#tommy shelby x sister!reader | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

xpiredcheeto · 1 year

Text

Glass

(Not my gif)

word count

Reader stays out late and comes home injured.

Tommy Shelby x sister reader, Arthur Shelby x sister reader, Ada Shelby x sister reader

Warnings: Blood, injuries, blood, death, killing, cursing, reader gets attacked, mentions of cocaine, Arthur is sad and needs a hug very bad, mentions of prostitution. I think that's all.

This takes place during season 2

word count: 2395

This whole situation could have been avoided if you had decided to call it an early night and ignored your burning desire to stay awake and go to some pub in the middle of the night, but of course, being a Shelby, you decided to go out.

You walked down the cold and dark alleyway leading to the building. The outside walls were cracking, paint was peeling from its edges. Just the place you were looking for. It was called The Red Lion. You walked up the brick steps of the pub, and the click of your shoes echoed in your mind. The mahogany door had a stained glass window depicting a fisherman. You had no idea what a pub called "The Red Lion" was doing by having an image of a fisherman as their window, but maybe they got it on sale.

It was far away from the watchful eyes of Small Heath, away from your reputation. It freed you in a certain way. Unfortunately, being away from the negatives of your reputation also meant you were away from the protection it brought with it. Normally this was not an issue, but tonight was different. When you walked into the pub, everything became silent at once. All heads in the bar turned to face you. Maybe you were not as far from your reputation as you thought you were.

"You think she's a spy?" one man asked another

The old floors creaked under your footsteps. You approached the bartender to ask for your usual when a voice from behind confronted you. "Yer not allowed in our pub, little girl. Why don't you run on home?"

You made note of his voice, he was Irish and he spoke with a level of arrogance like no one had ever told him "no" in his life.

"Sorry, but I'm not going anywhere. I came here for a drink and I'm going to get it. If you would just leave me alone I could have my drink in peace and you won't have to worry about me."

You could tell by the look on his face that he didn't like the answer you had given him. his brows furrowed and his expression contorted into one of annoyance.

"I asked you to leave and when I ask you to do something, you better do it. Now, this is your last chance to leave before something happens that you won't like." He was trying to scare you and it wasn't working. You were going to hold your ground until this strange man left you alone.

"Look, I just told you that I'm not leaving so why don't you just leave me alone-" you were cut off when two hands grasped your shoulders. They dragged you backward off your chair and onto the wooden flooring of the bar. You hit the ground with a bang and waves of pain radiated up and down your spine. You let out a hiss of pain and the hands grabbed you again. This time they angled you toward a glass table before you could process what had happened. Your body was thrown with such force you could not stop the trajectory of your body. You threw both arms out in front of your face to block the impact of the table. Suddenly, waves of white-hot, stinging pain punctured your forearms. Blood trickled down your arms as you looked up. There were two men before you, the one that confronted you earlier and another. His face was withered, and his expression bore a constant snarl as he looked down at you.

"Are you two fucking insane?! That's the Shelby girl, her brothers will fucking kill all of us!" the bartender was seething with rage. His face was a glowing red color. You glanced back at the men, they looked scared now.

You looked down at the floor, the brown wood now tainted red with your blood. You heard movement behind you, rushed and frantic, then the slamming of the front door. You looked back up at the bartender, he threw a dishtowel at you. "For the bleeding," he said. You held the dirty rag to your left arm, leaving the right to bleed all over your clothes.

You limped to the door, turned the handle, and walked out. A rush of frigid air hit you, cooling the thick rivets of blood streaming from your arm. The walk home wasn't too long but the pain was making it seem so much longer. You looked down at your white blouse, patches were saturated with red blood. The way it stuck to your skin was revolting, partially dried, and sticky. The metallic stench was almost overwhelming if not for the pain coursing through your body. And, oh God, it hurt. It wasn't just the pain from your arms, your back still ached from the fall, and it made each step agony.

You were approaching Small Heath now. The smell was normally the first thing that hit you, but not tonight, now the only thing you could think of was blood and glass. The shards still embedded into your arms made each movement painful. You could see the house now, you were so close.

You walked up to the door, twisted the handle, and pulled. Awaiting you in the kitchen was Ada. Her eyes shot up, "Do you know how worried I was-" she cut herself off. "Oh my God, Y/N, what happened? Come here I'll patch you up." Her face was laced with concern. "Sit down, I'll get the bandages." She got up and move to the bathroom, you could hear her rummaging around in the cabinets. Glancing at your arms, you saw the rag was saturated with blood.

Behind you, you heard the door opening, then a loud gasp. It was Arthur. "Jesus Christ, who the fuck did this to you?" he was next to you now, looking at your arms. You responded, "I don't exactly know who it was. There were two of them, but I don't know what I did to upset them that much."

Ada returned from the bathroom with her hands full of bandages and a pair of tweezers. Arthur looked relieved to see her. She acknowledged Arthur and started speaking "I found the bandages," she held up the pair of tweezers, "and these are for the glass." She sat down next to you. "How did this happen?" she asked again.

"I got thrown through a table." You replied. Arthur let out a sigh of anger. Ada picked up her tweezers and looked up at your face. "This might hurt so prepare yourself." The tweezers grasped at a piece of glass and you let out a hiss. Arthur noticed and tried to calm you. "Shh, it's alright, it's alright." he sounded more like he was trying to convince himself of the fact. The door opened once more. All three of you turned your heads, Tommy was standing in the doorway with a look of confusion burned onto his features. He took a step towards you and spoke. "What the fuck happened?"

"She got thrown through a fucking table, Tom," Arthur responded for you.

"What the fuck do you mean she got thrown through a table?! Who the fuck threw her through a table?" You moved to answer but let out a pained gasp when Ada pulled one of the shards out. Arthur looked back at you and moved his hand to rub up and down your back.

"I-oh fuck, I don't know who it was. They were Irish and in a pub called The Red Lion. I don't even know what I did to offend them so much." you spoke through gritted teeth.

Arthur looked at Tommy, they were going to trash the pub later and find the men that did this, but first, they needed to make sure you were going to be alright. Ada moved to another shard, this one came out easier than the last, but the pain was still significant. And, oh god, you were crying now.

"This really fucking hurts." you sobbed out. Arthur responded to you, "I know, love. I swear I'm gonna kill everyone that hurts you. I-I'll fucking kill the people that did this." He looked like he was about to cry too. Ada looked up from her work to inform you she was almost done removing the glass, just one more to go. You looked at Tommy, he had moved and was now sitting on a chair across the kitchen. He shot Arthur a glance and said "Tomorrow, brother."

Ada was getting ready to pull the final one out now, it was located near your left wrist. At this point, you were struggling to keep your eyes open, the blood loss made you dizzy and lightheaded. She grasped it with her tweezers and pulled. Your eyes shot open and you let out a scream of pain. Arthur grabbed your right hand and rested his head on the corner of your neck. It was the closest he could get to hugging you at this moment.

"Alright love, the painful part is over, all I have to do now is wrap them up." Her voice always seemed to soothe you. She placed the edge of the bandage in your palm and wrapped it around a few times. She then moved it down to loop around your thumb before wrapping it around your forearm. She repeated the process on your other arm. You looked over at Tommy, he stared forward in a silent rage.

"I'm gonna go to bed now." You moved to get up. Tommy moved from his chair, "No, love, you shouldn't be walking. I'll carry you to bed, Alright?" You nodded and he walked over, he looped one arm under your knees and one beneath your back. He lifted you and carried you up the stairs, he pushed the door open with his side and laid you on the bed. He went to your dresser and grabbed a nightgown for you. He laid it on the bed for you to put on. He turned to leave the room, "Thank you."

"You don't need to thank me, love." He placed a soft kiss on the crown of your head before turning and leaving the room. You unbuttoned the now red blouse you were wearing and pulled it off, it dragged on your arms sending pain blooming through them. You let out a small hiss and let it drop to the floor. You reach down and slid your bottoms off, also leaving them on the floor. You pulled the nightgown over your head and down the rest of your body, you moved to get under the covers when you heard a knock at the door followed by a voice. You sat up. "Hello, can I come in? If you don't want me to that's fine... I just don't want you to be alone right now." It was Arthur.

"Yeah, come in."

The door opened with a creak and he walked over to you. He gently grabbed you in his arms and held you. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you. I...I don't ever want you getting hurt and I wish I was there so I could keep you safe." he paused. "Can I stay in here tonight, so I can make sure you're safe?" he looked at you, awaiting your response.

"Yes, Arthur, you can stay in here tonight."

"Alright, love. I'll sit in the chair over there." He pointed to the chair across your room next to your fireplace. "No, Arthur. You can sleep in bed with me. I don't mind, I'd feel safer that way anyways." He looked surprised, but he walked over to your bed and slid in next to you. He adjusted his position next to you and said, "Alright, love, go to sleep now. You need your rest."

He looped his arms around you in a protective hug. He held you tight to his chest as if you would disappear if he let go. "Please don't scare me like that again," he spoke as if he was still scared that you were seriously injured. "I don't know what id do if I lost you." his voice was breaking, and you could tell he was holding back tears. You could tell he wanted to say more, to tell you he wouldn't be able to live with himself knowing he wasn't there to keep you safe. He didn't tell you he would blame himself for the rest of his life if you died and how he already gets nightmares about that exact scenario. Instead, he held you tighter and pushed his face into the crook of his neck. You could feel his tears run down your shoulder like shiny pearls. You felt like crying too.

"Oh, Arthur. I would never leave you like that. I'm so sorry I made you worry about me." You turned around so you could wrap your arms around him, wincing slightly when the sheets rubbed against the bandages. "It's alright, love. It's not your fault. It's those fucking men that hurt you. I'll find 'em, make sure they never hurt you again."

"It's alright, Arthur. They can't hurt me now." You made your voice as soft as possible in an attempt to calm him.

"I know, love. I know," he paused. "Just...If you want a drink, go to The Garrison. Won't be mad as long as you don't end up like me. Oh god, please don't end up like me... I'm sorry. I'm keeping you up. Go to sleep now, you need rest."

"It's Okay, Arthur. You don't need to apologize, and you need to stop insulting yourself." He nodded into your neck. You shut your eyes and melted into the darkness behind your eyelids. You savored the feeling of protection that your brother gave you, it made you feel like you were safe from anything while you were in his arms. And you most likely were, he would do anything to keep you safe, even if that meant bashing someone's head in with a glass ashtray. Even if that meant killing fathers and sons, none of it was as important as keeping you safe. You drifted into the abyss of sleep in his arms, knowing that none of your fears would be able to harm you.

#arthur shelby #Peaky Blinders #peaky blinder imagine #peaky blinder fanfic #Tommy Shelby #tommy shelby x reader #tommy shelby x sister!reader #tommy shelby x you #arthur shelby x reader #arthur shelby x sister!reader #hurt/comfort #ada shelby

1K notes · View notes

dreamerschroniclesofstories · 5 months

Text

Clementina pt4

A/n: hey guys! This is officially the final part of this series. Please do leave your opinions in the comments, leave a like or re-blog. It’s all appreciated so much xx

I DO NOT GIVE PERMISSION FOR YOU TO REPOST THIS ON OTHER WEBSITES AND TRANSLATION OF THIS FIC.

Summery: The Shelby family are in for a shock when they find out they have a sister hiding in plain sight.

pt1. pt2. pt3

Word count: 1,177

Clementina did not say a word to Tommy, his icy blue eyes pierced through the air, making her feel like he could see into her soul. The man did not smile at her, his face blank of emotion.One glance of those blue eyes told Clementina that he had a lifetime of struggles that hadn't been put into words, much like herself.

Eventually, when the doctors allowed Clementina to be discharged, with the help of Polly the young girl get herself dressed into a dress that Tommy had brought her a couple of days prior since the one she had at the orphanage was ruined by the blood and dirt from the years she had worn it and the previous girls that had it before her.

It had been arranged that Clementina would stay with Tommy since he now had enough money to get Clementina proper education, clothes, food and she would be with other young children, charlie and ruby. Polly did not want the young girl to be alone since she had been brought it up a dozen of other children.

On the way home to Tommys house, Clementina did not say a word. The air was brisk, over night it had snowed, not much but enough to leave a thin blanket of white on the ground. Clementina hadn't seen snow in her young life. She had heard of it in books that she had read but had not seen it with her own eyes.

The young girl adjusts herself in the seat beside Tommy, kneeling as she sticks her head out of the window, she wanted to see and smell the coldness on her face. The weather was a sort of cold that would freeze the blood of those who did not take adequate care to be warm at heart and core.

Tommy glances at the young girl, noticing that she was smiling to herself as she looks up to the sky, the clouds were a dark silver and black, they adorn the sky as if they long to kiss the land. Tommy wouldn't be surprised if it started to snow before the end of the day.

“ you'll catch a fever” he warns, a hint of worry laced in his voice.

Clementina quickly sits back down in her seat, wrapping the blanket ,that Polly gave her for the ride home,around her shoulders it was the most beautiful blanket she had ever seen. It was woven with a wool as soft as what Clementina imagined the clouds would feel like. The blanket is the colour of lilacs. A stark contrast to the black interior of Tommy's car. The blanket brings together all the colours of springtime daydreams, bringing Clementina a welcoming heat hugging her delicate body.

“sorry” the young girl apologises, feeling a warm glow rise up to her cheeks, the young girl barely knows the old man, the only thing she knows is that he is her brother, but she knew she didn't want to make him angry like the nuns, she was scared that he would react the same way.

“why are you apologising, ey?” he smirks slightly, raising an eyebrow “ Shelby's don't apologise” Tommy shared, his tone light making sure Clementina knew he wasn't angry at her.

Clementina looks towards Tommy, not saying anything. For the rest of the car journey Clementina leans her head back on the seat, watching the trees pass.

As soon as Tommy turns the corner into his estate, Clementina sits up and her jaw drops ever so slightly, her eyes widening in disbelief as an involuntary gasp leaves her mouth quietly “woah”

Tommy chuckles ever so slightly, he drives around the fountain that sits in front of the house, Clementina quickly looks towards Tommy “ you live here” she asks amazed, she had never seen a house quite so big for only one family.

“ indeed i do, and you'll be living here as well” Tommy climbs out of his car, walking across the gravel to help Clementina out of the car. She gently grabs his hand, stepping out of the car. The curtain to Tommys office twitches making Clementina look towards the window as Tommy places his hand on her back guiding her into the house.

Clementina eyes sparkled as she looks at the different paintings on the walls, making the corner of Tommys lips to tug upwards as he guides her to his office. The young girl had been told before leaving the hospital that her other brothers, her sister and her son will be at the house waiting to meet her.

When they get to Tommys office, Clementina held Tommys hand as he opens the door, her heart beats faster in her chest, she could hear the blood pumping through her veins. She was anxious. Her hand in Tommy's begins to sweat as she glances between the group of people as she entered the office.

“hello” she whispers, her voice small compared to the others. She waves slightly, staying close to Tommy as he sits at his desk. Everyone begins to introduce themselves, Clementina immediately getting comfortable with Ada.

Tommy watched as Clementinas curious green eyes slide over her surroundings, observing everyone and everything. Could her really give her a better life? Would she be safe with him?. However, Tommy realised that it was a risk he'd have to take not just for himself but for Clementina. As she speaks to everyone one by one, she felt less anxious and more relaxed. Clementina was stood by Polly now, watching as the last man to introduce himself walks over to her.

“i'm Arthur, the funny brother” Clementina looks down at the hand that Arthur outstretched towards her. She crept closer to him, then shakes his hand gently.

“you have a funny looking thing on your face” she states innocently, pointing to his moustache, causing everyone in the room to laugh. Tommy smiles, chuckling as he shakes his head.

“i told you Arthur, you need to get rid of it” Ada joked, tutting.

Arthur scuffs “ alright.alright” he grumbles, walking back over to the seat he was sitting in.

Clementina walks back over to tommy's desk, going to sit on the seat that he had placed there for her when she sees the most beautiful horse in the field. she rushes over to the window and smiles “ you have a horse” she asks, her whole face glowing from happiness.

Tommy stands up and walks over to the window, standing beside Clementina “i have five” he corrects her, taking a puff of his cigarette “ do you like horses?” Tommy questions Clementina, looking down at her, watching as she jumps up and down on her feet slightly as she observes the horse walking around the field.

Clementina nods eagerly and looks up at Tommy “ they are my favourite animal, i had a toy horse but it broke” she explains.

From the corner of the office, Polly chuckles and shakes her head “unbelievable, we have another Thomas Shelby” she smiles.

“ god save us” Polly mumbles.

A/N: well that's the end of the story about Clementina. i hope you enjoyed it. I actually can't believe i have completed my very first fanfic series.

#peaky blinders fanfic #tommy shelby imagines #peaky blinders imagine #peaky blinders x reader #peaky blinders x sister!reader #tommy shelby fanfic #tommy shelby x sister!reader #thomas shelby x sister reader #peaky blinders masterlist

264 notes · View notes

multifandomwriter56 · 1 year

Text

As It Was

A/N: Hello! I know I've been MIA for a long time. Life has been crazy and going back to college while having a full time job has taken a lot of my time. But I'm hoping to get back to writing on this blog. I've missed it and I have missed everyone so much. I make no promises but I'm going to try.

Summary: Arthur and Y/n have always been super close; but when the boys get back from the war, things have change.

Characters: Arthur Shelby, Tommy Shelby, Sister!Reader

Warnings: language, mentions Arthur's attempt at suicide

Word Count: 2,698

*gif is not mine*

The rumor about the men who came back from the war are not the same men that left; It’s true. No one came back the same after the war. Not a single soul.

But it wasn’t just the soldiers who changed. Those who were stuck at home, waiting for their loved ones to return. They changed too.

Y/n couldn’t pinpoint exactly when she changed. She just remembers one day realizing she’s not the little girl who loved to draw rainbows, horses, and flowers anymore. Or the little girl who taught Finn how to aim at a moving rat, even though their Aunt Polly despised them touching guns. Not even the little girl who would take walks with her favorite brother, Arthur.

Y/n would never say she has a favorite brother aloud, but she knows her family sees how close the oldest brother and youngest sister are. There may be eighteen years difference between them, but they would sometimes act like twins.

Y/n enjoys John’s company and loves his jokes. Finn, she will always protect and care for. Ada, well they clash on fashion and boys, but they would kill for one another. And Tommy, well, the two siblings have never been able to get along. Tommy had big dreams that didn’t include his baby sister. Greta wanted to change the world and wanted Tommy to help her. Y/n wanted Tommy to help take care of the family instead of spending all his time at the docks waiting for the young woman to show up.

Even at a young age, Y/n knew it would always be Tommy who would provide for the family; be their leader. She loves Arthur, but he’s more of a follower than a leader. Tommy has always had ideas and Y/n knew those ideas would help them rise in Small Heath.

So with the boys off fighting in the war, Y/n made sure to follow her brother’s orders on how to run the shop.

Polly was the only one Y/n would let stray from Tommy’s list.

“You’re ten years old, Y/n. You are not the boss and know nothing about bets.” Her aunt admonishes.

“I know enough, Polly. I have Tommy’s list and Arthur’s notes.”

“So now you’re an expert at running betting shops?”

“I wasn’t saying that.” The ten year mumbles.

“Then you’ll do your best to remember who is in charge of the business.”

Y/n knows when to stop when it comes to her aunt. “Yes, ma’am.”

Y/n will admit, she learnt a lot from her aunt; not just business, but women’s business.

But now that the war is over, Y/n’s noticed how more involved Tommy is; how he keeps adding to the business.

Arthur is less present when it comes to his baby sister. They don’t go on walks anymore.

The fourteen year old moved into Arthur’s home when they came back. She wanted away from her very controlling brother and closer to the brother she knows best.

Except now, it seems that she understands Tommy more than she does Arthur.

The war may have changed all of her brothers, but something broke in Arthur. His nightmares keep her up at night and the one time she tried to wake him up, he almost choked her to death.

After that, she would either lay in her bed, listening to his screams or she would get John if the screams lasted longer than ten minutes.

“You shouldn’t be at Arthur’s alone.” Tommy tells his sister as he lit a cigarette.

“I’m not alone. Arthur is there.”

“You know what I mean, Y/n. Arthur is struggling and you being around isn’t helping.”

Y/n scoffs. “Actually, I think I help Arthur more than you can ever imagine trying to help him. You just hate that I’m not under your roof and you can’t boss me around.”

Tommy points his lit cigarette at her, his eyebrows raised in warning. “You will do as you're told or I will turn you over my knee.”

Y/n once again scoffs. Tommy has never disciplined her, he wasn’t ever around to take her in hand. That dirty task was left to their aunt. “Not only am I fourteen years old, but you have never raised a hand to me. Why start now?”

“Don’t push me, Y/n.”

Yeah, he’s bluffing, Y/n thinks. She stands to her feet. “Yes sir, Sergeant Major. If that’s all, Sergeant, I would like to finish my studies. Wouldn’t want to show up to school without my work now would we?”

Tommy pinches the bridge of his nose, resisting the urge to keep arguing with his sister. He, instead, waves his hand in a dismissive gesture without even glancing up.

The day Y/n dreaded came. Arthur had tried to commit suicide by hanging himself after he fell for their father’s con. She had found him at their home, raging and destroying the room. She skillfully dodged his swings and shouted at him.

“Arthur! It’s me! It’s Y/n!” She ducks when he throws an ashtray at her head. “It’s Y/n, brother!”

“Y/n?”

The broken voice has Y/n on the verge of tears. “Yes.” She nods her head. “It’s Y/n. I’m here.” She makes her way to her brother as his knees buckle and he lands on the floor. She holds him close, his chin digging into her shoulder as he sobs.

Y/n doesn’t know how long they stay in this position but she loses feeling in her left shoulder and feet.

When Arthur finally is able to compose himself, he stands to his feet, rubbing a shaking hand through his hair.

“Arthur, what happened to your neck?”

The older man covers the deep bruise around his neck. “Nothing.”

Y/n starts to shake her head, the pieces falling together. “No, no. You wouldn’t. You wouldn’t leave me here.” She stops talking but her head is still moving side to side; not wanting to accept that her brother, her hero, tried to kill himself.

“Y/n, I’m sorry, I-”

“No!” She sharply cuts him off. “Don’t apologize. I just need a moment to process.” She sits in a chair that he hadn’t flipped yet. “I need to figure out what to do. I need- no you need some of Polly’s ointment, and a drink… yeah, yeah.” She stands to her feet, ignoring the concerned look coming from her brother. “Sit down, Arthur. I’ll pour you some whiskey and get some ointment to help with the bruising.

“Y/n, I don’t- fuck.” Arthur curses when she completely ignores him and heads for the kitchen.

Only a few minutes pass until Y/n comes back. She hands the glass of whiskey to him and starts applying the ointment.

Y/n stayed with her brother until he decided to go to bed. She heads up to her room. In the morning, she’ll tell Polly. Fuck knows what Tommy will say if he hears about this. She never knows if he will help Arthur or make it worse.

In the morning. Y/n told her aunt and she should have known her aunt would tell their fearless leader. So she wasn’t surprised to see him walk in as she hands Arthur a cup of tea.

The look Tommy sends her is clear.

She smiles softly at her eldest brother. “I will be up in my room if you need me.” She tells him, her invitation not extending to the other brother.

She heads upstairs but does not go into her room. She sits on the top step, listening as Tommy belittles their brother. She rolls her eyes. She should’ve known Tommy would never express real feelings.

“Just use a fucking gun, man.”

“Are you fucking serious?” Y/n shouts as she storms down the stairs. “That’s all you have? Next time, use a gun?”

“Leave it be, Y/n.”

Y/n glares at Arthur. “No, Arthur, I can’t just leave it be.” She turns her glare back at the brother she is upset with. “I know it’s hard for you to express feelings now, but I would rather you not say anything at all than talk to our brother that way. He deserves better.”

“Y/n, that’s enough.”

“Fuck off, Thomas!” She shouts as she steps in his space. “You only care about having Arthur around so he can beat and kill people who piss you off. That’s all that matters to the all powerful Tommy Shelby.”

The slap echoes throughout the whole house, each sibling frozen in their place.

Y/n holds a hand over her now stinging cheek, staring at the man who has never raised a hand to her. Her and Tommy may not get along but she never thought he would physically harm her. Never.

She turns to Arthur, wondering how he will react. To her surprise he’s staring at her in disappointment.

“You shouldn’t have spoken to Tommy like that, Y/n. You were out of line.”

“I was out of line?” She snaps. “What am I supposed to do, Arthur, eh? Am I supposed to stand at attention and wait for the sergeant to bark orders? Huh?”

“Enough.” He doesn’t shout, but his voice still booms, causing his baby sister to flinch, preparing for another blow.

The guilt had already come, but seeing her flinch made Tommy feel sick to his stomach. “Y/n, I-” He reaches out to comfort her but stops when she steps back.

“Don’t you fucking touch me. I hate you.” She looks at Arthur. “I hate you both.”

“Let her go, Arthur.” Tommy orders when the eldest Shelby stands to follow Y/n who ran out of the house.

***

For a month, Y/n stays with John and his kids; but as much as she loves her nieces and nephews, she refuses to stay there another night.

Lizzie Stark, who’s been helping her brother with the kids, tells her to go back home, to work it out with Arthur.

“And Tommy?” The fourteen year old asks the older woman.

Lizzie smirks. “Tell him to fuck off.”

Y/n smiles at that. She hopes her brother doesn’t wait too long to give Lizzie the ring he’s been hiding.

Knowing exactly where her brother will be, Y/n heads to the Garrison. Taking a deep breath, she knocks on the locked door.

“We’re closed.” Is the muffled response from the barmaid.

“It’s Y/n Shelby.” She knows that’s all she has to say for the doors to open. Grace has been kind to her since she’s started working at the pub, and Y/n appreciates that, but she doesn’t trust the barmaid. She’s not sure why, but she has a hard time believing this Irish woman just decided to move to Birmingham without a real reason.

When the door opens, she smiles politely at Grace before squeezing past her. She heads straight to the back room, knowing her eldest brother will be attempting to balance the books.

She comes to halt mere centimeters from the entrance, her heart racing. What if he really is on Tommy’s side? What if he thinks she really did deserve to be slapped? What if she’s completely lost the only person to ever love her for her?

“Gracie, is that you? You ready to help me with these numbers yet?”

Y/n laughs quietly through the breath she was holding. Who is she kidding? Arthur is one of the kindest, loving people she knows. How could he hate her… right?

“It’s me, Arthur.” She barely gets that short sentence out above a whisper.

“Y/n?”

She steps fully into the room, her arms behind her back. “Hi.”

Arthur just stares at his baby sister, the anger, the pain of not seeing her for days, and the guilt… the guilt that has literally eaten him alive, rises to the surface. His loyalty to his brother clouded his love for his sister and he will hate himself for the rest of his life.

Being a Shelby makes it hard for them to express their emotions through words. No matter the emotion, the words usually fail to spit out, but actions, they’ve never been a problem for a Shelby.

So instead of saying the words, “I’m sorry” Arthur jumps to his feet and pulls the young girl into his arms, holding as tight as he can.

And since Y/n is not only a Shelby but also able to read her brother like a book, Y/n returns the hug and her anger disappears.

“You’re coming back home, ain’t ya?”

Y/n smiles, glad she was right. “My bag is already back in my room.”

Arthur squeezes her one more time, dropping a wet kiss on top of her head before releasing her. “Good.”

Y/n goes to ask him about how he’s been but a familiar voice stops her.

“Arthur, Tommy told me to get you. Family meeting in ten.” Finn turns to his sister, hope in his eyes. “Are you back?”

Y/n had kept in touch with Finn, having him fill her in on everything that was happening while she was gone. Finn didn’t know much, but she was able to fill in the gaps on most of what he told her.

“Yes, I’m back.”

Finn smiles. “Good. Arthur’s been too emotional and Tommy’s about to shoot him if he hears him complain one more time about you not being at the family meetings.”

Y/n laughs at Finn’s blunt statement; laughing harder when Arthur spouts profanities as he takes off after the youngest Shelby. She follows the duo, figuring it’s time for her to show her faceto the rest of the family.

Her smile stays in place as they make their way to Watery Lane, listening to her brother banter back and forth about what to tell and what to keep to yourself. So far, Finn’s winning the argument.

She can feel her smile start to get smaller the closer they get to her old home; and the smile completely disappears when Arthur opens the door for her. She comes to a halt at the threshold of the betting shop, her eyes immediately on the Peaky Blinders leader.

She’s thankful he hasn’t noticed her yet, but that little comfort quickly disappears when her aunt tells him to shut up as she makes her way to her niece.

Y/n easily accepts the hug from her aunt, the woman who practically raised her, but winces when she gets a clip to her ear.

“A month is too damn long, girl.”

“I’m sorry.” She whispers as Polly releases her; a small smile appears when her aunt gently caresses her cheek.

Knowing she needs to face the elephant in the room, or more commonly known as Thomas Shelby, Y/n peels her eyes off her aunt and stares straight into her brother’s eyes, hoping he can’t see the fear in them.

Compared to the other family members, Tommy is a mute when it comes to emotions. The only time words and emotions are mixed together is when he’s angry. He doesn’t say “I love you”, “I need you”, or anything that is remotely tied to emotions.

That said, the man is a master at showing his emotions through actions. One look can tell you so much about the gang leader. You just have to know how to read them; and Y/n is a master at this skill. She’s almost as good as their aunt.

So when she sees the barely noticeable nod of approval, and watches as Tommy pulls out a chair; she knows she has been welcomed back by their fearless leader.

And after she sits, he gently kisses her cheek, the same cheek he hurt a month ago, and she knows he’s asking for forgiveness.

She grasps his hand before he can pull away, giving it one good squeeze, so he knows he’s been forgiven.

They will never have a relationship like her and Arthur, or like him and Ada; but they can coexist together in their family; and that’s enough for them both.

Peaky Blinders: @psychkunox @theshelbyclan @lilymurphy03 @findinghisredrighthand

Forevers: @desiredposion @theseakrakence @simonsbluee

#arthur shelby x sister!reader #tommy shelby x sister!reader #shelby!reader #peaky blinders one shot #peaky blinders #tommy shelby #arthur shelby

410 notes · View notes

futurefamousdeadmusician · 2 months

Text

Escape to the Eden Club - Sister! reader x Shelby Brothers

Summary; Emily Shelby wants to spend the night away from the confines of Small Heath and decides to head out to the famed Eden Club of London. All was well until a certain trio arrived and reigned havoc.

Author's Note; I took some liberties with the plot/ location of the Eden Club itself. That being said, this is still meant to be aligned closely with the fight scene from season 2. As always, let me know what you think.

Eager to escape into the cool evening air, Emily wrapped her shawl loosely around her shoulders and took stock of her purse. A small roll of bills, lipstick, a dainty opal hairbrush, and a shining Colt Pocket Hammerless Arthur had given her some time ago. With one last glance to the mirror, she smoothed out her dress and went for her bedroom door, shutting it softly behind her. Seeing as Polly would still be at the church for sometime, she decided it would be best to inform her brother on her intentions. Emily approached Thomas’ office and peered in to see the stout man sitting behind his modest desk. She rapped lightly on the door frame and was beckoned inside by just a flick of her brother’s eyes instead of a word. After only taking one step into the room she spoke in the most clear, confident tone she could muster.

“I’m going out with Ada this evening. I’ll be back by midnight.” Hoping the conversation would end there she turned to leave only to be stopped by her brothers words. Still not looking up from the papers spread across the wood before him he cleared his throat and said,

“Going out with Ada, eh? Why is this the first I’m hearing about this?” Emily rolled her eyes, hoping her brother didn’t see, and replied,

“Because I didn’t think there would be any issue.” Emily didn’t like lying, a quality instilled in her by her Aunt Polly since her youth. Though, as a Shelby, it came naturally. Exhausting Emily further, Thomas continued in his questioning.

“Where about are you two going?” Calmer this time, as to not arouse suspicion, the girl replied,

“Just to dinner, in Digbeth.”

“The name of the establishment?” With more attitude, she replied,

“The Carriage.” The man sat for a moment, only sparing her one more glance as he searched her face for deceit. He apparently found none.

“Be back by 11.” Emily offered a small smile and made her way out of the home on Watery Lane, calling over her shoulder,

“I’ll see you at 11:30, Tom.”

The night was still young and the chance for her to walk the streets of Birmingham alone and untethered was an excitement of a life time. She wouldn’t just be walking the streets of her hometown tonight, though. After meeting her friend Scarlett by the cut they hailed a cab and set out for London.

The passage was just under 2 hours before they arrived to the Eden Club just outside of the city. After tipping the cabman and exiting out into the brisk night they set for the front doors of the avant-garde establishment. Scarlet giggled with excitement as they approached the doorman who knew better than to question two striking young women trying to enter the club. The main hall filled was filled with the smell of smoke and sex and the band played on to ring in the young night. It wasn’t often that Emily got to leave the holdings of Small Health, let alone the claws of her brothers. After Ada’s departure, Thomas was more worried than ever about loosing his youngest sister. This fear often manifested into the overarching control of Emily’s every move. He felt it was both an act of love and an act of necessity. Emily knew she was deeply loved by her brother and cared for him in the same way. Yet, at the end of the day, if Tom could have his thumb on the pulse of every member of the family, only then could he ensure their safety, or so he believed.

“Isn’t this amazing!” Scarlett squealed in Emily’s ear. Scarlett was one of the few friends that Thomas approved of. She came from a respectable, working-class family who raised horses and often did work with the Shelby family.

“I know.” Emily said back, raising her voice to soar over the loud music. The pair approached the bar and beckoned the attendant for a drink. Soon after, two men approached the women introducing themselves as Paul, a tall man with short black hair in a pressed grey suit, and David, a slightly stout man with dusty blonde hair and rosy cheeks who’s slim black suit made him look taller than he was. Paul explained that Emily had caught his eye from the moment she had walked in and it would be a crime to let a woman like herself buy her own drinks. It was only out of the confines of Birmingham that handsome men would approach her, unafraid of people she was related to. She could speak freely and finally feel a sense of control she was never afforded at home.

“Would you care to dance?” Paul asked the young woman and carefully took her hand in his. They left their drinks at the table where David and Scarlett sat completely enthralled with one another. He led her to the dance floor just as a new song started over at the bands stage. Spinning around the floor Emily couldn’t help but laugh at the happiness she felt in Paul’s arms. He leaned in close to her face and breathed,

“You are absolutely stunning.” His breath smelled of bourbon and lust. This was Emily’s dream; to be young and free. Finally she was living it.

She only noticed the violent outburst taking place across the large room once she heard the crashing noise of a wooden table full of glassware hit the ground. The band cut to a halt and gasps filled the audience. Out of instinct, Paul shoved Emily behind him as he assessed the situation. When it became clear that the men dressed in black meant to do harm he ushered his date back to their table to collect their friends and make a run for the door. Through the crowd, Emily peered over the bobbing heads of patrons ducking and running at the chaos she noticed a familiar jacket fly up as one of the unknown assailants struck another man across the face. As he turned to face another man she saw the face of her brother adorned with a busted lip and small drops of another mans blood.

“Fuck.” She whispered and made a run for her table. Scarlett and her companion had already gathered their things and stood to meet the other couple. The four of them hid behind the large sofa they had once sat on while they waited for a path to clear to the main exit of the building. Emily grabbed her friend by the arm and swung the girl around to meet her scared face. The two men were conversing anxiously at the best plan of escape while the women spoke in hushed words.

“It my fucking brother!”

“What?” Scarlett gasped “Are you sure?” The two women peered over the couch to see the men still going at it near the center of the room. This time, Arthur’s face came into view through the madness.

“Fuck it’s the lot of them. We need to go. Now!” Emily shoved the other girl forward and the men followed suit. A gunshot rang out through the building and they all dropped to the floor covering their heads. Paul grabbed Emily’s shoulders hovered his body over hers to protect her. When the men quit fighting and stood to see where the shot had come from all became quiet. The four took this opportunity to head straight for the exit. Emily only heard the indistinct echo of Tommy’s voice before clearing the doorway.

Pouring into the street patrons ran every conceivable direction to vacate the path of anymore possible bullets. After reaching the end of the block Paul spoke, out of breath.

“Is everyone ok?” Each took their turn affirming that they were not hurt, just a bit shaken. Emily turned to her friend communicating with just their eyes that they all needed to get leave before her brothers had a chance to exit the building. “Alright, I need to get you home.” Paul said and took Emily’s shoulder and David followed suit with Scarlett.

“No!” Emily said too forcefully, “I - We will get home, I promise. You need to get on your way,” she explained gently. Truthfully, she wanted nothing more than to go anywhere with Paul, that handsome, caring gentleman. He stood firm on his words and said again,

“Emily, really, I need to make sure you get home. I don’t know who the fuck those bastards were.” Scarlett let out a worried laugh at the irony of the situation and still couldn’t take her eyes off the doorway expecting any moment that the men would emerge and see them. Emily took her arm from him though it pained her to do so.

“Please, Paul, really. You need to get going.” She said urgently. He took a step back and dropped his eyes to the ground, looking hurt. Defeated, he touched David on the shoulder, prompting him to let go of Scarlett’s arm.

“It was lovely meeting you,” was all he spoke before turning and walking off into the dark alley way. Emily rifled around in her purse and pulled out some small bills shoving them into Scarlett’s hand.

“Go. Now!” She said before beginning to turn away.

“What? I’m not leaving you!” Her friend yelled back, grabbing onto her wrist, stopping her movement.

“Scarlett, go! Please. Before they come out.” She pleaded. Even her friend knew that there would be hell to pay if her family found out that she had been running around, getting into trouble with the Shelby girl. With eyes darting between the front door of the Eden Club and Emily’s worried expression Scarlett forced herself to embrace her friend.

“Please be safe.” Emily nodded in response and they both took off into opposite directions. After quickly crossing in front of the building, the younger Shelby tried her best to hail a cab as many former club goers tried to do the same. Every few seconds she found herself looking over her shoulder praying that she wouldn’t turn to find her brother’s red face looking back at her. After a few failed attempts she saw a empty taxi just across the way parked right next to the entrance of the club. If she hurried, she might just be able to make it before her brothers emerged. With a quick decision she bolted as fast as her heels would carry her across the street and made it just steps the the cab door before she felt the shoulder of a much larger man connect with her own. As she was shoved back onto the hood of the cab she couldn’t help but shout,

“watch where yer’ fucking goin!” Just as any other Shelby would. She watched in anger as that very man climbed into the cab himself and the car began to drive away forcing her to move back onto the side walk. Collecting herself and still cursing the man under her breath she only made it a few steps from her place in front of the club before she heard her name called from behind her.

It was John. The word pierced her soul like a knife. Without thinking, she swung around to see him standing only about 10 feet behind her as Thomas and Arthur filed out of the door. Without a second to reconsider, she ran. Though slowed down by her shoes and the lingering effects of alcohol, she carried herself briskly down the street.

“Emily Lenora Shelby!” She heard Arthur roar from behind her. Continuing down the sidewalk shoving between the still clearing crowd she did not stop. Just before she reached the nearest intersection a strong hand gripped her shoulder and spun her around causing her to stumble. She was caught by her oldest brother’s hands of either shoulder lightly shaking her to emphasize each word as they came from his red, blood splattered face.

“What the fuck are you doing here? Are you bloody mental?” She squinted to shield herself from the yelling as she put her hands to his chest to push him away. He wasn’t planning on letting her go lest she run again until he felt the hand of Tom guide him away from the younger girl. She almost preferred the outright rage of Arthur over the chilling coldness of Thomas, at least with the former, his true intentions were always clear. John soon arrived behind the men and took to consoling Arthur while Thomas pushed the girl to side of the road. Unwilling, she attempted to hold her ground against the man though a stronger grip on her upper arm and a stern look from his piercing eyes encouraged her to comply. She kept her head low has he was still catching his breath from the conflict and subsequent jog to catch his fleeing sister. Finally, in a low, gruff voice, he spoke.

“In the club, ye?” She nodded her head but still wouldn’t meet the man’s eyes. Instead, she peered past him to see John and Arthur leaned in close to one another talking. Arthur waving his hands around like a lunatic while John tries to calm him down. Out of all her brothers, her and John butted heads the most. Maybe it was the age difference, sitting at just enough years to give them not much in common but enough to argue about. Though, when it was all said and done, she knew John would have her back just as much, if not more, than anyone else. She met his eyes in a quick glance before turning back to Tom’s shoes. Now, the more pragmatic Shelby took in a deep breath to gather his thoughts before continuing the conversation with his sister.

“Why? Eh?” He said quieter this time. She couldn’t tell if his low voice was an attempt to deescalate the situation or to intimidate her into telling the truth. Well, the truth as it may be, wasn’t that interesting. Emily shrugged and only spared him a small glance up. She went to the Eden club that evening for the same reason as any other girl of her year would; to have fun.

“You have no business being at those clubs. Getting yourself fucking killed, right?” He said lowering himself to her level, even closer to her face. Her jaw tensed as she thought of a thousand words she could say back to him.

“Everything was fine until you bastards shot up the place.”

“Weren’t you just at the same club, Tom?”

“It’s none of your business what I do.”

Using her better judgment though, she held her tongue. The irony of the situation was not lost on Tommy. He knew that the standard he held for his sister was much different than he held for the men of the family, though he held it steadfast. At the end of the day, he knew Emily was a good girl. Smart, calculated, quick, and usually honest. When the silence hung in the air for too long, he took a gentle hand and guided her face to meet his eyes.

“Don’t scare me like that again.” He said pointedly with his finger pointed at her face. Emily pursed her lips and gave a curt nod before he pulled her in for a quick but firm hug and placed one kiss on the top of her head. Trying to break away from the clutches are her brother once more she took a step away from Thomas and said,

“I’ll see you at home,” before attempting to leave in the opposite direction. He let out a sigh once again and wrapped a strong, possessive hand around her arm once more. His lips parted and he eyebrow went up in astonishment, almost as if he was testing her to defy him once again. She looked in his eyes a moment longer, unwavering, before following him back to the other men. Thomas cleared his throat and released the grasp on the girl before speaking,

“Let’s just go home, shall we.” The four walked in uncomfortable silence back to the car, just over a block away from the fateful scene. As they walked, her oldest brother moved closer to her eventually putting a hand on her upper back and bending down to her level.

“You knows I just want to protect you, right, love?” He offered in a nicer tone than before. Emily knew and nodded a reply.

“I know.”

“It’s just you can’t go running around like that.” Before he could get another sentence out, Thomas called out from the front of the group.

“She knows, brother.” They eventually made it to the Bentley and it was John that opened the door for his sister to enter the back seat. As she took the less-than-sober step up into the vehicle her brother gently pushed her, just to see how unstable she was.

“Acting like a fuckin’ harlot,” John laughed quietly to chastise the younger girl. Quickly, Emily turned to face him hunched over in the car and raised her purse as if she was going to hit him.

“Oi, you fuckin’ bastard!” She seethed. Before the two could go at it Thomas darted a look at them in the rear view mirror and raised his voice in a menacing shout.

“Enough!” Was all it took for the pair to quiet down and sit silently for the rest of the ride home.

#cillian murphy fanfiction #tommy Shelby fanfition #Shelby family #peaky blinder fanfiction #Shelby sister fanfiction #tommy shelby x sister!reader #writing #Shelby family fanfiction #thomas shelby #peaky blinders imagine #tommy shelby imagine #thomas shelby imagine #futurefamousdeadmusician #fanfiction

95 notes · View notes

geekwritersworld · 2 years

Text

Little Artist

Pairing: Peaky Blinders x you (more mentions of Tommy and you though)

Warnings: fluff, one liner angst at the end (I am incapable of not adding angst to everything I write)

Summary: As stated below in the request. @anne-17890

Hello, I could ask one in which the younger sister of the Shelbys, maybe she is 14/15 years old wants to be an artist and she has a lot of talent but the family does not know but the art teacher one day calls the Shelbys at school to talk about her sister and they discover her talent and that she received a letter from a private school in London to study on full scholarship. Thank you for your time

A/n: I've taken forever for this request and I am so sorry about that. My only defense being that ADHD is an absolute pain in the rear :)

Do let me know what you think ❤️

You weren't much of a reader, you didn't care much for music nor did you like being stuck around your siblings all the time. And of course they didn't let you anywhere near the business so you spent most of your time by yourself. You tried out new things, hoping something would stick and become a hobby. And on a whim one day you decided to try your hand at art.

And at some point it stuck. You began frequently drawing, improving yourself each day. And it was becoming more than a hobby. So to escape you turned to art; to the one thing you found almost calming. To express your emotions and to sketch what you pictured the world beyond small heath looked like.

And you were exceptionally good too, you realized. You were grateful for that, of course. Your siblings occasionally noticed your work at the table where you'd forgotten them on late nights and ensured to compliment your skills when you woke, but lately you made sure to conceal your work.

Despite your classmates keeping their distance from you knowing you were a Shelby, you managed to make one good friend-Nancy-to whom you'd grown quite close.

You both found common ground in your love and flair for art. So you'd both spend time at Nancy's house, making mess of her living room floor with all the art supplies. Sometimes you left your sketch book with her, not wanting your brothers fussing over your art.

Taking up an art class at school without the knowledge of your siblings you found solace in the art room. You weren't sure what was keeping you from letting your family know of your art skills. Sure they knew you could sketch and create art, but they never knew the extent of it. They never knew of your capability to create hyper realistic images on paper with mere pencils everyone used everyday.

Of course, Nancy was sworn to secrecy to never reveal to your family. But it wasn't through Nancy that the Shelby's ultimately found out of their youngest sisters talent.

It all began on a particularly dreary morning. When you were relieved you'd left your sketch book with Nancy due to the rain drizzling down on the way to school.

That damp afternoon you walked home knowing something you hadn't that morning and you avoided walking home with Nancy aware that she'd ask you questions about why you'd been pulled aside that morning in school by the head.

"Now Y/n" The professor sat you down with the head on the other side of the table listening intently. Sitting down, hesitating at first, you wondered what you'd done.

"We wanted to talk to you Ms. Shelby" she paused " about what you plan to do once you've finished school" You almost wanted to laugh, if you didn't know any better, you'd assume she was literally sitting on the edge of her chair with how intently she waited for your response.

"You mean for university?" you asked confused.

"Yes" she nodded

"well I don't know really, I haven't given it much thought seeing that I have a few more years to go" you said, nervous.

Your professor smiled kindly and looked at you. You still wondered why you arts professor was here, talking to you when you were due in math class.

"Thing is, your art" she cleared her throat " your artistic abilities are admirable. It's very rare to see such talent" she continued "and we've ..er.... communicated with one of the universities in London, and they're want to offer you a full scholarship in arts, should you chose to enroll at that university, we've received a letter from them as well, for you"

You stared at her, your mind blank. You expected to see John burst into the room laughing at you for the joke they were played on you. Surely itwasn't...it couldn't be.

"what" you rasped, throat drying.

Smiling wider, the head this time, pushed an envelope towards you "here"

Reaching forward with a hesitant hand, you slipped open the envelope and began to read the letter that resided inside.

Once you'd scanned the letter and read the words over and over you held on to it.

"could I keep this?" you mumbled

"of course" both women said unison.

"can i think about it? if that's alright" you looked at them.

Nodding the professor responded "of course!"

So you took your time. Or rather you avoided your professors. Rushing out the moment school was done, reaching at the last possible moment- making sure to take an extra long route to school; you did everything you could to avoid your professors and best friend.

You made excuses and tried avoiding Nancy as much as you could.

You wouldn't tell your family. They didn't need to know.

Of course Aunt Pol noticed your sudden odd behavior. She noticed you were home more often than usual, you didn't sit in the living room as much you used to, and coming home earlier from school than normal and you'd been avoiding your family; barely talking to them anymore.

Pol and Tommy knew you were a shy kid, you had been your whole life. However you were never this quiet with you family, especially with him and Arthur.

Frustrated Tommy slammed the pen down on the table making one of the men in the betting shop to flinch. He couldn't stop wondering what was wrong with his youngest sibling. He didn't get it. Were you in trouble?

Why were you more closed off than usual? Tommy knew you were too much of a Shelby to directly tell them even if they asked you what was wrong.

He got up and decided he needed some fresh air- and a cigarette.

Tommy wasn't sure where he was heading until he got there.

Exhausted, not to mention surprised that your arts professor had walked right past you that morning, you thought it was odd since you'd been avoiding her for over a week; deciding not to dwell on it too long you put your things together and got ready to leave.

You looked forward to going home and getting some sleep and perhaps even meeting Nancy later on.

Once classes were let out, you slipped your bag onto your shoulder and bolted for the door but stopped short when you spotted your older brother standing near the gates looking straight ahead at you.

Standing still as the rest of the children rushed past you- some even knocking into you, you remained still until Tommy tilted his head at you releasing a puff of smoke from his lips.

Taking in a deep breath trying to push through the mist of confusion in your head you walked towards him "what are you doing here Tom?"

You occasionally called him Tom instead of Tommy, and sometimes it bugged Tommy but in a way it was endearing plus if there was one person he'd tolerate referring to him as Tom it would be you.

"No reason" the look in his eyes told you different.

Rolling your eyes, you moved past him, intending to walk home "why didn't you tell us?" Tommy's footsteps were slow behind you against the wet gravel.

"what?" you snapped your head to look at him, your fingers turning cold despite the humid air.

"I think" Tommy caught up to you slowly, staring ahead "you know what."

"so she fucking tattled" you snorted suddenly "how mature for a grown woman" you were infuriated but nervous at Tommy's reaction.

"she didn't have much of a choice considering I asked her how you were"

"Why the fuck are you asking my professors how I am ?!" you looked at Tommy like he was deranged. Maybe he was, you didn't know. All that smoking and drinking was probably catching up.

"Because you won't talk to us" your brothers nonchalant attitude was beginning to frustrate you even more.

"Well you never asked did you?" you sassed.

Tommy stopped walking and you stopped a few steps ahead of him turning to look at him "would you have told us if we asked?" Tommy raised an eyebrow.

You rolled your eyes "no" you mumbled "fuck off" and continued walking.

Tommy let out a mirthless chuckle.

The rest of the walk back home was in silence, you could feel your brothers eyes boring in the back of your head and you did your best to bite your tongue and not snap back at him.

Shutting the door behind you Tommy spoke with an uncharacteristic soft tone "y/n"

letting your shoulders drop, you took a deep breath to avoid crying then turned to look at Tommy.

"Look, Tommy, I'm not going so leave it alone" you walked into the kitchen and picked up a glass to pour yourself some water.

"Why not?" Tommy leaned against the doorframe of the kitchen.

Instead of responding you stared right back at Tommy with unrelenting gaze that you knew your aunt held so often with your brothers too.

After a minute of the two of you standing and staring at each other in silence you said " 'cause I don't want to go. Now let it go will you" Pushing past him you went up the stairs to your room.

You didn't see Tommy again that day until the next morning when you opened the door with your school bag in hand and almost walked into him standing right outside your door.

"morning y/n" sarcasm laced your brothers words.

"What?" you narrowed your eyes looking at him.

"You" he reached forward and pulled your bag off your shoulder " are coming with me today" he shoved your bag onto your bed and put his hand on your shoulder.

Your eyes widened "where" you looked at him

He didn't respond rather he nudged you out of your doorway and downstairs.

"There's the bloody artist!" Arthur shouted when he spotted you coming down the stairs.

you immediately turned to glare at Tommy and caught him rolling his eyes at Arthur.

"Where ya goin' Tommy?" Arthur ignored the obvious annoyance his siblings felt toward him in the moment.

"Nowhere" Tommy mumbled

Taking his distraction from you as an opportunity you ducked from under his hand on your shoulder and bolted back up the stairs.

"Y/N" Tommy yelled bolting after you. Arthur laughed watching Tommy run after you.

Rushing into your room in time, you slammed the door shut and locked it. Ignoring Tommy's knocking on the door.

Grabbing your bag you slid open your window and threw it out. And then slipped your left leg out the window and securing it safely on the edge you ducked and climbed out completely, still hearing Tommy ordering you to open the door.

Managing to climb down safely, you dusted your clothes and turned around and walked right into Aunt Pol standing there arms crossed watching you, not impressed, and Tommy stood behind her smirking.

"might want to take the front door next time " John snickered walking out to where the three of you were.

"Right" Aunt Pol moved forward while guiding you back into the house- through the door- she continued "you're going with Tommy, I don't bloody know where he's taking you but he's told me it's important".

"But I have school!" you fought back " for which I'm probably late thanks to Thomas" you exclaimed.

"well then you better go along with him quickly so you don't have to skip another day" Pol smirked.

Truth was, Tommy knew, that Pol of course had noticed the change in your behavior as well no doubt, and when he told her last night that he was going to pull you out of school for the day for something important, she didn't argue knowing her nephew must obviously know something and if he wasn't telling her now he would later.

Tommy didn't tell her cause he wanted you to tell them yourself. He didn't want to push you away any further by revealing something you still preferred keeping to yourself.

You knew it was hopeless fighting back if Aunt Pol was involved and siding with your brother.

Grumbling, you let your bag fall of your shoulder, put it on the sofa and turned to Tommy "fine" you stomped outside.

Tommy, who had a cigarette in between his lips, let out a puff of smoke and then walked after you.

Slamming the door shut to the car, you sulked. Your frustration grew stronger the more you kept thinking about Tommy doing this because of yesterday. You didn't understand why he couldn't just let it be.

Tommy didn't speak at all on the drive, he juts looked ahead. And you didn't bother asking him where he was taking you. You were too stubborn to ask. Instead, you leaned your head back against the seat and closed your eyes.

Having fallen asleep you didn't realize how long the car ride was, and only woke when Tommy nudged your shoulder calling your name.

Looking out the window yawning, you felt your breath hitch the moment your eyes adjusted on the massive building in front of you. The red bricked building stood in front of you with a field of grass stretching wide in front of it. The grass was greener than you'd ever seen grass to be. You opened the door and got out standing still, afraid that if you moved you'd wake up back in your damp room in Birmingham. The air, it was-clean- it wasn't damp with a lingering smell of something stale, like in small heath.

Tommy watched you take in where he'd brought you. His chest tightened noticing the disbelief in your eyes. He felt a sudden rush of pride and love. He wanted this for you. He wanted you to be able to get away from small heath. He wanted you to have this, he knew you deserved it more than anyone.

You'd kept to yourself your whole life. Content with the little you had, never asking for anything.

And god, Tommy knew you were so smart and capable of making something of yourself. He didn't understand why you didn't want this -or rather- why you were refusing it when it was being handed to you.

He so desperately wanted you to go here. Moving to stand next to you, he put his arm around your shoulder.

"What do you think?"

You were too struck with amazement to actually speak aloud, instead you whispered "I don't know"

And you didn't. You wished so desperately to go here now that you'd seen where you had the opportunity to come. But the same questions haunted you in the back of your mind, how would your family be able to afford financing your stay. Just finding a place for you to live would be a big expense.

You couldn't ask this of them. You couldn't move to live such a life in London, when your family would still be breathing the toxic fumes of small heath.

Tommy could almost feel your longing. To come here, to make a life for yourself. But he couldn't figure out what was holding you back, why you were adamantly refusing, why you hadn't told them either.

He couldn't understand it.

"Would it be selfish Tommy?" you whispered, shifting your weight on your left leg.

Tommy furrowed his eyebrows "no it wouldn't" he said softly.

He didn't think his heart was capable of breaking again, but apparently he learnt that it was the moment you asked him that question. It broke his heart to think that you were willing to let your future go just because you thought it would be selfish to ask this of your family. Because you didn't want them to spend their money on your education.

"I want to come here Tommy, I really do" you couldn't help it anymore. You turned to look at Tommy, tears brimming your eyes and you slipped your hand in his and held it tightly.

He wasn't expecting to see the tears in your eyes, so when you slipped your hand his, a few seconds later he let go and instead slipped his arm around your shoulder again and pulled you into his side.

"then you're going to come here eh" he rubbed your shoulder.

"How are we going to afford it?" you hiccuped.

"you're the first Shelby to be offered a fuckin' scholarship and that's what your worried about?" Tommy chuckled.

You were always the more grounded Shelby, but it never occurred to him just how far your selflessness went.

"Listen to me" he made you look at him "we'll afford it alright, we've got more money now than before and by the time you have to leave we'll have even more, plus I've got Ada a place you could stay with her, after she finds out I've got her a place of course"

"Tommy-"

"It's not for you to worry about money, you leave that to us" your brother clarified.

You said nothing further but continued leaning into your older brothers side until he finally asked you if you were ready to leave.

Watching the building fade past you, you turned back around looking in front "they know then?"

"Only that you've been told you've got exceptional art skills" he gave a small smile.

You were grateful he hadn't told your family of your scholarship opportunity yet "thank you".

You spent the trip back to Birmingham wondering how you'd tell your family. You were beyond nervous and the bundle of nerves only worsened as Tommy turned into the familiar streets of the Small heath.

When the car came to a halt you almost refused to get out but you had to get out at some point. So you did. With shivering legs and a pounding heart.

Only when Tommy nudged you into the pub did you realize that you'd never told Tommy that you were going to tell your family today. But somehow he knew you'd agree once you'd seen the place you were being given the opportunity to go to. And seeing your family gathered at the table when you entered the pub only confirmed this realization.

"Ada will be here soon" Tommy walked over and sat down next to Arthur-a decision he knew he would regret the moment you told them.

The chair scraped against the dark wooden floor as you took one from another table and sat down. In the same instant that you sat down, Ada strolled into the Garrison, taking off her hat.

Once she'd sat down grumbling about how this better not be a meeting revealing one of Tommy's fuck ups.

But Tommy had rolled his eyes and clarified "we're here 'cause Y/n has something to tell us"

You sighed heavily and looked up at the ceiling, and then looked back at the unflinching gaze of your entire family focused on you.

"right-um-well" you cleared your throat and shifted slightly in your chair. "I-um" you began bouncing your knee.

You realized in that instant that the only way you'd be bale to tell them was if you didn't look at them directly and avoided the look of disappointment they'd inevitably express at your selfish-ness of asking something like this of them.

So instead you looked at your fidgeting hands and came out with it in one breath "I've been offered a scholarship to a university In London for-um-art and I've decid-thought of taking it"

There it was. The heavy disappointed silence. Your heart dropped at the silence. Even Harry it seemed had stopped wiping the bar behind you.

You could hear everyone's breathing in the loud silence, more so you could hear your own heart beating quite rapidly and were sure everyone else could too.

"A shelby going to bloody university!" Your head snapped up to meet Aunt Pol's tear brimmed eyes. She was beaming, and you realzied you'd never actually seen a smile on her that actually reached her eyes- before this that is.

The relief washed over you like a wave, you could physically feel the relief in your skin, your shoulders felt lighter and you felt as htough you were giong to start fully sobbing at any second.

Arthur sat stunned for a few more minutes while Ada and John hugged you, raving about how proud they were of you. Finn congratulated you Arthur seemed to come to and started literally bellowing out of happiness. You were pretty sure he was just making noises and not even shouting proper sentences, "little one's going to fookin' University!", Tommy instantly took a deep breath looking at the ceiling standing up.

Chcukling, you said "I'm not litt-oh" Arthur hugged you tighter than he had before, unable to contain his happiness for you and you had to tap him on the shoulder letting him knowing you couldn't breath.

Once he let go John, Finn and Ada continued talking excitedly making lists of things you'd need for university, and you leaned your head past Arthur and looked at Tommy who was now leaning against the wooden beam; smiling at you.

"how come you got a scholar-whatever-it-is and I didn't?" You heard Finn say behind you.

"Maybe cause you never fucking went after the first day of 6th grade" John laughed, making Finn roll his eyes.

You however walked to Tommy and engulfed him in a hug. Squeezing him as tight as you could. And Tommy did the same.

He looked up at Pol who and gave him a nod. Tommy knew it was his aunts way of letting him know he had done the right thing in doing whatever he had done to convince you to get away to a better life.

"hang on" Ada said then "we've all been here talking about how fuckin proud we are of you for your scholarship, but we've barely seen your bloody art"

So of course the next thing you knew you were being dragged down to watery lane to show them your art book. Which you didn't have, seeing as you'd left it at Nancy's so John then accompanied you to pick it up and watched you tell Nancy you'd explain everything later.

John was itching to grab your book from you and take a peek on the way home, but he also knew you would chew his ear off for it and decided against it.

The moment your family's eyes glimpsed the first page, they proceeded to compliment you, but Ada made it a point to let you know you were a downright arse for keeping your work from them.

Tommy and Pol stayed up that night, long after everyone else had gone to bed- after Tommy had carried you to your room.

Sitting down next to his aunt with a drink, he leaned back on his chair.

"y/n's going to have a better life Pol" Tommy sighed, smiling a little.

"god knows if there's anyone that deserves it more than anyone, it's that child." Pol nodded.

And he knew it was true. He doted on you from the moment you were born. When you opened your eyes and looked at him with those beautiful eyes of yours, Tommy swore he would kill for you.

And not once since did he take his job as the older brother for granted, if anything he always went the extra mile to make sure you were safe.

Of course the rest of your family protected you too, but Tommy like always, went beyond what was necessary sometimes. But he would rather do too much than too little and end up having you hurt.

A few months later, it was this very habit of Tommy's, the one that kept you safe for 15 years, that made the new Irish Inspector in small heath, watch you from the alley as you walked home one evening.

2K notes · View notes

rustys-lodge · 5 months

Note

hi love, can i request a Shelby sister fic where she’s kind of like sandie (last night in soho) where she dreams of making it big as a showgirl and she meets a man who promises her the world kind of like a pimp. she gets caught up in that showgirl life and her brothers do everything to stop her and she like loses it basically the plot of last night in Soho pretty much (re writing it cause i keep checking!)

Warnings : physical violence, prostitution, blood, murder, basically all the stuff that goes on in the movie.

A/N : i wrote half of this in class lol, i wish i could have posted it when you sent the request again but i had lots of homework. Anyways, i hope i didn't dissapoint. ❤❣

------

"Close your eyes."

You can't. they're going to be looking back.

"Y/n, close your eyes!"

You can't.

"I said, close your fuckin' eyes."

"I fucking can't." You hurl the words out of your mouth like a rabid dog's bark.

You can't close your eyes. All you see is their faces. The faces of the men that used your silence for their own selfish pleasures. You couldn't close your eyes because all you could see was their slashed faces, more specifically, the blood gushing out, their irises wide, your own disgusting reflection firing in their terrified eyes and those tears that never seemed to dry.

---

A few days ago, you were at your last straw, you were fighting that urge, that last one, the one that needed to go the most.

You hurried up the stairs, the soles of your feet stinging with every step you took. your hand took ahold of the handle, enhancing your balance and so, propelling you forward,helping you gain a few more crucial seconds, you hurried to the room, shutting the door closed just in time for him to get to you. You locked the door and pressed your back against it.

A loud bang vibrated the door you were leaning against. Startled, your heart thudded every time his fist collided with the wood.

Another bang sounded...And another one.... relentless and eager to get you to die. Your body shook to your core and you squeezed your eyes tight, the blue and the red lighting of the bistro still seeping through your shut eyelids.

You needed an escape. You needed to-

"Open this fucking door, you whore. You know you did this to yourself, now open this fucking door."

You needed to kill him. That's it.

You marched to the bed, tucking your hand under the pillow to retrieve the knife you so long hid under there. Your little protector. Your fingers tightly squeezed the handle and you walked back to the door, your hand eagerly pushing the handle down.

That's it. I'm doing it. I'm killing him.

As the door frame swung open, your agent, Jack, stood at the door, only his silhouette was apparent, his head was cocked to the side, he stared at you. Although his eyes were shadowed by his propelled brow ridge, you knew that he was staring. because you knew him. And you held the knife even closer to you. And you would've used it, if he hadn't barked at your face.

"You know you deserve it, slut."

You froze at the comment, not that it's the first time you heard it, it's the shock that comes with it every time, the sudden realization of your current situation, where you'd gotten and where you w-

A sudden ache etched from your jaw when Jack's palm violently made contact with it, snapping you out of your thoughts and sending you backwards, with a sudden rush of adrenaline.

You were more than ready to fight. but you needed not to die first.

You shifted away as Jack stormed over to you, bending down swiftly take ahold of your footbut your good reflexes were even faster, you kicked him backwards, hard. Hard enough to have him staggering.

"Stop it, slut." Jack's hand swung again, grabbing your ankle, hindering you from kicking again.

"Leave. Me. Alone." Your hand scrambled around for the knife that fell from your hand earlier but you got interrupted when jack's body suddenly jolted forward, crashing over your own body, squeezing the air in your lungs shut.

"I got him."

A voice that sounded like a divine presence spoke and you recognized it right away, hoarse and angry. You just couldn't bel-believ-believe....Or brea-breathe..

As the man's doubled weight got lifted off of you, you drew the deepest breath in, still unable to process or comprehend what had just happened.

"It's okay, sweetheart, we're here now."

Your eyes followed the voice, and figures of the Shelby brothers seemed to stand by the door, like angels guarding god's little creatures. One of them, Tommy, who reached his hand out for you. But still frozen, you didn't take it.

"It's okay, honey, he's gone." As you were unresponsive, He scooped you up from the ground you laid on.

"It's okay, honey, he's gone."

From the corner of your blurred eyes, you saw Jack's cadaver being kicked and spat on. You'd smile. But your jaw was too numb.

"It's ok-"

"it's okay, Sweetheart."

Your eyes roll to the back of your head, and you turn the other way, facing away from him.

A very frustrated sigh leaves his lips. He's still calm, though. "I told you i won't let anything like this ever happen to you again, sweetheart. I'm here now."

A second later the bed frame roars and Tommy is hugging you from the back;

For a very quick second you're about to startle, but Tommy proceeds by softly whispering into your ear first, "It's okay. It's just me." His arm envelops your chest, sending the warmth of his body vibrating into yours.

"I see them too. They may not be the same people but i see them too. Im here.".

-----

Hello, yall, i will be changing accounts soon. I'm going to start writing on the other one, if yall have any requests, please go on that one. ❤️❤️❤️🥀🥀🥀

#shelby sister #peaky blinder imagine #tommy shelby x sister!reader #shelby sister!reader #shelby tag #tommy shelby x sister #thomas shelby #peaky blinders #peaky blinders sister #peaky sister #late night in soho fic #sister!reader #sister x brothers

123 notes · View notes

dreamlandcreations · 8 months

Text

Imagine Tommy coming to you all bloody after meeting with Alfie

Imagine Tommy coming to you all bloody after meeting with Alfie who you had a secret relationship with for several months now.

"What did you do?!" you scream at him as you think the worst had happened.

It takes a moment for it to click all together for him. Your frequent visits to Ada. The way you always asked more when he was dealing with the Jew.

"How..." he stops, even as dismayed as he is Tommy knows if he continued the 'how could you' you might walk out the door and he'd never see you again. So he goes with a quiet and calm, "How long?"

You are stunned for a second but you don't relent, even when it's clear you feel guilty. "Please," you beg with a trembling voice and tears in your eyes, "tell me you didn't..."

His brave little sister, he thinks, can't say the words and he knows it has to have been going on for a while. Tommy takes mercy on you and says, "It's not his blood, Alfie is fine."

You let out a stuttering breath of relief and hug him then, not caring for the blood anymore, and you cry as he tells you what he found out and asks for your help for the first time in your life.

#alfie solomons x shelby!reader #tommy shelby x sister!reader #alfie solomons x reader #alfie solomons imagine #tommy shelby #tommy shelby imagine #alfie solomons x you #alfie solomons #my stuff #my fics

364 notes · View notes

theshelbyclan · 2 years

Text

Can’t Sleep

Summary: You can’t sleep, but your big brother, who never sleeps, watches over you

A/N: As you can maybe tell, I can’t sleep right now. So, as I was lying awake, worrying about uni and covid and my baby, I decided to distract myself with some stories. And when even that didn’t help much, I decided to write this one down. Just a short one, nothing special, but I thought I’d share… Words: 773 ***

Thomas Shelby had never slept much. Even before France, he used to be up before the sun and watched as the rest of the world woke slowly. And after that great war, well, sleep just wasn’t for him anymore. He’d learned how to function without it. As he was walking the streets of Small Heath late at night, pondering his latest strategy, he looked up at the house in Watery Lane. Up on the roof, he could just make out a familiar shadow in the moonlight. So, he put out his cigarette, went inside the house, climbed the stairs, and exited the window in the same way his youngest sister had.

You looked up when you heard another stepping onto your roof. Not turning your head all the way, you couldn’t see who it was, but when he lit a cigarette, you knew it was Tommy. Who else could it have been anyway? He was the only one who’d also be up at this hour. Without a word, he laid down next to you. Side by side, you watched the few stars visible through the smoke that never quite cleared out of Small Heath and the moon that shone brightly despite it all. “You see that star?” you pointed upwards but turned to face your brother. He grunted a sort of affirmative reply. “That one’s mine,” you smiled. “Yours, eh?” It sounded like Tommy laughed at you a little. However, before you could get offended or embarrassed, he added, “Do we all get one?” You nodded, “Yes. Do you want one?” “I’d like one, yes.”

So, you pointed at another one, close to yours. The two of them were so close together, you had to squint to even make them out separately. Their light was undeniable though, and you thought that was fitting somehow.

After a few more minutes of silence, Tommy asked, “Can’t sleep?” You shrugged, “I was too busy thinking.” “What does a ten-year-old have to think about that keeps her up, eh?”

Again, you just shrugged. The truth was, you had lots to think about and at the same time, nothing at all, but that was difficult to explain. “Tommy? Do you ever sleep?” “I sleep,” he coughed shortly, “But when I sleep, I dream. And when I dream, I need to wake up.” You softened your voice as much as you could, “I know.” Because you knew. Ever since he got back from France, you knew. Tommy coughed again and then turned to study his little sister’s face. Sometimes, in a flash, it was like you were changing too fast for him. Like he could see the woman you’d become somewhere in your features, like you’d grown up overnight and no one had watched it happening. All these deep thoughts you were having, he thought, it’s too much too soon. So, he took your hand in his and asked, “What do you dream of?” “Sometimes I dream I can fly. Like, I’ll step out of that window just like I did, but instead of climbing up, I’ll fly away.” “And where will you go?” This is what you liked best about Tommy: he was genuinely interested. Nothing you could’ve said would ever prompt him to laugh at you or scoff. He’d just listen. “To my star,” you whispered, “And then beyond.” Tommy looked at you and frowned, “Do you want to fly away?” “Don’t you?” you almost giggled. It was such an innocent question, but your brother nodded in the most serious manner. And that’s when you knew he understood, because he always did. “Do you think I could do it?” “Yes,” you brother answered at once, “I think you can fly away and I think you will someday.” You looked at Tommy and studied his face, “You seem sad.”

He didn’t reply, but it hadn’t really been a question either. After a while he said, “But not tonight. Tonight, you need to sleep.” “But I can’t…” “Come here,” he held out an arm and you scooted in closer, until the two of you laid together in a sort of embrace. It was warm, tucked underneath your brother’s wing. “No more worrying about things, alright? I’m here and I’ll make sure nothing happens to you. It’s safe to sleep now, trust me,” he said. You nodded and found your eyelids getting heavy at his words already, “You’re like my star too, Tommy.” “And you mine.”

Finally, you’d fallen asleep in Thomas Shelby’s arms. And while you peacefully slept up on that roof, he stayed awake and watched over you, until the stars hid again and the sun came up.

****

Masterlist

#tommy shelby #thomas shelby #peaky blinders #peaky blinders fluff #peaky blinder imagine #peaky blinders imagine #peaky #peaky blinders fanfic #cillian murphy #sister shelby #shelby sister #sister!shelby #tommy shelby x sister!reader #tommy shelby x reader #thomas shelby x sister reader #shelby sister reader #shelby sister imagine

2K notes · View notes

captaincvans · 2 years

Text

Title: Not a Burden

Characters: Shelby Brothers x Shelby!Sister; Alfie Solomons

Summary: Y/N Shelby is starting to feel a burden to her family, and wanted to do her part in helping the family- except she decided to work with another gangster to help her with her cause.

Warnings: A rotten dude exposing himself to a minor. Please do not continue/read if that bothers you.

Word Count: 5.8k

Author’s Note: This was way longer than I expected, but I'm glad to be able to post it finally. I hope you enjoy a longer fluffy little sister Shelby fic! Also comments/reblogs feeds a writer's soul!

Y/N wasn’t usually an eavesdropper, but her family was so loud it didn’t really matter if she was trying to or not. She heard only pieces of what they were talking about, but it was clear on what the problem was. The Shelby family was running short on money. With their reputation, there wasn’t much that they needed to pay for, but maintaining that power requires people to be bought.

“We still need to buy Y/N’s medicine and school supplies,” Polly reminded the boys.

“She’s all better- does she still need medicine?” John asked.

“Yes,” Tommy answered shortly. He wasn’t going to let his younger sister suffer just because they hadn’t managed their money well this month.

“If you boys hadn’t put business before her as usual, she wouldn’t have gotten sick.”

Y/N felt her heart sink as she heard her name being mentioned as one of the reason they were short on the money. A few weeks ago, she caught pneumonia after walking home from school. Usually, one of the brothers would drop her off, but they were called away and she insisted that she would be fine. Tommy left a few Peaky boys around the city to keep an eye on her while having her believe that she was walking home independently. When it started raining, she thought nothing of it as she enjoyed the rain and didn’t find it as an inconvenience. That night as the boys got home, she couldn’t greet them with her usual energy as she felt ill. She skipped dinner and went to bed early, and by the next morning her fever almost overtook her. It was an awful few days, and she had to be hospitalized immediately. Tommy paid to make sure she was getting the best treatment, and as she realized, it must have costed the family a fortune. Her lips started wobbling at the thought that she was the reason her family was struggling, but she soon wiped away the tears, knowing it wouldn’t do anything. She made a promise to do her best to help the family. She started with eating less, skipping a few meals here and there to make sure the food can at least be stretched out without her eating it. Next was her school supplies, she was usually a meticulous scholar, having all her notes organized but she now made it a point to make sure she didn’t need to replace her items as quickly. Her final idea was to use some of her old clothes, and turn them into handkerchiefs to sell on the streets. She was a great seamstress for her age, and knew that this was something she would be able to do easily. With a new found resolve, she took a deep breath and got to work.

Y/N has been selling her handkerchiefs for a couple of days now, not earning as much as she wanted to, but at least it was something. She mostly sold them after school under the guise of playing, and would end up staying up to do her homework. This worked out in her favour as she can skip breakfast the next day for more sleep. She was getting quite tired, but her love for her family overpowered her desire to rest and sleep. It was a cold foggy day in Small Heath and Y/N was standing at a different street to attract new customers. She was trying to get the attention of the people walking by, but to no avail. Finally, she saw a man approach.

“Hi mister! Would you like to buy a handkerchief for a lovely lady in your life?” she asked with a huge smile. As the man got closer, her smile drop as she saw his intoxicated state and leery grin.

“Hey there little girl. It’s not safe for you to be out here all alone.”

“I-I’m not alone,” she lied. “My brothers are just at that shop.” She pointed to somewhere behind her, hoping her lie was believable enough.

“Uh huh.” The man got closer, close enough that she could smell the alcohol off him. “That’s a nice hankerchief you have there. Mind if I grab one-“ He plucked it out of her hand without hearing her answer, and stuffed it down his pants.

“Wh-What are you doing, mister?” she asked, as she saw his hand move inside his pants. He was moaning as if in pain, eyes closed. “Mister?”

“Fuck,” he cursed, shoulders dropping in relief. He took out the handkerchief, a white sticky substance staining the once floral pattern. With an evil grin, he grabbed the back of Y/N’s head, trying to stuff the handkerchief in her mouth. She squirmed against his grip.

“No! What are you doing?!” She was pushing his arm away but he was much stronger. He was able to smear the cloth against her cheek before he was pulled off her by another stranger.

“Now that’s not a very nice thing to do,” the man started. “Taking advantage of little girls.” He nodded towards someone behind him, and placed a comforting hand on the girl’s shoulder. “Are you okay, dove?”

She shook her head, unsure of what just happened.

He took another one of her handkerchief peaking out of her bag, and poured what smells like alcohol from the flask in his pocket. He gently rubbed the white substance off her face, making sure there were no traces left behind. “Make sure you clean your little face real good when you get home, okay dove?”

She ignored his suggestion, staring up at his somewhat familiar face. “Who are you?”

“Name’s Alfie Solomons. We’ve met before but you were just a little babe- about yeah high.” He motioned to a little lower than his knee. “You’re Y/N Shelby. Your brothers and I are business partners.”

At the mention of her brothers she lit up, trusting the man immediately.

“Now what is the likes of yourself doing on the streets? Don’t tell me that stubborn brother of yours cut you off from their money.”

She shook her head vehemently. “Tommy would never do that!” She stared at her shuffling feet, ashamed. “I made my family spend too much money so I want to pay them back. They’re not financially in a good spot.”

Alfie raised an eyebrow, unsure that the little Shelby knows what she just did by telling him that. Any of the Shelby’s enemy would yell in glee by that information, knowing that the mob family was vulnerable to attacks because of their lack of funding. Luckily, Alfie was quite fond of the Shelby family, and his new favourite was the one standing in front of him. His cold heart warmed at the thought that she was so worried for her family that she would go all the way to selling her stuff on the street as if there wasn’t a mark on her back because of her last name. “Well then today is your lucky day. I was looking for a little assistant to help me with things as I settle into me temporary home here.”

“Really? What kinda things?” she asked, eyes wide with hope.

The man was surprised at her eagerness, realizing that her siblings must’ve done a great job at protecting her from their world as she was still able to put her faith in people like that. “Just small things- picking up my groceries from the market, and maybe a prescription here and there from the pharmacy for me eye. I can pay you,” he paused, playing with his beard for the extra suspense. “Ten shillings a week.”

“Wow! That’s so much!” She agreed happily to his terms.

“Every Monday I will give you a list of what I need for the week, and I will pay you every week when you make your deliveries.”

“Thank you thank you!”

“Though before I hire you, you need to be better at indiscretion.”

“What does that mean?”

“You can’t go around telling people that your brothers don’t have money- your brother’s got enemies that could take him down with that information.”

Her eyes widened as she realized the severity of what she had done. “I’m so stupid!” she cried, hitting her head with her balled up fists.

“Hey, hey, there's no need for that now.” Alfie has seen grown men with less guilt for putting their family in danger with the information they divulged. “Lucky for you- you just told lil' old me, and I’m harmless.”

Y/N looked up to the London gangster with tears still lining her eyes.

“Don’t cry, dove. I’m sure even if you spent all of your brother’s money, they wouldn’t have the heart to be mad at ya.”

“I would never do that!” she said, taking his jokes quite seriously. “My family means everything to me.”

Alfie nodded, confirming that he made the right decision in hiring and caring for her. He walked her back to the outskirt of Shelby territory, knowing that her brothers would have people around to look out for her.

It’s been a few weeks since Y/N started her job as Alfie’s errand girl. Both her and the gangster was surprised that her brothers hadn’t caught wind of their relation. Though the two didn't spend more time than necessary together, they became quite close. Alfie was busy with running an organization, and Y/N was busy trying to get her homework finished. She also kept up with selling her handkerchief when she had time between running errands for Alfie, schoolwork, and pretending to be a normal kid in front of her family. She was upset that she couldn’t spend as much time with her siblings as before, but she knew she has to in order to make up for being a burden.

“Y/N,” Finn called, seeing his sister walking to their home after school. “Tommy’s called for a family meeting.”

Her eyes widened, and her heart started thundering with excitement. She raised a good amount of money, and felt like she could share with her family what she’s been up to. “Okay, Finn. I’ll be right there!” She ran to her room, grabbing her shoulder bag full of money and was basically vibrating with excitement while they waited for the entire family to trickle in. She sat in the middle of Arthur and John, ignoring their chuckles at her gleaming eyes.

“Sounds like it’ll be a breezy meeting if you’re letting Y/N sit this one in,” John commented towards Tommy who was lighting a cigarette.

“Let’s begin,” the older brother ignored the comment and started the meeting. “As you know-”

The youngest Shelby’s hand shot out in the air as if she was at school.

Tommy raised an eyebrow, trying not to show any indication of annoyance at his sister’s behaviour. The second oldest brother was too soft when it comes to matter to sister, and he would rather blind himself than purposely hurt her. “What is it?”

“I have something to share with you guys.” She pulled her out her messenger bag that she carries her handkerchief and the money she collected thus far with.

“What you got for us, girlie?” Arthur asked, peering into her bag to catch a glimpse of her gift to them.

She took her bag off, and emptied the contents on the table. The Shelby clan’s jaw dropped in shock. They weren’t expecting their youngest sibling to be emptying almost 100 shillings in cash on their table.

“How in the hell did you get that much money?” John asked.

“Girl, you better not be stealing,” Polly chastised, eyes narrowing.

“I’m not! I swear it.” She looked around for her family’s approving faces, but was just met with surprised and curious looks.

“Then you better explain yourself.”

“I overheard you guys talking a few weeks ago about being short, and I know it was my fault. I stupidly got sick so you guys had to spend money on me, and I felt really bad so I decided to help. I cut my old clothes and sewed them into handkerchiefs- I’ve been selling them on the streets to make the money.”

“You made this much selling handkerchiefs?” Tommy asked, an eyebrow raised in suspicion.

“Well… no… I wasn’t making much- just a few shillings here and there, but someone hired me!”

“Who?” Arthur asked.

“Mr. Solomons.”

“Y/N!” Polly berated. “Do you know who that is?”

“At first I didn’t, but he said he knew me since I was little. He was a really nice man, and he gave me 10 shillings every week to run some errands for him.”

“What kind of errands?”

“Just picking up groceries and prescription- that’s all!”

“I don’t want you seeing him again,” Tommy said sternly.

“But Tommy- he’s a real nice man.”

“Yea you said that already,” Arthur muttered, unamused by his sister’s connection.

“How did you even meet with the likes of him?” John asked, wondering how his sister got into contact with the mobster.

“Well… one day when I was selling my stuff, this man took my handkerchief and he stuffed it down his pants. I’m not sure what he was doing but he was rubbing it a lot in his pants, and making a lot of weird noises. When he was done there was this white icky stuff, and he wanted to put it in my mouth. I was so scared but Mr. Solomons came and saved me!”

“What the fuck?!” Arthur roared with fury. He jumped out of his seat, John following with him. “Who was this man? What did he look like?”

Y/N’s eyes widened in surprise at her brother’s reaction. “I-I don’t know. Mr. Solomons pulled the man away, and next thing I know the man was gone.” She turned to Tommy who’s jaw was clenched, and his knuckles were white from gripping his the edge of the table. “Am I in trouble, Tommy?” she asked quietly, head bowing down in shame.

“No.” He pushed himself off the table and placed a hand on her shoulder. “You did nothing wrong, but we are going to pay a visit to Mr. Solomons.”

She nodded, following her brothers who were hastily putting on their jackets. She usually held on to Tommy’s hand when they were out for safety, but he had both fists clenched the entire time, making her her believe that she was in trouble. Arthur and John were no different. She thought if they were cartoon characters they would have steam coming out of their ears. It didn’t take them long to get to Alfie's temporary lodging.

“Well well well… if it isn’t the Shelby boys, and the little princess.”

“Hi, Mr. Solomons!” she greeted with a wave and a smile.

“Hello, little one.”

Tommy moved to cover Y/N from Alfie’s gaze which did not go unnoticed.

“Oh relax, would you? I would never hurt a hair on little Y/N’s head. Didn’t you hear? I saved her from an unsightly perv-”

“Did you skin him alive?” Arthur growled. “Did you tear him apart and burn him to ashes?”

“Actually, I’m sure you’d be happy to know, but I have kept the lad barely alive. I figured once the littlest Shelby told you guys what she’s been up to, you lot would pay me a visit.”

“Where is he?!” Arthur grabbed Alfie’s collar, pushing him against the wall.

“Arthur-“ John placed a hand on his oldest brother’s shoulder. “Take it easy.”

“He’s in the barn by the outskirt of town. My men have been keeping him barely alive, but I’m not sure how much longer he’ll have.”

“Tommy-“ Arthur turned to his brother, a short silent conversation happening.

“Go.” Arthur and John didn’t waste another minute and left for the man.

“What are you trying to do, Alfie?”

“What?”

“Why are you helping us?”

“Correction. I’m helping Y/N. What she chooses to do with the money I give her is her choice. If she decides to spend all that money on the sweet ice cream shop across the street then that’s her choice, and if she decides to spend the money on helping her family, then I really can’t say anything, can I?”

Tommy’s eyes narrowed, and then flickered when Y/N wrapped her hand around his, seeing it was finally unclenched. “You hurt her in any way, and I will end you.”

“Despite your very hurtful assumptions of me, I would never hurt Y/N.”

She smiled at the older man, already considering him another kind uncle.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, little Shelby?”

“8am sharp!” she responded with a little salute.

“Alfie-“

“You can have your men escort her here or I can have my men pick her up and drop her off at your residence. She’s never been alone while running errands-“

“What?!” Y/N exclaimed, surprised at the revelation.

“You think I would let a little Shelby running around associating with me unattended, child? That’s as good as a death wish. I had my men following you to make sure no one would mess with ya.”

The girl pouted, thinking of the bodyguards as babysitters. “I’m not a baby.”

“No, you’re not,” Tommy started, ignoring Alfie’s raised eyebrow, “but you are still a child, and we are not going to take that risk of you running around by yourself.” Not with a target on your back, Tommy added in his thoughts.

As they were heading out, Alfie put a hand on Tommy’s shoulder, stopping the man in his tracks and leaned near his ear. “Girl’s too hard on herself. Now, I don’t what you Shelby boys have been filling her head with but she’s got more loyalty than the lot of you. Make sure you pay her the same respect. She don’t need to be skipping meals trying save y’alls money, but she does it anyways.”

Tommy’s jaw clenched, nodding sharply. “See you around.”

“See you later, brother.”

As they walked out, Y/N tugged on her older brother’s hand. “Tommy, where are we going?”

“We’re gonna make sure Arthur and John do their job,” Tommy simply replied.

“I-I have to see the man again?” she asked, her voice trembling.

“No,” he answered right away. “This man will never bother you again.”

Tommy said nothing as they continued their journey to the barn. In truth he wanted a piece of action in giving the man what he deserved, and he knew he shouldn’t take her with them because this was what he wanted to protect her from, but at the same time he needed her to be physically with him to make sure she was safe. He couldn’t believe in his stress he didn’t check up on her like he should- he didn’t make sure she was safe. The fact that this man was able to even approach her like that was something he thought should’ve never happened. He knew now that she needed more protection- more people to watch out for her. He was more than disgusted at what that piece of garbage did, and he wanted to make sure he paid for his crimes. His sister is pure in every way, and he wasn’t going to let anyone make her feel uncomfortable like that again. He made sure she wasn’t exposed to the dirty life they lead, and if it was up to him he would make sure she never would.

Tommy made sure Y/N stayed in the car, telling her that one of the brothers would be out in a bit to keep her company. He entered the barn, hand already on his gun. He wasn’t surprised that Arthur was still beating the bloodied man up while John leaned on the wall, his fists equally bloodied.

“John, go keep Y/N company outside. Arthur,” Tommy called for his brother’s attention. “Is the man dead?”

“Not yet. I want the fucker to suffer as much as I could,” the oldest Shelby said, spitting at the barely alive man.

Tommy stepped closer, hearing his raspy breathing from the beating he took. He took out his gun, pointing to the man’s crotch. “There’s a special place in hell for people like you.” The Shelby leader kept his voice low, making sure the man wait in anticipation at what he was going to do. He shot the first bullet, the man howling in pain. The two ruthless brothers watched him writhe around before he passed out, then Tommy shot the final bullet to his temple.

Arthur pulled out his lighter from his pocket, dropping it on the man before leaving the burning barn with his brother. Outside, John had Y/N in his arms, the little girl laughing at his animated stories. The two older brothers got in the car and drove away.

When dinner came around, Tommy watched as Y/N serve the kitchen staff heaping of food on their plate, but only put barely any on her plate. He was reminded of Alfie’s words, and stepped behind Y/N. He grabbed the spoon she was serving herself with and the plate, putting more food on it.

“To-Tommy, I’m not that hungry!”

“There’s plenty of food, so eat.”

“I was planning to eat the leftovers tomorrow for lunch.”

“There’ll be food tomorrow for your breakfast and lunch.” He didn’t miss the fact that she purposely skipped breakfast.

“Bu-“

“You haven’t been eating,” he said, and the little girl froze.

She lowered her head, and Tommy’s heart dropped to his stomach when he caught her glistening eyes, and the reflection of her tears on her cheeks. He immediately put the food down, going down on one knee to see her face. “Why are you crying, love?”

“Tommy, I’m sorry.”

“What are you sorry for, love? I told you nothing was your fault.”

“Everything is my fault though! I can’t do anything right!” she exclaimed, tears running down her face. He pulled her up, carrying her to his office for more privacy and sat down on his couch with her on his lap.

“What’s this all about- why aren’t you eating?”

“I just feel awful,” she wailed finally, her eyes never meeting her brother’s in shame. “I got sick and you all had to pay so much for my medicine! I tried to eat less to make up the money you guys spent on me, but it didn’t feel like enough-“

“No,” he said sternly. “You are not missing meals or eating less because you feel guilty. You will eat the proper amount, got it?”

“But-“

“Don’t make me tell Polly to monitor your meals.”

“I just wanted to do my part in helping with the family. You guys do so much for me, and I haven’t done anything.”

“Y/N, you are a child. You don’t need to worry yourself with these things. Your big brothers are gonna take care of everything for you.”

“But you’re already so stressed out, and I feel like I’m causing so much trouble. I’m not even worth it-“

“Y/N M/N Shelby,” Tommy hissed. Despite his tone, he gently grabbed her chin with his index finger, forcing her to look at him. With tears lining her eyes, she finally met his soft blue eyes, finding no trace of resentment but only love. “You will never say those words again.”

“Tommy-“

“You are worth everything and more than what we have. If I have to lose everything we own and burn down this whole city for you, I will. You are the most important thing in my life, and I will not hear you say those words again.”

“‘m sorry, Tommy.”

“Stop apologizing. You have done nothing wrong.” She leaned back down, her tears stopping to a few sniffles. “So here’s what we’re gonna do. You will eat to your fill, and tomorrow we will get ice cream after you’ve finished your errands.”

Her head snapped back up at the mention of her favourite treat. “Ice cream?”

“Yes, but you have to finish the food on your plate.”

With a wide grin she nodded, jumping out of his lap to get started on her food. He went over to the family room, finding his family getting read to head to the kitchen.

“Why has no one noticed Y/N hasn’t been eating?” he thundered, glaring at his family members for not noticing her lack of proper care.

“She’s not?” John asked, thinking back to his encounters with her.

“I thought she was just getting conscious about her body,” Polly shrugged. “You know how girls that age are, but I always made sure to put more food on her plate.”

“She has been skipping meals because she feels bad that we’re spending money on her, and I will not let that happen ever again. If anyone sees anything amiss- anything at all, you come straight to me.”

“Y’know,” Arthur started, scratching the ends of his moustache. “When I checked her homework the other day, I noticed that she was writing extra small. Me thinks she’s trying to extend her school supplies as well.” The brothers had long stopped making fun of Arthur for insisting on checking her homework. Everyone knew Y/N was the most educated on paper, but Arthur felt it was his obligation as her oldest brother to see that her homework was done and done well.

Tommy placed a hand on his forehead, wondering how much he’s missed in the last few months. “Fuck,” he cursed.

When the family went to the kitchen, they frowned when they saw Y/N staring at her food without eating a single bite. When she saw them come in, she burst into a huge smile. “I was waiting for you to eat together!”

“Oh silly girl. Your food’s all cold now,” Polly chided.

“It’s okay!” she shook her head. Arthur took the plate in front of her while Polly prepared another plate fresh from the stove, adding a bit more food than what initially had. “Arthur no! You can’t have my cold food.”

“D’n worry, love. It’ll get warm in my belly anyways!” He put both hands on his belly, patting it.

She giggled at the sight, and her eyes twinkled at the sight of her family around her. They all made jokes with her whilst still making sure she was eating so when she cleared her plate, Polly sneakily grabbed her plate while Arthur was distracting her and put a little more food in front of her. To everyone’s delight she ate it all, yawning after all the food was gone and the laughters died down.

“Tommy, can everyone come get ice cream with me tomorrow?”

“You were gonna get ice cream without us?” John asked, hand on his chest as if the thought offended him.

"Never!" she shook her head. "We're all going, right Tommy?" Her brother could only nod at her request with a small smile.

Arthur cleared his throat and got up. “Now before you go to bed, love, we need to check your homework. Perhaps we can clean your backpack as well.”

“Okay, Arthur.” She hopped off her chair, grabbing his hand and leading him to her room where she does all her homework. She took out her notebook, and Arthur immediately noticed the worn out pages from how little she had written in the notebook- it was barely legible.

“Love, I can barely read your writing!” he exclaimed. “You need to write bigger next time- for your dear old brother’s sake, eh?”

“Sorry, Arthur.” She looked down at her shoes. “I was trying to make my notebooks last longer so you wouldn’t have to buy me more.”

“None of that. You’re our little scholar- we need you to be studying hard with all the right supplies or else who’s gonna be keeping Tommy in line?”

She giggled at his jokes, and nodded, relieved that she didn’t have to lie to her brothers anymore.

“Now, read me your answers so your dear old brother doesn’t have to strain his eyes.” He sat on her chair, picking her up to put on his lap just like when she was smaller.

She read him the questions and her answers, pointing them out so there were no spelling errors either.

“Well, we got ourselves a little Shelby genius here!” he kissed her cheek, and she flinched away from his moustache, giggling all the way.

“It tickles!” she shrieked as he continued to rub his cheeks against her soft ones.

“Alright, love. Good job on your homework.”

“Can I go to bed not, Artie? I’m feeling kinda tired?” the littlest Shelby yawned to prove her point, already almost dozing off.

“Tired, eh? What have you been doing to be so tired?” Arthur asked it as a joke, but Y/N avoided his eyes as she thought he was being serious.

“I’ve been staying up late making the handkerchief, and waking up early to sell it so I can do errands for Alfie after school and still do my chores when I get home.”

Arthur’s heart broke hearing how much his youngest sister has been working, and he immediately gave her a hug. “You don’t need to do that anymore, love. Tommy’s got a plan- kid like you don’t need to be working so hard, eh?”

She nodded, almost already dozing off in her brother’s embrace.

“Go get ready for bed, and I’ll come back to tuck you in.”

“Okay!” She left for the bathroom, and Arthur went back to the kitchen where his family had stayed to grab her a glass of water for the night.

He gave a deep sigh, rubbing his forehead and closing his eyes tightly.

“Is Y/N okay?” John asked, his oldest brother’s state putting him on alert.

“Girl’s been working herself to the bone for the last month- staying up late, not eating, and still trying to run everyone’s errands. She’s fucking exhausted and it’s not even 8pm yet where before she would be begging us to play with her until midnight.” Arthur shook his head, filling up the water in the cup and leaving again.

“You tucking her in?” Tommy asked.

“Yea. She asked if she could sleep early- nearly fell asleep on me.”

Tommy nodded, following his older brother to her room. Y/N was brushing her hair, lighting up when she saw her brothers again. Arthur placed the glass of water beside her bed, and came up to her to take the brush from her hand. He finished brushing her hair for her, reminding the siblings of when she was younger and sat on his lap while he tried figuring out how to braid her hair.

“There you go, love. Prettiest girl in all of Small Heath.”

She giggled, but shook her head. “No, Artie- That’s Ada!”

“You both are the prettiest girls in Small Heath, and dare I say the whole world!”

Y/N giggled again, giving her brother a big hug before settling in bed where Tommy was standing by. He smiled as she got under the covers, and he sat down on the edge of her bed, pulling the covers right under her chin. He placed a hand on her small face, rubbing at her cheek with his thumb. He noted how soft and smooth it was, reminding him just how young she was. He leaned down to place a kiss on her forehead.

“I love you, Y/N- so much,” he whispered seeing her eyes droop.

“I love you too, Tommy,” she mumbled before succumbing to her tiredness.

The next day, Y/N and her brothers made their way to the ice cream shop. Suddenly, she stopped and gasped. “We should invite Alfie!”

The brothers couldn’t stop their sister in time before she ran off to his house, and they were quick to follower her. She knocked on his door, rocking on her feet in excitement. When the door opened, she was surprised to find someone else at the door. She hadn’t noticed but her brothers surely did that his hand was underneath his coat, most likely holding on to a gun.

“Excuse me, is Mr. Solomons home?” she asked before being pulled back by Finn behind her other brothers who had stood in front of her.

“Ah if it isn’t the Shelby clan,” the man muttered.

“Who’s there?” Alfie asked, approaching the door.

“Alfie!” Y/N greeted, shaking off Finn’s hand around her. “D’you wanna come with us to the ice cream shop?”

“Well I can’t refuse a little lady as yourself.” He grabbed his hat, and gave instructions to the man who opened the door. “Be a dear and finish up here, why don’t you.”

The Camden mobster followed the family to the ice cream shop, everyone in the shop immediately ceasing their chatter. Y/N paid no attention to the fear in everyone’s eyes as she ran up to the selection of ice cream they had.

“Mister, I want ice cream for all of us, please!” she ordered. “I can pay for everyone!” She held up her little horse purse that Tommy got her so long ago.

“Oh, there’s no need for that,” Alfie said, putting a hand on her shoulder.

“No, no! I want to treat you guys to ice cream.” As she went back to picking a flavour, the 4 mobster (and Finn) stared the poor owner down, not having to say a single word to get their point across.

“Don’t worry about paying Miss Shelby. Your ice creams are on the house!” he said trying to sound jovial, but tripping over his words.

Y/N didn’t notice his stutter, but beamed in happiness. “Really?”

“Yes- you never have to pay for ice cream here!”

“Wow! That’s very nice of you, mister!”

Y/N made sure everyone got their ice cream first, having a habit of putting everyone first. When it was time for her ice cream, the man made the mistake of making eye contact with Alfie. His shaking hands didn’t wait for Y/N to grab the ice cream, and slipped form her tiny hands and on the floor.

“Oh no- oh God,” the man immediately muttered. You could hear a pin drop at how quiet it was in the shop. People tensed, waiting for a bloodbath to occur.

Y/n gasped in surprise. “Oh no! Spilled ice cream. I’m sorry mister- I can help clean up!” She narrated the event only like a child could.

“Oh- uh- well- Don’t worry about the mess,” the man sputtered. “It was my fault. I can give you another ice cream.”

“It’s okay mister. You already gave us all ice cream,” Y/N said, trying to hide her disappointment. Her bottom lip jutted out slightly, and her shoulders were slouched. “Thank you though.”

The man could feel the mobsters tearing him up with their eyes. Finally it was Tommy who spoke up. “Here, love. You can have my ice cream. I know it’s your favourite flavour.” Seeing as Y/N wanted to be just like Tommy in every way, it didn’t surprise anyone that they shared the same love for a certain flavoured ice cream.

“But it’s yours, Tommy.”

“I wasn’t hungry anyways.” He placed it in her hand, making sure she had wrapped her hand around it before letting go. “Let’s go home now.”

“Okay, Tommy! Thank you.”

No one dared breath until the gang was out of the shop. However it was made clear in those short moments of two things. One, little Y/N Shelby was one of the most polite and kind kid of her age group. And two, she was also one of the most protected kid in all of England. The hold she has on the two of the most feared gang in England made her a force to be reckoned with.

#tommy shelby x sister!reader #tommy shelby x reader #thomas shelby x reader #shelby!sister #peaky blinders imagine #thomas shelby x sister reader #peaky blinder imagine #arthur shelby x reader #john shelby x reader #josephine writes

2K notes · View notes

tommyspeakycap · 2 years

Text

you can let go

‘you know he’s only hanging on for you,’ that’s what the night nurse said. my voice and heart were breaking as i crawled up in his bed

inspired by this song

tommys dying, but his withering body is hanging on because his heart knows his little sister still needs him now just as much as she ever has…he won’t let go until he hears her words

“He’s all but gone now, miss Shelby.” The gentle woman says, her heart breaking for both the man laying on the bed - wasting away to little but bones and flesh with a faintly beating heart. He is merely a fraction of the man the country once knew, standing tall in a pristine suit in the houses of parliament speaking for his people. Nothing at all left of the man who’s family once owned the streets of Small Heath, then Birmingham entirely.

Not the devil, just a man.

He has cut, killed, murdered, butchered, maimed and mauled for the majority of his life and now here he is, ravaged by the tumour of tuberculosis in his brain, stretching and reaching into the grey matter of his once brilliant mind.

But not only that, not only is he laying there reduced to the frail outline of the man he was. No that’s not the saddest part for his night nurse. The saddest part?

Only one person hangs by his bedside, sits by him to wipe the sweat from his brow and make sure his heart still beats with a palm over his sunken chest.

Only you.

Only his little sister, the one who has clung to him like a lifeline most of her life. Relying on him, relying on his blood bound duty to love, keep and protect her. You’ve never know a life without Tommy. The war was different, he was gone but yet he was still ever present - he was still there.

Now he will no longer be here.

It has instead been your duty to be his keeper. Blood was never the reason he protected you the way he did. Blood was never a duty to you for Thomas. The love he held for you was his duty. He had the upmost adoration for you.

Nor were you bound to him by merely blood, but by the fact he was your Tommy. He raised you, he loved you, he gave you a life. He let you sail to France to become a nurse, only for him to end up with an illness you couldn’t cure. You had poured over books and articles in every language you could find, reading old dirt stained Romani written potions to cure the ailment he is dying from only to find nothing. Nothing that works, nothing that’ll help. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing.

All you find is nothingness.

Nothingness, like where Tommy is fading to.

It’s poetically heartbreaking, the little Brummie nurse who Tommy ensured would have the world at her feet and insisted would cure every illness known to man and more, cannot find a cure for the one thing that is tearing away everything.

Tearing away Tommy.

You don’t want to hear her words, but they are forced upon you nonetheless. You know he’s all but gone, you’ve seen it a million times before. It’s more of a shock to you he isn’t fully gone already. How he has hung on this long with such a tumour is utterly beyond your wildest reasoning.

“He’s hanging on.” You mumble, more to yourself than to her as she stands with a sad frown. The gentle, sad sigh form the night nurse is one you know all too well - you’ve let it escape with patients and family alike so many times yourself.

It’s a sigh that says barely. A sigh that says not really. A sigh that sounds so much like a pronunciation of death.

“You know he’s only hanging on for you.” She says, resting a hand on your shoulder.

But could love ever be that strong? Strong enough to keep him going? Are you keeping him hear, withering in pain?

Your brain rattled around with thoughts, sending shockwaves of electric busts of pain through your entire being, beginning and ending with your heart. Maybe that’s why they say love comes from the heart. You never understood it.

Maybe now you understand it, just like he said.

“Maybe one day you’ll understand it,” Tommy said lowly, his voice a soft caressing of the love he had just proclaimed to you, sat on his lap in your night clothes as he brushed over your hair with his calloused hands. “But I know you love me, Tom.” You replied, head a little tilted with that childish innocence in your little quirked eyebrow. “I know you do,” he hums in response, “I know you know i love you, but do you know i love you with allll of my heart?” He coos. You scrunch up your nose a little.

“No you don’t, Tommy.” You state, very matter of factly for someone who’s no more than six and a half years old. Tommy frowns. “Yes, I do.” He retorts, but you shake your little head again, looking him straight in the eye. “No you don’t, ‘cause love isn’t made in your heart,” your tiny little hand pats his chest, then both move up to either side of his head. “Love’s made in here, in your brain, Tom. The heart just pumps the blood round, ‘s why it beats you know.”

Tommy curses you for being so smart and wonders where you got it from, because surely it cannot be from anyone in this god forsaken family of his. He knows it’s true, you’re exactly right. The heart beats. However, Tommy also knows that in the dusted out, cobwebbed confines of his hollowed out chest, that battered old organ he calls a heart beats only for you. So in a twisted way, he loved you with all of his heart too, because it pumps blood around his body only for you, to keep himself going only for you.

Just like it does now.

“Suppose you’re right, my clever girl,” he rescinds, “But then i love you with all my brain and all my heart.” He teases, bopping your nose to hear that giggle again. “But Tom-”

“Someday you’ll get it, baby, some day.”

In a sad and maybe twisted way he really hoped you never would get it. Because it’s not as fun as they say it was. It’s selfish and awful but he always hoped you would never have to love someone that much, because when you love someone that much, the pain you are susceptible to is agonising.

Their hurt is your hurt. Whenever you fell, he hurt. Whenever you cried, his heart bled and whenever your heart broke, his stopped entirely, his ceased to beat, frozen in his chest like a shattered glacier. Thomas never wanted you to hurt that much for someone.

He never could have imagined the only person you would ever love that much would be him. The only person who could hurt you that much is him. Because you love him with, despite the fact you don’t use the phrase, with all of your heart. You do, almost half as much as he loved you.

That’s why you understand it now, what they mean when they say to love with “all of your heart”. Because right now, your heart is in pain, actual physical pain and it’s purely because you love him that much. You love him too much to let him suffer, so now you have to show how much you love him by letting him go.

“I know,” you whimper to that poor night nurse who’s stood watching you get lost in your thoughts and your memories of your doting big brother. “Can we…could you-” You choke out, tears slipping down over your cheeks. “Of course. You can have all the time you need.” She closes the door softly behind her.

And you finally know the meaning of a broken heart as you climb up into bed with him.

“I’m so sorry, Tommy.” Your voice breaks with your heart, “You deserve to go, i’m so sorry i couldn’t let you go.” You curl up beside him, one hand on his slowly rising chest to feel the faint thud of his heart and the other stroking his head the way he used to do for you when you were sick. His lips part, open for the first time in days, dry and sticky and too white for how pink and plump they used to be. You have those lips too, and his pretty cerulean blues that steal hearts like Tommy always worried you would.

“I love you,” he wheezes out, his eyes barely open. Simply slits to show he’s there before they close again, voice raspy and pained, “With all of my brain,” he heaved for a breath, “and all of my heart.”

You sniffle loudly, choking on a sob in floods of tears. “I love you too Tommy, with all my heart and all my head.” You whimper weakly, the very first time you’ve ever told anyone you love them with all your heart. “But you can let go now, Tommy. You can let go. I think i’m ready to do it on my own now. It’s gonna be so scary, but you can let go.”

He never acknowledges the words in a physical way, but you know he heard you. You know he felt how much you meant it, because he lets out one last rattling breath and his heart does not beat beneath your hand again. You’ve known that gentle thump since you were merely a baby sleeping on his chest, a child resting there after a nightmare, a little girl with your palm on it to remind yourself he was here and alive after the war, as a teenager with your ear pressed again his chest in his tightest of hugs when you were riddled with fear or put in grave danger. This will be the first time in your life you haven’t felt it. And there is a hole where you vividly remember your own heart once being

And if nothing else, then that is one thing he - your lifeline, the brother who raised, your Tommy - taught you in your life.

Love may be made in the brain, but you will certainly always feel it in your heart.

#tommy shelby #tommy shelby x sister reader #tommy shelby x sister!reader #thomas shelby x sister reader #thomas shelby x sister!reader #shelby!reader #shelby sister #shelby sister reader #thomas shelby

859 notes · View notes

forevercillianmurphy · 8 months

Text

im sorry, tommy shelby.

- warnings: death, swearing, violence.

- word count: 3.7k

- my own timeline since I haven’t watched past season 2 lol

- Tommy x oc sister !

✦•······················•✦•······················•✦

rebecca was born on a cloudy day some December 1902, twelve years after the head of the family; thomas shelby was born. ever since that day (and finn's birth) he promised not only himself but his family that he'd take care of them. they were the most important thing in his life, and after the war that never changed. though, it grew harder with the night terrors and feeling as if the two had a bounty on their heads every time they stepped out into good ole birmingham. though, the family never once made it seem that way. the two younglings thought nothing much of it really, thinking that that was how everybody else lived. always having people following them around for protection especially if arthur, john or tommy could not be there. so when rebecca turned 20 in 1922, she did not understand why she couldn't come 'out' to society, like everybody else her age. she did not realize how dangerous it was. because again, her and finn had lived in a bubble; something that polly made sure of.

˚ · .·˚

the very night she returned home from school that spring, rebecca was fuming, teeth seething and hair falling out of her braided bun, "why on earth can i not take part in the event tom! how else am i supposed to be seen as an adult and not a child?" she demanded, hands on her hips. tommy had watched his youngest sister scream and shout, pull at her hair for the better part of the hour. once she had realized her name wasn't on the list of the debutant ball, she quickly came home to give a piece of her mind to the head of the family. he said nothing, just watching. she stopped her frantic movements, turned back towards tom and shrugged. she was simply giving up, something that she never did. because she was a shelby, fighting till the very last second. tom saw the defeatedness wash over her like a waterfall, and then saw the tears forming in her eyes. oh how he hated to see her or finn cry, especially at the expense of him. she shook her head, knowing he was about to stand up or say something, and she put her hand up. "you don't want me out there, fine. but just know that i will resent you for the rest of my life as i go leave for university this upcoming fall." she paused beginning to walk out. she took one last look at him, "and just know that i wont come back to this shitty hell hole." and with that she left. tom sat there for a few minutes finishing his whisky and freshly lit cigarette. he sighed, looking up at the ceiling knowing that polly was going to be giving him an earful right about - now.

"thomas michael shelby, what the hell is wrong with you?" she quipped, slamming his office door and shaking his now iced glass. "pol-" she cut him off, "don't poll me, boy." she stated promptly and he knew to shut up. "your sister is this close, this close!" she said emphasizing with her fingers. "to slipping away, and do you really want that? really want that boy?" she seethed, "i don't care what you have to say thomas but she is going to that ball whether you like it or not." she said standing her ground, and he knew it was golden. one to be left untouched. he sighed, "but its dangerous." he stated and she shook her head. "if its so dangerous, find a way to make it not dangerous! you have this whole empire, use it for something good." she stated before walking out. tommy rubbed his eyes, before standing up to go speak to arthur and john, who no doubt would be at the garrison. he knew deep down, he had to let rebecca do this and if he didn't he no longer would have a sister.

˚ · .·˚

rebecca brushed her hair as finn her little brother by 7 years, went on and on about his day at school. she giggled at naiveness and plain stupidness him and his little friends possessed. yet she adored it, and how they still saw life in the most purest form. rebecca on the other hand, her world slowly began cracking a year ago. she accidently walked into the garrison during a 'family meeting' that was in the back and therefore they hadn't heard her. then as they believed her to be sleeping, she heard more speaking and whispers late one night. the world she once saw was not what she saw now. she realized how dark, cruel and unforgiving it could be. so it came to no surprise when her name was not on the damn list but a huge part of her wish it had been. she wanted to be like every other university girl in this town, but she was afraid she'd never be. "alright fi, time to get to bed." she smiled turning around in her vanity chair. fi was a little nickname she gave to him one cold night during the war and it had stuck between the two since. "i don't want to." he huffed, crossing his arms. "you have to, it is quite late. don't let our big scary brother find out i let you stay up past your bedtime." she grinned, running over and tickling him. finn's laugh filled up the room, alerting the whole house he was still awake. francis smiled as she tidied up the kitchen. tommy stirred in his cat nap, feeling a ginormous headache coming on. but as he listened to the laughter and shrieks coming from upstairs his heart softened. his cold and locked heart, always swelled just a bit more when he heard finn's laugh. a contagious one at that.

rebecca shooed the boy after a minute, and wrapped her arms around the almost 13 year old boy. "i cant believe you're going to be 13 in a few days." she hummed, and he started to squirm in her arms. "oi don't become a teenager just yet." she giggled, and he stopped fidgeting. the two sat on her bed for a few minutes more before deciding it was time to get him to bed, "come on love, time to go to sleep." she said letting him get off of her lap. he yawned, and she grinned knowing full well he'd been trying to hide his exhaustion so the two could stay up just a bit more to talk. rebecca was truly all finn knew, he was only 8 when the boys went off to war and when they came back it was a shell of what they had been. rebecca cared for him like he was her own for as long as she could remember. just as tommy thought of her and finn as his own, sometimes. "come on." she whispered, taking ahold of his hand and walking towards the conjoined rooms that were separated by a thin wall and door.

tommy heard from his office the fight that finn was putting up and then it stopped, and he smiled softly knowing his exhaustion finally won. he'd always have trouble getting finn to sleep especially when everybody was over but rebecca - becs - always had a way with him. she was soft, kind, heart warming and gave the best hugs in the world. oh, and a cookie here and there. he looked at the grandfather clock in his office and decided it was late enough, and that he'd finish everything in the morning. he slowly walked upstairs, saying goodnight to francis and he stopped without knowing in front of rebecca's door. he heard her mingling about, getting ready for the next morning and trying to find her one book she'd hid without realizing. he knocked softly on her door, and she knew who it was. she walked over to her door, and opened it to reveal and tired and somewhat bothered tom shelby. she rolled her eyes, and walked towards her bed. he took that as a cue to walk in, and she faced him once she sat on her bed. she sat pretzel style, waiting for him to speak.

"becs, there are things-" she cut him off, "cut the bullshit tom. i don't want excuses." she said coldly and his eyebrows knit together in confusion and then in understanding. "you know?" he asked almost in disbelief and she rolled her eyes again, nodding. "when?" he asked, trying to figure out when she'd heard things. "the garrison last September, right before university started. then again over winter break, here at the house. and then last week when i woke up from a nap." she explained and he stood there processing it. "i know you've tried to keep me and finn safe but tommy." she paused, and he looked up at the nickname. "you cant keep my cooped up here forever. i cant live like this nor will you be able to when I've turned this house upside down." she said a bit lightheartedly. he grinned, "its not like you haven't don't that already." and she smirked. "i am the only female in this bloodline, it was to be expected." she smiled, a genuine smile. "and the only blonde and blue eyed one." he said and she pointed at him, in agreement. he looked down, and thoughts plagued his mind. "tommy...i need to do this. you need to let me do this, i cant stay in birmingham forever. i want a life outside of this place, i dream of faraway places. i dream of chicago or los angeles, i dream of a air so clean it hurts. i dream of a place where i don't fear to step out of my house, where i can be who i want to be, wild and free." she paused as tommy looked up. "i want the fairytales mum used to say and the one's aunt pol spoke about...i want my prince charming far, far away from here. you-you need to let me go tommy. or ill never escape this thing- this place." she said saying the words he'd longed to hear. just not the america part.

"okay." he simply stated, her eyebrows knitting together in confusion. "ok-ay?" she questioned, and he nodded. "okay." he repeated. she felt her heart flutter and butterflies grow with excitement. she jumped off the bed, and threw her arms around the usually stone cold brother. he froze for a second before chuckling, and wrapped his arms around his baby sister. "thankyou thankyou." she said genuinely, feeling as if she was on top of the world. until she wouldn't be.

˚ · .·˚

rebecca walked down the stairs to find michael and aunt polly waiting for her, at the bottom. because her brothers were out of the age frame, it was determined that michael would 'send her off' and accompany her that evening. she smiled at michael who truly was her brother, as the two had stuck with one another during the war. and being so close with aunt polly, cemented it further. finn shouted from the top steps as michael was about to walk out with her. "becca wait!" he screamed, and she turned around to see her kid brother rushing to hand her a single rose. she knew exactly where he got it from, mrs.hanovers front garden two blocks over. "oh bubba, thankyou." she smiled hugging him. "i hope you have a good time tonight, and break a lot of hearts." he joked and she giggled nodding. "i love you, don't forget that." finn said pulling her in one last time. she smiled, "i love you too fi." she said before kissing his cheek and michael retook her arm. he hooked his other arm on pollys and the three left finn with franics.

the shelby boys and their partners were already at the grand hall, polly walking in shortly before rebecca and michael would walk in after being announced. he looked down at his cousin who practically was his sister at this point, and he saw the nerves beginning to seep over. she could not shake the feeling of dread, and one of fear. she had woken up during the night in a terror, finn quickly running over to check on her. he'd found her in a cold sweat, heart and mind racing. he held her as she shook, not understanding what her mind was fighting. thoughts so unfathomable for her, and one's that would not be dared to be spoken. michael rubbed her arm, and that comforted the blonde. "thankyou michael again, for doing this." she smiled up at her younger cousin - by only a year he liked to joke. he nodded kissing her temple, and she held on tightly to the rose finn had given her.

polly on the other side of the curtain found the boys and their partners, nodding to tommy who stood just a little taller. grace at his side, smiled softly knowing polly had settled his nerves just a bit. the crowd turned their attention toward the debutants and their partners. the crowd gushed, oohed and ahhed over the affair. it was now rebecca's turn, and she felt butterflies flooding her body. michael winked at her and then they walked out. rebecca's champagne-colored dress dazzled the crowd, her blue stone necklace glinting just a tiny bit in the light. rebecca amelia shelby, the girl who shall not be named was finally being seen by many. the shelby girl kept in the shadows for most of her life, raised by her kid brother and so called addicted aunt, had barely seen the light of day for school. let alone, the slum of birmingham. she smiled widely as the crowd clapped for her like they did for every other young lady tonight. michael walked her over towards the family as he had spotted them rather quickly, while rebecca was lost in her own world. they turned towards the family, as the crowd murmured about the young girl. she would not be forgotten, not now and not ever.

they walked up to the group and john quickly hugged rebecca, then arthur and then tommy who only nodded at her. oh for the love of appearances, rebecca silently cursed. aunt polly gushed about her dress and entrance, to which grace and esme agreed. rebecca thanked the women and turned around to look at the two debutants who had just been introduced. she politely clapped, and quickly found her best friend, olivia who Michael had become quite fond of. "please excuse me." rebecca said to the group before walking over to her and brother. "if it isn't miss beauty-" olivia started, "miss grace-" rebecca giggled. the two had recently become quite fond over america and the idea of the west, and what it could possess. their interest peaked when they saw there was a miss america pagenet and olivia was smitten. "miss united states." olivia whispered the last part causing rebecca to laugh loudly. "so did you tell him?" olivia questioned, eyeing tommy who was also eyeing the two. rebecca shrugged, "you didn't tell him?" olivia eyes went wide. rebecca shook her head, "its not like you haven't talked about since the very day you turned 18 and we were roommates." olivia said as a matter of factly. rebecca sighed, "its not that easy you know him, you know them. they'll never let me go. besides i told him about it awhile ago but i know he hates the idea of me in chicago or los angeles without them." rebecca stated and olivia rolled her eyes. "if i didn't love you as much as a sister, i'd march right up to him and go ballistic. y'know that?" olivia smirked and rebecca nodded. she'd been keeping her best friend at bay for months now.

"besides i just got archie to come with us when we do hit the west." olivia said cheekily and rebecca's eyes went wide. it was true, rebecca was smitten the older boy of two years. she had been for years, and olivia loved to tease her about it. "he's going?" rebecca in a whisper and olivia nodded, "he said he couldn't let his little sister fend for herself without him." and rebecca laughed loudly and boldly at this. arthur and john looked over along with tommy who'd been eyeing her the whole conversation. "see shes having a great time, tommy boy." arthur said clapping a hand on his shoulder. to which, tommy shoved off.

"maybe ill have to get michael to come with or at least visit us until you see how madly in love he is with you." rebecca giggled like a little girl. "rebecca amelia." olivia prompted, and rebecca clicked her tongue. "you twisted girl." olivia said sipping her champagne fluke, and archie gave one to rebecca. she smiled at him and thanked the hazel eyed boy who smiled back at her. "whos the rose from?" olivia asked and rebecca smiled, "finn." she said and olivia gushed. "that's so cute where'd he steal it from?" she teased and rebecca laughed. "mrs hanouver two blocks east." and olivia gasped, "that little grifter." olivia said about finn, and rebecca rolled her eyes. she looked back to see her family dispersing just a bit, while tommy and grace stood in the same place talking to another older couple. "i should head back, but i will see you later...at the after party?" she whispered the last part, and olivia smirked. "don't you know it." she smirked, and then rebecca turned towards archie. "as always it is a pleasure." he smiled, taking her hand in his and kissing it. her cheeks turned crimson and she let it fall to her side before turning around and walking towards tommy and grace. he turned towards her, as she walked up to them. he stopped the conversation short, and grace went to go find polly. tommy gave his sister his full attention, and she smiled. "see? that wasn't so bad." she teased, taking his outstretched arm. he chuckled, knowing that the threat of life was not over and done for the evening.

"so what do you think of the idea of a trip out west this winter?" she said gaging his response. "i heard al capone is a great guy." she teased and he chuckled briefly. he'd been in contact with guys in new york and new jersey and knew just how great of a guy he was. somebody just like tommy but even worse. "tell me why you know who capone is?" he questioned softly and she shrugged, and tommy rolled his eyes now. "oi! don't be rolling your eyes at me." she playfully joked and tommy could not help but crack a little bit more. he just laughed, as the crowd began to disperse into the bigger ballroom to have dinner and have some dancing. tommy and rebecca stood their for a brief moment, looking at one another. he pulled a piece of stray blonde hair behind her ear and questioned softly, "when did you grow up?" and she blushed. "i did a long time ago tommy..you just didn't want to notice." she smiled softly. despite all of the rules and regulations he imposed on her once he came back from the war, she wouldn't have had it any other way. the amount of nights in she received with finn from tommy, and her brothers were ones she was going to cherish. "tommy." she said just as he was about to take another step towards the grander ballroom. he looked back and saw nerves and anxiety plagueing her features. he tried searching her eyes but came up short, "i wanted to let you know that i wasn't joking when i was talking about going west." she began and he felt her slipping, slipping from his fingers. "i am going west once i graduate this spring, olivia and i will be going together." she said not sure of his response. but she never got it. as soon as tommy opened his mouth, he looked forward and saw the commotion that he had worried about. an italian mobster outstretched his hand with a silver weapon, pointing it at tommy. for it to only hit rebecca instead as arthur pushed him over.

chaos rose throughout the hall, as tommy screamed. rebecca fell in his arms as he had tried to push her back behind him. her champagne dress now crimson red. she looked up at tommy, as he cradled her in his arms. she could not hear a thing, as she looked up at him. as he yelled for an ambulance, for somebody to help. she pulled his face to look towards her's, eyes swelling with tears in her blue eyes. she knew these were her last moments, and she did not want them to be filled with the ceiling but on somebody she loved. could of been arthur, michael, finn- anybody. her hand finally unclutched the single rose as polly kneeled down. "i'm sorry, i'm so sorry!" tommy cried looking down at rebecca. he cried, as she was losing her grasp on this world. arthur was the first one to look back at his sister, then john and then michael. it was as if time was frozen, as the four men in her life watched her breathing her last few breathes. "im sorry." tommy whispered again, words spitting with salty tears. rebecca shook her head, "you did-did everything you thought was right. i-i-i could never fault you for that tommy." she said slowly and brokenly. "i love you so much, tommy." she cried out, and that made tommy cry even harder. "i love you too, blondie." he sobbed. arthur fell to his knees, as rebecca slowly took one last breathe; fighting gravity as her chest weighed down. once tommy realized she'd stop breathing, he lost it. his sister was not supposed to leave this world at the hands of his doings. she was supposed to live a long beautiful life somewhere far away from here, with her two kids, dog and husband she'd long to have. she was supposed to get out of this place and never look back. she was never meant to have her demise be here in birmingham.

tommy cluthed his sister's lifeless body as his world was breaking. polly clung to michael who'd now kneeled beside her. arthur sobbed face down and john grabbed ahold of olivia as she tried to see where her best friend was.

rebecca amelia shelby, the long lost daughter of the shelby clan, the one who shall not be named would be named forever in this town of birmingham.

✦•······················•✦•······················•✦

oh my goodness!!!!! i hope you all enjoyed, and if you did so please like, comment and repost-- i will love u forever xx

also not me playing the titanic suite medley and crying at the end lol

#tommy shelby x sister!reader #tommy shelby #arthur shelby #peaky blinders #John shelby #Tommy Shelby x oc #peaky blinders x oc #peaky blinders x sister!reader #Michael gray #polly gray #aunt polly #cillian muprhy #finn cole #I have no idea what to tag now lol

113 notes · View notes

xpiredcheeto · 2 years

Text

Nothing’s Gonna Harm You, Not While I'm Around

*I don’t own the gif*

~1000 words

Tommy Shelby x Sister! Reader

In which Tommy comforts you after you have to use your gun. This takes place in season two because that season makes me happy :)

You had been sleeping when you heard it, it was a slight tapping sound followed by a few clicks. You thought it was some creature so you tried to roll over and fall back asleep.

The noise came again, click click click.

Then again, until you heard a loud bang. Startled, you sat up and looked around, the noise stopped until you heard a soft sliding noise. You looked to your window, it was sliding open. Someone was breaking in!

You quickly grabbed the handgun that was given to you by your brother Arthur, he always told you not to use it unless it was necessary. Now seemed like one of those times. You pointed the revolver at the window, and a man dressed in all black stared back at you.

"Don't come any closer, I'll shoot you I swear!" you tried to sound brave but you were almost certain that he called your bluff. Your shaking hands probably were the tell.

The man laughed, it was mean and rigid.

"You couldn't use that thing even if you tried," he could tell you were shaking "now make this easy and put down the gun."

You didn't waiver, hands raised as you continued to point the weapon at him.

"Sabini said I wasn't supposed to hurt you, but if you don't put the gun down I will."

He took a step forward.

You took one back.

Suddenly, he sprinted at you. Your gun fired before you could process it. You hit him center mass, striking his heart.

The gun shook violently in your hands as the man you shot fell to the ground. Tears surged from your eyes. You felt disgusted, it's not like the man didn't deserve his fate, he did. He had been an enemy of your brothers, one of Sabini's men. He attempted to kidnap you, most likely to get leverage against your brothers. It was self-defense, so you were in the clear, but it didn't feel that way.

You felt like vomiting as you stared at the body lying on the floor of your room.

"(Y/N), what was that noise?" Tommy's voice punctured the deafening silence of the room, his voice stricken with worry.

You were frozen and unable to reply, gun still clamped in between your palms. You heard the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs.

"(Y/N)?" It was Tommy again, your lack of reply frightening your brother. He was approaching your door. Your eyes were still flooded with tears.

You were so wrapped up in your head that you didn't hear the doorknob twist or the sound of the door slamming open. Tommy was the first to walk into the room and see the sight of your room.

"What the fuck happened?" His voice was somewhat panicked at the picture before him.

You turned to face the voice, gun still held tightly. Tears rained down your cheeks as you looked at your brother standing in the door frame, he was shocked. The only sound in the room was your quiet sobs. You dropped the gun as Tommy pulled you into his arms, letting you cry into his coat. "What happened, sweetheart?" His voice was soft in an attempt to soothe you.

"He...he was trying to hurt me," You choked out between sobs. "I didn't want to kill him, I swear!"

Tommy paused for a moment

"It's alright, I'm not blaming you." Tommy's rough voice answered the question in your mind. "Let's get you out of this room, alright? Let's talk about it downstairs."

You followed as Tommy led you down the stairs and into the kitchen. He guided you over to a chair and urged you to sit. He knelt to look you in the eyes as he spoke to you.

"It's alright, sweetheart. He can't hurt you now. You're safe. This won't happen again," he held your hands in his as he spoke. "Now, did you recognize that man?"

"I know he was one of Sabini's men," you stumbled through your words as you spoke "I...he, I swear I didn't mean to kill him!" The tears pricked at your eyes again.

He shushed you again, pure, unbridled rage tainted his features. You had a feeling that this was now the top priority in his mind. he pulled you into his arms, trying to comfort you. His grasp was firm but loving. Like he thought if he let go you would disappear. He had already lost so many people, he wouldn't lose you too.

"I swear to you, Y/N, I will kill the man that ordered this. No one will ever hurt you again."

You knew he meant it. The conviction in his voice was so strong that you were half concerned he might take up arms right then and there and kill every one of Sabini's men. The other half knew that he wouldn't leave you like this. He was smart and he wouldn't hurt Sabini without a solid plan formulated.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Tommy?" your voice rang through the small room.

"Yes, love?"

"I can't sleep, Tommy. I don't want to be alone."

He let out a long sigh, his anger bubbling up again.

"Alright, c'mere love." his voice was rough having just woken up.

You walked over and climbed into bed with him. He was warm. His arms circled you, holding you protectively.

"I can't stop thinking about it," you whispered "The way he looked at me, I-I watched him die, Tommy." your voice waned at the end.

He let out another long sigh as you spoke, clearly distressed by your words. "I know, sweetheart. I know what it's like to have someone look at you as life drains from them. But you had no choice, it was you or him, and I'm so glad it was you that survived." he held you closer as he spoke. You let out a sigh of agreement as you wiped the tears from your eyes. "I promise, Y/N, I will never let this happen again."

Your tears slowed and your heart rate lowered as he spoke. His voice calmed you and his hold around you made you feel safe. The slow rise and fall of his chest and the sound of his heart underneath it put you to sleep. Who knew that Tommy would have such a soft spot for you?

#peaky blinder fanfic #peaky blinder imagine #peaky blinders #imagine #thomas shelby #tommy shelby #tommy shelby x sister!reader #fluff #hurt/comfort #tommy shelby x reader #tommy shelby x you

943 notes · View notes

dreamerschroniclesofstories · 5 months

Text

clementina pt3.

A/N: hello again! once again i want to thank everyone for the likes on pt 1&pt 2 of this fanfic. To be honest, i didn't expect anyone to read this and actually leave a like. the support is much appreciated. the next part after this will be the end, making this series four parts.Also, the picture used for this part is the faceclaim for clementina. I DO NOT GIVE PERMISSION FOR YOU TO REPOST THIS ON OTHER WEBSITES AND TRANSLATION OF THIS FIC.

italics: flashbacks.

pt1. pt2. pt4

Summery: The Shelby family are in for a shock when they find out they have a sister hiding in plain sight.

Word count: 664

Tommy gently wraps his dark blue coat around the young girls shivering body, Polly stands up and grabs her purse whilst Tommy hooks his arm under the girls legs then hooks his other arm behind her back. Tommy frowns slightly when he realises how light she felt. It was clear that the girl was extremely malnourished for her age. from the paperwork in her folder, Tommy knew she was nine years old but by the looks of her she looks barely six years old. Arthur was already in one of the cars outside ready to drive off as soon as Tommy get in with clementina. Tommy rushes out of the room he found the young girl in.

Polly rushes behind him then gets into the other car “ Arthur, drive like your life fucking depends on it” Polly demands, turning on the car engine.

Tommy sits beside Arthur with clementina in his arms. the drive would be twenty minutes but with Arthur driving, it would only take roughly ten minutes.

Clementina had been in hospital for the past week, she had been unconscious for majority of her stay. when she woke up, she saw the same woman she saw in the orphanage. She introduced herself as Polly and reassured clementina was safe and won't have to see the nuns again.

“ hello?” clementina calls out, look around at the hospital room she was currently placed in, she couldn't remember how she got here, her chest rises and falls rapidly as she realises she was alone in the cold, white room. Clementina was always scared to be alone even before she was in the orphanage, her father would leave her alone for hours in the warn down small flat that was her mothers before she passed.

Before clementina could call out again, she heard the door opening quietly then shutting less then three seconds later. The young girl looks towards the noise, immediately noticing a woman with curly brown hair walling over to her. She recognises her as the woman from the orphanage.

“hello darling, i was wondering when you would awake” Polly sits down on the chair beside Clementina's bed, putting her purse on the floor gently.

Clementina watches Polly, her eyes telling Polly that she was scared of her “ who are you“ Clementina whispers fearfully.

Polly smiles softly, placing her hand on top of Clementinas' small hand “ i'm Polly, your aunt” she introduces herself, using her other hand to move a strand of Clementinas hair from her face, Polly's eyes sparkle as she looks over the young girls face “ you have a big family waiting for you”

Clementina eyebrows twitch as her eyes widen “family? i have a family”she whispers, ever since Clementina was placed into the orphanage she prayed every morning and night for her to get a family.

Polly chuckles softly, nodding “ you have four brothers and a sister” she smiles happily “Finn your youngest brother is closest to your age, hes nineteen”

Clementina blinks slowly, listening as Polly spoke. she always wanted siblings but now she has five of them, she felt slightly overwhelmed there was a man” she whispers, remembering seeing a man pointing a gun at the nun that was punishing her.

“ that would be Tommy, your second oldest brother, hes here right now talking to the doctor that helped you” Polly clarified for the young girl, sensing that the information was confusing her.

Polly stayed in that hospital room for a couple of hours, keeping Clementina company as Tommy was making arrangements with the doctors to discharge her into his care.

outside of the hospital room, the sounds of the young girls giggles could be heard, the time Polly spent with her, the more she felt comfortable and relaxed with Polly. The young girl didn't hear as Tommy opens the door and lights his cigarette.

Tommy leans against the door frame, watching them. he blows some smoke from his mouth and smiles slightly “ hello clementina” he greets the young girl.

a/n: i don't really like this part, it feels rushed and not that interesting but i want to post daily for this series. i hope you enjoyed it. please leave a like, comment or re-blog it will be most appreciated xxx

#tommy shelby imagines #peaky blinders imagine #peaky blinders imagines #tommy shelby fanfic #peaky blinders fanfic #peaky blinders x sister!reader #shelby!sister #tommy shelby x sister!reader

197 notes · View notes

chaosinkest1996 · 6 months

Text

First Blood

This work is inspired by the spooky season. The OC of Lilith Rose Shelby is my own. The character of Scarlet Shelby belongs to @zablife. I hope you're not offended that I included her. She inspired me with her Shelby energy and in addition you inspired me to write something of my own an post it. So @zablife this is for you, Lee. Hope you like it.

TW: Violence. Domestic Abuse. Lilith is a child for most of this story.

It was true of The Shelby clan that they produced more demons than angels. At least, that was the myth gossiped by the priest and the locals down watery lane. At the age of six Lilith hadn’t really understood why that might have been a bad thing, she just marvelled how that seemed to link them closer to God than most other families. Besides there was only one real demon in that family. Lilith was four when she’d learned not to trust her father. Five when she learned to fear him. And it was only a matter of time before she learned to despise him. Arthur Shelby Sr. was a dreadful human being, a despicable father, and an utter bastard. She’d learned she’d receive no love from him only on her last birthday when he’d announced she’d disappointed him by not being a boy. Naturally, she impaled a fork into his hand and when he’d raised his fist to beat her, Polly had held a knife to his throat. The look on the old weasel’s face had been the best birthday gift her aunt could have got her. Of all the children he had spawned, Arthur seemed to hate his youngest daughter the most. Lilith had been trained by Polly and her mother, as all the other Shelby siblings had been, to avoid their father when he was at home. She’d never known why her mother loved him so much.

Lilith adored her mother. Anna Shelby was the beauty of small health. She was a gypsy princess of Irish and Russian descent. She was a songbird with a sensitive heart…and the gift. Some whispered she’d been granted it by the devil, who had taken her for his mistress, in recent years. Polly had scoffed when she’d heard Ada repeat what she’d heard….and yet, Polly wouldn’t meet Lilith’s curious gaze. Anna had met and settled down with Arthur Shelby Sr. when her family had settled close to Birmingham. From what Lilith had gathered, her parents' romance had been idyllic, a fairy tale. And so here she was, two years later at the age of eight, sitting in the kitchen listening to her father shout at her mother and she found herself wandering where it had all gone wrong for the two of them. Polly had gone to the shop and she’d taken Finn. Everyone else had been out of the house when Arthur Sr. had returned to the house from wherever the fuck he'd been. Lilith was the first one back from school, she’d snook in when she’d heard her father swearing and slurring his words in the sitting room. She stared at his jacket in front of her, draped over another chair. Her nose wrinkled as the stench of alcohol assaulted her. Lilith frowned, gritting her teeth when she heard her mother, normally calm and softly spoken, raise her voice. The door was closed, so she couldn’t hear her clearly. Not that it mattered. Arthur’s voice rose above her in volume seconds later and then she heard Anna begin to cry. The sound pulled on Lilith’s heartstrings and tugged at her tear ducts. She slid off the chair and approached the sitting room.

If daddy wants to shout at someone, he can shout at me.

But as she grasped the handle and turned it slightly, she hesitated. He didn’t know she was there, neither of them did. She could sneak out and fetch Tommy. Her eyes lit up at the prospect of her favorite big brother breaking her father’s wrist…or face. Either would be fine. Yes, that would do, he could pick on someone his own size. Someone who wasn’t frightened of him. Lilith turned and ran to fetch Tommy. She got as far as the back door when she heard it. The sound of her mother falling. She froze, shivering all over. Lilith wasn’t sure what she’d heard until she returned to the sitting room door, her feet having taken her there involuntarily. She stood at the crack in the door, peeping through at her mother. Anna was on the floor, clutching her head from where she’d bashed it on the chair leg. Arthur stood over her, laughing silently at her with his cruel mean eyes.

“Arthur, please. Please, Arthur. I’m sorry I shouted, I won’t do it again. Please, Arthur. No. No. Stop, No! Please!”

Anna’s quiet pleading, her soft, heartbroken begging dissolved into sobs and cries of pain as Arthur descended upon her with his fists. Anna did her best to fend him off, but he was so much stronger than her. Lilith watched mouth agape in horror and eyes streaming with tears as her mother submitted herself to the torture and curled up as best as she could to protect herself.

How long had this been happening? All of her life?

Lilith had never questioned it when her father had tried to hurt her. As far as she was aware it was customary for all fathers to beat their children when they’d disobeyed or angered them. She’d never thought for a second that he’d hurt her mother though. Not when Anna doted on him. The only person in the world capable of loving him…and he treated her like that.

Anna released a loud wail as Arthur pulled her hair back and smacked her hard on the mouth. Lilith, unable to stand her mother’s sobs any longer nor the sound of Arthur’s flesh impacting violently against Anna’s delicate figure, sprinted to the kitchen, desperate to do something, anything to help her mother. Climbing up on Tommy’s chair, she pulled open one of the draws and picked it up. The kitchen knife was heavy in her hand, weighing her delicate little arm down. But she held it firm, hopping back down off the counter and landing silently…not that her father would have heard her over his own shouts. Lilith watched him, hulking over her mother like some kind of monstrous animal, drunk and cruel as ever he could be.

“Mad bitch.” He called Anna. She didn’t deserve that.

Mummy, how can you love him?

Something cold and angry in Lilith snapped and hissed angrily inside her. It was vicious and crimson and she swallowed the venom it offered her with determination. Lilith didn’t love him. That was something she was certain of as she stepped into the sitting room, approaching him from behind, quiet as she could be so he didn’t hear her. The blade glinted in the sunlight as she sprang at him from behind. Arthur Sr. Yelped out in agony as the sharp blade sank into his thigh. It heightened to a scream as Lilith ripped it out and plunged it back into his knee. She delighted in the noise he made, pleased that he was the one making it instead of Anna. The last thing Lilith registered before the bloodlust descended and the noise fell away was the sound of metal slicing through bone.

“GET!” His knee buckled as she pulled the blade out once again. Lilith continued her assault mercilessly as she tore at him with the knife. “OFF!” His calf, his thigh again, his other leg, his foot, his forearm, his shoulder. “MY!” Nothing else mattered except the look of utter horror on his ugly twisted features. “MUMMY!” He tried to grab at her once but she was fast and small, easily blocking his arms. “YOU!” The sharp end of the knife went through his palm and his breath hitched, eyes widening when she yanked it back out. “MONSTER!” She hoped it was as painful as it looked. She was so numb, so far gone that she didn’t hear the door open. She didn’t see them all rushing in. She didn’t see Polly gasp, her hands cupping her mouth, eyes wide. the shopping in her hands crashing loudly to the floor. She didn’t see Finn, flinching back behind Polly’s skirts eyes scrunched closed. She didn’t hear John swear or Scarlet drop her nursing books. She didn’t feel the vibration of them clunking to the floor. She didn’t see Ada rush to her mother and wrapping a blanket around her shoulders. She didn’t hear Arthur yelling for her to stop. She didn’t see Tommy look between the three of them, putting two and two together. What a sight she must have been for them. An eight-year-old girl splattered from head to toe in her father’s blood.

In the end, it was Anna’s voice that cut through the bloodlust.

“Lily! Lily, darling stop! Please! Stop! You’ll kill him.” Anna cried, pushing herself up off the floor.

“WHAT DOES IT MATTER?” Lilith embedded the knife into his other knee with a sickening crunch. “HE HURT YOU!” Arthur Sr. squealed like a pig. Ripping it out once more she raised her blade again when a strong hand gripped her wrist until her grip loosened and the blade fell, clattering to the floor. She was lifted with ease away from her father and spun until she was face to face with Tommy as he shielded her view of him. She’d been so lost in the moment that she hadn’t heard them come in. All of them. Polly picked the knife up off the floor and wiped it with her skirt. Lilith looked Tommy in the eyes. Those big ocean-blue eyes were wide with utter terror as he checked her over.

“Are you hurt, Lily petal?” He asked urgently. The numbness melted away. The damn broke and emotion flooded in.

“I’m not sorry Tommy! I’m not sorry!” She wailed. “He was hitting mummy! He deserved it!” Her voice cracked and her breath stuttered as she burrowed her head into his neck. Tommy embraced her without a second thought, rocking her back and forth in as calming a manner as he could think.

Lilith’s accusations rang out into the shell-shocked room. Polly was the first to take action.

“Get up!” She snapped at her brother. His angry little eyes glowered back at her in spite of the pain rocketing through him. Polly sighed, irritated. “Scarlet, Arthur, help your father onto the settee. Ada grab a sheet to cover it with. Scarlet, I want you to help me sew him up. John, go and bribe Doctor Clarkson to come and help. Anna,” She paused, looking at her good sister. She softened instantly seeing the bruises already forming on her melancholic face. “Are you badly hurt?” Anna parted her lips, ready to speak when Lilith wriggled and vaulted out of Tommy’s hold, running to her mother.

“I’m sorry, mummy! I’m sorry! Please don’t be angry with me.” Lilith wailed. Anna’s eyes welled with tears. She pulled her youngest daughter into her arms and embraced her tightly.

“I’m not angry.” Her voice wobbled. “I’ll never be angry with you. Only sad. You protected me. You shouldn’t have had to do that, petal.” Ada returned, covering the settee with a spare old bedsheet. Arthur Sr. wheezed as Arthur and a rather reluctant Scarlet helped him up (with minimal care on her part) and to the settee. He opened his mouth and Scarlet punched one of his injuries hard. It bloomed red and he hissed in pain.

“You say a word and I’ll make sure you’re hurting more than you are already!” She snapped.

“Don’t be harsh, Scar, he’s our dad. Where’s that bedside manner you were telling us about?” Arthur Jr. asked, trying to ease the tension.

“He doesn’t fucking deserve it, Arthur.” She shot him a sharp look. Before looking at Tommy. “You’ll have to help Arthur take Dad’s trousers off.” Her older brother scowled at the prospect but stalked over nonetheless. The door flung open once again as John returned, very much out of breath. He nearly doubled over with exhaustion. Behind him waddled in, Doctor Clarkson, flushed and barely upright himself. The old doctor had just righted himself when his eyes widened and his mouth fell open as he looked at his patient.

“Can you fix ‘im?” Polly asked, eyes sharp on the old man. Doctor Clarkson’s resemblance to a deer in headlights heightened as his eyes darted around the room. The empathy seeped back into them when he caught sight of Anna and Lilith, bruised and bloody. He straightened and stepped forward.

“Let me look at him.”

“It would be preferable if he didn’t have to go to a hospital.” Tommy spoke calmly. “People will talk.” Doctor Clarkson approached Arthur Sr. and carefully examined his injuries. The look of concern on his elderly face deepened.

“You’re lucky. They’re not too deep, for the most part, easy enough to handle.” The doctor removed his jacket and rolled up his sleeves.

“Scarlet and I can help.” Polly suggested. The doctor nodded.

“That would be sufficient.” He opened his physician’s bag, pulling out what he needed. “What worries me are these.” He pointed at Arthur’s knees, hand and ankle. “The knife has penetrated bone.” He paused, lowering his voice for only Polly to hear. “I take it the child was defending her mother?” Polly nodded. “She did a thorough job.” He smiled at her. “He’ll need a hospital.”

“No!” Tommy’s deep voice cut through the conversation. “He’s got a big mouth, he’ll talk.”

“And what will he say, Mr. Shelby? That his eight-year-old daughter did this to him?”

“He has a point.” John spoke up. “No one would believe him.”

“Not only does it sound far-fetched.” Ada sat down and locked eyes with her father. She maintained the stare. “Think of the humiliation.”

“He doesn’t have to say it was Lily. He could say it was any of us.”

“No Tom!” Arthur looked pleadingly at his brother, “It’s dad, he wouldn’t rat on any of us.” Tommy shook his head at Arthur’s naivety. He was still just a young boy at heart, wanting to please his father.

“Arthur, why don’t you help Ada make some tea?” Polly suggested. Arthur opened his mouth ready to argue when Ada took his hand.

“Come on.” She pulled him through to the kitchen. When Tommy was sure he was out of ear shot, he stood over his father, looking down on him with disdain.

“He can go to a hospital.” He spoke to Doctor Clarkson. “But it can’t be in small heath.”

“I can send him to a colleague of mine in London.”

“I have one condition.”

“Name it.”

“It’s not for you, it’s for him. And before I let him out of this house, he’ll have to agree to it.”

“What is it, boy?” His father spat.

“You’ll be gone in the morning. You’ll leave small heath, and you’ll never ever come back.”

“Tommy-” Anna’s voice was sad.

“No, mum.” Tommy stood firm, “He’s made us miserable for long enough. If he knows what’s good for him he’ll leave.”

“He can be someone else’s problem.” Polly said. Arthur Sr. looked disgruntled as he thought it through. Lilith didn’t know what possessed her to look at him, or to approach, but she suddenly found herself stood in front of him.

“You hate us all, daddy. So just say yes.” Her dark onyx eyes stared into him and he shifted uncomfortably, and yet unable to look away. He nodded to Tommy.

“I’ll do it. I’ll leave. I swear, I won’t come back.” At his words, Anna began to softly cry again, looking at the floor in shame. Lilith maintained eye contact with her father. A battle of wills being fought between them. No way in hell would she be bullied by him. She smirked, recalling how he squealed when she’d butchered him.

“I’m not sorry.” She whispered. “Don’t ever come back.”

*****

He was gone. It was done. Lilith had watched from the top of the stairs as they’d taken him to the canal boat Uncle Charlie had prepared. He’d not asked questions when Tommy had spoken quietly with him. He’d simply looked at Anna and agreed to whatever Tommy had told him. Anna had been inconsolable for the better part of the evening. Arthur Sr. never once looked at his wife as he was carted off to the canal boat that would take him to the infirmary in London. Even as she called his name tenderly.

“Have you nothing to say?!” Polly snapped at him, arm wrapped around Anna’s shoulders. The horrible excuse for a husband merely gritted his teeth and stared hard ahead. Ignoring Anna like it was all her fault. Ada had stripped Lilith bare and bathed her, tenderly cleansing the blood on her hands and face. John took her dress and the bed sheet and built a fire in the backyard for them.

“I’m not sorry.” Lilith kept saying quietly as she rocked back and forth in the warm water. “I’m not sorry.” She looked up at Polly when she came and joined them, alone. “Where’s mummy?”

“She’s gone to bed, darling.”

“I’ve made her sad, haven’t I?” Tears welled in Lilith’s eyes. “I don’t want mummy to go away again. Not like she did before. I want her to be happy. I want her to stay.” Polly hushed her, kissing her forehead soothingly as she took the soap and began to wash Lilith’s thick dark hair.

“Nonsense. You could never make your mother sad.” She stopped and leaned into whisper. “You and Tommy are her favourites.” She winked and Lilith managed a wobbly smile. “Loving my idiot brother made her sad.”

“Why does she love him?” Lilith asked curiously. Her forehead crinkled as she concentrated on the thought. Lilith couldn’t understand what her father had about him that made her mother care about him.”

“It’s a mystery to us all.” Polly scoffed as she rinsed the suds out of Lilith’s hair, the soft pads of her fingers massaging the little girl’s scalp. Lilith’s eyes fluttered as her body grew relaxed and sleepy. “But,” Polly began again, sounding sadder than before, “Your father wasn’t always like this. Once upon a time he was charming, handsome and good natured.” She sighed. “Life changed him.”

“I hope life doesn’t change me like that.”

“It won’t. I’ll make sure it doesn’t.”

*****

Cobalt eyes watch her through the crack in the door. Her small hands are clutching Polly’s cards as she places them on the table, humming happily as she does so.

“Come on in Tommy and close the door.” She calls behind her. “It’s cold.” Tommy enters without hesitation, her innocent voice like a spell over him. There was something uncanny about how she seemed to know when Thomas was close to her. Like they were linked by an invisible string. Light and Dark. Two sides of the same coin.

“What are you doing with those ey?” He asked, as he pulled out the chair beside her and sat, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it.

“Polly said I could read if he would ever come back,” Lilith spoke matter of factly. Tommy went cold.

Yes, Polly. Good idea to let my eight-year-old sister delve into gypsy magic without supervision.

“He won’t, Lily. Daddy’s gone, alright. I promise, he’s not coming back.” The firmness in her voice caught her off guard and she looked up at him. Onyx met cobalt and his certainty, his confidence was shaken.

“He will.” She spoke quietly. “But don’t worry, I’ll be older and less helpless. Besides, I’ve taken a precaution.” Something in the way she spoke made him nervous. Worry chiselled away at him. He cleared his throat.

“What precaution?”

Lilith smiled as she looked at Tommy. She pointed at the tarot deck.

“There’s you.” She pointed at The Chariot card. “There’s me.” She pointed at The Empress. “And there’s daddy in the middle.” She pointed to the card nestled between the other two. The Emperor. “With his head cut off.”

Tommy paled and shuddered at the way she spoke it dreamily. Polly’s small pocket knife (which she’d no doubt stolen from her aunt) was still lodged in the wood of the table where she had sliced the top half of The Emperor’s card. He knelt down beside Lilith at the table, taking her small hands in his, making her look at him.

“I know he frightened you and hurt mummy. And I’m sorry I wasn’t there to protect you. But I promise you, he’ll never be allowed to hurt any of us ever again.”

“I know.” She smiled.

*****

Anna threw herself into the canal a week later. Lilith had been inconsolable as she'd watched Uncle Charlie pull her mother's corpse from the water, cursing her father for his part in Anna’s misery. She hid herself away, refusing to talk about her mother and festering in her rage. Tommy should have known then what she’d be capable of. Instead, he’d had to wait fifteen years to hear about it. He’d dressed it up all nice for Arthur. Invented an imaginary woman, two scoundrels, and a gun. He’d had Mary the maid forge the letter and told the rest of his siblings that their father had died on the other side of the world. The truth was too terrible. No one needed to know that Alfie had witnessed her standing over their father like an angel of vengeance whilst he begged for mercy and told her she looked like her mother. No one needed to know that he’d been found down a dark alley in Camden, head viciously severed from his body.

And there’s Daddy, with his head cut off.

Tommy drained the whiskey from his tumbler and shuddered. Yes, it was true. The Shelby clan did indeed produce more demons than angels. And Lilith Rose Shelby, though Thomas loved her with all of his heart, was the most dangerous kind of demon…. she was an angel who didn’t know she’d fallen yet.

#peaky blinder fanfic #tommy shelby #arthur shelby #john shelby #finn shelby #polly gray #ada shelby #Tommy Shelby x reader platonic #tommy shelby x sister!reader #Scarlet Shelby #Lilith Rose Shelby

20 notes · View notes

futurefamousdeadmusician · 5 months

Text

You Have a Deal

Author's note; Hey all, this is my first run at publishing my writing, hope someone likes it and let me know what you think! I have done some mild PB plot alterations to fit my story better.

Summary; When the Shelby family is under attack from the Changrettas the youngest sibling, Lillian, makes a deal with a distant business partner to ensure the safety of her loved ones.

Content warnings; mild spoilers.

The air of the afternoon was cold this day. Impenetrable grey covered the sky above Birmingham and pressed an awful feeling into Lillian. Her gaze down at the cobblestone, she made her way through the lively Calver Lane until she reached her destination, Solomon’s Mill. She looked up at the building and thought once again of her reasons for coming. No one had known she was here, and she liked it that way. With her family under siege and fair reasoning long gone from the Shelby family, she decided that it was her who needed to devise a plan. A way out. A way through. She moved through the final steps until she reached the door of the old brick building. Built sometime in the 1820’s she could tell Solomon’s Mill was a long standing business on the outskirts of the city. A staple of Birmingham that lasted through the most disheartening economic conditions. Owned and founded by the Solomon’s family after they immigrated to England. Nothing shook this old place; not guns, not violence, not the bloody communists. Always there and always of interest to the Peaky Blinders. They were cordial, if not cooperative at times. Now, Lillian relied on that mutual respect to hold steady when she pushed open the large barn-style doors.

The air sweeping from the factory carried the sent of the fresh grain being processed through the large, rusted machinery. The shadows of the quick moving men bustling around danced at her feet as she walked through the threshold and made her way to a small room attached to right wood slat wall. Rapping three times on the fragile wooden frame a younger man looked up from his desk and cocked an eyebrow to Lillian.

“Ye’,” he said quickly, barely parting his lips to speak.

Slowly, calmly, with the utmost care to appear collected in her appearance, she spoke, “ I’m here to see Mister Solomons.”

Eyeing her up and down, the nameless man gradually stood from his seat and addressed her more directly than before. He stood not much taller than the young Shelby. Short curls held close to his head and a tattered apron hung off his thin frame.

“And what’s yer’ order of business?” he questioned.

“I believe that to be a private matter.”

He walked around his desk and Lillian did her best not to release the stern eye contact she held on him since her arrival. A lesson from Tommy she knew well, for when you look into the eyes of another man it is much harder to lie; and much harder to kill.

“Open the purse.” He spoke flatly, unblinking.

She dropped the small purse defiantly onto the wood-back chair in front of her. She flipped open the small titanium latch and took a small step back to allow the gaunt man his inspection uninterrupted. He drew a pencil from behind his ear and flicked through her things, like they were dirty. Like they were not worthy to be touched by the human hand. Without a word, he looked once again into the dark eyes of the woman before him and peaked over he shoulder into the doorway leading back to the vast factory floor.

“Come with me,” he ordered in the same flat tone.

Picking up her bag, Lillian followed him as he walked quickly out into the large room and maneuvered through the men and machines working in impeccable rhythm. She willed herself to keep pace with the small man, heels echoing through the loud space and causing men to turn their heads both in amusement and strict curiosity. Once her escort reached the back most offices of the mill he cracked open the door and spoke softly in a language Lillian did not recognize. After a few exchanges the man stepped to the motioned for Ms. Shelby to enter the small, dark closet.

There, Mr. Solomons sat at an old oak desk, leaned far back in his seat with the amusement of a child lingering on his bearded face.

“Ahhh Lillian,” he spoke loudly, “to what do I owe this enormous pleasure.”

“Mr. Solomons.” A brief pause as Lillian sat herself slowly on the chair paced strangely close to the overbearing desk. “There are a few matters I wish to discuss with you and I preferred them to be in person.”

“Ah sweetheart, and what might that be. Did the new sweets parlor open up just past Harding, is that it?” He bellowed with laughter and Lillians eyes remained engrained in his skull. She always thought back to the words of her older brother in moments of this gravity.

“Don’t look away from them - the men who wish to kill you - it only gives them time to make that decision.”

Once the fitful bits of laughs subsided and the ringing from the old slat walls hushed away, Lillian spoke in the same calm tone she had mastered years earlier.

“I believe I have something you want.”

Another astonished chucked escaped the burly man.

“And what would that be?”

A cold breeze moved through the room. It never occurred to Lillian why men of such power chose to have a room so small to reside in. When her family had the means, they awarded themselves luxury. But Alfie, he hid away in this small closet. Maybe it made himself feel bigger in some way.

“Brooklyn.”

“The fuck you mean ‘Brooklyn’,”

“Brooklyn. New York. Chicago. Shit maybe Boston by the time we are done.”

The boss moved up farther in his seat. He readjusted his head to the side, believing that he may have heard the young girl wrong.

“Love, what the fuck are you on about? Did you brother send you.”

Almost too quickly she responded, “I came on my own accord.” She didn’t like always falling under the wing of her family; Tommy in particular. While the Shelby name came with certain privileges bestowed upon her at birth, she valued her identity. So long she had relied on Thomas to protect the family. Now, with the looming threat of the Italian’s hanging over like a dark cloud, she was on her final idea to pull her family through to safety.

“Shelby company limited has taken a special interest in the American liquor market. We feel that it would be in your interest, as well as ours, if we cooperated on this matter. Together, we both have much to gain,” she continued, finally regaining her full composer.

“Ye’ and why would I want business in America? What’s the fuckin’ catch?” Solomons pressed.

“The Changretta family has made advances against my family. We are now using this opportunity to move into the American market while they are occupied here. This is a quite unique chance to collaborate with our American acquaintance without the influence of the Italians. With your power, as well as ours, I think that we could quite a fitting sum.” For the first time, Lillian broke her gaze away, reaching into her purse to exhume a cigarette before flashing her eyes back to Alfie. He leaned back in his chair, the creak of the old wood breaking the frigid silence. He gaze slowly moved back and forth over the ceiling while his hands rested behind his head.

“Power,” he began. “Your power and my power,” almost as if he was explaining the concept to a child. “Where is your brother at, Lillian?”

“He is attending to other business in Bristol.” Lillian, as a principle, didn’t like lying. But, as a Shelby, it came as naturally as breathing.

“Where is Arthur?”

“Overseeing the tracks.” A puff of smoke escaped from her lips following her statement.

“Then who in the fuck sent you?” His anger showed. Frustration. Questioning. He was half expecting one of Tommy’s men to appear from behind the doorframe and put a bullet between his eyes, finally revealing this to be an elaborate set up orchestrated by the young woman before him and her devilish relatives. But the bullet never flew and Lillian sat motionless in his chair waiting to respond.

“I come as a representative of the Shelby Company Limited with a legitimate proposal for enterprise cooperation.”

“And why should I trust the lot of you? Bunch of gypsy crooks.”

She sat once again, silent, patient, and held his gaze for just a moment to long. Leaning forward, she put the stiff out in a small crystal bowl on the corner of Mr. Solomon’s desk. She retrieved her handbag from her feet and pulled out a small, white envelope. After tossing it lightly on the desk in front of the bearded man she returned to her natural position in the chair, arms crossed, the Shelby, deadpan expression returning to her features. Alfie pulled his spectacles onto the bridge of his nose from the chair laced around his neck. He collected the envelope and carefully took out the ivory card within. A black handprint stained the cover. Mr. Solomons didn’t need to examine the paper any further and flicked up his eyes to meet Lillian’s once again.

“Every one of us got one.”

“I see.”

“If the Shelby family dies, your possibilities of every entering the American market get buried with us. Or burned rather…” she trailed on, looking off to the side, examining the bookshelf behind him. “You know, Gypsy things.”

Alfie released a deeply held sigh and placed the card down back onto the desk with more care than the original owner did. Somewhere, deep down, he held grace for the young woman before him. He recognized that she was a result of her surroundings. Born into the small, violent hole that is Small Heath as a Shelby and since her birth has survived through the forces of her family and her gritty resilience. He new she wanted out. She loved her family, that was her weakness, but she longed to see the hills of the Netherlands and the cathedrals of Austria and the new bustling cities of America. To do this though, she must survive.

“I would need a more formal manner of proposal, numbers and such,” he explained still keeping that condescending tone. But Lillian already began to sit up straighter in anticipation carful not to let this emotion overtake her. “But tentatively, I believe we can work something out.”

A small smirk graced across her lips as she extended her hand. “Very well, Mr. Solomons, I’ll have my associates reach out to your tomorrow.” With that, she was on her feet, quickly remembering to pick up the dreadful letter she had pulled out moments ago. Carful in her movements she walked slowly out of office and shut the door behind her, leaving Alfie sitting in silence, wondering what he had just agreed to. He held much respect for Thomas and therefor placed some onto his younger counterpart.

Lillian exited the factory and began down the darkening street until she was able to hail an oncoming cab.

“Watery Lane, please,” she said quietly to the driver who nodded at her instructions. She was eager to meet with Aunt Polly and tell her of her plan of action knowing the elder Shelby would be much more receptive to this idea. Her only fear was Thomas, but that would have to wait. She just hoped that she had done the right thing.

#cillian murphy fanfiction #tommy Shelby fanfition #Shelby family #peaky blinder fanfiction #Alfie solomons fanfiction #Shelby sister fanfiction #tommy shelby x sister!reader #writing #Shelby family fanfiction #thomas shelby #peaky blinders imagine #Alfie solomons imagine #tommy shelby imagine #thomas shelby imagine #futurefamousdeadmusician #fanfiction #Alfie Solomons x fem!reader #Alfie solomons x shelby sister!reader

124 notes · View notes