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notyour-valentine · 2 years

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On the Brink of Winter ~ Tommy Shelby Angst

[Masterlist] [Taglist]

Summary: Tommy can't bring himself to join the fair and instead thinks of the summer he missed

Note: Written for the wonderful K @runnning-outof-time 2k celebration. Congratulations - I hope you have the best time with your celebration! I feel a bit bad because this is a sad one, but I hope you enjoy it anyways

All my writing is produced by an adult and created with an adult audience in mind (18/21+). You are responsible for your own media consumption. I do not consent to my work being translated, copied or posted elsewhere on this platform or any other.

Warning: Grief, mourning, mention of sickness, mention of death, mention of fighting and drinking

Wordcount: 1745 words

Tommy leaned the back of his head against the tree, feeling the bark tangle in his long black hair as soon as it touched it.

By now, his spine was aching from how long he had been sitting on the ground, without luscious green grass to cushion the roots digging into him.

This feeling was nothing new, not after countless nights he had spent sleeping under the stars, but it was the first time he didn’t mind the pain.

In fact, in a strange way he got satisfaction from every second he endured it without shifting, or getting up or stretching to relieve even the slightest bit of strain.

Undoubtedly, he’d discover a brand new collection of bruises tomorrow.

They’d look even darker now, he thought, glancing at his hands.

The pale skin was mocking him.

Usually he’d carry the tan all the way into november. He didn’t darken quickly, not like Arthur or Ada, but he didn’t burn easy like John did. After all, Tommy spent every day outside and so his skin had time to adapt to the seasons.

His hands, his neck and face - by July they’d be so dark he could almost pass for an Italian.

Not this year though.

Not this year.

Things were different this year.

Even the good old fairs.

He could see it now, see the dancing and the arguing, could smell the smoke and the scent of cooking meat over open fires, even the sweetness of beer was carried all the way to where he lingered in the shadows.

And he could hear them, the singing and laughing and joking.

It was the same, but it was different too - the men were a little too boisterous and the laughter a little too loud - warped the same way sound was warped when it carried from a distant, unknown shore.

Or maybe he had just forgotten what it was like, after all, most of the fairs were during the summer months and Tommy had not been to one.

In a way, he wasn’t even at this one, was he?

He wasn’t singing, he wasn’t dancing, he wasn’t down there drinking or getting into fights.

He was here - away from it all.

If he tried, he could imagine Polly’s laughter or even Ada’s giggle among the sea of sounds.

Arthur had come with the intention of getting drunk, finding a woman and starting a fight. Undoubtedly by now he had accomplished at least two of these things.

John was down there too, with his Martha and their two children. The eldest boy was undoubtedly trying to keep up with Finn, the way John had tried to keep up with him. Years had passed since they had been the ones running between the campfires, but he was still doing it to this day.

Chasing after me.

That had not been his intention, but they all wanted it - Freddie, Jeremiah, the boys from the factories, even the bloody Lees and Black Country Boys.

With a sigh, he picked up one of the fallen leaves and twisted it between his fingers.

It was one of the brown ones, not the reds, that had fallen prematurely.

It would be a long time before Thomas Shelby would ever choose something red.

He let his fingers brush over the dried leaf, following the lines.

In some stories they spoke of the life inside the trees and when he inspected the fallen leaf further, those thicker lines he felt under his thumb almost felt like veins, like lifelines.

When he heard the crunch, he flinched.

I must’ve pressed too hard.

But even when he removed his thumb with greatest care, he could not deny the hole he had made, a gash, that allowed the golden red glow of the flames to flicker through - showing his shame.

He had torn it and now there would be no repairing.

It wouldn’t have happened the last time he had been outside for this long, back when the meadows were filled with flowers just bursting to show their colours, when the birds chirped and the trees stood in a proud dress of green. Then he could have plucked a leaf and rolled it up without it breaking.

But that had been in spring.

And now the flowers had wilted, the birds had fled south and the trees were shedding the last memories they carried of this year.

Tommy had seen none of that, hadn’t even seen the flowers bloom and hadn’t heard the children’s laughter while spitting cherry cores down on unsuspecting passers-by.

He hadn’t felt the cooling water of a lake on his skin during a hot summer day or enjoyed the slight breeze while galloping over green plains.

It had been John, not him, who taught Finn to swim, and he had only seen the flower crowns Martha and Polly made with Ada in passing, when they were already half dried up and laying on the kitchen table.

He hadn’t seen the trees turn their blossoms to fruit, nor the people scaling their branches to pick them. Soon enough they’d all stand bare and empty, with rot and rain washing away any last traces of the spring that had once been.

It would all be gone.

Closing his eyes, he took a few deep breaths - that way he wouldn’t scream and draw attention to himself.

By the time he dared to open them again, the sun had set completely, and the only light was coming from the silver moon and the red fires.

And the only warmth too.

His legs had gone stiff by now, and his fingers ached.

Down there, the fires and the drink and the people would warm him up - or at least the voice in his head that sounded like Polly tried to convince him.

But Tommy was tired, tired of the noise and the pitiful glances and the meaningless words.

He was tired of all of that, the same he was tired of the pain and the anger inside of him while nothing from the outside made him feel anything at all anymore.

No smells, sounds, tastes or touches - nothing could ever get through the icy cold pitch black darkness inside of him.

With a sigh, he watched the black shaped figures dance together.

Hand in hand.

Arm in arm.

Down there, they celebrated about a dozen marriages, if not two, all in a rush, all hasty and unplanned, with little thought put into it apart from the one: to get married before it was time for the men to leave.

They all wanted something to come home to while all the girls were scared of missing out, meaning both feared that if they didn��t do it now, they wouldn’t get a chance too.

It was ironic really, the way all these people hardly planned anything while they had it all laid out.

They had talked of it, because somehow making plans for the unknown future was easier than revisiting memories from before.

It had even become a joke between them, the kind one clung to in the night to keep the fear at bay and in a way, it had carried a little bit of hope too.

They’d talk about where they would get married, even argued back and forth a little bit, bickering as if they had already been wedded for a few decades. They talked about what he would wear - she had insisted on a proper Italian suit, not just for him but all his groomsmen too. Even little Finn.

And they of course, would get boutonnieres to match her bouquet, and the flower crown she would wear over her mother’s veil.

They talked about the music and the food they would serve after, about their first dance and even where they would go on their honeymoon weekend. He would have had to save up for that.

The only thing they had not talked about was the dress, after all, she had insisted time and time again, the groom was not supposed to see that before the wedding.

Only Tommy had seen it.

It wasn’t a proper wedding dress, not really, but he had seen the white lace with the high collar, and hadn’t failed to notice how it was a little wide even after her mother and sister had pinned it to fit better.

They had buried her in it after all.

By that time seeing a piece of cloth without droplets of crimson on it had become a strange sight to him.

His hands closed around a fistful of leaves each and the sounds of them turning to dust in his grip eased the desire he had to pound the ground until the skin over his knuckles split.

Perhaps he really should go down there, even if he didn’t belong.

It wouldn’t be too difficult to find a woman, even one with soft hands and dark hair. He could find one and kiss one only to stop the words from escaping her lips that would spoil his fantasy.

After all, Tommy hadn't kissed anyone for months.

She had forbidden him from kissing her so that he wouldn't get infected and so all they had were kisses to her forehead, cheek and hand.

Perhaps kissing someone would make him feel something, anything, and even if it wouldn’t change anything inside of him, he could drown himself in the warmth of their body. Warm, not hot like her skin had become towards the end, and not cold as her hand had grown in the night after.

Just warm and soft.

Or he could go down there and start a fight until his blood boiled and the fire of it would get to his head - that would warm him up better than any drink ever could.

Because right now he felt desperately cold.

He scoffed and looked down once more.

In the night, all leaves were equally dark and he had no way of telling if they were brown or treacherously red.

They all sounded the same too and it betrayed them, but it betrayed him too.

They were all dry and lifeless and dead. Just like he felt.

Tommy sighed once more.

Perhaps he really should go down there, get drunk, find a woman or start a fight.

This was the last chance, wasn’t it?

This time next week they’d all have their hair shorn and their jackets fitted, well into their training before it would be time to leave.

Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed and as always I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Taglist

Overall

@lilyrachelcassidy @jyessaminereads @chlorrox @watercolorskyy @books-livre @quarterpastmidnight @lilyevanswhore @polishcrazyone @zablife @just-a-harmless-patato @stevie75 @flyingjosephine-blog @runnning-outof-time @cillmequick @babayaga67

Tommy

@knowledgefulbutterfly @babayaga67 @signorellisantichrist @lespendy @geeksareunique @look-at-the-soul

#valentineswritings #on the brink of winter #tommy shelby #greta jurossi #thomas shelby x greta jurossi #tommy shelby x greta jurossi #tommy Shelby angst #thomas shelby #peaky blinders #peaky blinders imagine #tommy Shelby imagine #thomas Shelby imagine #root2kfollowercelebration

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amysteryspot · 1 year

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I posted 1,876 times in 2022

277 posts created (15%)

1,599 posts reblogged (85%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@moonlight-prose

@amysteryspot

@springsteens

@thequirkybookaholic

@nofckingfighting

I tagged 1,384 of my posts in 2022

Only 26% of my posts had no tags

#one queue to rule them all - 206 posts

#gifs - 137 posts

#peaky blinders - 131 posts

#miscellaneous - 124 posts

#about me? - 120 posts

#the sandman - 113 posts

#the sandman netflix - 111 posts

#ask game - 105 posts

#mystery ramblings - 101 posts

#tv shows - 89 posts

Longest Tag: 137 characters

#the amount of anxiety that it was to arrive here and that i’m going through thinking that it will be the same when i leave may pay itself

My Top Posts in 2022:

Lies in the dark - Thomas Shelby x Reader/Uncharacterized OC

Summary: Cecilia learns the hard way all the joy and misery that is loving Thomas Shelby.

Fandom: Peaky Blinders

Pairing: Thomas Shelby x Female reader (named)/Uncharacterized OC; Tommy x Greta

Warnings: pre-war; mild smut; mentions of abortion; cheating; swearing; drinking; smoking; mentions of illness and death; obviously not canon compliant.

English is not my first language and this wasn’t beta’d or proofread.

Word Count: 4687 (or so I’ve heard)

A/N: This was written for @thesoldiersminute 3k celebration (congrats again babes) ‘cause when I saw the “Is there anything you love so much, you’d protect it, no matter the cost, the damage it did to you?” immediately I screamed: TOMMY AND CECILIA. So here we are.

1. This is a prequel of “All the blood I lost with you”, but I believe it can be read as a standalone.

2. Please, PLEASE, read the warnings with caution and don’t read it if you think one of the topics will trigger you.

3. For the sake of my sanity the reader is named but uncharacterized, so if you want to replace the names, you can use the InteractiveFics Chrome extension [You’ll have to replace “Cecilia” - “Cellie” and “Clark”).

4. The explanation to why I decided to name her is only to add some depth into the story by linking her name with the actual plot of the fic. Cecilia means “blind”, in most places you search for it. I like the idea that Cecilia is blinded by her love for Tommy, like Polly said about him and Grace in the first series. As for Clarke, it means “clerk” or “priest”. It kinda makes sense to me that Tommy never lets go of her because she is his “priestess”, the one he always comes back for absolution. He doesn’t believe in God but he believes in her, in some twisted, cruel way.

5. The song from which the title was taken is “Lies in the dark” by Tove Lo (and I’m totally ignoring the fact that the song is related to Fifty shades of gray).

◄ THOMAS SHELBY MASTERLIST | GENERAL MASTERLIST ►

“Where’s Tommy?”

“Good day for you too, love,” John mocked, kissing Cecilia on the cheek, making her smile. “He’s at the Jurossi’s.”

Cecilia’s smile faltered as she averted her gaze from John, stared at the wall and swallowed the lump in her throat.

It felt like going back in time, at times she didn’t have to ask for Tommy, he would just find her. Until Greta.

She remembered the first time the lines between what they meant to each other got blurred.

The memory of that night was still alive in her memory as if it had happened yesterday. How he kissed her so sweetly and so full of hunger at the same time. How thoughtful he was in touching her, kissing her and reassuring her all the time. How right it felt when they were finally joined together as one. She woke up in his bed to find a red rose on his bedside table, only to run straight into Polly as she walked down the stairs with a grin on her lips.

After that, it became a habit, like second nature. He would search for her at any given opportunity, kissing and touching her until all she could think about was him. Spend the night in her room after climbing through her window. Sometimes in his room, they always tried to keep themselves quiet, speaking in rushed words, concealing moans and gasps by pressing their mouths into each other’s skin. Fucking on the floor so they didn’t have to bother with the bed springs making too much noise.

Yet, Cecilia wasn’t the only one. She never was. Tommy had girls throwing themselves at him the whole time. In the beginning, it was just them, and she almost believed that something would bloom out of whatever the hell they had. Soon she learned that it wasn’t enough for him. She wasn’t enough for him.

Tommy never cared about hiding the girls he fucked about with. His brothers and friends teased him about it and he only smirked, telling them to shut up, but he never denied it. Not with her. Their little escapades were always meticulously calculated so nobody would see them together in a compromising position. Of course, Cecilia was at the Shelbys all the time and she was, indeed, Tommy’s friend, he never made a move to acknowledge their relationship. On the contrary, he was keen on keeping it hidden. Cecilia would always be Tommy’s dirty secret.

She still had the moment realisation dawned upon her.

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157 notes - Posted April 1, 2022

You taste like danger | J.T.

Summary: Is it loving Jax Teller worth the ride? Pairing: Jax Teller x Female Reader Fandom: Sons of Anarchy Warnings: tiny bit of angst Prompt: “I like the sad eyes, bad guys, mouth full of white lies. Kiss me in the corridor, but quick to tell me goodbye.” from Halsey’s prompt list (Badlands) Requested by anonymous Word count: 297 A/N: A special thanks to @writercole for helping me figure this out.

He tasted like danger. All boyish smiles, wearing leather and jeans, the reaper proudly on his back, blonde hair and the bluest eyes she had ever seen. Jax Teller screamed trouble at the first look and yet, (Y/N) couldn’t help but find her way to his bed. “You’re trouble, baby,” Jax breathed against her lips. “I am trouble? Really?”(Y/N) arched one eyebrow making him laugh before pecking her lips. “Yeah, you are. Keeps a guy coming back for more.” “I’m so sorry if I’m keeping you from the long queue of crow eaters that are surely waiting to have a taste of you.” He smirked, pressing his body against hers a little more. “Jealous much?” “You’ll never belong to one woman, Jax.” The blond opened his mouth to talk but was interrupted by Chibs calling him. “Go,” (Y/N) sighed. “We’re not done here, sweetheart,” he said, kissing her on the lips before leaving. “Yeah, sure,” she said to herself, straightening herself to leave the club, only to run into Gemma. “Gemma,” she greeted. “You should give him a chance.” “Give him a chance for what?” (Y/N) asked, confused. “To love you.” “Gemma, we both know Jax is not the monogamous type of guy,” (Y/N) scoffed. “I like the sad eyes, bad guys, mouth full of white lies. Kiss me in the corridor, but quick to tell me goodbye.” “Yeah, it does sound like my son,” Gemma says, giving her a sideways smile. “And we both know how this ends.” Gemma looks past her sadly, focusing on the old bike at the end of the hallway. “I do, but it’s normally worth the ride, sweetheart.” Her footsteps echo as she strides away, leaving (Y/N) alone, her words echoing in her ears.

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165 notes - Posted July 3, 2022

Missed You | Thomas Shelby x Reader

Prompt: 34. i missed you kisses [from this list]

Warnings: none (what a miracle)

Pairing: Thomas Shelby x Gender Neutral Reader

Requested by: Anonymous

It catches Tommy completely by surprise. One minute you’re entering the pub and in the next your arms are around his neck and your lips on his. He reached for your waist, instinctively, hearing the whistles and snarky comments of the man around but can’t find it in him to care much.

You had been away for three weeks helping an aunt that lives in the countryside and Tommy couldn’t deny how much the lack of your presence had affected him. He missed you.

When your lips part, he sees the smile on your face as your foreheads touch.

“What was that about?”

“Nothing. I just missed you.”

Taglist: @tommydoesntpayforsuits @ilovemanypeople @mikeys-thighs@nerdy4itall @internalmess3 @captivatedbycillianmurphy @caelys @annisse @lyarr24@theshelbyclan @datewithgianni @freyagallileaevans @lauren-raines-x @skinny-bitch-juice @leeroysdancer @eliseline @katmoonz @pxstellumx

Wanna be tagged? Please, fill the form linked in the masterlist.

166 notes - Posted January 25, 2022

Can’t wait - Thomas Shelby x Fem!Reader

Prompt: 31. kitchen counter make-outs [from this list]

Warnings: making out; swearing

Pairing: Thomas Shelby x Female Reader

Requested by: Anonymous

So enthralled in making dinner, you didn’t hear Tommy entering the kitchen. One minute you were checking his mom’s cookbook–or what was left of it–the next strong arms were encircling your waist and bringing you flush to a firm body.

“You’re early,” you comment, smiling.

His face is nestled in the crook of your neck, placing hungry kisses on your skin.

“Couldn’t wait to see you.”

You gasp when he makes quick work of turning you around, lifting you up to the kitchen counter before kissing you hungrily.

“Tommy,” you protest weekly. “Dinner…”

“Dinner can wait. I can’t.”

You don’t even try to pretend you don’t want him. His touch alone made you shiver. Seeing him hungry for you made you melt. Simple as that.

You dodged his next kiss to look him in the eyes, as he huffed in frustration.

“Turn off the stove.”

He smirked, mischievously, making quick work on releasing you following your order.

When he got back between your legs his hands were already tracing a path up from your calves to your hips, dragging your skirt with them as he kissed you thoroughly.

“Missed you,” he murmured against your lips in between kisses.

“God, you’re insatiable. We’ve fucked this morning.”

“Will never have enough of you.”

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259 notes - Posted January 18, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

The right moment | B.B.

Summary: Sometimes waiting for the moment pays off.

Pairing: Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw x Reader

Fandom: Top Gun: Maverick

Warnings: swearing; Rooster being a cheeky bastard.

Word count: 313

A/N: This is my very first time writing for the Top Gun fandom, obviously the first time writing for Rooster too. I hope this is good because it was fun to write. Also, this was barely edited.

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613 notes - Posted September 20, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

#tumblr2022 #year in review #my 2022 tumblr year in review #your tumblr year in review #amysteryspot #of course I had to be on my own top blogs I reblog the most because I'm a fanfic writer #the top posts are a surprise tho

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look-at-the-soul · 2 years

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This isn’t goodbye

Tommy Shelby x Greta x Lizzie x Grace x Mum x Grandma Birdie

Summary: Babba is an elderly gypsy who lost her vision a long time ago, but now she can ‘see’ through her hands. It’s a gift that allows her to know your deepest secrets. Tommy asks for her help because he can’t sleep, the Grace hallucinations are becoming too much, but instead he will find out something he didn’t know about his first love, Greta.

✨It starts with a scene between Lizzie & Tommy, then switch to the story…

A/N: It took me a while to finish this one shot, I started it in November but finally, thanks to a fan art I saw, that inspired me, I found the perfect way to end this story ♥️ I hope you like it.

It’s related to S4 E2. That’s where the story start, right after Tommy is talking to Lizzie in his office about how to get Finn a “nice girl”.

But let me explain something important so you won’t get confused, this story is a mix of ‘present time’, visions from the past and flashbacks, so I will mark the start and the end for each; (End of Flashback) (Vision), etc… nevertheless, if this confuses you, don’t hesitate to ask and I will explain 😉

Don’t forget to tell me what you think!

Old memories kept coming back at him as he stared at the canal.

Bored, Lizzie looked at the place, it was humid, there was nothing to do there. “Are we expecting somebody?” Her eyes moving around, trying to find something, anything. Tommy had been quiet. “Tommy, I’m fucking freezing here.”

“We used to come here.” His gaze fixed somewhere in front of him. “She’d wait for hours for me, when I couldn’t make it. And I’d wait for her when her family kept her in.”

“Who?”

A subtle shook of his head, her name at the tip of his tongue. “Some girl.” He replied instead. “Some girl before France.” Finally, Tommy turned around to find Lizzie seating on top of some hay bales. Throwing his cigarette to the ground, he walked in her direction. “I’ve not been back here since.” Parting her legs to step between them, he started caressing her arms. “Wanted to come here with you.” His hands on her face as he leaned down to kiss Lizzie.

Just one kiss and he pulled away.

Lizzie didn’t expect it, confused, she asked: “Are you kissing her or me?”

It was just a second, just a fraction of time while he closed his eyes, that he was able to see her.

Greta.

Right there, in front of him… still the nineteen-year-old girl he had fallen in love with.

Flashback (1915)

Tommy kissed her before pulling out.

“I don’t want to keep hiding” he said while she was fixing her clothes. “Let me talk to your parents. I want to do the right thing.”

“Tom” nobody called him like that, just Greta. Approached him, gently brought her palm to his cheek. “My father will kill you.”

Tommy smiled widely. “It’s a risk I’m willing to take.” Leaning forward to give her a kiss. Then another, and another one until she ended smiling against his lips.

“Need to get back before they realize I’m gone.” Bringing her arms around Tommy, she let out a loud sigh.

The thought of Greta lying to her parents amused him. “Where are you supposed to be?”

“Reading to my aunt Daphne, she can’t see anymore.” She stole his flat cap, to put it on her own head.

A fake expression of shock appeared on his face, as his fingertips started caressing her chin. “You left your poor aunt for me?”

“I want us to spend as much time as possible together before you go.” Greta didn’t want to talk about France, they had an agreement about it, and the last thing she wanted was to make him upset. “I will see you tomorrow Tom, same time. If I can’t make it, just wait for me.” Her finger pointing to their spot in front of the canal. Their secret place, under the bridge.

“I will be here, like I always do.” Solemnly, Tommy placed his right hand over his heart.

“I have something for you. Close your eyes.” When she saw him hesitate, she stole him a quick kiss. “Go on.”

“Closed.”

“No cheating?” she got small envelope she had made and sew out of a scrap of fabric her sister gave her.

“Cross my heart.” A small smirk forming on his lips. He felt her touching his hand, turning it around so his palm was upside.

“You can see now.” Opening his eyes, Tommy found a rectangle of fabric on his hand. Greta unfolded it to show him that inside was a picture. “Whenever you miss me, you can see our picture.”

Feeling his chest expand with all the love he felt for her, Tommy held her face in his hands, a genuine smile on his lips, the same smile on hers as they kissed. He loved her innocence, her big dreams, the way she tried to make the world a better place. Out of the blue her small house was full with four cousins, her aunt and uncle had passed away and the government would have taken the kids to an orphanage if it wasn’t for her parents who welcomed them with open arms. She wanted to help other kids in a similar situation.

“Promise me you will write, whenever you can.” Tommy demanded. “Then we will get married, yeah? Will you wait for me?”

His voice broke a little. He hadn’t left yet, and he was already making promises.

“Always.” She managed to give him a half smile.

(End of flashback)

That was the last time Tommy saw Greta for months, until her death.

“You.” He lied to Lizzie.

***

Tommy knocked on the door and waited until it someone opened it.

He didn`t know if this would help or the woman would just tell him lies, but he was on the edge and it wouldn`t hurt to give it a try.

The old lady was blind, some people said it was a curse, some others assured her vision transmuted, allowing her to see you through her hands.

She couldn’t see the world around her, at least not the same way as we all know it. But she was able to see your heart and your deepest desires. Once she puts her hands over your heart, it is almost as if she connects to your soul and you just can`t help it but give her those secrets that you wouldn`t dare to say out loud.

Tommy waited in the room until the woman entered with someone else for assistance, her eyelids were closed. She invited him to take a seat with her crooked fingers.

“Your soul is restless” she stated. “You’re looking for peace at the wrong place” the old lady said without touching him, or asking for his name. “You are a generous man.” She added gently.

Tommy leaned back in the chair. “I can’t sleep” he admitted.

“A woman is keeping you up”

“I dream of my late wife constantly, day and night… I see her.” What was the point on denying the truth? But he was afraid maybe he wasn’t letting Grace rest. “She passed away a few mon-

“No” the woman interrupted him. “It’s not your wife who is keeping you awake.”

“I see her daily” he repeated in case she didn’t listen.

“I heard you.”

Clearing his throat, he asked: “Who is it then?” Tommy dragged his eyes from the window to look at her.

“You know who she is”

“Right, I won’t take this bull” banging on the table, Tommy got up. The woman didn’t even flinch by his sharpness.

“I have to ask you to watch your manners”.

“Listen to me, I loved my wife, haven’t been thinking of any other woman” he felt the need to let that clear.

“She is still sorry she betrayed you, but your wife is not the woman on the back of your mind.”

A shiver ran through his body. There was no way this woman knew about that.

“Fine, I’m not on the mood to solve riddles” Tommy lost his last ounce of patience and he was about to leave when the woman spoke again.

“She needs you.” the woman said “That’s why you can’t sleep. You were the last person with her.”

¿Polly? ¿Ada? ¿Lizzie? ¿Esme?

Tommy made a mental list of the women in his life.

“No.” She said reading his mind.

Tommy looked at her startled. She held one of her arms in the air for him to get close again. Like a magnet he couldn’t fight, Tommy found himself approaching her. In a gentle motion, Babba covered his eyelids with her fingertips.

“It’s someone who never left you alone during the war. Her spirit protected you. Your love transcended, she left something of herself for you.”

Greta.

Her father heard of their secret romance and as soon as Greta entered her house, she was welcomed by her father ready to beat her for sneaking around with that Gypsy trash as he called him.

He waited days for her at the canal, but she never showed up again.

He tried to reach her, but it was impossible. Until one day, Greta’s sister, Kitty Jurossi found him to deliver the worst news… Greta was really sick and had been asking to see him to say good bye. Kitty mentioned it was consumption.

“That’s not the truth” the old lady pointed now touching his heart, making him jump since he was lost in thoughts.

Tommy closed his eyes and swallowed.

“She died after giving birth to your kid.” He heard her whisper.

That couldn’t be possible. “I was there, I saw her die.”

For the first time, the Babba decided she would allow him to see what really happened. One of her gifts, he needed this to clear his heart. Her hands found their way to touch his forehead so she could share her visions from that moment.

(Vision)

Like a picture in front of him, he stared at his surroundings, it was a room he couldn’t recognize, but the faces were familiar. A heavy breathing came into his ears, a woman in front of him moved from the bead and finally he was able to see her… Greta, she had passed out after letting out a cry that filed the room. “Something is wrong” someone voiced while the other women moved around, apparently none of them could see him.

He tried to move, but he couldn’t. Tried to speak, but the words wouldn’t come out.

“Hold the baby close to her.” Kitty asked to her oldest sister. “Can you feed her?” Anne nodded.

“Do you think dad will give the baby away like he threatened?”

His baby, he thought.

“Would you shut up Anne?” Their mother hissed, she could feel Greta was in a bad state, but her husband would never allow a Doctor. No, ¿How would anyone know what his little girl did? Sleeping with a gypsy, getting pregnant. He hadn’t talken to Greta even when they were in the same room since he learned she was expecting Tommy’s child.

The worst dishonor of his life, he said.

“Can’t believe she never showed the bump. Where did she hide the baby?”

“I still think Tommy should know, but I know dad won’t let it happen.” They kept cleaning Greta.

“Please don’t make this any worse Anne. We will stick to your fathers’ orders; tell Tommy she’s out, Kitty will keep the baby as hers, since her husband recent passing nobody will question if she was expecting.”

Tommy gasped. All of this time…

“And all of that to keep my little sister’s reputation intact.” Anne rolled her eyes.

“She’s warm Mum.” Worry in Kitty’s voice was evident.

(End of vision)

They all lied to him, they let Greta die.

And they kept his child away from him.

Tommy felt sick suddenly at the thought.

***

(D*)

“Grace?” He couldn’t see anything around, he had been walking around for what it seemed like an eternity. “Grace?” He asked one more time.

It’s been a while since the last time he saw her, maybe he would be able to see her again.

Or… Was he ready to let her go?

But this wasn’t a hallucination, no, as the blurry vision around him dissipated, he saw himself sleeping in his bed, the house was quiet.

Without fully understanding what was happening, he was pulled from his bedroom and found himself in an open field.

The day was beautiful, sunny and the clouds in the sky seemed like made by a brushstroke.

The sound of water running soothed his worries away. This was the calmest he had ever been, the fresh air cleaning his lungs.

As he kept walking next to the river, he found the most beautiful white horse he had ever seen.

The animal as if sensing his presence, turned around to see him. Almost… almost as if it was soul recognition.

Something not a single word in the books could describe.

He approached the horse to caress the animal.

The horse bowed its head and Tommy approached. The most natural thing was riding the animal.

“Do you have any idea what it’s going on?” Tommy asked.

He had had dreams of black cats, and hallucinations about Grace and the German soldiers behind the wall.

But he had never dreamed of white horses.

“Mom?”

Was this even possible?

When she passed away, he wasn’t able to say goodbye, to tell her one more time he loved her, to hug her tighter.

Of course, the horse wouldn’t answer his questions, but even without an answer, Tommy just had a feeling of peace, calmness, he was safe here.

Closing his eyes, he decided if he could trust someone, it was this horse. That’s why he chose to not ask any more questions and just enjoy the ride and the way he felt.

He didn’t know how much time had passed, the three times he checked his pocket watch it had stopped working. As if he was stuck in time.

But no long after, he found a familiar place in front of him.

The canal and bridge where he used to see Greta in secret.

Getting off the horse, on the other side of the canal he could see three female figures, their features slowly showing up.

“Grandma… Mom… Grace.”

Grace was holding something covered in her arms.

Blinking a couple of times, he couldn’t believe what he was watching. “John?” He was there too, a step behind the women, as if watching over them. He was holding a toothpick in his mouth, John nodded in his direction. He had a three-piece suit and flat cap in perfect white color.

His grandma, Birdie smiled at him. She was wearing an immaculate white Romani dress, she also had a white headscarf.

Then his eyes went to his mother, her dark hair around her shoulders, she was wearing a dark grey skirt and blouse.

“I love you Tommy… please forgive me.”

“Mom…” he felt a tight lump in his throat. After uncle Charlie told him what really happened, he silently asked her why she drowned herself, he needed her in his life, he felt like he failed her when he wasn’t able to save her.

“I need you to forgive me, my sunshine.” That was the nickname for him, said he brightened her day. Her blue eyes sparkled at him.

He nodded, unable to say the words out loud. They were stuck, at the tip of his tongue, but struggling to slip from his lips. He looked at the white horse, who’s eyes were on him, after some time that seemed like an eternity, he looked back at her. “I forgive you, Mum.”

“I love you so much my sunshine.”

I love you too Mum. He thought.

Then he saw how the grey color in her clothes began to turn lighter, until it was completely white. Perfectly white, it even lighted her features.

She looked radiant, exuding peace, love and joy, just like she used to do when she was alive.

Finally, his eyes went to Grace. She was wearing the same dress from the Shelby Foundation Fundraising Dinner, also in color white, she had her hair pin, he couldn’t see the sapphire around her neck anymore.

“It wasn’t your fault, Tommy. I will always love you.” She then moved the blanket from the bundle she was holding in her arms, to show him a beautiful baby.

His baby.

She was pregnant when she died, no one knew.

He couldn’t stop the tears now, sobbed loudly.

“Tommy.” It was Greta’s voice behind his back.

Turning to the side, there she was, also dressed in white with her favorite hat on, it had a ribbon with flowers.

“I have to go Tommy. You need to find our daughter, she has your eyes.”

“Wait.”

“Take good care of my little girl.”

“Greta, wait!”

But she was already on the other side of the canal. The white horse was there as well.

They all smiled at him and waved to say goodbye from the other side of the canal.

As the most important woman in his life turned around and started to walk away together, he needed answers, needed more time with them… he needed to hold them one last time.

Tommy tried to cross the canal, but there was no way.

Feeling desperate to watch them go, he needed to try to reach them.

Tell them one more time he loved them.

“Come back!”

He would have to jump.

“Don’t go please.”

His eyes filled with tears.

“Don’t leave me yet.”

He finally jumped, ready to get wet to go after them.

But instead of falling, the sensation of jump into the void woke him up, he was laying on his bed, back in reality. It had been a dream.

He needed to find his daughter. Greta had asked him to take care of her.

But for once in his life, he felt calm, knowing they were together, they were alright. They were in their own way, watching over him.

And he was able to say good bye.

For now.

***

(D)* ~This is where the dream starts, but I didn’t want to give away it was a dream.

Inspiration and massive thank you for the fan art to: @sybilmarlowe maybe you don’t know this, but thanks to your art I was able to finish this story 🤍 you are really talented!

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byorder-fanfic · 3 years

Text

How They Look After You When it Gets Bad: Tommy

Preference Masterlist

Requested by anonymous

Warnings: Reader going through a hard time, jealousy, doubts

Word count: 1407

Author’s Note: I really hope this is alright! In all honesty, I'm not a huge fan of Tommy but I really tried to do this well! And okay maybe I was a little harsh on him but I did try and make it sweet at the end. I hope you enjoy it and I'm wishing you all my best

(Gif by @manie-sans-delire-x) (it was really hard to choose a gif for him cause he always looks so mentally distressed)

You always said Tommy was a control freak. He always denied it, of course, hating any opinion that strayed from his own self-image. It took a bite of your lip to prevent the comeback of that proving your point. He wouldn't listen to you- he was, after all, a control freak. Maybe it was because of the war, or simply because with a chaotic family like the Shelbys at least one of them had to try and maintain order. You supposed it was because of the horses. Horses needed to be controlled, didn't they? They needed human hands to brush their manes and clear their hooves and make their iron shoes, they needed leather between their teeth to keep them on their path and jockeys had those whips to spur them on. You thought that maybe if the rest of the world were horses, Tommy would have an easier time. Who knows why he even decided to go into all this business and politics when it, at its very heart, was surrounded by people. But he couldn't make an empire from horses. Maybe he could keep this manor and expand the betting shop to keep his family working and wealthy, but he would just be a lord in his manor. Like that Lady Carleton that he fancied.

You had to bite the inside of your cheek to stop a snigger at the thought of your Tommy living in the stables for the rest of his life, knowing that an expression of anything other than complete concentration would get you a stern telling off. Despite the threat, you looked up from your paperwork. Tommy was at the head of the desk, the smoke from his cigarette trailing around his head like a phantom crown and a pensive look on his face as he rested against his hand. The portrait of the black mare stood behind him, giving him the imposing look of a king. Hell, he was a king, wasn't he? And that made you the regent ruler- the conditional monarch. You wondered if he thought of May Carleton sometimes when he looked at you. Or maybe he thought of Greta, or Grace, or Lizzie, or Jessie or, Christ, maybe even Alfie fucking Solomons for all you knew. Lizzie said he used to fuck her face down so he could think of someone else. Maybe you were a business partner in all things, someone transactional and useful. Maybe you were a horse. He told you what to do, didn't he? He guided you like he were stood behind, holding you by the reigns. The king of all he has, even his own partner. Even you. Even the ghosts in his head that he wouldn't talk about. He never talked about much to be honest. Just sat like he did now, all thoughtful and noble. A pretty deceiving face. You wanted to ask him, to bear your heart and let him reassure you. But he wouldn't like that. And Tommy was a control freak.

You got back to your papers, thinking you might as well do something whilst you're here. But the buzzing in your mind didn't stop biting at your thoughts, it didn't stop a tremble as you swooped your pen over the page, and it didn't stop the way your knee bounced under the desk. It was a subtle motion, the kind that was obscured and easily hid. It was something you couldn't stop doing in your nervous state, so it was something that'd have to be secret. Tommy had a plan for today: do all the paperwork, have a little chat about the business, get a drink, and then he'll fuck you. That's what he said he'd do, and Tommy like to stick to his plans. That bloody control freak. That king of the castle that left you powerless and petty as you couldn't even bounce your knee without feeling some scorn for his stupid bloody petty-

"Stop doing that."

His voice was cold as his eyes, an iciness that made you freeze with your knee mid-bounce.

"Stop what?" You gave a tilt of your head, gauging this out of him. You wanted him to admit it. If you couldn't say it, then he might as well do.

He gave a little huff, the cigarette smoke following the action like a bull breathing from its nostrils.

"Stop bouncing your knee."

How the hell could he tell? Maybe those superstitious lot were right about the Shelbys having something intrinsically magic and devilish about them.

"Why?"

Pettiness wasn't your thing, but here you were. Tommy sighed deeply, sitting back in his seat and looking at you with a raised eyebrow. He thought you were challenging him.

"Cause I asked you to."

Ah yes, the king's orders must be met. Even by you, supposedly his equal. But who gave the regent title? Who shared his power with you?

You looked up, giving your most argumentative look, dropping you pen onto the paper. He flinched, ever so slightly, telling you the ink must have spilt onto the paper. As if these documents weren't just ink on paper anyways.

"Why the fuck do I have to do what you asked?"

He tilted his head to the side now, eyebrows raised in complete shock. In return, you scraped your seat back on the floor so that he could see you and the knee you were bouncing. The buzzing in your mind still continued, but now there was that little sick joy in defying Tommy that helped ease the insecurity.

"If you're going to act like a child-"

He was going to make a long list of threats, you knew it, but you cut him off with a laugh.

"Please, Tom, you're the one whose acting like a child." His lips pursed in the same argumentative way as when you told him he was a control freak. "You're the one who insists on routines and plans and not bouncing my fucking knee!"

"Christ, not this again Y/N." His hand smoothed over his creased face, looking so tired of this. So tired of you.

"Who do you see when you look at me?" You asked, making him stop completely. You saw the cogs in his mind turning as he tried to understand the words you were saying. Despite everything, you were quite proud at your little victory of rendering Thomas Shelby speechless. "Lizzie said you used to see Grace or Greta when you came to her. Who do you see for me, huh?" He was shaking his head, words at the tip of his silver tongue that you wouldn't let spill quite yet. "Cause it ain't me, is it? Otherwise I could do what I damn well pleased, like bounce my fucking knee! Or spend a day doing what I want, not this fucking paperwork and fuck you like I'm some whore you're paying to fuck someone else!" You stood up from your chair, towering over him as you leaned over the desk. "I won't have it. I won't."

Something in him seemed to shift. Not soften necessarily, just change ever so slightly. Tommy too stood up from his desk taking a few careful strides around the desk until he just in front of you.

"Come here." Being the control freak he was, Tommy was the one that wrapped his arms around you first, pulling you towards his chest. You easily let him, always feeling slightly safe at the way he handled you like this. He smelled like smoke and booze and mint leaves, but you wouldn't trade your place nuzzling your nose against his neck for anything. You never thought of anyone else except Tommy- why couldn't he do the same?

"I think of you, love." He muttered, voice still calm and undisturbed. "I always think of you. At work, at home, at the fucking stables. You're always on my mind."

You were still close to him, hearing his heartbeat and wishing you had the ability to sniff out bullshit like the rest of the Shelbys could.

"I know I'm a bit of a control freak, alright? But I'm yours."

You weren't certain if it was his confession of possession, or the admittance of his neurotic behaviour that made you lean back and look at him with the biggest grin you could muster. Your hands found their way to the side of his jaw, bringing him closer to you.

"All fucking mine."

#tommy shelby #thomas shelby #tommy shelby x reader #thomas shelby x reader #tommy shelby imagine #thomas shelby imagine #tommy shelby fanfic #thomas shelby fanfic #peaky blinders #peaky blinders x reader #peaky blinders imagine #peaky blinders preference #peaky blinders fanfic #may carleton #lizzie stark #grace burgess #greta jurossi #jessie eden

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emotionalsupportshelby · 2 years

Text

Tommy came back from the war an entirely different person to the one who left...

We know this

It is for that reason that he cannot love anyone as much as he loved Greta

Post war Tommy is a shell of a man who stops himself from falling 100% by not being ready to love

#cillian murphy #tommy shelby #peaky blinders #thomas shelby #bbc peaky blinders #thomasshelby #peaky fookin blinders #tommy x greta #justice for greta #greta jurossi

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a-v-e-r-e-g-i-n-a · 3 years

Text

Don't use me to forget her, don't say things you don't mean

Do you really want me, or are you just attempting to distract yourself from your misery?

As we make love, I feel you aren't fully with me, I see her in your eyes, I know she's the one on your mind,

It's not fair what you're doing, or what I'm going through,

Your broken heart is beating for her, while mine aching one beats for you...

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theshelbyclan · 2 years

Text

Life in London

Summary: Coming out is hard enough, but even more so when you’re stuck in a place where you don’t feel accepted and you’re part of a family who has a reputation to uphold. But everything is different in London

(gif by @thomasshelbyltd)

A/N: Anon requested this and I got really excited over writing it: hey if it’s alright with you would you mind writing a tommy x son reader where he comes out to tommy and the rest of the family (maybe he gets caught w/ someone or just decides to tell them) and basically just their reactions, particularly tommy’s and just some overall h/c, hope you have a great day :) This is set around season 3. The reader is Tommy’s son, maybe Greta Jurossi’s son? Or so I like to imagine… Either way, I worked a long time on this, trying to do it justice. Thank you so much for this wonderful request! Words: 3231

***

His name was William, not Billy, just William, or sometimes Will. When he laughed, his eyes sparkled in this sort of naughty way and if his smile made it all the way down to his mouth, his cheeks would dimple. And when he worked, he counted the coins like they were small animals that he was afraid to hurt. The light in the betting shop hit his face sometimes and when it did, his hair shone a little red. You couldn’t keep your eyes off of him.

When Tommy called you over, you hardly heard him at first. You were too busy staring.

“Come here,” your father beckoned you, “I need you to get these over to Greet.” “What for? Race’s already started.” The great Thomas Shelby was down in Small Heath, which was unusual for him these days. Still, you could see this was where your father truly belonged. All his money had earned you a mansion by the name of Arrow House, but you still thought he looked out of place in it. Maybe that’s why you preferred to stay in Birmingham. He told you, “It’s nothing to do with that. It’s to do with… the other business.” “Russians?” you ventured. He waved a vague hand, “Best if you know as little as possible about it, eh?” You grinned a little, because you may only be thirteen but you weren’t a total idiot, “But you still want me to run your fucking errands for you.” “Yes.” “Alright, dad,” you said, “but I’ll expect a bonus of at least two pounds by the end of the week,” you bargained. You were your father’s son after all.

*** Just before a race started, the betting den was usually one chaos of men running around and desperate souls trying to lay a bet last minute. The second a race had started, everything went quiet and people disappeared, only to have the chaos start again immediately after. Between those chaotic moments, you could get away. “Y/N,” he breathed your name softly.

Behind the house was a small yard where no one ever went to, except for Polly when she used to put up her washing there, but she was out right now. In the shadows, you gently pressed your mouth onto his soft lips. And as you both opened your mouths, you whispered his name in reply, “Will…” Kissing and touching was quick, scattered, hasty and haunted. Dangerous even, but that’s how you both liked it. All things forbidden belonged in the shadows and your secret gave it that little bit of light it needed to be beautiful again. To you, the most sacred place on earth was that little grubby yard out the back of your house in Watery Lane. It was yours and no one else was allowed in.

“What if they knew?” he asked. “Fuck ‘m,” you replied, your hands roaming frantically. William chuckled a little, “You’re a Shelby, Y/N…” “Not by choice I am.”

“I mean it,” he held your face for a second as if he was trying to be serious, but the naughty twinkle in his eyes was still there, “Do you want to sneak around like this forever?” “Yes,” you breathed, going in for another kiss. But he still held you back, “I need more than that. I want more than two minutes in secret. The things I want to do take longer, don’t you see?” “Oh, do tell?” And now William did actually appear to be serious, “I mean it. I want more.” You sighed dramatically and backed away a little, “Why the fuck are we wasting our time talking? We only got a few moments.” “My point exactly.” “I can’t tell them, Will. They won’t… they wouldn’t understand.” “How do you know?” What you meant to say was that you were too afraid to ever tell anyone. Your father often talked of the Shelby Brothers Limited being a modern company that believed in equal rights bladibla, but that only meant that women could speak, not people like you. You wanted to explain to William how being manly was something of the Shelby trade and begin gay, well that just didn’t fit the picture at all. You couldn’t find the words for how precious these moments were for you and you couldn’t bear losing them. In these short minutes you could be you, you could free, free of all the shame and guilt and prejudice. When you only thought of endangering all of that, because even your family wouldn’t accept you: it was too much. But you couldn’t find the words, so you just said, “I just…know.”

***

Days, weeks and months went by like this, and you could feel William was pulling away, put off by the secrecy. But most of all, you felt it too now: you wanted more.

Even John had started to notice, asking, “Where were you?” as soon as you returned after the race ended.

“Went out for a smoke,” you replied quickly. “Why?” Impatiently you waved a hand, in the very same manner as your father often did, “Makes me nervous, doesn’t it, the races.” John raised his eyebrows, “Why? It’s not like you have any money on the horse.” “Nervous for the people who have I mean.” “Why…” John started again. But you interrupted him, “For fuck’s sake with the thousand questions, John!” And with that you practically stormed off.

“Family meeting, at eight o’clock,” Tommy had announced abruptly that afternoon and so here you were, back round the kitchen table, just like old times. And as you looked up at the clock hanging from the wall, you noticed it was two minutes to eight, so you got up to leave. “Stay, Y/N,” your father announced his presence with these words. “I’m never allowed to stay.” “You’re almost fourteen now, Y/N, time you got in on the family business,” Arthur winked at you.

You looked at your aunt for approval and Polly nodded almost invisibly.

“Right,” Tommy started, “Now, you all know big money’s coming in and it’s no longer from just the races anymore, but this is where we started, so we have to make sure our business here is secure.” “Business is good, Tommy,” John replied. “It is,” he confirmed, “but someone’s told me we might have a snitch in our midst.” You listened to all of this with wide open eyes. Never before had you been an actual part of the meetings and it was quite exciting to have something like this come up on your first time. “One of the women from the washing house told one of ours,” Polly continued, “Someone’s spilling the odds before we’ve officially set them.” “What does that matter? We set them anyways.” “It matters becausewe set them,” she emphasized, “we can’t have one of our own talking. Who knows who else they’ve been talking to.” “We need to find out who it is,” your dad lit a cigarette and without noticing, you copied his movements and started smoking as well. Everyone was quiet for a little while, thinking. Then John said, “What about that kid from the Garrison. William?” And you started coughing at once, and suddenly those familiar blue eyes stared at you piercingly. “Why him?” Polly continued like nothing had happened, while you tried to regain your breath. “He goes out,” your uncle explained, “out back. After every race. I’ve seen him do it.” “So does Y/N,” Arthur shrugged, “Doesn’t mean anything.” Again, Thomas Shelby’s gaze fell upon you and you felt your face getting hot. Before you could stop yourself, you had turned bright red. Then your aunt turned to you as well, “Do you know what he does there, Y/N?” “No,” you lied unconvincingly. “I thought you two were close, like brothers almost,” John said. Stuttering, you replied, “No… We’re not… not like brothers, I mean. I-I mean, I hardly even know him. Don’t even really, you know, like him…at all.” Polly put on her strict voice, “So what are you doing with him exactly, in my yard?” Tommy narrowed his eyes and you felt yourself crumbling. The silence that followed was deafening and seemed to last for ages. Suddenly he broke the silence, “Meeting’s over. I’ll have someone find out more about this William kid. We’re done. Everyone can fuck off now.” “But Tommy…” John protested. “Out, John,” he snapped, “I have other business to attend to and so do you.” And without another word everyone left the room in confusion. Everyone, except Aunt Polly, who never took her eyes off you before walking through the door. When they’d all gone, you suddenly felt your legs again and tried to make a quick exit, but your father was faster, “Sit down, Y/N,” he demanded in his cold manner. Your heart skipped a few beats and your futile requests were soon overruled. “I said: sit.” And so you sat. “Look me in the eye,” he pointed a finger straight at your face and hovered over you like you were still eight years old, “Tell me: are you sneaking out back with this William boy?” “Dad…” “Don’t you fucking lie to me.” “Dad, he’s just…a friend.” “I didn’t ask you what he was to you.” You shrugged. For three breaths, Tommy only smoked. Then he said, “Is this boy our snitch?” “No.” “Are you certain?” “I am,” you finally dared to meet his eye, “I know him.” “Oh, I bet you do…” and those words almost managed to make you cry.

“Dad…” But he wouldn’t let you finish, “One of our clubs in London has been seeing some trouble. You’ll be going up there, you can stay with your aunt Ada, let me know what’s going on there, eh?” “You’re sending me away?” you almost whimpered. I did it, you thought, I disappointed my father so immensely he no longer wants me around. “Yes,” and with that he left the room, leaving you feeling more defeated and lonelier than you had ever felt before.

***

Hardly a week later and here you were, with your things packed to go and stay with Ada in London. You felt utterly and completely numb.

“Why’s he making you go then?” Finn asked. Now, technically Finn was your uncle, but he was barely two years older than you, so he was more like a brother to you. “Because I bring shame on the Shelby good name,” you replied sarcastically. Finn offered you a cigarette, “Tommy’s not like that.” “Isn’t he?” “When will you be back?” the youngest Shelby brother had been the last one who stayed behind in Small Heath, so he had enjoyed your company. He joked, “Take too long and there won’t be any girls left for you here.” Like you’d been punched in the gut you fell still. Finally, you said, “You can have them all, Finn.”

“So that’s why you’re leaving.” You looked up with questioning eyes. He didn’t even ask, he just stated, “William.” “How do you…”you started. But he grinned, “I’m not a total idiot,” and with that he left your small bedroom, calling from the landing, “Give my love to Ada!” As you walked down the stairs with your bag, your emotions and thoughts were all over the place. Finn’s reaction should’ve given you some confidence, but it only made you more frightened, because apparently you were a lot more obvious than you’d thought. Then again, if all else failed, you could always move in with Finn. Unless your father completely cut you from the family first, or if someone killed you on the streets for being a fucking sodomite, or if you were actually arrested… When you’re reached the kitchen, your thoughts were bleak once again.

“Ready?” Arthur asked. John and he had been tasked with taking you to London. “Guess so…” “I still don’t get why we’re shipping the kid off to London,” John protested to no one in particular, “You’ve seen it for yourself, Arthur, they’re all fucking mad down there…” “Ada’ll look after him,” Arthur nodded, like he had to convince himself most of all.

“Will she? Tommy wants him to check out the clubs we own. Him! He’s not even fourteen yet!” “Are you worried about me, uncle John?” you asked sweetly, because it was actually quite touching to hear him go on like this. “Shut up,” he threw back, “I just think Tommy’s being an idiot.” Arthur frowned suddenly, like he’d only just added things up, “Wait. Tommy’s sending him over to see to the trouble at the Blanchards club? This bloody kid?” “That’s what I’ve been saying, Arthur.” “Like hell!” the eldest shouted out, “They’re all mad bastards down there. The things they get up to… and the music! Fucking horrible…” “Don’t worry,” you finally spoke, “Dad’s not sending me there on business. He’s just trying to get rid of me.” “What makes you say that?” Polly asked. You hadn’t even noticed her before. “Just know.”

“This got anything to do with that boy? William?” Before you could stop yourself, tears started pricking in the corners of your eyes, “Yes.” John and Arthur clearly didn’t understand and asked almost simultaneously, “How?” But luckily Aunt Polly required no answer and she told them, “Out.” “Why?” John asked, full of indignation. “Because I fucking like him, alright?” the words had slipped out before you could stop yourself. The tension was practically audible. For another few moments, John’s frown only grew deeper and you wished with every fibre of your being you could just disappear. Then he said, “So?” “It’s illegal, John,” you emphasised. “So?” he raised one eyebrow, “We’re the Peaky fucking Blinders: when’s the last time we did anything legal?”

“Your great-grandfather’s rolling over in his grave at your words,” Arthur mumbled, scoffing slightly, “legal…”

“People won’t understand, John, they’ll try to…” But John interrupted you again, “If they come for you, we’ll cut them a fucking smile each, right?” And you had never loved your uncle more. “Arthur?” you finally asked, as you observed his face, that had confusion written all of over, closely. “What?” “Are you angry?” Then he sighed, seemed to make up his mind, and said, “You’re a Shelby, so you’re alright.” After another few moments of silence, John turned to his brother, “Let’s get the car ready. We told Tommy to get Y/N to London before dark.” Which left you with Aunt Polly, who hadn’t said a word yet. And in a way, her opinion mattered most to you. Well, hers and your fathers did. But before you could ask her how gravely you’d disappointed her, she said, “I’ve known you all my life…” “I’m sorry…” “What for?”

“For keeping it from you.” Polly came towards you and put one hand to your cheek, ever so gently and lovingly, “You didn’t. Like I said: I’ve known you all my life.” Leaning into her hands, you whispered, “But what about dad?” “Let me deal with Tommy. He’s just being difficult.” “So what do I do now?” your voice sounded so small all of a sudden. “Go and see Ada. She’ll know what to do.”

***

You’d been at Ada’s for three weeks now and still not a word from the great Thomas Shelby. Quite honestly, this infuriated you. If he planned on disowning you, why not fucking do it straight away? If he hated you this much, that he couldn’t even bear the sight of you, why couldn’t he tell you himself. You thought him a coward, for letting his brothers drag you away from your home instead of doing it himself. But the anger you felt was only to cover up your underlying sadness and hurt. Uncertainty was gnawing away at you. Still, London wasn’t all bad. When you told Ada, she hardly seemed to notice your big revelation and reacted with her usual sarcastic distant ways. And somehow, this was strangely comforting to you. And London wasn’t at all like back home. Here gays could meet openly in pubs and clubs. Sure, it was illegal, ‘gross indecency between males’, but it seemed like people just turned a blind eye to it here. Your Aunt Ada’s friend James had told you it’d been like that before the war even. Can you imagine?

James had taken you to some of the clubs and it was like being in a different world. The dancing, the drinking, the people; everything was more exciting here. It was like these people didn’t have a care in the world, like they’d found their place in the world.

“Tommy’s coming to London,” Ada announced suddenly over breakfast. “Good for him,” you snapped in reply.

She looked at you from across the table, which reminded you of Aunt Polly somehow, “Have you two talked yet?” “No and I don’t fucking want to.” She rolled her eyes, “Men.”

“Exactly.” And that very evening, you were called to the phone. When you answered it, no one spoke, but the sound of someone inhaling cigarette smoke told you all you needed to know. And at once you knew Ada had intervened. But you’d be damned if you were the first one to speak. “Y/N,” his low voice eventually sounded, “I know you’re there.” “How very perceptive of you.” Your father sighed on the other end, “How are things in London?” “Brilliant.” “How’s Ada?” “Fantastic. Best guardian I ever had,” you tried to pack as much venom in each sentence as you could.

But he was obviously ignoring your tone, “Tell me about London,” he demanded. You waved an impatient hand, tired of this conversation already, “It’s colourful, open and everything that Birmingham isn’t.”

Tommy smirked in the horn, “I know, that’s why I send you there.”

And for a moment you lost your composure, “Wait, what?” “I wanted you to figure out who you were, in a place where you would be allowed to be you,” your father explained casually. You had no words. “I knew Ada wouldn’t mind, she’s seen everything living in London by now,” he continued, “and I knew she had friends who you could talk to…” “James…” ��Yes, James, amongst others.” “He’s been showing me around. Like the dancing and clubs and stuff.” Tommy cleared his throat, “Good. Just, be careful.” “Dad…” “I mean it, Y/N, I don’t mind you going to these clubs but beware of those fucking Londoners, alright? They’re all mad down there.” He was worried about you and it warmed your fucking heart. “Dad?” “Hmm…” “Why the fuck didn’t you just tell me?” “Tell you what, eh?” “That you accepted me.” So used to the gesture, you could hear him frown, “Didn’t think I’d need to. Some things don’t need to be said out loud, eh?” “I still needed to hear it, dad.” “Alright,” he waited for a few moments, “I don’t give a fuck whether you’re into men or women. I don’t give a fuck who you love. I only care you’re safe and happy, alright? Which is why I did what I did.” Your father wasn’t great with words, but when he did talk, he knew exactly what to say. Neither of you spoke for a long time and it was nice.

Then you said, “When can I come back to Birmingham?” “I thought you liked London.” “I do, but I can do both, right?” He cleared his throat, “Is this about William?” You confessed, “Yes.” “Why him?” your father sounded genuinely curious now. And you shrugged and smiled to yourself, “I just couldn’t keep my eyes off of him.”

*** Masterlist

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americancowgirl19 · 3 years

Text

Tommy’s Little Girl

Summary: You’re the most precious thing to Thomas Shelby. So, when a guy comes into your life he isn’t the most supportive.

Warnings: fluff, angst, cursing

Reader: Female Reader

Pairings: Tommy Shelby x Daughter!Reader, Reader x Male Character (H/n = His name, he can be whoever you want)

Word Count: 5,261

A/n: This was a request by an anon - Please can I request that Tommy Shelby’s daughter becomes engaged to a man behind his back and he refuses to acknowledge the engagement while the rest of the family do. After six months, just before the wedding, Tommy finally comes around to the idea... So, I added a few things to this request, I hope you still like it! I was just going to do the scene that the anon requested but I personally love writing who stories and backgrounds and shit so you get to see an entire life at Tommy’s daughter with the request included! Oh, and John doesn’t die cause fuck that.

Masterlist

You were the ultimate daddy’s girl. From the moment you were born you and your father were inseparable. The only thing that tore you apart was the war. You were barely two years old when he went off to serve his country.

When he left he entrusted Polly to look after you. Of course she treated you as if you were her own. She protected you as fiercely as she protected your father, uncles and aunt. Especially when your Aunt Kitty, Kitty Jurossi, showed up demanding that you were to go with her.

Kitty is your mother’s sister. She never approved of Greta being with Tommy. While Tommy taking care of Greta in her final days and loving her as he did was honorable, Kitty knew what kind of man he is. She knew what kind of family he had, what kind of business he partook in. She didn’t want you around them.

Polly always thought it was amusing how Kitty waited until Tommy was out of country to try and collect you. Kitty wrongfully assumed that Polly would just hand you over. Your mother’s sister was lucky she was able to return to her home with her life, especially when she tried to forcefully take you.

You remembered that day very vaguely. You don’t remember what happened but you remembered the yelling, someone grabbing you painfully and how scared you were. Your father had just left you for the longest time in your life and now this woman was trying to take you from the person you considered your mother.

The years without your father were long and unmemorable. When he finally returned home you were five going on six. You waited on the train platform with Polly, Ada and Finn. Polly kept a tight hold on you as the soldiers came off the train and went to their families.

You tried to find him but you were far too short and all of them were wearing the same uniform and cap. You jumped in your spot just itching to run into his arms. It didn’t matter that you didn’t really remember specific details of him. You remembered the feeling you had with him. You remembered being safe and happy with him. You remembered being sad and lonely without him. You’d rather be safe and happy than the other part.

“There they are!” Ada shouts. Your head darts to where she was pointing. When you spotted him not even Polly was able to hold you back.

You remember him shoving his way through the others to get to you. When you were close he dropped to his knees and pulled you into his arms. You clung to him.

Then, just like before he left, the two of you were inseparable once again. The only time you weren’t together was when you were sleeping (although on rough nights you often found your way in his bed) or when he had dangerous Peaky business.

You were the Shelby princess. You were untouchable. You didn’t figure out how much you could get away with until you were older. You could murder his best friend - not that you ever killed anyone - and the longest he’d stay mad at you would be a few hours, a day at most.

Anything you wanted was yours. You were spoiled but you were also kind and generous. You had bratty streaks but who didn’t? You may have been the light of your father’s life but you were John’s partner in crime. Whenever his own kids got too much or he wanted to pick on his brother’s you were the one he came too.

As much as he did truly enjoy spending time with you, John also knew that with you by his side he wouldn’t get into as much trouble as he would without you. All you had to do was give your pretty little smile and bat those eyelashes and Tommy was wrapped around your finger.

Even when your siblings came into the world you were number one. You didn’t exactly like Charlie, not Grace, at first. They stole your father’s attention, something you weren’t used to sharing. Eventually you warmed up to them.

You were sad when Grace died but not nearly to the extreme as your father. His heart break broke your own heart. You felt as if nothing you did eased his pain. In reality, you were the one person keeping him from completely spiraling. He spiraled but just being with you managed to slowly bring him back.

You were a little more welcoming toward Lizzie and then Ruby. By the time Ruby came around you adored Charlie. Ruby quickly wiggled her way into your heart. You became fiercely protective of them. You helped Lizzie with them when Tommy got too busy. When you needed a break you joined your father to the office and he would continue explaining what he did.

To you, life was perfect. You had everything you needed and everything you wanted. Tommy kept you in the business just enough to satisfy you but not enough to put you directly in danger. You didn’t understand a lot of the politics and drama within the family but to you it didn’t matter. You had your family, you had your fun, and life was great.

Then, as you were creeping up on your mid-twenties, you met the man you wanted to spend the rest of your life with. You were in the market with Lizzie, Polly, and Ruby. You had wandered a bit from the others. There was some jewelry you were looking at when he came over.

He was tall, muscular, and extremely handsome. He had a boyish smile and a flirtatious personality. It didn’t take you long to also figure out that he was clumsy and adorable. You were instantly hooked.

You two talked (flirted) for longer than you thought. Before you knew it Polly, Lizzie and Ruby were rejoining you. Polly was weary of him but it was obvious that he quickly won Lizzie over.

Much to your displeasure, once the three of them showed up you were quickly whisked away from him. Polly had said it was time to go and not many people were brave enough to argue with her.

Even on the way home you thought about him. You hoped that you would see him again but you figured it was unlikely.

Word got around about you meeting Mr. Handsome at the market. Your uncles teased you and Ada interrogated you. Your father was oddly quiet on the other hand. He didn’t want to talk about it, so he didn’t. He just hoped that your paths wouldn’t cross again.

Tommy knew you were getting older but that didn’t mean he liked it. He wanted you to stay his little girl for a while longer. He wished you were still small enough to ride on his shoulders and small enough for him to engulf you in his arms. But you were growing into a beautiful young lady. Whether he liked it or not other men were bound to recognize your beauty and seek you out. He had been lucky, for the most part, about your disinterest in dating, but it wasn’t going to last.

Most of the women your age were already married with at least one child. You were content by yourself. You were gaining responsibilities with the business and being your father’s personal helper. Even though you were content you wanted more. You wanted your own family to come home to with your own kids.

Fortunately, for Tommy, you wouldn’t see the boy from the market for quite some time. It had been so long you had forgotten about him. Until suddenly he showed back up.

The Shelby’s were having a night at the fights. You were enjoying yourself. You didn’t get dolled up often but when you did you went all out. You felt beautiful thus making you feel confident. On top of that, everyone knew exactly who you were which meant heads turned in your direction everywhere you went. You felt important, untouchable.

You sat with your aunt Ada, Aunt Polly, and step mother Lizzie. The three of you were talking amongst yourselves while the boys hollered at the match in front of them. When the fighters changed out you happened to look up and there he was.

Ada had been talking to you but you suddenly stopped listening. He was bigger, more muscular, than you remember. He didn’t seem as clumsy anymore yet he was just as handsome.

“Y/n,” Ada shouts over the crowd.

“Oh, will you look at that,” Lizzie states looking at who you were staring at.

“Who’s he?” Ada questions. Lizzie reminds her about the guy from the market you had met over a year prior. You continued to ignore them.

Right before the match started his eyes connected with yours. He obviously recognized you. He sent you the same boyish smile he had in the market causing a light blush to come to your cheeks. He bravely sent you a wink before focusing on the fight.

Your eyes remained glued on him with Tommy’s eyes started at you. He had noticed the interaction and didn’t like it in the slightest.

When the match ended, with his unfortunate loss, you excused yourself to the loo. You weren’t fooling anybody. Everyone who paid attention knew where you were going and Tommy had half a mind to stop you when something grabbed his attention. The split second his attention was off of you gave you the time you needed to disappear into the crowd.

“H/n,” You say, standing in the doorway of the locker room. You were slightly nervous - a lot nervous - but you weren’t 100% sober so that helped. His head snapped up at the sound of your voice.

“Y/n,” He says, turning away from his locker and toward you. “Shelby,” He adds. You hadn’t told him who you were. It was obvious he hadn’t known back then and you wanted to keep it that way.

“In the flesh,” You gave him a twirl. “You fought well tonight,”

“I lost,” He deadpanned but didn’t look all that bothered by it..

“Caught me attention,” You told him.

“Guess it wasn’t a complete loss then, aye?” He smirks. “How about you make me a winner tonight and agree to a date?” You blushed.

“I can do that,” You agreed.

From there your relationship blossomed. The two of you fell for each other quickly. He started showing up around the family more. Your uncles hazed him, Ada and Polly constantly interrogated him, and your father silently judged him. No matter how hard you or H/n tried, your father never came around.

H/n didn’t care about Tommy’s disapproval of him. He loved you with all his heart and nobody was going to keep you from him. He may be funny, charismatic and handsome but he knew he was selfish with a side of possessive. In his mind, you were his and he wasn’t letting you go. He would do anything to keep you and to keep you happy.

It honestly was no surprise that less than a year later the two of you were engaged. He had taken you out on a picnic under the stars on a beach. You had dinner, went swimming and had a fire in the sand. While stargazing he proposed with a beautiful ring. You didn’t hesitate to say yes.

The next day, as you two were makin breakfast, you asked how your father handled him asking for permission when H/n told you he never asked. It shocked you that H/n didn’t talk to Tommy first. You knew when it came to your father H/n was a little rebellious but this was different. Honestly, you were a bit upset he didn’t speak with Tommy first.

It hadn’t even been twenty four hours since your engagement and the two of you were thrown into a fight. A minor one but a fight nonetheless. He didn’t see why it mattered seeing as the two of you were getting married with or without his permission. You argued that it wasn’t his permission you were looking for but your blessing. H/n didn’t understand just how close you and Tommy are but you wished he would at least respect it.

Eventually, he apologized when he finally noticed just how important Tommy’s approval meant to you. You promised H/n that you would marry him no matter what but keeping it from your father was not an option. H/n promised to talk to him.

A few days passed and then a week. H/n still didn’t talk to Tommy. You were fed up and decided to do it yourself. When you arrived at the Arrow House all you found were Lizzie and Ruby.

Ruby instantly spotted the ring. You desperately wanted to talk to Tommy first but since you weren’t getting passed you sister not Lizzie you conceded.

“So, when did he pop the question?” Ruby asked.

“About two weeks ago,” You answered, a large smile on your face. “He asked me on the beach under the stars,” Ruby swooned but Lizzie didn’t seem to be paying attention anymore. You looked at her. You tensed noticing her looking behind you. Slowly, you turned around and saw your father standing there.

His eyes stare into your eyes and for the first time in your life you can’t figure out what he was thinking. He seemed emotionless but you couldn’t tell if the look in his eyes was anger or disappointment. His eyes glanced down at your hand, at your ring.

“Dad, I-” You didn’t get a chance to explain. He turned around and walked out of the house. You were shocked. He never did that to you. He always let you speak no matter what he was feeling. When you snapped out of it you quickly went after him but he was already in the car driving down the road. “Dad! Wait, please!” But he just keeps driving.

“He’ll come around,” Ruby tries to comfort but her words just go in one ear and right out the other.

For weeks your father avoided you like the plague. You walked into a room, he walked out. You tried to talk, he talked over you. You tried to get his attention, he ignored you. You tried for over a month before deciding to give him some space and focus on planning your wedding.

With the help of Ada, Ruby, Polly, and Esme you planned the wedding. Every day you got a step closer to the date. Every day you got more excited. Yet one thing continued to dampen your mood.

“Y/n, come in,” Esme greets, stepping aside to let you into her home.

“Is John here? I want to talk to him,” You say, fiddling with your fingers nervously. Esme smiles kindly and nods.

“Why don’t you have a seat and I’ll fetch him,” She suggests before disappearing into the house. You walk into the parlor. You smile and play with your cousins for a bit before John finally joins you.

“I wanted to ask you something,” You say after he shoos the kids away. He gives you his attention. You take in a deep breath as tears mist over your eyes. He looks more concerned by the second. “I was wondering if you... would walk me down the aisle,” John frowns his eyebrows.

“You want me?” He asks, shocked. “What about Tom-”

“He hasn’t spoken to me for months,” You snap, struggling to keep your tears from falling. “He can hardly look at me or stand to be in the same room. I think it’s safe to say he’s not coming,” You try to sound angry but curse silently when your voice grows more shaky. John sighs.

“Come here, sweetheart,” He opens his arms and you quickly close the distance between the two of you. He holds you tightly as you cry in his chest. “Tommy’s being a right arse at the moment, everyone knows that,” He mutters. “But nothing in the world is going to stop him from walking you down that aisle,”

“H/n being at the end of it might,” You mutter. John laughs quietly.

“Love, if Tommy really hated H/n, he would be dead by now,” John says truthfully. You see the logic in his statement but it hardly lifts your spirits.

“The wedding is in two weeks,” You whisper. “He hasn’t budged yet,”

“I want you to do something for me,” John says, pulling back just enough to look at your face and wipe your tears. “I want you to think through your entire life and tell me a time where you didn’t get your way with Tommy,” John challenges. “I’m not even going to wait because it never bloody happened,” You smile a bit. “Now, this has been the longest you’ve had to wait for him to come around but trust me, he is incapable of not doing what you want,”

“Will you still be on standby?” You ask him. He smirks and kisses your forehead.

“Of course,” He whispers. “Bloody hell, has anyone said no to you before?” He asks, smirking as he steps away from you.

“What can I say? I’m everyone’s sweetheart,” You smile. John rolls his eyes and offers for you to stay for dinner, which you accept.

When you returned home you noticed H/n was home as well. You had moved out of Arrow house before the engagement, something your father strongly disagreed with.

When you walked inside, H/n was waiting up for you. You hadn’t meant to be home so late. It’s just when you’re with John and his kids they just make the time fly by. Luckily, H/n didn’t seem upset just tired.

“Come here,” He mutters, opening his arms. You smile and settle in his lap enjoying the feeling of his thick arms wrapped around your body. “Were you at Arrow House?” He asks.

“No, I went to see Uncle John,” You tell him. He hums curiously. “I wanted to ask if he’d walk me down the aisle,” You whisper. H/n holds you tighter.

“I’m sorry, Y/n,” He whispers to you. “I shouldn’t have proposed without asking for his blessing or at least mentioning it to him,”

“No, you shouldn’t have,” You grumbled before sighing. “But this is much more than that. Something else is bothering him,”

“You’re his precious girl, he’ll talk eventually,” He reassures you. You don’t respond, you simply cuddle deeper into his embrace.

A week passed. You had five days until your wedding. You woke up excited as you daydreamed about the day. However, your happiness didn’t last.

BRITIAN AT WAR WITH GERMANY

Your father and uncles had fought in the first war. The supposed ‘war to end all wars’. Now, only a short few years later there was another war. A war the next generation would fight. A war your H/n volunteered to join.

You were in the kitchen cleaning up. You were doing everything you could to keep buys. Britain was officially at war and you were terrified. You knew everything was going to change. Deep down you knew it would happen but it didn’t register until he was right in front of you.

“When do you leave?” You whisper, desperately trying to stay together as you look at H/n. He was in his uniform with papers in his hand.

“Thursday,” H/n hesitantly whispers. You close your eyes and hang your head. Not only was your soon-to-be husband going off to fight this war but he was leaving before your wedding. On top of that, you only had two more days with him.

“Why do you have to leave?” You whimpered. He doesn’t answer. He just closes the gap between the two of you and pulls you into a tight hug. He hugged you as if he could single handedly keep you from falling apart.

“I will come back to you, Y/n Shelby,” He states firmly. “Heaven nor hell will keep me from you, you have me word,”

“I love you,” You whisper, clinging to him. He pulls back just enough to tilt your head up to his lips. He doesn’t verbally respond but he tries to pour all his love and determination to return to you in the breathtaking kiss.

You cling to him for as long as you can but eventually have to let him go. While he didn’t leave until Thursday he had much to get done before then. He promised he would be back in a few hours but you didn’t want to be alone.

The first thing you did was go to Polly. You froze when you saw her drying her cheeks. Finn had volunteered as well. Together you both cried.

Finn might have technically been your uncle but he was more of a brother. There was only a few years difference between the two of you. Polly had raised you both. You hated that you could possibly not only lose H/n but Finn as well.

Luckily Charlie was still too young to join but only for another year. You had no doubt that he would join up the first chance he got. He’s Tommy’s son. Neither of them were good at backing down.

When you left Polly you went to Arrow House. You were done. You were done with your father’s stubbornness. You were done with his silence and his judgmental stares. He could be mad about the wedding all he wanted but you needed him to come back to you.

“Did H/n..?” Lizzie’s voice dissipates. She didn’t want to finish the question and she didn’t have too. You just nod and accept her comforting hug. You’ve cried the majority of the day and knew you weren’t done yet. You knew the second you went face to face with Tommy you’d fall apart all over again.

“Where is he?” You ask.

“In his office,” Lizzie says knowing exactly who you were wanting. “Most likely on his second bottle by now,” You sighed, rubbing your face tiredly. “I’ll make some tea,” You send her a smile and a nod.

You don’t even bother to knock, you rarely did. There wasn’t a room you knew about that you weren’t welcome into. Inside you found your father slouched in his chair with a full glass in his hands. He doesn’t bother to look at you. You don’t even know if he registers your presence.

“I don’t know what you’re so mad at me about,” You began. Your voice sounded strong and you hoped it stayed that way. “Yes, H/n asked me to marry him. No, I didn’t know at the time that he didn’t talk to you but get over it. You haven’t made his time in this family easy, no wonder he doesn’t want to talk to you.

“When you found out you found out too soon. I was there to talk to you about it but Ruby and Lizzie saw me first. This wasn’t something I wanted to keep from you, I never meant to hurt you. I’m sorry,” You whisper. Hope fills you a bit when he glances at you in the corner of his eye. “I know something else is bothering you but I don’t know what it is and I need you to work it out some how because I need you, dad,” You whimper.

He finally looks at you.

“These last few months have been so hard without you and now H/n is going off to war, I’m not sure if I’m even going to get married, and you still won’t fucking talk to me!” You shouted but the tears in your eyes betrays your anger. “I’m scared out of my mind I’m going to lose H/n, that I’m going to lose Finn... That I already lost you,” A few tears fall down your face. “I’m sorry for whatever I did, please forgive me because I need you so fucking back,”

By the end you were close to sobbing and falling to you knees. You sobbed but you never fell. Tommy was out of his seat and was wrapping his arms around you before your knees could give away.

He leads you to the couch and sits down. You curl into his chest like you used to do when you were younger. He hums quietly and rocks you.

“You didn’t lose me, darling girl,” He whispers to you. “I’m so sorry for the way I’ve acted. I should have never treated you like I have. No, I don’t like H/n but not because of who he is but because he’s taking my little girl from me,” You tilt your head to look at him. “For nearly 26 years you have been the center of my world,” He whispers quietly. “Through everything, you have been the most important constant in my life. There were many times you were my only source of happiness, my only will to live,” He admits. “I’m terrified of what I’ll do without you,”

“You’ll never be without me,” You whisper to him. “I live ten minutes away and you’ll still see me daily whether H/n likes it or not,” Tommy smiles a bit. “And maybe when the war is over you’ll have more mini me’s running around,” Tommy scowls at the thought of the process of making children rather than the thought of the actual kids.

“You’re happy with him?” You nod. “You love him and he loves you?” You nod again. “Has he hurt you?” You shake your head. He sighs, slightly frustrated with the lack of reason to murder H/n. Not that he really needed a reason but he knew if he did he would hurt you. He’s already hurt you enough as it is. “Then you have my blessing,” You smile at him.

“He leaves before the wedding,” You whisper. He shrugs.

“So, move the wedding up,” He says nonchalantly.

“How are we going to set everything up before Thursday?” You ask. He smirks.

“You don’t worry about a thing,” He kisses your forehead. “Let me call Ada, Pol, and Esme. They’ll help you get ready and I’ll worry about the rest,”

“You avoided this wedding the entire time, now you’re going to plan in within a few hours?” You ask.

“I’m Thomas Shelby,” He said as if it were the cure to all diseases. “Up you get,” He gently pushes you out of his lap. “No worrying,” He points at you before kissing your forehead again.

“Who’s going to want to celebrate at a time like this?” You ask before he leaves. He turns toward you and smiles softly.

“Right now is the perfect time to celebrate a moment like this,” Tommy tells you. You can see the honesty in his eyes and can tell he’s briefly reliving the past. You hate that his past is always haunting him and you pray that you’ll be able to help H/s if... when he comes back to you. “Relax, get ready, and I’ll see you in a few hours.”

It didn’t take long for Ada, Polly and Esme to show up. Polly had your dress and Ada had your accessories. The three of them with Lizzie and Ruby helped you get ready for the wedding.

As you got ready, Tommy went to your home where he found H/n just returning. It was obvious that he was surprised to see Tommy but he invited his future in-law inside nonetheless.

“I was a few years younger than you when I was shipped off to France,” Tommy explained to him. “When I returned I wasn’t the same. Nobody who goes through what we went through, what you will go through, returns the same,” Tommy warns. “Y/n was five or six when I got back. She helped give me a reason to keep waking up, to keep moving. When you come back, you’ll need someone that will be able to anchor you into the present. Don’t push people away, especially Y/n... She won’t let you,” Tommy advises with a soft smile as he thinks about you.

“I won’t,” H/s vows.

“You say that now but I promise it’ll be very tempting when you return,” Tommy says. Casually, Tommy walks closer. “Everyone that returns deals with the past differently. I won’t judge you for the drinks you’ll have or even the drugs you may take,” Tommy shrugs. “But if you come back and you turn violent again Y/n at any point. If you so much as hurt her one time, I will personally dig your grave and put you in it,” Tommy promises. “You will come back, you’ll deal with it however you can, and you’ll take care of Y/n and the family you’ll have. If you can’t do that, don’t marry her and walk away now.”

“I love you daughter. I want her happy and I’ll give my life to keep her safe,” H/s vows.

“Good,” Tommy nods. “That’s my little girl. Her happiness is everything to me. You give me one reason to kill you and I promise you and whatever god is out there that I will take that chance,”

“Understood,” H/n slowly nods.

“Good,” Tommy nods again. “Well, let’s get going, you’re getting married in a few hours,” Tommy says walking toward the door. He pulls out a cigarette and begins to light it.

“I am?” H/n calls out confused. Tommy just keeps walking and H/n jogs to catch up.

A few hours later, John and Arthur show up to collect the women.

“Your chariot awaits madam,” Arthur announces loudly. You couldn’t help but smile from ear to ear as he leads you to the car. John winks at you playfully.

“Told you he’d come around,” John teased.

“Should have cried in front of him sooner, that usually does the trick,” You joke back. John grins wider and kisses your head.

“Alright! Let’s get a move on, we’ve got a wedding to get too!” Arthur hollers. When you arrive where the rest of the gypsies and Peaky Blinders are, they cheer for your arrival.

Tommy greets you at the car looking handsome as ever.

“I hope I’m still allowed to walk you down,” He mutters helping you out of the car.

“Of course,” You smile leaning into him. He kisses your head and leads you toward the aisle. At the end you find H/s standing there looking breathtaking. “I’m scared,” You whisper.

“That’s alright,” He promises, slowly walking you toward your future husband. “There’s going to be moment where you’re scared but there will never be a moment where you’re alone,” He tells you. You tighten your arm around his. “These last few months will never happen again,” He vows. “I’ll be there anytime and every time you need me,”

“I know,” You whisper.

When you reach the end, Tommy turns toward you. You smile up at him. He gently cups the side of your face.

“I love you,” He whispers, gently kissing your forehead. His lips linger as he remembers the day you were born, the day he left and came back from the war. He remembered every moment he shared with you. He hated that future memories would be shared with H/n but as long as you were there he wouldn’t mind.

“I love you too,” You whisper back, basking in the warmth and safety of his embrace for a moment longer. Tommy hesitantly steps back. You both share a smile before he hands you off to your soon-to-be husband.

#Peaky Blinders #Tommy Shelby #Tommy x Reader #x daughter!reader #Shelby #Shelby!reader #John Shelby #Arthur Shelby #Finn Shelby #Thomas Shelby #Polly #Ada Shelby #x fem!reader #x female reader #x female!reader #request #tommy shelby x reader #tommy x daughter!reader #tommy shelby x daughter!reader

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queenshelby · 3 years

Text

The Maid – Part One of Three

Featuring: Tommy Shelby x Virgin!Reader

Words: 5095

Warning: Smut

Summary: It was Sunday Evening and you working at a nightclub in London. This was your first job and today you were to meet an interesting man who would make you a job offer that you couldn’t refuse. When you took up the job with him, you got so much more than you bargained for.

Tag List:

@lilymurphy03 @deefigs @theflamecrystal @chrisevanshoeee @desperate-and-broken @weepingstudentfishhorse @captivatedbycillianmurphy @fookingshelby @livinginfantaxy @rosey1981 @atomicsoulcollecto @peakyboyslover @nerdy4itall @elenavampire21 @hanster1998 @mariapaiva13 @fairypitou @harry-is-my-sunflower

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Meeting a Stranger

‘Good Evening Sir, may I get you a drink?’ you asked as you looked up into his deep blue eyes.

‘Whiskey. Irish please’ the man said without looking at you as he lit himself a cigarette.

It was unusual for men in this establishment not to make eye contact. It was almost like he was disinterested in his surroundings.

When he lifted up his whiskey glass, you noticed his wedding band. Of course, he was married and here to cheat on his wife.

She probably no longer satisfied his needs. But what did you know? Being 19 years old and rather shy, you had never been with a man.

It wasn’t long until the mistress arrived at the bar which also was unusual. He must be a special guest if the mistress herself was taking the time to talk to him.

‘Mr Shelby, I apologise, but Laura is absent tonight. Clara might be of interest’ the mistress said.

‘Not Clara. Someone new’ he responded.

‘Of course. I will make arrangements’ the mistress said before excusing herself.

Just as the mistress had left, the man ordered a second glass of whiskey.

‘Your name is Shelby?’ you asked surprised as you served him. ‘Are you related to Thomas Shelby by any chance?’ you added.

Without a response, he finally looked up at you. His eyes widened and his facial expression changed, almost like he had seen a ghost.

‘Is everything alright?’ you asked as you didn’t receive a response to your question.

‘You remind me of someone I used to know’ he responded. ‘You just look like her’ he added.

‘So I’ve been told. It’s a shame I never got to meet her’ you said, knowing exactly that he was talking about your half sister Greta Jurossi.

Greta and her mother passed away of consumption before you were born. Your father became very upset by their passing and found comfort in your mother who he fathered two children with. You were the oldest.

Your half-sister Kitty Jurossi spoke about Thomas Shelby quite frequently as the love of Greta’s life. They had been together since they were 16 and you know that he left for France shortly after Greta passed at the age of 19.

Just as Tommy introduced himself to you and began asking you questions, the mistress returned and advised Tommy that arrangements had been made.

‘I changed my mind’ Tommy said. ‘Although, I would like Miss Jerossi to accompany me. I will cover her wages for the night’ Tommy said, causing your heart to skip a beat.

‘Mr Shelby, I am afraid to inform you that she has no experience. She is not one of our working girls. She is simply a barmaid. Although, if you insist and this is something you wish to explore further, we could perhaps come to some to an arrangement’ the mistress said.

You were speechless and felt like you were auctioned off to the highest bidder.

‘I am not intending to fuck her. I would simply like to continue our conversation, eh’ Tommy said sheepishly, catching the mistress by surprise.

‘This should be enough for her time and for you to put another barmaid on for the evening’ he added as he handed her 10 pounds.

‘Of course, Mr Shelby, thank you’ the mistress said before telling you to get your coat.

You grabbed your coat and met Tommy at the front of the club. Just as you arrived, he had lid himself a cigarette.

‘Common’ he said before you followed him to his car.

‘Where are we going?’ you asked. You were still slightly uncomfortable about the situation unfolding right in front of you.

‘A place I know’ he said as he drove off and, within ten minutes, you pulled up in front of a nightclub of a different kind. It was full of artists, a band was playing in the background and everyone enjoyed champaign and cocaine.

‘Common, have a seat’ Tommy said as he sat down with you in a somewhat private area.

He ordered you a drink and began to talk about Greta, his long-lost love. You were still unsure why you were there, with him. Whilst he asked you several questions about your life and your circumstances, it was mostly him who was doing the talking.

After several hours of talking, on the stroke of midnight, Tommy made you a proposal which was too good to refuse.

He offered you a job in Birmingham, as a maid. Apparently, his household was short-staffed and his wife needed more assistance. He was of the view that working in an up-market brothel as a barmaid was no job for a woman like you. Somehow, he didn’t know you, but he cared. He was concerned that, the longer you work there, the more likely it will become that you be asked to do more than just serve drinks.

His offer was kind and you accepted it with caveat that you had no experience as a maid.

He assured you that you will learn all you need to know on the job.

New Life

A week after your encounter with Thomas Shelby, your new life began.

You were introduced to the household and tried the best you could to settle in.

Most days, you were on your own with the other maids, Elizabeth Shelby, who was Tommy’s wife and Tommy’s two children.

Tommy’s wife Lizzie disliked you for obvious reasons. She insisted on older and experienced maids and it was evident to her why Tommy had hired you.

For a while you tried very hard to make Lizzie like you, but nothing took away the apprehension she had in respect of you.

Whilst you could understand her concerns, Tommy had never made any advances towards you. After all, you were much younger than him.

But, over the next few weeks, you learned why Lizzie was so apprehensive. Her marriage to Tommy was on the verge of breaking.

According to Sarah, one of the maids, Tommy and Lizzie were no longer sleeping in the same bedroom and she overheard Lizzie speaking to a solicitor in London to ascertain what her options were if she was to divorce him.

Sarah was of the view that there is no love between Tommy and Lizzie. There never has been.

Lizzie enjoyed the life and the money. Apparently, she used to be a working girl in Birmingham and this is how she met Tommy.

They used to sleep together, quite frequently, until one day she fell pregnant. When Tommy became a member of parliament, he married her. Clearly, he had to appear to be doing the right thing in a position like that.

Sarah herself had her eyes on Tommy and was the only other young maid who managed to stay. For some reason not apparent to you, Lizzie tolerated her. Perhaps she knew too much. After all, one of the reasons maids stayed at the Shelby household was because they were paid well, much better than in other households. Sarah was one of the few maids who had access to Thomas Shelby’s office and it was likely that she had to put a blind eye on the illegal activities Thomas Shelby engaged in.

Every Thursday Evening at 8 o’clock, Sarah would go to Tommy’s office and she would be there for an hour exactly. You timed it, right to the second, every week.

One week, you managed to quietly pass by the office on a Thursday evening at half past eight and you could hear them being intimate.

To your surprise, despite their weekly encounters, Tommy was cold towards her. He didn’t treat her differently to any of the other maids. It appeared to you that the sex they have was no more than another business transaction for Tommy.

Whilst Tommy wasn’t around much, when he was, he was different with you. He was kind and warm in his own way. You were the youngest maid in the household and even Francis said that you get away with mistakes that aren’t usually tolerated because Mr Shelby seems to have soft spot for you. Sometimes, he would even smile at you and you began to like him more than you should have liked a man his age. Sometimes, you even imagined what it would be like if it was you in Tommy’s office with him instead of Sarah.

To your surprise, after a month of you being at the Shelby house, Tommy started to call you into his office as well. You recalled the first time. It was a Tuesday evening, 8 o’clock and you were nervous.

Whilst you could imagine yourself sleeping with him, you had never been with a man before.

But, intimacy and sex was not what Tommy was after. He simply enjoyed your company and you would talk for hours, about horses, racing and politics.

Like a real gentleman, he kept his distance, offering you a drink and a cigarette while you talked and talking was all you ever did.

Sarah noticed reasonably quickly that your Tuesday night encounters with Tommy became a habit and once she even overheard you referring to him as Tommy as opposed to Mr Shelby.

Tommy insisted that you call him Tommy when you talked in private. It was not part of your work and he said that he felt old every time you called him ‘Mr Shelby’.

As another four weeks had passed, you could see the man within him who your step sister fell in love with and Kitty had spoken so highly about. He appeared to you every Tuesday evening at 8 o’clock, a different man.

Mistakes Happen

To Lizzie’s and Francis’s annoyance, you made many mistakes. Burnt toast was just one of them. But none of that bothered Tommy.

As it has happened, one day you even managed to break an incredibly expensive vase as you paid more attention to Tommy getting dressed through the crack of his bedroom door. It was a sheer accident which probably wouldn’t have happened if you paid more attention to what you were doing at the time rather than Tommy’s naked chest.

‘I am so sorry Mr Shelby, I didn’t mean to drop this’ you said, totally embarrassed and flustered as the vase dropped to the floor and, hearing the shatter, Tommy emerged from his bedroom.

‘It’s alright Y/N, seriously. It’s just a vase, eh’ Tommy said with a smile on his face as he bent over, helping you to collect the pieces.

‘Please Mr Shelby, I can do this’ you said with some embarrassment. Your cheeks were flushed by the sight of him, wearing nothing but his suit pants.

Tommy’s eyes gazed over to you as he picked up the pieces and it was clear to you that he noticed your flushed cheeks.

‘Tommy, what are you doing?’ Lizzie said as she observed him collecting pieces of broken porcelain with you from the floor.

‘What does it look like Lizzie?’ Tommy asked. It was clear to you that they were fighting, again. They always fought. Sometimes you wondered why they were married at all.

The constant arguing between Tommy and Lizzie was exhausting. It exhausted everyone, even the maids.

‘I’ve got it Mr Shelby, please’ you said as you put more pieces of the broken vase into a bucket.

‘See, she’s got it Tommy, now would you please see Arthur. He is downstairs yelling and Charles has started to pick up the swear words’ Lizzie said.

‘Alright Lizzie, fuck’ he said as he got up and left you to it. As you were cleaning up the last of the broken pieces, you overheard Lizzie talk to Ada about you.

‘I really don’t know why Thomas had to employ her instead of someone more experienced’ she said.

‘She looks exactly like Greta, his first ever love, that’s why Lizzie’ Ada responded.

‘Well then he should have left her at the whorehouse and visit her there’ Lizzie said frustrated before walking off.

Lizzie’s comment made you rather upset and you were beginning to feel even more uncomfortable at the house with every day that went by.

Lizzie had begun to notice Tommy’s favouritism towards you and it was clear to you that she did not want you around.

After another two weeks, you couldn’t bare it any longer and decided to resign. The tension between you and Lizzie had become too much to tolerate.

You handed your written resignation to Tommy at noon on a Monday and, just as he read it, he walked to his office door and closed it behind him.

‘Sit down Y/N, have a drink’ Tommy said, causing you to flush.

‘Common’ Tommy said as he poured yourself a glass of whiskey, neat, before sitting down on one of the arm chairs.

You sat down across from him as he handed you the glass of whiskey.

‘I cannot accept this’ he said as he took a sip from his glass.

‘Tommy, I cannot continue to work for you. I am not suited for this job and I am fairly sure that neither your wife nor Francis like me very much’ you explained.

‘That might be right but, in the end of the day, I make the decisions, eh’ Tommy said. ‘And I would like you to stay’ he added.

‘Why? You can easily find a better maid’ you laughed.

‘Because you are smart Y/N and I enjoy your company. Please’ Tommy said.

‘Alright, I will give it another month and then reconsider’ you said.

‘Good’ Tommy smiled. ‘I see you tomorrow at the usual time?’ he asked, causing you to nod with a smile.

It was difficult for you to deny Tommy especially since your attraction towards him was growing, becoming almost unhealthy in a way. Why would you feel like this around a man who was twice your age? You wanted him and stayed around in the hope that he would offer you more than employment.

And just like this, with Thomas Shelby in the back of your mind, you went on with your work.

It’s Fucking Tuesday

Tuesday evening approached quickly and you couldn’t wait to see Tommy.

At 8 o’clock, you sneaked into his office as usual, barefoot and without knocking so that no one would notice.

Little did you know that, that evening, you would reveal a lot more to Tommy than you had initially anticipated.

As such, after two glasses of whiskey and a couple of cigarettes, you spoke honestly about your political views. You too were in support of communism and felt as though Tommy had lost his way in his political campaigns for the Labour Party.

‘The good old cause, eh’ Tommy laughed after you outlined to him where the Labour Party went wrong in your opinion. ‘You know Y/N, you remind me of someone, someone who was just as idealistic and passionate about changing the world as you are’ he added.

‘I’ve been told that before, by my father. He used to get rather frustrated with us both’ you said.

‘Kitty said that you were idealistic and in favour of an armed revolution once yourself. But then she told me that all of this changed after the war. The same Tommy never came back from France. You had changed. But I am not sure if I am willing to believe that’ you added.

‘No one came back Y/N’ Tommy said. ‘The war changed everyone’ he added.

‘That is true but, I think that the Tommy she spoke so highly about many years ago is still in there somewhere. I’ve seen it. You are still a man with ideals and a man who cares, even if you don’t want to admit it. If you didn’t care, I wouldn’t be here’ you said as you walked over in front of where Tommy was sitting in order to fill up your glass of whisky.

For a moment, you placed your empty glass on to the desk besides him and kneeled down in front of him.

‘You are a good man, Tommy. A good man who does bad things sometimes where necessary and the world needs more men just like you’ you said before you leaned in and pressed your lips onto his.

Without the two glasses of whiskey, you would never have been able to build up the courage to do this, but there you were, kissing Thomas Shelby.

Tommy gave into the kiss for a moment, his lips dancing with yours but his hands not leaving his chair.

‘This is wrong Y/N’ Tommy said as your lips drifted apart.

‘Yes’ you said before pressing your lips back onto his for a short moment. ‘Yes, it is’ you added and, just in that moment, Tommy leaned forward caressing your face and returning the kiss.

This is what you wanted for so long, his lips on yours and your tongues exploring each other.

After about a minute, Tommy pulled away, looking into your dark eyes.

‘This is a bad idea Y/N’ Tommy said again, still cupping your face.

‘Well, then tell me that you don’t want me and I will leave right now’ you said.

‘I want you alright, but you are half my age’ Tommy said.

‘So what? You are Thomas Shelby, you can have whoever you want’ you said and, just like that, your hands reached for the buckle of his belt, undoing it slowly.

You could hear Tommy inhale deeply and knew exactly that he likes to be pleasured this way. You had never done any of this, but the working girls at the brothel spoke about it frequently. Sometimes, you saw them do it, in a quite corner of the club or the lavatories if the men liked to be watched.

‘Have you ever done this before?’ Tommy asked, looking down at you, his hand tangled in your hair. He could tell that you were nervous and completely out of your comfort zone.

You shook your head shyly and, as much as Tommy wanted to feel your mouth on his cock, he wanted you to feel entirely comfortable with what you were doing.

‘Come up’ he said, taking your hands and guiding you up towards him before pressing his lips onto yours for a passionate kiss.

‘You don’t want me to?’ you asked as you broke the kiss and Tommy buckled up his belt.

‘Trust me, I want you to’ Tommy smirked, cupping your face again.

‘But not like this’ Tommy said before giving you another kiss.

Just after your lips drifted apart, your eyes wandered downwards where could see Tommy’s erection pushing against his pants. He clearly was ready and you wondered why he stopped you.

‘Tomorrow, after 10 o’clock, in your room. If you want me to come, you leave your bedside lamp on. I will see the light through the bottom of the door. If you don’t want me to come then turn it off and I won’t, alright?’ Tommy said.

Tommy wanted you to be sure about this. Not influenced by whiskey and not in the heat of the moment.

You agreed to his suggestion and, after a few more kisses, you left his office.

A Night to Remember

The next evening, after you finished work for the day and had dinner, you made your way to your room. You had a bath, washed your hair and got dressed in some lingerie.

The fire was lid and, just as instructed, you left on the bedside lamp. It was only 9 o’clock and you had to wait another hour before Tommy would meet you. You tried to kill the time by reading a book, but you couldn’t think about anything but Tommy and what was about to happen.

You wondered what it would be like to be with a man, especially a man like him. He was clearly experienced. Nonetheless, you were worried that it would be painful.

Five minutes to ten, you put the book that you weren’t really reading aside and put on some perfume. You wanted to smell nice for him.

You positioned yourself on the bed, seductively. Your black lace underwear was highlighted by the light of the bedside lamp. Your hair was open, your curls running over your shoulders. Your porcelain pale skinned was complimented by the dark red lipstick you had borrowed from one of the maids.

Waiting impatiently, just as the clock stroke ten, you could hear the door opening.

‘You look beautiful’ Tommy smirked.

‘Just for you’ you said shyly, taking in a deep breath as Tommy walked over towards you.

He was wearing nothing but underpants and you couldn’t help but stare at his perfect body.

It wasn’t long until he climbed onto the bed with you and his lips met yours for a passionate kiss.

The kiss was urgent and his lips tasted like sweet whiskey. He took his time, his hands roaming over your body while his tongue was dancing with yours.

It wasn’t long until he found the clip of your bra and he opened it with ease.

‘If I would have known that it would come off so quickly, I wouldn’t have spent half my weekly wage on it’ you giggled.

‘Just an unnecessary piece of fabric’ Tommy chuckled as his fingers began to trace the lines of your body, curving around your now naked breasts, stroking and teasing your nipples.

His lips soon moved from your mouth down to your neck and then all the way to your breasts.

‘Mmhm’ you moaned as he began to bite your nipples gently while his hands roamed downwards to your stomach and then your lace panties.

Tommy hooked his thumbs in your panties and slowly drew them down your legs, leaving you totally exposed.

While kissing over your breasts gently, one of his hands moved directly in between your legs and his index finger traced through your wet slit, dipping into slightly.

You inhaled sharply and tensed up suddenly and unintentionally. Tommy could feel your body become stiff and your legs closing around his hand.

‘Do you want me to stop?’ Tommy asked as he moved upwards slightly, worried that this was too much too soon for you.

‘No Tommy, I want you’ you said desperately before pressing your lips back onto his.

‘Please’ you then said again as your lips drifted apart.

‘Alright. I will take it slow and you will tell me if I hurt you or if you want me to stop. Agreed?’ he said, causing you to nod.

And just like that, his lips met your again before he started to trail kisses down your body.

Just as he reached your stomach, he stopped and lowered himself further, right in between your legs.

Tommy hooked one of your calves around his shoulder and then started kissing up your ankle, your calf, your knee.

You had no idea what he was doing until he got closer and closer to your already soaking wet mound.

‘Tommy, what are you doing?’ you asked nervously. His face was so close to your most intimate parts that you flushed from embarrassment.

‘You’ll see’ he smirked just before, all of a sudden, he dipped his tongue to meet your sex.

‘Oh god’ you cried out, partly from pleasure and partly from the exhilaration of a sensation entirely foreign to your body.

He drew lazy circles around your clit, making your legs twitch of their own volition. Your hand nestled in Tommy’s hair, stroking it as you moaned.

Tommy adapted quickly, gauging your moans and learning your sweet spots.

While his tongue circled over your client, he carefully and slowly pushed a finger into you.

You tensed, but relaxed quickly as you couldn’t feel any pain.

He began to thrust it in and out in time with the rhythm of his tongue.

You felt dizzy, quivering with anticipation as heat pooled deep in your belly.

You whimpered, whispering "please" over and over again as you felt yourself on the verge of exploding. No orgasm you had ever given yourself had been like this—it felt electric.

Tommy could soon feel your walls tightening around his finger and increased the speed of his thrusts.

You clapped a hand over your mouth and screamed as you came, your back arching, legs shaking, hips grinding against him. Even after you were past your highest peak, you felt the energy tingling, jolting through you, inspiring little sighs.

When you opened your eyes, you saw him grin, wiping your nectar from his face with the back of his hand.

‘I think you are ready now eh’ he smirked before taking off his underpants.

He was large, larger than you had imagined.

You took in a deep breath, knowing exactly what was to come next.

Tommy could see the nervousness and concern on your face.

‘Don’t worry, I will go slow and we can stop at any time, alright’ he said as he positioned himself in between your legs.

‘Tommy, are you sure it will fit, I mean…’ you said nervously and, before you could finish your sentence, Tommy interrupted you with a mild chuckle.

‘It will fit Love’ he said before his lips met yours again for passionate kiss.

As he was kissing you gently, he positioned his cock at your entrance and began to press just the head into you.

It felt warm and moist.

Tommy’s normally-cool countenance was wide-eyed and intense as he began pushing into you.

Your breath hissed out in tandem as he began to stretch you open and you couldn’t help it but hold onto his upper arms tightly.

Pushing into you inch by inch, you groaned when he finally met the resistance of your hymen.

‘Tommy, please’ you moaned as you squeezed your eyes shut and braced yourself for what was coming.

Tommy leaned forward, slowly pushing through the resistance.

You both struggled to contain your yelps of pain and pleasure as he tore through you.

Your eyes welled up with tears as your recovered from the white-hot sharpness, but before long it was replaced by a feeling of blissful fullness. You fluttered open my eyes and gave him a lazy smile.

‘Are you alright?’ he asked, holding still, allowing you to adjust to his size. His voice was throaty and intense.

‘Yes’. I feel so... fucking... full’ you giggled and, just like that, he began to push deeper, then rocked his hips back out.

He thrusted in a slow, deliberate rhythm, working his cock into you inch by inch.

Every new thrust stretched you out beyond what you thought you could handle.

He looked down in a moment of surprise as your hips began to grind against him, trying to work his cock in and out of you. He chuckled, re-positioning himself for leverage, and began to fuck you.

He began with slower, shallower strokes, finding his rhythm and stretching you out. You could tell that he wanted to go faster, but your walls were gripping too tight for him to pound you just yet without hurting you.

You could see the hunger in Tommy’s features, feel it as his hand tangled in your hair and gave it a sharp tug.

The tug distracted you and gave him the opportunity he needed to thrust hard and deep into you.

You cried out, and the lingering pain in your body was suddenly replaced by explosive pleasure. You threw your arms around his neck and he drew his hips back before pounding you with another powerful thrust, and another, and another.

The sensations—the sound of your bodies slapping together, the smell of sex, the feeling of his body pounding into you—collided suddenly in a violent eruption, and you couldn't contain your cries of pleasure as you came for the second time.

Your pleasure and the feel of your walls spasming around him sent Tommy into overdrive.

He pounded you harder and harder, before tensing and releasing his seed inside you with a shuddering roar.

You both gasped for breath, covered in sweat, hearts racing from the heat of your encounter. His lips met yours in a deep kiss, and you tasted yourself again on his tongue.

‘You are so fucking beautiful’ Tommy said in between kisses before he finally pulled out of you, causing some of his cum mixed with some of your mildly blood-stained juices leak on the sheet.

‘Will you stay with me for the night?’ you asked as you pressed your cheek onto Tommy’s warm chest.

‘You know I can’t’ Tommy said as he ran his hand through your hair. ‘But I’ll stay until you fall asleep eh’ he added before pressing his lips onto to yours yet again.

And so he did, he stayed with you until you drifted off to sleep.

The Aftermath

The next morning, you woke up early. Somewhat sore but full of energy.

Tommy didn’t have to tell you that, what happened last night, had to remain a secret.

Nonetheless, you hoped that you would have an encounter like this with him again soon.

To your surprise, when you got dressed, you noticed the stains on the white sheets.

You pulled them off quickly and decided to get them into the wash before the other maids had to use the laundry facilities.

As you walked into the laundry room with your sheets, you saw Sarah.

‘You are up early?’ you asked surprised.

‘Charles was sick last night and I have to clean his sheets. I think he doesn’t tolerate cows’ milk to be honest’ she said.

‘What about you?’ she asked.

‘Washing my sheets before it gets too busy’ you said shyly.

‘Didn’t you just wash your sheets?’ Sarah asked, taking them off your hands.

‘Sarah, please, let me’ you said. ‘It’s this time of the month’ you said nervously, lying of course, but trying to justify the somewhat small but obvious stains on your sheets.

‘Don’t worry, if I can clean up vomit, I can clean up anything. Despite, you don’t know how to use the new machine’ Sarah chuckled.

With reluctance and embarrassment, you agreed but, just as Sarah placed the stained sheets into the basin, she noticed a familiar scent. Tommy’s aftershave.

‘You know Y/N, you might want to see a doctor’ she said.

‘Why is that?’ you asked.

‘You said that it’s the time of the month for you. You had your menses ten days ago. That’s not normal don’t you think? Unless there is something else you have to hide Y/N?’ Sarah said sharply.

#Tommy Shelby #tommy shelby smut #tommy shelby x reader #tommy shelby imagine #thomas shelby #thomas shelby smut #thomas shelby x reader #thomas shelby imagine #Peaky Blinders #peaky blinder imagine #peaky blinders imagine #peaky blinders fanfic #thomas shelby x y/n #tommy shelby x y/n #tommy shelby x you #peaky blinders smut #smut

522 notes · View notes

hb-writes · 3 years

Text

The Horsewoman

Summary: 1913 in the Little Lady Blinder universe. Shelby sister, Clara, and her twin are ready to start school, but Clara is a bit hesitant. Thankfully, her older brother knows how to negotiate.

Inspired by this request: Could you write about the twins first day at school? Like Clara is scared but Finn is excited. And because they didn’t have much money they’ve saved for a while to get them new clothes just for school and Tommy helps them get ready and drops them off for there first day x

Featuring: Tommy Shelby, Finn Shelby, Polly Gray, and Clara Shelby (OC)

Tommy was awake and had been for some time now, going back and forth between reading and watching his little sister rest. Her features had finally smoothed out, her face relaxed in a way that only came with a lack of consciousness, the small wrinkle of worry taking up seemingly permanent residence on her forehead cleared away now as slow, easy breaths fell from her mouth.

Clara had climbed into his bed a little before sundown the evening before, burrowing herself in the blankets after claiming an upset stomach and abstaining from dinner. She passed more than half the night awake, her restless body nestled up beside her brother while he too failed to get much by the way of sleep, kept alert by the five-year-old's nervous energy.

Clara's agitation about starting school wasn't something quite congruous with the child she'd come to be understood as. She loved books and learning and was obviously bright. She commonly forced her twin into playing at schoolhouse, so the family was rightfully perplexed. Tommy wasn't so surprised by it though. He knew there was something they were all missing, something about school Clara was fixating on, focusing all her energies on some troubling thought she hadn't worked up the nerve to discuss.

The shift happened when they told her the twins would be enrolled in the next coming school year. If he didn't know the girl better, he'd have called her behavior a sudden disinterest in the idea of school and learning, but Tommy knew she had not spared a thought to anything else during the last few weeks of summer.

Tommy glanced up at a light rapping on the door, Finn pushing it open before he could offer a response. The boy was in his new school outfit, quite a sight considering he spent most of his days covered in a layer of dirt and dust after playing out on the lane.

"She's still asleep?" Finn's words came out as a half-whisper as he noted the lump of blankets on the far side of his brother's bed.

Tommy nodded, glancing down at Clara for a second before looking back to his little brother, a mess of laces tucked into the side of his boot. Tommy beckoned him forward, patting the chair sat beside his bed. Finn would need to learn to tie them for himself soon, though Tommy supposed with the twins being in the same class, he'd get by alright with his sister doing any needed midday shoe tying.

"Aunt Polly says if Clara doesn't come down now she won't get any breakfast." Finn still attempted a whisper, carefully annunciating Polly's message as he lifted his feet to rest on Tommy's lap to deal with the laces.

Tommy looked to his sister again, certain Finn's attempts at whispering would have woken her by now. Clara’s deep breaths had ceased and she laid beside him completely still, her body gripped in an unnerving rigidity. He could see the effort she put into holding her eyes shut, the small wrinkle firmly back in place between her furrowed brows.

"Is she still sick?" Finn asked when Tommy lowered Finn's feet.

As Finn leaned over his brother to get a better look at his sister, Tommy thought Finn could be right. Clara might be making herself sick over the whole thing, turning over some small misunderstanding in her mind.

"Worried sick, maybe," Tommy answered.

Clara remained still against him though a muscle in her cheek twitched at his words. Tommy snorted lightly before turning back to Finn.

"What's she worried about? It's just school. Everyone from the lane will be there."

Clara shifted under the blankets, moving them up and over her shoulder as she burrowed further still into Tommy's side. He sighed and shook her shoulder. "Alright there, Clara girl. Time to get up."

When she ignored the prompting, Finn reached over Tommy, his pointer finger extended with every intention of pushing one of his sister's eyes open to help her along, but Tommy nudged Finn's pudgy hand away before he could make contact.

"C'mon, Clara. I know you're awake."

Clara shook her head and Tommy scoffed, pulling her onto his lap as he leaned against the wall.

"We can't have you going to school hungry," Tommy said.

"Aunt Polly made a special breakfast."

"See that? Finn says you've got a special breakfast waiting."

"Not hungry," Clara mumbled.

Tommy knew she had to be hungry after missing dinner, but rather than showing any desire to head down the stairs, Clara settled in his lap, pulling the blankets up to cover herself once again and hiding against his chest. Tommy tried again to pull her out of hiding with a different line of discussion.

"Doesn't Finn look nice in his new outfit?"

Clara glanced at her twin and nodded. She had an outfit of her own to get into, something Ada helped pick out, an outfit Clara showed little interest in though it was a red dress she’d usually be eager to get into. Tommy had a feeling it had less to do with preferences and more to do with whatever Clara was worrying on about school.

"Finn, why don't you run and tell Aunt Polly Clara will be right down, eh?"

Clara snuggled in again as Finn closed the door.

"I don't wanna go."

"Sure you do," Tommy answered, "You've got your new dress and you'll be with Finn and –"

"I wanna stay with you."

"What about Finn?"

"Finn has friends."

"Then you have friends too," Tommy answered.

Clara shook her head and Tommy amended his words. "Then you have your brother, and you'll make friends."

Clara released her grip on Tommy intending to slip back into her spot between him and the wall but Tommy caught her and towed her back into his lap.

Clara was a kind child, pleasant and clever, but she also kept to herself and her family more often than not. She didn't relish spending her days out on the lane with the other kids and when booted out of the house for some air, she'd more often than not spend that time on the stoop drawing or reading or practicing her writing. Rather than chase a ball about or get up to the mischief of the day, she liked to follow her siblings and aunt around. She liked to help with Martha and John's babies. She liked to go to the yard and be with the horses. She didn't have a hoard of friends from the lane like Finn did.

"You've got to go to school. And before you go, you've got to eat a good breakfast, and Ada will—"

"But I don’t want to," Clara answered, settling against his chest.

"Well, we all have to do things we don't want to, eh?"

Clara shook her head. "You get to do what you want."

Tommy considered how it must have looked that way to the five-year-old. It must've looked like everyone other than her and Finn had free rein to do as they pleased because they all came and went through the doors of no. 6 Watery Lane as such. Tommy passed his days interchangeably between the shop and the horses, stopping in to play with the twins at seemingly random intervals, devoting his evenings to Greta Jurossi.

"Well, that's 'cause I already finished school."

Clara groaned, sensing the impending defeat, and with Tommy's hands reaching for her sides, she knew he was about to peel her away so she gripped him a bit tighter.

"Alright, how about this? I'll make you a deal. You go to school for one…" Tommy smiled at his sister's pout before continuing. "You give me one day and if you hate it, you never have to go again."

Clara lifted her head. "Never?"

Tommy nodded. It was a lie because she'd need some type of education lest they wanted the parish to descend upon them for lack of attendance, but Tommy wasn't concerned his sister would actually take him up on the offer.

"If you've had the most terrible day and you never want to go back or learn another thing ever again, you can come help me and Curly with the horses for the rest of your life. You’ll be the third-best horseman in England."

"Horsewoman," Clara mumbled.

"What?"

"I'll be a horsewoman."

"Of course," Tommy said. "The very best horsewoman in all of England, then, but you have to try school first."

Tommy's offer allowed him to lift Clara from the bed with minimal argument though she kept her arms latched around his neck as he carried her down the stairs to settle at the table.

Polly rolled her eyes at the spectacle and tried to usher her niece off Tommy's lap, but Clara stayed put, ignoring her aunt's protests as she took a piece of toast from the plate Polly set before them. It was clearly intended for Tommy, another smaller portion placed one spot over.

"You won't be able to bring your brother with you to school, so you may as well get used to sitting in your own seat now."

Tommy leaned forward to pull the second plate closer and retrieved a piece of toast for himself while Clara tucked into his eggs. "She's not hurting any—"

"Aunt Polly, you're wrong. I am bringing my brother to school," Clara answered, mouth full of food as she pointed at Finn. Polly rolled her eyes before the girl continued. "And Tommy says I only have to go to school for just one day and then I get to be a horsewoman with him and Curly forever."

Tommy coughed on a bit of toast as she said it. He really shouldn't have been surprised, should have expected his sister to air the remark at the first opportunity. She seemed to take a great satisfaction in telling the world all the things her big brother told her he could be, all the things he promised to teach her.

Polly scowled at her nephew, shaking her head. "Well, that's just wonderful, Thomas. Fill her mind with—"

"It's only if she doesn't like it, Pol."

"Only if she doesn't—" Polly scoffed, tossing her hands up before busying herself with the dirty dishes on the table, muttering as she went. "Makes me wonder who really runs this family… the adults or a pair of spoiled five-year-olds?"

Tommy took a breath, meeting each of the twins' eyes in turn as Polly took the dirty dishes to the kitchen. They giggled as Clara continued munching on her toast, the laughter stopping abruptly when Polly stepped back into the room.

"Well, regardless of any deals you've made with your brother, you're due to school this morning. So be off and up the stairs if you're finished. Ada will help you get dressed."

"Ada's still in bed," Finn offered, "Said she doesn't have to be up 'cause she's got her certificate now."

Polly groaned, tugging Clara from Tommy's lap and sending her towards the stairs. "Just when I think it's only the boys I have worrying me, you girls decide to kick off."

Tommy pushed his chair back and stood up. "Let Ada sleep."

Polly's eyebrows raised. "You're going to get your sister ready for school?"

"I'm not a baby. I can dress myself,” Clara said.

“There you have it, Polly. She’s not a baby. She can dress herself," Tommy answered.

“Fine, just make sure it’s done in the next five minutes. I want all three of you out the door by then.”

They were actually ready to be out the door in under four minutes, but Polly took fault with the state in which Tommy left his sister’s hair so they all waited while Polly put in a neat plait down the girl’s back.

The walk to the schoolhouse wasn’t so long, and by the time Tommy and the twins reached the end of Watery Lane, they were joined by a smattering of the younger kids living along the way, the group of them chattering excitedly with Finn.

Clara deliberately slowed their pace, putting a thoughtful measure of distance between them and the kids. Tommy allowed it, shortening his strides to keep them back. He thought she had something to tell him, but Clara stayed quiet, watching Finn and the other kids and listening to them chattering away.

It was only when they were just outside the schoolyard that Clara finally found her words, tugging on his hand to garner his attention.

"Tommy?" she asked. “What's the catch?”

Tommy looked down at her, neat and prim and proper in her new dress, looking more like she belonged at home with a governess than the crowded classroom she would soon find herself in. "The catch?"

“If I don’t go to school and be a horsewoman instead,” she said, “What’s the catch?”

Clara knew there was good and bad to everything and she had been thinking about the question from the moment they stepped onto Watery Lane, wondering what could be bad about spending her life with the horses and her brother. She knew he came home dirty and tired, but whenever they went to the yard, he seemed happy.

Tommy smiled, lifting her into his arms. "Hard work, my girl, but you've got that either way. Just have to decide if you want to be mucking stalls or reading books."

Tommy saw the teacher at the steps, saw Finn already off with his friends from the lane, but he offered Clara a few more moments in his arms. He searched for a few words to encourage her before setting her feet to the pavement, but as the teacher rang the bell, the sound still invoking something in Tommy though he’d been out of school for years, Finn raced to their side and reached a hand up towards his sister.

"C'mon, Clara."

Tommy let Clara down when she clasped Finn's outstretched hand, her grip on Tommy lasting just a moment past her sliding down his side. It was a mix of relief and sadness Tommy felt when Clara let him go, his girl taking the hand of another brother for support, the babies embarking on a new adventure all of their own.

Tommy watched them make their way through the schoolyard, already decided that he wouldn't step away until they were safely beyond the heavy wooden doors. They were nearly through it, already offering their greetings to the young teacher ringing the bell when Clara dropped Finn’s hand and raced down the steps, making it back to him in less than half the time it took to get to the door.

Tommy kneeled down to meet her. He had the words prepared now, had finally found the right message to send her on her way, but Clara interrupted him before he got a proper start, whispering into the crook of his neck as she wrapped her arms around him.

"Can I still be a horsewoman with you even if I like school?"

Tommy grinned and pulled back to look into her eyes. "You can be whatever you'd like, but if you don't get up those steps with Finn, the first thing you'll be is late."

Clara hugged her brother again before sprinting back towards the school. Tommy knew it was unlikely his sister would be a horsewoman or a lady barber or any of the number of occupations she'd asked after, but Tommy didn’t have it in him to deny his sister that happiness. He decided long ago not to deny either of the twins that if he could help it.

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