#tom bennett x diane shelby

[evita-shelby]

My first Peaky Blinders fic, Between the Shadow and the Soul ,is officially 3 years old!!!

So to celebrate my 3 years in this fandom I am throwing a party.

Everyone is welcome to attend and encouraged to bring their OCs

(yes i am doing this again because yours truly somehow mistook 2020 and 2021)

You can send a request (gifs, songs and pictures welcome) for a blurb/drabble or a moodboard with the only requirement for it to contain one or all of the following:

🕯- prompt or title summarized in 3 words

🕯- something dark and/or supernatural with a motif of 3

🕯- take any of my Peaky Blinders OCs (limit is 3) for spin

🕯- 3 pictures 1 word (where you either send me 3 pictures and i guess the word or i post 3 pictures, and you guess the word)

*add 🎯to make it a poll and see what wins*

🕯- lets play fuck, marry, kill (or alternatives to it)or two truths and a lie *add 🎯to make it a poll and see what wins

🕯- What Would Eva Do? WWED (Ask Eva a question)

🕯- Caption This!: where a pic or gif is sent and i caption it (can also be a caption sent in via ask and if three or more people decide to caption it we make it a poll and see which one wins)

Same rules apply for any gifts you guys wish to give for the occasion and for tagging purposes the tag is 3va's party and will not be peaky exclusive because Eva couldn't be limited to just one show and has her whole evacore universe

Diane's masterlist: dianecore

Thank you for 3 years of fun and friendship y'all 🖤

Masterlist

[lya-dustin]

Mini moodboard challenge

Thank you @emilykaldwen amd @acrossthesestars for the tag

Cheating a bit because this is part of a fic i have on my peaky blinders (amd world on fire) blog @evita-shelby

"If nothing saves us from death, at least love should save us from life." -Pablo Neruda

For the one shot: mist

(No pressure)tags: @cljordan-imperium @raincoffeeandfandoms @zablife @runnning-outof-time @call-sign-shark @cillmequick

[evita-shelby]

This is amazing and also thanks y'all

Gonna put links to stories and a moodboard

Eva Leonor Smith Riley: she is my first peaky blinders oc and so developed that i can insert her in most fandoms and still get a good story or two out of her (I would link you to her fics but she is like in all of them so have the masterlist instead)

Diane ElizabethShelby: she is Tommy’s and Eva's daughter and aged up because I've hopped on the Ewan Mitchell train and can't get down. Her fic Tie Your Heart to Mine is a shameless Peaky Blinders/World on Fire crossover

Frida 'Florence' Solomons: she guest stars in some of Eva's fics and is Alfie’s American sister(half sister) who is has a longstanding affair with Eva's uncle and trained her and Eva's cousin, Santiago, as independent intelligence agents(and assassins) while hiding out in Mexico.

Tagging: @thegreatdragonfruta @areyenotfondofmelobster @justlulu @peakyblindas @johnathancanines @l1-l4 @assortedseaglass @arcielee @ewanmitchellcrumbs

Rules: I figured we needed a little more OC appreciation, so if you have OCs, list your favorite piece of work you have done for them, then tag ten people. It can be anything from a fic to a piece of art to a moodboard! And feel free to expand on why you like that specific work so much if you'd like. If you have multiple OCs, list your favorite piece for each one!

Tagging @moral-terpitude, @runnning-outof-time, @zablife, @shelbydelrey, @eclecticwildflowers, @cillmequick, @call-sign-shark, @confidentandgood, @emilynightshade89, @areyenotfondofmelobster, and anyone else who would like to participate, feel free to say I tagged you!

Vanessa Sullivan (The Dark Knight Trilogy)

How to Make a Monster: Essentially her origin story and how she met and became involved with Jonathan. I had so much fun examining her psychology and motivations, and the development of her relationship with Jonathan is I think one of the better steady burn romances I've written.

Lucy Winters (Peaky Blinders)

Lady of the Various Sorrows: This was the hardest to pick just one because I have so many fics that I'm proud of for this OC. But this is a fic I'd had in my head for a long time before it was written and I'm really proud of how I built up to it over time in my other works with her and the balance of angst and fluff. I think it's the best depiction I've done of Lucy, Tommy, and Grace's relationship.

Alice Emerson (Inception)

A Sleepless Dream: I'm a sucker for childhood best friends to lovers and this fic allowed me to entirely indulge on that trope to my heart's content. Both Alice and Robert are very sweet, sensitive people which was a bit new for me to write since many of my characters are more emotionally guarded. I'm still really proud of how I managed to expand more on Robert's character from what we get of him in the film.

Daisy Preston (Dunkirk)

In the Heart of War: This was my first ever attempt to write one of my OCs into the canon story they were involved in, and I'm still very happy with the result!

Rose Mason (In Time)

The Clockwork Laws: I say this with love, but this fic was a pain in the ass to write. I went back multiple times once I got about halfway through and scrapped everything and started over because I wasn't happy with it. The canon material made it a challenge to write from a worldbuilding standpoint, but that ended up being kinda fun in the end. Also was my first time dabbling in writing enemies to lovers.

Lily Callaghan (Platoon)

Arrival: It was a scene I'd had in my head for a long time, and I really enjoyed being able to capture that moment when Lily first meets Elias and also her anxiety and fear over being sent to war.

[evita-shelby]

Tie your heart to mine

Summer 1939

On the road with the Lee and Dogs Family, Diane Shelby, eldest daughter of Thomas Shelby and his Mexican wife, Eva, meets Tom Bennett at a dance hall in Longsight where his sister Lois is playing.

An unlikely romance blossoms just as the war her mother predicted long ago arrives at their doorstep.

(Or World on Fire meets Peaky Blinders)

Rated :T (for now)

Discontinued 4/28/2024

sorry

Taglist: @thegreatdragonfruta @peakyblindas @arcielee

Peaky Blinders fic where Diane is from

Moodboards:

Diane moodboard

How sweet it is

The Witch and the Sailor (by @lynnbeth5172 )

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

One shots: with the punctuality of a headlong train

Wrap my teeth around the world (moodboard and blurb)

Diane shelby masterlist

[evita-shelby]

For the prompt 'cuddling'

[evita-shelby]

Iced Tea

Haven't written anything Tom x Diane in a while so have this. Inspired by the amazing @ewanmitchellcrumbs and this post of theirs

Part of my Tie Your Heart to Mine fic(aka the peaky blinders world on fire crossover no one asked for)

Gif by @sibirr

“This shit isn’t tea.” Tom scoffed in a way that reminded her too much of her dad when he too was introduced to the concept of iced tea.

Her mother enjoyed it, said it reminded her of the aguas frescas in Mexico and now they were serving American iced tea to her English guests.

“Then why are you still drinking it?” Diane gestured subtly to the array of drinks being offered at her mother’s garden party.

He had fallen prey to the novelty of the drink and because he was already on edge at being here, refusing to admit he hated the drink and getting another one was now a matter of personal pride.

Especially when he saw her ex-boyfriend and his family were in attendance. It wasn't her fault her father’s former enemy and her almost father-in-law, Jack Nelson, was the current American Embassador.

“Its not awful once you mix it with whiskey. Your old man fixed it for me when you weren’t looking.”

[evita-shelby]

So sorry for taking so long K lol

Some of these are posted in my other blog @lya-dustin

All is bliss(in the court of aemma the great) —Aemond x Aemma(oc)

National Anthem — jack nelson x eva (oc)

Tie your heart to mine — tom bennett x diane(oc)

Cupid kills with arrows —aemond x aemma

Maiden with moonglow in her hair —cregan stark x aemma

Untiltled —(something involving Johnathan Crane and Eva and smut)

The food of love —osferth x reader

Untitled — a request about Tommy Shelby x reader who is terminally ill

Untitled —drunk!tommy x reader/eva

Cupid kills with traps —modern!Aemond x Aemma , Rhaenyra x Alicent

No pressure tags: @raincoffeeandfandoms @look-at-the-soul @arcielee @assortedseaglass @ewanmitchellcrumbs @zablife

WIP Name Tag Game

Thanks for the tag @there-goes-thefighter , @emotionalcadaver , and @peakyswritings ! 🥰

Rules: reveal the titles of the documents in your wip folder and tag as many people as there are documents. Let others ask questions about the ones that interest them and post snippets or explain the contents as you see fit!

I’m gonna steal a page from @there-goes-thefighter ‘s book and only do the 5 I’ll be working on next — I’ve currently got 24 blurb requests for my celebration, so I’ll be working on them until they’re all finished … also a disclaimer: I don’t have any concrete ideas for these stories (not even titles yet) I usually try not to think of them until I get to that blurb. If you want to see the full list, you can go here. Here’s the next 5:

“Don’t you dare.” — with John

“Forget I ever said that.” — with Tommy

“I didn’t get your name.” — with Tommy

“I just need some quiet.” — with Arthur

“Are you jealous?” — with Arthur

Tagging: @evita-shelby @cryingforlife @notyour-valentine @little-diable @moral-terpitude @brummiereader @peakyltd

[evita-shelby]

Historic

Another Tom Bennett x Diane Shelby. Ft. Eva and their universe's Jack Kennedy, Jack Nelson Jr.

Some day drinking, some blasphemy

There is an historic heat wave during his leave. And given his wife’s and her mother’s commentary about certain guests, that wasn’t the only historic thing about this fucking garden party.

Tom has no idea how Tommy Shelby deals with it when he knows the man has the same dislike for these fuckers as he does.

“Here, let me.” His hostess and mother-in-law takes his iced tea, stirs nothing into it and then returns it to him.

When Tom takes another sip of the disgusting American version of tea, its has magically turned into whiskey.

“Reading cards and seeing the future isn’t all I do, kid.” He hates the word kid, but coming from Eva its not as bad as when it comes from her husband.

Thomas Bennett had become an officer in the navy and yet to Thomas Shelby he is still the young man who refused to be bribed away from his daughter. Looks down on him despite barely reaching Tom’s chin.

Though his disapproval is nothing like the one he gets from their guests. Well, not all of them. There were others here who came from a background just like his and had used their talents to get where they are.

Then there was the Nelsons and those who knew Diane had refused to marry the all too perfect Jack Jr.

Tom had never met the man who had been in Diane’s heart before him, and now that he knew him, he hated him with every fiber of his being.

Jack Fitzgerald Nelson was tall and broad shouldered and handsome. Not as lean as Tom, but everything about the young man had him wanting to punch him in the face.

Even worse, he was also a sailor and got along well.

Nothing about him could ever compete with Mr. Future President.

“Di said he’s gonna be president.” He mentions as he tries his damn best to restrain himself. Diane laughs at something he or his sister said and Tom’s fist clenched.

He'd give his right arm to ruin his face.

“Yeah, youngest American president in history.” The witch said making feel worse “and the fourth sitting president to be assassinated.”

Tom chokes on his whiskey with her casual way of delivering her message of doom.

“Oh, look, there’s Madame First Lady feeling just as jealous as you are, Tommy!” she gestures to Miss. Jacqueline Bouvier who looks at Diane in a more ladylike version of how Tom looks at Jack.

Lucky for him, Diane comes and joins them with a certain look in her mismatched eyes. One she only gets when she sees him.

“I hope you haven’t been too bored without me, Tom.” His witch takes his drink and sips it before grimacing at being sucker punched with Irish Whiskey instead of cold tea. “Jesus Christ, ma.”

“Christ wishes, mija.” Her mom said with a wink.

[evita-shelby]

Stargazing

Some more Tom Bennett x Diane, spoiler for season 2 of World on Fire

After his dad’s death and Lois abandoning Vera and fleeing to Egypt, he spent his leave in Birmingham in the safety of Arrow House. A place the Gerries are afraid to attack because even they know not to fuck with the Shelbys.

The last time he was here was when he came to find her.

To talk things out and hope there was a reconciliation between them. Also because it was her birthday and he wouldn’t miss it for the world.

Tom hadn’t really explored the grounds she knew like the back of her hand, but he’d heard enough from her about it.

A place you could get lost in.

So when she suggests going to a place she knows because its been so long since she’s looked at stars, he agrees to it.

His witch likes looking at stars, he likes looking at her and after the hell they’ve been through this year, Tom didn’t mind going with her at all.

“Haven’t seen woods like these since France.” He admits as Diane leads him to somewhere close enough to the house and yet secluded from the horde of Shelbys in it.

“Haven’t seen stars like this since then I bet,” she says as they stop at a clearing. A small camp with its modest fire, rugs and blankets around it and a yellow vardo he knew too well.

“Happy birthday, Tom.”

They don’t do much stargazing that night.

[evita-shelby]

Hugs

Tom Bennett x Diane Shelby (oc)

Diane is a hugger.

Free with her affection and clinging to him or her friends as if she may not see them again.

What if I never get to do so again, she had said burying her face into his back when he finally got around to asking her about it. Then he learned she survived tuberculosis when she was fifteen and Tom no longer pretended he didn’t enjoy her hugs.

He finds himself hugging her tightly when she welcomes him at the docks. Di had run to him the moment he disembarked, jumping into his arms with the agility of an acrobat.

“Welcome home, sailor.” She had said making him wish they’d run away to Mexico like she had suggested months ago.

[evita-shelby]

Thanks @zablife and @runnning-outof-time

@dreamlandcreations

I use acronyms but imma spell them out for y'all

All is bliss (aemond x aemma(oc), alys rivers x alicent, some aegon x aemma x aemond))

National Anthem (Eva (oc) x Jack Nelson)

Cupid kills with arrows( aemond x aemma, arranged marriage au)

A maiden with moonglow in her hair(cregan stark x aemma)

Devilry dancing in her blood (Eva’s adventures in the Eva-verse)

Tie your heart to mine( tom bennett x diane shelby(oc))

Incantatrice (Eva x Luca Changretta)

Untitled ( sequel to Someone will remember us, aemond x Aemma set in the Lyseni Spring)

Untitled (Helaena Targaryen x Elissa Piper(oc)/ Rhaena 'the Black Bride' Targaryen x Elissa Farman, Rhaena x Melody Piper(reincarnation fic)

Untitled (robert fischer x eva

Of gods and witches (kukulkan/namor x eva)

Tagging: @moral-terpitude @forgottenpeakywriter @arcielee @ewanmitchellcrumbs @assortedseaglass @call-sign-shark

Thank you for the tag @kayhi808

Rules: reveal the titles of the documents in your WIP folder and tag as many people as there are documents. Let others ask questions about the ones that interest them and post snippets or explain the contents as you see fit!

I'm starting a new post bc I have too many WIPs (and these are just the ones in my drafts) 🙈

tag as many people as there are documents... but but but there are more than a hundred drafts 😭 anyway

tagging: @zablife @raincoffeeandfandoms @cinebration @marvelmusing @massivecolorspygiant @celestialspecial @stardustmorozov @startrekkingaroundasgard @oneeyedvisenya @happilyhertale @drabbles-mc @withmyteeth @runnning-outof-time @storiesbyrhi @nickfowlerrr

Little Miller - Benny Miller x Reader

Not tonight - Boba Fett x assassin!Reader (x Fennec Shand)

Speak freely - Boba Fett x half alien!Reader (platonic)

Games - Boba Fett x Mandalorian!Reader

Just a simple man - Jango Fett x half alien!Reader

Happily ever after - Bucky Barnes x Steve Rogers

Hey, Kid - Poe Dameron x Skywalker!Reader

First - Poe Dameron x Skywalker!Reader

The King - Tattooed Biker!Boba Fett x Reader

A deal is a deal - Raymond Smith x half Asian!Reader

Day and Night - Brother Day x Reader

Second Chances - Boba Fett x force sensitive!Reader

One King - Bishop x vampire!Reader (Night Teeth!au)

Reality - Boba Fett x force sensitive!Reader

I know what day it is - Bishop x Reader

Slave to Sensation - changeling!Billy Russo x psy!Reader

Angel's crush - Bishop x tattoo artist!reader

What you need - Billy Russo x autistic!Reader

What you want - Billy Russo x autistic!Reader

What you have - Billy Russo x autistic!Reader

Tangled, twisted or maybe something right - Billy Russo x Stark!Reader

Best friend - Bucky Barnes x Wilson!Reader

Stranger - Billy Russo x Reader

Apprentice - Doctor Strange x sorceress!Reader

Misery loves company - Venom x Reader x Eddie

We broke up - Eddie x Reader x Venom

Once upon a time - King Arthur x royal!Reader

Wicked - shifter!Santi x witch!Reader

Desert Flower - shifter!Benny x (non)human!Reader

Reaper - Venom x Reader x Eddie

The proposal (Would you like to series) Tommy x Reader x Alfie

Kissing Alfie Solomons - Alfie x Reader

Lighten up - Darkling x Fjerdan!Reader

Faeted hearts - fae king!Alfie x half-fae!Reader

Castaway AU - Billy Russo x Reader

Grimm AU - blutbad!Alfie x grimm!Reader

Fearless - Alfie Solomons x Shelby!Reader

I'm here for you - Billy Russo x Reader

Scheming, games and secrets - Alfie x Reader + Tommy

Fortune Favours the Brave - Eddie Munson x cheerleader!Reader

What women want - Billy Russo x genderfluid/nonbinary(afab)!Reader

Slayer - dragon shifter!Alfie Solomons x warrior princess!Reader

See you at the office - Alfie Solomons x ex-assistant!Reader

Weave it into words - (clan leader) king!Alfie Solomons x Shelby princess!Reader (Brave AU)

Crave the love - prince!Billy Russo x princess!Reader

Jeweller - Alfie Solomons x Tatiana's cousin!Reader

What's underneath? - Alfie x Reader

You only need to ask - Raymond Smith x aristocrat!Reader

What about dessert? - chef!Alfie x manager!Reader (modern!au)

The bright side - FO!Poe Dameron x Jedi!Reader

More than seeking comfort - Eddie Brock x Reader

Bait - Derek Hale x hunter!Reader

Cosy on the throne - Tattooed Biker!Boba Fett x Reader

This is not your color - Eddie Munson x Reader

Distraction - Max x Reader (Mad Max: Fury Road)

Three is still a company - Billy Russo x Reader x Frank Castle

You missed a spot - Brother Day x Reader

Behind closed doors - Darkling x Sun Summoner!Reader

Don't mind me - Alfie Solomons x Reader (x Tommy Shelby)

Feeling adventurous? - Eddie Munson x Reader

I can wait - Alina x Reader (Darkling x Alina x Mal)

Why the f*ck not? - Alfie Solomons x Reader x May Carleton x Tommy Shelby

Solace - Boba Fett x Reader

First time - Billy Russo x Reader

I'm all yours - Billy Russo x Reader

Patience - Billy Russo x Reader

The Happiest Day of Our Lives - Darkling x Sun Summoner!Reader

Mirror, mirror - Aleksander Morozova x Reader (xAlina)

Perfect - Darkling x Reader

Necessary evil - Darkling x Inferni!Reader

King of the Seven Seas - Atlantean king!Alfie x Reader

Don't you f*cking dare - chef!Alfie Solomons x manager!Reader

Do you doubt me? - James Delaney x Strange!Reader

Remedy - James Delaney x Reader

Unexpected - Matt Murdock x Reader x Elektra

Sweet torment - Alfie Solomons x Reader

Mr CEO - Billy Russo x Reader

Complications - Darkling x reader

Preying on you tonight - werewolf!Billy Russo x Reader

Sweet victory - Jake Seresin x Reader

The fun kind - Jake Seresin x Reader

Catch me if you can - Jake Seresin x Reader

Black and White - Darkling x Fjerdan princess!Reader

Stay Forever - Jake Seresin x BFF!Reader

In my corner - Billy Russo x Reader

Heartbeat - Milo/Lucien Crown x Reader

Just friends - modern!Alfie Solomons x Reader

That's the rule - Jake Seresin x Reader

Fire and Blood - Daemon x daughter!Reader (platonic)

The Bronze Witch - Aemond Targaryen x Daemon's daughter!Reader

Unity - Darkling x Fjerdan!Reader x Nikolai Lantsov

Risk and reward - Jake Seresin x Reader

Late night visit - Aemond x Reader

Peace offering - Aemond x Reader

The first warning - Darkling x Grisha!Reader

Stay with me - Darkling x Grisha!Reader

Like calls to like - Darkling x Grisha!Reader

Darkest hearts - Darkling x Nikolai's twin!Reader

Nothing - Darkling x Grisha!Reader

Heartbreak - Jake 'Hangman' Seresin x Reader

The eternity of this day - Darkling x Sun Summoner!Reader

A dream come true - Eames x Reader

A debt to be paid - Aemond x Reader

Honourable Quest - Xenk Yendar x Reader

Honouring a Debt - Xenk Yendar x Reader

Sacrifice of Honour - Xenk Yendar x Reader

My Queen - Daemon Targaryen x Stark!Reader

Naru - Sesshōmaru x modern!Reader

Fire and Blood, Ashes and Dust - Daemon Targaryen x niece!Reader

Give him to me - Daemon Targaryen x niece!Reader

The Taming of the Dragon - Daemon Targaryen x Stark!Reader

The day you died - supervillain!Darkling x superhero!Reader

[evita-shelby]

November Writing prompts

in an attempt to break through my block, i've decided to give these a try.

these will be a mix of all my pb fics i think? idk yet

My requests are still closed for now

Prompt list by @creativepromptsforwriting

crisp air

rainy

memories

tea time

carriage ride

star gazing

mysterious

early sunsets

historic

cozy

shooting stars

gloomy

cuddling

scarecrow

gratefulness

stellar constellation

blanket

rainboots

hugs

mist

fireplace

steaming mugs

wind

puddles

moonlight

Thanksgiving

grey sky

smoke

apple cider

lanterns

[evita-shelby]

Tie your heart to mine

Chapter 17

Charlie knows Harry Chase is what’s stopping Lois from becoming serious about him.

He would’ve hoped she’d gotten over him after six months of silence, but the fucker stayed there on her heart like he was branded on it. He really likes Lois, she was beautiful, kind, politically minded like him and so determined to shine no matter what cloud stood in her way.

“Something came in for your sister’s, ah, friend.” His father said, refusing to call Lois anything else but Diane’s friend. He hates Tom for obvious reasons, and despite how well he gets on with Douglas, he refused to acknowledge that Diane will be Diane Bennett come hell or high water.

Thomas Shelby holds a thick envelope marked with the neat handwriting of Florence Rosenburg ---or Frida Solomons as she had been named at birth--- naming Henry Chase.

It had Harry’s picture, name, address and other pertinent things. There was also a file wedged inside it with a sperate photograph held to it with a paper clip. He could decipher the top of a blonde woman’s head.

Charlie is no idiot.

Harry Chase had gotten married in Poland, that is why he never wrote back. Not only married a different girl, but a blonde.

Lois will be crushed.

“I can take it to Diane, maybe she can break the news gently to her.” Charlie says fighting the urge to peek into the files and see what this dime a dozen interpreter had that he didn’t.

Henry Chase was handsome, blue-eyed and the type of boy girls like his own sister would sigh over. Had he been available, he knows they’d be having this conversation about how to break this to Diane.

“If you are a gentleman, you will leave that file unopened.” His father sat back on his chair and stared at his son to see what he’d do. “If you are my son, you will open it and take flowers to console the girl.”

That settled it.

“And because I am your son and a gentleman, I will be leaving it closed and buying flowers for Lois.” Charlie knows his father was expecting him to do the latter –unless mama was nearby then he was the perfect gentleman she raised him to be--- and the man looked positively proud that he found a great space in the middle for himself. “Do you have anything for Dia?”

“Keep Douglas’ boy out of her bed for me, your mother doesn’t want a grandchild for her birthday.”

Despite his resolve to become a pacifist, Tom cannot escape fate. Or so he says when he is provoked by some young man he knows and joins the navy to show he is not a coward.

“We could run to Mexico, the war won’t touch it for a while. We could live there in the sun, on the house by the beach.” Diane suggests gently pushing his hair away from his face as they lounged in the couch.

He’d come here after a row with his dad, with Lois and him leaving on the same train, poor Douglas was at his wit’s end. Lois told him their dad had a night terror and chewed him out for not being there for him, Tom now felt guilty for causing him such trouble.

Always causing trouble for him, he’d said as he’d come in and asked her to join him on her couch.

And what better way to assuage his guilt for leaving him than by pretending the world doesn’t exist beyond the door of her room.

No sex, just them cuddling on her too small couch pretending to hear the opera playing in her wireless.

“No. And leave dad all alone when Lois is going too? Can’t do that to him.” I’ve already disappointed him enough. Rather die a hero instead of a coward, Diane can hear the words as if he’d said them. “Besides we’ll win the war, we’ll get married and tell little Vera and Junior about how daddy became a war hero.”

He is saying that to make her feel better as if he wasn’t the one going to his death. You’d think their hypothetical children would be the last thing on his mind.

“Not even married yet and you’re thinking of having a second child, Tommy.” She looked up at him to see that cheeky grin of his.

“Gotta give you something to do while I’m at sea, Mrs. Bennett.” The way he says it makes her forget this isn’t them joking about their future life together. “Gotta give me reasons to keep my mouth shut and stay alive.”

Sounds so sure of it, as if he was the one afflicted with clairvoyance instead of her.

“You shouldn’t say things like that, I might believe you.” She warns him and part of her hoping he means it.

“Why not, my wages and my leave time go up if I’m married and we could share the lease until I save enough to pay for half the house we’ll get.” So he had been given it a thought or two when he was in jail.

Two weeks alone can do that to you.

“Tell me the other reason, Tom.” There is one. One reason he’s afraid to say. Not afraid for her saying no, but afraid because he might never come back.

“If you’re my wife, I can leave knowing you’d take care of Lois and my dad for me.” He can be serious when he needs to be, most people take what they see thinking there’s isn’t much else to Tom.

But there was.

His jokes, brashness and carelessness were his way of moving through life. When you needed him to be serious, to be the man he knows he must be, he delivered on that.

“I’d take care of them for you even without a ring, Tom.” The witch let her hand trail down the side of his face and tried her best not to think about him never coming back.

“But I want to. We can marry later, when the war ends or never if that’s what you want. Fuck, you don’t even have to give me an answer now. Won’t leave for training yet, anyways.”

Diane knows the answer, there’s no need to think it, but she can’t seem to voice it.

The witch is relieved when Mrs. Johnson interrupts saying Charlie’s calling from the station.

While Diane and Charlie claim it’s a bad idea to look at files meant for someone else, Tom has no qualms in reading what Shelby managed to find on Posh Boy.

It was worse than any of them had initially thought.

Harry finding a girl in Warsaw was not a big deal.

Harry marrying a girl in Warsaw and bringing her and her little brother to Manchester was.

To think Tom had stuck up for him when Lois asked him his opinion on Harry’s silence the day he came back from Strangeways.

His sister was going to be crushed. She’d already said he had been different when she saw him a few nights ago at the dance hall and then last night at his mother’s.

She’d come back angry or so his dad had said when he asked why she was stomping around looking like she could burst into tears or kill a man at breakfast.

Fuck.

She already knew, probably met the new Mrs. Chase and had her heart broken at the old bat’s house.

“I could break the news to her if you want.” Diane offers and he shook his head. Lois deserved to hear it from the people who loved her most.

If Diane told her it would have her shooting the messenger. She’d lash out thinking they could’ve spared her the heartache and humiliation yesterday evening.

“Has to be me. If anyone has to break Lois’ heart with the news, it has to be me.” Tom only shook his head and closed the file holding a photograph of Harry and the girl, Kasia something, on their wedding day. “If you want to show her not all Posh Boys are the same, Shelby, she’s doing a farewell show tomorrow night.”

[evita-shelby]

Tie your heart to mine

Chapter 18

It was easier to think of the other girl as a faceless entity who was Jan's sister.

It is difficult to know Kasia is beautiful and sweet and undeserving of the hell she’s suffering through.

Kasia Tomazeski has lost both her parents and fights for freedom in Nazi occupied Poland...

...and Lois slept with her husband.

Lois feels disgusted with herself because Harry tried to explain things to her, to break things off for good and Lois had to tell him she loved him.

Even worse, she gave him her virginity because he said he still loved her. Because everything was going to change and she wanted one thing in her life to be as it as before.

She doesn’t tell Tom any of that. She couldn’t take his disappointment in her when he discovers how stupid she was.

Why couldn’t you be more like Tom? She hears Connie’s voice say in her head.

Tom was irresponsible in almost everything except his sex life. Left when he started noticing the signs his girl had the wrong idea about him, made sure he always had sheaths to spare so there was no consequences and never went after those spoken for.

Dad would be so disappointed in her for this.

He encouraged freedom as long as it was within his lines. Bad enough she’d joined ENSA and already packed her bags, now this.

“I’m sorry, Loo.” Tom said softly and kissed the top of her head like he always does when her romances fail spectacularly.

“Do they know what’s in here?” she asks burning from the humiliation of it.

She doesn’t like pity, no one does.

Diane could understand, but Charlie? Charlie who has been nothing short of Prince Charming for her and she decided to ruin it all because she thought Harry was the One?

“They say its bad manners to look at someone’s else’s files without permission.” He answered with a bit of a scoff. Neither of them has been able to get used to how normal things like getting government files on someone was for them.

How different they were and yet Lois has never seen Tom so serious and in love as hew was with Diane.

“I suppose that’s a good thing.” Lois dried her tears and slammed the door on her past with Harry. “Won’t have them look at me with pity tonight.”

There was no way she was going to stop living for Harry, no way she was going to spend any more seconds of her life thinking about him.

Fuck him. Fuck Harry and his fucking lies.

Tom hasn’t spoken much to his father since he came that morning.

It had been a week almost, he’s leaving for Cornwall on Monday and even though he knows this is isn’t the end, it feels like it.

As if the Tom that leaves isn’t the one coming back. He knows what shellshock does to man, he knows how it is to have your dad have it and know you can’t be a normal kid or a normal teenager or even a normal adult because of it.

And yet he says this when he and his dad sit alone waiting for Lois to come home. She’d gone to get adjustments made on her ENSA uniform with Connie and Diane and putting up a damn good fight against her heartbreak by letting Charlie Shelby treat her to lunch.

“I’m gonna marry her, dad.” So you have someone taking care of you when we’re gone. So I can die knowing I existed beyond a fucking number and a grave.

Tom doesn’t need to say it, his dad did the same in the Great War. Told Josie Vera Jones he’d marry her when he left for training and made her Josie Bennett in 1916 because she was two months pregnant with him.

“I said the same to your grandfather when I signed up in ’14.” His father stopped smoking when mum got sick, when the smoke made her cough until she spat blood and yet he takes one out of his pack and gave into the old habit.

Only did so when he was terrified to death.

Like when Lois started going out with boys or got her first gigs and they feared some bastard would take advantage of her. Several times they’d ended up here smoking on the table after Tom thrashed a man getting handsy with his little sister.

Or when he taught Tom how to drive on a borrowed car and he crashed it because he saw a pretty girl walking by the street.

Tom couldn’t help but laugh at the memory, him and his dad sitting on the table wondering how the fuck they’d pay for it. Sitting here being closer than they’ve ever felt even if his father is angry and terrified underneath the veneer.

“And what did grandad say?” Tom asks taking a drag from his cigarette in an odd imitation of the man in front of him. It had been he who taught him to smoke, when he’d caught him with a fag on his mouth wanting something to calm him down after the first time he’d been sent to jail.

“You need a ring for that.” His dad answered and stood up with a groan and proceeded to dig up mom’s things that he kept in his room.

Lois had all her things, the clothes she could refit to match the fashion and her size, the jewellery she treasured and even the perfume.

But there was one thing she hadn’t gotten: her wedding ring.

‘That’s for the lucky girl you’re going to marry, Tommy,’ she had said and told them how granddad gave dad the ring grandma used to wear as his blessing.

Back then Douglas was brash and carefree and happy, just like Tom was, or so what’s left of their family and friends love to point out.

War made a man out of him, the men like to say.

Your mother made a good man out of me, his dad says when they visit her grave.

“I don’t even know if she’ll say yes, dad. Save the ring for later.” Later when I can prove to myself I can.

“It’s like I’m hearing myself talk. Next thing you’ll say is that you’re moving out once you have enough for a house.” His father laughed nostalgically, like he did when telling them stories from his youth.

“I suppose we’re more alike than we think, aren’t we?” Tom can’t help but grin as he opened the ring case and saw the simple gold band carved with orange blossoms.

He has never been this serious in his life, as if knowing it could end any moment had changed something in him.

“Yeah, we are.”

He is not stupid.

He knows she doesn’t mean it when she flirts and touches him as they walk alone in the park.

Even worse, Charlie knows she doesn’t mean it when she kisses him because it would hurt Harry who came here with his little brother-in-law.

It’s not the first time Charles Absalom Shelby has felt used, and it won’t be the last.

“I shouldn’t have done that.” She apologizes after he doesn’t reciprocate the kiss.

“Yeah, you shouldn’t have.” He could’ve kissed her back, given into his attraction to her, but Charlie wants a woman who is with him for the right reasons and not because she’s hurt. “I’m not a toy, Lois.”

“I know.” Lois said looking ahead in embarrassment.

“But if you wanted me to help you hurt him, you could just ask, as a friend would.” He makes it all worse.

“As a friend?” she asks noticing the change with displeasure.

“As a friend.” He nods. Charlie had pursued her and given up, now she was disappointed in not having him after wasting her time on Chase.

He’d treated her for lunch as a friend would. If she wants him, she’d have to do the chasing and the wooing from now on.

“And what things could I ask of you, Charlie?” she asks turning on her charm all the way.

It shouldn’t be surprising that they end up in his hotel room and thanking his lucky stars he came prepared for this.

[evita-shelby]

Mist

Sorry i can't stop with these two

Tom Bennett x Diane Shelby

Cw: mentions of sex

There’s mist on the little windows when they come down from their climax.

The night had been hot even before she’d let him inside her vardo, it only grown hotter still by the time they’d stumbled to her small bed at the end of it.

It hadn’t been long since he’d done something like this and he’d been relieved he wasn’t her first.

His first was still angry that he refused to cave and do right by her even after her dad caught them in bed together. Her first was in America and wrote as often as a friend would, no hard feelings even if his dad tried to get them to marry.

Strange how they seem to click together despite neither knowing each other that well.

Tom was used to keeping quiet and when saw her so close to the end, he’d done what he had always done. He’d clamped his hand over her mouth out of habit, and she had bitten it out of instinct.

“Sorry.” She apologized breathlessly and he accepted her apology with a kiss.

He couldn’t get enough of her, perhaps because she kept him at bay for the better part of a month. Diane had remained a mystery and Tom hadn’t really bothered to hide his history from her.

“Only if you kiss it better, Di.” Tom had joked and yet she kissed his hand like this was more than just two people making good use of the summer.

He’d stick around for as long as she’s here and something told him he’ll actually miss her when she leaves.

Until then, Tom will be the lucky man who mists up the windows in the witch’s vardo.

[evita-shelby]

Tie Your Heart to Mine

Chapter 16

Cw: mentions of the holocaust occuring, some minor slut shaming and use of an ethnic slur towards the end and mentions of sex

Gif by @sibirr

The war doesn’t catch them off guard.

Everything had been prepared and now they’d see how far this head start gets them. The two months they got have the factories performing better than the rest who’ve only just switched gears.

Their warehouses were filled to the brim, the wages and hours allowed the staff to live comfortably and save some for the next five years.

1945, a year longer than the Great War and yet the casualties and damage of it will be a drop in a bucket compared to this Second World War.

12 million dead, none of them soldiers.

It filled her with dread to know they couldn’t’ stop it. While they know what happens, fate decides what you can and can not change. All they can do is use their foresight to change what little they can and hope it makes a difference.

Tom had been arrested two weeks ago and put in remand at Strangeways as a category B criminal. He’d gone to have breakfast at home and the police had come to charge him for illegal gambling, and because he is as slippery as an eel, he was put in a prison cell until his trial.

Dia had tried to get him out, but the Sergeant was not feeling like accepting her bail money even after she conjured a real betting license to prove he had done no crimes.

They knew what they wanted him to do, they needed young men who cannot say no to enlisting because the army has no chance in hell of gaining those numbers overnight.

“He left his coat at my place, bought him a fresh pack of cigarettes because I know that’s the first thing he’ll ask for.” Diane said when she showed up at the Bennett’s doorstep with Tom’s overcoat.

“Tom’s lucky to have you looking after him, Diane.” Douglas speaks with approval in his voice and Diane wonders if the wariness he initially had has finally left.

Oh he’s going to hate her when Tom joins the navy, the witch thinks as she muttered thanks and offered to drive them to the prison.

“How did your audition go, I tried to ask Connie, but she was busy with Eddie and I didn’t want to interrupt.” Diane asked wisely leaving the word ENSA out of her mouth as they wait for Tom outside the prison.

“Good, the people said we were great and they’d be in touch.” Lois said knowing her dad won’t try and say anything since they’re in public and in company.

“If you don’t get in, my mom still needs a singer for her charity dinner next week. You’d be helping drive the donations for the refugees coming from Europe and all expenses would be paid for by the Shelby Foundation.” Diane suggested hoping she would mention ENSA on her own.

Douglas didn’t approve of it, but Lois would have to rip of the Band-Aid sooner or late. Diane had suggested they do it on the drive here, Douglas wouldn’t jump out of a moving car to avoid having that conversation with his daughter.

Like how Charlie did when he was approved for pilot training two weeks ago. Their parents had been terrified for him and yet no matter how much their mom claimed she’d kill herself; she never opened the car door.

“We auditioned for ENSA, dad. The recruiter said we were surely getting a call back.” Lois gets the memo and spills it.

Douglas keeps on walking and pretending he hasn’t heard her.

“They go away and entertain the troops.” The young singer adds as if her dad wouldn’t have known what it was.

“Yeah, I know what they do.” Her dad looked out ashen and clenched his jaw to hide his anger and fear and all that clinging to him like a coat. “I just wondered why Connie had you auditioning for them. Knowing that you can't do it, like.”

Douglas needed Lois home; he was not well enough to handle being on his own. Or so he thinks.

“Well, I was thinking about that and...” Lois paused and tried to gently remind him that she is twenty-one, “I was thinking, you know, why not?”

“Why not?” Douglas scoffed and lost most of his argument when they found Tom waiting for them with that carefree attitude of his. “Here’s one good reason why not, right here.”

“Either of you started to smoke? I'm dying for a fag.” Despite Tom smelling exactly like two weeks in a damp prison cell, Diane greets her boyfriend with a kiss at the edge of his mouth --- his dad and some prison guards were there--- only for him to pull her in a tight embrace and gave her what he called a real kiss.

“Coat pocket, got you a fresh pack after finishing yours last week at my parent’s house.” Diane answers as he takes off his dirty shirt and sweater and Lois hands him his clean shirt.

“See, she didn’t forget to bring my overcoat, Loo.” Tom says trying to lighten the mood only to get a glare from his sister. “I'm joking.”

He amends and then adds as he lights his first cigarette of the day. “I smell like a wet dog.”

“Don’t flatter yourself.” His sister chuckled knowing Tom’s news was going to make their dad forget Lois plans on accepting that offer by ENSA.

“When are you in court, then?” his dad asked bracing for the worst. Everyone was aware that most were given a choice, jail or army. Since they wish to make an example of Tom, who knows what they’ll do to make him enlist and have the Germans deal with those they viewed as a lost cause.

 “I'm not.” Tom changed into his clean shirt and began to do up the buttons. He walks faster too, whatever he’s going to say next is enough to make him nervous.

 “You've been on remand for two weeks. They must have charged you with something.” His dad notes his nerves with suspicion. Of course he would, he’s his father, he’d know the moment something wasn’t right with his son just as her dad does with her.

“They were going to. But then I said I'd join up.” Tom can’t even look at them because Diane and his sister know the next words that leave his mouth are gonna be lies.

“The Army?” Douglas tried to hide his fears letting his anger cover the words he said and his children pretend they couldn’t hear it. “No, you'd be better off in there.”

Because there you would be safe.

“I won't actually be joining up, Dad. I'm a conscientious objector.” Tom looked briefly over his shoulder with that mischievous look about him, selling his lie so well Douglas can’t help but buy it.

“Since when?” there is a look of pride in Douglas’ face as he asks his son, believing the lie because maybe this time it will be true. A heartbreaking thing, if you ask Diane.

“About half an hour ago?” Tom looked forward again, his smile dropping because it pains him to see that hopeful look in his dad’s eye.

“I'll get you some leaflets, then.”

“I’ve been thinking about getting my own place.” Diane said once they arrived at her lodgings. After this he’d go to the recruitment office and disappoint his old man even further. He only needed a quick bath, a good fuck and his clean sweater she’d stolen a night or two ago. His bird loved wearing his shirts and he liked the way she looked wearing only that in the mornings before he left out the door.

Then once he and his dad get into another argument at home, he’ll come back here through the window ---Mrs. Johnson still refuses to just let him in to save face--- and spend the handful of nights he has left with Diane.

“Mrs. Johnson giving you trouble?” he asked as she unlocked her door. Once inside the blond plans to make up for those fourteen fucking days without her.

“No, but I have a feeling its time.” She shook her head and Tom’s reminded of those visions she told him about.

Maybe he’ll leave her with a limp and something else to remember him by when they ship him out to die. He’s got enough for a ring, a simple one because he knows she doesn’t care about shit like money or luxury.

Diane Elizabeth Bennett sounds far better than Diane Shelby, if you ask him.

“What makes you think that, Lady Di?” he teased and slammed the door behind them a little too forcefully.

Two fucking weeks without a cigarette, good food and worst of all, no Diane to keep him company. She’d visited, but save for a quick kiss and some handholding, there hadn’t been any relief for him.

His witch will have to take the day off tomorrow too unless she wants him to ruin her schedule and show her exactly how much he missed her those fourteen lonely nights.

“Gotten tired of having to sneak you in after hours, has me fretting over whether or not you’ll fall and break that pretty face of yours.” Her mismatched eyes light up with lust and all the dirty ideas a good girl in this respectable boarding house isn’t supposed to have.

But she’s not acting on it, Diane wants to talk about this and he’s in no fucking mood for it.

“I’m a good climber, why else do you think they put me up at Strangeways with all the scum of Manchester?” he was not fighting her on the idea, god knows he’s tired of playing Romeo and fucking Juliet in a place where at least a third of the ladies know the rumors about him are all true.

“No fence could keep you from me, bet the sea won’t either.” Diane said with a giggle as they went to the nearest comfortable surface to make up for lost time. “But I need my own house, Tom, I’m tired of having to keep quiet when we fuck.”

Even more reason, gotten so many complaints by the uptight schoolteacher next door who hates him for all the shit he pulled when he was her student. His dad had heard her refer to Diane as the gypsy slut and warned him about her during his last visit. Diane should have a house in mind, she wouldn’t have brought it up if she didn’t.

“If it were up to me, I’d move you into my bed at home. It’s going to be empty anyways, and Lois will need the company. With two posh boys to worry about, she’ll need someone to talk sense into her for me.” He suggests as he took of his shirt and watched her undo the buttons on her blouse as slowly as could.

“My poor, poor brother. He’s coming to visit tonight, only problem Harry’s going to be there too. But enough about our siblings, Tom, fourteen days and nights without you were absolute hell.” His witch said reminding him they had better things to focus on than their siblings’ love lives.