

Percy Jackson and the Olympians (2023- )

“but for the grace of gods” - G / 830 / Sally x Poseidon

“lullaby for a rottweiler” - G / 1k

“salt-and-vinegar dreams” - T / 1k / Percy x Annabeth

“soundtrack to a tooth alignment” - G / 967 / Percy x Annabeth

“a tall, tall tale no one believes” - M / 875 / Sally x Poseidon

Bridgerton

All the Belles and Whistles - T / 11k / Eloise x Penelope

“Candle With Care” - E / 1k / Colin x Penelope

“In Charlotte’s Garden” - E / 2k / Charlotte x George

“An Invitation to Misinterpretation” - E / 2k / Kate x Anthony

The Ladies Whistledown - T / 11k / Eloise x Penelope / in progress

“Wallflower After Hours” - M / 2k / Penelope x Colin

The Artful Dodger

“Amputated Nights” - E / 776 / Hetty x Jack

“And Spit at the Stars (And Scream in the Dark)” - T / 962 / Jack x Belle

“Bodies in the Theatre” - E / 1k / Jack x Belle

“Experimental Treatments” - E / 1k / Jack x Belle

“Fair Days” - T / 2k / Hetty x Jack

“Lettuce-In-Law” - T / 2k / Belle x Jack

“Long Leaving” - M / 1k / Belle x Jack

“Private Practicing” - E / 2k / Jack x Belle

“remember it once” - E / 25k / Jack x Belle

“Take What Is Given” - T / 912 / Hetty x Belle

Masters of the Air

“coming in clear” - T / 1k / Gale x Bucky

“daring tales of heroism” - T / 1k / Rosie x Crosby

“dear john” - E / 2k / Gale x Bucky

“eggs in heaven” - T / 1k / Gale x Bucky

“hanging clothes” - M / 1k / Crosby x Sandra

“how to cook the loch ness monster” - T / 2k / Crosby x Bubbles

“little fix” - E / 2k / Gale x Bucky

“my how they fly” - T / 1k

seven degrees east - T / 35k / multiple

“so I smile and say” - E / 2k / Crosby x Bubbles

“stop-motion poetry” - T / 1k / multiple

trading paper dolls - T / 8k / Bucky x Gale

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Midge x Lenny)

“Horizontally Speaking” - E / 3k

“It Was Nearby” - T / 2k

“Mr. Bruce” - E / 2k

“Mrs. M for Mr. Bruce” - E / 3k

“The Pretty Ones (Who Try to Kill You)” - T / 304

“The Real Animals” - E / 5k

“Scuffed Souls” - M / 2k

“Slow Runners” - T / 1k

“The Stand-up Sit-Down” - T / 3k

“A Toast to Never” - E / 5k

“A Wake or Awake?” - T / 835

“We’ll Catch Up (Some Other Time)” - T / 3k

Nancy Drew

“bad girls bend” - T / 712

“every way (love’s a little stronger)” - T / 835 / Nancy x Ace

“In the House of Gil Repute” - E / 1k / Nancy x Gil

“The Hostess With the Ghostest” - G / 1k / Bess x Odette

“how he got here (I don’t know)” - T / 1k

Love Me Like You Drew - E / 30k / Nancy x Ace

“Lustbuster” - E / 3k / Nancy x Ace

“The Mystery of the Library Archive” - T / 2k / Nancy x Ace

“Rug Chat” - M / 284 / Bess x Addy

Shuck Buddies - E / 20k / Nancy x Ace

“Such Bluffs as Dreams Are Made On” - E / 3k / Nancy x Ace

“You Know Dasher and Dancer (And Charlie and Jesse and Ted and Victoria)” - T / 2k / George x Nick

“you know I try (most of the time)” - T / 1k / Nancy x Ace

The Queen’s Gambit (Beth x Benny)

Absolute Penn - T / 4k

“Again?” - M / 1k

“All Hope and No Pawns” - T / 1k

“Copenhagen Revisited” - M / 3k

“The Fun” - E / 4k

“Hand-Me-Down Words” - M / 1k

“It Doesn’t All Go” - M / 6k

“Kentucky Calling” - T / 1k

“Mate in Three” - M / 2k

“Queen Takes” - M / 1k

Shaibel’s - T / 8k

“Strategies for the Advanced Player” - M / 1k

“Winners’ Drive” - T / 1k

Top Gun: Maverick

Rooster x Hangman

“Buzz the Tower” - E / 2k

“Consecutive Miracles” - T / 467

“Feel the Heat, See the Light” - T / 2k

“Perpetuatin’ Prophesy” - T / 1k

“Sharper Than a Hangman’s Tooth” - E / 2k

“Time and Tide Wait for Hangman” - E / 4k

“Trouble With Comms” - E / 4k

Hangman x Phoenix

Bullshit (You Can Be Mine) - M / 7k

“Cry Shark” - M / 1k

“Spend It Like It’s Gold” - E / 5k

“Trapdoor Prayers” - T / 1k

Phoenix x Rooster

and therefore is winged cupid flying blind - E / 27k

“The Night A-Chording to Rooster” - M / 900

“Or Lose Me Forever” - E / 2k

Others

“The Backseat Boys” - T / 1k / Bob x Fanboy

“Don’t Say Uncle” - T / 847

“(Don’t You Want To) Live Tonight” - M / 1k / Coyote x Hangman

“Everybody Wants to Know Halo” - T / 1k / Phoenix x Halo

“Lucky Penny Benjamin” - E / 2k / Hangman x Penny

“Something About the End of the World” - E / 1k / Fanboy x Bob

“Stoking Phoenix” - T / 1k / Coyote x Phoenix

Riverdale

Betty x Jughead

“After the Interrogation” - E / 4k

The Beast Within - E / 8k

“An Evening in Hell, Seven Minutes in Heaven” - E / 3k

“Going South” - E / 2k

“Here to Stay” - E / 3k

“Home Fires Burning” - E / 6k

“It Ain’t Over Easy” - T / 5k

“Jackknife” - E / 2k

“Lipstick Courage” - E / 4k

“Little Details” - E / 4k

“Loyalty Unspoken” - E / 5k

“A Moment in Drive-In History” - E / 2k

“Order Up” - E / 4k

“Over the Penthouse, Under the Stars” - E / 2k

“Paper Chase” - E / 6k

“The President’s Vice” - E / 3k

“Queen Me” - E / 4k

Rain Dance - E / 8k

“River Deep” - G / 2k

“The Silent Type” - E / 3k

“Sock it to Me” - E / 5k

Sweetwater Boundary - E / 117k

Two-Person Job - E / 6k

Yes We Cam! - E / 6k

Bughead Drabbles - T / 10k

Others

“About a Girl” - G / 1k / Archie x Val

“Basic Needs” - E / 2k / Archie x Veronica

Cometh the Rose - E / 26k / Betty x Sweet Pea

Dumped and the Sweet Thereafter - E / 66k / Betty x Sweet Pea

Every Minute - E / 10k / Archie x Veronica

“Sex and the City of Riverdale” - M / 7k

Choni Drabbles - T / 18k / Cheryl x Toni

Falice Drabbles - M / 14k / Alice x FP

Northside Drabbles - G / 2k / various pairings

Numbering Their Days - T / 12k / various pairings

Serpent Drabbles - T / 8k / various pairings

Sweet Bee Drabbles - T / 9k / Betty x Sweet Pea

Varchie Drabbles - T / 5k / Archie x Veronica

MCU

Avengers: Endgame

Dolls’ Eyes - T / 47k / Steggy, Carol x Brunnhilde

“Same Day, Different Jumpsuit” - T / 11k / Natasha x Mobius

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

3 Simple Rules for Dating a Centenarian - T / 7k / SamBucky

“À la Carter” - T / 1k

“Chasing Water Pumps” - E / 5k / SarahBucky

The Great Madripoorian Snake Off - E / 8k / SamBucky

“Guest Side Story” - T / 3k / SarahBucky

“Stare Enough” - T / 4k / SamBucky

“They’re Sayin’ (You’re Gonna Be My Man)” - T / 2k / SamBucky

Hawkeye

“An All-American January Christmas” - T / 4k / Kate x Yelena

Loki

“If You’re a Robot and You Know It, Clap Your Hands” - G / 1k

“Mr. Second Chance” - G / 1k

“Riding in Cars With Lokis” - T / 2k

Spider-Man (Peter x MJ)

G

“Her Best Features” - 1k

“Margins in Their Lives” - 1k

T

“21st Century Friction” - 10k

Alright on Paper - 19k

“Apocalypschtick” - 1k

“Beyond a Seasonable Doubt” - 7k

“Catches Secrets Just Like Flies” - 1k

“Critical Mascot” - 735

“Do You Tree What I Tree?” - 8k

For Now, We May Remain Silent - 178k

“The Game’s a Foot on Blue” - 1k

“In the Arms of the Anus” - 8k (Mr. Master)

“It Goes by in a Flash” - 1k

“Kid-Me-Not” - 2k

“Lateral” - 1k

“Parker and Recreation” - 5k

“Really Old Movie Night” - 2k

“Romance Novelish” - 5k

“Shuffle, Swing” - 1k

“Simple Pretending” - 3k

That Floaty Feeling - 7k

“What Can a Ravenclaw Learn from a Spider-Man?” - 5k

M

“Operation Eight-Legged Freak” - 2k

“Overheard at the Bugle” - 5k

“Spiderskin” - 2k

“Spin Again if Not in the Lead” - 3k

E

The Achilles Kneel - 14k

Affinity War - 102k

“Best Man (and a Friend of the Bride)” - 5k

Boyfri(endgame) - 103k

“find light” - 13k

“Good Sportswomanship” - 2k

“Hostel Feelings” - 4k

“In Over His Headboard” - 7k

“The Man in the Spoon” - 1k

“Miss Your Train” - 5k

“nobody actually meets in a bookshop” - 7k

“On the Subject of Your Subject” - 5k

“our love is a bagel” - 6k

“Posing Questions” - 3k

“Queens Club” - 3k

“Schwarzenegger Holiday” - 11k

“Slow Mover” - 12k

“Steers Looking at You, MJ” - 3k

“The Stripping Point” - 6k

“This Spa Day Provided to You by Stark Industries” - 3k

“Track to the Future” - 7k 

“Unhallowed Arts” - 11k (Peter x MJ x Brad)

“Venus, Parker” - 5k

Wavetide - 26k

“Web Fluid Wingman” - 7k

“WIN A DATE WITH SPIDER-MAN!” - 10k

“With Zero Power” - 3k

Collections

31 Days of Spideychelle - October 2019

31 Days of Spideychelle - March 2020

The Spideychelle Shuffle - September 2020

WandaVision

Hex Life - E / 34k / Darcy x Jimmy

“Mailbox Blues” - G / 1k / Wanda x Vision

“The Neighbour Never Rings Twice” - T / 1k / Wanda x Vision

“One Papaya, Two Papaya” - G / 1k / Wanda x Vision

Only in a Sitcom - T / 26k / Darcy x Jimmy

“Our Names in a Heart” - G / 1k / Wanda x Vision

[interstellarrambles]

protective. mg

fandom: peaky blinders

pairing: michael gray x female!reader

pronouns: she/her

warnings: none, swearing and maybe some violence?

requested? yes by @lucyadennis

"

a/n: michael looks so so good in this! loved this request, please feel free to request again.

like soft moonlight, chandeliers emitted their sparkling rays, and deep blue velvet carpets adorned the floor, almost comparable to the midnight skies you longed for. in the city, the night sky was polluted, corrupted by the violence, the filth and the gaseous streetlights that watched on, silent bystanders. it was at times like this, when you thought of home with a heart so heavy, that you wished things had happened differently. ever since Henry had left, you had lost half of your world, and you weren't sure you would ever retrieve it, but here you were. whispered words became rumours, but after years of searching both in the city and country, you were able to sort the truth from the tales woven over picket fences and through backdoors.

but now here you were, reminiscing of the evenings henry and you would lie together in the fields, watching the stars and making wishes for your futures. if only you had known.

your journey certainly wasn't easy, and with every day, it felt as though you lost a piece of that girl under the stars, but what could you do?

as you sat on the edge of your seat, and tapped your foot a little too vigorously to be ladylike, you found yourself actually becoming nervous. harsh and cruel, the pool of burning nerves in your stomach had you second guessing every single part of you. now, the material of your dress seemed too restrictive, perhaps too revealing, too short, and was your hairstyle too forward, or were you just overreacting?

however, you would never find out the answer to that question, as at that moment, the very man you were waiting for opened the door and greeted you.

"y/n, it's been a while," Thomas began, raising his eyes to meet yours and smiling slightly, perhaps noticing how you were feeling.

"yes Mr Shelby, it has. about three months I believe. I must thank you, for the employment and the understanding."

your voice had been reduced to almost a whisper, and it was clear that he was watching your every move, observing from a distance as he welcomed you into the office where you would work. after a few moments, and a second or two getting used to the room, your nerves began calming, and you cherished the softness of the seat beneath you, and the warmth of the office.

he gave you a brief description of the room, and where you could find things before announcing he would have to leave soon. you couldn't quite find it in you to be too bothered - your work was relatively easy, and your sharp mind and good education gave you the confidence to know you wouldn't need Thomas's assitance too much. not that you were all too focused on your work right now.

"in this building, it's just you and Michael for now, and Polly might be joining you soon. on other occasions, you'll be joined by Ada or Lizzie, but not today. if you need anything, let Michael know. I'll give you your own space for reunions."

delivering a final tight smile, he wrapped his outercoat around his frame and crushed his cigarette in the ashtray on your desk before leaving.

a few more hours passed before you found yourself becoming restless, and the near silence in your office became nearly too much for you to bear. you realised quickly that soon you would meet Michael, (or Henry, as you knew him) and all your hard labour would come to fruition. your brain began attempting to think of things to say to the man you had given your heart to when you were just teenagers, but nothing significant stuck. humming a slightly joyful song to yourself, you observed the smoke from your cigarette swirling around the air, trying to lighten your mind. michael would be happy to see you. surely?

with a new found surge of confidence from seemingly nowhere, you pushed your chair backwards and decided to just go and find him. years had passed since you had last seen him, and of course he would have changed, but you had too. too much of your soul had been spent trying to find him, and shorten the miles between you, but now, when you were only metres away, you had gotten shy? no way.

a pane of frosted glass and a wooden door were the only things in between you now, but it was as insignificant as millimetres of air between two magnets - the pull of nature was just too strong to let your souls remain apart for any longer, and you found yourself knocking on the door, trying to formulate words that just wouldn't come to you.

"yes? you can come in," his voice had roughened a little, but even just the sound of it was enough to bring you to the brink of tears. it had been so long since his voice had been familiar to you, but now it was as normal and familiar as the sound of your own breathing, and the regularity of the thumping of your own heart.

with your heart in your mouth, you pushed open the door, took a few steps, and just looked at him. at first, he simply glanced up at you, before the curtains of remembering fell, and the performance of memories began replaying. you knew this nostalgic rerun off by heart, for you were feeling it right now. the way he gazed at you in awe reminding you of the simplicity with which you had loved him all those years ago. the simplicity with which you still loved him.

"y/n? is it really you?" he found himself whispering, his words simply tumbling out of his mouth.

you couldn't even answer, the years of pain surmounting to such joy had you in tears, and when he fumbled his way towards you, and offered you a place between his arms, you accepted immediately.

an eternity passed, the two of you spending the moments encased in a certain happiness usually so rare, until he began talking again, the relief evident in his voice.

"how did you find me? I tried so hard, even asked Thomas to help me, but he said it all came to a dead end a few months ago," you could tell Michael felt lied to, the emotion in his eyes giving away everything his mind was thinking.

"I met Thomas three months ago. I spent years trying to find you, and eventually, I heard the name 'Shelby' on more than a few street corners so I tried my chance, and found myself at the Grace Shelby institute, talking to a certain Mr Shelby. I had to sort out some family matters and Thomas had to organise some employment for me, but now here I am," you explained, taking his face in your hands, and wondering if it would be proper to kiss him, and kiss him like you were back in those fields, pretending to watch the stars, waiting for him to notice your adoration.

it appeared as though he was thinking the same though, and it became apparent when he kissed you. he had changed, and so had his appearance - he cut a sharp, but somewhat unrecognisable figure in his new suits, and he had fully grown into his features - but despite all these changes and more, he still treated you like you were the only person that had ever meant anything to him. you might not be stupid enough to believe you were the only lover he had had, the way he held you against him and kissed you was enough to make you forget, or at least ignore, that.

"I've missed you so much," he murmured, his memory of you proving so distant that he discovered a new craving for the feeling of your touch, deep within himself, so deep it felt as though it was soon to devour his whole being. he wasn't quite sure he'd mind though.

"tell me about it."

michael couldn't quite believe his luck. or his eyes. the young girl he had fallen for from his village, his childhood crush; the girl so sweet and shy last time he had seen her, when he was eighteen, and she was only sixteen; the girl with a heart of gold, and handmade dresses of white; she was here again.

and oh god was she real. so tantalizingly real, he had to stop and pinch himself sometimes to make sure he wasn't dreaming of her as he used to.

now though, she had changed. not only were the small things different, like her dresses and hair, but the bigger things, like her new confidence, the way she walked like she knew you were watching, and the smiles she dealt, so perfectly rehearsed. an actor, she had mastered her performance, and the enigmatic aura that now surrounded her had men tripping at her feet and Thomas eager to introduce her to the business, in a less legitimate manner. men thought she was a prize for them, and tried so hard to coax her into going along with them, but she would always play innocent, batting her eyelids and letting one of the blinders step in for her. the boys could barely go one night out without dealing with a man who had gotten too eager, and this only fuelled both Thomas and Michael. Thomas knew she was the bait they needed - if the grubby men of the pubs they frequented in Birmingham thought they had a chance, the men Thomas met with for business would certainly think that too. she would become an integral part of the business, a chess piece he could use to orchestrate the game that gave him infinite riches, and undying power. Michael loathed this way of thinking, and made it clear his thoughts, every time a family meeting was held.

deep beneath the veneer of this charismatic movie star, was that heart of gold he originally fell for, and even now, years later, he still felt the need to protect it. perhaps the protective nature he showed to her was heightened now due to the danger of the world around the two of them. though he knew she could handle herself, he made a constant effort to monitor her, and make sure she was safe. he would accompany her on any meetings Thomas sent her on, stating business as his only motive, even though they both knew better. he escorted her around the dark streets of Birmingham, insisting it was only gentlemanly, although the way he kissed her when they got home suggested otherwise. if any man or woman said a word against her, or dared look negatively in her direction, he would challenge them, and would always win, even when he didn't enlist the help of his cousins.

so when Thomas tried desperately to enlist her in the illegitimate business, Michael was less than impressed. surprised, less so, but definitely not impressed. he began by trying to manipulate his cousin's emotions, reminding him of all the times he had said it was only legitimate business now. Michael had never believed him when he had said that, because criminal activity was like oxygen to the Shelbys - they could barely function without it, so every time Thomas tried to implement her into a job, an argument would always ensue between the pair.

"Michael, I'm not going to argue with you. it's one job, with no dangers, stop complaining," Thomas watched as his cousin clenched his jaw, and took another drag from his cigarette. he could see his exact thought process, and knew that one of them was going to get hurt: Michael always knew the exact words to say to get to Thomas, and Thomas always knew how to exert his power over Michael without even trying.

usually, Michael would give it a rest, and Thomas would leave the girl alone, using someone else as a bargaining piece, but now, Michael was furious.

"okay, but everything in this fucking business is dangerous alright? no dangers? no fucking dangers?" he attempted to interject but Michael simply held up one finger, and continued, "you can tell me it's one job all you like, but soon, you'll have another job, and lizzie won't want to do it, and since y/n did 'so good on the last one', you'll have her put in an even more dangerous situation," he berated, only stopping to accentuate his words with a perfectly directed glare.

"what does it matter? she will be protected, there's nothing to worry about," Tommy replied, trying to calm him, but both of them knew it was beyond reparations.

"protected? by who? you? because that's worked so perfectly in the past hasn't it, Thomas? if you dare bring her into this, I will drag this business down until you are in jail, up to your neck in criminal charges. you aren't the only one who can play dirty. she's done more than enough for this family, so don't even try to convince her otherwise."

Michael finished his speech with a well timed slam of the door to Thomas's office, and headed home, thinking of the only girl he could trust to calm him down.

he couldn't let her get hurt, and he would do everything in his power to keep her out of danger. loving his family was a given, and his loyalty would always lie with them, no matter how many dirty threats he gave Thomas, but loving her was second nature to Michael, and he wasn't about to lose her to the perils of the blinders.

sweeter than honey, and lighter than a calm morning, loving her was all Michael really needed - he could go without oxygen, water and food, as long as he could feel the soft of her lips against him, and the weight of her hand in his. her touch was the only thing keeping him weighted on some days, and if this was how Thomas felt with Grace, he suddenly understood the heartache his cousin suffered from.

she held him down to earth, grounding his feet, and yet, she was so far from the mortals of this earth, the purity of her kisses and touch and laughter convincing Michael she was a goddess, and goddamn it, he was so in love with her. the sum of all his waking moments were either spent watching her with adoration, or thinking of her with adoration, making him feel like a crushing school boy again.

and when she pulled him into her, and shared her dreams with him, the dreams that held hopes for their shared futures, with children, and a wonderful house, with a beautiful view, it was clear she felt the same way.

[wyntertimes-blog]

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>> Westwood ho <<Getting loose with Ivanka

Before she became the accomplished businesswoman and occasional threat to global security that she is today, Ivanka Trump had teenage ambitions of becoming a fashion model.

Thanks to her family connections, she was seen for a number of jobs in the late 90s and became a bit of a favourite of Vivienne Westwood. Westwood's team used to make a point of letting the models pick the music they put on in the studio as a way of helping them to relax and feel comfortable on a shoot.

Ivanka's choice of music, every single time? Jamiroquai. Which she would then sing along to.

Peanut from the Kaiser Chiefs is preparing to run his 100th park run over the Christmas holidays.

>> Bah humbug <<More drama at the BBC

The BBC is going heavy on trailing their version of A Christmas Carol this year, making a big song and dance out of the fact it stars Guy Pearce, is written by Peaky Blinders' Steven Knight and has been exec produced by Tom Hardy. One person who's been a little left out in the cold though is director Nick Murphy.

Poor Nick was so miffed that the BBC didn't invite him to take part in a special Q&A event about the show that he ended up turning up anyway to rage at the head of BBC Drama there. His ire hasn't just been reserved for TV execs either as he's started taking pot shots at Tom Hardy on Twitter too, claiming that the catering department was more involved in production than Hardy.

There may be some lingering resentment there, as Hardy was set to star in A Christmas Carol (as well as produce) until he suddenly decided to bail out. But if you ask us, Nick, you had a lucky escape.

On set at Hardy and Knight's previous BBC1 collab, Taboo, crew members reported that Hardy wasn't shy about staying in character, stark-bollock naked, for much of the time. And we can only imagine what it would have been like trying to direct with the Ghost of Christmas Past's dick and balls wafting all around.

Nick Cave Watch: Everyone's favourite goth dad was spotted at an Elton John concert in Melbourne this week.

>> Picture this <<More corporate creepiness

One of Jeffrey Epstein's former employees claims that Epstein kept a 6ft portrait of his mysterious 'fixer' Ghislaine Maxwell above the pool in his sprawling New Mexico mansion. Not just any old portrait though. One of her naked and "posing provocatively".

He wouldn't be the first icky businessman to have had a life-size nudey portrait of a close associate on their wall though. West Ham's porn-purveying chairman, David Sullivan, was once well known in the football world for having a huge painting hung in his basement office.

Of his now Vice-Chairman at West Ham FC, Dame Karren Brady.Andy Coulson has been advised by friends that having his own name in his new PR firm (Coulson Partners) is enough to stop most major organisations from hiring them. So far it's advice that he (and his ego) seem unwilling to take.

>> Shaky casting <<Merry Christmas everyone!

This year's bleak seasonal murder drama, Responsible Child (based on the real life story of a 14 year-old killer who was tried as an adult and jailed) has been getting rave reviews.

Whether it was the shocking nature of the story, or the impressive performance of the child actor who inhabited the role, we couldn't tell you, but for some reason most of the reviews have failed to mention the most important thing about the production.

The kid who plays the murderer is the grandson of Shakin' Stevens.

This week's Media Masters podcast is a chat with historian and broadcaster David Starkey. His outspoken, unforgiving style and trenchant opinions have earned him a reputation as being "the rudest man in Britain". In this in-depth interview he explains the impact it's had over his career.

[Listen/Download on Media Masters]

>> One love <<The race for Xmas No.1

Now that The X Factor is an utterly spent force, and December streaming is dominated by seasonal classics, the annual race for Christmas No.1 has become a much more unpredictable beast.

Re-releases are subjected to permanent ACR restrictions ('Accelerated Chart Ratio') with streaming, which basically means that old, established classics have to generate twice the number of streams as new tracks in order to compete. (Without this, three of the top four last Friday would have been Mariah Carey, Wham! and The Pogues.)

So who's in the running this year? There's another tedious song about sausage rolls from Ladbaby (hideous; but for a good cause). There's the inevitable Ed Sheeran (this year on Stormzy's record). And of course, there's the now traditional Facebook campaign choice.

Facebook campaigns are a bit of a lost cause but it has to be said: of all the songs that the British public could have picked to champion this year, Jarvis Cocker's "(Cunts Are Still) Running The World", is a pretty good one.

[Join the campaign]

REO Speedwagon's original of Can't Fight This Feeling has been streamed more than Bastille's John Lewis ad cover since its release in mid-November.

>> Electile dysfunction <<Another cock up on the Beeb

On election day, there are very strict rules in the UK which forbid news organisations from discussing politics until polling is closed. Which means that news teams have to ignore the biggest story of the day and compile their news bulletins from whatever innocuous filler they can drum up instead.

As part of their non-political Six O'Clock News broadcast last Thursday, BBC1 chose to air an item about the postal service and people sending tiny items in oversized parcels. Alas, it seems there was a very good reason that the Six O'Clock News hadn't touched that story previously.

One of the parcels that was prominently displayed as part of the pre-watershed segment clearly showed a cock ring.Nominative Determinism of the Week: The Senior doorkeeper of the House of Commons... Phil Howse!

>> 2019: The Annual <<A last little gift from us

That's almost it for another year. We've got a couple of special issues to send out between now and 2020, so we'll be back in your inboxes before the New Year. But if you want to sink your teeth into some more Popbitch material over the Christmas holidays, then download our 2019 annual.

It's totally free, and features some of our favourite stories of the year. Print it off at work! Use it as last-minute wrapping paper! Give a copy to your most corruptible niece or nephew!

[Get it here]

And if you enjoy it – or have enjoyed any of the last 52 weeks of Popbitch – and feel like tossing a few quid into our Santa hat for a Christmas pint then we'd be ever so grateful.

[Donate here]

LAST CHANCE BEFORE XMAS: Anyone who donates £10 or more to this year's fundraiser is eligible to download a special play-at-home edition of the Popbitch Popquiz. We'll email you a digital pack with all the answer sheets, question packs and puzzle pages you need to host your own quiz.

[Donate to Popbitch here]

>> Hmmms <<Cats, dogs, Muppets

Rowan Atkinson deepfaked Dior advert

[Ready to lose your libido?]

The reviews of Cats are restoring our faith and trust in journalism

[Read on Prospect]

Picture of dogs in mid-air, catching frisbees

[Cute: what more do you want?]

Need to stock up on wine before the holidays kick off? Naked Wines is offering Popbitch readers the chance to get a case of six sumptuous bottles, plus free delivery, for just £19.99.

[Get your orders in soon!]

What do you get for the man who has everything?

[Try an annual Wank-Pass]

40 years since the Muppets/John Denver Christmas special

[Watch on YouTube]

A crash course in the 100 most memorable memes of the decade

[Read on BuzzFeed]

The real life, bricks-and-mortar Popbitch Popquiz will return in January. Don't let dry January stop you having any fun. Join us at Smiths of Smithfield for another seven rounds of trivia, music and smut with our host, Tom Webb!

[Tuesday 14th January]

[Tuesday 28th January]

Thanks to: JM, bunkle, CA, JC, Party_B, ST, T, JM, BB, CA, RT, MC, bobbi_fleckmann, EC, intheissynoho, MC, AM

Old Jokes Home

I just smashed my keyboard and I'm so angry.

I lost Ctrl.

Still Bored?

If you've already read this year's annual and fancy revisiting some previous years, the last five years' worth are free to download on the Popbitch site throughout December...

[Load up for the holidays]

 You subscribed to the Popbitch Newsletter which usually comes out on Thursdays.

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@skippyv20 @yankeewally

[ijustwant2write]

The Girl From The Circus-Finn Shelby x Reader

(GIF credit to @softtroublemaker)

Masterlist

Summary: The circus is in town, an odd spectacle for the people of Small Heath. The Peaky Blinders obviously take no interest, until one of their youngest members spots a particularly interesting attraction.

Characters: Finn Shelby x Reader

Meanings: (Y/N)=Your name

(Y/L/N)=Your last name

Warnings: None

(A/N This has been on my mind ever since ‘The Greatest Showman’ came out, can’t believe I didn’t write it sooner)

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“Dad! Mum! Dad!” 

A hoard of John’s children came bursting through the front door, startling the Shelby family that had managed to sit down together for a meal, a rare occasion; the kids had been told to play outside and ‘let the adults talk’ though it seemed that they hadn’t taken much notice.

“What’s all the yelling for?” John shouted over his kids as they crowded around him, all of them speaking at once.

The rest of the Shelby’s looked on, wondering what had got them all so excited. At first they had been startled, worried that something was wrong until they saw their beaming smiles, now tugging on whatever limb they could grab.

The eldest spoke up, gaining control over their younger siblings.“Dad, the circus has come here! There’s going to be a show with horses and acrobats and clowns and-”

“Why on Earth has the circus come to Small Heath?”

“Can we please go? Please?”

They all started to chime in, repeating the well mannered word. Everyone started to laugh as they saw the panic in John’s eyes, even Esme couldn’t help herself until two of her children started tp plead towards her.

“You know the circus could be fun, have a proper family outing?” Ada piped up, smiling as she cuddled Karl in her arms.

“The Shelby’s going to the circus? Never heard anything more ridiculous in my life.” Arthur scoffed with a smirk.

“We can’t deny them of the circus, it may never come again.” 

“Well I think it’s a good idea too, might keep them happy for a while. We should all go, like Ada said, be a proper family.”

John sighed.“When is this circus performing then?”

“Not tomorrow night, but the one after.” the child said.

“In two days time? No, we can’t go.”

“Let us guess, does have something to do with business?” Polly snapped, already fed up with her nephew’s excuse.

“Course Polly. But you can still go.” Tommy said as he lit a cigarette.

“It won’t be the same.”

“We can’t pass this offer Polly. Tell you what, Finn and some of the younger boys will go with you.”

Finn, who had been leaning against a wall and observing the conversation at this point, suddenly realised that he had been dragged into the mess. His jaw dropped at the idea of chaperoning his nieces and nephews and the ladies to a circus; he would be the laugh of the town when people found out.

“What?! No, I’m supposed to be going with you lot that night.” Finn protested.

“Don’t worry Finn, you’re not missing out on much. You’re gonna take the family down to the circus and look after them, be the man of the household for once.” Tommy calmly said back, knowing that he would win the argument.

“But that’s not fair! Just cause I’m the youngest-”

“Please uncle Finn! Please come with us!” The kids whined again, guilt tripping their uncle this time.

Finn looked to his family members for any help but received none. The kids crowded round his legs, still repeating their pleas, they weren’t going to give up easily. Saying no to the adults was easy, but to the kids, that was just plain cruel. The young man groaned before letting out a loud sigh.

“Fine, I’ll go with you. But Isaiah and Michael have to come too!”

Over the next two days, all the kids could talk about was the circus. It was driving everyone mad, though no one showed this, knowing that they had never seen anything like this before. Finn was the most annoyed, making a show of how irritating it was to be the youngest Shelby; he should be helping with the business, not watching the circus with a bunch of kids. 

“I can’t believe you dragged us here, couldn’t you have just taken one for the team?” Isaiah huffed as they walked behind the women and children to the circus.

“Waste of my time, I was supposed to be at that meeting too you know.” Michael grumbled.

“Would you stop complaining? The sooner we get there, the sooner it will be over.”

Crowds of people were entering the ginormous circus tent, the traditional red and white stripes adorning the place. The rich smell of sawdust filled everyone’s nostrils as they found their seats; front and centre, only the best for the Shelby’s. The spectators excited chatter filled the huge room, wondering what curiosities they would be amazed with. Nothing this big had happened to their town in ages, or something happy at least. 

Finn glanced around the place, only seeing families filled with young children, no young men like him. His shoulders slumped as he leaned his arms on his knees, embarrassment filling him. Just as he thought about escaping, the lights dimmed, the music already starting. He sighed, settling back in his seat; might as well try to enjoy it.

At first, the young Blinders had slouched postures and frowns on their faces, humiliated that they were with kids at a circus. However, their attitudes quickly changed as the performers emerged, their minds trying to keep up with everything that was going on. Beneath their tough exterior, they were still young, they could still enjoy these things, though no one needed to know. They joined in with the cheers, the clapping and the many laughs, a very rare sight to see.

The ring master appeared again as the foolish clowns tumbled off, announcing his next act. The lights dimmed as he made his way to the middle of the arena, the dramatic music softening. For the first time that night, the audience were silent, drawn in by the sudden change in atmosphere.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” the ring masters voice was quieter than before,“prepare to be dazzled and enchanted by our own, Dancing Dove.”

That’s all that was said before he left again, a single spotlight still shining in the middle of the ring. Hushed whispers filled the silence until the small band started to play a classical piece. Eyes were trained on the ring as they finally spotted her. Like an angel descending from heaven, a young woman was sat in a hoop attached to a string, her body bending in peculiar ways as she reached the ground. She would effortlessly swing around, the height of the hoop changing every few minutes, looking graceful as she performed. The audience were in awe, stunned by how someone so petite could have so much strength.

Finn’s jaw dropped in awe. He had never seen anything like this before. Something was drawing her to him. Perhaps it was because she wasn’t like any other girl he had seen before; she was part of the circus, that was every child’s dream! He wanted to now how she joined them, why she did, how did she learn all of these tricks she so effortlessly showed off. Finn was intrigued, his mind racing at the endless questions he could ask her. 

Her feet planted firmly on the ground before the hoop ascended again. The audience cheered loudly, an earned round of applause following; however, that was not the end of her act. A single piece of rope replaced the hoop, which she wrapped around one hand before she flew into the air. Gasps and shrieks added to the music as she flew around the room, smiling down at everyone below her. Finn could have sworn that she looked at him, pushing the doubts out of his thoughts.

Her act was over way too quickly for him, but he didn’t hesitate to give her a standing ovation. Luckily, he was not alone in this, as the whole audience roared in applause. She took her bow, smiling as she had throughout her performance, waving once again as she left the ring.

Finn found himself in a slight daze after that. He couldn’t properly focus on the acts, the ‘Dancing Dove’ still fresh on his mind. The way the lights followed her made her even more dazzling, the music adding to her grace. As the clowns came out once again, he slipped away unnoticed, needing a smoke to clear his mind. He walked around the big top as he smoked, making sure not to stray too close to the acts’ caravans, assuming that there would be some sort of muscle to keep people out. 

“Not enjoying the show?” a heavenly voice called out.

Finn whipped around, almost dropping his cigarette as he laid eyes on the trapeze artist. She was wrapped in a robe, smiling as she approached him.

“Oh, uh, n-no, I mean yes! I am, I just needed some fresh air.” He stumbled over his words, amazed by her beauty.

She giggled, it was music to his ears.“Getting fresh air by smoking?”

He immediately threw the cigarette away, taking off his cap out of respect.“You were amazing in there. I’ve never seen anything like that, it was just...”

“Amazing? Well thank you very much. Don’t get a lot of people my age coming to see me.”

Finn started to blush, feeling embarrassed.“I’m here with my family, I’m sure my nieces and nephews won’t stop talking about it for weeks.”

“That’s very sweet of you. Uh, can I ask a sort of personal question?”

“Go ahead.”

“Are you a Peaky Blinder?”

His eyes widened, wondering how she knew.

“I saw the caps, your razors glisten in the lights.” It was as if she read his mind.

“Yeah, I am.” He was expecting her to run away at any minute.“I can go if you want-”

“No, don’t go! Everyone has been raving on about you guys, said you paid top money to get those seats. And all the other exciting underground work you do.”

“Woah, I’m surprised you guys know us.” 

“I think you’re more famous than you think.”

“More famous than the circus?”

They both laughed.“Perhaps not. I never asked your name.”

“Finn Shelby. I know your stage name, but...”

“(Y/N) (Y/L/N).” She stuck out her hand and they shook.

“That’s an odd name.”

“I made it up. Only family I ever had was the circus.”

“It must be so thrilling to work here.”

“It has it’s ups and downs, you know, everything is an act.”

“Everything?”

She smirked.“Everyone’s got an act.”

He smiled back, his heart racing as he looked over her features again. Her hair and makeup were still done from the show, though a slight layer of sweat covered her forehead, though he didn’t care. She looked beautiful to him.

“Will you be in Small Heath for long?”

“We’re here for a few days before we leave again.”

“When will you come back?”

She shook her head slightly.“Who knows? The circus doesn’t really follow a schedule.”

“Perhaps...perhaps you’d like to do something tomorrow?”

“Something? Hm, sounds intriguing. I’ll sleep on it.” She started to walk away, teasing him that bit longer.

“What if I come here tomorrow morning? Have a plan by then?”

She stopped, suddenly approaching Finn again.“Don’t worry about a plan, like I said, we don’t follow those.” She reached up to kiss his cheek, relishing in the sight of him blushing.“See you tomorrow, Finn Shelby of the Peaky Blinders!”

[lilmajorshawty]

8th house your lesson part 1/2

8th house Aries cusp:

You were born with an aura of the independent pilot. The world itself seems to move slow and almost in a sense out of your orbit. You’re not at all a stranger to intensity or the idea of loss which can come as both a massive hurt to those around you but also an air of emotional absence in the times it matters most. Aries being the child of the zodiac translates to the realm of transformation and rebirth via personal immaturity which in itself means that you often travel down the road of trial and error longer than most and at times to your own detriment. Your lesson is to realize that as much as you’ve mastered self preservation you must also realize that the world is made up of plenty of main characters besides you and some of these characters love and care about you if you’d take your foot of the gas for a moment to see.

Who you share it with: Jay z, Madonna, Keanu Reeves, Walt Disney

Fictional characters like you:

Alfie Solomon & Arthur Shelby(peaky blinders)FX

Nora durst & meg(The Leftovers) HBO

Noah solloway(The affair)Showtime

☄️Arctic monkeys - if you were there

☄️The Kills - pull a u

8th house Taurus cusp:

You were born with a natural sense of stability. The world to you seems easy, people in your eyes throw a fit for nothing, for what reason is there to shout about your discomfort when you could simply create a comfortable situation? You always seek bliss and at times this can cause others to walk around you as if glass were laid about the floor as no one wants to be left in the dust after you deem them to much of a damper to your good mood. It’s easy for you to discontinue something that’s not providing in a sense which is both good and bad as sometimes those you let go are oblivious to the slow burn that’s been taking place underneath your unfazed exterior. Your lesson is to learn that others shouldn’t be casualties in your search for the sensuality and security you seek and security shouldn’t be your sole hold to this world! For what should happen where you to lose all you have?

Who you share it with: Leonardo DiCaprio, Beyoncé knowles, Britney Spears, Adolf hitler.

Fictional characters like you:

Clay Jenson(13 reasons why)Netflix

Wolfgang & Lito Rodriguez(sense8) Netflix

Sydney Barrett(legion) FX

🍃Arctic monkeys - 505

🍃jack white - would you fight for my love

8th house Gemini cusp:

You were born naturally in a pair of two on a emotional level. Parts of you are presented to a situation as is whilst there are often entire personalities inside you bustling around like the streets of New York. Due to your back and forth and often immensely “screened” nature it’s hard for people to truly meet you, which is often further intensified by the way this energy manifest in true Gemini like fashion which is all around like a cyclone never directly landing on target. In emotional times it’s easier for you to hop into one of your varying personas rather than outright dealing with it thus causing venom to build up until it becomes its on separate persona. Your lesson is to realize that the more you try to hide in a crowd inside yourself the less you’ll be able to successfully bring out the real you; let go of the fear you have of confronting the real hurts in you.

Who you share it with: Nicole Kidman, Katy Perry, Bjork, Tom Cruise

Fictional characters like you:

Dexter Morgan( dexter) USA

Rosita & Eugene(The walking dead) AMC

Sansa Stark(game of thrones) HBO

🌴Daughter - dreams of William

🌴Daughter - no care

8th house cancer cusp:

You were born naturally with the ability to embody sincerity and the moon itself. Love and intimacy come easy to you but that same internal forethought is lost externally. It can be hard for you to express your more sensitive and emotive side to those whom you’re untrusting, doubly so to those you actually care for. With cancer here there is a tendency to get carried away with ones emotions often drowned in whatever sea of emotion they happen to be feeling be it anger, sadness, hate, love, and even nothingness is felt with a deep rooted intensity. Your lack of a healthy medium can at times make those around you feel like they’re being given a silent but overwhelming ultimatum. Your lesson is to learn to dial back the lever. Not everything needs to be a black or white end or be all sensation! Try and find a healthy calm before the storm.

Who you share it with: brad Pitt, Scarlett Johansson, Bruce lee, Kim Kardashian

Fictional characters like you:

Jon snow & arya Stark(game of thrones) HBO

Barry brown & pope(animal kingdom)USA

Mr-robot, Angela moss & Darlene Alderson(Mr. robot)USA

🌑jack white - Love is blindness

🌑ane burn all my tears

8th house Leo cusp:

You were born with a inner flame that serves as a driving force between much of what you do. Your ego is both endearing and something to admire out of how through sheer will and individual reliance you push through much of your turmoil. The issue here lies in the spectacle you make of your own misfortune as some inner part of you needs to be recognized for your sorrow, your pain. The innate desire you have to be recognized at times devours the actuality of what you’re going through, it removes the depth that’s been bestowed upon you. Your lesson is to learn to navigate away from public recognition! Not everyone needs to know what lies deep in your closet-nor do you need to relish in telling them about it.

Who you share it with: Jesus Christ, Taylor Swift, Oprah Winfrey, Ariana grande, Virgin Mary

Fictional characters like you:

Micky milkovich & frank Gallagher(shameless) showtime

Ulrich Nielson(dark) Netflix

Francis underwood & Thomas Yates( House of cards) Netflix

⛅️The smiths - how soon is now

⛅️The psychedelic furs - Love my way

8th house Virgo cusp:

You were born with a rather reserved and impartial energy. There is a noticeable preference to stay out of involvement or as one would say to keep an observant yet detached liaison with ones surroundings here. Ideally you seek intimacy of the mind rather than physical intimacy outright which occasionally clashes with your unconscious need for “touch.” The cutting nature of Virgo is extremely amplified here often creating literal Barriers between you and the outside world around you which may be good in some cases but not always. Unfortunately your more sacrificing and caring traits are shadowed by the cold and often meticulously thought out side you present. Your lesson is to understand that people are flawed, but most importantly as a human your too are indeed flawed.

Who you share it with: Barack Obama, Megan Fox, Nicki Minaj, Russell Crowe, Naomi Campbell.

Fictional characters like you:

Doug stamper & Claire underwood(house of cards) Netflix

Javier pereira(good behavior) USA

Bette Davis(feud: Bette and Joan) FX

🍂The dead weather - rocking horse

🍂Johnny cash - mercy seat

8th house libra cusp:

You were born with a almost unbelievable amount of innocence and charm. Socially your impeccable always capable of giving the world and those around you exactly what they’ve wanted and more. Ironically the weighted nature of libra here actuality provides a bit of clarity on the darker themes associated with the 8th house. You find transformations something more on the side of beauty rather than something on the side of the vulgar and obstructive. There is a dying goddess syndrome associated with this placement being the fact that those whom have this seem to see a gradual death of their beauty only to be completely remodeled even more beautiful than they were previously. Though despite the ease presented here shallowness and inaccessibility cloud you, as often speaking upon real and dark matters with you seem to scare the child in you that wants to see the world as jolly and amicable. Your lesson is to see the beauty in not only the pure side of life but also the struggles and pains that exist; not to turn a blind eye but to see the truth before you.

Who you share it with: michael Jackson, George Clooney, Orlando bloom, David bowe, Whitney Houston.

Fictional characters like you:

Joshua ‘j’ Cody & Catherine brown(animal kingdom) USA

Tyrese, Gabriel stoked & Paul “Jesus”(walking dead) AMC

Celeste wright & ed Mackenzie(Big little lies) HBO

🐿nena - 99 luftballons

🐿Tracy Chapman - fast car

8th house Scorpio cusp:

You were born with an atmosphere of death, like that of a one winged angel out of sight of the sky. Much like Aries intensity is no foreigner to you Nor is the concept of darkness in the life around you. Unlike most you’ve seen the hardships, the falls, the wounds, the scars of the broken. Scorpio is at home in this house-often in such a way that these natives seem the most alive despite the overwhelming flow of contempt that surrounds them. You’re capable of deep healing-healing that could bring someone out of the very clouds themselves but this is something deep within you that just first require you to meet the winged demons lurking around in your own mind and soul. People are frightened by your true nature and because of this at times you wear a cloak around those be it a smile or an exaggerated sense of happiness just so they don’t leave you. Your lesson is to realize that just because people can’t expect your truth doesn’t mean your to much nor does it mean you’re evil or too dark it means your path is unique and your path is one unlike any others.

Who you share it with: Rihanna, Shakira,zayn malik, James Dean, Ryan gosling.

Fictional characters like you:

Ellen barkin & deran Cody(animal kingdom) USA

Maeve Millay & Dr Robert Ford(westworld)HBO

Sun(sense8)Netflix

8th house Sagittarius cusp:

Many sag in the 8th house natives are born with a very obscure but unique two Time life trait. Often these natives live life in stage one, infantile and erratic, living life without remorse or commitment-flying from the next fleeting feeling to the next then crashing into phase two the more quietly observant years-viewing the world yet reacting only when necessary, optimistic and deeply self spiritual in what they deem as the unknown. Commitment is something that you grow into, not necessarily something that comes naturally like with most people which can cause you trouble in the realm of romance and the realm of overall projects and even things as small as a job. At some point in these natives lives there is a turning point in which they no longer are a horse prancing about they become a true centaur capable of deep and often soulful commitment to another or whatever calls them forth but as with the 8th house this is a trait that takes time to cultivate. Your lesson in this life is to learn that settling down and committing in no way shape or form takes away any ability for you to live or explore the world any more than you would’ve been capable without! It’s okay to love and belong to something the world won’t stop moving I promise. Stop sabotaging relationships that are good for you just because you’re afraid of missing out on a party that’ll never come.

Who you share it with: Martin Luther king, Mikey Cyrus, Lana Del Rey, Mariah Carey, snoop dog.

Fictional characters like you:

Kevin Garvey & matt lamison(the leftovers)HBO

Lenny busker & Kerry loudermilk(Legion)

John Shelby & May Carleton(peaky blinders) Netflix

🐎kid bloom - I kissed a girl and she kissed me

🐎Roosevelt - Montreal

8th house Capricorn cusp:

Ah Capricorn in the 8th your were born with wisdom, wisdom that both to your befit and detriment has aged you before you were even able to waddle across the ground. You have a more astute nature about you, one that makes it clear to others that you’re not to be trifled with. Often there is a heavy energy that shrouds you, capable of bringing a room to a complete stand still once mastered-though in the same token this ability of respect also causes alienation amongst those closest and dear. The world in your eyes is a constant high rise uphill battle, one you refuse for any reason to let get the jump upon you. The bravado and tenacity you’re capable of at times can get you to the top but at what cost? The question for natives of this placements is wether or not power and prestige tower over love and care? Money and glory or intimacy and vulnerability? Your lesson plain and simple is to open your heart, allow the inevitability or a let down or a sad day to touch your heart! Because even though you’d like it not to be true you feel pain and you need a gentle hug as much as the person besides you.

Who you share it with: Albert Einstein, lady Gaga, Sandra Bullock, Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson.

🐺Chris isaak - wicked game

🐺placebo - running up that Hill

8th house Aquarius cusp:

You were born with a natural detachment from your own body, There has always been a at times cold, yet alarmingly far away nature about you. These natives where often the unproblematic child when growing up on an emotional level, sure outburst were occupant from time to time-but that more childlike and often emotive nature present in us all just wasn’t there with these natives. The older you get the more detachment begins to embody you often leading to the creation similarly to Gemini of alter egos, varying emotional responses, along with altogether emotional alienation. The processing of emotions is either non existent-or a painful process for you leading to avoidance of the big picture which is usually that these natives repress childhood trauma and even present trauma to the point of numbness-leading to a plethora of random, and seemingly obscure emotional reactions at inappropriate moments or moments of aloneness. Either you feel it or you don’t and often times you prefer it to be the latter which can often create an aura of being out of reach which causes many who romantically or even are related to these individuals to seek out reactions from the natives by any means which only serves to further cause the native to dive into themselves. Your lesson is to confront the big bad red door that you’ve placed so many chains upon, take it day by day, year by year if need be and slowly but gradually confront all those demons! Learn their names, their triggers, their motives and their sob stories-and feel every painful rushing feeling-let yourself be alive.

Who you share it with: Angelina Jolie, Julia Roberts, bill gates, will smith, Mel Gibson, Tyra Banks & George w. Bush.

Fictional characters like you:

Legion(legion)FX

Elliot alderson & Joanna wellick(Mr. robot) USA

Lydia & Allison argent(teen wolf)MTV

🌫Stardust - music sounds better with you

🌫 Daughter - run

8th house Pisces cusp:

You were born with a deep receptivity to this world. Often times emotions much like Scorpio and cancer here are the theme but in a much more powerfully cosmic sense! You feel the world around you-it’s tension and quiet underflow which often can be easily overwhelming for these natives unknown to those whom happen to be close to them. Their is a sense of grief for these natives one that colors them even in their happiest moments it always seems like something is wrong and slightly adjacent. Intimacy is something that comes naturally for these natives but is also something that’s subtly avoided out of fear of being so dependent on another that the ego itself is lost in the transaction. They deeply fear the loss of their own selves through another which often causes a repulsion to the idea of sex or commitment yet Pisces nature always somehow leads them directly into the fray as if it were a moving train. Your love is very genuine and true but it can also be so honest and sincere that those whom aren’t ready often find themselves either attracted to what they can take from you or feel as though they don’t deserve you. Your lesson is to grasp yourself from the world of the spiritual-to create an earthy manifestation to ground yourself with, to learn and feel through the energy around you and see who’s deserving and who’s using you-to love the world but also to allow yourself to be loved in the same passion you do it. Stop absorbing all the personalities around you and cultivate your own otherwise you’ll lose track of the real you.

Who you share it with: Marilyn Monroe, Donald trump, Johnny Depp, Drake, Selena Gomez

Fictional characters like you:

Dolores(westworld)HBO

Alison Lockhart & Helen solloway(the affair) showtime