#peaky blinders series

[brummiereader]

@littlepeakydevil what a chapter ��!

Of all the times she had fantasized about this moment, where Lucy was finally gone and out of their lives, she had never expected it to feel like this. The fuck was wrong with her? Ooh, it was very interesting to see Lizzie actions catch up with her. After everything, after the way she manipulated them, how she practically forced her change of mind on them, she feels guilty?! This is what she asked for and now she must face the reality of it. Tommy hates her, and someone that was once a companion is now gone. She's lumbered with Tommy's bad mood and to be honest, she deserves it.

Lizzie was probably busy popping champagne over her departure. She wondered if she and Tommy would celebrate by fucking on the floor in the sitting room. Or maybe on the couch in the drawing room. Oh Lily, if only you knew. The heart of that home was you, and now you're gone. Tommy's absolutely beside himself with heartbreak 😭.

Why did it feel as though she’d just lost Tommy forever? They’d agreed that they weren’t splitting up, and yet… because it's not normal! You're supposed to be falling asleep with him 😩. And in a way, she has lost him. She's lost him to Lizzie's unfair demands, and Tommy's lost himself trying to make his "wife" happy long enough until they split when Ruby's old enough to understand.

He laid in the bed in Lucy’s former room, tossing and turning. Pressing his face into the sheets and pillow to inhale the lingering scent of her perfume and soap, his chest aching. The image of him sleeping in her bed, smelling her sheets is gut wrenching 💔. He's like a lost little boy. I absolutely love how you've mirrored both of their reactions, it makes the whole chapter flow so well!

“What do you think, Trouble? Think that’ll make Mummy any less mad at me?” he asked the cat, even though he couldn’t see her. 😬, I'm not sure flowers are gonna cut it, Tommy. But knowing Lily, I'm sure she won't say that. She'll politely accept them, meanwhile feeling like they're an empty attempt at saying sorry.

Urghh, Lizzie's reaction as the kids asked where Lily was, grated on me 😠. What on earth did she expect?? Did she seriously think everyone would forget Lily existed just because she can and wants to?

His eyes slammed shut at that. “We could just say fuck it. We could break Lizzie’s rules. What’s she going to do about it anyway–” arghh, these two are killing me 😭. Why are they doing this to themselves?? Tommy is a hardened criminal, and yet his acting like completely submissive to Lizzie's demands! This whole entire scene was so heartbreaking. I could feel him crumbling internally everytime she avoided his touch or conversations about their new arrangement 💔.

She frankly wasn’t sure if she should be flattered or insulted. It felt like he was trying to buy her forgiveness. Even if she was pretty certain that wasn’t how he intended it. Knew it 😂. Fucking hell, classic Tommy 🤦🏼‍♀️. And the funny part is, if Lucy doesn't put a stop to it, her bedroom will end up looking like a garden, because Tommy's a mess right now, and when he's a mess and desperate, he goes a little OTT 😅.

Under the table, Tommy’s leg moved to rest against hers. A not all uncommon action of theirs. Lucy hastily pulled her ankle away from the touch. Even though she kept her eyes focused downwards on her notebook, she could sense Tommy shoot an injured look her way. Ouch, this hurt to read. But I can see why she's doing this. She's protecting herself from further heartbreak. It must be exhausting for her to feel like she's the one in the way of Lizzie and Tommy's "marriage".

He used to be able to read her so easily. Now it was like a brick wall had been erected between them. Hmmm, sounds like someone else we know...Tommy 🧐. Honestly I'm broken for them. The rest of this chapter felt like they were walking on egg shells around each other, too scared to show the other attention anymore.

I'm quite nervous to see how they'll navigate around this, because they're so dependent on each other, that eventually, one of them is gonna break under it all. And I think that might be Lilly 😬. Amazing chapter 😍!

Part 26: Do You Love Me

Summary: Tommy is desperate to fix what he's broken.

Word Count: 6,635

Warnings: Angst, violence, and sexual content.

Previous Chapter • Series • Fic • Next Chapter

Chapter 10: You're My Decay

“Tommy?” Lizzie opened the door to the office with a small creak. He hadn’t responded to her knocks, and she was beginning to worry that he had fallen asleep at his desk again. He was standing with his back to her at the window, a glass of whiskey in hand. She stepped just barely across the threshold, hands clasped nervously in front of her. “Are you coming to bed?”

He didn’t respond, just continued staring outside. Not even bringing the glass to his lips. Just holding it.

It had been this way all evening. He’d stood there outside the front door, watching the car Lucy had taken until it had completely disappeared from sight. Then he had stormed into his office, closing the door with a slam that echoed throughout the entire mansion. He had not come out since, not even for dinner or to kiss the children good-night.

Lizzie approached cautiously, like she would an angry or wounded animal. Tommy made no acknowledgement of her; not even when she was standing right behind him. When she rested a hand on his shoulder, he flinched away as if her touch burned him. 

“Tommy…”

“Go to bed, Lizzie,” the order was gruff and stern. He wouldn’t look at her.

Dejected, Lizzie nodded and turned away, closing the office door softly behind her. She leaned her back against the heavy wooden door and closed her eyes. When Tommy was in this sort of mood and the children were already tucked into bed she would often seek out Lucy, who would either know just the thing to soften Tommy enough to pull him away from whatever dark abyss his mind had fallen into, or would keep her company through a game of cards or chess. 

But Lucy was gone, and it felt a bit too desperate and pathetic to seek out one of the maids to keep her company because her husband couldn’t stand to be in the same room as her. 

She had known that her rules would potentially change things, but Christ, she’d never thought Lucy would actually leave over it. 

Her brows furrowed at the feeling of distress that had settled in her chest. Of all the times she had fantasized about this moment, where Lucy was finally gone and out of their lives, she had never expected it to feel like this. The fuck was wrong with her?

This had been what she had wanted deep down all along, after all. 

Wasn’t it?

Lizzie groaned, banging her head softly on the wood behind her.  

“Fuck.” 

∗ ∗ ∗

Charlie Strong did not make her talk about what had happened, save for a brief recounting of the events leading up to her decision to move out of Arrow House. She could feel him studying her carefully from across the fire as she sat with him, Shadow laying at her feet and a cup of tea in her hand.

She was grateful that he did not try to pry. It was likely that he would later. But Charlie was a smart enough man to know when someone needed to be left alone about something, and when they needed a little push. 

It didn’t take long before she excused herself to go to bed, Shadow traipsing eagerly at her side while she made her way across the yard towards the building that housed the living quarters. 

She headed upstairs, briefly ducking into the washroom at the end of the hall to wash her face and brush her teeth. It was a small room with only a little sink and a toilet, but there was also a bathtub mounted against the far wall. Lucy eyed it behind her in the reflection of the mirror. They must have had it put in since she’d last stayed at the yard in 1918. Back then, all they’d had was a large metal basin that she had to fill with buckets. This tub was made of shiny white porcelain, from the looks of it. And had an actual faucet attached. 

Finishing up in the washroom, she headed into her bedroom next door. Riffling through one of her suitcases, she hesitated, then pulled out one of Tommy’s white henley’s that she’d slipped in between her own clothes. Hugging it to her chest, she lifted it to her nose, breathing in deeply the scent of his cologne, smoke, and natural musk which still clung to the fabric. 

How fucking pathetic am I? she wondered, even as she changed out of her clothes and slipped it on. Not even one full night spent away, and she already missed him almost more than she could bear. 

She briefly considered going downstairs. Picking up the phone in the kitchen and calling him. He probably wasn’t asleep yet. She could tell him that she missed him. That she wanted him to come pick her up and take her home. 

No. She shook her head sharply. She wouldn’t do that. She couldn’t. Going back to Arrow House wasn’t an option. They didn’t want her there anymore. Lizzie was probably busy popping champagne over her departure. She wondered if she and Tommy would celebrate by fucking on the floor in the sitting room. Or maybe on the couch in the drawing room. 

She wouldn’t ruin their fun. Or pop their happy little bubble. She’d done enough of that already over the past few years.   

Laying down on her side in the small, rickety bed, Lucy looked around the bedroom. The living quarters at the yard were limited, but they had this spare room and one small bed that were unoccupied. The same room and bed that she had stayed in when she first came to Birmingham, actually. 

Very little had changed about it over the years. The sparse decoration. The faded wallpaper. The little desk in the corner that she’d turned into a makeshift vanity for herself. Even the quilts on the bed were the same, albeit a little more moth eaten than they’d been before.

She turned over, wriggling uncomfortably. She’d gotten spoiled, it would seem, by her expensive beds at both Arrow House and their London apartment. It wasn’t just about the space. She was tiny enough that she could fit just about anywhere. But the mattress was lumpy, and the wooden bedframe creaked every time that she so much as twitched. And she was pretty sure that there was a spring digging into her back.

She could probably have insisted that Tommy pay for a room for her at the Midland. But she didn’t want to make herself more of a bother than she already was. 

At the thought of Tommy, a lump swelled in her throat. The bed suddenly felt very empty and cold. She drew the quilts up to her chin with a shiver and a sniffle.

A soft whine sounded, and a moment later, Shadow hopped up onto the bed, slotting himself in beside her. His cold nose nudged at her, and she laughed weakly, burying her hands in his soft fur.

“Good boy, Shadow.”

His tail wagged against the blankets at the praise, laying his head down and letting her bury her face in his fur.

Tears welled up in her eyes once more. It felt like her chest was being slowly ripped open, a cold hand reaching in and squeezing around her heart. 

Why did it feel as though she’d just lost Tommy forever? They’d agreed that they weren’t splitting up, and yet…

A strangled sob left her lips. She wrapped her arms around her dog's neck, hugging him tighter.

A moment later, she felt a presence, both simultaneously warm and cool, pressing against her back. A pair of slender arms wrapped around her, lips brushing against the nape of her neck. 

“Oh, my love…” Grace whispered, and held her tighter. Lucy leaned back into her,  desperate for the contact. Needing to feel as though she were still loved by someone. Even if that someone was likely just a figment of her own imagination. 

Grace brushed some of her hair back, kissing her cheek, snuggling closer to her. All the while Lucy cried, and cried, and cried. 

∗ ∗ ∗

Tommy did not sleep. 

Not really. 

He laid in the bed in Lucy’s former room, tossing and turning. Pressing his face into the sheets and pillow to inhale the lingering scent of her perfume and soap, his chest aching. No matter how much he may have wished otherwise, the space beside him remained cold. His arms empty. And behind closed eyes he saw flames dancing. Grace’s face hovering before him. A boat chugging through a canal…

Happy or sad, Tommy?

He spent hours staring up at the ceiling, hating himself. 

How could he have let this happen? He should never have let her leave. It had taken nearly all his self control not to go tearing after her as he watched the car she was in pull out of the drive and onto the road.

The most precious, important thing in his life, and he’d gone and carelessly traded it away. And for what? They were no closer to finding Linda. Arthur had taken the information that Tommy had given him, and used it to instead brutalize and nearly kill the one potential lead they had in tracking her down. And probably destroyed any sliver of a chance there had been for reconciliation between them, too.  

I may have lost Lucy. And it was all for fucking nothing. 

He swallowed hard, hands bunching in the blankets pulled halfway up his chest. With a quiet groan, he pulled himself into a sitting position, back propped up against the headboard. 

The entire room was still filled with reminders of her. The vanity in the corner where she would sit and do her makeup every morning, smiling at him through the reflection in the mirror. The book on her nightstand that she would sometimes read before bed, laughing whenever he would try to distract her by slipping his hand up her nightgown. The portraits on the wall that she had picked out.

A distinct sense of longing and sorrow washed over him. He should have gone with her. Even if she protested, he should have insisted. Wherever she went, so did he. If Lizzie wouldn’t budge on allowing exceptions in her rules in regards to Lucy, then she would have to deal with them spending less and less time at the house.

But then he wouldn’t get to see Charlie and Ruby as much…

A pained sound left his lips, throat suddenly aching for a cigarette. Reaching over to his bedside table, he grabbed up his case and flicked it open, sliding one out and swiping it across his lips. His lighter ignited with a harsh snap in the otherwise quiet of the room.

Puffing on the cigarette, he put the lighter down, hand hesitating as his eyes zeroed in on the phone he kept in the room on his nightstand.

Pulling it towards him, he lifted the receiver, shoulder scrunching up to hold it against his ear while he punched in the number for a flower delivery service. He ordered the most expensive bouquet that they offered to be sent to the yard, then thought it over and ordered a second to be sent to their office in Westminster a few hours later. 

“What do you think, Trouble? Think that’ll make Mummy any less mad at me?” he asked the cat, even though he couldn’t see her. 

Trouble had spent most of the evening wandering the halls of Arrow House, crying. Little yowls that were impressively loud for such a small creature. Tommy had tried to soothe her, but when he went to approach her, she’d hissed viciously and scratched at his arm. 

Suppose I deserved that.

She’d darted under the bed while he was getting ready to turn in for the evening and wouldn’t come out. Not even to curl up against him like she usually did. 

His question went unanswered, and he sighed, exhaling smoke into the dark of the room. 

“Yeah. Me neither.”

He finished his cigarette and climbed out of bed, getting dressed with practiced, mechanical movements. Heading downstairs, he took one look at the breakfast laid out before him, and shook his head. His appetite was even more non-existent than usual. 

He was just about to leave, coat on and briefcase in hand, when Charlie and Ruby came racing down the stairs, Lizzie right behind them. They barreled over to see him off each with a hug and a kiss. 

“Daddy, wait! Where’s Lucy?” Ruby asked, just as he was about to step out the door. Her wide eyes were looking around, seemingly genuinely deeply concerned. Tommy froze, opening his mouth to answer, then closing it. 

Behind the kids, he saw Lizzie tense, a frown forming across her face.

Didn’t think of that, did you? The children love her. Of course they were going to notice when she wasn’t here anymore.

He felt his features harden, a bitter pill of resentment making itself known in his heart.

After all, it may have been his carelessness that had helped cause this whole mess, but the idea for those rules had originated in Lizzie’s mind. Not his. 

“Ask your mother,” he said. Lizzie’s eyes widened with panic, lips parting. He couldn’t quite help shooting her a glare before stepping out the door, the children already turning to her with a barrage of questions. 

I hope you’re fucking happy. He hoped that she could read the thought in his eyes before he turned and headed for his car.  

He made good time in getting to the yard, easing the vehicle’s engine to a stop and jumping out, smoothing himself down before he began to make his way in the direction of the living quarters. 

“You’re a fucking idiot, Tom,” a voice said before he could get very far. 

Tommy turned to find Charlie sitting under a tarp, smoking and eyeing him scrutinizingly over a newspaper. He swallowed, shifting under his uncle’s gaze.

“How is she?” 

Charlie shot him a glare, flicking his cigarette butt into the mud. “How do you think?” He began to meticulously fold his newspaper. “Poor thing just got her fucking heart broken.”

Tommy stifled a flinch. “I didn’t mean for this–”

“That woman is the best thing that ever happened to you,” Charlie cut him off.

“I know.” His voice was very soft. “I’m going to fix it.”

Charlie raised an eyebrow. “Oh really?” He set the folded newspaper down on the table beside him. “And how do you plan to do that?”

“I’m…working on it.”

“Better work fast.” Charlie’s lips pursed. “She’s in the stables.”

“Thank you.” He set off in the direction of where they housed the horses. With every step, he felt his anxiousness grow. He didn't even know what he was going to say to her. Except for a desperate mantra of I’m sorry and please come home. 

When he got to the entryway of the stables, he came to a stop, standing there with his heart in his throat. 

She was bustling around, grabbing up a brush and going over to the great big black and white shire horse they were currently boarding. She was speaking Romani words in a soft voice, beginning to run the brush along the horse’s big flank. Holding out her palm, she giggled when he gobbled up the sugar cubes that she offered him, rewarding her with a snort and a swish of his long tail.

For a moment, Tommy felt like he was a young man again. Freshly returned from war, sitting with Charlie as he watched the pretty little redhead who had just recently wandered into town. Before he had brought her into his life and stolen her soul and dirtied her hands. 

But then she looked over and saw him, and the spell was broken. Her smile faded. It nearly killed him to watch the little glimmer of mirth in her eyes die because of him. 

Shadow, who had been content to lay on a mound of hay and watch Lucy work, jumped up and ran over to greet him, tail wagging. Tommy reached down numbly to pat his head, eyes never leaving Lucy. 

“Hey,” he said, quietly, clearing his throat. 

“Hi,” Lucy’s voice was equally soft. Tommy took a step deeper into the stables, the smell of hay surrounding him, comforting in its familiarity. 

“How–” it felt ridiculous to ask her how she was. So he swallowed and tried again. “How did you sleep?”

She looked at him with dead eyes, dark bags swelling underneath them, and he felt like a fool for even asking. 

“Fine,” was all she said, going to put away the brush she was holding. “You?”

“Not well,” he admitted. He wanted to ask if she’d gotten the flowers that he’d sent, but after a moment’s consideration, decided against it. The air between them felt different in a way that made his heart drop. Everything was so…stiff and awkward. Worlds away from the typical comfortable, effortless way they had always been with each other.

Taking a step forward, he reached out to her, trying to bridge the growing cavern that seemed to be opening up between them before his very eyes, and she pulled away from him. 

It was done in a quick, almost unnoticeable movement. Had he not known her better, he probably wouldn't have even recognized it as a purposeful avoiding of his touch.  

He dropped his hand without comment, feeling as though he’d just been kicked in the stomach. 

“Love, listen–” he started, opening his mouth to tell her that it may have only been one night, but he already missed her more than he could handle, and please, please, sweetheart, I’m so sorry, just please come home…

“Should we get going?” she asked, wiping her hands on her trousers. Tommy blinked, taken aback at the interruption. She wouldn’t really meet his eyes. 

“Yes,” he agreed, and began to lead the way towards the car. Lucy left Shadow with Charlie, then climbed into the passenger seat. Maybe they could talk on the drive to the train station.

“Right,” Lucy said, as soon as he’d slipped into the driver’s seat next to her. “I wanted to update you on some new information our people found out about Mosley and his mistresses–”

“What?” Tommy’s brows furrowed. Did she really want to talk about work right now? When they were in the middle of a crisis in their relationship? 

She looked back at him, seemingly equally puzzled. “Well, we’ve found out some new things that might be useful–”

“No, I mean…I thought that we could talk about, you know…”

He saw something waver in her eyes. Shoulders slumping, she looked away, out towards the window. Her fingers started to fiddle with her rings. “What is there really to talk about, Tommy?”

He frowned. “What do you mean?” 

She shrugged. “We agreed that we would try this for a while.”

His jaw tightened. Yet another fucking thing that he shouldn’t have said yes to. The idea of having to go more nights without her was unbearable.

“And besides,” Lucy continued, “it’s not like we really have much of an alternative, anyway.”

His eyes slammed shut at that. “We could just say fuck it. We could break Lizzie’s rules. What’s she going to do about it anyway–”

“She could divorce you.”

“Maybe that’s a price I’m willing to pay if it means you’ll come home.”

Something in Lucy’s face softened, but not enough apparently to break through her resolve. “I’m not comfortable trampling over your new agreement with her like that. Despite how much she hated it, she let us still be together because it was what we agreed on.” She glanced out the window, voice changing. Lowering. As if she were suddenly speaking more to herself than to him. “I’ve already taken more than enough from her.”

“You haven’t done anything wrong–”

“Yes, I have,” she looked back at him. “I have. Okay? It’s okay. You don’t have to defend me. Or justify it. It’s fine.”

“We had an arrangement–”

“And now you have a new one with her.” Her voice raised slightly, and she quickly pressed her lips together, raising a hand to rest on her face. “Tommy, please. I’m exhausted. Can we not talk about this right now?”

He looked at her for a long time. She did sound tired. And lost. He wanted more than anything to wrap her up in his arms and hold her tight against him until that despairing look in her eyes was gone. But the sting of her silent rejection of his touch in the stables was still sharp, and he wasn’t sure if his touch would be welcome right now. 

Maybe…if he could continue working on proving to Lizzie on his own that they needed Lucy in the house, he could get her to reconsider the rules. It might take time, but he was pretty sure he could convince her. There were plenty of practical reasons why it made sense for Lucy to live with them. And Lizzie wasn’t heartless. Once she saw how much Lucy’s absence was hurting him and the kids, she would relent. And the rules about him touching Ruby were just plain silly. He could get her to see that too.

It would take time, but he could do it. 

Maybe then, Lucy would come back home.

The idea of surviving that long without her seemed nearly impossible. But they would adjust until he fixed things with Lizzie. They’d spend more nights at the London apartment. Or the Midland when they were in Birmingham. Or maybe even here at the yard. 

With a plan beginning to take form in his mind, he felt himself relax a little. He could fix this. He wouldn’t lose her. It would all be alright, in the end. 

“Okay,” he agreed, gently. Lucy let out a breath. 

“Thank you.”

He started up the car, beginning to maneuver them out of the yard.

“Thank you for the flowers,” Lucy said after they were halfway to the train station. Tommy snuck a glance at her from the corner of his eye. 

“You’re welcome.”

“I’ll tell you about Mosley’s mistresses on the train.”

“Alright.” He let his mind wander through his mental list of things that needed to be done by the end of the day, trying to find anything that might help keep her busy enough to take her mind off of the mess he’d accidentally thrown them into. “I need you to get a message to Jimmy McCavern.”

She looked at him sharply. “The Jimmy McCavern who left landmines in our garden?”

“And who Arthur left a hand grenade for when he rescued Aberama from the Billy Boys. I wanna set up a meeting to discuss a truce.”

Lucy straightened up, clearly interested. “Alright.”

For a while, Tommy actually managed to delude himself into thinking that everything between them would be okay. 

∗ ∗ ∗

“Good grief,” Lucy sighed, when she caught sight of yet another enormous bouquet of rich red roses set on the kitchen table. Charlie and Curly both snickered from where they were standing by the counter. 

“Did he send this many flowers to Lizzie when she was staying at Arthur’s?”

She didn’t say anything, feeling Charlie’s pointed gaze on her despite keeping her head bowed. 

“Did he send any at all?” he asked, as if he hadn’t already made his point. 

Huffing Lucy picked up the ornate vase that the flowers had come in–fucking hell, how much had he spent on these?--and carried it up to her room, setting it on the desk next to the others. 

He’d sent her a fresh bouquet everyday since she’d moved out. If she wasn’t careful, her room was going to start looking like a fucking garden. 

Making sure that the vase was in a beam of sunlight and had plenty of water, she headed back downstairs. 

She frankly wasn’t sure if she should be flattered or insulted. It felt like he was trying to buy her forgiveness. Even if she was pretty certain that wasn’t how he intended it. 

She didn’t need flowers. Flowers weren’t going to fix anything. They weren’t going to make her forget that he’d chosen Lizzie over her. Or magically change Lizzie’s mind to allow them to be together at Arrow House again. Or on days when he wanted to be able to still hug his daughter. 

“He’s outside by the canal meeting with McCavern right now,” Charlie informed her. 

“Right,” she grabbed the slice of toast from the plate he offered her, jamming it into her mouth. The blackberry jam slathered across it was sweet but tart. Still chewing, she pushed open the door leading outside and went to wait for Tommy by the stables. Shadow trotted at her side. 

They had agreed that he would meet with McCavern alone. She hadn’t loved the idea, but Tommy thought it would make the best impression. She’d still insisted that he let her post Isiah up on the hill with a rifle to cover him in case things went bad. 

Lighting a cigarette, she exhaled out into the chilly morning air.

Things between her and Tommy had been…awkward since she’d moved out. It had only been a few days, but the ache in her chest had not lessened. If anything, it had gotten worse. 

He’d suggested multiple times that they sleep over at the London apartment. Or get a suite at the Midland. When she’d objected to both, he’d even tried to convince her to let him sleep with her in her room at the yard. 

As if the two of them could ever possibly fit in that tiny bed. 

He had looked at her with a wounded, confused expression when she’d said no.

“You need to go spend your evenings with your children,” she had told him. Tommy had only shuffled closer. 

“They’ve been asking about you.”

She had to swallow hard around the tears rising in her throat at that.

He’d eventually relented. But she felt no sense of relief or joy at it. In fact, she was pretty sure that she felt even more awful than she did before.

Tommy’s footsteps on the muddied ground drew her from her thoughts, head rising to see him walking towards her. Shadow bounded over to greet him. 

“How did it go?” she asked. 

“He agreed to a truce. I gave him my proposal for us doing business together.”

“Good.”

Tommy swallowed, eyes looking her up and down. She looked away when she noticed him focusing on the bags under her eyes that she’d desperately tried to hide with makeup. “Lucy–”

“We need to head to the Garrison, yes?”

He blinked slowly, lips turning down. Then sighed. “Yeah.”

They spent most of the morning and a good part of the afternoon holed up in the Garrison’s snug, seeing constituents. Lucy sat at Tommy’s side, taking down notes on each encounter while Tommy chatted and charmed each person that came to sit across from him. 

Most were simple complaints or requests. Nothing all that serious or noteworthy. 

Arthur came in just as they were speaking with a woman whose husband had killed her three goldfinches. 

Under other circumstances, she might’ve found the interaction mildly amusing, but she was too tired to be able to really muster up even a smile. 

Arthur seemed to sense that there was something off between them. His eyes kept darting between them nervously, mustache twitching as he tried to make sense of what was going on. Lucy frowned to herself. Was the growing distance between them really that obvious?

Under the table, Tommy’s leg moved to rest against hers. A not all uncommon action of theirs. Lucy hastily pulled her ankle away from the touch. Even though she kept her eyes focused downwards on her notebook, she could sense Tommy shoot an injured look her way.

Guilt shot through her veins, but she forced it down. They couldn’t do that sort of thing. Not around people who weren’t family or already familiar with their arrangement, at least. 

After the woman left, Arthur reported to Tommy their earnings on the football matches they’d been fixing, and Micky stuck his head in to tell them that the next in line to see them was a Chinese man that he didn’t recognize. 

They all frowned at that. The Chinese didn’t normally come to the Garrison. And after that whole business in Chinatown, it was possible that the Angels of Retribution may have sent someone after them. 

The man entered the snug slowly, greeting them each and sliding into the seat across from Tommy, placing his hat down on the table. He introduced himself as Brilliant Chang.  

What followed was much more interesting than three dead songbirds.

Chang opened their conversation with an urging of them to answer the phone ringing behind the bar. When Arthur lifted it from its cradle to rest against his ear, they were met with the distant sounds of Finn shouting.

She and Arthur moved fast, guns drawing and pointing at Chang’s head. He didn’t so much as flinch, eyes still trained entirely on Tommy, starting to explain that he’d sent a woman with a gun to Finn’s office. 

The next few moments were sharp with tension. Tommy managed the situation calmly, though Lucy could see behind his eyes a flicker of worry for his youngest brother. But Arthur was one finger twitch away from blowing Chang’s head off. 

A gunshot cracked over the telephone line, and Lucy tensed, eyes widening, breath catching in her throat. Tommy held up a hand, ordering them to hold their fire. A moment later, Finn’s breathless voice crackled out of the receiver, explaining that he was okay and that the woman had only fired into the ceiling. They all breathed out huge sighs of relief. Arthur put the phone down, Lucy keeping her gun leveled at Chang’s head while he did, just in case Chang tried anything. But he merely remained still in his seat, gaze fixed on them lazily, like a cat considering whether or not to swat at a fly. Arthur realigned his gun with Chang’s head, visibly itching to pull the trigger. 

“At ease,” Tommy commanded them. Lucy immediately lowered her weapon, though Arthur took a little more urging to follow suit. And while she relaxed a little in her seat, now that no guns were being pointed directly at anyone’s head, she kept her revolver where she could easily snatch it up again, if she needed to. 

She leaned forward curiously to inspect the golden, crystal-like powder that Chang sprinkled from a little envelope onto the table. 

Holy shit.

Her heart began to beat a little harder as Chang and Tommy started to lay the foundations for a deal to ship Chang’s seven tons of opium. An enterprise that was set to potentially make them millions of pounds. 

They barely had any warning when Finn came hurtling through the door–just the sound of his shoes running across the floor and his yelling. Tommy and Arthur launched from their seats, pinning him against the door of the snug, jerking the arm he had brandishing a gun upwards, so that the bullet he fired lodged into the ceiling rather than in Chang’s face. 

Lucy stared at the boy in exasperation, momentarily forgetting the worry that she’d only a few moments ago been feeling for him. Fucking children.

Tommy and Arthur congratulated him, perhaps a tad sarcastically, for not pissing himself during the dispute, took the gun from him, and shoved him out the door.

Lucy snorted, rolling her eyes and fishing a cigarette from her pocket.

The display from the youngest Shelby thankfully did not seem to dissuade Chang on their deal. After her left, they all sat in silence for a long moment. 

“A million fucking pounds,” Lucy murmured.

“Call Polly. Tell her we need to meet at Charlie’s yard in an hour,” Tommy told her. She nodded, pushing herself up out of her chair. Micky had taken the phone away sometime after Chang had left, and rather than ask him to bring it back, she slipped out the door to go use the one in the back. 

Just as she was closing the door behind her, she heard Arthur’s voice mumbling to Tommy.

“--the fuck is going on between you two? Why are you both being so weird?”

Tommy sighed deeply. 

Lucy swallowed roughly and pushed the door the rest of the way closed. She supposed that it had been wishful thinking to hope that the rest of the family wouldn’t soon learn of what had happened between them.

A stab of embarrassment went through her, quickening her steps towards the backroom and angling her head down. So no one would see the film of tears starting to gather in her eyes. The idea of everyone else–including those who had despised her for so long–knowing that Tommy had chosen Lizzie over her made her want to crawl into a hole and never come out.

A part of her had always worn Tommy’s favoritism of her like a badge of honor. It hadn’t been an attitude she’d intended to adopt. It just sort of happened. How could it not? It was so easy to bask in his love and affection. She supposed that she should be grateful that she got to be on the receiving end of it for as long as she did.  

And yet, after so many years of so many acting as though she weren’t as important to Tommy as she acted like she was, they’d finally been proven right.

Had she always been wrong, or was it something that had only changed recently?

She pushed through the door of the room where they kept the phone, and was thrown suddenly back into a memory of the last time she’d been there. Calling the driver while Tommy slumped drunkenly over a table in the middle of the empty pub. 

He’d been so miserable because of her. She understood that now. 

Everything that he was doing now, the flowers, the attempts to spend the night together, the little efforts at physical affection, were all just because he felt guilty. Deep down, he was probably relieved that she’d left. 

He would not have made that deal with Lizzie in the first place if he actually cared as much about her as he had always claimed to. 

An aching howl of agony opened up in her chest. Lucy shuddered against it, a small sob bubbling from her lungs. It felt like she was dying. Slowly, painfully.

Closing the door to the little office quickly behind her, she rested her face against the cool wood. Her eyes squeezed shut, tears silently sliding down her cheeks.   

∗ ∗ ∗

Lucy did not say a word while Tommy explained to Polly and Arthur the finer details of the deal proposed between them and Chang. She just stood beside him, staring numbly into the fire.

She wasn’t normally this quiet. Yes, she often didn’t say much during these types of meetings. But she was rarely silent like she was now. At the very least, she was always more animated, shooting him little looks that telegraphed exactly what she was thinking. Rolling her eyes whenever someone said something she found ridiculous. Wrinkling her nose in a truly adorable way every time someone came up with an idea she thought to be especially stupid. Smirking at him when it became clear that he’d gotten his way again.   

He used to be able to read her so easily. Now it was like a brick wall had been erected between them. 

He wasn’t even sure how she was going to vote on this issue. Normally he could always rely on her to have his back. But this time he wasn’t so sure. 

Arthur argued strongly against him on the prospect, not even being swayed by the amount of money they would stand to make. So he focused his energy on Polly instead. But he could see in her eyes that she was unconvinced as well. 

Time to bring out the big guns. 

Polly’s expression instantly changed when he promised to put Michael in charge of this business, and to reinstate his position in the company. Her dark eyes shimmered with the potential to finally end her son’s quarantine.  

Tommy decided not to mention that if things did go wrong like Arthur so feared, Michael would be the one most likely to go down for it. 

With Polly’s vote secured, he returned to trying to persuade Arthur. Not that he would need to, so long as Lucy also voted with them, but he’d rather this be a unanimous decision. But Arthur still wouldn’t budge.

Tommy looked down at his pocket watch. Shit. They were out of time. He needed to leave now if he was to catch the next train to London. 

He called for them to vote, and hoped that he’d managed to persuade at least one of them. And that Lucy wouldn’t break her pattern of voting alongside him. 

“Those in favor?”

He raised his own hand. Beside him, Lucy lifted hers as well. He let out a quiet breath of relief.

At least, when it came to the rest of the world, they were still a united front. He had not so completely fucked up with her to destroy that. 

Arthur stuffed his hands stubbornly into his pockets and looked away. Polly hesitated, and then raised her hand into the air. 

“Motion carried.” He gave his brother his marching orders, then moved to head for the exit to the yard. Lucy followed him. Behind them, he heard the loud crash of Arthur kicking over the smoldering fire that had been burning between them. He glanced over his shoulder just in time to see the orange glowing embers scatter all over the mud. 

Fuck’s sake.

At least Polly was with him. Polly would be able to calm him down. 

“You’re really going to give Michael back his position?” Lucy asked as they walked. 

“Yeah.”

“I don’t like it.” 

“We’ll still keep an eye on him. I don’t trust him. But we have no real proof that he’s up to anything, either. I can’t keep him out of the loop for much longer. Polly’s been patient and understanding, but that won’t last.”

“Okay.”

He glanced over at her, worry gnawing at the corners of his mind. Every time that she pulled away from his touch, or refused to fully meet his eyes, it felt like a knife to his heart. He’d hardly slept at all, and on the rare occasion that he did manage to drift off for a few minutes, he was struck with such horrific nightmares that he woke up gasping and openly weeping. 

As he watched her from the corner of his eyes, with her head down and hands wrapped around herself, he felt his throat constrict. 

“Are you cold?”

She looked up. “What? Oh. No, I’m fine.”

He frowned, not entirely believing her. He was half tempted to strip off his coat and wrap it around her shoulders. Fuck whoever saw. Fuck if they talked. Her wellbeing was more important. 

But then he thought of the way she pulled her leg away from his when he tried to rest his calf against hers under the table in the snug at the Garrison, and decided against it. Instead he shoved his hands into his pockets, clearing his throat awkwardly as they walked the rest of the way to the train station in silence. 

The chasm between them opened a little wider.

Previous Chapter • Series • Fic • Next Chapter

Thank you for reading! Please consider leaving a comment, reblog, or like. I always appreciate feedback and love getting the opportunity to interact with you and hear your thoughts!

[brummiereader]

Binding Love

(Masterlist)

Summary: Soon to be divorced and co-parenting with the notorious leader of the Peaky Blinders was never going to be a breeze. But when a number of unanswered calls and a string of dead bodies surface in your attempts to move on, you gain the attention of a detective and the pressing matter of his colleagues whereabouts, with whom you had spent one evening on a date with. Promising you witness protection in return for the evidence he was sure you had on his sole suspect, your husband. Your future is left in the balance when Tommy's paranoia and inability to let you go makes itself known as your codependency continues to show no signs of surrendering. Will you let yourself be free of the man whose love for you has consumed him? Do you even want to be?

Warnings: Dark!Tommy, language, violence, psychological mind games, controlling behaviour, toxic relationship, manipulative behaviour, smut, psychological abuse, murder.

Authors Note: This is a Dark!Tommy series that some readers may find triggering. Please review the warnings before continuing.

Teaser Trailer

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

Part Five

Part Six

Part Seven (completed series)

Gif credit: @mushroomseb. Go check out their amazing work!

[peakyltd]

New Endings Masterlist

Summary: When Tommy bumps into the woman he thought he'd never see again, he couldn't let her go once more. She lights something within him that he thought was lost and decides to help her in times of need. While she tries to cut ties with the life she’s living, she's forced to commit the ultimate betrayal.

❖ - Part 1

❖ - Part 2

❖ - Part 3

❖ - Part 4

❖ - Part 5

❖ - Part 6

❖ - Part 7

❖ - Part 8 - Coming soon

Please check the warnings of each chapter before reading.

[runnning-outof-time]

Birmingham | Tommy Shelby x Reader (Part 20)

Previous Part

Pairing: Tommy Shelby x reader

Summary: Plans of taking over the tracks get thwarted quickly for the Shelbys as trouble makes its way into Birmingham. Tommy tells (Y/N) to stay away, but of course she can't for too long. Everything gets laid out on the table after a scary experience shakes the both of them.

Warnings: drinking, series typical violence, canon death, injury, blood

Word Count: 4426

A/N: here it is everyone…the final chapter of Birmimgham! Thank you so much to those of you who have stuck with this story…through the break and the drawn out postings. I finished it for you. I’d love to know what you think of how it ended (since I went with the winner of the poll; which was giving a ending that felt finished). Enjoy! :)

A/N 2: the italicized dialogue is taken from the show. I’d also like to give a special thanks to @alicent-targaryen for making the amazing gifsets that helped me write this chapter so quickly — they gave me so much inspiration! :) also if you’d ever like to know what the original ending for this was…feel free to reach out to me…if I get enough interest, I may just write it as a short.

PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!

The story is finished! — I hope you enjoyed!

"Is Tommy here, or has he left already?" (Y/N) asked Polly after she entered the Watery Lane home. She found the older woman working on cleaning the mantle in the living room, and she couldn't stop herself from blurting the question out.

"He should still be upstairs," Polly answered, not even bothering to turn and properly greet (Y/N). It seemed as though she was deep into working on something.

"Can I go up?" (Y/N) asked hesitantly, not wanting to cross any lines.

Her question made Polly turn and look at her. The older woman quirked an eyebrow, probably wondering why the question was even being asked. "If you wish to. His door is at the end of the hall," she answered (Y/N)'s question. (Y/N) nodded, saying a quick thank you before she made her way to the stairs of the home.

She walked down the hall, stopping at the last door and taking a pause before she knocked on it. "Come," his voice came from inside the room, making her twist the knob and open the door. She saw him standing at the dresser, finishing up shaving.

"Hi, Tommy," she said softly, making him stop what he was doing and turn to face her.

"It's early, (Y/N)," he commented, surprised by her presence.

"I know, but I was unable to stay away...ever since you told me today would be the day; my mind won't stop," she explained her reason for being there. She'd been worried about everything that would happen today and couldn't stop herself from going to see Tommy before he left for the races.

Tommy finished up what he was doing, grabbing a rag so that he could wipe his face off before he then gave his attention to (Y/N). He could see the slight bit of worry behind her eyes, and he hated that it was there. For a moment he felt bad that he'd been the one to create it, but worry or not, he knew that she understood what had to be done.

"When will you go?" she asked him, breaking the silence that had fallen in the room.

"In a few hours," he gave a vague estimation, "I need to touch base with my brothers. There'll be a family meeting at half ten; there we'll discuss what will be done. I'd say that we'll be leaving shortly after that," he explained what had been on his list to accomplish. "You can come to the meeting, if you'd like," he then extended an invitation.

"I'll come," (Y/N) nodded, making her decision rather quickly. She figured that hearing his plan in full might serve to give her some solace.

"Good," Tommy nodded, a ghost of a smile teetering on his lips, "we'll be set after this, (Y/N)," he said to her then, his words riddled with confidence. (Y/N) smiled upon hearing it. She loved how self-assured he was; it was almost contagious.

"I'm worried," she said then, retreating back to her own way of thinking. She was itching to reach out and take hold of him from the second she'd walked in, but she didn't know if that would be received well or not. The last thing she wanted was him upset with her as he embarked on this big scheme.

"You shouldn't be," he assured her, "we've got the Lees on our side thanks to John and Esme, and Kimber will think that we're going to fight that family instead of taking to the pitches. He won't expect what'll actually happen," he gave her the rundown of his plan, still holding a great deal of confidence in it. Things were going to go his way today; he could already feel it.

"Ok," (Y/N) nodded along, trying to switch her thinking for his, "and I'll stay here...with Pol to make sure everything runs well on this end," she addressed her part in the plan.

"Good," Tommy nodded. He paused then, pulling his timepiece out so that he could check it. "Love, I should go now," he said as he slipped the watch back into its pocket.

"Ok," she repeated what she'd just said, "I just wanted to see you before you left."

"Come to the meeting," he said to her, a slight smile on his face.

"I will," she assured him, smiling also as she nodded her head.

"Come on," he said then, moving forward and placing his hand to the small of her back as he led her out of the bedroom and over to the stairs. She descended them first with him following behind. "I'll see you at half ten," he told her, walking to the door as she decided she'd stay back and see if Polly needed any help before then. It wouldn't be long until the time for the meeting came anyway; she might as well stick around.

Polly did in fact need help with minor things, and the women quickly got busy with them, passing the time between the meeting like (Y/N) hoped they would. It wasn't long until everyone was gathered in the empty betting shop; all eyes focused on Tommy as he explained the plan (Y/N) had got a preview of in full detail.

"Any other questions?" Tommy asked once he was finished explaining the plans. He looked around the room, waiting for anyone to speak up.

"Yes," it was Polly who answered as she made her way to the door that separated the betting floor from the home, "does anyone object if I bring a newcomer to the meeting?" she asked, looking around the room. Silence came in response, making her move over to the door so that she could open it slightly and whisper "come on," to whoever it was on the other side. She then opened the door wider to show Ada, who had Karl in her arms. "I'd like to introduce the newest member of the Shelby clan," she announced, a smile on her face.

(Y/N)'s cheeks were hurting from the wideness of her smile as her friend took a step further into the room. It was so good to see her back with her family again. Arthur was the one to start the clapping, and soon the room was filled with applause as Ada walked into the room. She stopped where (Y/N) was standing and gave her a smile, to which (Y/N) sent one of her own back.

"Welcome home, Ada," Tommy said to his sister, a smile forming on his lips. It warmed (Y/N)'s heart to see the progress being made.

She then explained the baby's name, earning some laughs from the group that was gathered around her. Arthur then went over to see the baby, taking him from Ada's arms and placing his peaked cap on top of his head. (Y/N) laughed along with the rest of the group as John poked fun at his older brother. Ada sent (Y/N) a smile before Tommy addressed her, asking if he was forgiven. (Y/N) stayed behind and watched Ada move over to him, telling him he was. She felt her heart swell as they shared a hug.

"It's so good to see you back with your family," (Y/N) said to Ada once she'd come back to her side. Tommy and the other men had gotten together to talk finer details of what would be going down. (Y/N) decided to stay with the women instead of learning more of the plan, feeling more comfortable watching Esme make exaggerated faces at the baby than hearing about how they were going to take over the races.

—

After things were finished at the shop, Tommy and the men decided to go to the Garrison to have a drink before they hit the road for the races. (Y/N) offered to join and help out, knowing that things would go smoother if there was another set of hands - hands that knew what they were doing - behind the bar pouring drinks.

Things were going well. (Y/N) was pouring with Tommy and the two had slipped into a comfortable routine. She wasn't going to lie, she quite enjoyed working in these close quarters with him. All was well...until it wasn't.

Arthur entered the Garrison with Jeremiah trailing close behind him. Both men were walking like they were on a mission. "Tommy," Arthur called for his brother, his gruff voice making just about all of the celebrations stop. "I need to talk to you," he said, his seriousness holding as he nodded his head to the stockroom that was behind the bar. Tommy glanced at (Y/N), who was becoming more confused by the second, before he followed his brother and friend into the room.

They were only gone for a matter of seconds before coming back out. "(Y/N)..." he started, coming right over to her, a sense of urgency in his movements and vocal tone. "(Y/N), I need you to leave now, ok?" he said to her, his eyes wide as he spoke; a tell-tale sign that he was now under pressure and needed things to be done timely and in a certain way.

"Wha...why?" she asked, her brows furrowed in confusion.

"Billy Kimber and his men are coming this way," he told her, "I need you to stay clear of here, you understand me?" he searched her eyes then, his hands blindly searching for hers. It didn't take much to find them, and when he did, he squeezed them for added effect, "stay away from here," he told her again.

"Ok. Ok, I will," she nodded her head, sensing his urgency and falling in line with it, "I'll go and be with Pol and Ada, and I'll wait there for you," she then told him where he could find her.

"Good," Tommy nodded lightly, feeling relieved that she wasn't going to be mixed up in the middle of this developing plan. He was going to need to fight Kimber on his own turf now. It was something he could do, but he wanted to make sure that the people he cared for the most were out of harm's way. "Go on," he said then, dropping her hands so that he could let her leave.

(Y/N)'s heart dropped slightly at the abrupt loss of warmth his hands were giving her, but she didn't have much time to dwell on it as she was following his orders, exiting the Garrison at a hasty speed so that she could get to Watery Lane before all hell broke loose.

Tommy watched her as she went, keeping his eyes on her until she was out of his sight before he focused on the men that had gathered in front of him, waiting for their leader to give them direction.

—

(Y/N) was out of breath when she finally got to Watery Lane. She entered the house promptly, hoping that either one, or both, of the women that she was looking for would be present. To her relief, they both were sitting in the living room.

"Where have you run from?" Polly questioned her, a look of confusion forming on her face.

"I...I just came...Tommy told me to..." she stammered out, resting her hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath, hoping that doing so would allow her to get out a complete sentence.

"Come, sit down, love," Polly coaxed her over to the open chair and (Y/N) listened, moving over to sit and take a few more calming breaths. "Tell us when you're ready," she said to the younger woman, both her and Ada waiting intently for the news it seemed she had.

"I ran from the Garrison. The plans have changed...Billy Kimber's on his way here to make a stand. Tommy told me to stay away from the tavern. He thinks that it's going to happen there," (Y/N) explained once her breathing was normal again.

"Bloody hell," Polly hissed, exhaling a sigh as she heard the news, "they're going to get themselves killed."

"I don't know any of the finer details...I just know that they're going to fight them here now," (Y/N) stated, trying to push down the worry that was bubbling up inside of her.

"I've got to go," Ada finally spoke in the midst of her rushing to stand from the couch.

(Y/N)'s brows furrowed as she watched her friend move around the room, grabbing the carriage she'd brought with her so that she could transfer a sleeping Karl into it. "Ada, wait...what are you doing?" she asked, confusion present in her tone.

"I'm going to go make these bloody men see sense," Ada spoke through gritted teeth, making it apparent that anger and frustration were coursing through her. She moved over to the archway that led to the door before stopping and looking at the women, "because I know the finer details of the day, and I refuse to stand by and let this happen," she didn't wait for a response to her pointed statement after uttering it, instead turning and walking through the archway and out the door.

"What does she mean?" (Y/N) asked Polly as soon as the door shut. She was so confused right now. Polly just looked defeated.

"Freddie was to be broken out of his transport earlier today...he was going to come home and help with the effort at the races, and this was all to be done in accordance to Tommy's plan," Polly filled (Y/N) in on what Ada was getting at.

(Y/N) sighed as she heard what the older woman had to say. "She's going to go and confront them, isn't she?" she asked in a blank tone.

"She very well may," Polly didn't give a straightforward answer. Ada was a Shelby after all...Shelbys did what they wanted and rarely cared about the dangers that stood in their way.

(Y/N) knew this all too well. Ada was going to go and confront these two gangs of men. She stood from the chair with an exasperated sigh. Tommy's voice echoed in her mind as she stood; warning her not to go anywhere near the Garrison. She pushed it back, knowing that that was exactly where her friend was going. "I'm going to go and try to stop her, Pol," she informed the other woman as she walked towards the archway.

"Be careful, (Y/N)," Polly offered some words of advice, making (Y/N) nod before she walked through the archway and out of the Watery Lane home.

—

"I want you all to look at me!" (Y/N) heard Ada's voice echo through the empty streets as she ran as fast as she could to the Garrison. Upon turning the corner, she saw two lines of men, the groups facing each other. Ada was smack-dab in the middle, addressing both lines as they had their guns pointed at each other. She's going to get herself killed! (Y/N) thought to herself as she picked up her pace. "Who will be wearing black for you? Think about them. Think about them right now...and fight if you want to, but that baby ain't moving anywhere, and neither am I," she continued, her voice raw and full of emotion.

"Ada!" (Y/N) called to her friend as she made her way through the line of men whom she recognized to be the Peaky Blinders. "Ada, you can't be doing this!" she exclaimed, her eyes frantic as she rushed out into the middle of the standoff in hopes to get her friend to see some sense. "This isn't your war to get into the middle of. This isn't the place for you, or for your baby," she insisted, her eyes locked onto the other woman's as she tried to get her out of the middle of it all.

"I won't move, (Y/N)," Ada stayed persistent.

"If not for your own safety, do it for Karl," (Y/N) didn't back down, "this isn't your war to try to stop," she repeated her previous statement, trying to keep her voice steady as adrenaline started to fill her. She tried so hard not to think of what was standing on either side of her at the moment, putting her sole focus on her friend. "Come on...move for Karl," she said again, her voice softer now as she nodded to the carriage that was off to the side. They held each other's gaze before Ada just barely nodded her head. (Y/N) saw it though, and she moved Ada off to the side, hyper-aware of all of the eyes following her.

"She's right you know..." Billy Kimber was the first to speak up once the women were off to the side, "why should all you men die?" he asked the men surrounding him before looking forward, "it should just be them who've caused it," he accentuated his statement by brandishing his weapon and firing it twice.

(Y/N) squeezed her eyes shut and spun to shield both Ada and the carriage as best she could as pandemonium broke out in the street. Several men were screaming and Karl's cries had intensified before there was one more gunshot.

Tommy was the next person to speak. "Enough!" he yelled, causing everything to halt at once. (Y/N), even though her eyes were still closed, felt relieved that he was still speaking, because that meant he was still alive. "Kimber and me fought this battle one on one. It's over. Go home to your families!" he addressed the men standing across from him.

Nothing else was said as the sound of footsteps rang out, signaling to (Y/N) that people were walking away. She heard Tommy mumble something to someone, and more footsteps were heard then. She stayed by Ada and Karl, unable to really move as she took some steadying breaths.

"Ada..." a man's voice came from the women's left.

"Freddie," Ada breathed, moving from the carriage to go to the man who had approached them.

"Don't scare us like that," he said to her, allowing her to fall into his arms and cling to him. He closed his eyes and rested his chin on the top of her head as he held her tight against him.

(Y/N) smiled softly as she watched them reunite, feeling the emotion radiating off of them. She finally looked back at the street then, seeing that everyone else had cleared off of it. Worried about the rest of the men - especially one in particular - she left the couple's side and hurried to the doors of the Garrison.

She was met with agonizing screams as she opened the doors, and immediately realized that they were coming from Tommy. Hearing them made her heart drop to her stomach. Had he been shot? she wondered, worry immediately filling her body.

Arthur was the one to notice her presence amidst trying to help get the bullet out of his brother's shoulder, "go and wait in the stockroom, love, you don't want to be seein' this," he told her and she nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat and not asking any questions before she made a b-line to the stockroom behind the bar.

She waited there as time passed painstakingly slowly. Hearing Tommy scream out in pain was breaking her heart. She wished there was something, anything, she could do to help.

Then everything became quiet again. She heard some talking, but it was muffled by the door that she'd closed. She decided to stay in the room even though it seemed that the worst of it was over. A few more minutes passed before the door opened to reveal Tommy.

(Y/N) didn't wait for another second. She was walking over to him the second she saw him, her hands raising so that she could take his cheeks into them and bring his lips to hers. She kissed him passionately and with everything she had in her. Tommy's hands found the sides of her waist so that he could hold her against him, prolonging the kiss...as if she was going to pull away anyway.

"What was that for?" he breathed out once they'd pulled away.

"For scaring me," she answered him, an involuntary shudder coursing through her as she let her eyes drop to the bloody shirt that he was wearing. He's ok...he's standing in front of you, she told herself, her eyes finding his again.

Tommy chuckled at her statement, squeezing her waist slightly before he leaned in and kissed her again. (Y/N) happily accepted it, slipping her hands from his cheeks to the back of his neck as she reveled in the feeling of their lips moving together seamlessly. Nothing ever felt this good.

"And that was for?" she asked once she pulled away, breathless this time. She couldn't stop the smile from forming on her face as she looked at him again.

"An apology for scaring you," he told her, his words making her tip her head back slightly as she let out a laugh.

His eyes were still on her when she looked at him again. His gaze made butterflies dance around in her stomach, and she couldn't help but encircle her arms around his neck so that she could hug him; her head resting against the uninjured side of his chest as she did so. She brought one of her hands down from the back of his neck to gently lift his jacket where the blood was present on his shirt. She couldn't see much, but she still had to ask: "you're ok, are you?" Her voice was much softer now, worry creeping back after the excitement of the kisses faded.

"I'm fine, love," he answered her, his voice coming out in a similar tone. "Come on...have a drink with me," he said then, loosening his hold on her waist. She got the message, dropping her hands from his neck so that he could step away and lead her out of the stockroom and back into the bar area. "Under the bar should be a bottle of champagne..." he started off as he walked around to the opposite side of the bar so that he could stand across from her.

"Going for fancy today, are we?" (Y/N) couldn't help but grin as she grabbed the unopened bottle from one of the lower shelves.

"Figured we should...since we're celebrating," Tommy grinned right back at her, watching as she set the bottle on the bartop before going to grab two glasses. As she did that, he turned and rested his back against the bar, taking some of the weight off of his feet. He let out a sigh as he tipped his head back, reveling in a moment of peace after so much chaos.

"Is everything ok?" (Y/N) asked after she turned around and found him.

"Yeah," he breathed, pushing himself off of the bar and turning around to stand straight and face her again, nodding his head then for extra effect. (Y/N) nodded back at him before she uncorked the bottle and worked on pouring it into both of the cups. She tried her best not to mess up under his gaze. She smiled at him once she was finished, handing him a glass before she picked her own up and took a sip from it. "How is it?" he asked, his eyes not leaving hers.

"It's good," (Y/N) answered with a nod and a soft smile.

"You know..." he began then, pausing a moment before continuing, "someone I trust once told me, and I believe they told me here; in this very spot...that people fall for people that they know; people that they've been around and feel comfortable with..." he trailed off, and (Y/N) felt her throat go dry. Those words sounded all too familiar...like the words that she'd told him when he was grappling with Ada being with Freddie. He took a deep breath before continuing, "I want you to help me, (Y/N). With the business, the family, with the whole fucking thing. I want you, no, I need you in my life."

"Tommy this is, wow..." she couldn't finish her sentence, taken back by what he'd just proclaimed. All of the dancing around her feelings for him had led to this...the moment she'd been secretly hoping for for so long. But now that it was here, she was fumbling. "I'm not sure of what to say..." she blubbered out, her nervousness shining clear in her words. She'd never wanted something more in her life...why had she chosen this moment to be awkward?!

"Yes would be a good thing to say," he said, cracking a grin as he noticed her trying to fight back her nervousness, "it'd be a great thing to say, actually."

"Then yes," she breathed, a smile breaking onto her face.

"Then yes," he repeated what she'd said, smiling also as he leaned across the bar to kiss her. She caught his chin, holding him there and making the kiss longer than he intended...not that he was complaining.

"I think we'd ought to leave," (Y/N) said after they'd pulled away from each other, "we've had enough excitement for one day...you should get home," she suggested.

"And what will you do?" he asked her, wondering if they'd now be parting ways after all that just happened. He really didn't want that to be the case.

"I thought that maybe I'd come with you...someone's got to make sure that you keep clean bandages on your shoulder," she answered him, unable to stop the smile from creeping onto her lips.

Tommy caught that, knowing what else she could be thinking that would make such a smile form on her face. "I like the sound of that," he said to her, also grinning before she walked around the bar to come to his side.

The day had truly been won. Not only had Tommy defeated Billy Kimber, but he'd finally let (Y/N) know how he felt about her...and to his relief, she'd felt the same about him.

And for (Y/N)...she had a feeling that she wasn't leaving Birmingham any time soon. That was something she was perfectly ok with.

Tagged: @mgcldydrms @the-anxious-youth @cloudofdisney @look-at-the-soul @elenavampire21 @mrsalwayswrite @julkaamazing @evita-shelby @lilyrachelcassidy @notyour-valentine @shelbydelrey @december16-1991 @onlydeadcells @peakyswritings @just-a-blackhole @watercolorskyy @strayrockette @peakyduchesss @alexxavicry @captivatedbycillianmurphy @yummycastiel @dark-academia-slut @tommystargirl @stevie75 @lyarr24 @signorellisantichrist @zablife @anotherblinder @midnightmagpiemama @cillmequick @l1-l4 @chlorrox @lostgirl219 @woofgocows @bdudette @mrkdvidal1989 @stephhevring @fictional-hooman @httyd-marauders @nataliewalker93 @rangerelik @thecraziestcrayon @cilliansangel @shaddixlife @tracysnook

SERIES MASTERLIST

[multifandomwriter56]

His Little Spy: The Fight

Series Summary: Anita Edwards is a spy who works for Tommy Shelby. She is an orphan and longs for a family. Will Tommy ever realize she is his daughter, despite them not being blood? Or will he lose her forever?

Chapter 4 Summary: Anita meets someone she thought she would never get the chance to. Tommy isn't happy about it.

Characters: Tommy Shelby, OC, Polly Gray, some other PB characters

Warnings: language, violence, mentions child abuse

Word Count: 3,199

"I fucking hate this hellhole, don't you?"

Anita jumps, barely stopping herself from screaming. She turns to the owner of the voice that just scared the shit out of her; pulling out her knife. "What the fuck? Who are you?"

Alfie chuckles. "Feisty little thing, ain't ya?"

The eleven year old glances behind her, wondering if she should make a run for it.

"There's no need to be frightened, dove. Ol' Alfie isn't going to hurt ya."

"Alfie?" She lowers her arm that's holding the knife. “Alfie Solomons?”

Alfie grins. "The child knows my name."

"I thought Mr Shelby killed you."

Alfie leans down, pointing to the scar on his face. "Well he fucking tried, didn't he?"

The two stared at each other in complete silence. Eventually Anita holds out her hand. 

"I'm Anita. Nice to meet you."

Alfie shakes the girl's hand. "So you're the famous Anita Edwards Ollie has told me so much about." He gestures to the man hidden in the shadows. 

Anita frowns. Okay, maybe this was a bad idea. She steps back, gripping her knife tightly in her fist. He might kill her to get revenge on Tommy.

"I'm not going to hurt you, dove. I already told you I wouldn't. I need you to do me a favor, right; I need you to give this to Tommy."

Anita stares at the envelope in his outstretched hand. "Why can't you?"

"I'm dead, remember?"

"If you give this to Mr Shelby, everyone will know that's not true." Ollie argues. 

Anita can tell by Ollie's voice that they've had this conversation before. 

"He already knows, Ollie boy! When I was fucked up on all those meds, I asked Tommy about Cyril."

"Cyril is your dog?"

Alfie smiles. "Yes. How is my boy?"

Anita grins, putting her knife away. "Fat and lazy." Her grin turns into a full smile when the man laughs. "He loves to cuddle."

Remembering what they were first talking about, Anita's smile falls. "How do you know who I am?"

"Ollie's been keeping an eye on Tommy, you see; making sure that little gypsy man doesn't get into too much trouble. He's noticed you around." He pauses dramatically as he stares her down. "He noticed you were digging up information about me, right; and I wanted to know why."

Anita winces at the mention of her little investigation on the man. "You didn't happen to put that in the letter, did you?"

The grin’s back. "Tommy told you to leave ‘dead’ me be?" The young girl nods. "No, I didn't mention the nosy girl, right; thought it was fun having an admirer."

Anita crinkles her nose. "Who said anything about an admirer?" 

"Well, I just did, didn't I?"

Anita decides she's not even going to answer that. "None of your men ever told anyone you were alive." She doesn't admit it out loud, but she is impressed no one blabbered. 

"My men fucking love me." He holds out the envelope once again. "So will you do poor ol' Alfie this favor?"

Anita smiles. He is nothing like she imagined; but he's endearing in an annoying, yet amusing way. 

So she takes the envelope. 

"Ollie, I think it's time we get out of hell. Goodbye, my little dove. It was a fucking pleasure to meet you." 

Anita giggles. Tommy at least tries not to curse in front of her as much as he does in front of others; but this man doesn't hold back. "Bye Mr Solomons."

"Fucking hell." He mutters. "It's Alfie. No need to be formal."

Anita resists the urge to roll her eyes. "Bye Alfie."

The man smiles softly before following Ollie into an alley where their car is probably hidden. 

Anita knows Tommy hasn't gone home yet so she decides to give him the letter now.

She tries to get into the shop, but the door is locked. She checks the windows, smiling when she finds one unlocked. She slips in, trying to be as quiet as possible. 

She only takes about three steps when she hears a gun cock. "Hi, Mr Shelby."

"Anita?" Tommy uncocks the gun, setting it on a table. He takes two large strides until he's standing in front of the girl. He grabs her chin, a little more roughly than he meant to. "What the fuck are you doing, young lady?"

Anita's eyes widened. "I-I knew you were still here." She tells him lamely; not really knowing what to say. Why is he so mad?

"You can't just sneak in whenever you want to. I could've shot you, Anita." He scolds, releasing his hold on her chin. "Why didn't you knock?" 

The young girl shrugs her shoulders. She sneaks into all kinds of places to get information for him. 

How the hell does he think she gets that information? 

She holds out the envelope. "I have a letter for you." She says sheepishly; refusing to look him in the eye. 

Tommy frowns at the girl; debating on whether or not to scold her some more.  He eventually decides against it, taking the envelope from her. "Who's it from?"

Anita subconsciously takes a few steps back. "Alfie Solomons." She mumbles.

Tommy's hand freezes and his head snaps up. "What was that?" He growls; his eyes hardening when Anita stays quiet. "Answer me, young lady." The fear of her learning the truth rises and even though he shouldn't be as angry as he's acting, he lets the anger take over.

Anita draws a circle on the floor with her shoe-covered toes. Two 'young lady's' in one night is not a good sign. "Alfie Solomons." She tells him a little louder this time.

Tommy leans against the table, a hand covering his eyes. He takes a deep breath. It's not her fault, he reminds himself before focusing back on the letter. 

Anita watches him read the letter, her body twitching with anticipation. Even back when she asked who Alfie Solomons was; Tommy lost his temper. He forbade her from talking about him again and she doesn’t understand why he wants to avoid the subject so much.

And does he not understand that telling her no, makes her want to do it so much more?

Once Tommy finishes reading it, he slips the folded paper in his suit pocket.

"What did he want?" 

Tommy raises his eyebrows; surprised by her gall to even ask such a question. "That is not your concern. Now-" He bends forward until his eyes are leveled with hers. "What do I have to do to make sure you never crawl through another fucking window?"

"N-Nothing. I won't do it a-again." Anita lies; cursing herself for stuttering. 

Tommy doesn't believe her one bit; but if she's really to risk upsetting him by lying, then she must believe she has a good reason for defying him. So he lets it be, for now. He'll have to think on it before he brings it up again.

When he straightens, Anita decides to ask a question of her own. "Why did you tell me Alfie was dead?"

Tommy reaches in his pocket, pulling out his lighter and cigarette case. "At the time, I thought he was."

"Why didn't you tell me when he sent you that letter that he is alive?"

"You spoke to him." Tommy states; wondering why the fuck Alfie came all the way to Birmingham to give him a letter when last time he fucking used the postal. "I don't give you information. That's your job." He reminds her, pointing the lit cigarette at her.

Anita scoffs. "Why is that such a terrible thing? He was nice."

"Go home, Anita." Tommy orders, his voice back to his usual monotone intonation. 

That tone hits a nerve that she can't hide. not tonight. "I don't have a home." She snaps. "But don't worry, I'm going." She heads for the window, ignoring Tommy calling her name. 

Once she's outside, she turns to face him. "This is how I get your information. I sneak around in places where I shouldn't be. So you better get used to the idea that I do this quite often. How else am I supposed to get inside the orphanage without getting into trouble, eh?" She doesn't wait for a response; her courage draining with each second as his glare darkens. 

She hates disappointing him and she hates being upset with him. But dammit! She hates it even more when he uses that bored, monotone voice with her. 

It makes her feel like she's just like everyone else. That she means nothing to him.

"I think it's time you took a break."

And with those words with that same damn monotone, her hate shifts. "You know what? I think you're fucking right!" She shouts, slamming the window shut. 

Her eyes widen in slight fear when Tommy bolts to the front door. She has no idea what would happen if he caught her, but she's not staying around to find out. 

She runs.

Anita stirs as she feels the train come to a halt and a man yells 'London!' 

She heads for the door, sighing in relief when she doesn't see a Shelby or a Peaky in sight. 

Ten minutes into her walk through town, she spots three men coming straight for her.

"You're the Shelby's little snitch, aren't ya?"

Anita tries to bolt but one of the men stops her; grabbing both her arms. "Let me go!" She tries to sound like Polly when she's telling off the Shelby men, but she knows she failed.

The men laugh at her attempts to escape. "Oh, this is her. You ratted us out to Thomas Shelby and almost got us killed. We only took what was owed to us."

Anita remembers the men and scoffs at his words. "If you're stupid enough to steal from the Shelby's, than you're lucky to be alive. Be grateful I knew where your stash was or else I don't think Mr Shelby would have spared your miserable lives."

The punch to her gut knocks the breath out of her. She gasps for air as the man holding her lets her drop to the ground. 

"The little bitch has a mouth on her."

She cries out when one of their boots connects with her side. Knowing that wasn't the end, she clamps her mouth shut and curls into herself to protect her organs; just like how Arthur taught her in case she was ever caught.

When she hears the click of a loaded gun, Anita squeezes her eyes shut in anticipation of her death. 

She flinches with each gunshot, counting a total of three. The silence is so loud, her curiosity gets the better of her and she slowly peels her eyes open.

To her surprise, not only are the men gone, but she sees a familiar man standing in front of her.

"Alfie?"

"The fuck you doing in London, Dove?"

She opens her mouth to answer him, but her body gives in to the pain; her eyes rolling into the back of her head.

The last thing she hears, is "Fuck!"

The Shelby family never thought the day would come where there would be tension between Thomas Shelby and Anita Edwards. And they definitely didn't think it would affect the whole family or the business for that matter. 

Anita only comes around when she has information or when she's needed. 

Tommy tries to avoid being alone with her as much as possible. She doesn't try to stay in his office with him anymore. She doesn't beg to be more involved in the business. And she only comes to the Arrow House when he's not there. 

"You need to fix this, Thomas." Polly scolds him one day.

"I'm not the one who needs to do the fixing."

"Oh, stop being a child. You're the adult; fucking act like it."

Tommy focuses on the papers on his desk, letting his aunt know he's done listening to her. 

Polly storms out, but her anger drains away when she sees a laughing Anita sitting at one of the betting tables. She's not sure what story Arthur is telling the eleven year old, but it must be funny. 

"Anita, love; he's ready to see you."

The smile drops at her words. "Can't I just tell you the information and you can tell him?"

Polly shakes her head, a small smile gracing her lips. "He wants to see you." At least she hopes her nephew does; to make things right.

"I don't know why; he barely says a fucking word." Anita mumbles as she stands to her feet.

As the girl starts to pass by her, Polly gently grabs her chin; her eyebrows raised.

Anita can only keep eye contact for a few moments before looking down. "Sorry."

Polly leans down to kiss the top of her head. "It'll get better; I promise."

Anita wants to believe her, but it's been two months since she gave Tommy Alfie's letter. It was tense afterwards, but when Anita let it slip that her and Alfie started writing to one another; he's been cold. 

She doesn't understand why he hates the idea of her and Alfie being pen pals. Even though she saw no reason for him to, she let him read some of their letters. They never talk about business. Mostly about Cyril and ships. Aflie likes to describe some of the ships he sees. Anita did mention that her and Tommy are not on good terms, but she didn't show that letter to the leader. 

She softly knocks on the door, but doesn't wait for an invitation. If he's expecting her then there's no point of her waiting for a response. 

“Anita?”

The young girl takes her normal seat across from the man. “Polly said you were ready to see me.”

Tommy internally rolls his eyes; but on the outside he has his normal, bored expression plastered on his face. “Yes, what do you have for me?”

“Nothing.” This is why she wanted to just tell Polly. She’s not in a mood for a lecture. 

Tommy frowns, opening the box of cigarettes. “Nothing?”

“Nothing.” She repeats. “So-” She stands to her feet. “Am I free to go or are going to lecture me about how I need to do my job?”

Tommy freezes at her words; the small flame only centimeters away from the unlit cigarette. It’s like something just clicked in his brain. She’s a ten year old kid wondering about a man, who is not even her family, is going to lecture her about a job. A very dangerous job.

“Anita, wait.”

Anita stops. She looks up at the door to his office. “So close.” She mutters to herself. 

She turns around, hoping he isn’t really going to lecture her. “Yes, Mr Shelby?”

Tommy stands from his chair, the cigarette forgotten. He gestures to the chair she was just occupying. “Please sit.” He leans back against the front of his desk, right in front of the chair, her chair.

Anita frowns. Did he just say please? Her eyes scan his, trying to see any hidden meaning behind his words; but all she sees is vulnerability. She sees a softness in his stare that she’s only seen pointed at Charlie. So she heads back to the chair; hoping this isn't some kind of trap.

Tommy stares straight ahead while Y/n stares down at her lap. They stay like this for a few minutes.

“I’m sorry for the way I’ve been handling things. And I’m sorry for the way I reacted to you and Alfie’s… friendship. I could have handled that better.” Did Alfie tell her the truth? Does she know?

Anita stares at him, her mouth wide open and her eyes as big as they can go. “You’re what?”

Tommy lets himself roll his eyes this time. “I’m fucking sorry, alright?” 

‘I was fucking jealous.’ 

He can’t say those words aloud; but that doesn't mean they're any less true. He keeps playing her words over and over in one of the letters she wrote to Alfie. 

'I'm grateful to have someone like you to talk to. Someone I can see as a father figure or an uncle.'

 “I see it in your eyes. Just like I did in Michael's .”

Anita never properly met Polly’s son, but she’s heard of him. “And what did you see?” She cautiously asks.

“Intelligence… cunning. You’re a very bright young lady, Anita. I took advantage of that. I keep forgetting you’re only fucking ten. I need someone with your kind of mind, your loyalty. I just need them to be-”

“A man?” She interrupts with a raised eyebrow.

“Of age.” Tommy corrects, but he doesn’t deny her words. 

“Polly says you were acting like a toddler who had to share their toy.” She’s starting to forgive him, but a simple apology isn’t enough.

Tommy closes his eyes. His aunt is going to be the death of him. “I don’t consider you a toy, Anita.” He tries not to think about how wrong that sounds. “So-” He’s ready to move this along. “Am I forgiven?”

She stays quiet for a moment. “Take me horse riding and I’ll say yes.” Anita knew there would be a day she would forgive him. She just figured it would sorta just happen; not when he, The Thomas Shelby, apologizes to her. 

“You want me to fucking what?”

“I haven't been on a horse for over a month. Lizzie found out I’ve been going by myself since you sent Johnny Dogs wherever and she won’t let me go anywhere near the stables. So I want you to take me.”

“Johnny has been doing what?” Tommy has never felt so confused in his life. How many times has Y/n been to his house and he hasn’t known? When did Johnny start taking her horse riding with HIS horses?

Anita smiles; proud of herself for making Tommy so flabbergasted. “Aw, don’t be mad at Johnny. We always bring the horses back.” She thinks she has the right to tease him some; with what he put her these last two months.

“How do you even get to my house?”

She shrugs her shoulders. “It’s not that far from the orphanage and Johnny showed me some shortcuts. I’m used to walking.”

“How did no one know?”

She smirks, her confidence rising. A side of the young girl that hardly ever surfaces. A side of her that trauma, abuse, and being unloved shoved down inside her. A side she's only shown to two people, rising with the side of her lips.

“Mr Shelby, it’s simple, I’m a fucking great spy.”

Anita didn’t feel like a great anything as she pukes for the fifth time since Alfie helped her into his car. She has the upper half of her body hanging outside of the car as Alfie once again brings the car to a stop. 

She groans as her body yells in pain with each movement. “How much farther to Margate?”

“Just another hour, dove.”

“Should you even be driving?”

Alfie grins. “I fucking doubt it.”

She groans again. If the pain doesn’t kill her, Alfie and his one eye will. 

Forevers: @desiredposion @theseakrakence @simonsbluee @elenavampire21 @kmc1989

Peaky Blinders: @psychkunox @theshelbyclan @lilymurphy03 @findinghisredrighthand @zablife

His Little Spy Series: @smcc212 @peakascum @auggie2000 @ajwantstohavefun @bloomskater @play-morezeppelin @venomsvl @the-horror-and-the-wild-simp @lovemissyhoneybee @theshelbyslimited @bethabear12 @ohshititsfenharel @babayaga67

[brummiereader]

Binding Love (Part One/ Dark!Tommy)

Summary: After a morning of negotiations between lawyers, the day goes wasted when Tommy takes it upon himself to interfere in court proceedings. With your muddled intentions made clear, and your husband's declarations of love forcefully made known, a blazing row erupts between you both in the bustling streets of Birmingham. Will you ever be free from your husband's restraints? Do you even want to be?

Warnings: Dark!Tommy, language, violence, psychological mind games, controlling behaviour, toxic relationship, manipulative behaviour, psychological abuse, mutual pining, angst.

Word Count: 5K

Authors Note: For the purpose of depicting the manipulative behaviour of Tommy in the first part of this chapter, I've taken it upon myself to have radios become a common feature in cars before they were. We'll pick back up from the first scene again in the last chapter. The song playing on the car radio is called "Release Me" by Engelbert Humperdinck.

[Masterlist] [Trailer] [Main Masterlist]

" Please release me, let me go. For I don't love you, anymore..." the sound of your husband's humming voice accompanied by the taunting song and a sharp turn of the cars rumbling wheels on the gritted ground, jolted you from the daze your tired body had drifted into.

"Tommy...Tommy!" you began to frantically cry into the darkness, faced once again with the horrors sleep had dulled for you. A slither of light beaming through a crack in the rear headlights, the salty air of sand and kelp your only comfort to stop your racing heart from plunging you into complete obscurity.

"Tommy please! I'm...I'm sorry! I was scared...you were scaring me!" Your stifled breath wept with desperation as you begged for mercy before panic took over, and you succumbed to the tight enclosure.

Losing track of the countless halting stops, the speeding turns as Tommy's foot pressed down onto the pedal with determination. You had given up on trying to route your husband's destination and fallen into a weary haze of slumber. But with Tommy's clear attempt to awaken you, and bless his lonely thoughts with the beauty of your strangled cries, he had also awoken the searing panic within you once again.

How many hours had it been...fuck, how many hours had it been?! How much air was left?!, your frightened mind scrambled to make sense of the amount of time that had passed through the music loudly confusing any tangible answer you could come to.

" I can't breathe...Oh my god, I...I can't breathe!" your chest heaved in a frenzy, relenting to the alarming situation you had distanced yourself from as your hands searched to ground your body before you let what was left of your sanity slip into the terror your husband was hellbent on inflicting on you.

" Tommy! I...I can't breathe!" your hand flew to your chest as adrenaline coursed through the blood pumping furiously throughout your body. Every muscle reacting in a torturous plea for you to flee the inescapable.

" Maybe you should stop screaming, sweetheart" Tommy's voice rose above the music as a wicked smirk etched on the corner of his curling lips. His arm resting casually on the open window with a lit cigarette perched between his fingers as one would on a leisurely Sunday drive in the country.

" You bastard!" you snapped forgetting yourself, throwing the warranted insult his way as a low chuckle obnoxiously echoed back to you in response.

" And to think I put a cushion in there for you" he teased, if only to spur on the enticing game of cat and mouse he had become the sole player of.

" Don't say I don't do anything nice for you, eh?" a slither of irritation seethed at the end of his tongue for the chaos he blamed you for. For the cascade of selfish decisions you had made he blamed on the day's events.

How could you have done this to him, after all...no. After everything he'd lovingly done for you to keep you away from those that wanted to ruin what you shared.

" I hate you...I fucking hate you! I never loved you Tommy, just like your fucking song! I don't love you! Are you listening?! " your screams continued as you thrashed your limbs against the walls. Desperately trying to garner a reaction out of him as your lungs heaved for the stolen air, panic had snatched from them.

And a reaction you got, but one you'd be thankful to not have witnessed when Tommy shifted in his seat, loosening the collar of his shirt from the restricting pang of anger bobbing in his throat. His jaw clenching into a grating sound of teeth grinding on top of one another as the blue of his eyes eclipsed with a foreboding shade of coal at the lies you had spoken to scorch him. Lies he knew were only said to fool yourself into believing, rather than succumbing to the truth that your doting husband was, and always would be, the only man you would ever love.

You were just...tired. A knock to the head would make anyone confused, Tommy told the distasteful burn that had settled on his chest as the calloused pads of his fingers turned the volume up to drown out any more unwarranted admissions that would have him act out on the sting you had pierced him with.

"I'm warning you, eh? You hear me? One more fucking word Y/N, I dare you!" Tommy's voice loudly ordered with a shuddering tone of control as his eyes narrowed in on the road in front of him. His leather gloves snapping with a crisp creak under his curling fingers as they tightly grasped around the steering wheel. Tethering on the idea of stopping the car to an abrupt halt and dealing with you by hand.

Wiping the tears from your eyes, your trembling bottom lip steadied itself from any further statements you'd be a fool to make as the toying melody lulled your weeping body back into hopelessness. Your eyes drifting to the narrow rays of the sun fading with each passing minute.

Hovering your fingers over the dusting of light, you began to quietly mouth the tormenting lyrics of the song Tommy had chosen to accompany your long drive into the unknown as you let your body sink into itself.

Feeling a strangled cry build in your throat, one last frustrated thrash of your elbow against the side of the car boot had a flash of light searing into the darkness, causing your head to turn from the glaring brightness of the outside world now beaming into your enclosure.

" Shit, shit..." your head turned in a panic to see the back headlight gone, your pent-up hopelessness now your saviour.

Whipping your head back to the sound of your husband's toying lips whistling in tune to the song, your heart pounded rapidly against your chest as you waited for him to acknowledge his taillight skimming across the road. But when no reaction came, you tempted fate and slipped your arm through the open gap, frantically waving your hand in hopes somebody would see.

Hearing the rumbling sound of a car approaching, you pushed your arm further through the shards of glass as you desperately tried to alert its drivers' attention.

" No, no, no..." you cried, pulling away to see the car disappear into the fading sun, hurtling all despair back to you in a strangled muffle of cries.

Readying yourself for the burning sting once again, you pushed your bloody hand back into the sharp teeth of your only escape, forcing it through until your shoulder met the door of your prison one last time.

And that's when you felt it. The lock that had kept you captive for countless hours in the dark.

In for a penny, in for a..., your teeth bit down onto your wobbling bottom lip, dried with a layer of blood from the dripping gash on your forehead.

Steadying your heavy breaths from backing out, you pushed your thumb down onto the chrome button, committing to your escape and the horrors you would face if your husband caught you.

With a subtle click, the door effortlessly popped open as you pulled yourself up with shaky hands, throwing the weight of your body out onto the road without care to any car approaching or injury you'd likely sustain as Tommy's foot slammed on the breaks to a screeching halt.

" Now just where do you think you're going..." Tommy's eyes narrowed, the rolled cylinder of tobacco resting between his plump lips puffing a cloud of smoke with each quiet breathy observation as he flicked the wing mirror with his finger to see the reflection of you scrambling to your feet.

" Help! Somebody!" You screamed in horror as you ran barefoot along the gritted ground. Only a thin slip covering your modesty, Tommy hadn't given you a chance to conceal with his unexpected appearance that morning.

"Shit" Tommy huffed throwing the door open, discarding the burnt cigarette from his mouth as he bolted after your sprinting feet.

" C'mon darling, don't make a scene!" you heard his gravelly voice call after you as you dared to look back to see him chasing towards you with a malicious smile of amusement toying on the corners of his lips.

With no sign of life but the two of you on the long winding road, you took your chances in the bushy hedgerow, heading down the dangerous coastal path with screams of terror as Tommy stayed hot on your heels behind you.

But your frantic escape and pleas for help would go unheard among the thrashing sound of waves, leaving only the echos of the melody coming from Tommy's abandoned car in the middle of the lone country road, and the ticking of its blinkers counting the moments down until he caught you.

"Please release me, let me go. For I don't love you anymore. To waste our lives would be a sin..."

One month earlier...

"Shit, I'm sorry. I don't..I don't have any change" your cheeks reddened with embarrassment as your fingers fumbled with the small, empty purse. Not a single shilling nestled within its velvety padding. Not a single penny to your name.

"My husband wi..." you stopped yourself, feeling a fool to have even referred to him as such, that you were going to rely on him to settle your fare, knowing full well he'd find enjoyment paying on your behalf with the proceedings set to take place in a moment's time.

" S'alright, Mrs Shelby. On the house" the taxi driver nodded to you in the rear mirror with a bushy bearded smile. For he was not foolish enough to follow in suit with your slipping tongue and make the wife of the leader of the Peaky Blinders pay a sum so trivial it could see him costing a finger his profession deemed vital.

" Thank you, Jeffery. But after today I'll no longer be, Mrs Shelby" you stated, opening the car door to a gust of autumn air nipping at your cheeks, your heels stepping onto the cobbled street, that paved your way to the grand building where a judge would decide on your future.

Strutting into the towering structure, you held your head high as your heels loudly echoed along the marble floors. But as you pushed through the heavy court doors, your mustered confidence took a sudden blow when the room turned to face you and the man that would reside over your divorce proceedings, scolded you like a child in front of a class of their peers.

" You're late, Mrs Shelby" he looked past the rims of his glasses as your pace slowed in a desperate attempt to muffle your poor choice of shoes and the unwarranted attention it garnered.

"I'm sorry your honor" you apologised, shamed in front of everyone as you hurried past the set of blue eyes following your every step. His piercing stare roaming over your body from head to toe, to every curve your fitted dress accentuated. His head leaning into your musky perfume filled with notes of amber and vanilla that drifted past him in a gentle greeting as you took your seat next to your solicitor. The intoxicating smell enough to cause a breathy exhale of repressed want from his throat. Tommy.

Feeling the intent stare of your husband boring into your heated cheek, you whipped your head up from the documents between your painted nails to see Tommy leant back in his chair, admiring your choice of outfit from between the men of law that separated you. Why did he have to look at you that way? He was doing it on fucking purpose.

Snapping your eyes away, a screeching sound of a chair scraped along the floor, followed by the heavy footsteps of your husband approaching.

" Darling" he greeted, taking the opportunity to approach you and the tray of refreshments stood feet from your desk as the fumbling Judge lay out your weighty file in front of him with the help of his assistant.

"Tommy" you replied, eyes fixed on the documents in front of you, trying your upmost to shield yourself from the pull of his daily dose of sweet-talking.

Scoffing a chuckle, Tommy raised the glass tumbler of water to his grinning lips. Amused by the cold shoulder you were adamant on giving him.

"Quite the entrance. Was that little show all for me..." You suddenly felt the heat of his body next to you, his distinct cologne of tobacco intertwined with whiskey and soot filling your senses. "...eh?" he perched himself on the edge of your desk as he leant into your ear, his fiery breath sending a ripple of goosebumps down your neck as the beginnings of a cocky smile curled against your skin.

" No" you firmly stated, feeling the remaining surges of embarrassment making laps in your stomach as you raised your eyes to see the smug smirk of enjoyment plastered across his face. Did you do it for him? Were you still seeking his attention, his approval after all this time, after everything that had happened?

" You sure, sweetheart?" his brows knitted together, mischief twinkling in the corners of his creased eyes as his hand reached under the table, roaming under your dress until his fingers met the clasps of your garter and unclipped one.

"Hmm, such a tease" he chuckled to himself, feeling the sting of your hand slapping his fingers away. Toying with your emotions and the agreed boundaries he was unwilling to follow once again.

Whether it be to purposely play with you or sheer refusal to admit he was the one that had pushed you to this point. Tommy didn't care. For your husband would never abide by anyone, let alone follow life's rules that weren't from the beat of his own drum.

" Be seated everyone" the Judge ordered, bringing your racing heart down to a manageable speed as Tommy scooted off the wooden table onto two feet, adjusting his suit before reluctantly playing along to the six-month temper tantrum he believed you was having.

As the dreary morning of papers being sent back and forth between lawyers, of decisions over the custody of your shared child continued. Tommy made it his sole mission to find an issue with every suggestion raised. Addressing only you throughout the entire ordeal as his generously paid lawyer, buried his head in his hands with frustration.

" Mr Shelby" the Judge's voice rose above Tommy's interruptions as he wiped the bead of sweat that had settled on his temple. A huff of defeat in response to the insult that he, a man of his position, couldn't keep his courtroom and its sole troublemaker under control.

" Two Sundays out of the month, Y/N? I won't allow it, understood? Sunday is family time and we'll spend it together, whether you like it or not" Tommy rolled his shoulders, straightening the lapels of his suit jacket as the Judge desperately tried to bring order to the room.

"Why don't we go back home and end this fucking circus, eh? I'll make love to you, we'll take Elsie out for an afternoon with the horses..." Tommy trailed off into a tangent of things he'd rather be doing than sitting in the stuffy room he was currently forced to be in with a wigged man telling him what he could and couldn't do with his family.

"Mr Shelby, I beseech you" the Judge removed his glasses, peering at your husband's lawyer to keep control of his client.

" You really want to do this, eh? To our daughter? Y/N? Y/N?!" the last of Tommy's patience quickly evaporated as you snapped your head away from his bellowing voice to the window beside you, tears spilling over your cheeks.

" Mr Shelby!" The magistrate slammed his hammer down onto its wooden pillow as an exasperated sigh at the tiresome morning loudly left his throat.

Ignoring the resonating boom of the wooden hammer, Tommy rested his arm on the back of his lawyer's chair as he leaned in. Whispering his orders into his ear as his scorching stare stayed fixed on you.

Daring to challenge the piercing pair of eyes burning into you, you raised your head as your husband's lawyer approached the bench with his orders.

Gaze drifting up from his clenched fists, you were met with nothing but anger. Anger at your refusal to bring an end to the whole charade, for your unwillingness to let him back into your martial bed over a paddy he believed would fizzle out within a week's time. How had things gotten to this point? Or more precisely, what had your dear husband done to push you to this point?

" Proceedings are postponed until further notice" the Judge's damning words shocked you out of your husband's hold on your every thought as your eyes darted to your lawyer.

" All rise" the portly guard beside him announced as those present dispersed from the room, leaving you with darting eyes scanning the empty rows of chairs until they settled on Tommy, and the satisfied smirk he was maliciously sending your way.

"What did you do? Tommy! What did you do?!" you shouted, storming over to him as he rose from his seat. Unbothered by your fit of rage and the role he played in its sudden appearance.

"You're so angry all the time, darling" he replied, dismissing your questions as his hands snaked over your waist, playfully pouting down at your widening eyes as if the entire ordeal was nothing but a small spat between a married couple.

"You might wanna get that checked love, can't be good for you, now can it?" He continued to rile you up after getting his way as you pushed him off you, feeling fooled by your lawyers guarantee that not even your husband could bring a halt to court proceedings after the lengthy battle you had already fought to get this point.

Tears settling between your lashes, you shook your head in disbelief at another delay to your freedom as you ran from the courtroom and your husband calling your name.

" Y/N!" Tommy's voice bellowed into the chilly blue sky as he followed after your hurried steps down to the bustling main road of Birmingham's town center.

"Hey!" He grabbed hold of your hips, spinning you around to face him and the tears streaming down your reddened cheeks.

"Hey..." he hushed your cries as you clutched your arms around your body from the bitter breeze of winter slowly rolling in.

"Here" he pulled his black overcoat from his shoulders, wrapping it around your trembling body, you shrugged off the moment it's warmth enveloped you.

No matter what he did, you wouldn't let him in. Why wouldn't you fucking let him back in?!, Tommy thought to himself, throwing his coat on the hood of his car. Oblivious or rather, ignorant to how he had toyed with you moments earlier.

" Why are you doing this, Tommy? We agreed to this. You agreed to this!" a sigh of defeat had your head turning in frustration to the cobbled ground below you. A stream of tears following in tow.

"Forced my hand more like" his huffy response snapped back as he fished in his suit jacket for a cigarette.

Eyes cast down, Tommy's stare darted between your tear-ridden cheeks and the morning dash of men and women hurrying to their places of work as you both stood in silence.

"Hey, look at me" he cupped your chin, turning your head to face him as he shuffled from foot to foot with a breathy exhale. "We'll deal with this in private, alright?" his brows raised, only to be welcomed with your rolling eyes of skepticism on what the word private actually meant to your husband whose idea of a fair deal was only if he was the one making all the deciding factors.

"Y/N?" he waited on your answer, softly brushing a lock of hair from your cheek when his eyes caught the sight of a police car sat guzzling gas on the opposite side of the road, and the prick inside he'd learnt had been hounding you for months on the whereabouts of his colleague.

Jaw tightening, Tommy watched as the detective gave a two-finger salute before turning the wheels of his car into the road and driving off with a pleased smirk. A clear provocation to rile up the notorious gangster on a day he knew Tommy's reputable temper could see him snap given the right push, in the right direction.

" Y/N?" his attention flew back to you as he cupped your cheeks in his hands. " I don't want this" he held your gaze as the end of his cigarette sizzled inches from your cold cheeks.

" I love you" his stare intensified as he wet his lips, his hands reinforcing his words with a stern shake to your face. " I can't lose you. If you want me to change...fuck, I'll change, alright?"

" For god's sake Tommy, that's not...not what I want from you" You felt a surge of disappointment plummet to the bottom of your stomach at the empty promises you had heard countless times before. Hoping that for once, just once, he'd say something that could reassure you enough to put a stop to the yearning you had to reconcile without a shit load of regret following shortly after it.

"I was just keeping you safe, darling" his hands dropped to your arms, tenderly rubbing them within his palms.

" Is that what you want me to do? Pull back my men? Is that what this is all about, eh?" He continued with his refusal to acknowledge the lengths he'd gone to keep control over every waking moment of your day.

" You've given up on us, haven't you?" Tommy huffed at your silence and the reaction it had on his grating need to have your undivided attention at all times.

"Just know this is all on you, eh? Our daughters' parent's separated because of you. Great fucking example you're showing her, darling. Well done" Tommy shook his head, viscously switching his mood back to his bitter brooding over your lack of response, and the expected answer you were unwilling to give.

Your silence being enough to make clear where you stood on the matter, you turned to leave as his hurtful words settled in your chest. Burrowing down to your heart, to the pang of guilt you felt for the stress you was putting your six-year-old daughter through.

"Where are you going?" He stopped you from taking another step as he grabbed hold of your arm.

" Into town" you attempted to shrug off his grip as you watched the barrage of questions form behind his eyes.

" You need some money?" He slipped his burning cigarette between his lips as he pulled out a bundle of cash, flicking through the notes.

" No" you huffed, folding your arms away from him as a wave of embarrassment that you didn't have the money for a taxi fare, let alone a trip into town without your husband giving you your weekly pocket money, scorched you with humiliation.

" Why not?" Tommy's brow furrowed as he threw his cigarette to the ground. " Y/N, why not?" His question turned into an urgent demand to know what had you needing to walk into the city for something he could get one of his men to fetch for you.

Fuck sake, you sighed to yourself, feeling the familiar tone of interrogation seeping though his questions. You just wanted space, space away from the house you still found yourself sharing with him, from the constant reminder of happy memories spent together, from him, from him and his fucking need to know your whereabouts every hour of every second of the day.

"You have someone else paying for this outing into town, is that why you don't need my money, eh? Tommy's paranoia started to turn it's ugly head into an onslaught of never-ending questions.

"Going on another fucking date, hm? Like you did with that pig" his grip tightened, releasing his pent-up anger out on your reddening arms as he glared at you with eyes burning with enough fury to heat your face.

" It's was a friendly dinner..." You sighed with frustration at his inability to stop himself before he pushed you further away with words intended to hurt.

" You meeting someone, Y/N? You fucking somebody, eh?" His voice rose, letting go of the little self-restraint he still possessed as he abruptly pulled you into his body.

" Why you doing this to me, hm?" His voice suddenly softened into desperate pleas anyone would think was an end to his anger. But his tight hold on your body as his cheek pressed against yours, the sound of his gritted teeth grinding together against your ear, enough to tell you otherwise that his fury was seconds away from bubbling over.

" Tommy stop...enough!" You managed to push him away as you turned to leave, refusing to withstand another second of the man that had replaced your once doting husband.

" You won't get rid of me that easily, darling! I won't let it happen!" His voice bellowed into the soot filled air, garnering the attention of those within ear shot. "You marry a Shelby, you stay married! You hear me?! You stay, fucking married!"

" Fuck!" His hands slammed against the door of his car as his lawyer nervously approached, announcing his presence with the clearing of his throat.

" What?!" Tommy's head snapped back to the fumbling man with a file of papers requiring his attention.

" See that those get lost" Tommy's demeanor quickly simmered, keeping the only document that held any interest before piling the rest into the arms of his lawyer.

Sinking into the driver's seat, his true intentions, written in the words of his solicitor, found their way into the glove box as one of his men slid into the passenger's side.

" What's the plan boss?'" the peaked soldier questioned, his voice drowning out into a distant muffle of unintelligible words as Tommy's eyes followed you walking along the cobbled path. His fingers hovering over the ignition, ready to leave when you turned back to look at him with locks of hair dancing in front of your eyes, cheeks rosy red from the chill that had settled over the foggy city. The sight twisting an unbearable urge within him to have you walk back to him, to have you back in his arms.

Were you coming back to him?, Tommy waited, a breath of anticipation catching in his throat as you stood from afar before the ends of your dress turned with a gust of wind, pushing you around the corner out of sight.

" Boss?" The peaky asked, waiting for his orders as his hand rested on the handle of the door.

" Follow her"

" Fuck..." you stifled the steady flow of tears trickling down your cheeks as you darted into a narrow bricked path behind a row of shops. A face as famous as yours was, and would always be a topic of conversation, even more so with a set of tears covering it.

How had it come to this? Was it after the birth of your daughter? No, no, before then? When you was dating?", you plagued yourself with the same frequency of questions your husband tired you with.

No matter how many questions your weary thoughts tormented you with, the truth was, you couldn't pinpoint when your marriage fell apart. It had happened slowly, small changes gone unnoticed. And then, in true Tommy fashion, accelerated to a point where the ignored had become glaringly obvious.

Yet still, wrenching pangs of yearning had you feeling like you couldn't live without him as long sleepless nights dragged on. The heat of his body absent from under the sheets of your martial bed. He was all you had ever known. And he knew it. He knew it.

"You'll pay privy to his crimes when I finally get him, Mrs Shelby. You and your daughter" a voice snatched you from the beckoning memories of your husband's arm wrapped tightly around your waist.

" Leave me alone" your eyes snapped up as you blinked your tears away, pulling yourself from the detective that had tracked you down for a second time that week.

" You're making a mistake" he caught your arm, forcing you to face his insistent inquiries into your husband.

"For the last time, I don't know anything. Now let me go" you echoed the countless responses you had already given.

One dinner had landed you not only at the brunt end of Tommy's raging anger, that you had dared to entertain someone of the opposite sex that was neither blood nor bound to you by marriage, but the watchful eye of your date's colleague, adamant on finding what he believed would be his partner's dead body, murdered at the hands of your husband after a fit of jealousy.

" I can offer you protection, away from him. All you have to do..." He slipped his details into your hand before you abruptly put an end to his concerns for your safety.

" I said, leave me alone" you pulled his hand off you, tired of being man-handled, of being expected to appease every living fucking creature of the opposite sex.

"You'll be next, Mrs Shelby. Mark my words!" He shouted to you as you drifted back into the bustling streets, his words leaving a harrowing sense of dread tightening around your throat as you shoved his card within the warmth of your pocket.

" Tommy doesn't share his toys!" The last of his warnings rang back to you as you leaned against a lonely lamp post, steadying the weight of your body against its metal frame when the world you were trying to flee from appeared in the corner of your eyes in the form of a peaked cap soldier watching from afar.

In sickness and in health, until death do us part. Would you ever be free from the binding love that had chained you together? Or would fate echo the words of your shared vows spoken on your wedding day?

Next Part

Tag list: @peakyswritings @justrainandcoffee @garrison-girl-08 @meadows5 @lavender-haze-01

@strangeobsessed @ttae-yong @lemonwithstupidity @lindsay00000 @mischievouslittlecreature

@jbrownta @lau219

[runnning-outof-time]

Birmingham | Tommy Shelby x Reader (Part 19)

Previous Part

Pairing: Tommy Shelby x reader

Summary: (Y/N) spends some time with the youngest member of the Shelby family before spending the night with the member she's gotten the closest to.

Warnings: language, drinking, smoking

Word Count: 4956

A/N: idk how this many words came out of me so quickly…I’m completely invested on telling the rest of their story now, and I hope you don’t mind the length of the part; I didn’t want to split it and make it have more than 20 parts. This was a fun one to write. Enjoy! :)

PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!

There’s one part left! - expect it next week!

(Y/N) remembered the way to the Watery Lane home from when she'd walked there with Tommy a couple weeks ago. She stopped at the door and raised her hand to knock, but hesitated before she was able to as Polly's words ran through her mind: "come right in when you arrive." She heeded to the words, twisting the door's handle and entering the home.

The house was silent as she stepped into the entry room. A nervous feeling filled her as she worried she was overstepping her boundaries. She walked further into the house despite the feeling, knowing she wasn't going to make whoever was inside aware of her presence if she stayed in the doorway.

In the dining room, she found a kid. Her brows furrowed together as she wracked her brain trying to figure out who he may be. Did one of the Shelbys have a child? "Excuse me?" she decided to ask, making the boy look in her direction. "Is Polly Gray here?" she got right to the point.

"Aunt Polly had to run to the market to get a few things. She said she'd be right back," the boy answered with no hesitation.

His words made (Y/N) nod. Of course I'd come when she's out, she thought to herself while inwardly sighing. "Is anyone else home?" she tried another question. Surely this kid wasn't home alone.

"Nope, it's just me," the boy answered with a smile, speaking in a tone that let (Y/N) know this wasn't the first time he'd been left in this situation.

"Oh...ok," (Y/N) nodded slowly as she wrapped her head around the details she'd been given. "Who might you be exactly?" she decided to stop dancing around the unknowns and ask the boy the question that was on her mind since she stumbled upon him. She felt so silly asking the child such a question.

"I'm Finn," he chirped, the smile on his face telling her that he wasn't at all bothered by her asking.

"Oh, we'll it's nice to meet you, Finn, I'm (Y/N)," (Y/N) smiled politely.

"You work for my brothers, don't you?" it was time for (Y/N) to answer a question now.

"I do," (Y/N) nodded, holding her smile for a little longer. There's another Shelby sibling? she wondered, her mind then going back to when she rushed to tell Polly about Grace's schemes. Finn must've been the boy who was sleeping on Polly's lap.

"I'm working on my maths homework," Finn spoke again, his statement having nothing to do with the previous conversation. (Y/N) wanted to laugh at the abrupt change, I guess the introductions are over, she thought.

"Yeah?" she asked, prompting him to continue.

"Yeah," he nodded, "I wanted to go out and help John, but Aunt Polly told me that I need to finish my work first," he pouted slightly as he explained his situation.

"That's smart of your aunt to say...school's important," (Y/N) agreed with the decision that was made by the older woman.

"But none of my brothers finished school!" Finn protested, his brows furrowing to show his distaste with the situation.

"So then you'll be the smart one," (Y/N) smiled, "is there something I can help you with?" she asked him then, taking a few steps over to where he was sitting.

"I guess," he sighed in defeat once he realized that this lady also wasn't going to let him get out of arithmetic.

"Alright," (Y/N) smiled, walking over to the open chairs so that she could sit down next to him, "let's see what you're working on here," she said, glancing over his paper. She was relieved to see that he was working on simple skills...she didn't know how much help she would be if it were any of the harder applications as it had been awhile since she'd really practiced any of them.

(Y/N) happily got into explaining the properties of the skill that he was working on, using one of the questions to show him how to efficiently do it. Finn was happy to have her complete one of the problems for him. A groan came in response when (Y/N) uttered the statement 'now it's your turn'. She was so invested in helping him that she didn't notice that a certain someone had entered the home through its side doors and was watching the interaction.

"Did I do it?" Finn asked, putting the pencil down and looking over at (Y/N).

(Y/N) checked the problem over before looking up at the boy with a smile, "you did," she told him, making a proud smile break onto his face.

"Thank you for helping me," he politely said.

"You're welcome. Do you think you can do the next one?" she raised her eyebrows, watching as he nodded; a look of determination now on his face.

"Tommy!" the unmistakable voice of Arthur Shelby’s came from the room that was adjacent to where Finn and (Y/N) were.

This made (Y/N) quickly look up and find that Tommy was standing in said room, his eyes already locked onto her. She wanted to gasp at the surprise, but instead stayed silent; staring at him like a deer in the headlights as she wondered how long he'd been standing there for. Tommy didn't remove his gaze; keeping it on her as Arthur walked up behind him. He stood still until his brother clapped him on the back and began talking, which finally made him look away. (Y/N) kept her eyes focused on him, a million different ideas of what to say running through her mind.

"I see you're here already, (Y/N)," Polly's voice came from the opposite side of the room, making her finally break her gaze from the man in the other room to see the older woman entering the room with a basket on her arm.

"I only got here a short while ago," (Y/N) answered, her cheeks heating up as she stood from the table and rushed to make herself useful. She couldn't shake the feeling of the intense gaze that was on her once more. "Is there any way I can help you?" she then offered.

"You can help me start dinner," Polly answered with a smile before she looked over at Finn.

"She was helping me with my maths, Aunt Pol!" Finn smiled proudly.

"That's very kind of her," Polly commented, smiling at the boy before she brought it over to (Y/N), who simply sent one in return. "Are you boys sticking around?" she asked Tommy and Arthur as she led (Y/N) into the kitchen area.

"Business came up," Tommy's response was short, his words making Polly sigh.

"Can't even make a bloody stew around here without having enough mouths to eat it," she grumbled, sending her nephews both a glare. She'd hoped that the family would actually be around for the family dinner.

"We'll get some later, Pol," Arthur promptly assured her.

"Can I go with them?" Finn asked with hopeful eyes.

"You've not finished your maths," Polly pointed out, telling him 'no' without even saying the word. Her response made the boy's shoulders slump.

"You'll come some other time," Arthur said to his youngest brother, patting him on the shoulder as he walked towards the archway.

Tommy followed close behind, moving around the kitchen to get to the door that Polly had just entered through. (Y/N) stood next to where Polly was unloading her things, waiting to be of use wherever she'd be needed. Tommy walked past her wordlessly, instead placing his hand against the small of her back as he went by; much like one would do when they're in close quarters with someone. Except they weren't in close quarters at all. (Y/N) froze up slightly at the touch, shocks running through her skin where his hand had brushed as he went. She watched him go, wanting so bad to say something, but her mind was coming up empty.

It wasn't until he exited the room that she looked at Polly again. She felt her cheeks heat up as she found the older woman looking at her with an expectant expression present on her face. (Y/N) smiled at her, trying to play things off like she hadn't reacted the way she did to Tommy's touch.

But, of course, Polly was too bright to believe the act. "I know all of what happened in Sheffield, (Y/N)," she stated, her lips pursed together as she tried to conceal her grin. (Y/N)'s eyes widened and jaw went slack; a wordless way to ask 'what?'. "Ada shares way too much with me sometimes..." she trailed off, letting the younger woman know that she knew about the elephant in the room.

"Do you...will you need help with any of the cooking?" (Y/N) tried to deflect, hoping that her flushed nature wouldn't appear too apparent.

Polly looked her over for a moment before she tasked her with chopping up some of the vegetables. The two women worked silently, and (Y/N) was happy that she was able to get past that topic with only slight hiccups...or so she thought. "Thomas doesn't let very many people in, you know," she brought the topic back into discussion. Her statement made (Y/N) look in her direction. "He acts differently when he's with you."

"He does?" (Y/N) thoughtlessly asked her.

"He does," Polly nodded, "you're good for him. He needs someone like you in his life; someone who'll stay by his side," she said in a definitive tone.

"Oh, I don't know, Pol..." (Y/N) began to speak, wanting to say that she wasn't quite sure where she and Tommy really stood in…those regards.

"I do know," Polly cut her off, an assured expression present on her face, "and I'm never wrong in affairs of the heart," she insisted, raising her eyebrows slightly. (Y/N) only smiled at her, unable to think of anything to say in response.

The two women continued on with making the stew, preparing and cooking it, and then setting out on the table for the three remaining people in the house to eat. They were working on cleaning things up when the door to the home opened again. Ardent footsteps sounded off of the hardwood, and soon Tommy was visible as he quickly made his way over to the kitchen.

"Dinner?" Polly asked him, stopping her wiping of one of the dishes.

"No," Tommy shook his head before his gaze fell on (Y/N), "I need you to come with me."

"Me?" she asked in surprise, gesturing to herself as her eyebrows raised.

"Yes," Tommy nodded, haste present in his tone, "I need to take you somewhere," he kept his reasoning vague.

(Y/N) glanced over at Polly for a moment then. The older woman only nodded in Tommy's direction. Seeing that she'd get no help there, she exhaled a sigh and walked to Tommy's side. "Let's go," she stated, sharing her decision with him. Tommy nodded at her and (Y/N) sent one last glance in Polly's direction before she followed him out of the door.

—

"Where are we going?" (Y/N) asked as they walked to the outskirts of town. The walk was quiet so far; Tommy hadn't shared a lick of information about where their destination was, or why they were even going there.

"I need to check on something," Tommy answered, taking another drag from the cigarette he'd been smoking.

"And I needed to join you?" she asked another question, her eyebrows raised.

"I couldn't come alone," he answered matter-of-factly, "and I can trust you. You won't be on me with questions," he added, throwing his cigarette to the ground before he looked over at her, tucking his hands into his pockets as they walked.

"Oh," was all (Y/N) said in response, now feeling silly for asking questions when the reason she'd been accompanying him was because he thought she wouldn't. But the way he said it didn't make it sound like he was angry that she was.

"We're nearly there," Tommy commented, looking ahead once again.

The two walked up a hill and a graveyard came into view. (Y/N)'s eyebrows furrowed at the sight, but she stayed silent. There was a reason why they'd come here. That reason came into view as a grave that was marked with the name 'Daniel Owens'.

"Fuck," Tommy breathed, aggravation present in exclamation.

"What's wrong?" (Y/N) asked, hoping to gain some insight as she looked at what seemed to be a freshly dug grave.

"They found them," his answer was abrupt, and it made (Y/N) even more lost. Who found what? "The guns...they've found the guns," Tommy spoke again, making (Y/N) realize that she'd voiced her thought instead of keeping it to herself. She couldn't let herself react though...now wasn't the time to get self-conscious over a slip up.

"What happens now?" she asked, hoping that he wouldn't get even more upset by the fact that she was, once again, doing the exact opposite of what he hoped she would.

"I've lost my bargaining power. This copper...Campbell...it's just me and him now..." he trailed off, exhaling the rest of his breath as a frustrated sigh, "fuck," he said under his breath, looking off to the cityscape as he tried to wrap his head around the change of events.

"I'm sorry, Tommy," (Y/N) spoke up after a few moments passed. Her stomach had been tied in knots since the mention of Campbell. That name alone made her realize what had happened and now the guilt was building up higher by the second.

"About what, love?" Tommy asked her, his brows furrowed in confusion.

"I knew..." she admitted, trying - and failing - to swallow the lump in her throat before continuing, "I knew about Grace; that she was working with Campbell; that she was trying to take your family down, and I didn't tell you. I don't know why I didn't, I...I just figured that..."

"I knew about her, (Y/N)," Tommy cut her off before she could stumble through the rest of her admission. His voice held no prominent emotion; his mind was still reeling from his discovery. "Pol told me; before we left for Sheffield. She said that she was going to deal with it; that you and I should focus on what needed to be done," he explained what he had known for a few weeks now.

"I'm still sorry. I shouldn't have kept it from you," she didn't take his statement and let the topic drop, the guilt still present inside of her.

"It's fine, (Y/N)," he assured her, his eyes slightly wider as he tried to get her to realize that she'd not done anything wrong.

"Yeah, but..."

"Love, let it go, eh?" he cut her off before she could explain herself any further. He had a pointed expression on his face, and its presence made her realize that she wasn't going to get any further on the topic. So she nodded her head, conceding to his request. "Let's go," he said then, not having any other reason to stick around the graveyard any longer.

(Y/N) nodded again, adding a soft 'ok' before she fell in beside Tommy and began walking back into the city.

"I saw you with Finn earlier," Tommy spoke again after they'd been walking for a few minutes.

"Yeah...he's a sweet boy," (Y/N) smiled at the thought of the child.

"He needs someone like you to help him..." Tommy began, glancing over at (Y/N) momentarily before continuing, "me brothers and I are no use when it comes to things like that. Pol tries to help, but..." he trailed off again, tilting his head to the side as he tried to think of the proper words to describe what it was that Polly does. He sighed when nothing came to mind, "yeah...it's good he's got you," he decided to end it there, looking at her again.

(Y/N) smiled at the sentiment Tommy had just shared with her. "I'd be happy to help him," she stated, feeling honored that he felt that way.

They turned the corner then, making the Garrison come into view. "Join me for a drink?" Tommy asked her when they were a few steps away.

"Sure," (Y/N) answered with a soft smile, not seeing anything wrong with the offer.

Tommy nodded as he heard her answer and opened the door to the tavern, letting her enter first before following behind her. The room was basically empty, save for Polly and Harry standing at the bar.

"Here he is," Polly stated, exhaling a sigh of relief.

"What?" Tommy was confused by her unusual greeting, his brows furrowed as he looked between the two.

"I just got word from my brother in Digbeth. He said that there's police coming down from Deritend in numbers and that they're asking for you by name," Harry told Tommy the information that he'd been given. (Y/N)'s throat dried up as she realized what that meant.

"Fuck," Tommy breathed, tipping his head back in exasperation. This day was getting worse by the second.

"You'll have to go somewhere, lie low for the night," Polly voiced a possible plan.

"Where?" Tommy asked no one in particular.

"Come with me," (Y/N) suggested before anyone could say anything else. The rest of the group looked at her, and she instantly felt the desire to shrink into herself; now thinking that her idea was bad.

"That's a good idea. Go with her until the dust settles," Polly agreed with the younger woman's suggestion. Tommy didn't say anything right away. Instead he kept his eyes fixed on (Y/N).

"The police are in the lane, Tommy!" Finn's panicked voice came from the door that he'd hastily opened.

"Go on, go," Polly ordered the two, nodding her head to the building's side door.

Tommy only nodded before turning and walking over to said door. (Y/N) hurried along behind him, following him out the door and into the alleyway. Nothing was said as they quickly made their way to her apartment, making sure to take all of the off streets so they wouldn't be found.

A relieved breath escaped (Y/N)'s lips when they were finally behind her apartment's closed door. "I don't think anyone noticed us," she said once she'd finished locking the door.

"We'll be fine," Tommy responded, not an ounce of worry in his words.

"You'll be staying the night then?" she asked him.

"I'd say I would be," his answer was simple, and a surge of something indescribable shot through (Y/N) as she heard him say it.

She found it ironic that Tommy was now hiding out across the hall from where the person who ratted him out lived. Of course she didn't know if said person still lived there, and she wasn't about to go knock and find out, but the idea of it all just seemed so funny to her.

"It's late, I..." (Y/N) paused, wondering if it would be proper to even announce this to him, "I'm going to go and get changed for the night," she decided to continue on with sharing her plans. Tommy nodded after hearing her statement. It's not like he could have really said no to her...this was her home after all. (Y/N) nodded also before she went to her bedroom and changed her clothing for a sleeping gown and a robe.

When she returned to the main room, she found Tommy sitting at the table with a glass in front of him. "I hope you don't mind," he stated, motioning to the bottle sitting on the table.

"I see you found my stash," she grinned at him, moving over to the cupboard to grab a glass before she sat across from him, "I don't mind, you just have to share with me...you promised me a drink, remember?" she reminded him, holding the glass out to him. He got to pouring, filling her glass up halfway.

Silence fell between them then as they stared at each other. (Y/N) kept her hand fastened to the glass, unable to break herself from the trance she felt like she was being sucked into. Why did his eyes have to be so mesmerizing? Why did his gaze have to be so intense? It was like he was sizing her up; his eyes combing over every inch of her face.

Tommy was waiting for (Y/N) to take the lead in the conversation. He knew that she was grappling with something; he could see it in her eyes. He was desperate to know what was on her mind, but he didn't want to force her into saying it.

"Have I done something wrong?" (Y/N) was the first to speak, finally blurting out the question that had been circling her brain since their tense interaction at the Garrison yesterday.

"What?" Tommy questioned her, his brows now furrowed. He didn't expect that type of question from her.

"Yesterday, at the office. That was the first time I saw you since Sheffield, and you seemed closed off towards me. It made me wonder if I...that maybe I did something wrong, or that maybe we did something that you regret," she explained herself, her voice trailing off at the end so that the last eight words were uttered at a lower volume.

Tommy heard them loud as day though. They made him think; wondering why she was caught up on their interaction...why she was second guessing what had happened between them before they left Sheffield? Why would she think that he regretted it? He'd be waiting to do that for so long. "(Y/N), I don't..."

"Police, open up!" a loud voice and incessant knocking interrupted Tommy before he could quell her worries.

The knocking continued as (Y/N)'s eyes widened, realizing that they were surely looking for Tommy. "You need to hide!" she whisper-yelled to him, dramatically pointing to the door of her bedroom. Tommy nodded, still a little too calm for her liking.

She then realized that she was going to have to speak to these coppers. Shit. She walked to the door after a deep breath to contain herself. "Can I help you?" she asked once she opened the door to see two police officers. She hoped that she came off as composed.

"We're looking for Thomas Shelby, have you seen him?" the one officer asked in a gruff voice while the other peered around her into the apartment.

"I've not seen him," (Y/N) shook her head, hoping the interaction would end there.

But of course, it didn't. "You work at the Garrison, correct?" the copper asked another question.

"Correct," (Y/N) gave a brief answer.

"And you've not seen him?" the second man jumped in, his eyebrows raised.

"No, sir," (Y/N) answered with a shake of her head, feeling much more composed now, "I am merely an employee at his establishment." The man who asked the question raised his eyebrows, looking as though her answer wasn't sufficient enough for him. (Y/N) caught that and happily added on, "you don't see your boss and keep tabs on his whereabouts every single day, do you?" she raised her eyebrows right back at him, annoyance seeping into her words.

She was met with silence from both of them. Clearly they couldn't dispute her statement.

"I thought not," she said with a single nod, pleased with the outcome, "it's late, and I'm clearly in my sleeping gown. Are there any more questions you need to ask me?" she asked them, her tone flat as she raised her eyebrows once more.

"No, ma'am," the first officer answered, sounding defeated.

"Good. Goodnight, officers," she said her farewell, not even giving them enough of a chance to respond before she shut the door on them.

A sigh of relief escaped her lips once she was behind the partition again. She was happy that she was able to keep up an innocent front while answering their questions.

She was still taking a moment to herself when Tommy emerged from the bedroom. In her absence, he'd taken off his coat and shirt, leaving him in an undershirt and trousers with suspenders holding them up. Seeing him just about made her melt. He looked so different now; more comfortable and, dare she say it...content.

"Thank you, (Y/N)," he said to her as he walked out into the living area.

"You're welcome," she sent a small smile in return. Silence returned to the room again, and it made (Y/N) remember where they'd left off on their conversation before the officers came to the door. As much as she was wondering what was on his mind, she didn't know if she could take anymore excitement for the evening. "It's, uh...it's getting late. You can use my bed tonight," she broke the silence, offering him a place to sleep.

"No, I'll stay on the couch," Tommy turned down her offer with a slight shake of his head. He didn't want to take the bed from her...that would be very ungentlemanly of him.

"Then I'll stay out here with you," (Y/N) was quick to say, her words noticeably catching Tommy off guard, "in case anymore visitors come knocking," she added, hoping that adding reasoning improved her grounds for saying it.

"Expecting someone?" Tommy questioned in a tone that (Y/N) couldn't quite decipher. She wasn't sure if he was kidding or being serious. She hoped it was the latter.

"No, but I am harboring a fugitive," she decided to go the joking route, poking fun at him as she cracked a smile. She was relieved when he chuckled at her statement.

"Fair enough," he nodded his head, a smile breaking through on his lips. (Y/N) took reverie in the sight.

"Shall we?" she awkwardly asked after a few, quiet moments had passed, wanting to kick herself for how she then motioned to the couch in the room. Her question made Tommy's smile widen though, so she took it as a victory.

They both moved over to the couch. Silence fell around them, once again, but this time it was comfortable.

"I don't regret anything that happened between you and I, (Y/N)," Tommy was the one to break the silence this time. His words made her eyes snap in his direction. He saw her surprise and decided to continue, "there's a lot happening...with the races coming up, and now Campbell finding the guns. My mind's full, but I don't regret what happened between us."

"I..." (Y/N) trailed off, her mind going too fast for her to keep up. She was hoping for him to say something like this, but now that he did, she didn't have a clue of what to say back. "Thank you for letting me know," she lamely said, wanting to kick herself yet again for going the awkward route.

Tommy opened his mouth then, looking like he was about to say something as his eyes searched her face, but after a moment he decided against it and exhaled a slight sigh, looking off to the wall again. "Do you mind if I smoke?" he asked her.

"I don't," she answered with a soft smile, all the while wondering what it was that he was going to say at first.

Tommy nodded upon hearing her answer, standing from the couch to fish his cigarettes out of the pocket of his suit jacket. He then moved to the opposite side of the room, not wanting to be on top of her as he lit up a match. His mind was reeling with all of the things he wanted to say to her. He wanted to tell her that he needed her, that she was important to him, and that he felt that things would turn out fine as long as she was by his side, even moreso, things would be good if she was. But he couldn't...he just couldn't get the words out. And so he stared out the window as he smoked his cigarette.

(Y/N) busied herself with a pamphlet that was sitting on the side table. She tried to focus on reading it rather than the millions of questions that were rushing through her mind. Somehow he quelled her one worry and created ten more. What was he going to say to me?! she wanted to scream to the heavens. But she couldn't, and so she just quietly sat and 'read' over the paper in her hands.

Tommy came back over to the couch once he was finished. By that time, (Y/N) had placed the pamphlet back on the table and had relaxed across the couch. "I'm sorry, I got comfortable," she apologized as she noticed Tommy standing in front of her.

"Don't apologize, love," he brushed her statement off, watching as she hastily sat up and opened a spot for him.

"Here. Sit," she motioned to the open cushion, a sheepish smile on her face as she watched him sit down. He sent a smile as a silent thank you, and got comfortable on the couch again.

(Y/N) yawned, and not much more was said as she twisted herself and tried to get comfortable again. All the moving around probably annoyed Tommy, but the end result most certainly didn't. She finally got comfortable when she rested her head on his shoulder. By that point, she was too tired to care of the formalities, and drifted off to sleep.

Tommy stayed up for most of the night...not because he wasn't tired, but rather because he wanted to savor the moment where he felt like all of his worries were miles away…thanks to the beautiful woman who was sleeping next to him.

Next Part

Tagged: @mgcldydrms @the-anxious-youth @cloudofdisney @look-at-the-soul @elenavampire21 @mrsalwayswrite @julkaamazing @evita-shelby @lilyrachelcassidy @notyour-valentine @shelbydelrey @december16-1991 @onlydeadcells @peakyswritings @just-a-blackhole @watercolorskyy @strayrockette @peakyduchesss @alexxavicry @captivatedbycillianmurphy @yummycastiel @dark-academia-slut @tommystargirl @stevie75 @lyarr24 @signorellisantichrist @zablife @anotherblinder @midnightmagpiemama @cillmequick @l1-l4 @chlorrox @lostgirl219 @woofgocows @bdudette @mrkdvidal1989 @stephhevring @fictional-hooman @httyd-marauders @nataliewalker93 @rangerelik @thecraziestcrayon @cilliansangel @shaddixlife @tracysnook

SERIES MASTERLIST

[multifandomwriter56]

His Little Spy: Reminiscing

A/N: Sorry for the long wait. Classes have been kicking my ass this semester. Here's Part 3

Series Summary: Anita Edwards is a spy who works for Tommy Shelby. She is an orphan and longs for a family. Will Tommy ever realize she is his daughter, despite them not being blood? Or will he lose her forever?

Chapter 3 Summary: Anita reminisce about the past while trying to change her future.

Characters: Tommy Shelby, OC, a few minor OC's, Polly Gray, mentions other characters from the series

Warnings: language, mentions child abuse, angst

Word Count: 2,118

"Anita, come with us. You haven't been to the Cut in days."

Anita opens her mouth to tell Rosa she'll come; but closes it when she sees a familiar black coat. "I can't. Maybe next time." 

Rosa rolls her eyes. "I've been replaced by a grumpy old man. Me! Her best friend!" She tells another kid, knowing full well Anita can hear her. 

Anita grins at the description of Thomas Shelby. He is grumpy a lot of the time.

"He's not that bad." George defends.

"You're only saying that because he saved your arse."

Both George and Anita glance at each other; that day still very clear in their minds. 

She glances back, cursing under her breath when she can't find the man. "Well, looks like you win, Rosa. I'm going."

"Going where?" 

The group of kids jump at the low, gruff voice. They all turn to see the man they were talking about, slightly hunched as he lights a cigarette.

"To the Cut." Rosa answers for the group. 

"The Cut, eh?" He questions, side-eying the ten year old he knows.

Anita can feel the heat rising to her cheeks. She can remember back when John and his family lived here and how he was always warning his kids to stay away from the Cut. She has no doubt that Tommy knew about that. And she bets he remembers her being present half those times.

"The Cut can be a dangerous place. Watch out for each other." Tommy waits for their acknowledgements, nodding when they do. "And if anyone gives you trouble, you tell them this one-" He points at Anita. "She works for me and anyone who messes with her or her friends will feel the wrath of the Peaky Blinders." He turns his full attention to her. "I'll be here until eight tonight; come see me before you head home."

"Yes, Mr Shelby."

The group of ten year olds watch the gangster as he crosses the street. 

Tommy knew he shouldn't let the children use the old gang name to make threats; but he wanted to do something for the girl. For the past year, she's been feeding him information. Sometimes he would already know; but it was nice to get a different point of view from someone other than his family. And sometimes he had no idea what was going on in his own hometown. Living at the Arrow House has made it harder for him to see personally what happens in his town.

Anita couldn't believe what just happened. She turns to her friends, not able to hide her smile. 

"Well, you heard him." George says, loud and proud; his chest puffed out. "Let's go to the Cut; by Order of the Peaky fucking Blinders."

It's been about two weeks since Anita came to stay with Polly. Tommy had asked her yesterday how she was feeling and she told him she was better. 

Polly had disagreed; said Anita needed more time to heal. Not wanting to be bed-ridden any longer, Anita insisted she was fine. 

The next day, Tommy came to collect her and take her to one of his institutions. Polly objected.

So now, Anita is waiting in "her room" while the two adults argue over her future.

"This girl deserves to have a home, Thomas!!"

"I'm taking her to a home!"

"Yeah, just like you did last time; and look what happened!"

"You know that won't happen here, Pol!

"She deserves a family."

Anita had to crane her neck when Polly lowered her voice.

"She doesn't have any."

"We are her family, you stupid bastard!" Polly shouts once again.

Tommy shakes his head; his voice barely above a whisper, but still strong. "She's not blood."

Anita steps back from the door. She'd rather not hear the rest of that conversation. 

"Tommy's not here, Anita."

"I know." 

Finn watches as the ten year old heads into his brother's office. "You can't go in there."

Anita stops before looking back at the youngest Shelby. "Why not? He keeps everything important locked up. I just want to sit down, away from all of that." She gestures toward the men surrounding the tables, placing their bets.

Finn looks at the men before looking back at the young girl. "Alright. Just don't touch anything."

Anita rolls her eyes. Finn's not that much older than her. 

As soon as she shuts the door, her hand finds the nearest furniture. As she makes her way to Tommy's desk, she leaves her arm outstretched, her hand grazing anything in her reach. 

When she reaches the chair she usually sits in, she stares at it for a moment. Her gaze then turns to the chair on the other side of the desk. 

She glances behind her at the door before going around the desk. She slowly lowers herself in his chair, a small smirk gracing her lips as her backside hits leather. She spins once in the chair and her eyes catch the box stashed with cigarettes and a lighter. She's seen Tommy grab a cigarette from this box a million times. 

Once she has one and the lighter in her hand, she glances at the door for a second time. She brings the death stick to her mouth, rubbing the end between her lips. She doesn't understand why he does this, but he does it every time so she figures there's a reason. 

She inhales the first drag, immediately coughing.  "Why the fuck would you want to smoke this?" She whispers to herself before taking another drag. "Huh?" Realizing it seems to get better with each puff, she keeps it lit. Small coughs tickle her throat; but she ignores them, her eyes searching over the desk.

She smiles when she sees his glasses. She picks them up with her free hand, bringing them to her face. When she looks down at a piece of paper to read it, she squeezes her eyes shut. "Oh wow, he's blind when it comes to reading." 

The glasses slide down her nose, dangling at the tip. Now without the lenses blocking her own sight, she decides to leave them where they lay. She leans back in the chair and takes a puff. "I'm no gentleman." She says through the smoke, making her voice as deep as she can go. This causes a  coughing fit and she has to lean forward, trying to get air to her lungs. Once she can finally breathe, she relaxes in the chair.

"Are you making fun of me, Anita?"

The young girl jumps at hearing the voice she was trying to imitate. She tries to speak, but her tongue won't move. 

Tommy slowly makes his way around his desk, stopping when he's next to his chair. He leans down, gently taking his glasses off the still-in-shock kid. He sets them on his desk. Then takes the half smoked cigarette and places it between his own lips. 

Anita freezes, not sure whether the man is going to give her a beating or not. Mother Superior wouldn't hesitate to, and her uncle definitely would have; but Tommy has never. He's never even threatened to. 

Tommy doesn't miss the fear creeping into her eyes. He gently helps her stand to her feet, pointing to her usual chair in a silent order to sit. He's not surprised when she does so without argument. 

"You need to lower your tone, make it more gruff. And add more authority to it."

Anita snaps her head up, her eyes wide. "Y-You're not angry?"

With a small smile, Tommy shakes his head. "No love, I'm not angry. I'm actually quite amused."

Anita pretends to wipe dirt off her pants so she doesn't have to make eye contact. "I'm not getting a beating?"

Tommy sighs, cursing her uncle; the man he personally killed. "No Anita, I will never do to you what your uncle did." 

As soon as he spoke the words, Anita relaxed. She believes him. 

"But-" Tommy leans forward pointing the cigarette at her. "If I ever see you smoking again, you'll be banned for two weeks."

Being banned sucks. That means she's not allowed to do any spying and she can't go into the shop or the Garrison. 

"That seems a little harsh." She mumbles, mostly to herself but loud enough for the older man to hear.

Tommy brings his hand to his mouth, inhaling the last bit of the cigarette. "You're ten years old. You can decide if you want to smoke when you're eighteen. For now, I say no."

"I'll be eleven Thursday." She sasses. "And since when does the man who smokes more than he eats have the right to tell me I can't smoke?"

Tommy raises his eyebrows. This is a big difference from the young girl who was terrified only seconds ago. Seems she's getting braver by the day. "You've been spending too much time with Polly. You're starting to sound like her."

Anita smiles proudly; sitting up straighter in her seat. 

Tommy softly snorts at the girl's smile. Of course she took it as a fucking compliment. "Alright, my little spy, what did you learn?"

"Who's Alfie Solomons?"

Any amusement drains at the mention of his name. Tommy clears his throat. "Just an old rival."

"I heard he shot you and you killed him. Is that true?"

"Aye." Tommy answers honestly, but he refuses to go into detail about that day.

Sensing the man's mood change, Anita decides to drop the subject. At least with him. She'll ask Polly next time she sees the woman.

"You listen to me, Thomas Shelby, I will not-"

"I'm ready." Anita announces from the bottom of the stairs, relaxing her face into a blank expression.

"Anita, go back upstairs and unpack. You're not leaving."

She knows if she looks at the woman she won't be able to follow through. So instead she looks at the man; the man she thought would one day care for her as his own. The man she completely misjudged. "I'll be in the car, Mr Shelby."

As she's walking out the door she hears them continue their argument. 

"That girl is eleven years old and she's handling this more maturely than you are."

"That's because that girl adores you and will do anything to please you. No matter how much you deny her the love she deserves; she will always care for you and your fucking opinions."

She closes the door, not wanting to know how Tommy will respond. She gets into his car and only has to wait about five minutes when Tommy comes out of the house. 

Neither one of them speaks during the car trip to the orphanage. Tommy carries her luggage to the door where a young woman is waiting. 

"Ms Lewis will show you to your room." Tommy tells her as he holds out her luggage. 

Anita takes it, setting it down on the sidewalk. Before she can talk herself out of it, she lunges forward and wraps her arms around his torso. 

Tommy grunts in surprise and holds up his hand when Ms Lewis steps forward to grab the girl. Just as he decides to return the hug, Anita lets go before he can complete the action.

"Thank you, Mr Shelby. For everything."

He nods his head. "I don't want to hear any bad reports, eh?"

"You won't." Because I won't be here.

"Good girl." He nods his thanks to the young woman before turning on his heel and getting into his car.

Anita watches as he drives off before letting Ms Lewis guide her into the building.

She waits about a week, letting the Shelby family believe she is content on where she is before planning her escape. She has a feeling Polly told the caregivers she could potentially be a runner. 

When Polly came to visit and the caregiver told her Anita has been settling in just fine, Anita decided it was time. 

So that night, she executes her escape plan. To find a new home in London.

She quietly makes it down the stairs; tip-toeing her way to the window she made sure was unlocked and not in plain sight, inside or outside. 

She slowly opens the window, looking around to make sure no one is coming before crawling out. 

Anita waits a beat, making sure no one heard her crawling out before heading in the direction of the train station. 

***

The next morning, Tommy raises his head when the door to his office in the Arrow House opens and his aunt comes storming towards.

"Pol?"

"I hope you're happy, Thomas." She spats.

Tommy frowns. What did he do now? "What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Anita's missing."

Forevers: @desiredposion @theseakrakence @simonsbluee @elenavampire21 @kmc1989

Peaky Blinders: @psychkunox @theshelbyclan @lilymurphy03 @findinghisredrighthand

His Little Spy Series: @smcc212 @peakascum @play-morezeppelin @venomsvl @the-horror-and-the-wild-simp @theshelbyslimited @bethabear12 @raincoffeeandfandoms @zablife

[brummiereader]

Uptown Girl

(Masterlist)

Summary: A woman from high society, never needing or wanting for anything. Your world of jewels and silk gowns comes crashing down around you when your father's mounting gambling debts catch up with him, and he is forced to relinquish your home Arrow House before his untimely death to his biggest creditor, Tommy Shelby. But with your name on the deeds, and the land of your childhood home your only bargaining source of income to escape the union arranged since your birth to a monster of a man from your own class. You make your intentions of staying put stubbornly known to the Birmingham gang leader, as you clutch to your only remaining hope of freedom from the inevitable chains of a violent marriage. With neither one of you willing to budge on the matter until the iron clad documents of Arrow House are reviewed, you are both begrudgingly left without any other choice but to live together. What will become of your unusual living situation with the notorious gangster, and the arranged marriage you want to be free from? A way out, friendship, lust...love? One thing is certain. Tommy Shelby's abrupt appearance into your life will open your curious eyes to a whole other world that had been shielded from you since the day of your noble birth.

Warnings: Language, angst, fluff, mutual pining, smut, domestic violence, mentions of suicide, violence

Authors Note: I basically took Alfie's passing statement of how Tommy acquired Arrow House and the trope "One bed, two people" and turned it into "One house, two strangers" and ran with it! The idea for this series and it's storyline, is loosely based off the lyrics to the well known song "Uptown Girl" by Billy Joel.

Teaser Trailer

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

Part Five

Part Six

Part Seven

Part Eight

Part Nine (completed series)

Gif credit: @mushroomseb. Go check out their wonderful works of art!

[runnning-outof-time]

Birmingham | Tommy Shelby x Reader (Part 18)

Previous Part

Pairing: Tommy Shelby x reader

Summary: (Y/N) and Ada talk about Sheffield, and one woman is more excited about the events than the other. She finds that Tommy seems to have his head full again, and is worried about what's going through it. Later, she speaks to Polly about what happened while she was away.

Warnings: language, smoking, drinking, mentions of death

Word Count: 2859

A/N: this one’s a bit of a bridge chapter to get us to the final events that will be going down shortly. Enjoy! :)

PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!

Comment/Message me if you’d like to be tagged — there are two parts left!

(Y/N)'s confusion caused by someone knocking on the door quickly turned into excitement when she saw who was standing on the other side of the partition.

"Ada!" she shrieked, happy to see a familiar face after being home alone for at least a week. Tommy had allowed (practically asked) her to take some time off from the Garrison when they returned from Sheffield. She accepted his request and decided to stay at her apartment for the week. "It's so good to see you!" she said with a wide smile as she stepped aside, "come in, please," she then allowed the other woman to walk through the door.

"I was starting to worry about you," Ada started as she sat down on the couch in the living room, making sure that Karl was resting comfortably in her arms before she allowed herself to relax, "I hadn't seen nor heard from you since you all came back."

"Tommy told me to take some time off," (Y/N) explained the reason behind her absence.

"You could have come over to visit," Ada pointed out, no explicit emotion present in her words. She was simply stating a fact.

"I know. And I'm sorry," (Y/N) answered, a frown present on her face. Even though she knew that Ada hadn't meant her statement in a malicious way, she still felt terrible for neglecting her friend. "I just needed a few days to work through what happened; wrap my head around how things have changed and make sense of..."

"You don't need to explain yourself to me, (Y/N)...I understand," Ada cut her rambling reply off with a knowing glance, "no harm was done," she assured her.

"I know, but still..." (Y/N) trailed off, exhaling a sigh when Ada gave her the look that said 'drop it'. She nodded, giving a silent response to the silent statement as she looked down at her lap. "How is Karl doing?" she asked as she looked up again, her eyes falling on the bundled up baby that was sleeping in Ada's arms.

"He's fine," Ada answered while also looking down at the baby, "he's not as fussy as he was at the beginning, although it's still hard to try and get him down for a nap sometimes. He enjoys eating though...and I swear that he gets that from Freddie," she explained, letting out a short laugh at the mention of her husband, one that (Y/N) sent a sympathetic glance in response to.

"How are you holding up?" (Y/N) asked. Her question was vague, but Ada knew what she was getting at.

"As best as I could. It's...it's hard not having him around. Sometimes I wish..." she trailed off, letting out a sigh as she tipped her head back slightly, "sometimes I wish he wasn't involved in the party so much...maybe this wouldn't have happened if he hadn't stuck his neck out there."

"Men are stubborn like that sometimes," (Y/N) pointed out, her statement making Ada snort, "especially when they've got their mind set on something."

"You're certainly right there," Ada agreed, nodding her head for extra effect. Silence fell between them for a few moments before the Shelby woman spoke again, "how have you been?" she asked (Y/N), turning the question she was previously asked back onto her friend.

(Y/N) didn't answer right away as memories of her trip to Sheffield flooded back into mind. She took a few moments to try to decide what she would share and what she would leave out. "I'm alright," she decided to go with a vague answer first.

"Yeah?" Ada asked, tilting her head to the side slightly to emphasize her question.

"Yeah," (Y/N) answered with a sigh, looking down at her lap to collect her thoughts, "we went through with the plan that we had...to kill Garrett," she began, wringing her hands together as she recounted the events, "it didn't quite go exactly as I hoped it would. Tommy fired the shot because I couldn't get myself to...I couldn't do it," she shook her head slightly at the remembrance of the event, "it had to be done though. My mum and I were in danger," she ended with the justification she'd been telling herself since she returned home.

"I'm sure it was tough to go through," Ada commented, a sympathetic smile on her lips.

"It was," (Y/N) agreed, "but it had to be done." Ada only nodded in response to her definitive statement, understanding her reasoning behind it. (Y/N) looked down at her lap then as she debated whether or not to continue with recounting all of the events of the trip. "Tommy and I kissed," she blurted out before she could stop herself.

Ada's eyes grew two times wider as she heard (Y/N)'s admission, "Tommy and you what?" she gasped, leaning forward to show her intrigue in the situation.

"Before we got in the car to come home we...we kissed," (Y/N) added more details, her cheeks heating up as she spoke.

"Now that's news! (Y/N), oh my goodness, how did it happen?" she asked for more details.

(Y/N)'s face scrunched up slightly, "he's your brother, Ada...I don't think you should be this excited," she pointed out the circumstances.

"I'm excited because I may get a new sister-in-law out of it," Ada brushed off (Y/N)'s hesitance, making the other woman shake her head and laugh softly.

"I think it may be a little too early to be saying things like that," (Y/N) laughed sheepishly.

"No but seriously..." Ada continued on, completely unfazed, "how was it? How was it for you?" she asked, waiting intently for an answer.

(Y/N) swallowed back her bashfulness once she realized that Ada wasn't going to be backing down on her intrigue and decided to entertain her friend's question. "It was good..." God did it feel weird admitting that. "I...I enjoyed it," she admitted, her bashful smile returning. She glanced at Ada to see that there was a grin spread across her lips. She continued before the other woman could get a word out: "it felt different; different from what it felt like with Matthew. Like there was so much more to it...it felt like so much more than a kiss, and...it feels very weird to be admitting this to his sister..." she trailed off at the end, exuding a sheepish laugh as she looked at Ada again.

"I don't find it weird at all. I'm happy for you, (Y/N)," Ada said genuinely.

"He hasn't really spoken to me since we returned though," (Y/N)'s smile faltered as she brought up the events, or lack thereof, that have happened since Sheffield, "I'm not sure if it's because he's been busy, or if it's because he thinks that what happened was a mistake," she admitted her worry as she went back to wringing her hands together.

"Tommy's not had eyes for anyone like he does for you since before the war," Ada offered a secret about her brother once she noticed the other woman's shift, "he's difficult to read at times and likes to shut the emotional side off in order to get business done, which is probably what he's doing now," she offered her thoughts on the situation before adding, "You're special to him, (Y/N)," which effectively made (Y/N)'s cheeks heat up once more.

(Y/N) was about to speak, but Karl began to fuss before she was able to get a word out. Ada brought him up from the cradle she'd made with her arms as she began trying to calm him down.

When her attempts were ultimately unsuccessful, she realized what time of the day it might be, "he might be ready for his feeding," she commented, and (Y/N) nodded before offering a blanket or anything Ada might need in order to comfortably feed him.

The previous topic of conversation was forgotten about as Ada got to nursing and (Y/N) got to making the two women a light lunch.

——

(Y/N)'s first day back at the Garrison since returning from Sheffield was finally winding down. She'd kept herself busy with stocking and cleaning for the entirety of her shift. So busy that she didn't even have much time to question the absence of a certain employee.

She was walking down the hallway to the stockroom when she saw that the back office's door was open and the light was on. Letting her curiosity get the best of her, she forgot her previous destination and continued walking down the hall. Upon reaching the doorway, she was able to see Tommy sitting at the desk, focused on a paper with a cigarette hanging from his lips. "Tommy?" she called to him, hoping to get his attention. "Tommy?" she called again after noticing that her first attempt had failed. "Tommy?!" this third attempt was louder than the others before it.

"What?!" he snapped back, the harsh tone of his voice making (Y/N) jump slightly and let out a slight shriek. Hearing this made him look up. "Fuck," he breathed once he realized who was trying to get his attention, "I'm sorry, (Y/N)," he apologized, exhaling a sigh as he stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray on the desk.

"It's ok," (Y/N) brushed him off, calm again after being startled, "I was just curious as to why the office was open," she explained her reasoning for being present then. "I can, uh...I can go if you'd like me to."

"No," Tommy was quick to answer her, "stay. It's fine," he expanded on his answer, waving his hand to beckon her into the room. He cleared his throat as he sat back in his chair, watching as she stepped further onto the room. "How are you?" he decided to ask.

"I'm fine," (Y/N) gave a short answer.

"Yeah?" he checked to make sure.

"Yeah," she responded, wanting to laugh at the fact that his sister had asked the same set of questions a few days ago. "I'm fine," she repeated her previous answer for emphasis. Tommy nodded at her response. "How are you?" she decided to flip the question on him.

"Fine," his answer was even shorter than hers. (Y/N) didn't bother to ask the 'yeah?' portion he'd followed with, and the room went silent.

Tommy busied himself with lighting another cigarette as (Y/N) stood with her hands clasped behind her back; feeling like she'd been called into the boss' office for doing something wrong. It was evident that Tommy was under some sort of stress at the moment. She just wondered what it was that he was stressing over. Oh no, what if it's me? she worried as she started to second guess all of the choices that she's made around, and with, him.

"Is there anything else you wanted to talk about, (Y/N)?" Tommy broke the silence, and her thoughts, his question making (Y/N) focus on him again.

"No, no there isn't," she was quick to answer, "is there anything that you'd like me to do for you?" she then decided to ask him, trying not to show the fact that she was close to freaking out internally thanks to her overthinking.

"No," he shook his head.

"Ok," (Y/N) nodded, "I'll go back to finishing my jobs then," she said, jerking her thumb in the direction of the door. Tommy nodded response to her question, and she nodded before she turned to exit the room so that she could return to the stockroom and continue her tasks...which is what I should have done in the first place, she thought to herself, wanting to smack herself for acting so awkwardly in front of him.

—

(Y/N) wasn't bothered for the remainder of the evening as she worked on stocking the shelves and unpacking the inventory for the bar. She was in the backroom when Tommy exited the office, and only heard his shoes sounding off of the hardwood as he walked passed. Surely he knew that I was in here, she thought to herself as the sound of his footsteps tapered off, I'm certain he wants nothing to do with me. A sigh escaped her lips as she tried to push similar thoughts away before they could take up her mind.

It wasn't until she exited the backroom for the night that she encountered another member of the Shelby family. Polly Gray was standing at the empty bar, a glass sitting in front of her with a half-empty bottle close by.

"Finished for the evening?" the older woman asked as (Y/N) walked further into the main room.

"I am," (Y/N) answered with a nod and a slight smile.

"Want to join me for a drink?" Polly asked, motioning to the empty glass that was sitting right next to the bottle. (Y/N) stayed in her spot, unable to answer right away. Should she?...or should she just go home? She wasn't able to pick which one to go with because Polly was speaking again before she could even think of opening her mouth: "join me for a drink, love," she rephrased her question into a statement, a smile playing on her lips as she motioned for her to come over.

"If you insist," (Y/N) smiled, walking over to stand next to Polly at the bar.

"Oh, I insist," Polly grinned, working on pouring the younger woman a glass. "Tommy told me of how things played out in Sheffield..." she began as she offered the glass to (Y/N), who accepted it and brought it up to her lips. "I wanted to fill you in on what happened here during your absence," she continued as she grabbed her own glass and took a drink from it.

"What happened?" (Y/N) decided to ask even though it was clear that Polly was going to tell her anyway.

"I took into account what you told me about Grace and then spoke to some of our contacts at the inspector's headquarters...what you told me was correct. Grace was working for Inspector Campbell. She'd decided to put your name out as the person who was behind the stolen guns," Polly recounted the events that had gone down while (Y/N) was away. (Y/N)'s jaw went slack at the mention of her name being brought into Grace's plan. Polly continued before she could comment on the newly learned information. "The coppers who work for us made sure that there was no way you could be traced back to the guns. They told Campbell that the leads were no good; that they led to nothing," she explained how the issue had been resolved.

"What about Grace then? Did she get away with these lies?" (Y/N) asked, her anger towards the blonde woman growing by the second.

"No, she didn't," Polly told her definitively. "I spoke with her; said that she should leave town before you came back and presented a less friendly solution to the situation."

"And she left?" (Y/N) asked another question, racking her brain to try and think of if she noticed that Grace was still living across the hall from her.

"She did," Polly gave another definitive answer, "I told her that she should if she knew what was good for her."

"Thank you, Pol," (Y/N) breathed upon hearing the older woman's answer. It now felt like a major weight had been lifted from her back. Grace was no longer and to stick her nose into places it shouldn't be so that she could create unnecessary trouble as a result of it.

"You're welcome, darling," Polly smiled, noticing the relief that was now present on (Y/N)'s face. "I want to extend an invite to you..." she started off then, watching as (Y/N)'s brows furrowed together in curiosity, "you should come to our home for dinner tomorrow afternoon," she gave details of the invite.

"You want to welcome me into your home?" (Y/N) was slightly shocked by the invitation.

"I do," Polly nodded, a smile playing on her lips, "you're family, (Y/N). I'd love to have you there."

Hearing this made a smile form on (Y/N)'s face. It was such an honor to be included as an extension of the Shelby family. They'd quickly become the people she trusted the most...the people who she viewed as her family.

"What do you say?" Polly asked after a few silent moments had passed.

"I'd be honored to join you," (Y/N) answered as her smile completely took over her features.

Excitement was coursing through her body now. A bunch of things still felt so uncertain at the moment, but if she knew one thing, it was that the Shelbys were like family to her. If she managed to keep that one thing steadfast in her life, she knew that she'd be ok.

Next Part

Tagged: @mgcldydrms @the-anxious-youth @cloudofdisney @look-at-the-soul @elenavampire21 @mrsalwayswrite @julkaamazing @evita-shelby @lilyrachelcassidy @notyour-valentine @shelbydelrey @december16-1991 @onlydeadcells @peakyswritings @just-a-blackhole @watercolorskyy @strayrockette @peakyduchesss @alexxavicry @captivatedbycillianmurphy @yummycastiel @dark-academia-slut @tommystargirl @stevie75 @lyarr24 @signorellisantichrist @zablife @anotherblinder @midnightmagpiemama @cillmequick @l1-l4 @chlorrox @lostgirl219 @woofgocows @bdudette @mrkdvidal1989 @stephhevring @fictional-hooman @httyd-marauders @nataliewalker93 @rangerelik @thecraziestcrayon @cilliansangel @shaddixlife @tracysnook

SERIES MASTERLIST

[multifandomwriter56]

His Little Spy Series Masterlist

Series Summary: Anita Edwards is a spy who works for Tommy Shelby. She is an orphan and longs for a family. Will Tommy ever realize she is his daughter, despite them not being blood? Or will he lose her forever?

Warnings: language, angst, talks about suicide, talks about death, talks about racism, talks about children being physically abused, short scenes of child abuse

Chapter 1: A New Start

Chapter 2: The Painful Truth

Chapter 3: Reminiscing

Chapter 4: The Fight

Chapter 5:

[brummiereader]

@call-sign-shark I'm sorry I'm so late commenting on this chapter, Shark 😩!

Arghh, but what a chapter it was! This one has left me with so many mixed emotions when it comes to Tommy and Heavens relationship. I still remain on the non-ship HYE reader side 🙈. Even more so after this chapter! Their toxic relationship has evolved into something very, very dark.

I'm often wrong when it comes to my understanding of things 🤦🏼‍♀️, but a part of me think that Tommy sees the way Heaven has helped heal Arthur over the years, and he's selfishly seeking the same from her. Whether that's the case or not, what happened towards the end of this chapter left me in shock!

“Do you think Arthur would want you to risk your life? Do you think I’d let you go on a rampage with my niece or nephew in your belly?” after having read this chapter, I'd say he doesn't care about his future niece or nephew. This seems all a little to calculated and selfish on his part.

“Above everything. Untouchable. But here we are. Both haunted.” I think it must have been this line and the use of "haunted" that made me think that Tommy's twisted attentions towards Heaven is him seeking her out to give him peace.

“Tom… No.” You thought you had spoken with a stern tone but your voice had been nothing but a whisper that melted in a moan and, consequently, he didn’t stop - In a final scream of intense pleasure he came, stars waltzing behind the blackness of his eyelid and the mighty hands of God ripping all his suicidal thought from him just enough time to finally be at peace. Arghh, noooo....you didn't have to make this kinda hot, Shark 😩😂. This was what I was talking about when I said you left me with mixed emotions. I can't help but think that Heaven wasn't in her right mind when she this happened. And another part of me thinks, that neither was Tommy. I'm on the side that, canon Tommy would never do this to his brother. But in HYE, he's a lot darker and a lot more desperate. And it seems he's sought out Heaven as the only one that can give him peace of mind. My heart hurts for Heaven though. Not only did she think she was losing her husband, she also thought she was gonna lose her baby. Tommy may have been drunk, but a degree of manipulation on his part was used for him to get off 😬.

Only after a few minutes Tommy looked up at you, the eyes that once stared at you with disgust and burning rage now softened – though the remnant of something dark and fierce burnt inside his black pupils. That sounds like the start of love, if you ask me 😳. With a dark drive to have Heaven all to himself!

Your heart is as black… As mine. - ���Each other’s death.” wow, what a way to end this chapter! This feels a little forbading. And at this point in time, I could definitely see it all ending in one of their deaths if Tommy doesn't back the fuck up!

Amazing chapter, Shark ❤️.

Heaven in Your Eyes || Tommy Shelby x You

Summary: For safety purpose and following Arthur's death, you are forced to live under your enemy and unforgiving brother-in-law's roof. It's only you and Tommy between the dreadful walls of Arrow house where grief, hatred, and attraction blend.

some musical background to read + the song that inspired it.

Words: 6.5k

TW: angst, rocky dynamic, pinning, sexual tension, graphic description of violence, strangulation, very very strong sexual innuendos, mention of blood, murder and grief, alteration of canon events + time.

Notes:

✞ Heaven in Your Eyes is an Arthur Shelby story but considering what happens to him in this part of S4, this chapter and the next one will be entirely focused on Reader/Heaven's relationship with Tommy.

✞ This is chapter 17 of the Arthur Shelby x You series Heaven in Your Eyes. Each chapter can be read as stand-alone.

PREVIOUS || Masterlist || NEXT PART

Your pale aquamarine eyes opened to an unfamiliar ceiling, far too different from the ceiling of your house in Watery Lane. The soft glow of morning light filtered through the dark and heavy curtains of the guest bedroom that was bathed in warm shadows. The bedding was too smooth, giving you the unpleasant impression that the mattress was slowly but surely swallowing you whole. As for the room itself, it was too silent, with no trace of the reassuring sounds or smells of your own home, like the floral fragrance of the lily of the valley perfume Arthur sprayed on your pillow each night before sleeping, fully aware that it reminded you of your mother.

A little cry escaped your lips when you turned your head towards the half-hidden window; its blinding light making your head throbbed painfully. You tried to move but your whole body ached, like a cruel and dull echo of the chaos that had ripped your world apart the night before. The chaos who took Arthur, your sweet Arthur, from you.

 Arthur.  With your heart pounding in your chest to the rhythm of invisible drums, you sat up – certainly a bit too violently. As the room spun around you, you clawed the fabric of the blanket not to fall back on the bed. Breathe, Hev. Just breathe, you told yourself. Exhaling slowly through your nostrils, you waited a bit until the dizziness and nausea became bearable and only then did you proceed to scan your surroundings. The place you had woken up in was a spacious bedroom, impeccably furnished yet so sparsely decorated that it ended up cold and impersonal. Just like a furniture store. But despite the unfamiliar setting, the peculiar smell of wood and faint traces of cigarette smoke that lingered in the air rung a bell. You recognized the man who owned it immediately.

Arrow House?

Tommy.

The memories violently surged back. The images of Arthur’s blood, the frenzied struggled to save him, the stabbing of a first Italian, then the murder of another, all of this leading to the moment you had lost consciousness. What the hell happened after? Why were you in Arrow House? Where was Arthur? Questions buzzed in your mind like a hive of furious hornets crashing against your skull. Through the fog, you thought you remembered Thomas’ low voice and arms wrapping you just before you fainted, but you weren’t sure – so came the necessity of finding out. Your sly hands shook as you scrambled out of the bed, even though the cold surface of the floor managed to ground you when your feet touched its polished wood.

You needed to find Tommy and ask for an explanation – or excavate that same explanation from him by using sheer strength and torture if you had to. Yes, you needed to know if Arthur made it. If he was safe, because he had to be safe after everything you did. He had to be safe, or else what would be left of you beside an empty shell? Wasting no time, you rushed out of the room like a fury without minding your poor state. In fact, your legs wobbled beneath your weight as you pushed the door open and made your way through the cool hallway, head spinning with disorientation. For sure, staying in bed would have been the best option but, as was the case that night you fled from your little town in the mountains, a combination of rage and panic controlled you. You braced yourself against the wall, your fingers curling into the wood and tapestry for balance. Each meters reached took a disproportionate amount of effort, each step felt unsteady. Your determination might be spotless, but your body betrayed as you swayed, to the extent that you careened into the wall with a dull thud from time to time. And when it weren’t the walls, it was the uneven carpet that made you almost trip. That damn corridor seemed endless, but the more you walked the sharper the scent of Tommy’s tobacco reached your senses and lifted the haze you were embedded in.

Little King Shelby was there.

That sole observation swept away the remnant of sickness you felt, your energy all regained as your steps, usually light and ethereal, echoed through the expensive house of Arrow house – a sumptuous mansion whose beauty only equaled its claustrophobic and maddening emptiness. The grand, austere décor loomed all around you in rich, dark wood paneling, chandeliers and old paintings staring from their frames. Ironically enough, it wasn’t the old and slightly obscure ones that made you feel uncomfortable, but rather Grace’s gigantic portrait. She was overhanging the house, her piercing blue eyes seemingly glistening in the sunlight and judging your every move.  Silently asking you what the hell you were doing in her home. A shiver ran down your spine, as if you could sense her presence, heavy and utterly sad, sipping through all the walls.  Arrow House might carry a distinct scent of polished wood and smoke, but beneath it lingered something as heavy as the Grace’s portrait – sorrow. It clung to the air like a haunting memory, subtle but inescapable, much like what Tommy himself hid under his expensive after-shave.

Finally, you reached the heavy double doors of Tommy’s office, your heart a relentless thud in your tight chest. Usually, little King Shelby despised being disturbed when he was in his study but you couldn’t care less considering the emergency of the situation – and you wouldn’t have cared in a more casual one. Without the slightest hesitation, you threw the doors open and your voice, already sharp, resounded in the room like a tigress’ roar.

“Where is he?” You demanded, as your pale iris, which were burning with Hell’s fire, surveyed the room until they found Tommy behind his desk.  His ice-cold stare met yours with a calm that only pushed you further to the edge of fury, “Where is Arthur?!”

The blue-eyed demon might have many flaws, but stupidity wasn’t one. He knew you would make a mess when you woke up so he had spent the last few hours patiently waiting for the chaos to storm, a glass of whiskey for sole companion to brace your thunder. He let out a sigh and reached for that same glass, which had remained untouched on his desk until now. After a sip, he leaned back on his chair, his eyes wandering on you as if he was calculating every possible outcome of your conversation.

Then only he spoke.

“Heaven, would you calm down ay?” He said with a smooth yet firm voice that carried an irking placidity. How could he be so serene after his brother got attacked and butchered? Was it the same Tommy who, overwhelmed with emotions you recalled, tried to help you last night? Or was he some kind of evil twin, who locked up his good brother somewhere in Arrow House most of the time?

“Don’t tell me to calm down!”  You snapped, walking toward him with your first clenched and stopping in front of his desk while he was still sitting, “After everything that happened last night, I wake up here and you think you can just sit there and act like this is normal? Tell me where Arthur is now.” You spat, your words like a winter blizzard.

Tommy stubbed his cigarette in the crystal ashtray that was on his deck before he stood, sky-blue eyes narrowed as he moved around slowly around the furniture. Your whole little body tense when he approached, his sole presence irking you.

“Arthur…” He started, his voice drawling, “Had to make a quick exit. We had to make him disappear for his own safety.”  His statement was heavy with the implications of danger and truth he didn’t wish to fully reveal. Tommy and his little secrets, you thought bitterly. Your jaw clenched, your icy eyes narrowing as you tried to swallow your burning fury in favor of a cold, quiet, anger.

“Disappear? Is he alive? Where is he?”

“I’m afraid I can’t give you any more information.”

The room fell silent, the weight of his words pressing on you. Was he serious? Momentarily stunned by the audacity of the Peaky Blinders’ boss, you blinked. He couldn’t be serious.

“And I’m just supposed to accept that dumb answer? After everything I went through trying to save him?”

Tommy moistened quickly his lips with the tip of his pink tongue, his face an unreadable mask. Still, you could see through it, and you knew he was searching for his words, “It’s not about accepting or not. We suggested the idea to him, and he agreed. Arthur made his choice – he’s lying low, and right now, that’s the best place for him.”

A slap across your face would have been less painful that what he was saying. Trembling with frustration, you shoved your fist into his chest. Tommy didn’t move nor show any hint of paint. If anything, he just let you lash out at him.

 “So what—you’re just hiding him? Keeping him locked away while I’m left in the dark?”

“I’m not hiding him. Not keeping him from you. He’s the one who decided to leave.”  

“You’re lying. That’s just another of your fucked up games.” You hissed, plump lips curling and revealing your sharp canine teeth you dreamt of sinking into your brother-in-law’s throat.

Arthur had left. Without saying anything. Without a fucking warning. Without a fucking 'hi, I'm alive love". You couldn't believe it.

Tommy shook his head, cold but resolute, “I’m not playing. There are people out there looking for him. And if they know you’re alone and vulnerable, those same people will come after you, too.”

Another blow to his chest. The charming gangster closed his eyes a few seconds and exhaled loudly through his nose to swallow the pain.

“Go fuck yourself! I’m going to find him and murder those bastards myself!”

When Tommy reopened his eyes, his large and warm hand grabbed your wrist suddenly in mid-action and kept you from punching his strong chest again.

“Do you think Arthur would want you to risk your life? Do you think I’d let you go on a rampage with my niece or nephew in your belly?”

Your breath suddenly caught, the mention of your pregnancy striking a far too sensitive nerve. With your eyes wide-opened in surprise, you studied Tommy with an expression of pure shock on your seraphic face. How could he possibly know about the baby?

“You nearly lost that kid,” Tommy’s intense gaze softened as he continued, his husky voice dropping lower and his grip loosening around your frail wrist.

“How?” You whispered, your lower lip trembling.

“Polly is not the only one who can sense things eh,” Apart from being gifted with animals, Tommy had a sensibility you had never expected. He had known about the baby the same day you had talked to him about keeping Arthur busy during their meeting. It was the way you touched your belly sometimes, the way you had acted more feral than usually – which he hadn’t thought possible, “But that’s not the point. If you leave, you’ll risk everything. Arthur wants you safe, and right now safe means staying here.”

The air between you grew thick with desperation and frustration. You gritted your teeth so harshly you wouldn’t have been surprised if they would all broken, but it was the only thing that helped you biting down the urge to scream.

“So, you’re telling me I have no other choice than stay?” Your voice wasn’t loud, but its defiance and hatred cut as deep as the razor blades he kept in his cap. To be fair, the fact he talked about the baby made you falter more than you’d wish to admit. Your shoulders slumped in reluctant defeat.

“Yes,” Tommy said simply, leaving no room for argument, “You stay here, under my roof, until this fucking mess is sorted out and until it’s safe for both you and the baby. I don’t expect you to like it, but you just have to accept that situation.”  He finally released your wrist in a surprisingly soft gesture – the fire of your fury had been so bright you had completely forgotten that Tommy had been holding you during your entire exchange. And now that he had stepped back, you realized that his touch had been grounding, and you found yourself missing it.

“It will be temporary, I promise.”  He added, heading back to his office to grab his whiskey and gulp it down. The glass chimed when he put it back on the wooden surface.

Your fruity lips pressed into a tight line, your gaze falling to the floor. That burning anger that had fueled you earlier felt dulled, swallowed by exhaustion and creeping darkness settling deep in within the marrow of your bones. As much as you wanted to fight, to demand answers and storm out of the cage Arrow House was, you knew deep down that Little King Shelby was right. The stakes were too high and your strength, for once, too fragile. This was with reluctance and resignation that you looked up to meet Tommy’s eyes.

“Fine,” You muttered, “But don’t think this means I trust you.”

“It wouldn’t have crossed my mind.”  Tommy made a little tilt with his head while raising one brow, “So you’ll stay ay?”

“Hm. But I’ll get the fuck out of here whenever it will be safer. ”

A little glint of something — approval? Satisfaction? — flickered briefly in his eyes, “As long as you respect the terms of this arrangement, that’s all that matters, Devil.”

With a final, deathly glance, you turned on your heels and left the room, feeling the burn of his scorching gaze on your back. Staying with him was an awful idea, but for now you had no choice but to play along.

To abide by the rules he would set.

The fire flickered low in Arrow House’s main yet darkened living room, the dancing flames casting their undulating shadows along the wooden walls. Wrapped in Arthur’s long coat, you sat curled up in the armchair closest to the fire in a vain attempt to warm your cold soul up. A glass of whiskey was in your small hands, barely tasted. There was exquisite alcohol here, at least. To be honest, you hadn’t planned on staying up this late but killing time here was better than tossing and turning in bed, feeling near suffocating at the sensation of the bedsheet around you. A little sigh escaped your plump lips, whose skin had been picked at until you had bled at the bottom right. Sleep had been quite elusive ever since Arthur’s death – or rather, absence. A deliberate absence that gnawed at you, leaving you restless and hollow the same way you did after the tragedy that took your family from you on a cold October night.  The same way it did when you had left your former fiancé.

Another chill ran down your spine as the events that brought you to Arthur and what followed played in your head like a broken record: you felt like only a few days had passed from your unexpected encounter in the church to the awful evening during which you had held your husband bloodied and limp body. And with the memories came an even more aching revelation: all the people around you always ended up dead or hurt in the end, whether you pulled the trigger or not.

At this moment you would have given everything just to switch your brain off and let someone handle the rest. Everything to be in Amos’ reassuring arms, his tender velvet voice whispering in your ear that everything was going to be fine.

A thought that occurred for the second time, the first appearing when you danced with Luca Changretta.

The door suddenly creaked, the darkness of Arrow House’s corridor subsiding as Tommy appeared in the orange light with an unlit cigarette between his fingers. His steps were heavy and his mesmerizing turquoise eyes slightly glazed. As was always the case when you breathed the same air as this asshole, your body tense entirely, every muscle ready to pounce on him and shred him to piece. However, you only raised your head, your pale eyes falling on his face. What you saw made you frown: he was well into a drink himself, judging by the loose expression he wore and the very faint flush on his salient cheekbones.

Despite being intoxicated, the sharpness in his gaze didn’t dull when he spotted you by the fire. If anything, it intensified.

Ah! It was still the same old and hateful Thomas Shelby you knew.

“Couldn’t stay in your room, could you?” You muttered, your tone soft but laced with a mix of sarcasm and intrigue as the man approached. Tommy didn’t answer though and sunk onto the couch opposite you.

“This is my house, remember?” He retorted, husky voice almost making the air rumble around him. A few days had passed since you argued in his office. A few days during which you mainly stayed locked up in the room, stubbornly sulking.

“And believe me, I’m counting down the hours until I can leave it,” He met his gaze when you finished speaking but, as surprising as it was, Tommy didn’t find defiance in your eyes. Only fatigue. For once, the insolent brat you usually were seemed too exhausted to bite. "I’d rather not be here, but we don’t always have the choice.” You had wanted to add that the choice was scarce when Tommy Shelby was around, but you didn’t. Not only would it be pointless, but you weren’t in the mood to fight.

A bitter laugh escaped his lips, “You’re right. Just like I didn’t have a choice when Arthur took you in, dragging all the trouble that followed,” He paused, attentively studying how your seraphic traits expressed your spitefulness at his words, then pointed at you with his finger “Thought you were above it all, didn’t you?”

“Above what?”

“Above everything. Untouchable. But here we are. Both haunted.”

Your grip tightened on your glass. So strongly you almost snapped it. “Don’t you dare blame me for what happened to him, Thomas. I know you’re used to do so but don’t fucking do it this time.” You warned.

Tommy’s blue eyes darkened as he looked away, shaking his head as if he had just remembered something awfully painful. The same thing that was plaguing your dreams: Arthur and his almost severed throat, “I don’t blame you for that – not for the attack nor for trying to save him.” He admitted. Wow, Tommy not blaming you for something was unexpected!

The gangster sighed and finally brought the cigarette to his mouth, rolling the filter onto his lower lip first before lighting it. Then, he threw the lighter on the small table near him and took a long drag. You carefully observed him all the while, afraid he would jump at your throat if you ought to lose your focus for one microsecond, “But it doesn’t change what came after, does it? You’ve done nothing but bring trouble to me. To all of us.”  He added with a hoarse voice, punctuating his sentence by blowing the smoke noisily. His voice didn’t carry the slightest aggressiveness though, only exhaustion. Yes, you were both drained by this fucking life.

Your jaw clenched, his word cutting deep. “I tried to save him with everything I had, Thomas. I’ve always tried to do my best for this family. Tried my best to make it work. But you –” You sneered, “You’re so determined to hate me that you won’t see it.”

Tommy snorted, the ghost of a desperate smile floated on his lips before it disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. The look in his eyes was hard as steel, unyielding, but utterly melancholic. “Save him? Yes, it’s true, but you think that changes a thing? He was better off with you from the start.”

Things were always like this with Tommy. Even though you told yourself that you weren’t going to give in to your anger, the blue-eyed demon always knew which buttons to push to annihilate your self-control. And even if you didn’t want to play his twisted game, you always ended up getting pulled in. Your heart pounded in your tight chest, anger sparking beneath grief and the pain. Driven by a furious rage only he could fuel, you stood up from the armchair, Arthur’s black coat falling on the floor as you moved. “You don’t get to stand there and act like you know what is best for him. You only know what’s convenient for you. It’s always about you, innit?”

Following your movement, Tommy also got up from the couch to face you, cigarette hanging from his mouth and icy turquoise eyes burning fiercely. “What do you think you know about about me? Or about Arthur, for that matter?”

“About Arthur? Everything. About you? More than I needed to know.”  Your body moved instinctively, taking a step closer to him in utter defiance. “You really think you’re that unfathomable, do you? You think that no one except Thomas Shelby can understand what’s happening in this twisted and scheming mind of him, right?  No, let me correct my mistake, even you cannot understand yourself.”  Trying to calm down sheer anger and the acid you were made of, you took a quick gulp of whisky from your glass before putting it on the table.  Once the glass left your mouth, your lips curled in a mean smirk.

“I know the man you are because my former fiancé was cut from the same cloth. An egocentric criminal with bulging ambition, a far too high sense of self esteem and a greed beyond words. A man who dragged his loved ones down with him without even realizing it. But Tom, you are a poison. And even with good intentions and genuine love, everything you touch ends up rotting. Just like you.”

And just like him.

Your voice sounded like an angelic lilt as you spoke, but there was something horrifying in its softness: a belittling tenderness that was only aimed at mocking and hurting.

Tommy’s jaw clenched, dimples digging in his already sharp cheeks. Bitter, he stubbed his cigarette against the couch’s armrest and threw it right onto the carpet, not minding the damage he just did. For fuck’s sake, he had enough money to buy a new one. Even a new mansion had he wanted to.The tension that was floating in the room became thicker, intoxicating, as your cutting remarks threw sparks into the gasoline of his soul. One could even wonder if the crackling sound of the fire really came from the hearth or if they were made by the flames of your hatred. 

The gangster didn’t reply, yet his eyes were locked with yours, speaking a silent challenge none of you was willing to back down from. He might have remained mute, but his body didn’t. All of sudden, he walked closer to you, reducing the distance step by step until he stood in front of you only from a few inches, fierce and unafraid. He was so close that you could feel the warmth of his bare chest radiating off him, gently warming up your frozen skin without even touching it. The musky scent of his after shave, worn off by the shower but still strong enough for you to catch its fragrances, mixed with his whiskey breath.

“You think I’m scared of you?” You whispered only for him to hear, light tremor of defiance in your voice. “Be careful Thomas, you know I could kill you right here right now.”  You spat, the warm fire reflecting its dim light against the pearly white enamel of your sharp canine teeth and making your ivory mane shine like moonlight.

“It’s Tommy.” He corrected. The way you kept using his full name was starting to get on his nerves, especially after how delicate his nickname had sounded, melting on your tongue like sugar, the day you threw yourself in his arms, mourning John. Crying real tears and not staged ones.

“No, it’s Thomas. You said it yourself years ago.”  You cut him, the name as sharp as the shards of a broken mirror, whose cracked surface reflected Tommy on one side, and your own being on the other, like two perfectly intricated parts of the same puzzle.

A short silence hovered above the room, sharing the space with the electric air as you glared at each other, waiting for the next unpredictable move the other could make.

The blue-eyed demon didn’t bother picking up your little taunt, but rather went on with what you said just before, “Kill me…” He repeated, leaning over you. His void pupils relished every trait of your doll face, “That’s what you want ay?”  Tommy’s voice was dark and daring, but it held a flicker of something different. Something more dangerous. As he spoke, his husky and hushed tone feeding the electric tension, you both stood locked in that heated moment, your breaths mingling in the space between you. Why were you realizing how close you were, both invading each other’s private space, only now? 

This time, Tommy’s expression shifted again and before you could react, he reached for you, his strong calloused hands wrapped around your wrists with a firm yet tender grip and pulled you even closer. “Do it”, he urged in a low growl as he guided your hands around his neck. “Show me how strong you really are without that evil magic of yours...”

Your heart raced, missing a vertiginous beat, as your sly fingers curled instinctively around the hard line of his throat. There was a thrill in the danger, a rush of adrenaline coursing through your veins when you felt the steady thump of his pulse under the soft pulp of your thumb, a reminder that Tommy Shelby was indeed a mortal man. Without control of any sort, your eyes fell on his throat, which was a striking canvas of both strength and vulnerability, the sinewy muscles taut beneath his smooth, pale skin. The very, very thin layer of sweat which covered him glistened under the dim light, attracting your attention even more on the angular lines of his jaw. Your breath stopped for a few seconds when you noticed how the coolness of his complexions contrasted sharply with the heat that was radiating off him.  Tommy Shelby was a walking paradox, as cold as ice, as hot as fire. Just like you.

With a surge of anger, you tightened your hold and let your nails dig into his skin. “You think this is a game?”

“Life ain’t nothing but a cruel game, Devil” he replied with a hitching breath and a light smirk dancing on his seductive lips as he leaned more into your grip. The gangster exuded something primal you couldn’t really describe. “You can’t tell me you don’t feel it too—the tension, the way we keep pushing each other.”

Your faces were now inches apart, heat pooling in your body and overwhelming you.

 “You’re insane,” you hissed, a tremor of uncertainty creeping into your voice despite your bravado. You had tried to hide it but it was vain and you knew it didn’t go unnoticed.

“And yet here we are,” he murmured, his growling voice turning into a whisper that sent shivers down your spine. A raspy lilt that made all fibers of your being vibrate like a piano’s strings during a symphony of chaos and desire. Caught off guards by the intensity of his gaze, your grip faltered just a moment before your thumb pressed a bit more on his windpipe. The noise his breath made as well as the way he sharply sucked in for air left no doubt on the power of your grip – you were slowly but surely squeezing the air out of him and, this time, you didn’t need any kind of magic to do so. It made the whole act even more exciting. Suffocatingly intense. 

At this point, you were convinced that the black-haired gangster, with his intoxicating smell of whiskey, cigarettes, leather and expensive after shave, would back up but he did quite the opposite. Leaning forwards, his lips brushed against your ear with a tenderness you didn’t suspect he possessed. Another shiver ran through you, and you hated him even more for enabling this reaction. “Harder…” He breathed, voice already muffled, “ Y—You want this as much as I—I do.”

In that moment, the storm of your usually muffled emotions collided. Rage, desire, fear, hatred, loneliness, doubts, lust, all intertwined with the numbing effect of alcohol, blurred the line between Tommy and you even further.

“Harder, like your former fiancé loved, right?”

“Fuck you.”

“Fuck me your – yourself ay.”

Lost in the intensity of everything, you felt the control slipping from your fingertip along with the will of fighting him. Tommy Shelby was sliding under your skin and the undeniable urge to give in was too much for you to resist. And somehow, you didn’t want to. What he made you feel was too similar to what you had lost after slashing Amos’ face and running away the day of your wedding.

This was why your grip suddenly tightened around him, your slow choking turning into the verge of deadly strangulation. In reply, Tommy let out a muffled moan. His strong hands, scarred by murder, grabbed your frail hips. So frail he felt like he could crush them easily and break you in half.

Your eyes maybe whole, But the story I'm told is your heart is as black as night.

As the room started to dangerously spin around him, the lack of oxygen building up gradually, the necessity of words faded away. Giving in, you leaned too and gently rubbed your cheek against your brother-in-law’s while still strangling him. Your lashes fluttered at the silky sensation of his perfectly shaved skin, your nerves sparkling with sensations at the lines of his sharp facial bones. His fire skin against the frost that constituted yours was ecstatic. Another little husky yet muffled moan echoed in the living room, his touch feeling as good as a shot of heroin and as brutal as getting crushed by a train. 

“Hev—” Tommy’s muscular body suddenly dropped to its knees, unable to hold his weight anymore.  At first you thought he would finally give up and admit he couldn’t take it anymore but the black-haired gangster didn’t. His rough hands didn’t leave your waist but rather pulled you closer, as if he couldn’t bear a single inch standing between you. The two turquoise gems that he called eyes locked onto yours — unfaltering and desperate. Tommy exhaled a shaky breath and surrendered himself fully to your touch. You wanted to kill him? So be it, he thought.

You swallowed the lump in your throat, fascinated for he looked so weak, so… willingly at your mercy that everything around you blurred, your focus only on him. Him and his freckles. Him and the too-perfect traits of his face from his adorable nose to his slightly chapped lips. Him and the sight of what you could be together.

Your lips maybe sweet such that I can't compete, But your heart is as black as night.

A far away cry resounded in the back of your head, pleading you to put a stop to this folly, but you were far too embedded in a primal trance to mind it. 

 Tommy’s head lowered until his cheek pressed against your belly, his arms snaking around your waist in an intimate, blazing embrace. And just like that it wasn’t a fight anymore; it was something else. The same thing you were both desperately pushing away for years — what fueled the vitriol of his hatred. For him and his twisted and tired mind, your deadly hands around his throat weren’t hurting him anymore, they were granting him a momentary relief from his untamable demons. The dirt couldn’t touch him here, your seraphic yet murderous aura keeping it from burying him alive. You strangled him, but he felt like he had never breathed this freely for a long, very long time. 

Soon the static hug turned into a sensual one, with Tommy softly rocking you in a way so soothing that you couldn’t help but bit your juicy lower lip. For a moment you both stayed like that, your body petrified and your hands still squeezing the air out of him while his scorching breath fanned over your belly when he moaned, sipping through the thin fabric of your silk nightgown. It was only after a while that all of Tommy’s energy fled from him. Now he hed had reached his limits. You felt the gangster waver, then he fell back onto the living room floor, dragging you along in his fall. You simply followed, letting him pull you on top to make you straddle him. A firework exploded into you when your hips collided together, your beings only separated by the thin layer of your lace thong and the fabric of his trousers. 

I don't know why it came along at such a perfect time, But if I let you hang around I'm bound to lose my mind.

Beneath you, Tommy’s body was entirely tensed, his breath hitching in difficulty, mouth gasping for air and a vein on his forehead pumping blood furiously. Yet, his hypnotic turquoise eyes didn’t waver from you except occasionally when he rolled them back in pure ecstasy. You shut your eyes closed, squeezing them very tight, unable to hold his gaze anymore when his hips started to sensually roll under you, the feeling of his hard length making you gasp.

“Tom… No.” You thought you had spoken with a stern tone but your voice had been nothing but a whisper that melted in a moan and, consequently, he didn’t stop. Quite the opposite, he kept rubbing against you, your hips dancing together in perfect rhythm and intensifying when he felt the warmth pooling between your legs and the small, damp spot on your sinful undergarment. It was too much for him to bear — Tommy growled, a low and primal noise that came from the depths of his soul, and his hips bucked under you. In a final scream of intense pleasure he came, stars waltzing behind the blackness of his eyelid and the mighty hands of God ripping all his suicidal thought from him just enough time to finally be at peace.

Peace, at last. He thought.

Shocked, confused and caught in the haze of the moment, you finally released your grip and freed his throat before curling up in a ball in his arms, trembling. 

“I’m fine.” He stuttered, panting, as if he had read through your concerns.

As you lay entwined on the floor, both of you breathless and tangled in each other’s arms as if your life depended on it, the silence of the room grew thick with unspoken desire and barely bridled resentment.

Would life be easier if you’d give in for good? Would he be the one, strong and steady, guiding you and protecting you? Could he be the one able to finally heal that open wound your attachment to Amos was?

No.

Tommy could never be your solace.

You would never let him.

You’d never do this to Arthur. Never.

Your hand tenderly reached his face. They lingered on his perfectly carved jaw to trace faint lines across his skin as though you were discovering him for the very first time. Had he always been so pretty? The soft caress of your fingers almost made him purr, but he was still panting too much to say something more judging by how his chest rapidly fell with each shallow breath. Only after a few minutes Tommy looked up at you, the eyes that once stared at you with disgust and burning rage now softened – though the remnant of something dark and fierce burnt inside his black pupils. 

He finally broke the silence with a voice both rough and tender, “You feel it ay? The weight of it. The weight of us.” It wasn’t a question for he knew he was right, no matter how hard you would deny it. He pulled you closer to make your embrace even more intimate until your nose nuzzled in the crook of his neck — his perfume soothing you, lulling you.

'Cause your hands maybe strong but the feelings are all wrong, Your heart is as black as night.

“Tommy. This has to stop.” You said slowly, fingers still caressing his face with sheer tenderness, “You have to let it go.”  Fighting against the torpor the sweet comfort of his arms brought you, you raised your head to plunge your gaze into his.  In response, Tommy let out a sigh and one of his hands found yours, intertwining your fingers together.

“You think he loves you the way I could?” His other hand moved to your face to tilt your chin towards him, keeping you from fleeing his vulture eyes which were filled with longing he didn’t bother to hide anymore, “I’m not letting you go.” 

Your heart pounded painfully in your chest at the thought that Tommy would never stop haunting you. 

He was talking exactly like Amos. Using the exact same words and sickly-sweet tone.

“Don’t say dumb shit like this.” You retorted, the warmth you had granted him with turning to freezing arctic ice again. With that being said, you gathered all your remaining strength to overcame the comforting haze he instilled in you, and managed to snatch yourself from his arms. You needed to leave this fucking room now. Surprised, Tommy tried to hold you, to keep you from leaving him but you had been too quick. Defeated, the gangster hauled himself with his forearms against the carpet and frowned.

“You know we’re meant to be.”

“And what are we meant to be Thomas?” You sneered, glaring at him from above your bony shoulder, “Can you tell me?!”

Your heart is as black… As mine.

“Each other’s death.”

Taglist: @adaydreamaway08 @theshelbyclan @esposadomd @woofgocows @anathemasworld @anastasia0082 @kate654 @kxnnxy @babayaga67 @meowtastic @shelbyssins @sarai-ibn-la-ahad @bluevenus19 @kishie8 @zablife @alexandra-001 @alexizodd @helen06dreamer @kmc1989 @peakyswritings @peakyltd @chaosinkest1996@vanhelsingsbigtoe @cherubswhispers @lokigirlszendaya @justrainandcoffee @mischievouslittlecreature @jjovin3221 @randomcreator-09 @weepingdreammarvel @meadowshelby

[brummiereader]

Sweet Dreams, Darling (Part One)

Summary: August 1907. The beginning of a whirlwind romance that would see you and Tommy separated then reunited again for years to come. But when you unexpectedly reappear one rainy morning back into his life, Tommy's distracted eyes have your reunion starting off on the wrong foot. In a desperate attempt to refresh your memory of the summer you spent together, Tommy patiently waits for the penny to finally drop.

Warnings: Language, angst, mutual pining, sexual assault.

Word count: 3.5K

Authors Note: The song John sings to irritate Arthur with is an old cockney song called "I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts" by Merv Griffin. This first chapter is loosely based off the song "The Tunnel Of Love" by the Dire Straits, and how my grandparents met each other in the 1950's.

[Masterlist] [Trailer]

Birmingham, 1967

" We'll leave in an hour, Nan" your granddaughter softly smiled at you, chestnut brown locks falling in front of her rosy cheeks as she placed the small porcelain cup of freshly brewed tea on the doily covered table beside you.

" Thank you, dear" your eyes drifted solemnly from the black and white photo of you and Tommy next to the steaming cup of English brew. The captured moment, and its weathered edges, tucked safely behind the glass of it's silver-plated frame.

" Time doesn't half catch up on you when you're not looking" your eyes drifted down to your aged hands, to the wrinkles and patches of wisdom dotted across your skin as you reached out with shaky fingers to brush the pad of your thumb over your husband's youthful face staring back at you.

" Nan?" your granddaughter shifted towards you, hand resting gently on your back as her eyes darted to the bouquet of wrapped carnations, lonesome on her grandfather's leather upholstered chair of choice. "Nan, are you ok?"

" Hm?" you turned to see the concern in her eyes, to the feeling of her hand clutched tightly around yours in a pang of worry.

" Oh, don't fret lovey. All is well" your fingers brushed the ringlet of hair from her face to see the crystal blues of her eyes she and every member of your and Tommy's brood had inherited.

"Ok" she quietly caved in to your smile of reassurance as she watched your attentions drift back to her suited grandfather, sat stoic beside you in the portrait taken many moons ago.

" How did you and Grandad meet?" she was eager to lighten the mood. To one of happy memories. To the many stories she had been told by her grandfather when Sunday dinner had been eaten. When the dishes had been cleared, and she sat patiently by his chair, waiting for him to tell her about the tales of his youth while they both indulged in the stash of black liquorice sat in a ceramic pot by his favourite seat, neither one of them had a liking for. All but one story that was. A story he'd left for you to tell. One she was eager to learn before it was time to leave.

" Which time, my dear?" you turned with the milky cup of black tea perched between your lips, welcoming the warmth of England's remedy to all of life's hardships settle in your chest as the drizzly weather dusted the tips of your freshly cut grass with beaded droplets of rain.

" Nan, you must be confused. Surely you could have only met once?" your granddaughter's head lowered with a blushing smile at your usually sharp memory succumbing to your old age.

" Oh, but we didn't, dear. Even though your Grandfather's stubbornness on the matter often insisted otherwise" a youthful giggle erupted from your chest as a flurry of memories about both encounters swarmed back to you in a warm hug.

"The first time I met your Grandfather, he wasn't that far off from your own age" you adjusted yourself in your floral recliner for the long tale ready to be told as you placed your cup of tea down on its silver coaster.

" And the second time...well, I didn't recognise him at all" you watched your granddaughter eagerly nestle in, pulling one of your hand-knitted cushions into her lap.

" Tell me about it, please?" her eyes beamed with curiosity. Her buoyant energy and keenness to learn about how you had met, awakening the sounds of spinning carousels, the melodies of your youth being played from the intricately placed chimes of a wooden music box.

" It was the summer of 1907, the hottest day on record. And the fair had come to town..."

August, 1907

" I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts" John, burdened with the title of middle child sang with the intention of irritating his older brother as giggling children ran by with fluffy clouds of sugared treats, whilst the sounds of a wooden music box being turned by a tattooed armed man, played through the buzz and excitement of the fair.

"Shut it, John" Arthur grumbled, eyes narrowing in on the stack of tropical fruits as he rolled the metal ball in the palm of his hand.

" There they all just standing in a row" the cockney classic continued as he plonked himself down on top of the table.

"Would ya bleeding shut it!" Arthur growled, squeezing the iron ball he was seconds from launching at his brothers head.

"Big ones, small ones" John cupped his shirted bosom with pouting lips as he slid into Arthurs line of sight.

" Idiot wants me to kill him" Arthur quietly smirked as his aim shifted to his brother's cackling face.

"Got too many brothers anyway" the eldest Shelby mumbled under his breath, squinting eyes curling at the obnoxious noise accompanied by Johns flamboyant dancing as his arm stretched out beside him, weapon firmly grasped between his fingers.

" One less mouth for Aunt Poll to feed, ay Tommy? Tom?" Arthur's murderous intentions went unheard as Tommy's remained elsewhere to a young girl with rebellious whispers of hair blowing in the summer breeze. A perched basket of freshly picked apples resting on her hip, ready to be dipped into their delightful syrupy mixture.

"Shit..." Tommy mumbled under his breath, eyes darting to find you disappearing among the swarming crowd as he wiped the beads of sweat from his brow before taking off in search of you.

"You won!" John jumped off the table, head snapping back to the tumbling sound of fuzzy coated coconuts falling to the ground.

"What d'you mean?..." the eldest brother sniffed, prize in hand as he turned to see the confusion knitted between John's brows.

"...I missed" Arthur's Cheshire smile grew at the slouching one of John's as his stuffed win landed with a hard thud across the back of his head before his darting eyes searched for his now, favourite brother.

"Where's Tom at?"

Swerving through the teeming crowd of people patiently waiting for a spin on the galloping horsed carousel, Tommy's searching eyes finally landed on you.

" You in line, Mister?" a young boy, cheeks full of candy floss tugged at the cuffs of his shirt as the line of fairgoers moved forward, pushing Tommy to the front.

" Ay?" Tommys eyes darted to and from the small child to you disappearing behind the wooden stalls of prizes yet to be won as he held up the huffing crowd.

" You getting on or what, son?" the stout operator grumbled with a flick of his head for Tommy to step onto the rickety ride, its wooden frame decorated with weathered looping twirls from the many summers it had seen.

" 'ere" Tommy reached into his pocket, handing the last of his tickets to the sticky cheeked boy before setting off in search of you for a second time.

" Thanks mister!" a squeaky call of gratitude saw Tommy off to the back of the brightly covered stalls, to you stood with a young man hovering over you.

" Go on, give us a quick kiss then" the towering lad, dressed down in only a vest and tweed trousers kept you in place as the scorching heat of the sun beamed down on your backs.

" Fuck off, O'Connor " your attempts to push past his strong build were rendered useless when his quick footing had him slip in front of you, thieving fingers delving into the basket of apples sat on your hip.

"Little tease" he bit down onto the freshly picked fruit with a smirk. Fingers lifting the ends of your dress for a peak under the frilly fabric, you hastily slapped away.

" Gonna ask your daddy for your hand in marriage. Won't be able to say no then" the teasing tone in his voice was suddenly replaced by his reaching hand, grabbing hold of your arm as he threw the half-eaten fruit behind him to the feet of Tommy, stood watching behind the wooden frame of the stall.

" He'll put a bullet through your chest before you get the chance if you don't let me go" you battled with his grasp with a stiffened bottom lip. Eyes watering at the stinging hold of his leathery hands searing your skin.

A good foot taller than him. Muscles as big as fucking boulders. Shit, Tommy thought to himself as he watched with rolling shoulders, pumping himself up for the scrap undoubtedly about to take place.

" Your pretty little head forgotten who owns this fucking fair?" his fingers cupped your cheek, forcing the back of your head against the wooden barrier separating you from aide.

"My old man was kind enough to give your family work when you lot came knocking. Can take it away just as quickly" he played with the fragile state of your family's finances, knowing how much you depended on your jobs at the fair to make ends meet.

" Come on, darling. Loosen up a bit, yeh?" his hand glided over your clothed breast in a hushed voice. Nestled head in the curve of your neck, leaving a trail of desire down your skin with moans of want as you squeezed your welling eyes shut, waiting for it to be over.

" Ay! Get the fuck off her!" Tommy raced forward, lean body ducking past O'Connor's turning shadow with a fist full of taught vengeance ready to be delivered in one mighty blow to his cheek.

And a mighty blow was dealt, one Tommy was sure had broken his hand when his stifled cries of pain had him swiftly turning his back to you in an agonising attempt to save face.

" You knocked the bastard out!" your back stiffened against the wooden stall as your widening eyes snapped down to the body of Sean O'Connor, slumped unconscious on the cracking earth of summers drought.

" Fuck!" Tommy's voice shrilled with a strangle bellow, succumbing to the stabbing pain shooting through his hand.

"Wha...what's his head made of? Fucking metal?!" he turned with a reddened face contorting in pain as his shivering hand, bloody and bruised, wiped his sweaty brow.

" Well, he is as thick as a brick" you stepped over the slumped body, heel of your shoe conveniently finding its way onto Sean's limp hand.

" Let me see" you slowly approached, gently cradling his hand in yours with an urgent need to inspect the damage that had been done.

" One of many battle wounds, I'm sure. But not broken" you quietly noted with a brush of your thumb over his battered hand, eyes locking with the besotted blue gaze staring down at you and the smile your own curling lips couldn't help but match as a blissfulll silence settled between you both.

"Thank you..." your gratitude came in a faint murmur against the sound of fairground melodies as you waited for him to introduce himself.

" Tommy Shelby" his freckled cheeks dimpled with a smile, bruised hand still cradled between yours in a hold so gentle, he'd all but forgotten about the throbbing pain he felt only moments before.

"I'm Y/N, Y/N Y/M/N" your cheeks blushed with a subtle sway of your hips as you melted under his crystal stare.

" Y/N" he echoed back in a whisper, eyes taking in every delicate feature that had captivated him from afar on the hottest day of August that was set to be the most cherished summer of his life.

" It's a pleasure to meet you, Y/N"

For two months the fair had come to Birmingham. And for two months Tommy had visited you almost every day, spending a small fortune on tickets to go over looked by the watchful eyes of your family and those of Sean's who was laid up inside by the window of his family's wagon in search of the peaked cap boy who had bruised his ego.

But like most traveling folk, the time had come to move on. News the love-struck teen battled to swallow as he watched you clear the stall of trinkets and stuffed bears through the setting sun of the fair's last day.

" Can't you stay? Just one more day?" Tommy asked the impossible as he sat perched on the table next to you, picking at the splintering wood with eyes downcast at your shuffling feet.

" You know how it is, we never settle for too long" you caught his sorrowful gaze darting up at you as you placed the arms worth of prizes into its crate for his hand.

" Was just trying my luck, eh?" a faint smile and pull of your body had you settling yourself between his legs when a rowdy voice saw you both squinting through the fading sun.

" Come on, wrap it up, ay Tom! We've got a train to bloody catch!" Arthur called for his brother to hurry his goodbyes as a disgruntled Tommy mumbled his displeasure upon seeing him and John stood impatiently waiting for him.

" Here" you turned back with a blushing smile, fingers reaching into the wooden crate of treasures for a small box as Tommy's hands dropped to your waist. Eyes committing to memory every inch of your glowing face illuminated by the orange hues of the dying sun.

" Remember me by this" you pulled his hand in front of you, placing a small gold buckled ring on his thumb when your impending farewell got the better of you and a steady stream of tears began to roll down your cheeks.

With nothing left to say that would reassure your broken hearts you'd see each other again, your intended promises fell silent to the feeling of your lips meeting in a first kiss. A final goodbye to your summer romance.

" Don't forget me" you pulled away, cheeks dotted with tears when your shaky body was suddenly pulled back into a passionate embrace encouraged by the whistles and cheers of Tommy's hollering brothers before he left you stood where he'd first met you.

" Now how could I ever forget that, eh!" he called back with a boyish grin, adjusting his peak cap as Arthur landed a slap of approval to his shoulder before they ran to catch the last train of the day back to Small Heath.

High on the world, Tommy had already begun the count-down to when the fair would visit next year. But youth's wishfulness would be met with disappointment when life's hardships changed fate's trajectory and Tommy found himself hopelessly searching for you every summer as your face began to fade from his memory with each passing season. That was until an unexpected rainy day in 1914, when you'd meet again, for a second time.

Small Heath, 1914

"Easy on the breaks there, Tom. Easy now" Arthur held onto the dash of the chugging truck with a grunt. Regretting handing over the reins of designated driver to his younger brother

" It's a piece of shit!" Tommy protested about the dubiously sourced vehicle Arthur had scavenged.

" Yeh well, this piece of shit will see that this delivery finds its way to Charlie's yard" the two brothers shared a mischievous smirk as the sound of a truck's worth of nicked train tracks rattled behind them the Shelby boys would use to line their pockets for their growing family business ran out of their Watery Lane home.

" Turn 'ere" Arthur's eyes narrowed in on the end of the cobbled road, to the officer stood inspecting the goods of each passing vehicle after having learnt of the missing tracks that saw every train out of Small Health stranded that morning. " Tom, bloody turn!"

" It's...stuck!" Tommy battled with the wheel as the rattling truck rumbled towards the policeman eyeing up the chaotic scene of Arthur manhandling every leverage, every button in attempts to save themselves from driving head first into the baton-handed officer.

" Bloody thing!" the eldest brother leaned over, straining with Tommy to turn the stiffened wheel when the metal discs finally loosened and they swerved around the corner, narrowly missing the discovery of the tonnes worth of metal concealed in the back of the car.

" Fuck, that was a close one!" Arthur fell back into his chair with a chuckle as Tommy shot him an irritated glare at his useless ability to source the equipment needed to commit their petty crimes.

" Next time, I'm in charge" Tommy huffed as he turned his grinding jaw back to the road when something, or rather someone, suddenly caught his eye.

" Yeh, yeh" Arthur waved off his brother with a sniff, stretching his gangly legs along the foot of the car as Tommy found his eyes slipping to the cobbled path and the approaching sight of someone he never thought he'd lay eyes on again. You.

" Tommy. Ay, Tommy" Arthurs' heavy hand alerted his brother with a pat across his chest at the drifting wheels heading for the large puddle ahead.

Oblivious to the foolish cockup he was about to make. Tommy couldn't seem to drag his longing eyes from you after the seven years he'd gone without seeing you.

But a joyful reunion was off the cards for Tommy, whose frazzled thoughts had him forgetting that he was in fact, in control of the hurtling vehicle speeding your way. So frazzled that he had no time to react when the swerving wheels saw him drive into the large puddle, dosing you in a wave of muddied rain water.

" Shit! Shit!" Tommy's eyes darted to the rear-view mirror to you stood drenched from head to toe with waving arms as he slouched into his seat with reddening cheeks. His embarrassment only made worse by Arthur's perfectly sought choice of words.

" Well done you bloody idiot"

With a change of dry clothes and a frown permanently settled between your brows for the day that had started in a puddle of disaster, you began to tidy the countertop of the corner shop you now worked at. Unbeknownst that the very cause of said disastrous day, had inquired around the soot-covered town about your whereabouts, and was about to stroll through the door to the sound of the ringing bell hovered overhead.

You, you glared at the three men, eyes quickly hunting out the careless driver you remained oblivious to his connection to your youth.

With the sudden realisation that you didn't recognise him, Tommy casually drifted from shelf to shelf, to each boxed product and canned good while watching you in the corner of his eye as he swallowed back his disappointment.

Almost a decade later and you looked almost the same as you did on that sweltering summer day he had met you. A true beauty, one that had managed to turn him into a pathetic puppy-eyed boy like it had all those years ago. His enamorment with you, something he desperately tried to conceal from your glaring eyes, watching him over the newspaper in your hands.

With a roll of his shoulders, Tommy placed the can of beans back onto its dusty shelf, gold ring you had offered him all those years ago catching his eye. The same gold ring that had made its way across each growing finger, until it sat comfortably on his pinky.

" Packet of Sweet Aftons" he cleared his throat as you pulled your head up from the newspaper, forcefully folding its flimsy pages in half Tommy was sure would see the side of his face if he didn't say anything, if he didn't apologise for his small detour into you that morning.

" Of course...sir" your forced smile came with a hefty amount of exaggerated politeness that didn't go amiss by his sniggering brothers stood behind him.

" I erh, I didn't see you there...this morning, that is" he cleared his throat as you stepped onto the small wooden stool to the shelf of neatly arranged boxed cigarettes. The hung mirror reflecting off the wall, capturing Tommy elbowing his giggling brothers who were intent on making your reunion as painful as they possibly could for him.

" I would've stopped, but we were in a hurry" Tommy refrained from reminding you of who he was on a whim that you'd save him from further embarrassment when you finally recognised him. Or so he hoped.

" Five pence" you slammed the cardboard packet of rolled tobacco onto the counter, unimpressed with the strangers' attempts at a half-assed apology.

"Right" another wave of disappointment quietened his voice as he jostled in his suit trousers for the brassy coins.

" It's usually on the house, love" Johns ill timed remark left Tommy internally crippling at the smirk growing on your lips.

" That so?" your brows raised at the youngest's nodding head as you tossed each coin into the silver dipped till.

" Have a nice day, gentlemen" you shot a pursed smile at Tommy's lingering stare as you shut the metal draw with a loud clang.

With a knitted brow you watched each sharply dressed man leave the small corner shop, when the clouds parted, capturing the illuminated face of the sole culprit to your bad day. The blues of his eyes and freckled face causing a forgotten memory to emerge in the forefront of your searching mind. One you had no time to puzzle together when the hollering voice of your boss suddenly boomed in your ear.

" Oh bloody Christ! Jesus bloody Christ, Y/N!" your boss waddled towards you, your and Tommy's mutual gaze broken as he strolled past the shop window out of sight.

" What have you gone and done, you silly girl?" your employer paced back and forth, eyes nervously darting to and from the bustling street outside.

" Made you five pence is what I've done" you protested, hands coming down onto your hips with a knitted brow of confusion at his unexpected reaction at you doing your job.

" You're gonna have to go give them their money back. And...and apologise!" your mumbling boss brushed the film of sweat from his brow, fumbling fingers pulling the knobbly ended leaver to open the till.

" And why would I do that?" you watched him turn your hand in a panic, placing more than double the amount of the sale in your palm.

" You may be new here, but you'd be wise to learn about the people who run this shit hole we call home before you lose your eyes" your boss spoke of the emerging razor gang that had begun to slowly gain notoriety in the Birmingham district.

" And who might those people be?" your rolling eyes at his exaggerated worry about a group of petty chancers had you huffing as you pulled your coat over your shoulders, when he grabbed hold of your arm, whispering the name of the cutthroat gang you had encountered.

" The Peaky Blinders, that's who"

With stomping feet and locks of blowing hair trailing behind you in the bitter wind, you marched through the sludge of Small Heath to the pub the locals called the Garrison on the orders of your boss.

" Come on..." you grunted, straining to open the heavy doors of the tavern that's hinges had frozen in the frosty weather when you unceremoniously flew into the smoke-clouded pub with a tumble.

" Great" you mumbled under your breath at the murmur of low chuckles, the crowd of eyes glaring over their shoulders at your dramatic entrance.

Head held high above each following stare, you sought out the man you had been begrudgingly forced to apologise to. The very same man you found smirking at you over his pint of ale in a dimly lit corner of the pub.

" I hope you don't think I'm gonna pull out the red carpet for you" your apology fell short as you tossed the pennies onto the wooden table, fearless of him and his family's growing status in the town, having already lived a hardened childhood among petty criminals such as himself.

"Keep it. Buy a toffee apple" a boyish smile peaked at the corner of his mouth as he pushed the money back across the table to you. His attempts to refresh your memory only leaving you with a tilting head of confusion at his peculiar suggestion.

" You don't remember me, do you Y/N?" your brow scrunched upon hearing your name, when your attentions darted to the sound of a spinning coin coming to a stop, to the pinky-ringed finger tapping against its bronze printed front that suddenly caused a wave of memories to hurtle back to you about the boy you had shared a fleeting teen romance with.

Tommy Shelby. Your summer love.

*I'd love to hear your thoughts on this chapter in the comments below 💚*

[Next part]

Tag list: @mischievouslittlecreature @peakyswritings @jbrownta @youngbananamilkshake @meadowshelby

@dragonsneversharetheirtreasure @novashelby

[runnning-outof-time]

Birmingham | Tommy Shelby x Reader (Part 17)

Previous Part

Pairing: Tommy Shelby x reader

Summary: Polly deals with some business back in Birmingham while (Y/N) sorts out things with her mother in Sheffield. Something happens before Tommy and (Y/N) are able to come home.

Warnings: mentions of smoking, mentions of threats to kill someone

Word Count: 3915

A/N: here comes the fallout of the previous chapter. I hope everything makes sense once you’ve read it. Also I’ve included the ‘sooner’ results of that one poll I posted…I hope it was worth the wait. Enjoy! :)

PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!

Comment/Message me if you’d like to be tagged - there are 3 parts left!

Grace was busy wiping down the tabletops inside the empty Garrison tavern. She hated that she could only really clean once the place was empty, and that she now had to carry the entire burden as (Y/N) was off in Sheffield. She decided that she'd actually get to cleaning when her preliminary search of the offices for any more information came up empty. She didn't expect the sound of the side door opening to ring out in the otherwise quiet room.

"We're closed," she called to whoever it was that entered the establishment, not caring enough to look up from what she was doing.

"Oh I know," the voice that responded made her eyes snap up in seconds. Polly Gray was standing in the doorway, eyes already locked on her target.

"Polly," the name left Grace's lips like a gasp, "wha...what are you doing here?"

"I think you know what I'm doing here," Polly's answer was curt.

Grace knew exactly what she meant without having to be told though. It felt like her stomach dropped at the words, and immediately she began to scramble for what she'd say next while hoping that she still looked composed.

Polly spoke first though. "I was going to wait and see if Tommy figured this out or if he was told about it," she began, speaking slowly to let the other woman know that she was in charge of this conversation.

"It seems that he hasn't," Grace took Polly's pause as a time to interject a statement, tipping her chin slightly upwards (in hopes) to show that the statement rolled off of her back.

"Oh I know that," Polly was quick with the counter, "and I was going to let it go until he did figure things out..." she paused, looking the blonde woman up and down before her eyes narrowed slightly, "but then you brought (Y/N) into this when she never should have been. You've made this my problem, and I intend on dealing with it now," she made sure to enunciate her words so that they were spoken clearly.

"What do you know?" Grace decided to ask another question, wanting to see how many cards could be laid out on the table before she played her hand.

"I know that you are not only a barmaid...that you are working for Inspector Campbell; in order to find the stolen guns," Polly began, "I know that you're the one who gave Freddie up. You had a hand in him being taken away from his family just as it was started," she paused, staring the blonde woman down for a few seconds before continuing, "and I know that when you went to tell Inspector Campbell about those guns, you decided to bring (Y/N) into the situation; telling him that she was the one who was hiding them here in Small Heath."

Grace's jaw would have dropped had she not stopped it as Polly offered the last bit of knowledge that she possessed. She wondered how that detail got out...she'd spoken to Campbell in confidence so that it wouldn't.

"Campbell has a tendency to share his plans loudly," Polly cut into her thoughts, divulging exactly what she wanted to hear. "And I think I know why you did it..." she trailed off then, her eyebrows raising as she waited to see if Grace would say anything. She continued when she was met with silence, "I think that you met Tommy and you fell for him. I think that you struggled between the obligation you came here to carry out, and the man you met. Tommy was different from the type of man you were expecting to bring down, and that intrigued you. But then came (Y/N)...she was in the way of what you wanted, and so you made up the lie to try and get her to take the hit for the guns."

"Why are you saying all of this?" Grace asked, her brows furrowed, a panicked feeling starting to bubble up inside of her. She tried hard to keep her composed front up though.

"Because you should know that, in this city, we Shelbys have power. And with that power comes the ability to receive knowledge...and to make knowledge change, or even disappear," Polly pressed her lips together in an attempt to conceal the grin that was threatening to grow on her face as she got ready to reveal an update in Grace's attempted plan. "I've spoken with Sargent Moss, who has investigated (Y/N)'s involvement with the guns. He’s cleared her from any involvement with them. Your plan is no longer being carried out in the way you hoped it would," she allowed the grin to grow once she finished her statement, taking satisfaction in seeing all of the confidence drain out of the younger woman's features.

Polly pursed her lips before her grin could take over her entire expression, feeling even more confident after seeing Grace's reaction to it.

The younger woman was frozen. She didn't quite know what to do, or what to say in response to the information she'd just been given. How was she to play her hand if it had just been completely taken from her?

"I suggest you pack your things and leave Birmingham before (Y/N) comes home. She doesn't know of this little lie you've told at the moment, but she will when she returns, and...well I'm surprised she let you live after the lies you've told her before," Polly broke the tense silence. Grace stayed frozen. "Have I made myself clear in that?" she asked, being met with silence.

"You can't protect him forever, you know that," Grace decided to speak again, hoping she still sounded intimidating, "and (Y/N)...she'll cause bad."

"You must not have realized how we Shelbys are then. We'll protect our own until we can't. And she may...but you've already caused it," Polly didn't even budge on Grace's weak attempts of a comeback. "You should leave. If I see you again, I might just kill you myself," she advised then, nodding her head once to show her determination.

——

(Y/N) was out of breath as she approached the door of her childhood home. "Mum?!" she called as she entered it and was met with an empty room. "Mum?! It's me, everything's alright!" she called again, making her way deeper into the home. Where are you? she thought to herself, walking into the kitchen to find it also empty. The scraping of something on the floor above her made her realize that she may be upstairs. She rushed to the steps and ascended them as fast as she could. "Mum? It's me, mum!" she called out as she approached the door to her parent's room, "I'm coming into the room," she announced as she grabbed the doorknob.

She opened the door slowly, finding the room empty. She knew that her mother was in here though, because this room was right above where the scraping came from. "I'm here alone, mum...I'm safe," she called out as she looked around the room, slowly taking a step inside.

"Over here," she heard a voice call softly, making her rush to the hidden side of the bed to find her mother cowering next to the nightstand - which was what must've scraped the floor.

"It's me," (Y/N) repeated herself as she extended her hand to her mother, "I'm safe."

"You've got blood on you," her mother gasped, making (Y/N) look down and finally realize that some of Garrett's blood had splattered onto her clothing.

"I'm safe, I promise. It's done," she assured her mother. The older woman knew exactly what she was talking about even though she spoke in veiled statements. "Please, stand up with me now," she said then, offering her hand once more in hopes that her mother would take it.

She breathed a sigh of relief when she did. Both of the women stood up and embraced each other in a tight hug. Feeling her mother's comforting arms wrap around her made (Y/N)'s walls fall down again. She couldn't stop the tears as they welled up in her eyes and spilled over.

"We're safe now, mum. He can't hurt us anymore," (Y/N) whispered into her mother's ear as she held onto her for as long as she could. They held the embrace for a few moments longer before stepping away to look at each other. "I'm sorry for coming in unexpectedly. You were the first person I thought of after it was finished," she then apologized for her abrupt entry.

"It's ok, darling," her mother forgave her, "dad's out of town on business. I told him that this would be a good time to take the trip like you and I spoke about...he's not expected to be back for another few days," she explained her husband's whereabouts. (Y/N) nodded, feeling relieved that that part of the plan they'd spoken about in their correspondence had been followed through with.

"No one was in the bar when it happened. He asked everyone to leave when he noticed I was there...said that he wanted to have a conversation with me. Everyone was cleared from the area before the shot rang out," (Y/N) then explained what had gone down on her side of the events.

"Did you do it?" her mother asked. It flashed quickly, but (Y/N) thought she saw a glimmer of hope in her eyes as she asked the question.

"I didn't," (Y/N) shook her head, glancing at the wall behind her mother, "Tommy was there too. He was able to take the shot when I couldn't," she then explained.

"That's fine...so long as it was finished with," her mother assured her, nodding slightly as she spoke, keeping her eyes locked with (Y/N)'s.

(Y/N) nodded along with her as she felt a lump start to build up in her throat. "I...I'm so sorry, mum," she choked out, another wave of emotion flowing over her as the events caught up once more.

"You don't need to be sorry, love," her mother was quick to console her, "you knew what he was going to do...this was what had to be done. You've saved both your life and mine in doing so," she explained in a calming voice.

"But...but Clay's going to..."

"He's not going to find out. He was at his office while it happened, and you said it yourself that nobody saw it. Anyone could have done it," (Y/N)'s jumbled response was cut off again by her mother's justifications. "It hurts because it's family, but this is what happens inside families like ours. He was going to harm us...we couldn't let that happen," the older woman continued, speaking with a steady voice, "my father wouldn't have let it happen. It's time that us women work to take some power back within our own family."

(Y/N) nodded as she listened to what her mother had to say. "We're going to be ok, right?" she asked once she'd been able to calm down.

"We are. We're going to be more than ok, love," her mother agreed with her. "He wasn't going to bring anything good into this family. I believe he's finally found his peace now...whatever that peace may be," she then said.

It hurt her to think of her son this way, but it was what was necessary. Garrett was ready to fly off of the handle. He was in the midst of planning to find (Y/N) and then be able to rid the family of the 'weaker links', which meant that he was going after his mother too. In his mind, all the women did was take up space...they weren't good for anything because they didn't fight or throw their hat into the ring to help out the family in, what he deemed to be, a substantial way while the war was going on. The only reason why he wasn't able to push forward on this crusade, if you will, was because Clay didn't think that it was ideal to carry the plan out. He was more invested in trying to make deals and expand their control over the city. Garrett usually listened to Clay but, over these last few weeks, it seemed as though he was gearing up to carry out his plans without approval. This is what made Ann Weller scared, and it's ultimately why she decided to write (Y/N) a letter explaining what was happening so that they could create a plan of their own.

She was thankful that all of the different parts worked out the way they did. She didn't want to think of the consequences that would have arisen had one gone wrong.

"You said that Tommy came with you, (Y/N)?" Anne asked after both of the ladies were completely calm again.

"Yes," (Y/N) nodded her head, "he did." Realization struck her then as she remembered running out of the pub and leaving Tommy in the dust as she rushed to get to her mother. "I left him at the pub," she said then, stepping away from her mother to exit the room and rush down the steps. She was fully prepared to sprint back to the pub where she left him, but she quickly realized that she wouldn't need to. "Tommy," she gasped, surprised to see him standing in the front room of the home.

"I was only a few steps behind you," he explained to her, immediately seeing her surprised expression. (Y/N) didn't know what to say, so she just nodded, her worry dissipating once more.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Mr. Shelby," Ann’s voice came from behind her daughter, making her turn around.

"It's nice to meet you as well, Mrs. Weller. And please, call me Tommy," he smiled at her, stepping forward to offer his hand in a formal greeting.

"You call me Ann then," she told him while shaking his hand, making him chuckle as he nodded in agreement. "Thank you for looking after my daughter, Tommy," she said, an appreciative smile on her face.

"You're welcome," Tommy accepted her gratitude, looking over at (Y/N) to see that she was already smiling at him. He held her gaze until she broke away, looking bashfully at the ground. "I'm sorry about what had to happen," he addressed what had gone down earlier, looking at Ann again.

"Don't be," Ann brushed his apology off, "I've already told (Y/N)...he was my son, but he was also an angry and violent man. I hope that he's found peace now," she then reiterated what she'd said to (Y/N) moments ago. Tommy nodded along with her, making note of how she felt about the situation.

"It's getting late," (Y/N) spoke up again after a few moments had passed, "we should head back to Birmingham, Tommy."

"If you're ready," Tommy agreed with her while still letting her lead the situation.

"I am," (Y/N) nodded her head before she looked at her mother. "I love you, mum," she said, a smile on her face as she stepped forward to hug the older woman.

"I love you, sweetheart," Ann repeated the sentiment, hugging her daughter tightly, "things will be better from now on," she assured her, stepping back to smile at her as she held onto her shoulders.

"They will," (Y/N) agreed with her mother, even though she didn't feel what she was saying completely in her heart. "Shall we go?" she asked Tommy as she turned to face him. Tommy only nodded in response, taking a step to the door then. "Bye, mum. I'll write to you when I'm home safe," (Y/N) said to her mother, sending her one last smile before she followed Tommy to the door.

"Bye, (Y/N)," Ann sent a smile back, watching as the two exited the home and went on their way back to the car they'd arrived in.

The walk back was filled with silence. Tommy finally had a chance to smoke; he'd been needing a cigarette after what went down at the pub, but he was more worried about (Y/N) than his desires. Having her safe by his side finally allowed him to give in.

Tommy opened the driver's side door with no hesitation, getting himself ready to enter the car when he noticed that (Y/N) was practically frozen on the passenger's side. "(Y/N)?" he called to her, his brows furrowed as he looked through the car's windows to see her absentmindedly staring at the door. She didn't answer him, didn't even look up, so he dropped his hand from the door and walked around to meet her on the other side. "Everything ok, love?" he asked once he was in front of her.

"Huh?" she asked, snapping out of her thoughts, sounding surprised.

"You weren't getting into the car," he pointed out, "are you alright?"

"I, uh..." she trailed off, breaking eye contact as she hoped to keep herself together, "this can't keep happening with us, Tommy. This can’t become our ‘thing’," she choked out, her attempts failing as she recalled the past two times where they found themselves in a situation similar to what had happened at the pub earlier.

Tommy frowned as he heard what she had to say. "It won't happen again," he told her, a definitive tone in his voice.

(Y/N) wanted to take that statement at face value and hold onto it with all of her might, but she just couldn't. Instead she felt her heart break at the possibility that there very well could be another time. "That's not something you can promise," she pointed out, her voice broken. She dropped her gaze to the pavement as tears started to prick her eyes, not wanting Tommy to see her cry. She couldn't get it past him though, because she felt his arms engulf seconds later. His embrace was tight, one that she immediately sunk into.

"These sort of things'll be done now, eh?" he tried to reason with her, resting his chin on the top of her head as she clung to him tightly. "Look at me, (Y/N)," he whispered then, making her step back from him. He took his chance and took her face into his hands, holding her so that she couldn't break eye contact. "I might not be able to promise that, but I can promise that I will keep you safe, no matter what happens, ok?" he spoke in all seriousness, his eyes widening to show how much he cared. "I will keep you safe," he reiterated his point, his eyes searching hers as he spoke.

(Y/N) nodded as best she could with her head in his hands. "Ok," she breathed, feeling truly safe as he was holding her.

"Ok," he repeated her single word statement in a similar tone, nodding slightly as well.

Silence fell between them then, and (Y/N) realized in that period just how close they'd gotten. She could feel the warmth of Tommy's breath as it fanned across her face. The blueness of his eyes trapped her, shining despite the circumstances and giving her a glimmer of hope that maybe things would be better from there on out. She stayed in his grasp, watching as his eyes flitted to her lips for a moment before locking with hers again. A strange sensation shot through her as she watched him do that, and she couldn't help but do some searching of her own, letting her eyes travel over his features as she admired them up close.

Tommy dropped his eyes to her lips one more time before he made up his mind and decided to stop dancing around what he was wanting to do, what he’d been wanting to do. He leaned in slowly, giving her a chance to realize what he was doing; waiting for her to react in any sort of way. The second he saw her eyelids flutter shut, he closed the gap and pressed his lips to hers.

All of the bells and whistles were going off inside (Y/N)'s mind the second she felt his lips touch hers. She returned the kiss right away, her hands grabbing onto the sides of his suit jacket as she felt like she was about to be swept off of her feet.

The first kiss was short, a sort of a taste or teaser...a way to test the waters. Tommy was the one to pull away, but he didn't move far, only retreating a few centimeters so that they could both grab a breath before he leaned back in and kissed her again; his intentions more firm this time.

If the first kiss would have swept her off of her feet, this kiss would have blown (Y/N) away. She was not in any way prepared for something like this to happen, but now that it was happening, she didn't want it to end. Everything felt right in this moment. Her worries were pushed to the back of her mind as he moved to the forefront.

Their kiss lasted for a few moments before Tommy pulled away again, this time for good as he lifted his head slightly and pressed his lips to her forehead. (Y/N) relished in the feeling as tingles continued to shoot through her body. Nothing was said as he let go of her face and wrapped his arms around her once more, holding her flush against him.

"Are you ok?" he finally broke the silence, pulling her away to let her stand at arm's length as he looked her over.

"More than," she couldn't stop herself fast enough, the half-dazed answer escaping her lips before she had the chance to think it over.

Her response made him chuckle, a slight grin forming on his face as he relished in seeing her sheepish smile form. He hoped he didn't look too animated on the outside, and that she couldn't feel his heart where it was thudding in his chest. "Good," he said to her, feeling like a weight lifted off of his shoulders as she smiled at him.

She pulled him back into an embrace without warning, resting her head flat against his chest. She took comfort in the fact that his heart was beating rapidly, happy that he was reacting the same way she was. He held her tight to him, letting her rest in his arms with no questions asked. Silence surrounded them again until she asked a question of her own: "can we go home now?"

Her voice was soft, but Tommy heard her. "We can," he answered without hesitation, his heart rate picking up again at her word choice.

(Y/N) didn't misspeak. Even though she grew up in Sheffield, Birmingham had grown to feel more like home than that place ever had. Something told her that the man whose arms she was standing in had a lot to do with why she felt that way.

And now she just wanted to go home.

Next Part

Tagged: @mgcldydrms @the-anxious-youth @cloudofdisney @look-at-the-soul @elenavampire21 @mrsalwayswrite @julkaamazing @evita-shelby @lilyrachelcassidy @notyour-valentine @shelbydelrey @december16-1991 @onlydeadcells @peakyswritings @just-a-blackhole @watercolorskyy @strayrockette @peakyduchesss @alexxavicry @captivatedbycillianmurphy @yummycastiel @dark-academia-slut @tommystargirl @stevie75 @lyarr24 @signorellisantichrist @zablife @anotherblinder @midnightmagpiemama @cillmequick @l1-l4 @chlorrox @lostgirl219 @woofgocows @bdudette @mrkdvidal1989 @stephhevring @fictional-hooman @httyd-marauders @nataliewalker93 @rangerelik @thecraziestcrayon @cilliansangel @shaddixlife @tracysnook

SERIES MASTERLIST

[multifandomwriter56]

His Little Spy: A New Start

A/N: So I have decided to add my OC to this series. I've been wanting to do this for a long time, but I've been anxious about it. But with seeing all these amazing writers who have been blessing us with their OC's; I've decided to share one of my own. Also, I am changing some of the storyline. I didn't like how it was turning out, so some things will change.

Series Summary: Anita Edwards is a spy who works for Tommy Shelby. She is an orphan and longs for a family. Will Tommy ever realize she is his daughter, despite them not being blood? Or will he lose her forever?

Chapter 1 Summary: Anita is the one who told Tommy about Mother Superior beating children and why the young girl killed herself in Season 5 Episode 3.

Characters: Tommy Shelby, OC, Polly Gray, mentioned other Shelby members and Mother Superior, mentioned the young girl (I named her Rosa)

Warnings: language, angst, talks about suicide, talks about death, talks about racism, talks about children being physically abused

Word Count: 1,812

It was a cold, depressing day at the Small Heath Sisterhood for Young Girls. Rosa, her best friend, had killed herself this morning. Mother Superior had told the girls she died from Scarlet Fever; but Anita knew differently. 

She was the one to find Rosa and told Mother Superior who threatened to beat her if she told anyone. 

But this was the last straw. Her friend is gone all because of that woman. Making her eat alone at meals, using a different soap then the rest of the girls. Anita tried to defend Rosa a few times but it never ended well. The only thing she did was make things worse for Rosa. 

She shivers as a cold wind slithers through her coat. A coat that is twice her size. She knocks on the door to #6 Watery Lane. 

"What do you want?" A man Anita doesn't know answers as he swings the door open. 

"Is Mr Shelby here?"

"Kid, you have to be more specific."

"Tommy Shelby."

"And what do you need to see Mr Shelby about?"

Ignoring the fact that he just called Tommy by his last name just like she did a moment ago; she raises an eyebrow. "That's not any of your business. If he's busy I can wait."

The man gives her a gentle shove. "Get lost, kid."

Anita's eyes narrow. She debated whether or not to just kick the man in the shin and run inside or if she should just come back later.

"Oi! Anita, is that you?"

She relaxes when she hears a familiar voice. "Yeah, it's me Polly."

"Let her through, James."

The man steps to the side, letting the door open wider so she can get through.

Polly smiles at the young girl, but frowns as the girl limps towards her. "Are you here to see Tommy?" 

Anita nods. "I know this isn't our normal time, but I really need to talk to him."

Polly nods her head, guiding her towards Tommy's office. She trusts the young girl and she knows, if Anita's willing to risk getting a scolding from Tommy for being out so late, then it must be important. It still amazes her how much the gangster turned politician's opinion matters to the eleven year old. 

"Anita, kid! Where the hell have you been?" Arthur greets in his overly loud voice. 

The young girl smiles warmly at the eldest Shelby. "I've been busy doing your job." She sasses.

Her smile widens when Finn and Isiah howl with laughter. 

"You little rascal." Arthur playfully growls as his fingers attack her sides. 

Anita forces herself to laugh as pain shoots through her ribs. 

"Alright, leave the girl alone." Polly can tell something is wrong with the girl, but she's not sure exactly what it is. She gently nudges the girl towards the door of Tommy's office. 

Anita knocks three times. When she hears an annoyed 'come in' she opens the door. "I can come back later, Mr Shelby, if you're busy?"

Tommy lifts his head at hearing that voice. "Anita, what are you doing here?"

Anita fully enters his office, closing the door behind her. "I need to talk to you."

Tommy gestures for her to sit down. Like Polly, he frowns when he notices the limp. His frown deepens when she doesn't sit, but stands in front of his desk. 

"Anita, what's wrong?"

She shakes her head. She's not here for her, she's here for Rosa. "I'm fine. It's my friend. She's- She's dead." 

Tommy nods, staying quiet so the girl will continue. He can't stop his concern from rising with each word though.

"It's Mother Superior's fault."

Tommy's eyebrows twitch upwards in surprise. "She killed her?" He's recently heard rumors about how the Sisters have been treating the children. He was planning on having some men keep an eye on the orphanage for a couple of days.

"No, not directly." Y/n admits. "But she's gone because that bitch beat her all time. And she never deserved it, not once."

"And you do?"

"This isn't about me." She snaps, not only surprising herself, but Tommy as well.

The young girl hardly ever uses that tone with him; his brothers and some of the other boys, definitely. Even with Polly, he's seen her act defiantly towards his aunt; but she rarely acts that way with him.

"I'm sorry, Mr Shelby. Rosa has never been the center of attention and I think she should be for this."

Tommy nods in agreement. She never ceases to amaze him how wise she can be at her age. "Tell me what happened."

Anita explains why and how Rosa died. Halfway through her explanation, Tommy rises to his feet, going around his desk to lean against it. 

"How long has this been going on?"

Anita swallows, her guilt eating away at her insides, knowing this is all her fault it went this far. "Since you saved me from my uncle and sent me there."

Tommy's eyes harden. Most of his anger is towards the nuns; but he is disappointed the girl didn't confide in him sooner. 

Feeling the business owner's anger, Anita starts rambling. "I know, Mr Shelby, I know it's my fault. Rosa died because I kept this quiet. I should've come to you sooner." She starts muttering curse words under breath. 

Tommy watches the girl, reaching in his pockets for his cigarettes and lighter. Exhaling a puff of smoke, his anger disappearing. "Anita, stop muttering. And stop blaming yourself."

She stops muttering but even the simple order can't take away her guilt. Her eyes plead with him for his help. Ever since she met the gangster, she's always trusted him to help her; no matter what she needed. Abusive uncle? Had him arrested; even though Anita's not sure that's what he did. Struggling with her schoolwork? He let her sit in his office, answering any of her questions. Girl problems? He finds Polly or Ada for her. 

He's the closest thing she has to a father; but she knows he'll never see her like that. She's his spy. Her eyes record information that will help him with the company. She's told him a couple of times when someone has betrayed him. 

She's in debt to him. He saved her life and this is how she's repaying him. It's not much, but she feels useful; feels like she's helping the wealthiest man in all of Birmingham. 

She blinks rapidly when she feels a gentle hand on her cheek before meeting his concerned gaze.

"There she is. Where did my little spy go?"

"M'sorry, Mr Shelby."

Tommy shakes his head. "Don't be, love. Your mind went somewhere else, eh?" He says more than asks; taking his hand off her cheek and to the cigarette in his mouth.

She nods her head in agreement.

"I'm going to help; but I need you to do something for me in return."

Anita nods again, she figured as much. 

"I need you to let Polly look at your injuries." He points a warning finger when she opens her mouth to argue. "I know Superior Mother gave you a beating."

She snaps her mouth closed, annoyed with herself and with the older man. She should've known he would easily notice her limp. "Fine."

"Good. Once Polly is satisfied, she will take you to the Grace Shelby Institute, where you will be staying until you're of age." Tommy wished he would've just settled her there in the first place. The only reason he didn't was because the girl begged him not to.

Anita half-hoped he would offer to let her stay in his mansion. She feels safe with him and she likes to be around his son Charlie. 

She doesn't move from where she's standing while Tommy gets Polly. She hears them whispering but doesn't turn around. 

She flinches when there's a hand resting on her cheek. Polly comes to stand in front of her, her hand moving to her shoulder so she can guide the young girl closer to her. She sits in the closest chair before beginning her examination. 

"You silly, silly girl." She chides as she lifts the girls dress. 

Anita blushes at her words. She glances at where Tommy is; thankful he's smoking another cigarette with his back turned towards them. Her eyes snap back to Polly when she grabs her chin. 

"If you were never happy to begin with, how come you never told me? I would have listened, I would have helped-"

"I know, Polly. I-I just couldn't leave Rosa." 

The eleven year old jumps when Tommy punches the door; muttering under his breath. She silently asks Polly why, but she just shakes her head.

Polly turns the girl, gasping when she sees her back and bottom. "Thomas, go get my ointments." When her nephew does as he was told, Polly turns the girl to face her, letting her dress fall back in place. 

"Why did you not come to us sooner?" 

"This just happened yeste-"

"Don't lie to me." Polly snaps.

Anita bites her lip. "I'm s-sorry. I really didn't think it would be important. I know I should've told you how they were treating Rosa and some of the other girls; but I really didn't believe that included me. You and Mr Shelby always tell me to behave or face the consequences."

Polly shakes her head. "This is not an appropriate punishment for a child. This should have never happened. And don't you dare apologize again." She snaps the last part, knowing exactly what the child was going to say.

Anita turns her attention to Tommy who had returned during Polly's scolding; hoping he'll help her. She's trying to ignore the concerned, motherly glare Polly is sending her way. 

Tommy shakes his head, slightly amused. "Don't look at me that way. You're the one who decided to lie and keep things from her."

"You do it all the time." Anita mutters.

He lightly taps the bag of medicine on top of the young girl's head before handing it to his aunt. He can’t deny her words. 

"Tommy, we're shutting that place down."

"Already on it, Pol."

"Are you angry with me, Mr Shelby?" Anita has to know. Did she destroy her chance to ever have a family?

"No, I'm not." He turns to leave to give them privacy. When he reaches the door, he turns around to face them. "Finn is going to take you to the Institute as soon as Polly is finished."

"She's staying with me."

Neither Tommy nor Anita dared to argue when Polly spoke in that voice. He just nods his head before exiting his office. 

Anita slowly shifts her eyes back to the only mother figure she's known; relaxing when she's greeted with a small, sad smile. 

Tommy may not consider her family, but Polly does. 

It's a start.

[brummiereader]

@zablife he what...?? This series has become quite the rollercoaster 😳😍!

I was very nervous for her during this visit. Tommys warning to her about Hughes was enough to set me on edge, that I worried he would flip when he found out he had come to their home and she had entertained him long enough to have a conversation with him 😬.

Tongue darting out to moisten his chapped lips, he nodded to himself. "So he's gotten to you too, has he?"- "You actually believe I'd do such a thing?" you hissed aghast that he would suggest betrayal. It doesn't surprise me he'd make this assumption after Grace. But Y/N's loyalties towards him have been proven over and over again. If there is one thing Tommy's stubborness can't deny, it's that she's in love with him enough to forget all his past transgressions.

Since I arrived everyone has told me of nothing but her poise and beauty. They all adored her so she must have known she had your heart as well," you whispered, afraid to acknowledge the ghostly presence between you. -“And that I would never divorce her,” Tommy added quietly. Your heart sank as you gulped, - “Because you loved her?” Fuck sake, he really knows how to keep you on the edge of wanting to rip your own heart out doesn't he?? "Never divorce her" this statement had my heart breaking for her the moment he said it, but what I did not expect, not one bit, was the confession and the reasons behind it he made moments later...

“I hated her!” he roared in unbridled emotion. “I hated her cruelty and my hubris," he confessed, the force of his words startling you into silence. “I knew she was an undercover agent when we met and I was bold enough to assume I could extract more information from her than she could from me." WHAT?!?! They were both trying to oust the other 😳?! So their fairytale marriage everyone talked so highly of, was actually a twisted one!

"She relished the thought of being the perfect wife while making a fool of me. It wasn’t enough for her to take my name and my home. She wanted my pride as well." No wonder Tommy was so triggered by Y/N morphing into Grace! I can't say I didn't get wince a little at the "a fool of me" part though. He sounds jealous, enraged that she was perceived as a better, more accomplished person than him 👀.

After a brief silence, Tommy turned to you with sorrowful eyes. "It's haunted me ever since." Dark Tommy thoughts, go away. Be gone 😬🙈. I trust you Lee 🧐. I have to trust the fact that she believes he didn't intend to kill Grace as well. But with the amount of turns and revelations that have come about in this series, I feel like I'm still in store for some more 😳!

If you can get the key from Mary, you might be able to find something we can use to blackmail Hughes." Oh god...she's gotta get past Mary the rottweiler 😬. With as unhinged as that woman is, I fear it's not going to be an easy task!

I'm so eager to find out if Tommy's plan will work! The suspense is killing me already 😩. Amazing chapter that's completely changed the course of this series ❤️😍!

Becoming Mrs. Shelby (Part 19)

Tommy x wife reader

Summary: When you're allowed a moment alone with Tommy, he makes a shocking confession.

Part 18 Masterlist

Heels echoing down a dark prison corridor, you clutched the neckline of your coat to shut out the icy draft. However, if you were honest with yourself, it wasn't only the air giving you chills. Would Tommy want to see you? And if he did, how would he react when he learned you met with his enemy?

The guard in front of you stopped abruptly, causing you to press a hand against the cool stone wall to brace yourself against falling into his back. Suddenly all your questions fell away as you were instructed on a few basic rules. "Ten minutes, no touching and a guard will stand by at all times," the imposing man informed you.

"Thank you," you mumbled, stepping into the fresh air of an empty prison yard. Eyes roving the barren space anxiously, you heard the door open a second time and watched Tommy shuffle toward you in iron shackles.

The sight of him bound at his wrists and feet made your lower lip tremble with emotion, but you resolved to be strong. "How are you?" you asked, quiet and cautious as you awaited a reply that told you of his current mood.

Tommy's clear blue eyes flicked up to yours, the intensity of their color only enhanced by the soft gray of his prison uniform. "I didn't think you'd come," he uttered on a low breath.

"I had to speak with you," you answered simply.

Glancing toward the guard waiting by the door, Tommy indicated for you to follow him to the center of the yard where your conversation wouldn't be overheard.

Before you lost your courage you blurted out, "I know the truth about Grace."

All movement ceased at your words, Tommy's concerned expression urging you to explain.

"I know she was not only an agent of the crown, but a member of Section D. She worked with Father Hughes before her death," you rushed out as you remembered the strict time limit you'd been given.

Tommy stared in disbelief, brow furrowed at you before he asked, "And how do you know all this, eh?"

You could scarcely tell if it was a wave of rising anger or genuine curiosity which drove him. However, you needed him to confirm what Father Hughes had told you. "Father Hughes came to the house this morning with a proposition," you gulped, not yet having revealed the worst of it.

He scoffed at the news, turning his head away from you as he seemed to collect his thoughts on the matter. Tongue darting out to moisten his chapped lips, he nodded to himself. "So he's gotten to you too, has he?"

"You actually believe I'd do such a thing?" you hissed aghast that he would suggest betrayal. "I'm here to help you! Tommy, please, I need to know what happened the night of Grace's death. Not only for my own peace of mind, but to find a way to save your life!"

Tommy searched your watery eyes which pleaded with him in such tender insistence, he finally broke. “Alright, but we talk about it now and never again," he stated firmly.

You nodded your agreement, eager to hear what he might confide.

"Grace was shot at the charity gala for the Shelby Institute," he began, awkwardly shifting his wrists within the confines of the metal handcuffs.

"But who killed her and why?" you quickly interjected, seeing the guard check his pocket watch.

His eyes seemed to glaze over as he mumbled, “You didn’t know what she was like…”

"I think I do," you ventured. "Since I arrived everyone has told me of nothing but her poise and beauty. They all adored her so she must have known she had your heart as well," you whispered, afraid to acknowledge the ghostly presence between you.

“And that I would never divorce her,” Tommy added quietly.

Your heart sank as you gulped, “Because you loved her?”

“I hated her!” he roared in unbridled emotion. “I hated her cruelty and my hubris," he confessed, the force of his words startling you into silence. “I knew she was an undercover agent when we met and I was bold enough to assume I could extract more information from her than she could from me."

"So the image of a deeply devoted couple was nothing more than a twisted web of lies?" you asked, not fully understanding the relationship they'd forged.

Tommy only nodded as he didn't fail to miss tinge of sadness in your voice when you spoke of his first marriage. Though he tried not to encourage discussion of it, somehow you'd succumbed to the curse of believing in their perfect union like everyone else.

With an ache for you growing deep inside his chest, Tommy began pacing in slow circles. As he did, he recounted the reality of his life with Grace. "She relished the thought of being the perfect wife while making a fool of me. It wasn’t enough for her to take my name and my home. She wanted my pride as well."

You began to shake at his assertion, realizing everything you'd been told was a lie. After weeks of suffering to make yourself over in her image, you were shocked to learn Grace had been the enemy all along.

"The night before the gala she told me of her allegiance to Section D, how she'd collected secrets about me and my family throughout our marriage. She demanded I turn them in if I wanted to stay out of prison," he spat. "When I refused, she was outraged and I knew she wouldn't stop until she'd ruined me."

"How do you mean?" you asked, a pit forming in your stomach as you braced yourself for his answer.

"The night of the gala she stole the pistol from my jacket and aimed it at her chest," he revealed as you gasped in horror. " 'Do it, Tommy and then you’ll be free…' she told me, daring me to shoot her with a hundred guests in the next room."

"Tommy, you didn't!" you insisted, rejecting his confession as tears blurred your vision.

Leaning forward onto his knees as though he might be sick at any moment, he whispered, "I did, but it was an accident as we struggled for the gun. The bullet struck her in the chest and she died instantly."

After a brief silence, Tommy turned to you with sorrowful eyes. "It's haunted me ever since."

Forgetting the rules, you placed a hand to his cheek as you cried, "You didn't mean to do it. I know you didn't."

"No touching!" the guard barked, causing you to stumble backward from your husband.

"Oh, Tommy...what do we do now?" you begged of him, color draining from your face as the prospect of his acquittal slipped away.

He swiped a hand across his mouth as he thought and you wondered if there was anything to be done for him. You didn't yet understand why Grace forced his hand, but it was clear Tommy was guilty under the law.

That's when a sudden spark flashed in his eyes. "Grace's desk may still hold the evidence of her espionage," he reasoned. "If you can get the key from Mary, you might be able to find something we can use to blackmail Hughes."

"I will," you assured him just as the guard called out to you.

"Time's up!" the authoritative voice boomed from somewhere behind you.

Though you longed to embrace your husband, the moment would have to wait. As you were left standing alone in the yard, you said a silent prayer you'd have that chance one day soon.