#thinking about abigail's future... man *picture of that horse looking out to the sea*

[deerabigailhobbs]

Hello friend!

I’ve been rebloging your amazing thoughts for a bit and have finally worked up the nerve to send an ask!

I absolutely adore your Abigail thoughts and need more! I love your headcanon that she would do art (adamgail photography siblings real (at least in my brain)), but what do you think she would do for a job once she got older? (she definitely does don’t look at canon)

I think that her saying she wanted to join the fbi was inspired by her experiences in the show. If she really did want to, I cannot see her being a special agent, maybe one of the science jobs.

Anyways! As the resident Abi expert I’m curious if you have any thoughts!

Hello friend!

First of all, never be nervous to send an ask, DM or anything, and this goes for everyone! I am simply just a gal, and they truly do make my day :D

As for jobs, definitely somewhere in the sect of helping others. In my opinion, an integral part of her character is trying to make a right from her wrongs, it's why she wanted to join the FBI and show she's not like her father (like you mentioned!)

If we take her art skills into consideration, maybe a police sketch artist, that way she's not head first into all the FBI shenanigans, but close enough to still be intrigued. She's intelligent, I can definitely see her picking up on a detail others looked over and investigating a case herself.

A sort of doctor perhaps, which would pair nicely with Adam being a vet (if we were to go that route). Less murder mystery solving and more actually saving people's lives. Would make for some good angst too, if she doesn't manage to save someone she may have flashbacks to the girls. She may feel that a part of her dad still lives with her, that she secretly wanted them dead. Yknow, good ol' fun! /s

Or perhaps something far more simple. A freelance artist who sells calendars and mugs to sweet old ladies. It may not be as hectic as the past two, but it's still helping others, and gives poor Abigail a break from all the chaos.

Maybe she could start out as one thing and end up as another as she got older, (because you are absolutely right she lives a very long, very happy life) the possibilities are endless :D

Also, thank you for liking my nonsensical rambles, it means a lot! I'm by no means an Abigail expert, just obsessive :D (oh, and thank you for liking adamgail siblings that means a lot too!)

Have a good day/evening and thanks again for the question! Always a pleasure to read and answer :]

[thedeviltohisangel]

He’s A God, He’s A Man: 4

She was learning about the new Thomas Shelby.

masterlist is my url/writing

send in your thoughts!

“Is Tommy here?” Lydia was breathless by the time she made it to Watery Lane. She had practically ran. The faster she got away from Campbell then the faster she would be with Tommy. Where she should have been all these years.

“He’s working.” It was Polly who answered the door. The frantic knocks had scared her. Made her think it was a Shelby child who was at the door, injured and in need of help. Instead she had found Lydia. Someone who was once meant to become a Shelby. “Why don’t you come in and have a cup of tea? You seem frazzled.” Polly gave her no choice, grabbing her by the shoulders and pulling her into the kitchen. 

“It’s been quite the culture shock to be here, I suppose” Lydia shrugged off her cut and hung it on a hook by the door. The Shelby matriarach assessed Lydia with the same glances Campbell had just moments before yet there was a different intent behind her eyes. It wasn’t predatory. It was more like cataloging. “Yesterday, you knew who I was.” Polly nodded slowly as she slid a teacup in front of the girl.

“I did.” Lydia had been hoping for slightly more elaboration that it seemed she was going to get. “What’s your business with my nephew?” She made it sound much more clinical that it was. As if there was no emotion involved between Tommy and Lydia anymore. Maybe there wasn’t.

“I don’t know actually. I felt uneasy and my feet lead me here.” She ran her finger around the rim of her cup, lost in thought.

“Tommy isn’t the man you met in France.”

“That much I do know,” Lydia said with a smile, “but having him, any version, seems to be better than not.”

“Even when you’re working with the man trying to ruin him?” Polly was angry at Tommy for getting their family caught up in this nonsense with the guns. Lydia represented one of the biggest threats they had ever faced.

“Polly? Did you hear the news on Monaghan Boy?” Tommy came bursting into the kitchen and recognized the look on his aunt’s face instantly. And when he looked at Lydia, she was refusing to look at him. “What’s happed?”

“Nothing!” Lydia chirped. She plastered a smile on her face and stood, gathering her things. “I was on my way to The Garrison and your aunt saw me and invited me in for some tea. Thank you  again, Polly. Congratulations on your horse, Thomas.” He looked to his aunt with a confused expression before he quickly followed after Lydia.

“Lydia! Wait!” The people of Small Heath were startled to see Tommy Shelby out in the streets without his cap or coat and no cigarette dangling from his mouth.

“Tommy, I’m already running late,” she said after he caught up to her.

“Doesn’t matter. Harry’s capable.” He circled around her so she had to stop walking away from him. Now that he was closer he could see the dainty tear rolling down her cheek. “What did Polly say? Did she make you upset?” He’d have words with her. Tell her that Lydia was here to stay. In what capacity, he hadn’t decided yet but no one in his family was allowed to go running her out of town.

“No. I’m making myself upset,” she reasoned. Roughly, she wiped away the tear and tore her gaze from Tommy’s. “I should’ve just let you and your family be. Shouldn’t have let Campbell talk me into coming. My heads cramped enough without adding his voice to it.”

“You know if he does or says anything to you, I’ll-”

“I’ll come to you. I promise.” Tommy was glad she didn’t let him finish. It was best to not expose the dark depths of his character to her quite yet. Lydia didn’t want to let on that she had shown up to his home for that exact reason then been guilted out of it. Polly had reminded her she was an outsider. That she didn’t belong.

Tommy allowed himself a moment of indulgence and brushed his knuckles against her cheek. The way he had been doing to her picture all these years. “Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would get to touch you again.” He figured he already looked like a mad man being all disheveled in the streets. Standing close to a woman that just showed up the other day. That was working with the man who had nearly beat his brother to death. Might as well lean into it.

“I haven’t gotten a chance to enjoy being with you,” she whispered as leaned into his touch.

“Because things can’t just go back to where they were, Lydia. My life is...my life isn’t…”

“You don’t have to explain yourself to me, Tommy. We have all the time in the world to figure it out, yeah?” The hidden message was that she didn’t plan on leaving. Ever again. She had experienced life without Tommy Shelby and found it wasn’t quite living. “Have a drink with me before I start my shift?” The tea hadn’t been nearly strong enough for the day she had had.

“Have you gotten any better at holding your whiskey since France?” Tommy asked as he held the door to The Garrison open for her.

“Now that is something you will have to wait and find out on your own.”

----

“Miss Lydia! Miss Lydia!” She had been walking home after a particularly long night at The Garrison, a night empty of any Shelby’s which made it even longer, when she heard the singing voices of some of the local children. Lydia had figured shuffling between The Garrison and her apartment was no way to live and be happy so she had taken up teaching reading and writing at a local orphanage. The purity of the children made her own soul feel at ease on the dark and lonely Birmingham nights.

“What is it, Abby?” Lydia bent at the knee so she could be at the same height as the little girl.

“Mr. Shelby is waiting for you by the fire! Come on!” Abby took her hand and began running off into the night, Lydia doing her best to keep up amongst the crowd that seemed to be heading in the same direction as them. She wanted to ask for an explanation on what exactly they were running towards but the cheers of their destination were making it hard to even think.

At first she thought the orange light of the fire was coming from one of the factories that lined the street. But as they neared closer, she realized it was more of a bonfire. And was entirely man made and fueled by pictures of the King. As an American woman, Lydia didn’t quite understand the reverence to the King but she understood it basically enough to know this was an act of provocation. And she was certain which man would be standing in front of the crowd and which man he was provoking. “Mr. Shelby I’ve found her.”

“Thank you, Abigail.” Tommy pulled two pounds from his pocket and pressed them into the chubby hand of the girl.

“You’re using orphans to run errands now?” It was incredibly warm by the fire and with the crowd of people that had amassed around it but she moved closer to Tommy regardless.

“Only when an errand involves you. I know you ignore every voice that calls to you on the street save for that of a child.” It was true. Lydia had gotten quite good at ignoring anything and everything that she heard and saw on the streets of Birmingham. 

“Did you wish for me to be here so I can report back to my minder?”

“No that is what the reporter was here for.” Lydia scoffed.

“I thought you chose to conduct your business in silence?”

“I hide in plain sight.” They had moved ever closer over the course of their banter until their chests were touching and Lydia was practically inhaling the cigarette smoke that fell from his lips. “I’m sorry I haven’t been to see you recently.” Their drink together a The Garrison had felt good. Had been normal. Tommy had made her laugh and she had made him smile. He told Polly when he got home afterwards that she wasn’t to try and scare anything out of Lydia ever again. Tommy would handle any discrepancies relating to her allegiance and he alone. Polly had her doubts he could do that with clear eyes but she let the subject drop.

“It’s alright. Arthur is there enough for the both of you.” There wasn’t a time of day that Lydia hadn’t shared a whiskey with the older Shelby. She found his company quite amusing. And he found her ability to finish a bottle with him and still carry on to be biblical.

“He can’t shut up about you, I think he’s fallen in love.” 

“If only he had shown up in the field hospital that day then maybe he would stand a chance.” She looked to Tommy with a smile but saw that he was now looking at his shoes. They hadn’t spoken about France. About what they used to have. About what they used to be. “Sorry.” Lydia was dying to talk to him about it. For so long she had been left to her own thoughts on the subject matter. Had been left to decipher every memory on her own. Now that her partner was back, she wanted his help.

“I’m sorry too.” He was sorry he couldn’t bring himself to open up to her like he once had. Like she deserved. Like he would need to for there to be any future between the two of them.

“I should get going. Thank you for the fire.” She had been around the new Tommy long enough to know when he had shut down. There was no point to her standing around. Once he was in that headspace, it was near impossible he came out of it quickly.

“Would you like to come by for tea in the morning?” Tommy hadn’t been in the practice of courting women since before the war. He wasn’t quite sure how men did it anymore. He was even less sure how American did it or how Lydia expected him to do it. He used to be a traditional man. Knew exactly what to do in the presence of a respectable lady like her. Now he was completely lost. Hopefully, Lydia would be able to meet him in the middle on this journey to figure things out between them.

“I don’t really like tea, Thomas.”

“Then we don’t have to drink tea, we can-”

“Is breakfast too early for a whiskey?” There was an incredibly mischievous glint to her eyes that made Tommy smile.

“Perhaps not,” he replied gently.

“You’ll send a car for me?” She began to walk backwards from the fire but kept her eyes locked onto him. He was quite amused by how at ease she was with him. Refreshing. Normally the seas parted when he walked down the streets but she was content on placing more obstacles in his way. Tommy supposes nothing worth having was easy.

“Anything for you, Miss Wilson.” A princess who might one day be Queen.

----

Lydia was scared to knock on the door to Watery Lane since her last experience ended with her in tears but she was delighted to see Ada open the door as opposed to her Aunt.

“Morning, Ada. I’ve stopped by to see your brother.” Ada smiled devilishly.

“He’s smiling more since you’ve been around. I’d be delighted to have you in this house more often.” She found Tommy to be much more tolerable when he was being overprotective with a smile. At least she felt some sort of love emanating from him. “I was just about to have some toast and jam. Would you like any?”

“That would be lovely, thank you.” Lydia hung her coat by the door before following Ada into the kitchen.

“Tommy went to run an errand this morning but I am sure he’ll be back soon.” She thanked Ada as she placed a plate of toast in front of her, spreading jam on her own slice before handing it to Lydia. “Tell me a bit about you Lydia.” All Ada had ever known about the woman was that Tommy had met her overseas and carried home her picture accompanied with a broken heart.

“I’m from New York. Worked as a nurse during the war, a secretary since then. Now I’m here.” Ada was sure there were plenty of interesting details that were missing from that retelling but kept her assumption to herself.

“And how was it that someone as beautiful as you came to be seduced by my demonic brother?” Lydia chuckled around the piece of toast she was eating.

“Well, Ada, we’d have to go back to the beginning to try and figure that one out.”

@aveiangdon @odetostep