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[liquid-reign]

me falling asleep soundly while thinking up elaborate storylines for my ocs that no one else will probably ever get to experience but I'm still sure as hell having a fun time with them.

[liquid-reign]

me looking at my notes and seeing 80% of it is likes

[liquid-reign]

Lower the Stakes

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Tommy x Roslyn

Word Count- 404

Trigger Warning- poor writing, instant fic, Modern AU

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//

Title is a phrase from Love is Mystical by Cold War Kids

If picking up the laptop and cigarette just after having had a perfect sexy night in bed with his wife was a game, Tommy Shelby would be a gold medalist. 

None of them could sleep when they came to the room 3 hours ago and they still couldn't. 

Roslyn was standing by the window, looking out at the on-coming dawn the breeze chilling on her naked body, when her phone rang. 

"Good Morning" she said

"Yeah..yeah…...no….Alfie I can't…..okay-"

"Okay"

"I said I'll go Alf"

The major part of the 3 minute conversation was in Russian, so Tommy was automatically irritated at what it was on top of why Alfie had called at this time. 

"What'd he want?" He said, not looking up from the screen

"You heard the conversation" she said, still looking out

"It wasn't English"

"I'll give you 50 bucks for guessing what language it was" for she could speak 4 languages on top of English and Alfie knew 3 of them. But she decided was in a light mood, today

He looked up, confused "What?"

She turned around to look at his confused face "Yeah. Guess the language and you get all the info along with 50 bucks" a smile playing on her lips

He replied after a few seconds "Russian"

She moved towards him, replacing his laptop on his lap "He wants me to attend a client meeting in Berlin tomorrow. I leave tonight" she put the 50 bucks in his hand and almost touched their lips together "Buy me flowers next time we fuck, eh? Keep the change"

His heartbeat knew no bounds of speed because good God was she sexy. He could never understand what kind of relationship they had, never wanted to, but right in this moment he wanted her bad

She got up and dressed up in her shorts and Tommy's shirt to get out the room but stopped on the way out "I like light orange carnations" and made the exit. It surprised him that he never even took the time to figure out what flowers she liked because, he realised, he never had bought her any or even thought of it. Idiot. 

.

.

The bell rang. As much of a jerk as her husband was, she still liked him so she felt home when she opened the door to him after 3 days. He had sent the driver instead of picking her up on his own so ofcourse he knew she was back "Good evening, Mr.Sh-"

He stood there with a beautiful bundle of orange carnations. Her heart skipped a beat.

[liquid-reign]

· Soft Words Professed Amidst Uncertainty ·

Request: This was requested by the lovely @sighonahurricane “So I had this thing in mind where it's a modern AU. Tommy and his wife (2nd wife. After Grace left) married for their businesses. Like, not a transaction, but because they thought it'd be good for both of them. They don't love each other. So this one day Tommy compliments the reader (or OC or however you wanna do it) that her hair look good and the reader says "I have some work it'll be done in 1/2 hour and then we can fuck" And then she goes to Tommy after her work is done and asks Tommy if he's ready and then Tommy says that he didn't compliment her because he wanted to fuck. But still they end up doing it on his desk and then he tells her again and kisses her gently or something.”

Warnings: Some smut.

Author’s note: It’s been a while since I last wrote smut and this is my first Modern au so I hope this isn’t terrible, let me know what you think. 🤍

·

“You did something different to your hair” came Tommy’s voice one morning as Y/n prepared her morning coffee.

“What?” she asked a bit taken aback turning to look at him believing she had misheard him.

“You look beautiful” He stated a small smile teasing at the corners of his lips as he went to grab a cup of coffee for himself.

“I have some work to do, I’ll be done in half an hour and then we can fuck” was all she said before leaving the kitchen in a haste.

What had just happened?

For as long as they had been married never had Tommy been loving, let alone complimented her so she didn’t quite know what to think of it. Sure he wasn’t a bad husband, with small acts of polite chivalry, Tommy made most women envy Y/n, but none of it was real.

She knew Tommy was still thinking about his previous wife when they first married, so she never really attempted to get closer to him. They slept in the same bed and occasionally had sex, purely functional sex only to just politely acknowledge each other the following day.

They had agreed to marry because it would be beneficial for both their businesses and next thing she knew she was at the courthouse signing the papers. There was no big party, no honeymoon, nothing.

Y/n wasn’t complaining though, all in all, Tommy was respectful. He never made her feel uncomfortable and always asked for her opinion, which made Y/n appreciate him deeply. She knew he would never move against her and now that their businesses were slowly merging together, she trusted him completely.

She went to her home office to make a few calls and after a brief videoconference with her assistant the half hour had already slipped by. She began feeling nervous as she made her way to her husband’s office and hated how he with a mere compliment managed to make her feel like she couldn’t breathe, but she was determined to not let it show as she pushed Tommy’s door open.

The sound immediately prompted Tommy to look up from the papers he was going through as he looked at Y/n.

“Ready?” she asked as he rose from his seat.

She didn’t even give him time to answer as she pressed her lips against his and kissed him intensely. Her tongue slipped into his mouth and danced with his as her hands went to thread to his hair pulling him closer as his hands softly trailed to her waist before hoisting her up on his desk.

“you know, I didn’t compliment you because I wanted to fuck” he breathed against her lips causing a pleasant yet strange feeling to erupt in Y/n stomach as she unbuttoned his shirt.

“I know” she fibbed.

She wasted no time getting rid of his white shirt before discarding her own clothes as a sudden craving for that skin on skin touch filled her senses. Tommy caught upon her hunger immediately and indulged her as his fingers began teasing her clothed cunt for a few moments before getting rid of the fabric that separated them from feeling entirely and continued teasing her making her grow wetter and wetter.

“Please, Tommy” she begged wantonly needing to feel him inside her with a burning intensity.

Tommy finally guided himself into her at her plea. Blissful breaths were drawn and as Tommy began building up his pace the almost whiny squeaking of the desk and Y/n’s needy moans filled the room like the most sinful of melodies.

Holding onto his shoulders Y/n felt her orgasm nearing closer and closer with each thrust relishing in the feeling of him pounding in and out of her with a different intensity from all the other times they’ve had sex almost too raw and just passionate enough.

Tommy felt her walls clenching around him and after a few rubs from his fingers to her clit she let herself go and violently came coaxing his own climax to follow close after filling her with his warm cum.

With him still inside her she rested her head on his shoulder as she attempted to catch her breath.

“I meant what I said” his voice came, interrupting the silence that had settled into the room. “you look beautiful and not just with this hairdo”

Y/n parted from him so she could look into his eyes almost searching for something to tell her that he was just messing around, but she only found solemnity there.

Tommy saw the qualms in her eyes and decided to silence them by softly cupping her face and bringing his lips to hers one more time.

·

@captivatedbycillianmurphy @peakyxtommy @nyotamalfoy @writeroutoftime @babylooneytoonz @lilymurphy03

[liquid-reign]

fake dating to lovers is nice but married for non-romantic reasons to lovers is next fucking level

[liquid-reign]

[liquid-reign]

Devil's Advocate

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Tommy x Arabella

Word count- 1.8k

Trigger Warnings- None as such

A/N- It is kind of a rebuilt of a scene in S5 E1 when they all have a family meeting in The Garrison. I've included it just in the starting to form a base for writing the rest of it. I wanted to accommodate my OC in there because it felt right. And yes I always want Tommy to get some sleep. God knows he needs it.

//

The title is from "Devil's Advocate" by The Neighborhood. Felt good for a title to this. Though I wouldn't say the song itself fits in this scenario.

//

//

All settled in the old area of the Garrison when Lizzie spoke up "Can I begin this family meeting with a proposal? From now on we find somewhere else to meet?"

"Your boss believes that being seen mixing with the common people is good politics" said Ada

"Well if it's our campaign for socialism, perhaps next time, Polly, you won't wear earrings worth more than the pub" retorted Roslyn who found a place beside Polly to sit

Arthur occupied a table as well and Tommy took his place standing with a pillar, lighting a cigarette

"Right. Family meeting. First Item. This" Ada slammed a spent bullet on the table "Dug out of our Finn's arm yesterday by Aberama Gold, using your Gin and a razor blade"

"Finn?" asked Lizzie

"He says they were sent to Limehouse, Chinatown" Ada continued

"Sent by fucking who?" asked Lizzie, again.

"Sent by me" Tommy answered "I told Finn to stay outta this. He obviously didn't listen"

He was clearly annoyed

Roslyn just sat there and listened. It wasn't too surprising for her to see that her husband had sent his little brother to do something like that. But she hadn't known about this "What's in Chinatown, Tommy? What is going on?" she asked calmly.

Tommy sighed a little and answered "50,000 pounds, in cash"

"He said they were sent to Chinatown to kill somebody" Ada said

"The kid needs education Tommy, he really does" Arthur was irritated by his kid brother's inability to keep things confidential, ofcourse.

"It was a particular opportunity" Polly started

"A particular opportunity presented to me in confidence, I dealt with it in confidence" Tommy said as a matter of fact.

"How important was it?" Roslyn asked, her voice levelled

"Tommy told me there was a pimp in east London who sold kids" Polly defended

"Fucking kids, right?" Arthur came in

"This pimp was blackmailing a senior member of the house of Lords, a very wealthy man" Tommy tied to explain

"Now this pimp is lying in a ditch, covered in flies. The world is a better place" Arthur supported him, opening a bottle of whiskey

"Holy fuck so now your business is improving the world?" Ada scolded them, very mad that they had sent their little brother to do Blinder business.

"The man we did the job for is a high court judge. We received intelligence from a senior police officer in Scotland yard. I've made lots of friends in London, Men with influence. The Police felt the same way about this pimp as we did" he explained further, again, as a matter of fact "He wasn't worth a trial. The coppers cleared the streets for us. This work was commissioned by a High Court judge, by Scotland Yard and by the House Of Lords"

"It's a particular opportunity. It's not to be repeated" Polly defended him

"And it was the right thing to do" Tommy tried again

"Fucking right" Arthur joined him

"I can't be bothered with this shit" Lizzie muttered, irritated and mad, and left.

Roslyn was mad too, that they had been careless enough to send Finn for this job. But she knew this wasn't to be dealt with that easily "They're right, Ada" she glanced at Ada and then to everybody else as she spoke "If Finn is to take care of that side of the business he'll have to go out, witness and experience how it's done. Dangers and Bullets included, Isn't it?" she gave Tommy a side eye, talking in a dangerously calm tone "Anyway, he's a Shelby. Being afraid of bullets shouldn't be in him. It's only practical"

Tommy, Polly and Ada looked at Roslyn like she'd read verses from Satan's own holy book. Arthur nodded.

Roslyn got up "Now if you'll please excuse me, I am getting late for my train to London", she nodded once at Arthur and Tommy before leaving.

"What's wrong with her?" asked Polly, still a little in shock

The meeting went on till Tommy and Arthur were the only ones remaining, discussing bullets and Chinese

.

.

.

.

Tommy came home tired, straight from Westminster. The strange interaction with his son left him a bit more drained. Arthur had told Charlie it was in God's hands, the death of his favourite horse. If Tommy believed in God then maybe he would agree with this someday. But he didn't. Couldn't.

He asked for Roslyn the moment he came back inside. He wanted to talk to her about what she'd said in the meeting. It had left him angry and called-out.

He knocked on the door of her study. Walking in before she permitted him to, clearing his throat, found himself a place on the opposite side of the desk.

"Good evening, Tommy. How was your day?" she greeted him, without looking up from her papers.

"Why'd you say that in the meeting?" he asked, totally ignoring the greeting.

"Coming straight to the point, are we?" she said, still not looking up.

He just waited for her to answer.

Roslyn knew what he was here for and there was no use going around in circles.

Looking up, she started to speak, but for a second she noticed how tired he looked and almost wanted to take him to bed to just let him sleep comfortably in her arms. Oh how she wished, she could but they didn't work that way, did they?

"I meant every word I said in the meeting, Tom" she paused in case he wanted to react, but carried on when he didn't "If Finn is to handle that side of the business he will have to face the dangers. He can't sit here protected. No one comes out in one piece handling that side of affairs. You and Arthur, of all people, understand that don't you?"

He just stared at her. She shifted in her seat, leaning in, arms on the desk "Tommy, you and your brothers had to get into dirty business because you didn't have a choice. But Finn has a choice. He is very young and now his family is more than capable of giving him a better life than any one of us has had" she wanted to let it all out "I know you do not want him to get hurt, but if you keep pushing him he will get hurt it's inevitable. He's not like you or Arthur or John"

"What do you imply?" he asked, voice deep and low. Calm.

"I say we send him off to a good university. That's the only way to get him away from the bad side. I'm not saying we send him somewhere far away like America. I say we keep him in Britain. Oxford, Cambridge, London"

He hardly spoke but she could sense the gears of his mind working

"He will mingle with intelligent, brilliant and decent people there. See the world for what it really is. Away from all this dirt. He will take up Law or Commerce. Come back as an asset to the company. Tommy, it's not such a bad idea you know that" she knew he understood the language of profits better, so if she had to use that she would.

Now he nodded, his gaze had shifted down to the desk where her hands lay. He was thinking, gone in his mind.

"Think of him as an elder son of yours"

He looked up at her, hints of sudden anger but an overall understanding

She sat back. Roslyn had said everything she had wanted to. Now it was up to her husband to decide.

"We want people here" he quietly said "To keep the cash coming in"

"I know. But we have Mr. Gold and Isiah for that and we can hire more people. I can give you more of my business. We have alternatives" she said

He ran hand through his hair and face, fingers landing on his eyes. He was exhausted. Spent. From all the thinking.

"You're tired. Go get some rest we can talk about this some other day" she felt like she was talking too much anyway

He laid back in the chair, eyes closed, head resting on the back. Stayed there for a few seconds before getting up.

"I will consider this, Arabella" he said before leaving

.

.

.

.

"Mrs. Shelby, you could've called me if you needed anything" Frances said, a little worried, when she found Roslyn in the kitchen

"It's okay, Frances. You and the staff can retire for the day. Goodnight" She said with a polite smile. She liked Frances but also disliked her a tad bit because of how nosy she was sometimes. She was Tommy's personal informant in the house.

She nodded "Yes. Goodnight, Mrs. Shelby"

Roslyn had decided to make a calming tea for Tommy. She had it sometimes when she was too tired to sleep. The tea made her relax. She was hoping it would have the same effect on Tommy, though it was questionable.

She put in tea, some herbs she used, lavender and a dash of rum. She even made this tea for Alfie once and he slept like a baby for atleast two hours. A smile played on her lips when she thought of it.

.

.

She checked the library first. That was Tommy's sanctuary. She knocked before entering with the tray.

He looked up from his desk, confused, watching her as she kept the tray on the table in front of the couch.

"I made tea" she said, inviting him to the couch with a tilt of her head, while pouring the drink into her favourite cups.

Surprisingly he obeyed. He was a little taken aback because he didn't know she could make tea. Or be that homely. Or maybe he had completely ignored it till now.

He sat to her right. She shifted to the far left of the couch so they weren't too, at all, close.

"Here" she bent to hand him the cup.

They drank the tea in silence.

When they finished, she softly said, while getting up "I drink this tea to help me calm down. If you feel sleepy in a few minutes, just sleep, okay?"

Tommy looked at her get up, laying back on the couch.

She left, hoping Tommy would sleep a few hours atleast. Made a mental note to come check in an hour,

.

.

She immersed herself in work because she didn't want to sleep just yet. After fighting sleep for an hour, she finally made her way to the library, praying in her head for him to be asleep.

Much to her shock and relief, he had dozed off. He was sleeping, lying fully down on the couch. She was proud of her tea today because if it could make Tommy sleep, it could make anyone sleep.

She quietly left. Content that he'd atleast get some, if not much, sleep tonight.

[liquid-reign]

Together We Bleed

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Thomas Shelby x Arabella Roslyn Asheton (OC)

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Warnings: Mentions of rough sex, mentions of drugs, hallucinations

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I again the stole the title from a song. It’s a phrase from Ghost - WILDES

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A/N:- I’m not a writer. I just write when a particular scenario wouldn’t leave my mind so the writing might not be very smooth or what is expected. The scenarios just have to be written, and that is why this exists.

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Word Count- 2.1k according to Microsoft Word

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She had a hundred questions in her mind. A hundred things she wanted to tell Ada but she waited. Till she came back from the kitchen, bringing them tea.

“So, what brings you here, Roslyn?”

Roslyn hesitated for a while, not being able to think how to put it forward. She was not used to this, having other women to talk to.

Keep reading

[liquid-reign]

Strawberries

//

Tommy x Arabella

Word Count- 1.2k

Trigger warning- None as such, fluff?

A/N- This is a Modern!AU because characters like Esme don't fit in the same timeline as Arabella according to the show's timings. So yes a modern one. I didn't mean for this to be so long, but I wrote it real fast and this scenario wasn't leaving my mind. I'm sorry I couldn't write a decent ending (again) but yeah whatever. Please don't judge the shitty writing I wanted to write something soft and cute.

//

The title is from a song called "Strawberries" by Caamp. Go listen to it, it'd pretty cute.

//

//

Arabella was just about to leave her office for home, it was almost 7.00, when the her phone rang. Esme.

"Esme, how are you?" she spoke in the most normal voice she could without sounding annoyed because of work

"Roslyn, I have to ask for a favour" and she continued without giving Roslyn the time to reply "Me and John have this dinner we have to be at and the kids' nannies have an off-day. Would you please look after Emma for tonight?"

Roslyn loved Emma like her own. She had been born a month after she came to the family and she had grown an instant attachment to her. When she sometimes went to Esme and John's place to drop Charlie for a weekend, which was once a month atleast, she would always spend some time with Emma and take for her lots of sweets, cute little dresses and teddy bears.

She said an instant yes to Esme's offer, her tiredness agreed to cooperate suddenly.

She picked up some chocolates and fresh strawberries on her way home. The eight month old girl had a tooth as sweet as her aunt.

.

.

She ran to get get to the door when the door-bell rang.

Esme greeted her with a big smile. The little girl was too happy and eager to go to her aunt's arms, she almost jumped out of Esme's hold "Easy, Emma" and Roslyn took her "Hello there, Em" she whispered and kissed her cheek

"She's happy with you, that's why I thought I'd drop her with you. Oh, and here's her bag. It has everything you'll need"

"Where are Harry, Jack and Max?" Roslyn asked

"Dropped them at Polly's. They are older so she agreed. Thank you so much for this and now I'll leave, getting late"

"Sure, have a good night without the kids" Roslyn winked at Esme

Roslyn and Esme got along well almost everytime they met. They were friends.

"That's the plan" and she laughed and left

.

.

Emma was a beautiful and active but calm kid. She let the girl play on the living room carpet. She sung her songs and danced a little holding her in her arms.

Her heart melted everytime Em would laugh at something she did. She fed her mashed strawberries, it was the baby's favourite food apparently, and gave her some to play with.

The time flew and it was already late enough, way past the girl's bedtime. It was like Emma had rolled in strawberries. She had the juice and mash all over her and she smelled sooo sweet. She took her for a bath before putting her to sleep. She almost wanted to keep her here forever, the way the baby looked at her with big round and beautiful dark brown eyes, just like her mothers', as she read her a story in bath.

She got her dressed in her little nightsuit and laid on the couch after roaming around for a bit, singing her lullabies and taking in the sweet calming baby scent. Emma laid on her chest and clutched onto her blouse as she slept. Roslyn held her secure in her arms as she herself drifted off to sleep.

.

.

Tommy knocked on the door twice and when no one opened, he used his key. He stepped in quietly, attentive. But heaved a sigh of relaxation on the sight in front of him.

Roslyn lay on the couch with a baby in her arms. Tommy went a little closer and then knew it was Emma. The sight calmed him so much he had no idea why. So he served himself a glass of water, switched the lights off and sat on the sofa opposite to the couch, taking in what was in front of him.

His wife was a tough woman, as one should be in their line of business, but she was this soft too? She was gentle with children and the family, yes, but why had he never noticed that before?

His phone rang, and Roslyn woke up from the sound "Tommy, is it you?"

He put his phone away "Yes, it's me"

Roslyn got up, securing the girl in her arms and whispered "I'll put her on the bed" And just when as she said that Emma began to babble and cry a little, maybe waking up "Shh, shhhh, baby we're going to bed, okay? shhhh" she whispered to her to calm her down

Thomas was taken aback because he had never seen this side of hers before.

She laid her on Charlie's empty bed and sung her little quite lullabies till she calmed down and went back to sleep.

Thomas had quietly followed her and he stood in the doorway, taking all this in. So her wife wasn't all things guns and schemes. She was equal parts soft. His heart did a little flutter when she turned around to exit.

They went to the living room where she explained the situation to him "And Charlie wanted to go to Ada's for the weekend, so I dropped him there"

Tommy nodded "Dynamic weekend for the kids, eh?"

"Yeah. You ate something?"

"No, I just came home a few minutes ago"

"Alright, the dinner is almost ready, go change"

.

They discussed the meeting Tommy had been to today, over dinner.

She stopped to check on Emma, on her way to her room, placing a little kiss on her head before leaving.

Tommy wanted his wife in his arms tonight, wanted to have her near him, feeling her beside him. But what would he say to her if he wanted her to sleep like that? They slept like that after a fuck or if they get close unaware, while sleeping. But sober, fully awake they never did that. So he slept facing her, watching her, she had fallen asleep as soon as she hit the bed.

.

.

To her surprise Tommy hadn't left for office, it was quite late as compared to his usual time.

She came out of Charlie's room, carrying Emma, having had her ready and she asked her to wave at him "Say bye bye to uncle Tommy, Em"

The girl stretched her little arms out to go to Tommy, so he took her, she babbled something to which Tommy replied with Alrights and Okays. In that very moment Roslyn almost wanted what she thought she never wanted yet. But she shut the thought up.

"I'll come with you to John's. Have something to discuss"

"Okay, you can but I was planning on taking her to a short shopping spree" and now she looked at Em cooing to her "To get my girl pretty dresses and toys"

Tommy wasn't at all used to how to respond when his wife was being so out of her usual personality "Okay you shop and call me when done, eh? I have some business in that area"

"Sounds good"

.

.

She had returned back to her usual demeanour, according to her husband.

"You should bring her home more often, if you like to"

It brought her back from her thoughts "No, it's alright. She's little"

She didn't want to get used to having her there. Because if she could feel sad when she dropped her off after one night, she didn't know what it would do to her if she had her for a longer time. What was she gonna do with so many left over strawberries back at home?

"Arabella, I'll pick you up at 6.30 for dinner" he said as her office building arrived.

"Who are we meeting?" he had used the first name, why?

"No one. Just going out for dinner"

She took a few seconds to reply this unusual proposal "Okay"

She smiled a little while in her office at Tommy's odd proposal and also looked forward to it.

//

[liquid-reign]

I have a cute fic in my mind but it's a modern AU (because I wanna bring in a character and that can't happen in the time Peaky is set in and also Tommy and Arabella are married at the end of S4 so I can't imagine it then idk, so modern AU)

So hopefully for a change a cute fic will be there on this blog. A rest from the usual sad/stressed stuff.

Maybe I'll post it in a few hours? Maybe tomorrow? idk

[liquid-reign]

Reflections II

PART I

//

Tommy x Arabella

Word Count- 865

Trigger Warning- Mentions of miscarriage, emotional a bit, Tommy being tommy

A/N- They have this language of questions they talk in. No one answers each other. They’re annoying to write

//

/

The library was open when she got home. She could hear his voice, through the cracked door, talking to someone on the phone. But she didn't want to see him at all. Didn't have the capacity in her to talk to him in his ways. She almost regretted telling him about the miscarriage.

As the hot water made her limbs relax, she almost dozed off to sleep in the bathtub itself when she heard the door to the bathroom open. She closed her eyes again, getting ready to talk or whatever he was there for.

"We have a bed to sleep in" he said, leaning against the sink, arms crossed She just sighed and tried to ignore him He held out her towel, "The water's getting cold. You should get out" "I will in some time" refusing to look at him He left the towel at the stand nearby and kissed the top of her head before leaving.

. . Those few minutes in the tub were the only ones she could afford to relax because she had tons of papers to read and sign for the new shipments she was about to handle. So she had dressed up light and straightaway gone to her study. 

When she had just settled in her chair and started to sip on her tea, Tommy quietly entered the room.

She watched as he crossed the room to go to the other end to turn the gramophone on. This man was giving her the hardest time of her life right now. She didn't know what he wanted. 

She was still watching when he approached her, extending his hand towards her "May I have a dance? Roslyn" And eyebrow raise was all he got as an answer at first but then he asked again "May I?"

She neither had the energy nor the mood to dance. But since Tommy was home after so long she took his hand.

They swayed together for sometime before he finally broke the silence "You didn't tell me"

Silence

"Neither about the baby nor the loss"

"I told you today" she whispered

"Why didn't you tell me, Arabella?"

She couldn't tell why she felt so heavy inside. Why she had water pool in her eyes again. Yes the loss was a reason but  a week had already passed and she wasn't much for babies anyway. But it hurt.

She rested her head on his shoulder "You haven't been home in so long. What do you want me to think?" she whispered

And then she looked up at him "Why didn't you come home?"

A tear must've escaped her eyes because Tommy brushed it away with his fingers, gently.

"It was painful. That night" another tear "I wish you were there" and then she couldn't look at him anymore. 

He kissed the back of her head where it lay on his shoulder and whispered into it, "The sessions at the Parliament were tightly scheduled. Had to stay in London"

"You didn't want to be reached by me. I know you took calls from everyone except me. Why?"

No answer

She looked at his face again "Why Tommy? You know I only talk business with you when you're away, so to not waste time. I want an answer"

Roslyn knew he was jam-packed with work and it was of no use asking him such questions. he would never answer. So she put her head back on his shoulder and prayed that she wouldn't cry.

After a long time of them just swaying there in the warmth, in the comfortable-now silence, he unexpectedly spoke "Arabella"

She was a little startled with rumble in his chest when he spoke so low and realised she had almost dozed off on him

She hummed in response

"I'm sorry" and kissed her head again, hugging her close with the hand he had on her waist.

She nodded, too tired and dizzy to respond. 

"You're tired. Have some sleep and wake up early to finish up the work, eh?"

The idea was too alluring to not take. She was truly tired and figured that she won't be able to work like that. So she broke the embrace they were dancing in "Yes i think I'll go to bed"

She walked towards the desk to put everything back at it's place and then towards the door to finally get out of that room "goodnight, tom"  knowing that Tommy will go to his library.

As she collapsed into the bed, letting it take her entirely, she heard the door to the bedroom open followed by a very familiar whiff of her husband. She felt the bed dip and then body scooping hers from the back. She turned around for he captured her in a warm tight embrace, like she'd slip away if not held properly "We can try again, if you want" he whispered, kissing her forehead.

"What for?" she asked already half asleep

"For a child"

She looked up at him, eyes questioning.

"Yeah. What do you say?", he asked looking at her

"Maybe", merely a whisper. She couldn’t say a straight up “no” to this. To Tommy being like this and also because she wasn’t sure if she even wanted one yet.

And before he could say anything else he felt her relax and knew she was asleep.

//

//

[liquid-reign]

Reflections

Here we go with another one. There’s a PART II to this

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Tommy x Arabella

Word Count- 1k (approx)

Trigger Warnings- Miscarriage, hints of sex, emotional a bit 

//

The title is as always from a song. It’s Reflections by The Neighborhood

//

Apart from the show of being a happy married couple, she and Tommy had found a middle ground between fucking like married people and behaving like business friends in general.  Last she checked they were still married. But Tommy hadn't come home in over two weeks now. Or since she saw him, particularly. Because he apparently had come home twice in between to see Charlie, but only during the day when she had been away at work.

She still wasn't sure whether she had recovered from the loss. She had no idea why it affected her so much. Maybe she really wanted to have the child. But why hadn't she told her husband in over a month of carrying it in her? Maybe she herself didn't want it, anyway. But she knew it wasn't the truth, she just knew.

 A week after the loss, the endless night where there was no one to hold her in her misery, not even her own husband, she decided she wanted to see him

"Good Afternoon, Lizzie. Is Tommy in a meeting in his office?", she said stopping at her desk.

"No, he's not in any meeting and yes he's in there", Lizzie answered before looking up at her boss's wife "Though he has asked to not let any visitors in"

He was in there. That's all that mettered to her. She nodded and walked up to go to his office, ignoring Lizzie's warning.

She locked the doors from the inside as soon as she entered.

He looked up from his work and started questioning her "What are y-" only to be interrupted with her lips on his. A deep kiss that said what she wanted. He parted, pulling her face away with his hands, a little breatheless, question clear on his face

She nodded, "I have forty minutes. Fuck me"

He stood up, locking her between him and the desk with his hands on either sides on the desk. "In the middle of the day, when I asked for no visitors?"

"I don't think i'm any regular visitor" and proceeded to kiss him only to be held back with his hands on her face. He was evidently confused. She dragged her hands from his waist, unbuttoning the waistcoat, to the top of his dark purple striped tie to bring him closer "Just do it, Tom, please" and grazed on his lower lip.

And as if that was all he needed to get to work, he crashed his lips onto hers and lifted her up to place on the desk.

She reached down to unbutton his pants and his hands roamed her entire body to finally pull the skirt up.

After almost more than fifteen days of not doing it he fucked her like it was the only thing that mattered, eyes fixed on her. Holding her close the entire time, the grip of her legs wrapped around his abdomen sending him to another dimension. Just like him going so deep, yet so painfully sweet, was sending her.

She finished with her legs gluing him to her and hands clutching tight on the open waistcoat, teeth digging into his flesh right where his neck met the shoulder. And he followed right after her. Kissing and biting her shoulder in equal measures. Both a bit sweaty, bodies still stuck together, they stayed like that till their breathing evened a little.

She snuggled her face in the crook of his neck, taking in the the familiar scent, before she felt him part, landing his lips on hers, ever so soft.

Tommy pressed his forehead to hers, looking at her, for answers maybe or in adoration he didn't know.

Roslyn kept her eyes closed, savouring the moment because she didn't know when she'll get to be this close to him again in the coming days. Her hands held his face softly "Tommy", she whispered, just before she opened her eyes finally, ready to part.

She took one longing look at him, wanting to ask him to come home. His thumbs were making little circles on her stomach where he held her from the waist which was making her dizzy in all the good ways.

It took all her willpower to step down from the desk, onto the floor. She walked towards the bar cabinet, adjusting and smoothening her dress on the way.

She poured herself some water, not wanting the taste of his kisses to disappear into the flavour of some alcohol. Leaning on the cabinet helped stabilize.

"What is it, Roslyn?" his velvet voice bringing her back from her thoughts

Taking a sharp breathe, she turned around to face his way, "Why haven't you been home in more than two weeks?"

"I have"

"In times when I'm not there"

Silence

She let out a little sad smile, nodded and turned to leave the office.

Just when she was almost about to wear hear overcoat, his hand pulled to him, their chests almost touching.

"I just wanted a good fuck. That's it"

"No it's not" he said, shaking his head

She looked away, rolling her eyes. It was the only way she could keep it together, not looking at his face.

"I need to know" he said moving her face by the chin to look at him, but she looked anywhere but at him.

He would have to know someday. And she couldn't hold it in anymore.

A tear escaped her eye, "I was carrying our child, Tommy. Lost it last week" and her voice cracked.

He held as his wife as she fell into him. She wasn't sobbing or crying but she was miserable inside, even he could tell.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked

She kept quite. Didn't have have an answer for that, she.

Suddenly she remembered she had to conduct a meeting and not much time was left.

"Have to go, right now. Goodbye, Tom" and she left

//

[liquid-reign]

Wicked Game

Yes I have a thing for naming things after songs

Wicked Game- Chris Isaak

But for this fic, its the Daisy Gray version

And I don’t know to write an ending sentence or a closing sentence or whatever it’s called. So, uumm, yeah.

Tommy Shelby x Roslyn Asheton

//

//

She had just had her breakfast with Charlie, preparing him for his morning violin class. She had to go to office late today and made sure whatever time she had could spare, she spent it with Charlie. After prepping him up she went to her office to look forward to the days meetings. Halfway through the work, she heard bangs in the field. Charlie was playing specifically loud, so she rushed to the front door and saw something that horrified her.

Tommy was shooting at a scarecrow, surrounded with explosions. Not even a second passed since she saw this, and her feet ran at their fullest potential towards the field. The explosions stopped and Tommy was walking out of the field but she still ran until she was blocking her husband.

Keep reading

[liquid-reign]

This is their song. When they share a moment and also in general. You want slow music for them sometimes. It's this.

[liquid-reign]

I want background music in life and I want it to be this when I'm walking away in slo-mo after totally devastating something or someone

[liquid-reign]

Together We Bleed

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Thomas Shelby x Arabella Roslyn Asheton (OC)

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Warnings: Mentions of rough sex, mentions of drugs, hallucinations

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I again the stole the title from a song. It's a phrase from Ghost - WILDES

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A/N:- I'm not a writer. I just write when a particular scenario wouldn't leave my mind so the writing might not be very smooth or what is expected. The scenarios just have to be written, and that is why this exists.

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Word Count- 2.1k according to Microsoft Word

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She had a hundred questions in her mind. A hundred things she wanted to tell Ada but she waited. Till she came back from the kitchen, bringing them tea.

"So, what brings you here, Roslyn?"

Roslyn hesitated for a while, not being able to think how to put it forward. She was not used to this, having other women to talk to.

"Did- does Tommy come here often? Has he recently?"

"Actually he doesn't now as much as he used to."

Roslyn waited for her to continue, but she didn't.

"Have you seen him, in recent days?"

"Yes. I went to parliament with him to meet Mosley.", she shifted in her seat leaning a bit forward, "What is it?"

"If he took you to meet Mosley, then I think you already know what's wrong."

Ada decided she'd tell her, though she had promised herself that she won't tell anybody but the woman sitting in front of her was her brother's wife, not an outsider. "After we met him, he talked about someone taking his throne or something. Wanted me to make some calls"

Roslyn knew something was wrong and the worry for Thomas scared her. She wanted to tell Ada everything.

She became present in the room when Ada reached forward, laid a soft hand on her knee.

Roslyn couldn't keep sitting anymore so she stood up, her tea going cold. She suddenly craved cigarettes but refrained due to Ada carrying a baby.

She crossed the room to stand by the window for some fresh air, she felt suffocated.

"He isn't alright, Ada. There's something terribly wrong.", she took in a deep sharp breathe. Deciding to tell her. "He's consuming laudanum like one consumes water on an everyday basis. I know he hallucinates. G-", she choked on her next word, hardly able to say it. So she cleared her throat once, and tried again, "I think it's Grace"

She noticed Ada freeze and go still for a moment.

"Hardly ever sleeps, Ada. He's sinking, I can see it.", her knees wanted to give up as she felt her body going numb. Kept herself standing by leaning against the wall beside the window. "I can't let him.”

"Well, I booked him an appointment with a doctor but he won't go"

Both of them knew that Thomas Shelby wasn't one to go to doctors.

Suddenly, Roslyn picked her things up and walked towards the door.

"You can stay", Ada started, "I know how he can be"

She didn't turn too look at her sister-in-law, though she was tempted to take up the offer.

"I want to be there for him, Ada. Goodnight", and she left.

Tommy wasn't home for the rest of the night. It was a norm now but she didn't want to accept it now. She knew Tommy wasn't alright and just wanted him home. So she went to her office and phoned his offices. No one picked up. She didn't sleep for the rest of the night.

.

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Tommy didn't come home for another two nights. Roslyn had tried to meet him at his London apartment, but no one answered the door. She had called his office and Lizzie had answered, though, telling her that he was in a meeting.

She took her clue. Knew he didn't want to be reached just yet. So she had waited for those two nights.

He did come home on the third night.

Roslyn was working in her study after putting Charlie to sleep when he walked in through the door and stood on the other side of the desk, both hands on the table, "Where did you keep it?"

She didn't look up from her work, "Keep what?"

He stood straight now, hands in the pockets of his coat, where no one could see them shivering. From rage? From the lack of sleep? From the lack of laudanum?

"Arabella?"

No. She won't let him play the first name card here.

"Threw it all away.", looking up at her husband now, sitting back in the chair.

She could see how tired he was. The features on his face gave it all away though he kept it expressionless. How much he wanted his little bottles of dope. To be with Grace? For comfort? For what? His eyes, though, were filled with a certain type of rage. She had seen this before, this rage. It showed when he didn't get the things he badly wanted.

He was clearly irritated, slowly nodded and fled the room. Roslyn knew he'd leave the house again. So she ran behind him to catch him before he reaches the main door.

"Tommy!" she yelled, "Thomas!" walking as fast as she could. Running when he was almost at the door, catching him from his arm just in time.

He freed his arm with force but didn't move towards the door, just stood there.

"Don't leave", she softly said, and moved towards him with slow calculated steps, as if one moves to calm a scared horse. His face gave away expressions that were a mix of being angry and tired. He didn't move. She reached him and hugged him lightly first. Taking a risk. Experimenting. When he didn't move away, she held him tighter. Embracing him as wholly and as tight as she could. She ran a hand through his hair, "Don't leave, Tommy. You don't need it. Okay? You don't need it.", she whispered in his ear. He was so still, she felt chills run down her spine. Buried her face in the crook of his neck, on the verge of tears, she "It's alright. It'll be alright.", she parted to take a look at his face, "Let's go to bed?", one arm around his neck, one hand on his cheek.

He finally moved. Took her by the hand, held tight with a lot of force, and took her upstairs to their shared bedroom, in a hurry that surprised her. But relieved at the fact that he wasn't leaving yet.

He shoved her into the bedroom and closed the door behind him. She almost stumbled by the force he did that, wrist starting to pain because of the strength it was held with.

Walking towards her, he let go of his coat and jacket. He wasn't wearing a cap today, it seemed. He crushed her lips with his. Hard, angry, forceful. A kiss that could leave bruises on both their lips. Like it was a war for him. His grip tight on her waist. He was using too much strength. Clearly agitated and in rage. She accepted the fact that whatever he did tonight would end up in bruises or cuts, but she decided she'd reply in less resistance. If this was how she could keep him away from consuming laudanum, then it was almost a negligible price to pay. She didn't want to be harsh with him tonight, she gave in.

His hands crushed her wherever they touched her.

The rage, the need reflected in how rough and urgent, but deep, his moves were. Paused and continued in his own accord. Depriving her of the freedom to let go again and again.

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After riding out his high he loosened his grip on her gently, kissing her jaw and cheeks, nuzzling into her neck. He held on to her for sometime, kissing her now limp shoulders. He let her fall into the bed. Tommy crashed beside her.

She just lay there. In the position that the bed caught her in. Face away from Tommy, resting on her front. The tears had stopped but she felt weak. Her body felt liquid.

He stared at the ceiling for some time before the realisation, that his wife lay there as it is, dawned on him. Hated himself for being like that to her. Why had he? So his eyes shifted to her. Thankfully, she was beginning to move.

She lay there for a few minutes, not able to move as the bruises started making their presence evident. Reluctantly, she pulled herself up, to lay on her back. Now lying on her side, facing her husband who had just had with her the most rough consensual sex of her lifetime yet and found him staring at her.

His face was blank, but at least it didn't bear the anger and hurt it had sometime ago.

Tommy's right hand reached out to brush away the remainder of the tears from her cheek. A heavy air lingered between them, which none of them dared to break.

She moved closer to him and he welcomed her onto his arm. They lay there like that for sometime, before he spoke and woke her up from the almost slumber, "Why, Arabella?"

She hummed, shifted a little to look up at him, "Do you want to sleep?"

Before he could react, she sat up, her back resting against the back of the bed. "Come on", she whispered, patting her thighs.

He had protested the first time she had offered that to him some months ago. But, this time, he took the offer almost immediately.

One arm wrapped around her thighs, his breathing slowed into a relaxed rhythm. She ran a hand through his dark and soft hair and the other held his free hand. He clutched her hand tightly, entwining their fingers together.

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The feeling of chilled, fresh cold air where his warmth had been, woke her up. A glimpse of him leaving the bedroom, dressed in his undershirt, pants and suspenders. She checked for the time. She had had an hour of sleep, then. It was almost dawn. Had Tommy slept at all?

She dreaded the thought of leaving him alone at this point so she left the room looking for him wearing only his overcoat, not wanting to waste time finding dresses. She didn't find him in the library. She wanted to search the entire house for him but it was a time waste right now. Everything was urgent, she didn't know why. He wouldn't be in the stables, she knew that. He didn't spend much time in there since Dangerous. So, she decided to look in her study, and in Charlie's room, which was on the way.

There he was. Sitting in her chair in her study, smoking.

The fire and lights weren't lit. The faint glow of the oncoming dawn lighting the room just enough to make out figures. The orange tip of his cigarette casting a heavenly glow on his face. His beauty never ceased to amaze her.

Tommy let her take the cigarette from his mouth and place herself on him. Her legs on either side of him. It was visible now, she just had his overcoat on. He couldn't bring himself to look at her face for reasons known to him.

He refused to look at her. She held his chin and guided his face upwards and kissed him before pressing her forehead to his.

"Did you sleep?", she whispered

His hands moved to hold her by the waist.

She parted to look at him, his eyes on her now. "Come back to bed, eh?" Tears were threatening to roll out of her eyes but she couldn't do that. Couldn't be weak. She hugged him, wrapping herself around him "Please", and kissed is neck.

Tommy hugged her back, tighter than she hoped he would. "I can't, Arabella"

"Tommy, look at me", she whispered.

He was staring at her like a lost puppy stares at someone who finds him.

"It's just in your head. The hallucinations. The suffering. Don't let it cloud anything."

She reached for his hands and held them together, "We can handle this, okay? I'm right here and we'll handle everything. Mosley, Billy Boys, Michael. Everything"

"You know"

Maybe if he'd be a bit specific, she thought.

"Know what?"

"She's so real"

Her mind and body froze.

"She's-", he hid his face in her chest, Wanted to melt in her warmth.

No words came out of her mouth. She was choking on her own words, knowing that everything she'll say will go in vain in that moment. So she held him. Running her fingers in his hair to calm him down.

It was absolute silence till she spoke again, as softly as she could, "Give up the opium. Please." He held her tighter. "Please, Tom"

She was almost sure that the little dampness she felt on her bare chest was her husband's tears. It broke her heart but she stayed there to let him cry. At least he showed some emotion and leaving him alone was not what she was going to do.

"It keeps me warm"

Silence

"Let me keep you warm", she whispered in his ear, kissing the spot just behind it.

Surprisingly, his grip on her loosened and he looked directly at her now. Present in the moment.

She pressed her forehead to his, cradling his face in her hands, "I'll keep you warm, Tom. I will. I promise" a tear finally escaped her eyes. It broke her seeing the man she loved in this condition.

"Just come back to bed for now. Please" merely a whisper.

Roslyn stood back up and extended a hand towards him, which he took after some hesitation.

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I have no idea how to end this. I'll write one if it ever strikes my mind.

[liquid-reign]

Wicked Game

Yes I have a thing for naming things after songs

Wicked Game- Chris Isaak

But for this fic, its the Daisy Gray version

And I don’t know to write an ending sentence or a closing sentence or whatever it’s called. So, uumm, yeah.

Tommy Shelby x Roslyn Asheton

//

//

She had just had her breakfast with Charlie, preparing him for his morning violin class. She had to go to office late today and made sure whatever time she had could spare, she spent it with Charlie. After prepping him up she went to her office to look forward to the days meetings. Halfway through the work, she heard bangs in the field. Charlie was playing specifically loud, so she rushed to the front door and saw something that horrified her.

Tommy was shooting at a scarecrow, surrounded with explosions. Not even a second passed since she saw this, and her feet ran at their fullest potential towards the field. The explosions stopped and Tommy was walking out of the field but she still ran until she was blocking her husband.

"Tommy?" she said, panting from all the running.

"What are you doing, still home?" he said, in a hurry, without even glancing her way and continued walking towards the house.

She followed him into the library, not asking anything. He immediately made a phone call and she listened, standing right there at the other end of his desk. Something about sending someone to Birmingham. Whom?

"What was that?" she asked

He just stood there, his hands leaning on the table, as if for support, head low.

"Tommy? What the fuck was that?" her voice angry and concerned now.

"I'll let you know later" he said, in a low thick voice. She knew him well enough to know when he didn't want to talk.

"You better", and she left.

Roslyn wasn't new to danger and could sense when things weren't right. Tommy had been behaving weird lately. They usually discussed about their businesses in whatever fragments of time they found with each other and were even beginning to settle into the marriage, maybe, but that was before he started behaving like this. So, she felt like it was time to fulfil the promise she had made.

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It was late at night, way past midnight, when the door to her study opened. It could only be him. He didn't seat himself anywhere, rather poured himself some whiskey and walked to stand by the fireplace.

Tension and silence lingered in the air for sometime before he broke it, "You put your men on me"

"Finest men I have. They know how to handle anything."

He turned to look her way. Eyes giving away disbelief, disappointment, anger. His face, ever so expressionless and voice ever so professional.

"You put your men on me, Roslyn" he repeated

"It had to be done." she didn't look up from the work she kept herself immersed in

"Since when?"

"4 days now"

"Fair enough. I don't give you enough reasons to trust me, do I?" eyes fixed on her

Now she looked up and gave him a hard stare as if she could destroy him then and there.

He walked towards her, hands on her shoulders, lifting her up from her chair and pressing her back against the nearest wall. He raised both his eyebrows at her in question.

"You said you would let me know. You didn't, did you?" she paused to take a good look at him with her rage filled eyes, "It's not about trust, Thomas. I put my men on you because I promised something to you on our wedding night, eh?"

His expression relaxed a bit and his grip on her relaxed. He remembered how she had promised to stand by him as his strength.

She could tell he remembered. She wanted to tell him that his safety was prime to her, that sometimes she wanted to handle everything that he did and let him have some rest. But he didn’t function that way and she didn’t want to say it out loud. She couldn’t ever let rationality leave her. And in this very moment, anger is all she felt

"Michael is back and I know it is something related to him. And what happened in the field, Billy Boys, weren't they?" She paused and removed his hands off of his grip on her, "Don't forget that I'm not someone you can push-over, Thomas Shelby. I have my sources but I respect us enough to trust you to tell me things, which I can find out much easier on my own" now she stood close to him, as close as possible without touching him anywhere, "Anybody lays a hand on you, they won't see another day" she warned. Voice and expression stern. Like she would kill anybody who even tried to touch him.

He ran a finger to trace the side of her face.

She took her chance and walked out of his way towards her desk.

"Here", handing him the files, "I think you came here for these"

After taking the files and putting them back on the desk he grabbed her from the hand and pulled her to him. She, looking at the wall on the other side of the room, avoiding his face.

"You'd do that, eh?" he asked, knowing bloody well that she was fully capable of it.

No answer.

He cupped her face in his hands, to make her look at him.

"It's late, you should go to bed." her voice plain. She was annoyed at him. Her body turned on by the vicinity of them standing so close, yearning for him because they hadn't had an encounter for a long time now, but her mind knew better.

He did realise in that very moment that she was very serious and his treatment of her wasn't right.

He took his clue and left.

Tommy straightaway went to the library, sleep was far fetched. Tried to concentrate on everything but his mind wouldn't let go of his wife's words. How, after a very long time, he had felt something. He would be lying if he didn't admit how incredibly sexy he had found her at that very moment. A woman who could do that for him. Do what no one else had dared to till now. A woman who knew him so well. A woman who wasn't afraid of him. Who didn't want to change him. He wanted her. Needed her. To savour her. But-

She didn't want to give into what her body and heart demanded. Wanted to be strong, but the past few days had been rough and she needed a good enough distraction. He's your husband, Roslyn. You have the right to fulfil your needs with him. So, for the first time in a very long while, she decided to give in. To keep functioning.

He leaned back in his chair when he saw her enter the library. After a few seconds he got up, walked towards and absolutely crashed his lips onto hers, pressing himself to her, hands holding his wife from the waist, painfully close.

She parted, breathing heavily, "Take us to bed?"

He lifted her up, her legs hugging his abdomen and went upstairs to their shared bedroom.

They fucked like they could save each other by being getting lost doing it. Like it was the only thing keeping them alive. The intense two rounds left them empty and tired. She had ended up on top of him in the second one, collapsed into him.

She got up, out of the bed towards the window for a smoke.

Roslyn had no intention of being affectionate towards him right now, having had listened to her body and heart once, not anymore. Once in a while was enough.

He just lay there in the dark room. Her naked silhouette, smoking, against the huge dimly lit window. Sometimes, he thought, he was scared of how he saw himself in her. How she could match him, even better than him, in a lot of affairs.

His train of thoughts halting to a stop for a second when she left the room, dressed just in a light night gown. It was almost dawn. There was no way sleep would make it's way to him now.

Roslyn didn't want to be near Tommy. She had snapped, had too much. She needed a break and this was it so she made her way to her study and let herself be lost in the work.

Space was something both of them craved most of the times and this is what it looked like.

//

But I kinda have an alternate ending for this, so pick whichever you like

Here it goes;-

//

//

He leaned back in his chair when he saw her enter the library. After a few seconds he got up, walked towards and absolutely crushed his lips onto hers, pressing himself to her, hands holding his wife from the waist, painfully close.

She parted, breathing heavily, "Yes I'd do that, Tom. I will have your back, protect you, because God knows you deserve it"

Tommy nodded, felt pride. Strange, that. He had only ever felt that when someone could beat him, someone close, when Polly was a step ahead of him or when Ada threw clever answers his way. A rare occurrence. But Roslyn had already instilled pride in him when he had found out what she was capable of while giving protection and muscle for the Vendetta, or when she crushed anyone who tested her knowledge in ammunition.

It felt strange. A woman willing to protect him. It was the last thing that Tommy could've asked for. Protection for himself. Someone who cared deep enough to do that. And on top of that a woman, it felt unreal.

"Take us to bed?" she suggested, grazing on his lower lip.

He lifted her up, her legs hugging his abdomen and went upstairs to their shared bedroom.

They fucked like they could save each other by being getting lost doing it. Like it was the only thing keeping them alive. The intense two rounds left them empty and tired. She had ended up on top of him in the second one, collapsed into him.

She got up, out of the bed towards the window for a smoke.

He lay there on the bed in the dark room. Her naked silhouette, smoking, against the huge dimly lit window. Sometimes, he thought, he was scared of how he saw himself in her. How she could match him, even better than him, in a lot of affairs.

Roslyn was looking at him, through a thin layer of smoke.

Put out her cigarette and walked towards him. She sat on his laps, one leg on either side. He was propped up, his back against the back of the bed. They couldn't see much of each other, but the faint glow of the oncoming dawn was enough. Roslyn held his face in her hands, and kept gazing at him. Lost in thought.

"You'd let me do it" a statement rather than a question, almost a whisper.

"Why would you?" his arms wrapped around her waist now.

"Let me"

His head fell into her chest. And she held him. Running a soft hand to feel his hair. So soft. Not the kind of hair a gangster would be expected to have. Held him there. Hands drifting to his strong shoulders and back. Hugging him almost.

None of them kept track of time. When she realised he had dozed off on her, she didn't dare wake him up. He slept very little these days so she felt a bit of a relief when he finally did. His face looked tired and worn.

Roslyn couldn't sleep anyway, so she stayed until he would naturally wake up. Savouring the touch, the entangled bodies, his calm breathes. Gently kissing his neck and head several times in between, giving out all the emotions for him she usually kept locked in. And it hit her, something she wasn’t aware of up until now. She was afraid of losing him.