I Wanna Do Bad Things To You

Alfie x reader (Shelby sister)

Summary: You have a plan to betray your powerful brother with the help of Alfie Solomons, but your impetuous and infuriating behavior is far too dramatic for the mad baker. What happens when he puts you in your place?

Author’s Note: Written for the lovely Alex @cillmequick 6 month milestone celebration. Congrats, darl! Prompt “And what would people say if they listened through the wall?” Oxytocin by Billie Eilish. Inspiration taken from the whole song as well. Porn with little to no plot. Bit of a twisted love story.

Warning: 🔞, language, drinking, smut- impact play, fingering, degradation, orgasm denial, unprotected sex, exhibitionism (if you squint), dom Alfie, mean Alfie

Before Alfie could answer the loud rapping upon his door, it opened suddenly, the fading rays of the afternoon sun outlining your shapely figure in a heavenly glow. However, A Shelby at his door was rarely a good omen and Alfie surmised you were no angel. The ample cleavage spilling over the top of your tightly fitting bodice and the bottle of Irish whisky in your hand only confirmed his suspicions.

Slamming the door behind you, you sauntered toward him confidently, hips swaying seductively with each step. Alfie eyed you suspiciously, pressing the tips of his fingers together in anticipation of some unreasonable demand or another sent straight from Tommy. “Hello, Miss Shelby. To what do I owe the pleasure?” he said greeting you with a tip of his head.

You giggled and shook your head, playfully chiding, “So formal, Alfie. You should call me Y/n.” Alfie watched you remove your coat slowly and throw it over a chair as you continued. “I think we’re going to become very close you and I.”

“And why would that be?” Alfie asked, leaning back in his chair, arms folded over his stomach.

“I have a business proposition for you,” you said with excitement, boldly taking a seat on the edge of his desk. 

Alfie exhaled loudly muttering, “You Shelbys,” with a shake of his head. “Listen, pet, your brothers thieve my oxygen far too much as it is. Never satisfied with their lot. So you can trot on and tell that cunt Tommy we’re done dealin.’” He motioned to the door with a flick of his wrist, turning his attention to the stack of papers at his elbow. 

Undeterred, you placed the whisky bottle on the desk with a thud, running a fingertip around the edge of the cap lazily as you asked, “What if I told you the deal wasn’t with Tommy? I agree that he’s gotten far too greedy and it’s time we did something about that.” You took a breath before emphasizing, “A more permanent solution.” Your eyes flicked to Alfie to gauge his reaction, but he remained impassive. However, he hadn’t thrown you out yet, so you took that as an encouraging sign. 

Opening the bottle before you with a flourish, you grabbed a nearby glass and began pouring a shot. You slid it across the table, presumptuously asking, “A toast to new partners?”

He frowned, sliding it back to you with two fingers. “Nah,” he replied dismissively.

You tossed your head back with a bubbly laugh, kicking off the desk and slowly approaching Alfie’s chair. He tracked your movement with just his eyes, irritation building at your inability to take a hint that he was uninterested in your scheming. He looked you up and down carefully as you stood before him, noticing how you leaned over to ensure he got a look down your dress. 

You smiled to yourself as you traced a manicured hand along his shirt front, toying with the buttons, one by one. “If you find it hard to swallow, I can loosen up your collar,” you offered. You received a short grunt in reply, perhaps his body betraying his logical mind. Picking up the glass, you offered it to him again with a sweet smile. “It’s the first drop that kills you so there’s no harm in the last,” you joked.

“Wasn’t talking about the whisky, was I?” he asked in a low voice. Then pushing your hand away from his chest he added, “I’m sayin’ no to you, treacle.”

Your smile faded as you struggled to comprehend his sudden rejection. You weren’t used to hearing the word no. Standing to your full height, you pursed your lips in obvious displeasure and attempted to regain composure. “Then tell me why,” you said in a tight voice.

“I could write you a book, but I ain’t got the time. Suffice it to say, I just don’t fucking trust you,” he spat, leaning forward and placing his palms on the desk for emphasis. He stood, signaling the end of your meeting, but you were far from done.

“I hate Tommy as much as you do and I can be valuable to you,” you proclaimed, jutting your chin out with haughty insistence.

Alfie scoffed, “Tommy Shelby’s little sister? Darlin’, this is a man’s world.”

Your blood began to boil that you weren’t being taken seriously. With your plan quickly unraveling, you reached for the glass and downed its contents. But the burn of the alcohol only fueled your rage. You hurled the glass against the wall beside Alfie’s head as you shouted, “You arsehole! You don’t know what I’m capable of!”

Faster than you thought possible, Alfie’s heavy boots thudded against the floorboards in warning. Suddenly his hulking form was towering over you, one large calloused hand reaching out to capture both your wrists in one swift movement. His long fingers encircled you like a rope and tightened with considerable strength, eliciting a whimper from you as you fought to free yourself. He jerked you toward him with a grunt, a dangerous gleam in his eye.

You shook your head to move the fringe from your eyes, realizing he was close enough to feel your pounding heart. However, it wasn’t fear that gripped you in that moment. It was pure adrenaline and excitement. You could feel the heat building in your core as you waited to see what he would do. 

Alfie leaned down to speak to you, jaw clenched with fury. “You’re behaving like a fucking child,” he told you in a low voice. His eyes bore a hole through you and the intensity of it was so great you couldn’t look away. Your chest rose and fell against him, breasts pushing against his broad chest.

He took your chin in his hand harshly, eyes narrowing as he searched your face. “Is that how I should treat you? Like a naughty little girl?” You licked your lips as he continued in a hushed voice, hot breath fanning over your face. “Because I have to admit, right now I want to do very bad things to you, you fucking brat.” As he spoke his eyes darkened with unmistakable lust and you were certain he could feel you bending to his will.

You nodded as best you could with his iron like grip on your jaw. "Yes, I want it," you said breathily. Pleased with your submission, he leaned in to kiss you, pressing his full lips to you insistently and pushing his tongue into your warm, waiting mouth. As he began to pull away he bit your bottom lip harshly as he murmured against the swollen flesh, “You should really run away.” But the wickedness of his words had the opposite effect. You were rooted to the spot, ready for your punishment.

He threw your head away hard enough to turn it and you glimpsed shadows through the frosted glass window. Reality came crashing in on you and you bit your lip as you wondered if Alfie’s employees might be able to see or hear you with their boss. Keeping your eyes trained on the door you asked in a quivering voice, “What would people say if they listened through the wall?”

Alfie’s lips brushed your ear as he growled, “I don’t give a fuck who knows I’m ruining you in here. In fact, I wanna make you yell.” The vibration of his voice sent shock waves straight to your pussy and you felt wetness begin to pool between your legs at his debauchery. You rubbed your thighs together to get some much needed friction, too preoccupied to remember Alfie’s earlier promise of punishment.

You heard the jingle of his belt buckle before you saw the flash of silver beneath his palm and you became aware of Alfie removing his belt, easily sliding the leather strap from his waist. Your breath caught in your chest with a little thrill, knowing you’d thoroughly provoked him. In one swift motion he turned you to face his desk and roughly placed your hands onto the polished wooden surface. He wasted no time turning your skirt up over your waist, exposing you to the cold air. The sudden chill hit and a shiver ran through you.

Alfie stood in silence for a few moments, taking in the sight of you laid out before him. A devilish smirk crossed his lips at the thought of you coming in here without any underwear and he realized he was right to assume you were not as innocent as you seemed. He was going to see how much you could take. How far he could push you. He allowed the anticipation to grow, watching you quiver.

The only sounds came from the distillery, grinding machines and men’s voices shouting to one another. Someone dropped a crate of bottles at the bottom of the stairs, distracting you as the first crack of the strap hit your thigh with a painful sting. You gripped the corners of the desk tightly as a tear sprang to your eye, but you didn’t make a sound as the next blow rained down on your ass. Four more fell in rapid succession and Alfie watched the flesh jiggle with satisfaction. Unable to stop himself, he reached out to grab a handful of you and squeezed appreciatively as you whined at the contact, crying out as he kneaded the sensitive flesh in his rough hands. 

The belt dropped to the floor with a clank and he resumed his work, landing a harsh smack along your thigh so close to your pussy, you felt it begin to throb with need. He waited for you to flinch, but you remained perfectly still, wanting to please him. He stood for a moment stroking his beard as he watched you, feeling his trousers tighten, but he wasn’t finished. 

Raising a ringed hand to you once more, he continued, his open palm landing slaps hard enough to move your body forward along the desk, the edge digging into your hipbones. The sound of Alfie’s grunts and groans of exertion behind you had your mind twisted in confusion. You felt your clit pulse, desperate for attention. As he connected with your ass once more, you began to tear up thinking how close his thick fingers were to where you needed them most. Too frustrated and turned on to remain still any longer, you arched your back, letting out a moan so loud it bordered on a shout. 

Alfie stopped with a jerk, stepping toward you slowly and brought a strong arm to your waist to lift you from the desk. He unlaced your dress as he cooed in your ear, “All finished, pet. You took it so well.” He discarded the material on the floor, erection digging into your burning ass cheek as he carefully ran a hand over the other. You hissed as his cool rings made contact with your sore, reddened flesh and you heard him inhale before exclaiming, “Fucking beautiful sight.” The arm around your waist tightened as a cobra around prey, but his voice remained soft as he hushed you, pushing the hair from your shoulders. 

He left a trail of open mouthed kisses down the nape of your neck before moving on to the crease at your shoulder, the tickling sensation making you squirm. His dominance returned as he began sucking a deep bruise into the thin skin along your collarbone. The sudden intensity of it, causing your hands to fly to his arm, digging your nails in sharply. You panted out little moans for him with each swirl of his tongue, every one of your pretty noises making his cock twitch against you. He rewarded you with another bruise below your ear, his free hand rolling and pinching your exposed nipples to feel them stiffen to a pleasing hardness. 

By the time he switched to the other side of your neck, you were thoroughly marked up and bucking wildly against him from overstimulation. The inside of your upper thighs felt slick with arousal and you were clenching around nothing. If this was part of his discipline, it was not what you had bargained for. You waited in agony, needing to feel him seated within you, the comforting fullness stretching you properly. 

Alfie must have read your mind, turning you to face him. He wiped a tear that escaped the corner of your eye, smiling to himself at the sight of your neediness. Then mercifully he ran a finger along your dripping slit to capture your juices, pushing two thick fingers inside your velvet heat to give you some relief. You sighed softly as he curled his fingers inside you dragging against your inner wall slowly until he found a delicious spot that made your jaw drop in silent ecstasy. As he gave a bit more pressure you swallowed harshly, attempting to sink further onto his hand, but he stopped you, clamping his other hand on your hip.

With an obscene squelching sound, he withdrew his fingers cruelly, swirling his fingertips over your clit to tease you. “I think you must be enjoying this cause you’re making a a fucking mess on my desk,” he chided you. He brought his digits to your eye level to show you the juices dripping off him as proof. Then he placed his fingers on your tongue as he commanded, “Clean it up.” You obediently swirled your tongue over his fingers tasting yourself with every lick. Making eye contact with him you gently sucked with hollowed cheeks as you hummed around his digits. The corners of your lips curled, knowing the vibrations were going straight to his aching cock. “Do you like this, naughty girl?” he asked with a dark chuckle. He watched your pupils blow wide and he nodded, “Good, cause we ain’t finished yet.”

He pulled his fingers from you with a pop, smearing saliva and lipstick across your mouth, and you watched with bated breath as he removed his shirt and trousers. The moment you saw his cock spring free, you reached out to touch him, but he swatted you away. His hand wrapped around his shaft, pumping himself in front of you as an added bit of torture before he ordered you to the sofa in the corner. You scrambled to the shabby piece of furniture as Alfie growled, “On your fucking hands and knees.” As soon as you were in place, you felt the springs dip beneath you with his weight and then you felt his warm hand splayed across the small of your back holding you in place.

You felt the tip of his cock slide through your wet folds, gathering your juices and you shimmied your ass to entice him. Suddenly he was pushing into you all at once, his thickness splitting you open around him. Alfie groaned at the sight of you spread wide for him, unable to stop himself from pulling out and slamming back into you to hear you cry out. His animalistic nature took over, driving into you sharply with a snap of his hips, the force of it causing his balls to slap against your clit over and over. The repeated motion had you panting and moaning in no time and you could practically hear the smirk as he rumbled, “Such a pretty little whore. Let me hear ya.” You clenched around him, mewling at the sensation of him thrusting deep enough to feel in your stomach. Alfie stilled momentarily, enjoying the pulse around his cock and making note of how you gripped him like a vice after he degraded you. Fuck, you liked this and he would give you more.

Soon he began to move within you again at a slower pace, dragging his length within you as you arched your back for him. Alfie leaned forward gathering your hair in a makeshift ponytail and gave a harsh tug on your roots. That was all it took for you to push back against him for more greedily. “You get off on being filthy, do ya?” he asked, voice dripping with condescension. You didn’t speak, too overcome by sensation to respond, but Alfie knew your secret now. “Squeezing me so tight, pet. I think you enjoy being a whore for me,” he grunted wrapping your locks around his fist to tilt your head back at a precarious angle.

“Show me now. Make yourself cum on my cock like a good little whore,” he goaded you. You didn’t need to be told again, hand flying to your swollen nub and rubbing tight circles. Your eyes squeezed shut as you listened to the sound of skin on skin echoing in the room. Alfie’s grunts didn’t grow any louder as he sped up his pace, urging you on, but your cries reached a deafening crescendo as you felt your lower belly pool with heat, desperate to be released. 

“Wanna cum. I need to cum, please, please,” you babbled feeling Alfie pound into you with reckless abandon. 

Yanking you up by your hair so your back was flush with his chest, Alfie huffed, “Not yet,” clearly annoyed at your pleas. You bit your lip trying to stave off your orgasm, but it was building faster than you could stop it. Feeling the fluttering resume around his cock, Alfie warned, “You better hold it, naughty girl.”

Reaching behind you to grab onto him for stability you whined, “I can’t…I can’t." Alfie’s balls tightened at the sound of your pathetic cries and his hips stuttered suddenly, rhythm lost in the tidal wave of pleasure threatening to consume him.

Bringing his mouth to the shell of your ear he panted out, “Now…cum right fucking now….with me.” Your fingers flew over your clit, needing only a few light strokes to begin shaking in pleasure. As Alfie released inside you, he bit down on your shoulder. Your jaw went slack as he fucked you through the aftershocks. A primal grunt left his lips at the feeling of your tight pussy milking him of every drop.

Collapsing back onto the sofa, Alfie dragged you with him, making you straddle his lap. You draped your arms around his neck and rested your head on his shoulder, feeling your body becoming heavy with exhaustion. He ran a hand along your back soothingly until your heart rates returned to normal, then you heard his voice low and rasped rumble from deep within his chest. “Fuck me, treacle, I could have you like that every day.”

You smiled to yourself wondering if he might reconsider your earlier offer. You sat up to look him in the eye and in a determined voice you ventured, “Alfie, I meant what I said about getting rid of Tommy. We should be partners.”

“Careful, pet, can’t take it back once it’s been set in motion,” Alfie warned you, a hint of his dark nature returning. Then you felt his hand clamp around your throat possessively as he snaked his tongue into your mouth, sparking a desperate clash for dominance and ending with your eventual surrender for air. 

“You and I are the same, Alfie,” you gasped as you balanced a hand on his sweaty chest. Nuzzling his nose with yours you continued, “We need each other for this, the oxytocin.” Nibbling at his lip you admitted wantonly, “I like it when you do bad things to me.”

He gripped your face as he forced you to look up at him. “Think you might be right, but let’s get one thing straight cause I’m a dodgy fucker myself. As long as you’re still breathing, don’t ever think of leaving me.” The low rumble of his voice hypnotized you in such a way you couldn’t deny him. You held his intense gaze as you shook your head.

“Never,” you vowed. 

And that’s how the evening began, plotting to take Tommy’s crown so you could become Alfie’s queen.

--------------------------------

Tag List:

@shelbydelrey

@wandawiccan60   

@lovemissyhoneybee

@theshelbyslimited

@kittycatcait219

@callsign-fangirl

@theshelbyclan

@polishcrazyone

@little-diable

@raincoffeeandfandoms

@dreamlandcreations

@cillmequick

@solomons-finest-rum

@potter-solomons

@hecatemoon87

@inkwolvesandcoffee

@buttercupsandboys

@liliac-dreamer

@vir-tual

@raincoffeeandfandoms

@margaret-morriss-secrethideout

Welcome to the chaos, little one

Summary: Giving birth is never easy, especially when it’s a Shelby x Solomons baby…

A/N I’m so slow with requests but a while back the lovely @fandom-puff​requested: Omg sorry to be a pain but I’m a sucker for Shelby chaos 😭😭😭 can I request something linked to A Very Shelby Christmas where the labour of baby Solomons is just as chaotic? But it could also be sweet like the bros finally accepting Alfie bc they all care about YN so much and can’t stand to hear her in pain, all while YN is screaming that she’ll cut off more of Alfie’s dick than his rabbi would even dare to if he ever tried to bed her again 😭😭😭 omg the chaos 👉👈 ily 💓💓 Here we go! This is part 2 to the story A Very Shelby Christmas

Words: 1638

***

“Not now, Y/N,” Arthur groaned. Ada rolled her eyes, remembering keenly when her brother had spoken those iconic words before. “It’s not like I can help it, Arthur,” you spit. 

Polly grabbed you by your arm as you doubled over again, “Alright, sweetheart, it’s time. Come with me…” “Not yet, Aunt Pol,” you panted, “It’s too early.” “The baby doesn’t have it’s own pocket watch yet,” Ada commented matter-of-factly, as she took your other arm. “Fuck!” you called out again as another contraction set in, “Fuck, fuck, fuckity-fuck!” “Nice.” “Oh, piss off John, you want to try this?” “Not really…” “Tommy!” you turned to the one family member who hadn’t said a word yet, “Get him.” “And who would that be, eh?” he replied in a low voice. “Thomas…” Aunt Polly warned softly. He raised his eyebrows, “Finn? You want Finn at the birth?” “WHY WOULD I WANT MY FUCKING BABY BROTHER HERE?!” Tommy waved a vague hand, “General comfort?” Now Aunt Polly’s eyes flashed with anger, “Thomas! Go get her husband, right now!” Tommy sighed deeply, still trying to ignore the fact that his little sister was now Mrs. Solomons, and said, “Come on boys, let’s get them all together and wet this baby’s head! Leave the women to it.” And you groaned, “Thank you…” Once Alfie would be here, everything would be easier.

*** “Solomons!” “No need to shout, mate, I’m right here, ain’t I?”

Slowly Tommy lit a cigarette and started smoking it, “It concerns my sister.” “You mean the glorious creature that made me the luckiest man on earth by marrying me? My wife? Mrs. Alfie Solomons?” A small twinkle appeared in Alfie’s eyes as he saw Tommy’s jaw tense up just a little at his words. “Yes.” “How is the old lady doing?” Alfie asked conversationally. “In pain,” Tommy replied, “She’s in labour, more to the point.” “You fucking what?” “She’s with her aunt Alfie, she’ll be fine.” Alfie blinked a few times, “Tommy I swear to God if you’re playing some fucking game with me I will shoot you between the eyes right here and now. You’re telling me my wife is in labour and you’re standing there casually smoking a cigarette, waiting for some fucking woman to tell you it’s done?” “Yes,” he nodded, “Well, I was about to go the Garrison. Thought we might bury the hatchet and you could join us.” “Have you lost your fucking mind…” Alfie said slowly, while rubbing his chin. Tommy cleared is throat and with a slight hint of uncertainty in his voice said, “It’s tradition.” “Well, if you’ll pardon my French, fuck your fucking heathen traditions, I’m going to my fucking wife and you are fucking coming with me. And bring your fucking family while you’re at it!”

*** “Why are we here?” John leaned in to Arthur slightly while asking the question in a hushed voice. “Alfie insisted.” “Why?” Arthur raised his voice, “Ask Tommy, alright? I don’t bloody know! I’m guessing it’s another Jewish thing…” On the other side of the door, you were most definitely in labour now. The pain was worse than anything you’d experienced before and you were seriously questioning your sanity at this point. “Aunt Pol?” Ada asked carefully after about an hour. Polly moved over from your side down to your legs and said, “What is it?” “Something’s wrong.” “THOMAS!” Polly bellowed as soon as she had taken a look, “Get me some more towels.”

“What’s happening?” A panicked Alfie asked from the hallway. But Polly pushed him aside and started ordering Finn to boil more water. “Woman!” he demanded, “You fucking tell me.” “She’s bleeding,” she answered quickly, “and I can’t see why.” “What can we do, Pol,” Arthur asked, wild-eyed. “Get a doctor. One we can trust.” Arthur dragged John with him, even before Polly had finished her sentence. “What about Sabini’s men?” John asked, “We were supposed to deal with them tonight. What if they come here?” “Shoot them,” Tommy said simply, as he lit another cigarette in a nervous manner. Inside the room, you were now screaming your head off. Of course you had realised giving birth would be painful, but not like this. The sight of Ada going slightly pale didn’t help either and panic had started mixing in with the general anxiety of the process, so your screams got louder and louder. “Pol…” Ada called out again, “What do I do?” In that moment, Alfie pushed passed her and fell down by your side, “I’m here,” he said softly. “I can see that,” you panted between shouts, “but why? You’re not supposed to be here.” “Out,” Aunt Polly said strictly, “This is no place for men.” And then Tommy walked in as well, averting his eyes and grabbing your hand at the same time. “What?” he said when Polly send him a death-glare, “If Alfie gets to stay, so can I!” “Fucking children…” “Alright, sweetheart,” Polly focused on you again, “This baby needs to come now.” Your eyes grew wide, “What’s wrong?” “Nothing,” Alfie replied for her, “You’ll be fine. You’re doing brilliant, babes.” “How the fuck would you know!” you shouted out. He shrugged, “Educated guess?” “Had a lot of experience with this, eh?” Tommy grumbled sarcastically. “This,” Ada pointed at the both of them, “This is why men shouldn’t be in here.” “I’m not fucking going anywhere, especially if my wife is in danger.” Tommy just shook his head in reply. “Danger?” you asked suddenly, “What does he mean in danger?” “No danger, love,” Ada soothed you, “if you just push.” And so you pushed, with every bit of strength you had in you. But then a gunshot sounded outside, followed rapidly by another two. Everyone looked up. “John,” Tommy clarified with a single word. “You’re being awfully cavalier about baby brother John getting shot there, Tommy…” Alfie commented. Tommy looked at Alfie with a frown that spoke volumes, “John just shot Sabini’s men. I told him to.” “Oh, good. Saves me the bloody trip.” “I can see some hair!” Ada called out suddenly. “What colour?” Alfie replied at once. And John stuck his head around the corner of the door, “Took care of them.” “We heard,” Aunt Polly grumbled. He hopped from one foot onto the other uncertainly, “Anything else I can do?” “Yeah, you can fuck off mate!” “Alright, I’ll stay, since you asked so nicely.” “John, just get the fuck out!” your sister shouted. The birth was chaos enough as it was and now all these boys were only adding to it instead of helping. And on top of it all, Finn stumbled in practically falling over his own feet with a bucket of water, splashing Aunt Polly in the process. This was more like a madhouse than a family occasion. But John pointed at Alfie indignantly, “He gets to stay!” “Push, Y/N,” Polly urged again, and so you did. “Nice one,” John laughed at Finn, “you literally had one job, mate.” “Mrs. Gray?” Alfie asked carefully, “Sorry to interrupt you there, alright, but I just wanted to quickly check, because you mentioned the hair, yeah? What colour? Because I’m sure I’ll love my son all the same if he’s blond, but I might just need to mentally prepare myself…” And then you finally burst out in anger, “Can you all just shut the fuck up for a second! I’m actually trying to have a fucking baby here!!” “Right, sorry about that love,” Alfie moved closer to you and grabbed your hand again, “Please continue. You’re doing brilliantly, even if he is blond…” Tommy chuckled lightly in the background, which made you even more angry somehow, “Alfie, I swear to God or Adonai or whatever you want to call him, do nottouch me again because remember how you said you couldn’t remember your circumcision?”

“Yes,” Alfie mumbled in mortal fear.

“You will remember when I do it. Remember how you told me of your rabbi doing it when boys are eight days old, because then it heals faster?”

“Yes...” he gulped.

“I’ll make it slow sweetheart. Really fucking slow.”  

“Right,” he said with big eyes, “What exactly would you have me do then except for just standing here like some great big bloody useless piece of shit?”  

“Shut up!”  

“Noted.” *** You weren’t sure what had happened exactly in that last hour. Apparently you’d lost a lot of blood and things had gotten hazy very quickly. Ada and Aunt Polly had stopped talking altogether and they had managed to save you, despite the bickering men in the background. You did remember that Alfie and Arthur had gotten into a fight at one point, but apparently they managed to resolve it quickly when the doctor arrived and they took turns in beating him up because he was no longer needed. Anger really does bring people together.

Of course, none of that really mattered now, because you were now holding a perfect baby right there, in your arms. Finn just stared at the baby, completely in awe. “Not blond…” John sounded a little disappointed. Arthur grinned, “But bloody perfect.” “Gorgeous, just like the mother,” Polly hugged you carefully. “Shelby good looks.” Tommy nodded slowly, with a sense of pride in his voice. “Any names yet?” Ada asked, “I bet you’ve picked them out ages ago, haven’t you?” “I have,” you smiled, “but couldn’t say them out loud yet, so we didn’t really discuss it. It’s bad luck.”

Uncharacteristically, Alfie hadn’t said a word yet.

“Mr. Solomons?” you said, gazing up from your one love to the other, “I believe you have a daughter.” And finally he smiled, deeply and incredibly in love as he held her tight with both hands. And in the most tender way possible he looked at you, grinned and said, “Fucking hell!”

***

Masterlist

Set it off | Shelby! Sister

Alfie Solomons x Shelby! reader

Warnings: swearing (it’s Alfie and a Shelby, c’mon), mentions of violence

Request: can we get an imagine where shelby! sis moved to london like ada and somehow found herself with alfie, bumping into tommy when he meets up with alfie, tommy who hasn’t seen her in a while 

i haven’t properly written in so long (im super sorry) so this is kinda trashy, i apologise

LONDON WAS THE city that allowed people to escape their demons and live out their dream lives. 

You never understood why people loved London so much, it was almost as bland as Small Heath – perhaps, the nightlife had more vigour than your home town, but that was about it. Until you moved there.

The move was your aunt Polly’s idea after an inspector had blatantly threatened your life if your older brother didn’t follow his ‘rules.’ Tommy had agreed, practically packing your bags for you before sending you on your merry way with the promise to send someone for you when business was taken care of. 

However, after a couple of months of staying with your sister, Ada, you hadn’t heard anything from Tommy – even after you had sent him numerous letters and phoned continuously. It was as if he had forgotten about you. 

So with a heavy heart, you decided to get on with your life in the city that had become your life. It had taken a while for you to get on your feet, having eventually found a job as an accountant at a nearby dressmakers – eventually saving enough money to move out of Ada’s and purchase your own house. 

For a while you got used to the normality of your life – figuring this was why your sister loved it so much. There were no threats made towards your life, nor was there the familiar sound and smell that came with gunfire. Your life was completely and utterly normal.

Until you met him.

Alfie Solomons was a man that you could never quite figure out. Where you were hot, he was cold. Where you were docile, he was rough. Polar opposites, yet you somehow found yourselves tangled in an intricate web together.

The first time you met Alfie was at a pub that your work colleagues had dragged you to. You had taken the time to get dolled up, walking with your group of friends from work to the bar – only to have them ditch you in favour of a group of men in the corner of the club. 

You didn’t particularly mind, instead you sat twirling the Irish whisky in your glass as you watched them dance wildly. You didn’t notice the figure taking a seat across from you until they let out a deep cough.

Sharply turning your head, your eyes met the gentleman's across from you, a hint of a small smile from under his ginger beard made you curious. Before you could utter a single word, the man had began to speak, his voice bellowing over the loud music.

“You’re just as pretty as everyone says,” he complimented you, leaning back in his chair. “When I heard, yeah, that a Shelby was in my pub, I immediately thought it was those brothers of yours comin’ to stir up trouble.”

Placing your glass on the table separating you from the man, you placed your arms in-front of yourself, leaning slightly forward. 

“So you’ve heard of my family then,” you rolled your eyes. “And considering the only name that is plastered around this damn place is Alfie Solomons and this is your pub, I’m going to assume that you’re Alfie.”

Alfie let out a hum at your words, placing his own arms on the table, sliding your glass over to himself. A chuckle left his lips as he lifted the glass under his nose.

“Irish. Just like your fuckin’ brother, eh?”

“Better than the gin you sell in this goddamn place. Now I can tell you Mr. Solomons, that gin is better for horses than people.”

Alfie let out another hum, placing your glass back onto the table before pushing it into your awaiting hands. Taking a swing, your eyes met his over the edge of the cup.

“So tell me, yeah, tell me what Tommy Shelby’s little sister is doing in London if it ain’t her brothers business.”

“Tommy conducts his business without the need to involve me,” shrugging, you finished off the rest of your drink before continuing. “I haven’t seen my brother in months, perhaps next time you see him you can mention the name Y/N Shelby and he might actually take some interest in what his little sister is doing nowadays.”

And mention you Alfie most certainly did. 

Your brothers had never shown up to your house as fast as they did after Alfie had mentioned spending the night with their sister. You hadn’t prepared to open your front door and have three grown men storm into your dinning room so quickly. 

“What the bloody hell are you idiots doing here?” You scoffed, crossing your arms as you watched John and Arthur sit down at your table. Tommy remained standing, his face blank as he looked toward you.

Tommy took a long drag from the cigarette he lit as soon as he entered your house, before plucking it from his lips and letting it sit between his fingers as he pointed at you.

“What business do you have with a man of the likes of Alfie Solomons?” He questioned, causing Arthur to let out a grunt in agreement to his words.

“So that’s what this is about,” you shook your head. “You lot storm into my house because I shared a drink and dance with Alfie, so what?”

Tommy never looked so displeased. “So what? So what our sister is out in London dancing with Alfie Solomons, a man with enemies that will paint a target on your back.”

You couldn’t help the anger that started boiling inside you, throwing your hands up in exasperation before slamming them down on your dining table. 

“Get over yourself Thomas,” you snapped. “You haven’t spoken to me since you moved me here to London yourself. I’ve called and sent letters that you’ve ignored. Hell, you’ve obviously visited to do business with Alfie but haven’t once thought to come see me.”

The room went quiet as you and Tommy intensely stared at one another, both waiting for the other to make the next move.

“I’ve been busy,” is all he could muster, causing your face to scrunch up in disgust.

“Too busy for family?”

“A war is coming Y/N,” he sighed, placing his cigarette back between his lips. The smoke blanketed his face, almost as if it was creating a wall between the two of you. “We have to be prepared. I don’t know how our enemy works yet, and if you, a Shelby, is seen out with the likes of Alfie Solomons - I don’t know what they would do to you.”

“It was only a one time thing,” you sighed, voice softening. “It won’t happen again. Alfie was only nice enough to keep me company for a night, it’s not like he’s courting me. I’ll be fine, Tom.”

You lied.

A one time thing, turned into two, which turned into three and soon you had lost count of how many times you had spent the night with Alfie. Sometimes he took you dancing, others he invited you to his house - cooking you a warm meal and spending the night by his fireplace reading books together, cuddled with his dog, Cyril. 

You weren’t quite sure how it happened, but you didn’t regret a single second you had spent with the Jewish gangster. You knew your brother wouldn’t be happy with you, nor would he approve of your relationship with his newest business partner. 

“Do you Shelby’s have a death wish or somethin’,” Alfie’s voice knocked you out of your thoughts. Your hand that was petting Cyril freezing in place as you watched him hang his coat before making his way over to you.

You had basically moved into Alfie’s house a couple of weeks prior, not feeling safe after your brothers had left your place with a warning that their new enemies knew where they all lived, which meant they probably knew where you were too.

“Hello Y/N, I’m home, how was your day Y/N?” You teased, Alfie let out a loud sigh before making his way over to you - his lips meeting yours in a tender kiss.

“Sorry for bein’ so rude,” he muttered against your lips, before pulling away and taking a seat on the couch next to you. 

“What has my brother done now?”

Alfie swallowed thickly, running his hand down his face before speaking. “He’s gotten involved with the fuckin’ Russians. Don’t know what he plans to do, yeah? But it ain’t goin’ to end good.”

“Fuck sake,” you whispered, tossing your head back in annoyance. “I’ll talk to Aunt Polly, see if she can knock some sense into him. Let me guess, he’s dragging you into his mess too?”

“Can’t escape it, love.”

Placing your head on Alfie’s shoulder, you pinched the bridge of your nose in annoyance to the whole situation. Tommy never talked to anyone else that might be affected by his decisions before he made them, and it frustrated you to no end. Now he’s gotten Alfie involved.  

“How about we just forget about it for the night, yeah?” Alfie suggested, pulling you to your feet. “Come, I want to show yer’ somethin’”

You couldn’t even express your questions as Alfie pulled you upstairs to his bedroom, opening the doors before walking in with extended arms. A beaming smile graced his face as he let out a loud “ta-da!”

“Alf,” you chuckled, tilting your head in confusion. “I’ve seen your bedroom before.”

“Right, right.” He ushered you inside, pulling you towards his wardrobe. “But yer’ haven’t seen what I had the maids... and Ollie, do while you took Cyril on a walk.”

You could only watch in amusement as you giant boyfriend began opening drawers, showing you a heap of women's clothing - including what you had left at your own house. 

“I’ve moved you in!” He basically cheered. “I know how much you hate going back to yer’ place, so welcome to your new home.”

“Oh Alf,” you smiled, wrapping your arms around him. “Thank you.”

“You like it?” He questioned, pressing a kiss to the crown of your head. “You can decorate the place however you want. Add your own touches.”

“I love it. I love you.”

You didn’t have to say much else, slamming your lips against his. Alfie reacted not a second later, one of his hands moving to the back of your head and the other to your waist, pulling you impossibly closer. 

Your brothers couldn’t be more wrong about Alfie, and you knew that as soon as they found out about the pair of you it would possibly cause an anger contest between the pair of them. But how could you possibly care when this was the life you had been given. 

I guess you’d have to wait to set it off. 

Peaky Blinders Masterlist

hi! here’s my peaky blinders master list for all the one shots/fics and stuff. I've done wayyy too many head canons and blurbs etc for Shelby!sis reader to make a master list for that, but you can find those through the search bar - plus that's most of what my blog really is! 

Shelby sister!reader 

Defiant

Out of The Closet

Torn Apart

Fight It Together

My Love, My Life

Liability

Bunny

Puddles

A Bakers Help : a gangsters light (part two)

Close call

Terrible liar

Protected

lessons

stay innocent

down the isle

little artist

never be the same

long time no see

grief

glasses

always like you

you can let go

seperated

the baby’s favourite

front line

not a child

i hate you

Tommy Shelby x reader

Everything is Changing (series) 

part one // part two // part three // part four // part five // part six // part seven

Christmas

new years prompts

"The party was great but now it’s time to find their way home, in the middle of the night in the freezing cold in high heels and a party dress."

“It’s a couple minutes after midnight and there were already a couple resolutions broken.”

"She never thought watching billions of Euros going up in colorful flames and loud noises could be this romantic"

Michael Gray x reader

Worth Fighting For

Alfie Solomons x reader

Good team

Bad Men

honeymoon surprises

never be the same

2𝓴 𝓒𝓮𝓵𝓮𝓫𝓻𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷 𝓕𝓲𝓬 𝓡𝓮𝓬𝓸𝓶𝓶𝓮𝓷𝓭𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷 𝓛𝓲𝓼𝓽

Firstly, thank you all so , so fucking much for 2000 followers!!!! It means so much to me 💕

I genuinely can’t comprehend that 2,000 people enjoy my work.

Secondly, enjoy all of these fabulous fics :)

———————————————————————

Bonnie Gold

Baby, Baby - @sinfulshelbys

Two of my favourite things - domestic Bonnie, and pregnancy fics. To say I love this fic is a big understatement.

Ring Girl - @blinder-secrets

Fluffy! Bonnie will always be my favourite. I really love how you write his character in this fic, it feels so realistic, and could definitely be a scene from the show - and his protectiveness is so adorable.

—————————————————

Shelby Sister

Poison - @writingwithacupoftea

An absolutely brilliant piece of writing!! I loved the interactions between Tommy and Y/N, and seeing Tommy with emotion - even if it wasn’t in the best of circumstances.

Florence Nightingale - @chlnymphadora

I’m such a sucker for fics about the war with the Shelby brothers, because it was never explored in the show (even though this is set in WW2). I loved the sibling relationships in this.

Eighteen - @chlnymphadora

Another fabulous fic by @chlnymphadora on this list!! Shelby Sis! Fics have always got my heart, but this one especially I always find myself rereading - it’s both emotional and funny in places, and I love the interactions between Finn and Reader, and Isaiah and Reader.

Growing Pains - @theshelbyclan

I adore this fic - the awkwardness of the brothers, Polly and Ada laughing at them, and Shelby Sisters sarcastic comments. The dialogue felt so natural, and I’m so excited for a potential part two.

Fever - @thebloodyday

Finn x Older Shelby sister will always make my heart melt!! As usual, another brilliant piece from this writer!! I love the relationship between Finn and his sister 🥺

———————————————————————

John Shelby

Kids - @collecting-stories

I really, really love this. It’s so brilliantly written, along with the fact that I love how John is portrayed so well in this!! I also love how mischievous his kids are, and how Reader gives them dinner - that makes my heart melt 🥺.

Trouble - @peakascum

I really enjoyed this fic - so well written, with really realistic dialogue. I also enjoyed seeing a different side to John than what is usually written in fics.

———————————————————————

Finn Shelby

This fic by @peakyblinderswhore

I’m such a sucker for angst, and plot twists, so of course I utterly enjoyed this piece!! So well written, like all of this writers pieces.

Secret Shelby - @fuckingthefictional

I keep going back and reading and rereading this fic - it’s just that brilliant!!! I love the idea of sweet lil Finn sneaking off to be with his girlfriend - also I’m a sucker for pregnancy fics.

Finn Shelby on Social Media - @cheekypeakyblinders

I utterly adore this!!! I really love how well the Shelby family are captured in this, and it’s made me laugh a lot at the idea of them all navigating social media and technology. I especially love this one, but all the Social Media AU’s in this ‘collection’ are fucking fab.

Confessions on Drugs - @merakiaes

This will forever be one of my favourite Finn Shelby pieces. It’s a mixture of funny and downright adorable, and a fabulous piece all around.

———————————————————————

Alfie Solomon’s

Alfie Solomons on Social Media @fandom-puff

I love all social media au’s for Peaky Blinders, but this one specifically is brilliant!! It truly captures Alfie’s spirit, I think.

A Shelby Caught Out with a Solomon’s - @buckys-beach

One of the only series on this list! I love, love, love this, especially the first chapter. This is one of my favourite series to reread over and over, and it has such a realistic portrayal of Alfie’s character. I also love Shelby!Reader x Alfie

THANK YOU for your Alfie Solomons playlist I am IN LOVE ur a legend x

oh thank you anon! i love that fruit (affectionate) so much and tom hardy saying he based him on a bear really threw me a bone there, i couldn’t stop myself. 

while you’re at it may i recommend my tommy shelby but make it funky and bi playlist? 

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6auauFaztBGpSPXXU0sQIF?si=XKFnfoAdQWiMyw3n2pbuSQ

Hello, Lee! I didn't know your requests were open, I read it in an ask you answered, so I came to bother you with one 😅.

The old classic "is this seat taken?" pointing to the lap. With Alfie? 😏.

thank you!!! And there's no rush! So take as much time as you need ♥️. Flor @raincoffeeandfandoms

Is This Seat Taken?

(Note: Reader is a Shelby sis who is younger than Alfie, but over the age of 18. Some NSFW ideas are hinted at, but no actual smut.)

"Behave yourself," Alfie warned as he swiped the rum glass off the table and out from under your fingers. You tried to grasp it, but found yourself too uncoordinated to catch him in time, fingertips barely grazing the knuckles of his large bear paw. Pouting to yourself, arms crossed in defeat, you stomped the floor with the heel of your boot.

"Alfie, I'm finally away from Birmingham and all I want to do is have a little fun," you whined, looking up at him with pleading eyes.

"Yeah, well I have a job to do that don't include looking after you, treacle. You've caused enough trouble for me already this week," he said, pointing a finger at you accusingly.

You huffed in frustration, wishing he would see you as more than just the Shelby's little sister. You had a massive crush on Alfie and the outrageous behavior was simply a way of getting his attention. However, he hadn't taken the bait so you decided to try a more direct approach. "Your lads handle protection of the club. Surely, you can afford a night off to have a little fun," you said, running a hand along his muscular forearm suggestively.

Alfie furrowed his brow at you, clamping a hand down over your wrist. "That's where you're wrong. See, I'm the boss and it'll be my head your brother comes for if it goes tits up." Raising you from your chair by your elbow, he guided you toward the exit. "Run along now. You shouldn't be here at all, you're just a child," he said, dismissively.

He didn't actually think this about you. In fact, Alfie found you to be a tempting distraction to his work, but he needed you out of the way so he could focus on this evening's round of meetings. He knew he would have to commit to his act if you were to believe him. Despite his grumpy facade, he did feel slightly guilty as he urged you toward the door.

You stumbled out of his grasp, brushing the hair from your face as you watched him walk away from you. Feeling your cheeks flush with heat, anger set in as the famous Shelby temper took hold of you. Not only had Alfie ignored your advances, he had insulted you as well. If he thought of you as a child, you'd just have to change his mind.

Slipping to the back of the club, you found a scandalous looking red dress hanging by one of the dressing tables. The minute you spotted it, you knew it was perfect. Shimmying out of your dirty black dress and into the tight fitting gown, you admired yourself in the mirror. You added a touch of rouge and lipstick before patting down your hair and sauntering back out onto the floor.

The club was much busier now and you struggled to find Alfie in the crowd. You downed another shot of rum for courage, welcoming the slight burn to distract you from the nervousness you felt gnawing at your gut. Suddenly you spied the object of your desire at a table with three other men. You took a deep breath and smoothed your dress before marching over to him.

At first he didn't look up, concentration unbroken by the sight of you at his side. However, you had the attention of everyone else at the table so he was forced to look at you when one of the men whistled and said, "Hello, beautiful. Join us for a drink?" You grinned with satisfaction and before Alfie could say a word, you wiggled onto his waiting lap, your backside rubbing against his thigh as you made a place for yourself. Alfie opened his arm out in bewilderment as you slid your hand toward his crotch, massaging gently while you batted your lashes at him playfully.

"Is this seat taken?" you cooed at him. You watched his shock turn to anger as his jaw clenched tightly, his arm coming to grip your waist in a painful hold, making you jump slightly. However, you couldn't deny his touch excited you and turned to look up at him. You held his gaze for a moment, noticing the fire burning in his eyes as he took note of you for the first time.

It was short lived as you suddenly felt yourself being lifted in his strong arms and over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. You squealed out, "Alfie!" as he strode off with you, one arm clamped over your rear end and one around the backs of your knees. Your head bobbed with each step of his heavy boots and you vaguely made out the murmurs from the men commenting on his strange behavior as he whisked you away.

You gulped wondering if you'd taken things too far. You began to fear the worst and decided to ask him what he intended to do with you. You tried to remain clam, but your voice came out in a pathetic wail. "Are you going to put me down?"

"No," he growled.

"Are you taking me to Tommy?" you asked, heart thundering in your chest.

"No," he repeated as gruffly as before.

"Are you going to say anything besides, 'No'?" you shrieked at him, wishing he would talk to you.

You were outside in the cool night air before he placed you on the ground in front of him, a large hand coming to pinch your cheeks together harshly. He looked around to be sure you were alone before leaning into you, hot breath ghosting over the side of your face. "I don't want your brother knowing the things I'll say to you," he released his grip and the pad of his thumb swept over your bottom lip as he added, "Or the things I'll do to you when we're alone." Without warning he captured your lips in a desperate kiss before pulling away. "Come on, I'm taking you back to mine." You smirked as he reached down and grabbed your hand, pulling you along with him in his hurry.

Tragic Love

Summary: You were Alfie Solomons little sister and Tommy Shelby's ex girlfriend.

It had been three years since you last saw your ex. Until your brother sent you on a mission to kill Father Hughes and you came face to face with Thomas Shelby, causing old feelings to resurface again.

Pairing: Tommy Shelby x Fem!Reader

Word Count: 3.1k

Warnings: Language, violence, 

Previous Chapter

Chapter 12-

Margate was nice.

There was no denying the beautiful view from the top floor of your house that overlooked the ocean. It was absolutely stunning.

The house that Alfie bought was way to big for just the two of you, but you weren't complaining. The housekeeper from London was happy to move to Margate, so she was living in the house too.

It didn't have much of a backyard, so your brothers dog, Cyril, had now turned into an indoor dog, but he didn't seem to mind, finding comfort on the couch at night with his head in your lap.

He wasn't a lap dog, far from it, but it didn't seem to matter to him. Alfie would grumble at you whenever the dog was on the couch, but never made him get down.

Your brother was secretly a soft teddy bear on the inside. He always had been.

You took Cyril for walks every morning, knowing it wasn't healthy for him to be stuck indoors all day. He liked the beach, sometimes a little too much and didn't want to leave.

Alfie would join you on the morning walks, but never went in the water. To his defence it was freezing cold this time of year, but you didn't care. If you were living on the beach, you were going to take advantage of the water, despite how freezing it was.

"It's not that cold, come for a swim!" You shouted splashing Cyril as he jumped into the water after you, barking happily.

That was a lie though, it was fucking cold. But, you were not going to tell your brother that.

"It's fucking cold just standing here, sis. Ain't no way I'm getting in there." Alfie shouted back from where he was standing on the sand, watching you and his dog play in the water.

You rolled your eyes, glancing over at your pile of clothes by the water where you had dumped them. There was rarely anyone else on the beach when it was this cold, but you kept an eye on your stuff out of habit.

You were just wearing your bikini top and shorts, but had your towel and jacket ready for when you got out the water because that cool wind hitting your wet body would be very cold when you decided to get out.

"Fetch." You said, throwing a tennis ball further down the beach.

Cyril immediately chased after the ball, jumping in and out of the water as he ran after it before finally grabbing it and running back to you through the water.

"Good boy." You praised, patting his head from where you were sitting in the shallows before you grabbed the ball from his mouth and threw it again.

You glanced back over at your brother about to try and convince him to come into the water when you spotted someone else walking down the beach towards him.

Even from the distance, you knew who it was. There was no mistaking that black jacket and peaky cap.

It was Tommy Shelby.

You watched in confusion as Tommy walked towards your brother, stopping several meters away from him.

What the fuck was Tommy doing here?

"I do hope you're gonna leave my sister out of this. She had nothing to with it, even tried to stop me." You heard your brother say, his eyes glued to the ocean as he spoke, not even looking at Tommy.

"You were easy to find." 

Tommy glanced over at you in the water, his eyes lingering on you for a moment before he looked back at your brother when he started to talk.

"Yeah, well, there's a good reason for that, Tommy. Because I wanted it to be here."

"I once told you, Alfie. For business reasons or in bad blood, I would kill you. I have no business reasons. It seems you have retired."

Your eyes widened in sudden realisation. He was here to kill your brother.

Oh, hell no.

You quickly rushed out the water, not even caring about the cold air hitting your wet skin. You reached your pile of clothes on the sand, ignoring your shirt and instead grabbing your handgun that was stashed underneath.

"So, this is all purely for bad blood, is it, Tommy?" Your brother questioned, glancing over at you and shaking his head.

You knew he was trying to tell you to stand down, but that was not going to happen.

"I told you. I wanted it to be here." 

"You're not armed?"

Your brother shook his head, "no. Don't be dull."

"I'm armed." You suddenly said, reaching Alfie's side, your gun in your hand beside you. "I'm not letting you do this, Tommy. Just walk away and no one gets hurt."

"I can't do that, Y/N." 

His eyes locked with yours before he glanced down at your body, his eyes lingering on the scar on your stomach from the gunshot wound that Father Hughes men had put there.

You could see the conflict in Tommy's eyes like he was having a mental debate with himself before he shook his head and raised his gun at your brother.

"Drop it." You ordered, stepping in front of Alfie, blocking him as you raised your own gun at Tommy. "Drop the fucking gun!"

"Y/N, get out the way." Tommy instructed, but you shook your head.

He was going to have to shoot you if he wanted to get to your brother.

"The only thing I got on me is fucking cancer, mate." Your brother suddenly said from behind you. "Riddled with it. Doctor told me I might have picked it up in France from the gas or something. He even showed me a photograph before I met you at the fight-"

"Alfie, stop talking." Tommy said, cutting him off.

"So I said, 'Margate' right, and here I am-"

"Alfie, look at me."

"Drop the fucking gun!" You shouted, your own handgun still aimed at him as you eyed the barrel of his cautiously.

"Come on, Tommy. There's an honourable reason now to pull that trigger-"

"Y/N, move!" Tommy yelled, his gun starting to waver as he stared at you. "Alfie, look at me!"

"Fucking get on with it. Stop acting like a little girl."

"Alfie-" Tommy started to say before your brother suddenly grabbed your shoulders and shoved you off to the side.

You stumbled a few feet, unable to keep your footing as you landed on your knees in the sand and quickly turned, looking back at your brother who pulled a gun from the inside of his jacket and turned it towards, Tommy.

"Wait!" You screamed, but it was too late.

There was nothing you could do as you watched in horror as Alfie pulled the trigger, the bullet scraping the side of Tommy's arm, but it was enough to get him to pull the trigger too.

"NO!" You screamed, the bullet hitting your brothers face and they both fell to the ground.

You rushed to your brother and skidding to your knees beside his motionless body. The bloodied bullet wound stretching across his left cheek, blood pouring from it and seeping into the sand.

"No. No. No. Alfie? Alfie?" You whimpered, hot tears falling down your cheeks as you reached towards his face with your free hand, unsure of how to even attempt to slow the bleeding with this injury.

"Shit." You heard Tommy swear from behind you.

In an instant, you raised your gun, turning your body from where you were sitting and aimed it at Tommy who was staggering to his feet.

"Whoa. Y/N wait." He quickly said, holding up his free hand, his other pressed to his side, blood dripping down his sleeve. "I didn't mean to kill him. He fired his-"

"You came here to kill him!" You snapped, glaring at him through the tears. "You came here to fucking kill him though, didn't you?!"

"Yes, but I changed my mind." He insisted, slowly walking towards you. "Y/N, I swear, I changed my mind. I wasn't going to shoot him. I swear to fucking God."

Your gun was trembling in your hands, your entire body shaking as tears streamed down your cheeks.

"Y/N..." Tommy said, trailing off, kneeling down beside you as he gently grabbed the barrel of your gun.

You didn't have the energy to stop him as he carefully took the gun from you, tossing it off to the side, out of your reach.

"I'm sorry, Y/N. I'm so sorry." He whispered, reaching for your shoulder before you suddenly stood up and shoved him away.

Tommy grunted as he fell backwards into the sand before quickly getting to his feet.

"Y/N-"

"Get out of here!" You screamed, shoving him back again as he raised his hands, trying to show that he wasn't a threat. "Get the fuck out of here!"

He tried take another step towards you before threw a punch, your fist connecting with his jaw. The force of the hit sent his head slamming back as he staggered back a step, grabbing his cheek.

"Get the fuck out of here before I fucking kill you!" You shouted, your voice breaking at the end as a weak sob escaped your lips.

Tommy's expression cracked as he stared you helplessly, his bright blue eyes filled with so much guilt and sadness, but you didn't even notice. All you could see was red as you stared at him, your entire body trembling as you screamed at him to leave.

"Okay. Okay. I'm going, I'm going, Y/N." He quickly said, his hands still raised as he glanced down at your brother before meeting your eyes again. "I'm sorry."

That was all he said before he turned around and walked off. You watched him through blurry eyes as he disappeared up over the sand dune before you turned back to your brothers lifeless body and dropped to your knees beside him.

You didn't even notice that Cyril had come over and was now sitting beside your brothers body. A wrecked sob escaped your lips as you stared down at, Alfie.

"I-I'm so sorry." You whimpered, fresh tears streaming down your face.

You lowered your head on your brothers chest and cried, but your tears came to a very sudden halt when you felt his chest rise and fall ever so faintly.

In an instant, you lifted your head, looking down at Alfie with wide eyes before you hovered your hand over his mouth and felt a small shuddering breath of air come out.

He was still alive.

Holy fuck, he was still alive.

"Oh, my God." You gasped, quickly getting to your feet as you glanced over your shoulder at your house that you knew was just over the sand dunes. "Stay here, I'm going to get help. You're going to be okay, Alfie. I'm getting help."

With that, you took off in the direction of the house, Cyril racing after you as you sprinted over the sand dune before reaching the back door of your house.

"Anna!" You shouted, calling for the housekeeper. "Call for an ambulance!"

A second later, the old lady was hurriedly walking down the stairs, looking at you in confusion.

"It's Alfie. He's been shot. He's on the beach. Call an ambulance, get them to go the beach out the front, now!"

Anna nodded, already reaching for the phone before you ordered Cyril to stay, relieved that the dog listened. You grabbed a handful of clean towels from the cupboard before rushing back out the door towards the beach.

Your brother was still laying in the same spot as before, unmoving as you dropped to your knees beside him.

"Help is on the way, okay? You just gotta hang on a little longer, bro. You're going to be fine." You insisted, although you knew you were trying to convince yourself more than him.

You pressed the towels to the side of his face, trying to slow the bleeding as you sat beside him, anxiously waiting for the ambulance.

-

The next 24-hours was the most stressful 24-hours of your entire life. It rivalled with time you were last in hospital with Tommy all those years ago.

This was exactly like that. Except it wasn't Tommy, it was your big brother.

You sat beside his hospital bed, hating how familiar it felt as you stared at Alfie.

The doctors had done the best they could. Said that by some miracle the bullet didn't hit the brain or anything vital except for his left eye which he won't be able to see out of anymore. He just had a long gash across his left cheek that was stitched together and looked awfully painful, but other than that, the doctors said that he should be fine.

If a giant scar and one blind eye was the worst of his injuries, you'd be happy. But, you weren't going to believe anything until your brother woke up and you could see it for yourself.

"Ma'am, you should go home and get some rest. We have your number and can contact you when he wakes up." One of the nurses suddenly said.

You glanced over your shoulder to find the nurse standing in the doorway of your brothers hospital room, looking at you sympathetically.

You shook your head, "I'm not going anywhere until I know my brother is okay."

The nurse looked like she wanted to argue, but she didn't get the chance to.

"I-I'm okay, sis." Alfie grunted from beside you.

Your head snapped back in his direction to find his eyes now open and staring up at you. His left eye was a cloudy white colour, but other than that, he seemed to be okay.

He was okay. Your brother was okay.

"Mr Solomons." The nurse said, snapping into action and rushing to his beside before you could even say anything.

You watched anxiously as the nurse did a few tests and went over your brothers vitals. He was a little out of it, which the nurse expected with the amount of pain medication he was on, but to your relief she deemed him stable and okay before leaving the two of you alone.

"Stop worrying, right, I'm okay." Alfie mumbled, from his hospital bed.

You looked back over at him from where you were sitting hugging your knees to your chest, your chin resting on top as you stared at him.

Your brother had been injured many times before and every single one of those times, you had worried. When you were kids and he broke his arm after jumping from the roof, you had worried so much the doctors thought it was you that needed help when you got to the hospital.

Then, Alfie, had enlisted for the army and was shipped off to France... that had been the worst. Not knowing if he was alive or dead. Waiting for weeks on end for his letters, fearing that if they stopped, then he'd be dead.

You were proud of him. He had worked his way up the ranks and became a Captain during the war. You were so proud of him, but at the same time, you had hated him for enlisting.

You were so angry at him, more angry than you had ever been, but this... right now... it was a close second.

"None of this is okay!" You snapped, unable to hold in your anger.

Your brother just stared at you, trying to figure out the reason behind your outburst before you shook your head, saving him the time.

"Why'd you do it?"

Alfie didn't respond as he stared at you in confusion.

"What the fuck were you thinking?" You questioned, trying and failing to control your anger.

"Okay, I'm on a lotta fucking pain meds right now. I'm gonna need ya to be a little more specific."

"What were you thinking back on the beach? You were egging him on to pull the trigger, did you want him to fucking shoot you?"

The second the words left your mouth, Alfie, looked away from you, staring at the wall across the room with an unreadable expression.

For the longest time, he didn't say anything.

The two of you sat in silence as you stared at your brother, his posture ridge as he laid there, refusing to look at you.

"Yeah, I did." He finally muttered.

He wanted Tommy to shoot him. Your brother wanted Tommy to kill him... he wanted it.

"I always intended for Tommy to discover my betrayal, alright? That's why I told him we're moving to Margate. I wanted him to track me down and kill me..." 

"Why?" You asked in utter disbelief.

Why would your brother want to be killed?

"Because I'd rather die at the hands of an honourable man, like Tommy, and die on my fucking own terms than from this fucking cancer."

He finally turned his head back towards you, his one good eye looking at you sadly.

"Alfie..."

"I knew." He said, cutting you off. "I knew, Tommy wasn't gonna do it. He had a change of fucking heart, I saw it in his eyes. Ain't no way he was gonna do it."

"That's why you shot at him first? To make him pull the trigger?"

Alfie nodded, "I knew it was the only way. Made sure to just graze his arm, just enough to get him to react."

"You... you had all this planned. You had all this set in motion and you didn't even tell me. You-you weren't even going to say goodbye." You whispered, unable to stop the tears from rising in your eyes as you hugged your knees tighter to your chest.

"I couldn't, sis. I couldn't fucking tell you-"

"Why?"

"Because you were the only person on this god damn planet that could've talked me outta it!" He shouted, wincing a little at the pain it caused before he sighed. "And I wasn't gonna be talked outta it, alright? Ain't no way."

"And what about me?"

Alfie paused for a moment, looking over at you. "Huh?"

"What about me? Did you even think about what your death would've done to me?" You asked, silent tears falling down your cheeks.

"You're tough, kid. Strongest woman I fucking know. You woulda been fine without me, you will be fine without me."

"That's bullshit and we both fucking know it."

"Y/N-"

"No. Look, I get it. You got cancer, you're dying. You just wanted it over, I get it. You'll be fine when it's over, but what about me?" You questioned, fresh tears rising in your eyes. "I can't lose you too."

Alfie's expression softened as he stared at you and if you weren't mistaken you could see tears now glistening in his eyes as well.

"Well, it don't fucking matter now, does it? I'm still here because that fucking gypsy can't shoot straight, can he?" He said, trying to lighten the mood. "After all the bloody time you spent with him, you couldn't have taught him how to fucking aim?"

That caused you to smile softly as you looked at him.

"I'm glad I didn't."

Alfie nodded, "yeah, well me too."

That caused you to lift your head off the top of your knees as you looked over at him in confusion.

"Seems like fate doesn't want me dead yet." He said with a shrug. "I'm curious to find out why."

"You think God has something planned for you?"

"Seems like it, doesn't it?"

You nodded, but had no idea what that 'something' could he.

"I'm practically a God now myself, aren't I? Everyone thinks I'm fucking dead, I can do whatever I want."

You rolled your eyes, "the only thing you're doing for the next couple of days is resting in this hospital bed."

-

MASTERLIST    |    TIP JAR

Next Chapter

Any shelby!sis on the way? I absolutely love them and you are one of my favourite blogs!

Oh my gooood, thank you so much, love 😭♥️

Yessss, I do! I'm currently writing on a new request and on a chapter for the alfie solomons x shelby!sis. I hope you'll like it!

The last week was just a bit stressful, but I hope to finish both tomorrow 💕

Shelby Sister Reader

One-shots

Monsters under the Bed - When John tells you a ghost story at night, you’re to scared to sleep on your own, so you run to your favourite brother Tommy x sister reader / one-shot / fluff, comfort Can’t sleep - You can’t sleep, but your big brother, who never sleeps, watches over you Tommy x sister reader / one-shot / fluff Snitch - You’ve accidentally snitched on your brothers and now that Polly is furious, you have to deal with the consequences Shelby’s x sister reader / one-shot / requested / fluff

Mine - When she took a job at the night club, all the second Shelby sister wanted was to be in control of her own life. Unfortunately, her brothers don’t approve Shelby’s x sister reader / one-shot / requested / angst, fluff

The Brains of the Family - Being a Shelby isn’t easy, but at least you know your Aunt Polly will always have your back, just as you will always have hers. This does however land the youngest Shelby into a very dangerous situation Polly x sister reader / one-shot / requested / fluff, angst

Cursed - After Grace’s death, Tommy is still mourning his wife. And when he sees his baby sister wearing her old things, before he can stop himself, he snaps.  Tommy x sister reader / one-shot / requested / angst, fluff The matchmaker -You and Alfie strike up a strange sort of friendship, and Alfie is keen for it to become more than that, which leaves Tommy less than pleased Alfie x sister reader / requested / one-shot / humour

Breathe in the air - Being a Shelby sister, it means you have a head for business and know how to handle yourself. Unfortunately, you struggle with asthma, but luckily Arthur is there to protect you always Arthur x sister reader / one-shot / requested / angst and fluff

Castle in the Sky - You’re the daydreaming sibling of the Shelby’s, but when the adventure spills over into real life, it’s not as great as you’d imagined Tommy x sister reader / one-shot / requested / angst and fluff

Happy Birthday! - It’s your birthday! And the Shelby brothers refuse to let another one of their baby sister’s birthday go by without some proper celebrating. Shelby’s x sister reader / one-shot / fluff and general happiness

Bells and Smoke - The youngest Shelby has to be send away to a convent, but you have no intention of conforming to their rules, even if you’ll die in the process Shelby’s x sister reader / one-shot / requested / angst, abuse, neglect, fluff

Haunted - Flashbacks and nightmares terrorise Tommy and he’s desperately searching for the light Tommy Shelby x sister reader / one-shot / requested / hurt and comfort, trauma, angst, fluff

Not Alone - You’ve just gone through a very difficult breakup and feel lonelier than ever. But with the help of Ada’s wise words and some family traditions, you start feeling just a little better Shelby’s x sister reader / one-shot / requested / hurt and comfort, break-up, fluff

Swords and Daggers - When a family meeting is interrupted by your sudden menstrual cramps, your brothers do everything in their power to take care of you Shelby’s x sister reader / one-shot / requested / fluff and comfort

Those Shelby Eyes - After years of pretending to have a family to love you, they actually show up, but not quite like how you imagined it Shelby’s x sister reader / one-shot / requested / angst, abuse warning and some fluff Remember - You hadn’t seen your family in years, but by pure coincidence, you run into Tommy again, only to find it’s not easy as you thought becoming a Shelby once again Shelby’s x sister reader / one-shot / requested / angst, hurt/comfort and some fluff Crowning Glory - As the youngest Shelby, you hate your hair, but also dislike strangers touching it. A simple solution is quickly found… Shelby’s x young sister reader / one-shot / just light-hearted fluff and humour Family Secrets - Polly finally lets slip what the real Shelby curse is and as the youngest Shelby, with a little encouragement from John, you feel obligated to use it to your own advantage Shelby’s x sister reader / one-shot / pure fluff

A Very Shelby Christmas - Christmas is even harder now that you are no longer the youngest Shelby, but Mrs. Solomons, and this year, there is even more tension brewing Alfie x Shelby sister / requested / one-shot / humour

Family First - A major blowout between you and Tommy forces him to take another look at his relationship with Grace Thomas x sister reader / requested / one-shot / angst, hurt/comfort

Control - You’re the youngest Shelby and you can’t be bothered with school. Nothing seems to be motivating you, but luckily Tommy offers a whole new approach to your work Thomas x sister reader / one-shot / fluff and a little motivational

Troublemakers - Once again, you’ve gotten yourself into trouble. But as the youngest Shelby, you have the power of forcing Tommy to let go, just for once Thomas x sister reader / requested / one-shot / humour and fluff

Books - As much as you love your family, you don’t quite fit in. And when things get more difficult at home and at school, it’s getting harder and harder to hide what has been going on   John x sister reader / requested / one-shot / angst, hurt/comfort and fluff

Smoke - The youngest Shelby sister is grieving the loss of her brother John and she’s spiralling out of control in the process, but can’t talk about any of it Shelby sis grieving over John / requested / one-shot / angst

Series

War

John x twin sister reader / requested / two-part story / angst, hurt and comfort, fluff

Defiance  - When your brothers went off to war, you couldn’t just sit and wait for them: you had to work, so as nurse Shelby, you started nursing in London

Acceptance - After the war, you decide to go back to nursing, but the war still haunts you as much as it haunts your brothers

‘The talk’ 

Shelby’s x sister reader / requested / two-part story / humour, awkwardness and fluff

Growing Pains  - Your brothers believe and fear they can no longer put off having ‘the talk’ with you

Brotherly Discomfort - After ‘the talk’, your brothers are adamant to protect you, but you throw yet another curveball their way. 

*** 

Back to the Masterlist

Slice of Heaven | Shelby! reader

Alfie Solomons x Shelby! reader

Warnings: soft! alfie, a lot of smut, the whole secret relationship trope

Request: more secret relationship with alfie and shelby sis please 

word count: 2.7k

just some cute (and smutty) moments with our boy alfie and y/n shelby :”)

Alfie treasures these moments. 

The ones where he’s able to be vulnerable, so completely free of responsibility – and they all happen with you. His hand plays with your fingers, mindlessly twirling the gold band that is around your ring finger. His wife. 

“I don’t want to take it off,” your soft voice filled his ears – a sigh pushing past your lips, as you lifted your head off his bare chest. 

“Yer’ brothers will kill me if they knew,” he muttered back, voice low. He hated this; the constant reminder in the back of both your minds that if your older brothers found out about what the two of you did in secret the results would be disastrous. 

Threading your fingers through his, you shift so your entire body was resting on-top of Alfie’s bare one. A gentle smile graced his usually harsh features as he ran his hand through your hair; moving it to cup your cheek as you leant into his touch. 

“I’m your wife,” you beamed and you looked so adorable that Alfie swore his heart almost leapt out of his chest. “Can you believe that, Alf?”

He chuckled, chest rumbling under your palm. “Yeah, love. I can.” 

Knowing that words wouldn’t be enough to express how much love you held for your husband in that moment, you pressed your lips to his. His beard tickled against your cheeks, causing you to smile through the kiss; Alfie reciprocating the action as he sat up, shifting so you were straddling him.

“’m gonna fuck you again,” he laughed against your skin as he pressed kisses down your neck, causing you to stifle your own giggles into the crook of his neck.

It didn’t take long for Alfie’s hand to find it’s way in-between your thighs that were spread over his lap. You relish in the feeling, his thumb rubbing small circles against your swollen clit as his index and middle fingers enter you – soft sounds leaving your mouth in melodies that Alfie swears he could listen to every day. 

A soft “shit” flew past Alfie’s lips when you ran a thumb over his tip, pumping him a few times before you lifted yourself from Alfie’s hand – running his length up and down your folds and with a fluent movement he was inside you – filling you completely. 

With a shaky gasp you slowly began rolling your hips against Alfie’s who had his eyes closed in bliss. It was erotic, sensual and you both got lost in the feeling. Rough and calloused palms on soft skin – gripping your hips that you were sure you would have marks from his fingertips there in a couple of hours.

Your hand rested against the plaster wall above both of your heads, Alfie lifting his hips to meet yours in rhythmic thrusts. Your eyes shut at the sensation, head falling against Alfie’s – softly biting into his shoulder. Alfie delivered a particularly harsh thrust, hitting your that spot causing a loud cry to emit from your throat at the sensation.

“Did that feel good, eh?” He grunted into your ear, you could only nod and let out a whine as he did it again. “Yeah? Like that?”

Your legs were practically shaking as Alfie’s thrusts became erratic, chasing both of your highs as you clenched around him – causing him to let out a sharp hiss. 

Your skin flushed under Alfie’s touch, nothing but chants of his name leaving your mouth as you came around his cock. He climaxes a couple of seconds after you, your body falling against his as you both tried to steady your breathing – reeling in the aftershocks of ecstasy.   

Pressing a kiss to your forehead, Alfie gently tilted your chin to look at you – a lazy, adoring smile gracing his features. 

“I love you, Mrs. Solomons.”

He did. Truly.

~~~~~~~

Your left hand felt bare as you walked to the distillery. 

Alfie had left the house just past noon – getting ready for the meeting that you were both required to attend with your brothers, which meant that you had to take your wedding ring off so they wouldn’t find out.

The walk from the apartment that Tommy had set you up with in London, when he gave you the job of taking care of business in Camden Town for him, was a mere five-minute walk to Alfie’s work.

Upon reaching the bakery, you gave a nod to Ollie who ushered you inside, allowing you to walk straight to Alfie’s office. Not bothering with knocking, you entered the room, Alfie’s head instantly lifting to see you – a bright smile growing on his features. 

Your eyes roamed his figure, the way his white shirt tightened around his biceps as he tossed the paper he was reading aside – taking his legs down from the desk. 

“You’re here early,” he grinned, beckoning you closer by curling his hand towards you. With a smile as wide as his, you walked around to his side of the desk; perching yourself on the edge right in front of him.

“Thought I’d have you for myself for a little while before my brothers arrive,” you teased, revelling in the feeling of his hands running up your thighs.

“Yeah, you didn’t have enough of me this morning?” 

Snickering, you leaned forward to capture him in a kiss – pausing when you were but mere millimetres apart. 

“Not nearly enough,” you whispered before finally meeting his lips with yours. “How long do we have until they arrive?”

“I’d give it a good twenty-minutes, right. What do you have planned?”

“I want you to fuck me in your office, Mr. Solomons,” you felt Alfie’s hands tighten their hold on you at your words. “Right here on your desk. Bend me over and take me as yours.”

“Right, yeah, well I can’t disappoint the missus now, can I?”

Before you knew it, your pretty blue skirt was bunched up around your hips, Alfie’s hand on the back of your neck keeping you in place as he fucked you over his desk. 

Your mouth was parted as loud moans left your lips, gently wrapping his hand around your throat – Alfie pulled you up so your back was flushed against his chest; fingers tilting your head in his direction. 

“You look so pretty like this,” he grunted, his thrusts relentless. 

Alfie was fucking you so well that you couldn’t form any words other than his name and the occasional ‘fuck’ – causing Alfie to lean down, whispering a “watch your fucking language” in your ear; the new angle causing you to cry out in pleasure.

Your hands could barely hold you up, as you reached your high – Alfie reaching his only a few seconds after you. Alfie was gentle as he pulled out of – his hands carefully pushing your skirt back down as you tried to regulate your breathing. 

“One day, right, I swear that one day yer’ going to kill me with your wild Shelby genetics,” Alfie snickered as you turned around with a bright smile on your face – his hand gently brushing away strands of your hair that stuck to your flushed cheeks.

“Not if my brothers kill you first,” you snickered, rushing around to the other end of the desk when knocks on the door filled the air around you. “Which they might do if they catch you with your pants still down.”

Alfie could only burst into genuine laughter as he pulled his pants up in a haste, shaking his head at how much he loved you.

~~~~~~~

Music was the last thing Alfie expected to hear on a Sunday morning. 

Nonetheless, there was definitely music coming from the parlour of his house downstairs and his dog, Cyril, who he was certain fell asleep next to him last night was nowhere in sight.

With an exasperated groan, Alfie rubbed his eyes but he was in no rush to get out of bed – knowing that if he was in any imminent danger the intruder definitely wouldn’t be playing ‘The Boy I Love’ as loud as the record players volume would go.

Clambering out of bed, Alfie made quick work of getting clothed – running his hand over his unruly ginger beard that definitely deserved some time, love and care. With heavy steps, he made his way out of his room and down the flight of stairs – stopping on the last step at the sight before him.

There you were, like a fucking angel, clothed in nothing but one of his white shirts and a pair of stockings – dancing around the parlour, while singing along with the song with Cyril at your feet.

He chuckles and lets a wide smile grow on his face as he leans against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest, watching in amusement and all he could think was; this is it. 

This was his happy ending. 

He watches as you twirl in circles while singing into the spatular in your grasp, before your eyes catch sight of his figure and you stop – almost tripping over your two-left feet.

“Alf!” You beam, before rushing over to him and grab his hand – pulling him into the middle of the room. “Dance with me?” 

Your words are coated with honey – almost as sweet as you and Alfie can’t find any reason as to say no. So with a nod in confirmation, he watches as you rush to change the record to a slow song before you slide over to him with giggles falling past your pretty lips. 

Your arms wrap around his neck and his slither to rest on your hips as he begins to sway you both on the spot. He leans his head down to rest his forehead against yours causing both your eyes to shut and he just knows that this is all he wants for the rest of his life. All he needs is you – and Cyril – and anywhere would feel like home.

You are home.

~~~~~~~

“Alf, can you read to me?” 

Alfie raises a brow at your question as he looks down at your head in his lap – his hand playing with your hair pausing mid-twirl. He blinks once as you hold up the book in your hands, an adorable pout on your lips.

“Why?” He questions, instinctively taking the book and flipping to the page you had dog-tagged.

“Because I’m getting sleepy and can’t focus on the words,” you yawn, the tiny sound causing his heart to flutter. “And your voice is soothing.”

Alfie bops your nose before he shifts so you were sitting – moving you under his left arm as your palm rests on his chest. Pulling on his glasses that were hung around his neck, Alfie clears his throat as he begins to read from where you left off – immersing himself in the tale of The Great Gatsby. 

He briefly pauses every few sentences to read over little markings you had made on things you liked or hated about a certain quirk the characters had or something interesting about the plot. Pretty soon he had finished the chapter, tagging the new page before shutting the book before looking down at your sleeping figure.

Your hand had formed into a tight fist, clenching the thin fabric of his shirt between your fingers as your lips parted and tiny snores flew past them. Pressing a kiss to your forehead, Alfie takes his time to shift your sleeping body until he was laying down on the lounge with you on his chest.

He falls asleep not even a minute later – arm wrapped protectively around you.

~~~~~~~

Alfie might’ve disguised his distillery as a bakery – but the man had never spent more than five minutes in an actual kitchen. So when you had suggested baking a pie together, he instantly knew it was going to be disastrous. 

He could vividly remember the tales that your aunt Polly had told him of your unfortunate kitchen endeavours. The older woman being the only one in the Shelby family that you had informed of your relationship and while she was whole-heartedly against it at first, you had convinced her to have dinner with you and Alfie one night, which she reluctantly accepted on account of your tears.

By the end of the night she was sending Alfie home with a kiss on his cheek and promise to come over for dinner again the same time next week – which he did. Eventually those dinners lead to Polly being the only one in your family who was there to witness your marriage – promising to keep the union secret until you were both ready to face your brothers. 

“No Alf you’ve got to mix the wet ingredients into the dry,” you pushed his hands away from the bowl before pausing, your eyebrows furrowing. “Or is it the dry with the wet?”

“Does it matter, aye?” Alfie questioned you, wrapping his arms around your waist – resting his head in the crook of your neck. “Won’t it still end up the same?”

“I don’t know!” You stubbornly huffed causing Alfie to laugh before he twirled you around in his arms, pinning you between his body and the counter top.

“Why didn’t you ask Pol for help? Yeah, I think she would’ve been more help that yer’ husband in this situation.”

Your laughter rings through the kitchen as you began fiddling with the buttons of his vest, he grins a little before beginning to pepper kisses down your neck to your collar bone – his fingers pushing down the straps to your dress. 

“Alf-” you whispered as his hands gripped under your thighs to lift you onto the counter. “This isn’t very hygienic.”

“The kitchen, yeah, is for food to be made and served right?” You nod to his question, tilting your head as he begins to bunch your dress up your hips. “I’m just going to eat the meal that I’m given.”

He could only cockily grin as you pushed him down onto his knees like he was at church – and by all things Holy was he going to worship you.

~~~~~~~

The beach in Margate always had a calming sensation on Alfie. 

He loved to just walk along the soft sand, letting the crisp wind prick at his skin as Cyril ran a few meters in-front of him. But now he loved it even more because he got to experience it with you.

His hand held yours as you both walked along the shoreline, the sounds of waves crashing and the occasional ship horn in the distance filling the atmosphere. 

Every few steps you would stop in your steps, causing Alfie to stand idly as you reached down to pick up a new shell – excitedly showing it to him before placing it in your purse. He couldn’t complain, not when you looked so endearing while showing them off, but he still couldn’t help but question you.

“What are yer’ going to do with all those fuckin’ shells?”

Resting your head against his bicep, you giggled as Cyril ran past you before you responded to his question. “I’m going to make a necklace.”

He smiles and it’s soft and gentle – two feelings that people would never believe Alfie Solomons could express. 

“What are yer’ going to where a shell necklace with, eh?” His nose crinkles as he laughs, pulling you impossibly closer to him.

“It’s not going to be for me,” you tell him confidently, eyes meeting his. “It’s for you.”

“Me?” He chortles, pressing a kiss to the crown of your head. “Do yer’ want people to think I’ve gone soft?”

He watches as a small frown creases your pretty features before you pull away from him – a bright smile replacing your glower as you take running off after Cyril.

And the truth is that Alfie had gone soft. Because later that night Alfie sits at the dining table going through deals and contracts, his eyes floating over to your figure on the other end – watching as you made the necklace that he gratefully accepts once you complete it.

He never takes it off after he see’s the way your eyes light up and feels how much love you hold for him as you pull him into a passionate kiss. Because in all honesty, Alfie Solomon’s was putty in your hands and would do anything you asked him to just to make you happy. 

You were his little slice of Heaven and he would never get enough of you.

Fic authors self-rec! ✨ When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you’ve written, then pass on to at least five other writers 🖤

Hi Val, tysm for the ask! I've chosen the 5 fics I'm most proud of to share with you. When I wrote these I was on another level!

∙ A Tomb by the Sounding Sea - Alfie Solomons

As Alfie recovers from his gunshot wound at Margate, he reminisces about his teenage love who died of TB.

∙ The Disappeared - Tommy x Martha Shelby

Tommy’s last memories of his mother.

∙ Funeral - Tommy x Shelby sis reader

After Tommy returns home from the war, he finds his youngest sister changed, the stress of the war years wearing on her. When he recognizes the symptoms of her loneliness and depression he tries to assure her everything will be alright.

∙ Aboard the January - Tommy x reader

You serve as Tommy’s doctor on the boat to Camden Town in S2, E2, making Tommy fall more in love with you than he thought possible.

∙ The Stable Boy - Tommy x daughter reader

Tommy’s sixteen year old daughter secretly falls for the new stable boy. What happens when Tommy discovers the truth and attempts to separate them?

Fic authors self-rec! ✨ When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you’ve written, then pass on to at least five other writers 🖤

Thanks for the ask, Alex! For you, I rec my 5 fave smut fics 😉

🔞 fics listed below. Minors DNI

∙ The Appleby Fair Tommy Shelby x female reader

∙ Did You Miss Me? Tommy Shelby x wife reader

∙ Welcome Home Michael Gray x female reader

∙ Smile Like You Mean It Jack Nelson x wife reader x female lover

∙ I Wanna Do Bad Things to You Alfie Solomons x Shelby sis reader

A Very Shelby Christmas

Summary: Christmas was even harder now that you were no longer the youngest Shelby, but Mrs. Solomons, but this year, there was even more tension brewing

A/N: The ever-brilliant @fandom-puff​ requested: I adore your writing! I was wondering if I could request something where the Shelby’s are all staying at Arrowe House for Christmas or something, and the reader (who is married- maybe to Alfie for the drama) starts getting snappy and having morning sickness, fatigue, fainting etc, and her brothers and husband are fussing over her because they think she could be ill when in actual fact she’s pregnant and just... chaos. And then in the middle of the arguments, Pol just grabs the reader’s chest 💞 I do love me some Shelby chaos, so here it goes. Also, two of my friends are heavily pregnant atm, so I kinda based the whole pregnant woman - thing off of them, sorry if it doesn’t fit all women… Still, hope you like it! Part 2 to this story is up: Welcome to the chaos, little one

Words: 3258

***

Some people celebrate Christmas around a tree, with a lot of good food and great company. They gather around, smile and laugh and all old family feuds appear to be forgotten. Other people celebrate Christmas by spending time in the silence, watching the snow fall and snuggling up with a good book. Some people spend Christmas alone, hurting over losses and pining for a family. And then there’s the Shelby’s, who spend Christmas like they do everything: in complete and utter chaos, but still celebrating it, because they’re respectable fucking people now.

All of you were summoned to Arrow House. You used the word ‘summoned’ when your husband asked you, because that’s how it fucking was. Tommy had sent everyone in the family a note that simply said: Christmas Eve, Arrow House, 8 PM. There’s family business to attend to, and cake.

“Why does he do that?” you husband remarked in his usual off-hand tone, which you immediately recognised as one of annoyance. “It’s Tom,” you said simply. “The problem is, right, this brother of yours, the almighty Tommy Shelby, thinks he can just order us about. Now, sweetheart, I know for a fact that whenever I tell you what to do, you kick me in my bloody balls, alright?” “I do,” you confirmed, still not looking up from the newspaper you were reading. “Right,” he nodded, “So what does he have that I don’t? How come he gets away with fucking saying ‘jump’ and you asking ‘how high, darling brother of mine?’ ” You rolled your eyes, “I’m not asking how high, love.” “From my point of view,” his voice started rising a little in pitch, “and I’ve seen many men, while also being in the unique position of having a God by my side who has graced me with some unimaginable high quality of reading human fucking nature, especially in Birmingham tiny fucking gangsters like Thomas Shelby bloody OBE, that you are!” “Alf, don’t call him tiny.” “He is fucking short.” “He is,” you took another sip of your tea, “But we don’t mention it.” “Why the fuck not?” “He gets upset.” “Like some child who’s fucking toy’s been taken?” “Alfie, baby, love of my life, light on my horizon, owner of my heart,” you finally looked your husband in the eye, “It’s Christmas, the family’s coming together and we’re going. No discussion.” “Yes, ma’am,” he grumbled, with a vague cheeky smile on his face. “Also,” you continued, “I want to know about this ‘family business’ he writes about. If there’s some new strategy, I want in.” “You always want in,” he commented. “As do you,” you smirked. Suddenly, Alfie Solomons stood up and pushed his breakfast aside, “Well, let’s fucking get on it then, Mrs. Solomons!” “Can’t,” you were back to your newspaper, “I have a meeting at 9.” “You’re not going to deny a man all that is given to him and fucking dangled in front of him over this lovely prepared breakfast table, but with the real snack still left untouched, now are you?” You had to laugh, much to your own annoyance. And in all honesty, it wasn’t like you weren’t in the mood, but you had your own business to attend to and had to leave. “Bye, Alfie,” you said sweetly, as you walked off. “Brutal,” he mumbled, “Absolutely cold, brutal and not to mention cruel, woman.”

“We leave at 5, make sure you’re mentally prepared!” you warned him. “How the fuck does one prepare for the Shelby clan celebrating some heathen festival while gathered in some dark mansion with no means of escape for the poor and unfortunate Jew forced to attend?” You ignored him, ”Be kind, don’t talk too much…” “When do I ever talk too much?”

“Behave...” He held out his hands in innocence, “When do I not behave?” “And don’t tell him he’s tiny.” “But I will most definitely mention the fact that his tailor has a lot to put up with.”

***

The drive up to Arrow House consisted mostly of Alfie talking a lot about what he wasn’t going to talk about or mention and you sitting in silence. It wasn’t that you were worried about Tommy and Alfie in the same room, because yes it had taken a few months for them to both accept that they were in fact now family, but everyone had sort of, kind of dealt with it now. Even Aunt Polly. But you weren’t feeling well, at all.

“We have indeed arrived at the lion’s den, the towers of Gomorrah or the gates of Sheol,” but Alfie’s voice seemed to come from very far away. “Sweetheart,” he looked at you with worry in his eyes, “Are you alright?” “I’m fine,” you quickly said, “Maybe I just haven’t eaten enough or something…” “We don’t have to stay here,” he tried, “we could go back to the cosy home that we’ve made for ourselves, or Margate, we could go to Margate where…” “We’re going in,” you decided quickly, “follow me, husband!” and he had no choice but to run after you, as you were already making your way towards the house. Still, you felt a little unsteady on your feet. Alfie greeted Arthur first with his usual over-the-top gestures and the fact that it still made Arthur uncomfortable did you good. John brushed past Alfie and quickly went to hug you. You could see Alfie mumble, “rude…” from the corner of your eye.

Tommy was nowhere to be found, so you decided to look for him in his study. In the dark and surrounded by smoke, there he sat, with too many papers and files for company. “Well, brother mine,” you greeted, “Here we are, as summoned.” “I asked you to come,” he sounded annoyed already, “You’re a grown woman, Y/N, and free to do as you please.” “I’m well aware,” you said, picking up some papers and glancing them quickly, “I was aware even when I wasn’t a grown woman yet.” “I remember,” he sighed deeply. “You look well,” you said, after a few moments of silence, “Elated to see me.” He looked up with a confused expression on his face, “I look well?” “No, not really, but it’s something to say, isn’t it.”

“You look…” he waved his hand a little, “different.” You walked over to Tommy with a smile on your face, “And that’s as chivalrous as he gets.” You quickly hugged him, before he could protest, and added, “I’ve missed you, Tommy.” “Yeah,” he lit another cigarette and his mind was back wandering on business and horses. “Now come and say hello to Alfie!” As you walked away, you heard another Thomas-Shelby-patented sigh and you started counting the hours until Christmas would be done.

“Where’s Pol?” you asked John. “Late?” “I can see that,” you rolled your eyes. You desperately needed more women to be here, for your own sanity, but also to diffuse some of the tension in the room. Alfie was currently explaining to both Tommy and Arthur what Christmas was really about and it wasn’t going great. “And Ada?” “Are you not happy to see us?” John asked, without replying to your question. “I am,” you mumbled, “It’s just that…” “For fucks sake,” John muttered. He looked so disappointed and you wanted to say something to cheer him up, but just couldn’t think of anything right now.

Thank God Polly and Ada did arrived later that evening. You were having dinner at the long table in Tommy’s gigantic dining hall and everyone seemed to have stuff on their minds. For most of the time, it was quiet. You were feeling worse and worse and feared you were coming down with something. The food tasted horrible and even the wine turned to vinegar in your mouth. So, you did as any Shelby would, and turned to whiskey.

And then it happened. Alfie decided to lighten the mood with a joke.

“So, I’ve done some reading on you Christians, even though we’re spending Christmas with the worst bunch of heathens ever spat out by the lovely city of Birmingham…” Tommy sighed deeply and decided to start smoking in the middle of his meal.

But Alfie continued like nothing had happened, “Do you know what happens when a good Christian virtuous woman comes to the gates of heaven?” “Here we go…” Polly muttered and she stared at you pointedly, like you could still stop Alfie. You couldn’t, obviously. “She finds everything she thought she would find. Gorgeous fucking landscapes, perfect bloody sunsets, like the ones we get in Margate, seagulls as far as the fucking eye can see! It’s perfection, all of it, but then she sees a high wall, blocking the immaculate view. So she goes and asks Peter, because you lot believe he’s some kind of expert on these matters, right, and she asks him: why the wall, mate?”

“I think I know this one,” John was the only one grinning. “Good!” Alfie called out, “So no need to get offended, alright? Because this is the best bit: Peter tells her, he fucking tells her right: behind that wall, we put the Catholics, like dear old Aunt Polly here, right? And we put them behind that wall, so they keep on believing they’re the only ones in here!” Triumphantly, he looked around the table. John looked at you full of expectation, “I did know this one.” “Bravo,” you commented with a straight face. “Right,” Tommy said abruptly, “I need to discuss family business and I want to do it in the morning. Alfie, no need for you to attend.” Anger was rising inside of you, “Why the fuck not? He’s family now.” “Well, as far as I can tell, we’re still on different sides of the wall, right Alfie?” Tommy stared intently at your husband. “Depends how you look at it. I’d say I’m on top of that wall…” Alfie replied. “Then what was the point of your fucking joke?” Arthur’s nostrils flared. “Arthur, calm down,” Ada said, looking bored by the whole thing.

“No, tell me,” Tommy joined in, “What was the point, Alfie?” But before Alfie could reply and this turned into a full-on war, you stood up and called out, “Alright, everyone shut up. Tommy, this is Alfie Solomons, my husband, fucking deal with it. Arthur, just ignore him altogether if you can’t stand him. John, just, don’t. And Alfie, there are no fucking virtuous women here and we may or not be Christians, but we’re not out to get you just because you’re a Jew.” “That has been said before, love…” he mumbled. “Can we just celebrate Christmas like a normal fucking civilised family?” you fumed. “We’re Shelby’s,” John replied, looking baffled by your sudden explosion. You were officially shouting now, “I know we are, but fucking just…” And your vision went black, the room swayed and the floor gave way.

***

It was the middle of the night when you opened your eyes again. “Hello, love,” Alfie said in a calm voice, “Still with us?” “I think so…” you had trouble speaking, “What happened?” “You collapsed, while trying to negotiate peace in your usual subtle tones.”

You smirked a little, “I do that, don’t I?” “And that’s why I love you, Y/N.”

“I need to talk to Tommy,” you were getting up.

“You need to rest, sweetheart.” You send him a calming smile, wanting desperately not to be fussed over, “I’m alright. I just need to talk to him. I’ll be right back.” But talking to Tommy wasn’t as easy as you might’ve thought. He was back at his desk, brooding and being grumpy.

“Tom?” you asked, and his head shot up, “Are you okay?” “How are you?” he immediately said and for a moment, he was the big brother you remembered so well, always loving and protective, but still… Tommy. “Yeah, I’m fine. Something I ate, I think.” He nodded slowly. “I need you to get on with Alfie,” you demanded, “I need this to work. I’m a Shelby and I always will be, but this is the man I love and the man I’ve chosen. I need you to respect that.” “Why me, eh?” “If you can get on with him, the others will follow,” you smiled at his pretending to not understand, “Please. Do it for your baby sister in need.” He cleared his throat and actually smiled at you, “Last time you were in need, you were still in diapers.” And so you smiled back, “You still remember that?” “Yes,” he got up and walked to the other side of his desk, “Angriest baby I ever saw. You came out of our mother howling in fury, with dark eyes that looked you straight in the eye. Maybe you’ll realise once you have one of your own.” Your head shot up, “About that. When we do decide to have a baby, will you be okay with that?” “What?” he was surprised, “Why wouldn’t I be?” “Because it’ll be Alfie’s child. My child will be raised in London, taught the Jewish customs and will probably have a beard later in life.” “And it’ll be a Shelby,” Tommy nodded, “With a beard…” So much warmness nestled in your heart, because this was Tommy accepting the child that wasn’t even here yet, “Yes, it’ll be a Shelby.”

You turned around to get back to bed, but Tommy said, “Y/N?” “Tommy?” you turned back. “Just…” he lit another cigarette, “Just wait a few more years, eh? Let me get used to that husband of your first before I have to get used to two of them. Do it for your big brother in need, eh?” ***

The next morning, a certain tension still hung in the air during breakfast. You were grumpy, to say the least, but had no idea why. Your conversation with Tommy had stirred something inside of you, something maternal, but you weren’t ready for it yet. Still, you couldn’t stop thinking about baby names and it annoyed you beyond comprehension.

“How are you, Y/N?” Arthur asked in a kind voice. But you snapped, “I believe I’ve entered the 7th circle of hell, how about you?” “Alright then,” he mumbled and slowly backed away. “Just answer the question, Y/N,” John held up his hands and smiled warmly, “He just wants to know how you are!” You sighed dramatically and shouted out, “If I were any better, it would be a sin.” Four pairs of brotherly eyes stared at you in confusion and annoyance. “What?” you asked, “I’m sure Polly understands.”

Polly however rolled her eyes and muttered under her breath, “Christ almighty…” “See!” you called out triumphantly, “She gets it.”

“Does she though?” Alfie said, to no one in particular. You held up your hands, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry… I just don’t feel great.” “You’re trying to poison us, mate?” Alfie turned to Tommy. “Ask Francis,” Tommy actually made a joke. But Ada looked up from her book, for he first time in two days, “Why do you ask, Alfie?” “Well, my lovely wife here first passes out after eating your fucking three-course meal and then she has breakfast in bed this morning, brought up by none other than her devoting husband, and she pukes the entire thing back up! Some agenda here you’d like to tell me about, Tom?” Ada frowned and looked at you, but you didn’t understand and shrugged. “Maybe it’s those pies, Tommy,” John commented, “I always feel weird after eating them.” “That’s because you eat six in one go,” you told your brother. “Maybe,” he grinned at you and you returned the gesture. All was well between the two of you again, as always, and this was all that was needed. “Y/N…” Polly started, but you didn’t want to talk about being unwell anymore, so ignored it. “Now, can we finally talk business?” Tommy sighed, “Alfie, I want you there.” You send a grateful look across to the table to him. “I don’t think we should,” Arthur spoke up for the first time, “Last time we did, Y/N passed out.” “I’m fine,” you said through gritted teeth. “And she nearly bit my head off for saying good morning,” Arthur continued, with a hurt expression on his face. If there was one thing you hated in the world, it was feeling weak, “I’m just…” “Is it your time of the month?” Ada leaned in and asked quietly. “No,” you mouthed, “definitely not.” “When was the last time?” Polly looked at you strictly. But John interrupted, “I heard the flu was going around. Some of the kids on that nearby farm had it and they were fucking ill, all of them.” “I’ll send for a doctor, eh?” Tommy said, concern written on his face now as well.

“No need,” but no one listened to you anymore. “Maybe it’s London,” Arthur remarked, “Does strange bloody things to normal people.” “Hang on there, mate…” Alfie bit at once. And once again, you were the one standing up and shouting out, “Shut up! I’m fine. Stop fucking fussing, I am not a child! I just feel a little unwell, I’m not dying of the flu and I’m not on my fucking period, so Just. Fucking. Calm. Down.” Slowly, from the corner of your eye, you could see Polly rising as well. The men sat back, shocked by your outburst and in fear of another fainting spell, but your aunt walked over to you without wavering. Then, suddenly, she grabbed your tits. “Aunt Pol,” you called out, “What the fuck?” Ada nodded, “I feared as much.” “What?” Arthur started to panic for not understanding, “What the fuck is going on?” But it suddenly dawned on John, having about a hundred children himself, “For fucks sake, Y/N…”

Tommy sighed deeply and downed his morning glass of whiskey. “About what?” Alfie demanded in a loud voice, “Can someone please fucking explain this weird Birmingham tradition of grabbing my wife’s glorious tits? Is it Christmas related, is it a Christian thing? Some explanation would be fucking appreciated at this point!” “Are you sure?” you asked Polly with wide eyes. “Yes,” she said at once, “You’re having a boy.” “I’m sorry, fucking what?” Alfie mumbled, while slowly sinking down in his seat again. “Congratulations Solomons!” Polly called out, looking down on a table of absolutely defeated looking men. Finn got all excited and stood up, trying to make a toast, but Arthur pulled him back down in his seat before he could open his mouth.

“No, no, no, no…” Arthur started saying to himself, “I put up with this one fucking Jew, calling me ‘Arfa’ and saying bloody shalom, but I can’t do another one…” “Arthur,” Alfie pointed at him in all seriousness, “I am going to fucking shoot you.”

But you couldn’t hide the fact that you were incredibly happy about this little fact. A child! A little Alfie or a little Shelby, the child that would finally unite both families. But most of all: your child. It was strange how much love you could already feel for this little life inside of you. But at the same time, the thought that you were now growing a child, growing actual bones, freaked you out a little. You had to sit down again, before you got really existential.

Tommy leaned back in his chair and threw his head back, “We just fucking talked about this, Y/N.”

You looked at Alfie and mimicked his absolutely delighted grin. Then you said to your brother, “Oops?”

***

Masterlist

Shalom

Summary: An unlikely friendship is formed between the teenage Teddy Shelby and Alfie Solomons, much to the family’s discomfort

A/N: Alfie it is, here we go! Shelby sis is Teddy and she’s fourteen in this one. First time writing Alfie, so have mercy on me in the comments. Another language disclaimer: for the Yiddish phrases I had to draw from memory (my grandfather) and it’s based on the Dutch version of Yiddish. Might not be perfect. Anon requested: Younger Shelby sis gets badly beaten up in London by Sabini's men and the family get a call that she's in hospital so they all travel to London. When they get there Alfie's sat next to her bed and Arthur and John go to attack him but it turns out Alfie was the one who saved the her just in the nick of time because she's one of the only Shelbys he has no issues with. Non-romantic, I just think Shelby sis and Alfie would be a comedic powerhouse friendship. Hope that made sense haha x

Words: 3513 *** “Well done Tommy, you’ve picked a side. Now you’re at war with Sabini.”

When Tommy had decided the expansion into London was the way to go, he hadn’t thought of his youngest sister. He thought of his eldest, Ada, and he’d warned her to stay away from London for a little bit, but she didn’t listen. She never listened. Both of them didn’t. 

One night, Ada was taken and Tommy got beaten up. They cut his tooth right out of his mouth and still, still, he thought he was invincible. The fact that it was Campbell who had to save him hardly even mattered. He was a fucking idiot, or so Teddy told him, the only one brave enough to do so. It wasn’t until she became the victim of Sabini’s retaliation herself, that the message sunk in with Tommy. Ada had a new house in London. Claiming up and down she was no longer a Shelby, she still took the house. Besides, she didn’t want to be involved with the Peaky Blinders and she was sick of her brothers, but she’d never turn out her youngest sister. So a few weeks ago, Teddy had been forbidden to travel to London to see Ada, which meant she went each week to travel to London to see Ada. Sabini had ordered his men to take the youngest Shelby, after discovering the Peaky’s had taken his club. He was beyond rational now and planned to use her. Having one younger sister as well, he knew what brothers were like with their baby sisters. So one evening, on her way back, Teddy had been grabbed, just like Ada had been. It was supposed to be a clear-cut thing: take the girl, rough her up a bit if she doesn’t cooperate, and bring her back to Sabini. But it didn’t go quite as planned.

Teddy had screamed and fought, but to no avail. She did however manage to grab hold of the knife hidden in her laced up shoes and without thought she had started stabbing blindly. The men thought it’d be easy, taking the teenage Shelby, but were sorely disappointed. One of them had ended up with a knife sticking out of his leg and another had a broken nose, so anger overtook them. They were no longer interested in this pretty girl with whom they had hoped to have their way, but they had resorted to beating her senseless. If it hadn’t been for the group of men watching the scene from a distance and interfering just in time, the youngest Shelby would’ve been dead. *** Teddy woke up in the hospital with every inch of her body hurting. She tried to open her eyes, but one wasn’t cooperating. She tried to move her arm, but found a soaring pain going through it. She tried to get up, but a man pushed her back down. “Right, hello,” he said, voice raspy and higher than the ones she knew so well. Teddy peered at the dishevelled appearance standing next to her hospital bed and whispered tortured, “Who the fuck are you?” The man took off his Portuguese hat and feigned half a bow, “Alfie Solomons. We’ve met before, when your brother thought he could barge into Camden and summon up the Jews whenever he pleased.” “He does that…” Teddy groaned, sitting up a little bit. Alfie smiled for a moment. Then he pointed his yat at her and slowly said, “You told me to go fuck myself, if I recall correctly.” Teddy sighed, “I do that, yes…” Now she remembered him. Tommy had been hurt and she’d travelled with him and Curly on the boat, sitting by him as the days and nights went past. Why they were going no one ever told her, but Teddy had been hell-bend on keeping her brother alive. And she’d managed it, only to meet some Jew in some dodgy bakery. She’d been bored by the entire thing, especially by this man looking her up and down while threatening her brother. What a joke. Said Jew continued calmly, “See, the idea of this Shelby clan is fucking tiresome to be honest. You people should just stick to the godforsaken place you came from, right? But when this fucking gangster from Birmingham, yeah, comes in with his little sister in tow, I think to myself: is this cunt serious? Imagine this, right, imagine thinking you’re going into a fucking business meeting. I get ready, get the whisky out for him and halfway through I plan on shooting his fucking brains out before shipping him off to Timbuktu, but now I can’t fucking do that, right? Not only will I ruin a perfectly good cabinet in the process, but I can’t shoot the man with his little sister watching, just can’t fucking do it. So, what do I do, hmm? I let him talk and I listen,”

Alfie had started pacing the room, sometimes looking up to see which affect his words were having on Teddy, “Now, there’s this little girl present who fucks up the whole meeting. So I try to ignore her, right, I try to get on with the fucking business of the fucking wops who are in my fucking way. But in the meantime, I’m sitting there, looking at this tiny little version of Tommy fucking Shelby, who keep staring at me like she’s wondering what in the hell I am on about!”

Suddenly he turned back to Teddy, “So I asked you, politely, like the gentleman that I am, if you would like a drink. Now, I know I interrupted your admirable big brother in doing so, but it was the right thing to do, right? And then you tell me to go fuck myself! Very rude, that was, very rude…” Alfie finished his speech, leaning onto his cane. His brows were furrowed, but there was an amused glint in his eyes.

Teddy rolled her eyes, “What is it that you want?” “Ha!” Alfie called out, grinning widely, “There are so many things I want! For one, I’d like to see my people freed. I mean, it’s been forty fucking years in the desert already and it’s about time we’d…”

Sensing another lengthy monologue was coming, she cut him off, “What is it you want from me? You had your men save me, right? Why?” “Here’s the thing, and it’d be better if you’d actually let me finish this time,” Alfie looked at her from over his glasses in a vague attempt to be strict, “Some families are just bad. They do bad things, like your brothers do, right? And whatever it is they want, they only have one way to go about it, yeah? They kill and murder and butcher and maim, because that’s what they do!” he spread out his hands, “I have no problem with this. If they want to live their lives like that and help my business in the process, they are more than fucking welcome to it. But imagine for a second Tommy Shelby a bit less serious, yeah? Can you imagine that? Because the one thing that really gets on my tits, is how seriously they all take it. But at that business meeting, down in my lovely bakery, you were fucking bored,” he pointed at her again, “I didn’t manage to fucking scare or entertain you, now did I? You were fucking bored. Just like me.” 

Expectantly, he looked at her. Teddy needed some time to process all of this, “You know I’m only fourteen, right?” “So what?” Alfie replied, not understanding how this was related to any of his previous rants. “So, I’m not marrying you at fourteen!” Whatever Alfie was expecting, this wasn’t it, “Fucking hell!” Teddy continued with raised voice, “What the fuck are you even doing standing by my bed talking about entertaining me…” “No!” he interjected, slightly panicking about where this was going, “You’re missing the point…” But she continued, “Listen, half the time I don’t give a fuck about what my brothers do, but if you think you can use me as some asset… Like you saving me because it will help you in business…” “You’re not some asset!” he managed to shout over her. “I know I’m fucking not!” Teddy replied, outraged, “You think you’re the first rival that’s threatened me or has tried to take me? You’re right, I am fucking bored! Bored of all these bloody men pulling at me from all sides! At least wait a few more years…” “Okay, shut the fuck up!” Alfie called out, holding up a hand, “What I meant to say is that I am intrigued,” he paused a moment to run a hand through his beard, “Yeah, that’s it, I’m intrigued, by the Shelby who not only gets bored but tells me to go fuck myself…” “I’ll tell you again if you like,” Teddy sighed. “Please do.” “Go fuck yourself.” Alfie grinned again, “Doesn’t get dull…” Teddy leaned back on her pillow after a few moments of silence, and said, “So, the point of this entire fucking thing is that you saved me because you like me?” Alfie sat back down slowly, “Like some strange twist of fate or maybe the Lord Almighty is playing another trick on our people or maybe it’s just me going out of my own mind…” he mused, “I think: yes.” “Should’ve just fucking said so. Saved us heaps of time.” *** Ada was the first one to hear about Teddy getting attacked. Peaky men were stationed all over London to make sure she was safe, but now they had to go to her and explain how they’d been too late in getting to the youngest Shelby. They weren’t even sure if she’d survived the attack, but they could tell her it was Sabini’s men who’d done it and that is was Solomons’ men who’d rescued her. None of this was good enough for Ada, so she’d done the right thing by her sister and kicked the messenger in the balls. The news arrived days later in Birmingham, where the search parties had already been sent out to find Teddy. Polly had blown right there and then, accusing Tommy of the danger he had put her niece in. The brothers went mad with worry. But the real question, of why Alfie would want to save her, never really came up, except in Tommy’s mind. So they all piled into the family car and went to Royal London Hospital. They’d received word from Ada that Teddy was still alive, but she hadn’t seen her conscious yet. Between her work and taking care of Karl, Ada watched by her side as much as she could. But a few days had passed already and only after the second day Teddy had woken up, to the sight of Alfie Solomons. Since then, he’d visited every day, never crossing paths with Ada. Slowly they got to know each other better, neither of them really understanding why but enjoying it all the same. Tommy knew nothing of this. You can only imagine his surprise when he walked into the right hospital wing, expecting to find Ada by his sister’s bed, but only to lay eyes on his business associate. His first instinct was to react badly, but he saw that Teddy was awake and sitting up, so he walked over to her. Arthur didn’t quite have his restraint and he immediately dragged Alfie out of his chair and shoved him up against the wall. John’s anger flared in the same manner and he took of his cap, revealing the razor blades, and moved it towards Alfie’s neck. “Wait!” Teddy stopped him. Without looking at her, Arthur breathed, “Why the fuck is this animal besides your bed, Teddy.” Alfie hardly seemed fazed by any of this, “We were just having a chat, her and me.” “Put him down, Arthur,” Tommy ordered, “He saved our sister’s life.” “Why?” John demanded, not taking his eyes off him. “As it turns out,” Alfie started, in his usual tone of voice that held the balance between comedic and insane, “She’s the only one in the family who isn’t such a cunt! Which is funny when you think about it, right, because she actually has…” But when he saw the look on Arthur’s face, still very close to his, he decided not to finish that sentence. “Are you alright?” Tommy turned to Teddy. He started counting bruises, bandages and injuries with his eyes and it felt like a hand was closing around his throat. “Peachy,” she replied coldly. Alfie laughed out loud, “She put a knife in some wop’s leg, mate, it was fucking brilliant.” Teddy sighed at her brother’s less than humorous glance, “The cunt had it coming.” “What?” John called out, annoyance written all over his face, “Since when do you use words like ‘cunt’?” “Since now.” “It’s that Jew…” Arthur said menacingly, pointing at Alfie, “He’s rubbing off on her.” “Calm down, Arthur,” Teddy joked, deadpanned, “I’m only fourteen, we’re waiting a few more years until we get married.” Tommy sank down on the chair and buried his face in his hands for a few seconds, “Stop with the fucking jokes, alright? You’re nearly giving me a heart attack here.” When it remained silent for a while and you could cut the tension with a knife in the room, Alfie decided to cheer everyone a bit up, “So, it’s great to see the mishpacha complete again! All the way down from Birmingham, imagine that. Must have been quite the trip…” he had a sort of homely smile on his face. When no one replied, Teddy said sarcastically, “I guess that means they missed me.” “Guess they did, love, guess they did,” Alfie mused, “Well, if you ever feel underappreciated by this lot, you could always come and work for me, right?” “Not happening,” Arthur growled. “You could be my business advisor,” Alfie continued, completely not bothered, “Always good for business to have shikse by my side.” “What does that even mean?” John whispered as he leaned into Arthur. Teddy nodded slowly, “Fine, but I want at least 40 % of the cut.” “Get the fuck out of here!” Alfie shouted out, grinning widely and leaning back in his chair, “You want 40 for just sitting there and looking pretty? You’re out of your mind, mate!” “Piss of, Solomons. You know I could double your business in weeks,” she argued calmly, “Remember that deal you did with those boys from south London? Should’ve done it a week later, after Christmas, when they raided all the brothels. Could’ve gotten them much cheaper.” “Fucking hell, she’s right,” he admitted softly. Sensing he was no longer part of this conversation, Tommy stood up and lit a cigarette by the window. The other two brothers had no idea what to do with themselves, eyes flitting between the two as they bargained. “So, how the fuck was I supposed to know when they were going to get raided. I’m not some fucking prophet now, am I?” Alfie continued. Teddy pointed at him from the bed, evidently growing stronger by the day, “That’s why you should use police. Sabini uses the police and look at him.” “That’s what I told you as well, Alfie,” Tommy reacted now. “Yeah, but it makes more sense when she says it,” Alfie winked at Tommy, which irritated him to no end, “No offence, mate.” As the two of them argued some more over deals and employment pay, Polly came into the room. She’d decided to come by train and send the boys ahead of her. Little attention was paid to her though, because the negotiations were still in full swing. “What the hell is going on here?” She asked John. “Apparently, Teddy made a friend,” he commented dryly. “Aunt Polly!” Alfie called out when he saw her, “Welcome, welcome, we haven’t met before, but please take my seat!” Baffled, Polly sat down, with a suspicious look on her face, “What is it that you want with my niece?” “A lot of people have been asking me that question, yeah, including your niece. Well, here comes the fucking truth, I think I have feelings for her.” Teddy grinned slightly, but Polly was less amused, “Fucking feelings?” “Yes,” Alfie confirmed, “I feel amused whenever she opens her mouth and it does me a world of good.” “Christ,” Polly grabbed her chest, “Thought my heart was about to explode.” “I know right!” Alfie beamed, the corners of his mouth practically reaching his ears. Tommy sighed loudly and put out his cigarette on the window sill, “Right, well if you two children are done here…” But Teddy interrupted him again, “Will you please just thank the gentleman for rescuing me when you cunts couldn’t be bothered and were busy causing trouble elsewhere!” “Jesus, language, Teddy!” Polly called out, “And since when do you say ‘cunt’?” “That’s what I asked…” John mumbled. “Fine,” Tommy rubbed his eyes, “Alfie, I thank you for saving my sister,” Then he turned to Teddy, “Happy now?” Teddy tried to keep her face in check as best she could, but a mischievous glint came into her eyes, “See, the thing is, Tom,” and with her accent she mimicked Alfie, “I have to make decision about what to do when I get well, right? I could go back to Birmingham with you lot, but that’d be daft, innit!” Tommy sighed deeply and turned away. He came here expecting to see his sister broken, and she was injured, but mentally, she was fine. He didn’t expect her getting back to making his life difficult quite so soon, and with a partner in crime this time. “So, when I think about home, yeah?” Teddy continued in her fake accent, seeing with great satisfaction how her family was about ready to give up on life, “There’s just some warmth missing there, you know, just some fucking warmth.” Alfie nodded solemnly, “You need some love.” “I do,” Teddy replied quickly, frowning in earnest, “I need some love.” “I hear you, mate. Ain’t easy bringing up children in this dark fucking mess that the world has become today…” “I just feel lonely, Alf,” she continued, feigning hurt that he could see right through. Alfie suddenly stood up and announced, “I have you covered, sweetheart. I know exactly what you need!” and then he left the room. “What the fuck is happening now?” Arthur asked no one in particular. “Don’t worry brother,” Teddy joked, “Alfie here has me covered.” A few moments later, Solomons walked back in with the biggest smile on his face. In his arms he was carrying a puppy. “Absolutely not,” Polly rolled her eyes, “We’re not having that dog.” “Look at it, woman,” Alfie held the dog inches from her face, “Look at that gorgeous fucking creation right here. Now pet it. Feel it’s soft fur. Can’t say no to that, now can you?” and he planted the tiny dog onto Teddy’s hospital bed. Silence had fallen completely now. Teddy was playing with the puppy, over the moon with joy and Alfie watched the scene happily. Meanwhile, Polly was smoking a cigarette with her head tipped back in resignation, Arthur was actively fighting the urge to throw Alfie out of the window, John had no idea why he was there and Tommy was done with life, in general. “Right!” Alfie announced suddenly, his voice echoing and once again completely ignoring the tension in the room, “I should be off. I have a kalla to get to. Thank you all for inviting me!” “We didn’t fucking invite you,” Thomas growled, “You came before us.” “Story of your life, I imagine, mate,” Alfie grinned and Teddy burst out laughing. Tommy groaned again. He couldn’t take anymore, so he just walked out of the room. “I think we did it,” Teddy beamed up at Alfie, “I think we broke Thomas Shelby.” He grinned at Teddy, high-fived her and made his way out of the room, “See you tomorrow, mate!” Long after he’d left, Polly questioned, “Why? Why would you do that to your brother?” “Because he didn’t fucking show up! Luckily Alfie was there or else I would’ve been dead! You ever thought of that?” John was still confused, “So this whole thing was just to punish Tommy?” “And us,” Arthur added darkly, “Because we showed up too late?” They didn’t notice Tommy had come back after seeing Alfie had left, “Guess I deserved that,” he grumbled, “And I am glad to see you’re alright. Good enough to make my life hell once again,” and for the first time, Tommy’s eyes were smiling as well. “Someone has to,” Teddy joked. “I guess we’re not mentioning the fact that I had expressly forbidden you to go to London…” Tommy mumbled, but he wasn’t even mad. “Better not,” she said, “Don’t want to go and open up old wounds now, just when I’m in a forgiving mood.” 

“I just can’t believe you get on so well with a London Jewish gangster…” Polly thought out loud.

“He’s alright,” Teddy replied, gazing down lovingly at the puppy, “Not too bad for a cunt.”

***

Masterlist

Predicament [part one]

Alfie Solomons x Shelby! sister reader

Warnings: talks of war, violence, 

Request: please one where tommy’s twin sister was a nurse in the war and ended up tending to our boy alfie, they happen to fall in love but are told that the other died so shelby sis and him are surprised when they meet after during a deal

word count: 3.5 k

thinking of making this a two part mini-series, so enjoy a backstory [it’s a longish read so :”) let me know your thoughts]

𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟗𝟏𝟓

If you shut your eyes tight enough, you could pretend that you weren’t there.

You could pretend that the sounds of gun fire and shouting was actually your younger brothers screams and heavy footsteps as they chased your sister around your cramped flat that looked like a cramped traditional Gypsy caravan.

You could pretend that the smell of gun powder was actually just the wood that your aunt burnt in the fireplace, where you were huddled up with your siblings – telling stories alongside your twin brother. 

But there was no room for pretending in a place so disastrous – a place where one decision could end your life.

Tiredly rubbing your bloodied hands down your light blue dress, you ignored the sounds of everyone rushing through the area around you – you needed a break. You weren’t sure how much more death you could take. 

Staring at the crimson stains that stained the skin of your hands, you let out a shaky sigh as you tried not to cry, reminding yourself that you couldn’t have saved your last patient. He was already too far gone. 

You wished to go back to a happier time. A time where the only blood you would see was when you chased your twin brother, Tommy, down the cobblestone road of Watery Lane – falling and scraping your knees and palms. 

A time where your dreams weren’t full of blood, screams and damn medical equipment. 

Sometimes you cursed your younger sister, Ada, for forcing you to attend that damn nursing course – cursed yourself for falling in love with the possibility of being able to help people.

Because it’s what got you here. It’s why they drafted you alongside your brothers – to help the soldiers. 

“Shelby!” A feminine voice called as rushed footsteps headed towards you. “What are you doing on the floor? We need you!”

The young red-headed woman quickly bent down and grabbed your forearms to pull you onto your feet, her eyes darting over your shaky figure to make sure you were alright. Dorothy, you think her name was – you couldn’t be too sure with how foggy your mind seemed to be, barely showed anymore concern as she tugged you forward.

“More corps have been brought in,” the woman hurried to explain as she lead you over to the Field Marshal. “He wants you to take care of someone important.”

You barely got to question the woman as she rushed off to tend her own patients – your entire body going into nurse mode as you took in the man on the stretcher, your eyes darting to your superior.

“Don’t let him die,” the older man condescendingly spoke as you pushed past the crowd around the injured soldier. “He’s a captain, Miss Shelby – keep him alive.”

You made quick work of assessing his injuries, tearing off his thin white shirt to see a bullet entrance wound on the right side of his chest – using all your strength to roll him over slightly to spot an exit wound.

Letting out a sigh of relief, you grabbed a few rags from the small bench beside you, pushing them against the wound on his back as you made nimble work of sterilising the entrance wound and the needle that another nurse had handed off to you.

You were focused, constantly checking his pulse and making sure you weren’t losing the soldier – knowing that his body passed out to avoid him having to deal with the pain. With ringing ears from the loud shouts from the sea of people around you – you tirelessly worked until you were certain his wound was properly treated.

With a huff, you fell down into the small chair beside his bed – it was late, the hustle and bustle inside the makeshift hospital had calmed down slightly. Patients fast asleep in their uncomfortable cots – nurses retreating to their headquarters, but you refused. 

If someone asked, you wouldn’t be able to tell them how long you had sat in that uncomfortable chair – occasionally dozing off in exhaustion before you snapped out of it to make sure your patient hadn’t died on your watch. 

Resting your cheek on your open palm – your elbow dug into the wooden armrest of the chair as you watched the man peacefully sleep. The orange hues from the candles beside his bed lit up his features and if you looked closely enough you could make out the lines of exhaustion behind his ginger beard. His pale skin was covered with dirt and soot – the white bandages around his chest standing out against the grime.

He was someone you would’ve found attractive before.

Basking in the rare moment of silence, you finally allowed your mind and body to catch a break. The continuous hours on your feet and threat of death that was constantly in the back of your mind ceased – if only for a moment, before you were snapped out of a brisk period of peace by a soft groan.

You were on your feet within a second, hand tenderly resting on his bicep as you checked over him for any signs of distress – his eyes blinked a couple of times, trying to clear his vision as he let out a hiss of pain through his clenched teeth.

“The fuck happened?” Your heart jumped at the sound of his gravelly voice followed by a dry cough. You reached over for the flask full of water next to the bed – gently lifting his head as you helped him drink.

A loud whimper left his lips as you placed his head back down on the stiff pillow – your hands hovering over where his wound was, watching as he tried to figure out what was happening. 

“Where does it hurt, captain?”

His eyes seemed to widen at the sound of your soft voice, the crystal blue meeting your own as you stared at him in concern. One of his hands lifted to come rest on his forehead as he rubbed at the skin. 

“Are you an angel?” He drowsily questioned, taking in his surroundings as a soft chuckle left your lips. “Where am I?”

“The infirmary.”

Gently pulling his hand away from his face, you stared down at him as he seemed to huff in recognition – obviously remembering what had happened that landed him in the medical tent.

“Is it your bullet wound or somewhere else that hurts? I can’t help you if I don’t know, captain.”

Taking your bottom lip between your teeth, you waited for him to explain the exact area that he was experiencing pain – letting out a sigh when he didn’t respond, obviously too headstrong to admit that he was in pain.

“Alright,” you trailed off, reaching for the folded blanket at the end of his cot. “It’s a thin blanket, but the nights here get quite cold if you don’t have adrenaline coursing through your veins – so it’ll help a little.”

He watched as you tucked the blanket into the sides of the uncomfortable bed he was stuck in. You were pretty, too pretty for a place like this – perhaps you were an angel after-all. An angel living in hell. 

“How many did we lose?” He questioned, watching as your fluent movements faltered – your eyes darting down to your now clean palms. 

“Fifteen,” you whispered. “Although, that’s only the confirmed number.”

Neither of you said much more as you rounded his bed again, sitting back down in the chair next to him. He watched as your hands shook, exhaustion evident in the way your entire body seemed to slump in the wooden seat. 

“We have any fuckin’ alcohol?” He chuckled lightly, trying not to flinch at the flare of pain he experienced at the movement. 

“Only the whiskey we need to save to disinfect things.”

“That’s a fuckin’ shame, innit. Could fuckin’ use it right now, yeah,” his voice held a joking undertone – but you could tell that he was serious. You could use a drink too, just to forget. 

“I’d have finished half the bottle already if I had any,” you responded, watching as the corners of his mouth quirked up, a gentle understanding growing between the both of you. 

This was the most conversation he had in months that didn’t involve talk of tactic and strategy – perhaps that’s why he wanted it to continue.

“You drink whiskey?”

You shrugged. ”Used to. My brothers were obsessed with it, used to steal it from my dads liquor cabinet and we’d all run down to our spot in my uncles yard to drink it. Got a hell of a scolding, but it was worth it.”

“You don’t look like a bird who drinks the hard fuckin’ stuff, you don’t.” 

Your eyebrows rose in questioning, a small smile growing on your face at his teasing – a rare sight to see in a place like this. 

“What type of girl do you take me for, captain?”

Both of your heads turned at the sound of a loud cough from someone at the far end of the tent, before your attention was back on each other for a second as the sound of a jet passing above you had you both freezing – holding your breaths until the sound became distant.

You noticed that his features instantly hardened at the sound, before relaxing once his eyes landed back on your figure. 

“Something sweet,” he continued your conversation as if your previously tense actions hadn’t interrupted anything. “Right, yeah, you look like you’d like a sweet drink.”

Your fingers traced the dents in the armrest of the chair, as you slouched in the seat again. “I guess looks are deceiving, captain.”

He hummed at your words, moving the blanket down his body to look at his bandage – your arm reaching out to stop his hands from pulling down the bandage.

“I’ll change it in about six hours,” you told him, getting him to pull the blanket back on. “You lost quite a lot of blood, but my superior said that you were important – couldn’t let you die.”

“You patch me up yourself?”

With a nod in agreement to his words, you let out a soft, “yes, captain.”

He seemed to leave the topic at that – shutting his eyes, before grunting at the back of his throat.

“Right, the name’s Alfie. Alfie Solomons. Better than captain, innit?”

“I don’t know, I quite like the authority,” you teased, with a soft giggle – causing him to widely grin. “Get some rest, Alfie. You’ve been through a lot.”

“Only if I get your name too,” he countered, his intense stare causing your skin to heat.

“Y/N Shelby,” you introduced yourself, before gesturing towards him with your chin. “Now go to sleep.”

“Yes, ma’am.” 

You smiled at his agreement, however the both of you knew that sleep was the last thing you would be able to do with the way the tent seemed to begin to come back to life.

The silence never lasted long, anyway.

~~~~~~~

𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟵𝟭𝟱

The infantry was way too full. 

You could barely walk anywhere without bumping into someone or something – having to step outside the tent just to be able to breathe. 

A few of the soldiers lingering outside turned to you with curious eyes as you tried to stabilise your breathing – you knew you looked like a mess. From the way your uniform was covered in stains of blood, vomit and mud from the countless men you had treated.

A tunnel had collapsed, and at first you had freaked thinking that it was the 179 – the diggers that involved your twin brother, Tommy. You had never pushed so many people out of the way as you checked every bed to make sure he wasn’t in one. 

You should’ve felt guilty about the immense relief that overcame you when you realised that it was a different set of troops – but you wouldn’t know what to do if it was your own flesh and blood that was being treated. 

“Mail!” A booming voice caused you to jump slightly, your palm resting above your heart as you tried to calm yourself. 

You watched as all the men outside rushed over, eagerly wanting to know if their loved ones back home had sent them something that could give them a sliver of hope to hang on to.

The happiness outside was a contrast to the sorrow going on inside the tent behind you.

“No letter?” Your head darted to your left to see your favourite patient walking over to you, a charming smile gracing his face. 

“My brothers send them to my aunt,” you gave him a small smile as you took in his appearance. “You seem to be healing nicely, Alf.”

“I have the best fuckin’ nurse taking care of me, don’t I?” 

You laughed, looking down at the floor so he wouldn’t see the way you had flushed at his compliment. Alfie had become your primary focus as a patient, making sure that he was healed enough for his superior to be able to send him back out into the field.

It didn’t take long for him to be back on his feet, often clinging to your shoulder as you walked around the military base. The wound in his chest was healing nicely – nothing but a mere scar now. 

The thought of him leaving you to go back out into the war zone caused an unsettling feeling to wash over him – your Field Marshal having informed Alfie that he was being sent back out with a new group of corps in a week. 

“Right, how about I fuckin’ write to you?”

Your head shot up at his suggestion, a little frown growing on your pretty features – causing Alfie’s hands to cup your cheeks in his palms, his calloused thumb rubbing out the tense lines between your brows. For a man who had been toughened by such violence, he was extremely gentle with you.

Aunt Polly would’ve scolded you for swearing upon the Lords name, but you couldn’t help but swear that Alfie was the handsomest man you had ever seen. From his bright eyes that contrasted against his sharp features, to the way his smile would cause his nose to crinkle whenever you had come back at his smart-ass responses with even more sass.

You wish you found yourself falling for him under different circumstances.

For that you would curse on the Lords name. For introducing you to a man who you would gladly give your heart to – instead forcing you to put up your guard, knowing that at any moment you could lose each other. You cursed him for putting a future in front of you that you could never have.

However, that didn’t seem to stop the other soldiers and nurses around you from referring to you as the ‘captains girl’ – never failing at making you a stumbling mess. 

“You want to write me?” You questioned him after a beat, letting him take your hand in his as he walked with you – his voice echoing around you.

“Right, tell me why your brothers don’t write to you.”

“It’s a distraction,” you hummed, although Alfie noticed you visibly deflate at the words. “We don’t write to each other because we’d end up becoming reliant on the letters. Not knowing is better than knowing – at least, until this is all over.”

Alfie ran his free hand under his nose, before speaking again. 

“Do you wish you knew?” You nodded.

“I worry,” tears began to cloud your pretty eyes, as Alfie sat you on a log away from everyone. “I never know if they’re still alive. They could be dead right now and I’d have no idea. Aunt Pol never writes to me either because she knows I’ll ask and I can’t afford those distractions – distractions get you killed.”

Alfie seemed lost in thought as he took in your words, giving your hand a gentle squeeze as he pulled you under his arm. 

“I’ll write you,” he muttered into the crown of your head. “I promise to fuckin’ write you as many fuckin’ letters that I can, if it brings you comfort.”

He barely had time to react as your arms wrapped around his shoulders, pulling him into a tight hug – letting yourself show weakness around him as you cried for the first time in too long.

“Thank you,” you spoke genuinely, as he moved you so you were straddling his lap – your forehead resting against his. “I’ll write you back.”

With those words, his lips were on yours – a kiss so soft and tender. A love born through the ashes of a world blanketed by disaster. 

~~~~~~~

𝐣𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟏𝟗𝟏𝟔

He kept his promise. 

He wrote to you as often as he could – a whole box of crinkled letters hidden under your bed in the nurses quarters. You pulled them out each night after everyone had fallen asleep, re-reading over the penciled lettering under candlelight until your eyelids became heavy.

He kept his promise until they stopped. 

You waited outside, bouncing on the heels of your feet – catching sight of a young man carrying a bag full of mail. Rushing over to him, he gave you a wink before dropping the bag to his feet – opening it as he riffled through the letters.

“Another letter from your man?” The blonde man smiled, he was youthful – even after everything he had seen at such a young age. You eagerly nodded to his question, barely paying mind to the soft chuckles that came from the men who had began to group around you.

You excitedly waited as he shuffled through the letters, calling out random soldiers names – handing them their envelopes until he got to the bottom of the bag. 

Not a single one for you.

You heart seemed to sink when the man sympathetically looked towards you – but you brushed it off. He probably wasn’t able to write you yet, he was a captain after all. 

But then that missed letter turned into weeks where you didn’t receive a single one – you had sent him multiple, expressing your concern and asking if he was alright, but you never got a response back.

Eventually you stopped waiting outside on mail day – distracting yourself by treating injuries and re-organising the medical equipment for hours on end. 

Everybody seemed to tread lightly around you, the soldiers who once called you ‘captains girl’ had taken to calling you your name again and the nurses who would often tease you during the day about your love had stopped.

You didn’t want to think about what had happened to him, telling yourself that he was okay – that he was an honourable man who had more important matters than writing to you. 

This was why you didn’t write to your brothers, you thought. 

You had built up your wall, pretending that you were okay and not worrying about him at all – although, even a blind man would be able to see that your mind was elsewhere.

Distractions were weakness. 

It wasn’t until one faithful day that you finally broke down. The day was colder than usual – rain pelting down outside as you tirelessly worked for hours on end. 

The loud infirmary seemed to quieten when your Field Marshal walked in, his eyes darting around the room before landing on you. You could feel your heartbeat speed up; palms becoming sweaty as he walked towards you and removed his hat – running his finger through his grey hair.

“I hate to do this here,” he spoke to you, gesturing you to the side of the tent, away from everyone. 

“Is it my brothers?” You questioned, although deep down you knew it wasn’t them he was going to speak about – confirming it when he solemnly shook his head.

“I was told to inform you that Captain Solomons has been killed in action,” he regretfully spoke – your breath hitching at his words before you broke. 

One of your hands clenched the fabric of your dress – a sob tearing its way past your lips as you limply fell into the older mans awaiting arms. 

He wasn’t supposed to comfort you, but everyone knew you had saved the most of his men, so he let you desperately cling to him – he sighed when he heard the soft “no’s” between your cries.

“I know it hurts,” he mumbled, as a couple of the other nurses rushed to your side to keep you steady – his hands held your face as he spoke to you. “But is this going to affect your work, Miss Shelby?”

You tried to shake your head to assure him that you could still do your job, but you barely heard him as he told the girls to take you back to your sleep quarters – letting you have the rest of the days off. 

The two women did as instructed, gently placing you in your bed – brushing away a few of your tears as they made sure you were comfortable before they had to leave to get back to their duties.

You barely moved as you laid there in complete silence – letting yourself cry for that future that the Lord had dangled in front of you before snatching it away.

You cried for Alfie. You cried for your loss. 

You cried for what could’ve been.