#Linda Shelby

[rysko]

This, but as Peaky Blinders

did this instead of going to sleep, bon apetit

[tragicsiblings]

#happy holiday season

[geeky-politics-46]

Kinktober 2023 - Day 12

Titty Fucking with Arthur Shelby

"Pearl Necklace"

Smut - Explicit content - NSFW - 18+ only!

Summary: You & Arthur have another afternoon romp in his office

Warnings: Smut (NSFW) - 18+ ONLY - adultery/extra-marital affair, jealousy, swearing, pet names, marking, oral sex, titty fucking, handjob, cumplay, pearl necklace, almost facial, little bit of fluff

After that first night you crossed the line, you and Arthur continued your affair with little guilt from either of you. Yes, he was still technically married to Linda; but emotionally and mentally, he was all yours. To the world, you were his in all possible aspects after that night. Something that soon spread to those in the office as well as those throughout Birmingham, and you are sure, got back to his wife as well.

Not that she could really have treated you any worse than she did before your affair started. If anything, Linda's abuse and vitriol towards you had lessened since your real affair began. She knew she had lost the battle that she had created in her own mind. That much was evident by the locket Arthur bought you with both of your initials on it. It was a promise that when business settled down, when the stock market fallout was done, he would leave Linda and make an honest woman out of you. Assuming she didn't divorce him first. He had contacts who told him she had been trying to find a lawyer for a while.

His family pretty much all knew about the two of you, and most of them were supportive. Tommy especially. Which was no surprise, really, knowing his dislike of Linda and preference towards you. He would often say he was sending Arthur out of town for business only to send the two of you to spend a few days locked in a suite at the Midland Hotel together instead. Polly and Lizzie were a little more critical that you two weren't doing more to hide your affair and keep it out of the office. Both metaphorically and literally.

Arthur's office itself still being one of the main sites of your romps. Even now, as Arthur called you into his office, you couldn't help the smile on your face. Your stride became all the more confident as other employees started to move towards the front door. None of them frankly wanting to hear you two fucking again.

"Yes, Mr. Shelby."

You used your sweetest voice as you walked in and shut the door behind you, not even bothering to throw the lock. If someone walked in, it was their own fault. You and Arthur loved playing cat and mouse at the office. A lopsided grin on his lips and a predatory glint in his eyes as you sashayed over to where he sat. An extra sway in your hips as you undid a couple extra buttons on your blouse. Making sure he would get an eyeful of your breasts and peek at your bra, his favorite mauve silk one, when you bent down over his desk.

He immediately grabbed your hand and pulled you to sit in his lap. His face immediately buried in your neck, sucking and kissing at your throat. You wrapped your arms around his neck and hummed happily. Closing your eyes and focusing on the feeling of his lips on you.

"Apparently, you left some impressive scratch marks on my back a couple nights ago, love. Didn't even bother making up a lie to Linda when she saw them. Just shrugged. Don't fucking care anymore. Love it when you leave your mark on me, darlin’. Can't wait until I can openly tell everyone you're mine."

His fingers playing with the locket around your neck as he daydreamed about fucking you silly in your wedding dress. He had already removed his wedding ring. He only put it on anymore when he went home to Linda. He hated seeing it and knowing that it meant he wasn't married to you. That he still had to deal with her bullshit.

You could already feel his cock hardening beneath your ass. Letting your hips wiggle against him just a little to let him know you could feel it. He growled low in your ear nipping at the spot just below your ear.

"Well, Mr. Shelby, I did just touch up my lipstick, so how about I leave a new mark or two? Maybe here…"

You tilted his head up and to the side, placing a kiss on his neck. Pulling back to see the red lipstick print you left behind.

"... and here…"

This time, you placed a kiss on the other side of his neck. This time, making sure you placed it low enough on his neck to leave lipstick on his collar. Smiling at the way the bright shade popped against the starched white fabric.

You slithered out of his lap onto the floor in front of him. Your body poised between his legs. Keeping your eyes on his as you opened his waistcoat before unbuttoning and unzipping his pants. Opening them enough to expose the crotch of his white boxer shorts. Lowering your head until your lips were hovering just over the tent there.

"... and here."

You couldn't hold back a little giggle when you saw your lipstick print over his cock. Oh yes. This was the perfect little 'fuck you' to Linda. Maybe if you made her mad enough she would just leave on her own already. At this point all three of you knew she was staying merely out of spite.

"Fuck, angel. So good to me. Now quit that Mr. Shelby bullshit. At least until I can call you Mrs. Shelby. Besides you know I love hearing you scream my name when we fuck."

You raised up on your knees and drug your hands up over his muscular thighs onto his abdomen. Pulling at his suspenders as you tugged his head down to meet your lips. Nipping at his bottom lip before pulling away just far enough to whisper against his skin. His mustache tickling you lightly as you spoke.

"I want to make you scream my name right now, Arthur. You can make me scream later tonight."

Placing one more kiss on his lips, you pulled away and started working to undo his suspenders from his pants. Wiggling your behind excitedly once you had them undone and could start pulling his pants and boxers down to his knees. A smirk on his face at how exuberant you were to suck him off. He would happily return the favor later.

His cock springing free of it's confines as you settled back down onto your heels. Smiling up at him as you began peppering his inner thighs with lipstick tinted kisses. An almost lovesick look in Arthur's eyes as he watched you. His sweet little angel could be oh so devilish.

“Fuck, love. I can tell you right now I'm not gonna last long. Look so fucking pretty on your knees for me.”

With your most innocent eyes you started to kitten lick the tip of his cock. Lapping at it several times before licking your lips and fluttering your lashes at him. Humming to yourself like he was the most delicious treat you had ever tasted. Thoroughly pleased with your work when you opened your eyes and saw Arthur's mouth hanging open looking totally hypnotized. The lanky gangster may be feared by most of Birmingham, but you had him wrapped around your little finger.

“Love you, Arthur”

“Love you too, sw– ohhhhh”

Before Arthur could finish his sentence you lowered your head and took his cock as deep as you could. His words halting and giving way to needy groan. His head falling back and his eyes closing as you started to shallowly bob up and down on his shaft. Keeping your suction consistent until you decided to pull all the way off his cock with a loud pop.

You began to suckle on the head of his cock as you brought one hand up to stroke his hard length. Purposely licking over his slit and tasting his precum on your tongue. You loved getting a taste of what was now reserved just for you. Purring as you swirled your tongue around his ridge. Letting your saliva drip down his shaft and onto his balls.

Turning to look at the clock over your shoulder quickly while you moved to massage his balls, you realized just how soon Tommy was due to be back in the office. You needed to work fast if you wanted to finish Arthur off before you were inevitably interrupted. A wicked little plan forming in your mind.

Smiling sweetly up at him, you placed open mouth sucking kisses up and down his throbbing length. Your fingers nimbly working to open your blouse even more to completely reveal your chest. Your eyes locked with Arthur's as you pulled the cups of your bra down and let your breasts spill free.

After leaning over and spitting on the tip, you started stroking his cock with both hands. Twisting them in opposite directions on your upstroke. Making sure his cock was thoroughly soaked.

Once you were satisfied you suckled on his swollen head once more. Sucking as hard as you could while your tongue flicked at his frenulum. Pulling off of his cock after earning a shallow buck from Arthur's hips. You knew he was getting close.

Bracing yourself on his strong thighs, you scooted as close to the chair as you could. Letting the head of Arthur's cock rub against your chest. Painting a dribble of precum right next to the locket that bore both of your initials.

Arthur's eyebrow quirked up in question of what you were up to. His curiosity growing when you moved the locket over your shoulder so it was out of the way and brought your hands to your breasts and started toying with your nipples. Spitting onto his cock again as you positioned his manhood between your tits and squeezed them together.

Slowly starting to move up and down you smiled deviously as you saw the light bulb click on in Arthur's brain, finally realizing that you wanted him to fuck your tits. Excitedly he brushed his hands over your cheeks and down onto your shoulders as he gently started to thrust his hips.

“Oh, such a naughty mind you have, lovey. Gonna be wearing my cum the rest of the day.”

“Maybe that's what I want. I marked you, now I want you to mark me, Arthur.”

The visual of his cock squeezed between your beautiful breasts was quickly pushing Arthur to the edge. His thrusts growing faster and harder by the second. His teeth gritting together and a growl coming from deep in his chest when you stuck out your tongue so you could lick at the tip of his cock when it peaked up between your breasts.

His breathing started to fall in heavy shaky blows as he struggled to keep any sense of composure. He looked truly wrecked as you gazed up at him through your lashes. His brown hair falling forward over his face, his mouth hanging open, and desperately trying to keep his eyes on the erotic sight of you before him.

“Oh, fuck love, gonna cum! So fuckin’ good to me. Feels so fuckin’ good! Keep your tongue out darlin’. Here it comes!”

A deep growl and a moan falling from Arthur's lips as his hips stuttered and his fingers dug into your shoulders so hard they were sure to leave bruises. His cock twitching as his cum erupted onto your chest, neck, and chin. The warmth of his thick white spend making you shiver against the cool air in the office.

You couldn't help but giggle at Arthur as he fell back exhausted into his chair. Desperately trying to catch his breath. Leaning forward and placing a few more kitten licks on his softening cock and his thighs before pulling up and refastening his boxers, and lovingly caressing his thighs. Comforting your contented lover.

Suddenly, the door quickly swung open and in stepped Arthur's brother, Tommy. He, in particular, seemed to have a knack at knowing the worst possible times to appear. Startling both you and poor Arthur out of his post-orgasm haze. Arthur immediately moved to sit up and pretend you hadn't both been caught.

As soon as he saw you on your knees and his brother's pants undone, Tommy essentially knew what he had walked in on. He was relieved to see that at least it appeared he missed the main event. He plucked the cigarette from between his lips, addressing both of you nonchalantly before leaving just as quickly as he had entered. His face was unchanged the entire time.

“Clean up. Both of you. Family meeting in five minutes.”

Your cheeks had turned beet red in embarrassment. Unsure of whether Tommy had been able to see your bare breasts or that your chest and neck were coated in Arthur's cum. Suddenly second guessing your decision not to lock the office door after all.

Arthur pulled you up into his lap and started cleaning you up with his handkerchief and laughing at your sheepish expression. He placed a sweet kiss on your lips as he finished wiping you down. He fixed your bra and straightened out your locket, kissing you more deeply before reassuring you his brother wouldn't give you trouble.

“Don't worry, sweetheart. If Tom says anything, I'll just say that he hasn't paid me enough to buy you a proper pearl necklace, so we improvised.”

You threw your head down into his neck and burrowed into his arms even farther in embarrassment. Arthur's arms holding onto you as tight as he could, laughing even louder when he felt you starting to giggle too and placing kisses into your hair. Both of you were aware that even if Tommy didn’t say anything at the very least, John would enjoy giving both of you hell.

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

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[grayisblogging]

the shelbys always have the most relaxing holiday get-togethers :)

[agentidiot]

peaky blinders characters as cakes pt. 2

polly

michael

linda

grace

lizzie

part 1 part 3 part 4

[qiqi-media]

Anti Lizzie fans: Lizzie cheated on John and that's what she's the worst character on the show and I hate her.

*Tommy cheats on Lizzie*

*Grace cheats on her husband*

*John cheats on Esme*

*Arthur cheats on Linda*

Literally what is your point, they've all cheated and somehow Lizzie is the only one out of all of those characters who have done that and more , to be the devil.

[peakycobblers]

“I watch Peaky Blinders for the plot!”

The Plot:

[thepeakygirl]

Some of my top favourite Peaky Blinders looks from the Peaky women

Wish I had better quality photos of Grace’s peacock dress and Lizzie’s black dress from s6e5 because they’re stunning and deserved to be shown in better light

[rysko]

More Peaky textposts cause they're too damn fun

[mctna2019]

Oh just look at them😂😎

This scene was very funny, and the gang too. the Peaky Blinders women's flag is flying high.

[peakyltd]

Shelby family meeting

[twvstedsouls]

S3.06 - PEAKY BLINDERS

[onyondump]

Infatuated

Linda Shelby x Male!Reader x Arthur Shelby

Synopsis : Arthur brings a new friend to his and Linda's house leading to her developing an attractions to him

note : I don't hate Linda. I find it funny that Lizzie and Esme still have some fans and Linda doesn't lol. There isn't any fanfic of a poly relationship with these two sooooooo

Masterlist | Part 2

GRAMMER NOT GOOD, DONT EAT ME

Linda is in quite the dilemma. Ever since Arthur brought his new best mate to live with them on the countryside her heart for her husband begins to waiver.

At first she disapprove of his arrival. Arthur just came back from a 3 month long work trip on the request of his brother and bringing a stranger who she hasn't even met was pretty suspect.

Only in a matter of days did her opinion of him start to change. He helps out around the house; cleaning the house, helping her cook, doing the farmworker and even play with little Billy when both her and her husband can't be bothered to do so. His presence also made Arthur more happy and understanding to her plait.

He wouldn't argue with her when she asks him to do something and he listens to her complains and tries his best to make it up to her. Over time she starts to associate his change in demeanor with his friend.

They would go outside together everyday for four hours and returning home with produce that they'll eat for dinner. Laughing and roughhousing with each other in the dinner table, often looking at each other knowingly across the table

When she really started to develop a crush was when he would personally drive her to town when Arthur and Billy were out visiting family. He would accompany her to shops to get dresses and accessories. It would make her heart swell whenever he complimented her and over time would view his activeness to do chores as a way to get to her.

"Your friend's nice" brushing her hair blonde hair with the new comb in her new nightgown Arthur's friend bought for her, but quickly realizing her mistake on complimenting him in front of her possessive husband.

Arthur's head perked up at the mention but to Linda's surprises there was no sudden burst of anger from him but rather an agreement, "Yea he is, the best mate I ever met Lind"

She thought nothing of the comment but of their trust in one another. She fail to notice her husband sentimentally playing with the new gold band ring with a big garnet stone as a center piece on his finger.

Months went by and her crush on her husband's friend didn't seem to dissipate causing her to feel guilty. However her desire took over, viewing the man as more fitting then her husband to pursue her religious endeavor.

At the night when Arthur is out on another one of his brothers errands and Billy was fast asleep, Linda approached him smoking at the front poarch.

"Night love, your not sleeping early? It's cold out tonight" He puffs out dark smoke out of his thick lips. Linda lost her train of thought for a moment.

"Ah yes, thought I would wait for Arthur with you" she says as she takes a seat next to him, she could use a smoke which of course like the gentlemen he is, the man next to her provided

"He's a goodman your husband" he puffs another inky smoke with a longing look across the gentle breeze of the night

It's cool send shivers down Linda's spine, reminding her of what she's about to say, "I would like to confess something to you"

Intrigued he leaned in closer to her as his eyebrows arched, "And what is that love?"

"I'm in love with you" she finally said it. The cold and smell of his cologne brush against her, reddening her face. For a moment she cursed him for being a temptress devil straying her away from her husband but now she's done it, the five dreaded words left her mouth

In response his warm hands envelopes her cold ones, a reassuring squeeze made her heart skipped a beat "I'm flattered luv, your the most prettiest rose I have ever met" He kissed her cold hands, as he rubs the other trying to warm her

Linda was speechless, she wanted this sure but she doesn't know what comes after confessing her feelings. Before she could responds, he leaned in further

"Can I also confess something?" Lind could only respond with a nod as she was to flustered to respond

As his lips near her cold ear, expecting him to confess the same thing.

"I fucked your husband"

[runnning-outof-time]

Ok, I’m curious…

Thanks for answering! 😊

[daisyblinder]

Longing (Part 1) / Arthur Shelby x fem!reader

🦋 Summary: After John dies, Arthur has to look into the eyes of the woman he loves, whom he left. When a look isn’t enough, a touch goes too far and she ends up with his babe in her belly 

🦋 Warnings: Cursing, implied NSFW

Part 2

Seeing Arthur with Linda was always going to hurt her. There was nothing more painful than seeing the man who owned your heart with another woman. Even more so when the woman was someone who loved her faith more than she could ever truly love the real Arthur.

 ”Are you alright?”, a question snaps Y/n out of her thoughts as she turns to Ada Shelby. It was not her that should be asked that question, not after John. Taking a hold of Ada’s hand she nods.

 ”Are you?”, she asks back, her eyes finally leaving Arthur and Linda. Ada nods too, her brows furrowing. Y/n was like an older sister to Ada. A woman she always was able to confine in. Ada knew that there was only one man she had ever loved and that man was Arthur Shelby, no one else.

 Y/n and Arthur had loved each other before the war, during it, and after it. But what Polly had told Ada had turned out to be true.

 ”Arthur hates himself too much to put a ring on her finger”

 ”He is so different now”, Y/n speaks without a thought. ”Like there is piece of him missing. He is calmer yes, but there is something missing”, she whispers her own brows pinching together.

 Ada bites onto her lip as she now takes a moment to observe her brother. It was true, there was something missing from the brother she knew. And that something was fire. Not anger, but the fire Arthur glowed. Be it in his jokes or laughter, he was always an ember.

 But now with John dead by the hands of the enemy; they both knew Arthur was only calm before the storm. His John-boy was dead.

 ”I’ll see you at the funeral. Stay strong, Ada”, she whispers finally and takes the Shelby sister into her warm embrace. ”I love you”

 ”I love you too”, Ada says back, her hands grasping Y/n’s dress.

 ***

Taking a big gulp of water, Y/n finished braiding her hair for the night.

If someone had told her she would be this lonely at the age of 30, she would have cried.

 She always had had a clear dream for herself. First study, then move to the countryside, paint, read, rest. Have a family.

 All the things she had wished for since she was little, living with her family of six, all of them sleeping in the same bed in a cold flat.

 But life turned out as it was and now she was an old hag, living on her own making shoes. It had rarely bothered her, she had the Shelby’s, she liked making shoes, but seeing Arthur made everything feel so much more meaningless.

 They had shared more than just couple romps in the car. They had shared a world. Where his skin began, hers ended.

 But what would bitterness help? Absolutely nothing, it would only consume her and make her that miserable hag. She could find love again but she would have to let go first.

 A series of knocks bang on her door just as she is about to go to her bedroom. She knew those knocks.

 Hesitantly going to the door, she opens it peaking her face outside. Before her stood disheveled Arthur. Hair long, eyes full of tears.

 ”Oh darling”, she whispers as she sticks and arm out to usher him in. ”I’m so sorry about Johnny”, she continues as they fully step in.

 Arthur looks at her with his brows pinched. It was easy to live with the longing when she was not near. But seeing her today, her soft eyes and tender hands, he could not hold his legs from leading him to her. She was where comfort was.

 ”Cut me hair”, he whispers back. Not saying anything else, he stares at her eyes desperately, hands folded in front of him. She could see that he just needed something to be like it used to be, even if for a moment. 

He looked so different than he used to. Hair long, clothes no longer the proper as a blinder. He looked just like she thought he would look in the dreams they used to talk about.

 Y/n takes a moment to just look at him, before she nods. ”I’ll go get the scissors and blade, you know where the mirror is”, she says before going to her bedroom.

 Arthur looks around the room for a moment before going to grab a chair from the kitchen to put in front of the hallway mirror. She always used to cut his hair there.

 ”Isn’t the top a little long”

”I think it makes you look handsome when you slick it back, or when you part it like this”

 ”Handsome, eh?”

 ”Don’t teas-AH”

 She had always finished cutting his hair by sitting on his lap, trimming his mustache on the way. Sometimes he hurried her a little bit, gave her a little nod towards his awaiting arms.

 Now it felt like they were strangers.

 Arthur takes off his vest and shirt, and takes a seat in front of the mirror. When the figure of Y/n reaches the mirror, he feels a stinging behind his eyes. When had the familiarity gone? Hell, he knew exactly why it had gone but why didn’t the love go?

 ”You look healthy”, Y/n clears her throat as she wraps his shoulders in a towel. Bringing a wet one to dampen his hair.

 ”I have me chickens”, he jokes lightheartedly, closing his eyes under the familiar treatment. The woman behind him can’t help a smile at his answer. Him and his chickens.

 ”it’s good to see you healthy”, she whispers willing away the tears as she starts combing his now damp hair. Both of them remain in silence while she continues to work.

 Only when she finishes on his hair and walks in front of him to gently trim his mustache, Arthur dares to break the silence. ”You didn’t use to do this like this”, he whispers, his whole upper body trembling as he tries to get Y/n to meet his eyes.

 But she wouldn’t, she couldn’t: or else she would give in. Give in all the longing and pain the last two years had been without him.

 So she responds frailly: ”You didn’t use to have a wife either”

 Her words are bitter but her tone is so soft it just stings both of their hearts. When she finally meets his eyes, both of them have to swallow. How she had missed his eyes. His beautiful blue eyes that always spoke so much.

 No matter what they always seemed glossy, and they shone his joy, his sorrow and his anger. And his love.

 Arthur can now remember exactly why he had had to tear himself away from her. One look in those eyes and he would be there to ruin her again. One look into the eyes that always felt like home to him, and he would stay addicted to her.

 Standing straight, Y/n wraps her arms around herself and turns her eyes away. ”You’re all good to go”, she says her voice cracking. She turns to go get a brush for the hair but before she can, Arthur stands.

Slowly shrugging the towel from his shoulders, he sets it on the back of the chair, before stepping closer to Y/n like she is a wild animal. Softly he brings one of his palms to rest against her cheek.

 ”Arthur”

 ”I’m no good for you”, he starts turning her eyes to look back into his. ”You know what I am”, slowly he brings his forehead to rest against the side of her head. Nuzzling there like he used to. ”I’m not bloody good enough for you”

 Y/n takes an uneven breath, Arthur’s scent washing over her. He still smelled the same, the same smell he used to leave in her sheets when he would stay the night.

 ”I only ever wanted you”, she whispers back her eyes closing tightly. ”Why did you not want me”, she sobs hugging herself even tighter.

 ”You know I bloody wanted ya”, Arthur says back tightly. ”You fucking know how much I want you. But look at what I’ve done to ya, it’s just like Tommy said it would be”

 ”You left me, Arthur. That is what you did to me. That is what hurt me. Fuck them old hags who gossip. I never cared”, taking a ragged breath she tries to continue, Arthur’s words about Tommy missing her ears, ”I love you. Arthur, I know what you are and I’m alright with it. You-we, Why did you marry Linda?”, she opens her eyes to stare at his mouth.

 ”S-she wanted to fix me. I thought I-she- you didn’t deserve to live with me head. She wanted good things, the farm, all that. I thought I could stay away from ruining ye with me if I just stayed with ’er and let ’er change me”, he admits.

"I don't want to see you fucked by the Peaky business, I don't want to see you fucked because me head is not alright. Linda has her God, she thinks he can fix me"

He can feel his whole body start trembling again. The urge to just crush her against his chest overwhelming him. Pull her against him and kiss her cheek, get her to giggle at the tickle of his mustache. 

 ”You don’t need to be fixed Arthur. You need help but you don’t need to be fixed like a bloody toy soldier. If she bloody says she needs to fix you then she doesn’t love you”, she growls.

The amount of times people talked about her Arthur like a broken toy made her see red.

 ”Arthur, darling, I-”, her words are interrupted by lips meeting her own.

 Desperate hands grasp what they can, as their kiss gets sloppier and more desperate. For a moment, they just forget everything; John, Linda, the time they missed…it’s all gone as their passion grows.

 ”Fucking hell woman, I’ve missed ya”, Arthur mutters between kisses as they start clumsily walking towards the bedroom. ”W-wait”, Arthur pulls away as they reach the door. Both of them looking as disheveled, Y/n’s pupils blown wide, lips glossy and swollen as she starts to shrink into herself, waiting for the rejection.

 ”I’m not ’ere to just sink my cock into ye and go. Y/n, you’re so much more than that, this is not what this is”, he says cupping her face with the hands she always found to be one of the most beautiful things about him. His strong hands with the power to break and create.

 Y/n let’s out a tearful laugh at his words. ”Please don’t let go now”, she begs her hands resting on his freckle covered chest.

 Gently Arthur lowers his lips back onto hers. Kissing her tenderly, languidly, his gentleness matching the kisses they shared before he left for the war.

 ***

That night when they lie in Y/n’s bed, both naked as the day they were born; they just explore each other. Both of them spent, not willing to let the moment go as two pairs of gentle hands explore.

Her fingers slowly stroking his hip while his thumb ran over the curve of her breast.

When he pinches her nipple teasingly, she laughs and goes to tickle his belly button.

Both of them laugh as Arthur pulls her against him to rub his mustache against her neck and blow raspberries there.

"you oaf, that tickles"

"keep yer hand away from me belly button next time or I'll have to have a go at yer bum"

"you'd like that, wouldn't you? HEY! Keep your pinching fingers away from my bum!"

"better behave then sweetheart"

 What neither of them knew yet, was that they had just given a beginning to a small life.

[hb-writes]

Give Away

Summary: It’s 1922 in the Little Lady Blinderverse. It's a family day—Arthur and Linda's wedding day—but rather than celebrating, Arthur's got Tommy thinking about something he'd never consciously given much thought to—their Clara's wedding and who would be giving her away.

Characters: Arthur Shelby, Tommy Shelby, and Clara Shelby.

Content Warnings: Nothing much aside from me taking some liberties with the timeline of Arthur's marriage.

Request (anon): Maybe Arthur and Tommy having a chat about the family and the chat turns to Clara, and Arthur saying how he’d like to walk her down the aisle one day- and Tommy finding that hard as he was always the one he imagined would do it.

Here’s the AO3 link if you prefer to read over there. Tell me what y'all think! Reviews and comments are always appreciated. 😌❤️

Peaky Blinders (Little Lady Blinder) Masterlist

Peaky Blinders (Non-Shelby!Sister) Masterlist

—

"It'll be her turn soon enough, eh Tom?"

Arthur nodded toward their sister, Clara. She was being led around the impromptu dance floor by one of her cousins, her bare feet shuffling through the grass.

Tommy fished in his pocket for a cigarette in lieu of giving Arthur an answer. If he’d had a drink, Tommy would’ve downed it, but Arthur and Linda’s wedding luncheon was a dry event. The most scandalous thing they were serving was too-sweet lemonade and a chocolate cake. 

And Johnny Dogs' cheeky lyrics, of course.

The music hadn’t even been a planned part of the day. It was meant to be a brief ceremony and a luncheon. But this was just the sort of thing that had happened when Johnny Dogs was bored for too long. The man got an itch and somehow assembled a band from the guest list. 

Clara had been dancing ever since.

"Mark my words, Tommy,” Arthur continued, clapping Tommy on the shoulder.

Tommy wasn’t quite certain how Arthur could stomach speaking about such a thing while sober, though he supposed it was just Arthur talking for the sake of talking. He did that sometimes, and Tommy usually let him, but it seemed a harder task today, especially when their little sister had been spinning dizzy circles in some boy or another's arms for hours now. 

Tommy knew it was all innocent enough. Everyone at the luncheon was family—or just about—and those who weren’t family were smart enough to not bother trying anything with the Shelby girl. Not with Tommy sitting right there on the sidelines of the dance floor, looking a bit grim and ready to go at the earliest convenience. 

In truth, Tommy was ready for the day to be done. Arthur’s marriage to Linda was exactly what he wanted. It was what the family needed, really. It would be good for Arthur to have a wife. Linda had already been good for him—slowing the drink, keeping an eye on him, taking some of the pressure off Tommy to always do those things.

And Tommy had done his duty. He’d celebrated his brother and his new wife. He'd acted as his best man. None of it had been exactly traditional. The whole day seemed to be some sort of mismatch of values and ideals and allowances anyway. Tommy didn’t care enough about it to comment. It wasn't his wedding. It was Arthur's day.

So even though Tommy hadn't had a drink in a few hours, he wasn't complaining. He had given a toast to the bride and groom. He let Arthur feel he was directing for the day even though it was Tommy who had been the one guiding Arthur all along—holding his hand and moving him along towards the decisions he wouldn’t make for himself. And Tommy hadn't dampened Clara's spirits with his mood either. He knew how she liked this sort of thing. He let the girl have her fun.

Tommy thought a little drink might have helped the whole thing go down easier, though. Celebrating his brother’s new wife and his new home in Maypole while Tommy waited on Grace to come back to him, with the whole thing kept quiet while she tried to maneuver out of her marriage…it wasn’t easy. But knowing Arthur would be taken care of freed up a little piece of Tommy’s mind. It cleared out some space. There were a hundred other things already queued up and ready to fill it, but it still eased him somewhat for a moment…or it had until Arthur brought up the subject of their youngest sister's nuptials. 

That certainly hadn’t been one of the things queued up in Tommy's mind. 

Tommy inhaled deeply with his lips around the cigarette, barely paying attention to the fact that Arthur was watching him, looking for some sort of reaction to make sure he hadn't said something wrong, his gaze nearly begging Tommy to respond—to acknowledge him—but Tommy remained still and neutral for as long as he could, as if in doing so he was keeping some part of himself from Arthur, keeping some part of himself for himself. It was only a few seconds, but it was a reminder that Tommy didn't have to give away everything to Arthur today. He could keep some things for himself. 

It wasn’t easy. 

Ada had insisted more than once during the course of the afternoon that Tommy needed to cheer the fuck up . She’d reminded him to smile a bit, to have a laugh and a dance and a piece of cake—it was a family day, after all—but so far he’d remained mostly neutral. 

The irony was not lost on him that Ada said those particular words, the very same he’d offered to her during a family day, a wedding, that felt ages ago now. Tommy's face had shown no indication that the words had had any impact, but Clara had laughed aloud at Ada's words, some part of her wondering if she'd ever be confident enough to tell her older brother to ' cheer the fuck up .' 

Tommy's side eye at the uncontained giggles quickly convinced Clara otherwise and she had coughed and coughed trying to stifle her giggles.

Ada was across the way now, talking with Arthur’s new wife. Polly didn’t seem to like Linda very much, but Ada was making a show at being personable. And she was acting better than she had at John's wedding, the last proper family day. It had been a very different event, a very different day. 

For one, there was no booze today, and Ada wasn’t kicking off about all the ways Tommy had done the lot of them wrong. Tommy figured so long as they weren't welcoming Linda to the family by one of the girls giving birth on the dance floor, the Shelby family must be moving up in the world.

Assuming Esme didn’t go early, today there would be no Shelbys born. There would be no arranged marriages. There would be no deals with the Lee family. There would be no drunken shouting.

And today, it was Clara—not Ada—who Tommy watched swinging around on the dance floor for hours. Back at John’s wedding, Clara had passed the day running wild with Finn and the Lee kids for company. She had been just a little thing back then. It was John and Esme’s lot running, now. 

Finn and Clara were still a bit wild, or maybe they were wilder than they were back then, but they weren’t just little kids anymore. In a way, that had made it easier to keep an eye on her. Clara had done nothing but dance all afternoon, so Tommy hadn’t lost sight of her.

"All done up in a pretty white dress,” Arthur continued to fill the silence Tommy was still holding on to. “Ready to start off on her own life with some boy...a nice boy. Smart, like her. From a good family."

Tommy cleared his throat. “A good family, eh?” he asked, ignoring Arthur’s odd way of speaking, some attempt at a poetic depiction of their sister’s future. “Good like ours?"

“Yeah, Tom,” Arthur nodded, laughing a bit. He didn't note the sarcasm in Tommy's tone. "A good boy from a good family. And I suppose I'll need a new suit. Something nice to walk her down the aisle in…well, assuming she doesn't go running off like our Ada, that is.”

Arthur finished with a fond chuckle and a nod toward Ada.

Tommy's first instinct was to remind Arthur that their Clara wasn't nearly the same girl their Ada had been back then. Christ, Ada wasn’t nearly the same girl she’d been when she ran off to marry Freddie Thorne. And the circumstances and girls themselves were so different…but Tommy’s mind quickly got caught up in processing the first bit of what Arthur had said instead. 

And I suppose I'll need a new suit. Something nice to walk her down the aisle in.  

Now that really was something Tommy Shelby had never consciously thought about, and it certainly wasn’t one of the hundreds of issues begging for acreage in the field of his mind, but it struck something in him now. Tommy had passing thoughts about Clara settling down one day, sure. He figured that was probably natural for an older brother of two sisters, but he only ever thought about all of it in a vague sense. The idea of his Clara being married was a picture painted in his mind with only the broadest of strokes.

Tommy had certainly never questioned who would walk the girl down the aisle. 

He supposed he had always known who wouldn’t be walking her. It wouldn’t be their father giving Clara away. Even if Clara had wanted it, Tommy could never have stood by and allowed it. At least him and Arthur seemed in agreement on that point. Arthur Shelby, Sr. had no right even being there far as Tommy was concerned.

Arthur might expect the responsibility to fall to him next by default. It made sense. He was the oldest. There was some logic to it, some natural order, but Arthur’s saying it aloud tugged at something in Tommy. It jostled some deep-seated, subconscious notion that if anyone in the world had any sort of right to give the girl away, it was him.

If she let anyone give her away, that is. 

Maybe Ada and Clara were more alike than he initially thought. 

Either way, it wasn't a conversation Tommy was going to have with Arthur tonight, not when he was grinning like he was, drunk on something more intoxicating than alcohol. He was just happy to finally be ahead of Tommy in some sort of backwards, unspoken race that existed between them. 

Tommy could let it go for now. Thoroughly assured by the fact that the subject of who would be walking Clara down the aisle wouldn’t be relevant for what he hoped would be a decade’s worth of time—hopefully, more—he returned to his initial thought.

“She's not Ada, Arthur," Tommy finally said, coming back to his first instinct. “And if any boy tries to marry her without consent, I—"

Tommy stopped himself when Clara appeared at the table, seeming to pop up out of nowhere with a glass of lemonade. Tommy took a moment to reconcile her presence. Surely, she’d just been on the dance floor with Nipper a few seconds before. Tommy had seen her. 

The day’s events had settled an easy smile on the fourteen-year-old’s face and all of the dancing painted a visible flush on her cheeks. She looked both ready for more and exhausted at the same time, like she could drop at any second—mid-sentence probably—but her feet would still be dancing. 

Clara took another thirsty gulp, holding the glass at her side as she met Tommy’s eye. 

“You’ve just been sitting here all day, Tommy,” she whined. 

Tommy studied her as he took a long drag off his cigarette. “And you haven’t sat in hours.” 

Clara scrunched her face up at the suggestion. She didn’t want to sit. She didn’t want the day to end. She held out her free hand, reaching toward Tommy as she twisted on her feet, the band’s music exerting more control over her than her conscious mind. “Will you dance with me?” 

“You should have a rest, Clara.” Tommy nodded toward the empty chair beside him. “You look dead on your feet.” 

“I wanna dance.” Clara shook her head. “Please, Tommy?”

Arthur snorted. Tommy’s eyes flicked to his brother. “If you’re looking for a dance partner, you’ve asked the wrong brother, sweetheart.” 

It was usually the truth unless Tommy was in a particular mood or had a particular motive. Most songs were a particularly good length for him to deliver a lecture. It was something Clara had long ago accepted about her brother and she usually wasn’t too bothered by it. 

Tommy saw something fall in Clara’s countenance as Arthur cut in though, a bit of disappointment settling in his sister even as she turned from him. Clara had already accepted Tommy’s refusal and she was prepared to issue Arthur the same request she’d made of Tommy, but there was a hesitance in her. She’d already danced with Arthur a few times today. She’d danced with John and Finn and Michael. She’d danced with Charlie and Curly. She’d danced with Nipper and Henry and Isiah. She’d danced with her nieces and nephews and even Johnny Dogs. Seemed like she’d danced with everyone but Tommy. 

Clara’s bare feet shuffled on the grass as silence stretched on between them and her gaze shifted instantly to Tommy as he leaned forward, stubbing out his cigarette and standing in one swift motion. 

“One dance for me,” Tommy said, “And then one for Arthur, but then you’re taking a rest, eh?” 

Clara nodded quickly, a smile coming to her lips. Tommy clapped Arthur on the shoulder. 

“Maybe offer your new wife a turn about the floor instead, eh, Arthur?” 

Tommy took the empty glass from Clara’s grasp. He noted it wasn’t just plain lemonade as he set it on the table. He’d suspected as much and now that he could smell the liquor on Clara’s breath, he knew. Tommy figured that was John’s doing, and he figured the lemonade was the real reason for Clara’s easy smiles and endless dancing. That was why the girl was edging towards a bit of atypical silliness. It was only a matter of time before the tiredness set in. 

Tommy hoped it would come sooner rather than later. It would make for a convenient excuse. 

He took Clara’s hand and led her to the makeshift dance floor. Clara was studying her brother as he guided them into position, seamlessly incorporating them into the fabric of the other dancers.

“What?” Tommy asked, sparing her half a glance and catching her stare.

“Why’d you say yes, Tommy?” 

“You asked for a dance, Clara,” he answered as if that alone explained the way of things between them. 

“So, that’s the rule now then, is it?” Clara giggled. “I just ask for what I want and you’ll say yes? Ada told asked you to cheer the fuck up and you didn’t do anything of the sort.”

Tommy shifted his eyes down so he could meet her gaze, the glance a half-hearted warning. It wasn’t something Clara could take seriously, not in her current state at least, and she giggled again for a half a second before Tommy suddenly spun her out and away from him. Stealing the breath from her laughter, Clara shouted out her brother’s name instead and slapped her hand against his chest as he turned her back around to face him. 

She started giggling once again and Tommy snorted, smirking as Clara struggled to settle back into the song’s rhythm, the drink and the twirl and her resistance to letting her brother lead causing her to fall slightly out of step. 

“We used to always dance like this,” Tommy said. “I used to twirl you around the house for hours. Surprised there weren’t holes worn in the floors.” 

“No, Tommy.” Clara shook her head. “Back then we danced like this.”

Clara stepped on the tops of Tommy’s shoes and he shifted his arm to hold her steady. 

“You were easier to guide back then. Not quite so rebellious,” he continued. “Less backtalk.”  

Clara turned her head as she rolled her eyes, wobbling as backed off the tops of Tommy’s feet. 

“Not stumbling from drink, either.” 

Clara stilled, tensing in her brother’s hold. She suddenly longed for Tommy to spin her away from him, all the way across the dance floor. 

And when that didn’t happen, she wished it had been Arthur she’d asked for a dance instead. Arthur probably wouldn’t have noticed she’d been drinking. He was too deliriously happy with the day to acknowledge anything that would detract from it. 

But it was Tommy who had heeded Clara’s wishes. And it was Tommy who had been watching after her all afternoon, keeping his eye on her even though it was a family day. Even though they were all safe. Even though he had no reason to worry. 

Tommy continued moving them about, but Clara still hadn’t met his eye, a certain tension thrumming in her body as Tommy moved them around the dance floor. Tommy let it linger for a moment, allowing the discomfort of being caught out sober Clara a bit before clearing his throat and issuing her name. 

Clara looked up at him, ready to offer some sort of excuse for her behavior, but Tommy shook his head.

“You and the boys had your fun, but no more of that today, alright?” He lowered his voice as he continued, nodding toward Linda. “Your new sister-in-law will have a fit, eh?”

Clara followed her brother’s gaze, the slightest of smiles ghosting her lips before she turned back to her brother. She gave Tommy a quick nod.

“Good girl.” Tommy looked away as he continued twirling them, seeking out Arthur in the dwindling sea of guests. “You enjoyed yourself today?” 

Tommy asked the question though he knew the answer. Clara had loved everything about the day. Ada was home. Everyone was together. Clara had gotten a pretty new dress. John had snuck her some drink. She had danced and danced for hours. And to top it off, Arthur seemed to be enjoying himself for the first she could remember in quite some time.

His union with Linda had come about rather quickly—today was less than two months after the pair had met—and Clara wasn’t quite sure whether it was happiness her brother was experiencing, but something had certainly changed for him. Arthur was drinking less, if he drank at all. He was going to church again. He was smiling more. 

Clara nodded. “Arthur seems pleased.” 

“He does,” Tommy agreed. 

“And Linda’s alright,” she said. “Good for him, I think.”

“Yes.” Tommy nodded. “Linda’s alright.” 

He wondered whether his sister would be so happy when she heard the news of his own wedding. He wondered whether Clara would welcome his choice of a wife as she had welcomed Arthur’s. Tommy wondered whether his happiness about a life with Grace would be enough to ensure Clara’s happiness would follow.

“Maybe you’ll be next, Tommy.”

Tommy made a conscious effort not to still at his sister’s words. He made a conscious effort to appear anything other than caught out, but it was almost as if Clara was reading her brother’s mind. It was almost as if the girl knew exactly what Tommy was keeping from her. 

It nearly seemed like that, but Tommy knew that couldn’t be true. Polly and Michael were the only ones who knew about an impending marriage. And only Polly knew it was Grace he was planning to marry. Only Polly knew about the baby. The last woman Clara had known of Tommy being connected to was May Carleton, and that had been over for a few months now.

Polly wasn’t pleased with his choice. She’d been pretty insistent that Clara wouldn’t be happy either. Tommy was tempted to believe Polly on that front, though a part of him figured his Clara would come around. It would probably take time and Tommy figured she had the right to a little outrage on the matter considering where they’d left things with Clara’s once upon a time tutor. He’d afford his sister those feelings at the outset. He was anticipating she’d be upset about Grace in the beginning, which was also why Tommy figured Clara couldn’t have a clue now, not with her being sweet as she was. 

“Our next family day,” Clara mumbled as she lowered her head to Tommy’s chest, their movement limited to nothing more than a slight sway back and forth as Clara rested against her brother. 

Tommy’s gaze caught Arthur once again. He’d gone to find Linda, seeking to bring her out for a dance as Tommy had suggested, but he’d been unsuccessful. Arthur had given up. The song was coming to an end anyway. He had probably figured it wasn’t worth forcing his wife to dance for a few seconds when Tommy had promised Clara to him for the next. 

He stood at Linda’s side now, shuffling his feet as his wife talked to one of the guests.

“Alright,” Tommy prompted, nudging Clara. “We better let Arthur have his turn now, eh?” He relaxed his hold, giving Clara the room to pull away. Clara didn’t move, barely shifting her head to glance at Arthur before resting her cheek back against Tommy’s jacket.

“I’ll have to find my shoes if I’m to dance with Arthur again,” she mumbled, yawning. “He’ll step on my toes.” 

Tommy snorted. 

“It’s not funny. Someone stole them,” Clara mumbled.

Tommy knew precisely where his sister’s shoes were. They’d been in his custody for much of the day, ever since Ada brought them over when Clara kicked them off. Ada had said she thought it was best leaving them with Tommy since he had taken on the position of human statue for the afternoon.

“They’re under the table, Clara.”

“Alright, Tommy,” Clara answered, nodding her head against him. “Thanks.” 

“I’ll get them before you dance with Arthur.”

Clara didn’t answer. She didn’t make any move to let Tommy get away, either. It had been no more than a few minutes that Clara and Tommy had been dancing, but something about the quickly setting sun mixed with the alcohol made Clara feel all fuzzy. She was feeling tired now, like the gentle sway of their promenade was rocking her to sleep. And it seemed to Clara that it was best for her to just stay put. That meant it was best for Tommy to stay put with her, too. 

“Tommy?” she asked, lifting her head to meet his eye. “Can we maybe have one more dance, you and me?” 

“You already had your dance,” he said. “And by the looks of it, you’re more ready for a bed than a dance floor.” Tommy tried to take a step, pulling Clara along with him. “C’mon. We’ll get your shoes, hand you off to Arthur for a quick dance, and we’ll get you home.” 

“No.” Clara planted her feet, shifting her grip to Tommy’s arms. “Tommy, please. Just one more? It’s a family day, remember?”

Family day. 

Clara was right. The next one would be his—they’d be celebrating his wedding to Grace. Maybe his sister wouldn’t ask for a dance when that day came. Maybe Clara wouldn’t want him to walk her down the aisle on her day either. 

Tommy didn’t know. He couldn’t. But Clara was asking for another dance with him now and if he didn’t have to give her away, he wasn’t going to. Tommy glanced above Clara’s head, finding their brother among the dancers. Arthur was spinning a reluctant Polly around the floor, his promised dance with Clara seemingly forgotten. 

“Alright, one more, but that’s it.” Tommy tugged Clara back into his arms and she quickly settled back against him. “Wouldn’t want your new sister-in-law having a fit because you've gotten drunk and worn out her new lawn, eh, my girl ?”

Clara lifted her head, a scowl firmly in place by the time she met his eye. Tommy could’ve sworn he knew the tone she’d use with him even before Clara opened her mouth, even if he hadn’t known what she would say. 

“You’re the one wearing shoes, Thomas .” 

Tommy didn’t bother commenting on her use of Thomas . He took the opportunity to spin his sullen little sister away and then back to him, the scowl on Clara’s face wiped away, his transgression seemingly forgiven as she settled against him once again. 

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