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milkywaybottles · 2 years

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The Way Things Were | Tommy Shelby x Reader

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A/N: I have decided to start putting pictures at the top of these posts again to help set the scene! I have also changed the timeline just a smidge so that the family finds out Grace betrayed them sooner (roughly a day sooner) to make the plot run smoother xx

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Chapter 10: You’re a fool, Tommy Shelby.

Word Count: 2.2k

It had been the loveliest day for a walk, and on your lunch break, you had posed the idea to Finn to get a breath of fresh air. Being a giddy young boy, he jumped at the idea, leaving you rather pleased with yourself as you both stepped out of the shop. A gust of cool air swept past you both, lifting your hair into the air as Finn let out a boyish laugh. A blush rose to the tip of your nose and ears.

"Hey!" you called playfully, watching as his hair was swept over his wide eyes. Already, you felt your mood lighten from the dreary and smoke-ridden atmosphere of the shop. The boy trodded alongside you, occasionally kicking up small pebbles with his shoes.

With no clear location in mind, you continuously walked until coming across a clearing that housed a garden. Finn had leapt towards the moulded concrete architecture in the centre of the hedges, which had been shaped as a circle. He planted his bottom on the seat and began to kick his legs before jumping off just as quickly as he had sat down. You stared at the boy curiously,

"What was that for?"

"Bored" he stated in a matter-of-a-fact way, "Besides, I'd rather explore"

You couldn't argue with that but reminded yourself you were his caretaker, and that you would be devastated if anything were to happen to him, "You can have five minutes to go run around, but don't go too far, eh? Gotta come back in one piece". He nodded instantly, taking off down a passage lined with roses and disappearing like an ant in the distance. Sighing, you stuffed your hands into the pockets of your coat and rested your weight onto one foot.

Perhaps the sun had decided to retreat behind the clouds, but you shivered, feeling a chill in your bones. Leaves gathered at your feet, fluttering like a butterfly in the breeze. You licked your lips, running your tongue over every stinging crack as you stared out into the garden.

You could never paint yourself as a particularly jealous person, but again, you couldn't shake the feeling that there was something terribly wrong with Grace. She was too perfect for your liking. Every single woman you knew was strong and independent to some extent, flawed beyond belief, but filled with so many likable characteristics. But instead, when presented with Grace, your face always turned into a scowl. The woman had no fibre of being, no outstanding personality traits other than being 'Thomas Shelby's personal slave', which irked you to no end.

You had known her for a while now and she had not revealed a single part of herself, which she would have done by now if she wasn't intentionally withholding information.

Safe to say, you were either extremely jealous of her encroaching on and threatening your relationship with Tommy, or suspicious, or both. And you were mature enough to admit that perhaps you were jealous that your best friend had been snatched out from under you.

You would ask him time after time, "Do you want to stay for dinner after work? Polly's cooking" or something along the lines which involved him spending time with you, always to be met with the same reaction; that he was busy, or that he was going for a drink at the Garrison. You knew all too well what that meant, and eventually, you just stopped bothering altogether.

You were drawn from your deep and swirling thoughts at the sound of breathless laughter, eyes drawn to Finn nearing you. At the sight of his broad smile, you couldn't help but simper as you placed a supporting hand on his dark, cotton jacket and readjusted his cap.

"Better be gettin' back before anyone notices we're gone" you concluded, preparing for protest. But Finn only nodded understandably.

That was when you saw it.

At first, your mind couldn't comprehend the sheer familiarity of the figures, blinking back your surprise. Your jaw hung on the floor as your eyes focused on two people talking at the seating, where just moments ago, you and Finn stood. The shorter one, blonde hair pooling at the sides of her head, was wearing a dark jacket, a blue knitted scarf and a floral sapphire-coloured hat. The other person's head was adorned with a bowl hat, covered entirely in a black coat and wearing leather gloves.

Grace and Inspector Campbell.

Together.

Talking, with his hand on the small of her back.

Part of you wanted to scream with joy, to approach her and laugh, pointing as you shouted to the heavens that you knew it. But the other part of you burned with anger, your veins boiling hot as your hands clenched onto Finn's shoulder. "Ow!" he exclaimed, pulling away from you like he had touched a hot iron. Your attention snapped to the boy, face softening sympathetically,

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it"

His hand found his shoulder and began to rub circles on it.

You needed to tell someone fast.

Your eyes flickered to the sky, clear as day, painted with pillowy clouds.

Grumbling, you turned to the youngest Shelby, "It looks like it's going to rain" and broke out into a fast pace in the opposite direction. Finn was still for a second as his brain processed the lie he had been fed, then gazed at the sky with a raised lip and scrunched nose.

"Huh?" to be met with no response. Determining it was better to follow you than be left alone and to ask questions, the boy trailed quickly behind you. During the trip back to the store, Finn stumbled over your feet multiple times in an attempt to keep up with you, causing your toes to sting with numbing hot pain.

This didn't bother you as it was the last thing on your mind while you bumbled into the store, exhausted child at your side. Scanning for any sight of a family member, you were left unsuccessful. Frowning, you looked again and only saw workers. "Please go find your brother for me, eh?" you told Finn rather softly, contrary to your previously abrasive behaviour. As he sprinted down the hall, your thoughts wandered.

If Grace was really feeding information to the inspector...

You shuddered at the implications.

It didn't help in the slightest that today was race day, and the shop was filled to the brim once again with eager, greedy customers. There was not a single patch of open space, leather oxford shoes packed together, followed by their owners.

"Lovelock!" you burst, catching sight of the tall man making his way across to one of the main tables, "Where's Tom?"

In the pure chaos, Lovelock was unable to answer before Polly found her way through the door, eyes landing on you. She appeared to shout something, but alas you couldn't make it out, even in your desperation, from the mess of voices. As she approached, your hands pulled on each other with anxiety until she was by your side.

“What’s he done now?” She questioned, running a bony hand through her salt and pepper hair. You were wordless, her scrutinising gaze upon you. “Right... I haven’t seen him, love. Last time I saw him, about an hour ago, was at the Garrison with…”.

Her hesitation was enough to turn you bitter.

And what made it worse, the heart shattering detail of it all, was that she had the nerve to walk back into the Garrison after that meeting, and put back on her pretty face.

Your teeth clenched, apprehensive about telling the matron. You had no idea the extent of her knowledge of the situation, and if you were wrong, you would lose all the trust placed in you by Polly, by the family, but most importantly, Tommy, for incriminating a woman he clearly held affection for.

Luckily, she didn't seem to want to ask, and you decided to take the problem directly to Thomas. You weren't going to risk anything until you were certain she was a backstabber.

Night had come and gone, and yet the rain, which you had foretold, had been relentless. It battered against the roof, echoing throughout your whole apartment as you tossed and turned in your humid and sticky bedsheets. By morning, the outside road had been saturated and was more akin to a river. All of the gutters were spilling and splattering like miniature waterfalls.

John had dropped by in the early hours of the morning to slide a piece of, now-saturated, paper under the door. With ink dripping, it read,

“Dear (Y/N), no need to come into work today. Pol said you were feeling under the weather and we don’t blame you

Feel better soon,

John”

For all the grief she gave you, you loved that woman to death.

For the rest of the day, you were left alone with a tall pile of clothing that needed to be mended and your thoughts. Shame lingered above you like a storm cloud for not speaking up about about your suspicions, but you were truly left with no choice. You promised yourself then when the time presented itself, you would tell one of the Shelby brothers. Though, you couldn’t jump to rash conclusions either.

You were stuck.

The day had transformed into night once again, but you barely noticed as time ticked on. The only indication you were given was the foreboding hourly chime of the clock. The downpour had slowed to a gentle patter and you felt yourself drifting off, a sewing needle wedged between your thumb and pointer finger.

Two thuds, one proceeded by another, caused you to leap from your sofa in surprise. A glance at your hand watch indicated that it was too late for any proper visitor. Your lips pressed together in a thin line

“(Y/N)!”

You rushed to the entryway with a newfound speed at the voice. There was not a single ounce of hesitation as you peeled back the door to meet his face.

This was your chance, and all your anxieties about who could have been at the door were squashed.

“You couldn’t have used the key?” You mused, staring at the man up and down. His coat was dripping, water sliding off it and into the mud. His face had even been dusted in the mist, hair splayed in strands across his forehead. Yet there was something charmingly ruggish about his appearance.

“Didn’t want to scare ya’” he responded, slipping one foot in the door. You stepped backwards towards the safety of your house to provide space.

“Thomas Shelby, scare me?”. With a hand to your chest, you grinned at your friend, only to be met with a frown. Clearing your throat, you directed your hand towards the doorway, “Interesting night for a visit. Is there something bothering you?”

“I could ask you the same thing. Polly said you were asking for me”. As he spoke, his head tilted towards one side, the light skimming over his neck. Your stomach dropped at the sight of a ‘bruise’, your eyes darkened, flickering away and hands crossing over your torso.

Fuck, your job had just become much harder.

Emotions began to course through you, prompting you to bite back your tongue in regret. You weren't sure why the wound stung, but the feeling you were losing your best friend overcame you.

"I..." you coughed, finding it best just to blurt it, "I saw Grace talking to Inspector Campbell in a very involved manner yesterday"

He blinked, and blinked again, letting out a cocky laugh, “I knew you were jealous, but really, (Y/N/N)? That’s impossible, she was with me the whole day”. His lip curled, waiting for your response. Hands finding their way to the pockets of his coat.

You rolled your lip in between your teeth, “I know you were, but she was at the park with him too. You think I’m lying to you?”

“I think you’re jealous”

Your fists were bawled, beginning to feel the effects of the burning anger within your throat, “So what if I am? You’re just going to believe her over me? You would rather risk your relationship with me and your business as a whole over some pretty little barmaid that popped up coincidentally at the same time that Campbell’s investigation began?”

His hand inched towards the doorknob once again, instinctively reaching for the exit. It was clear that he didn’t want to do either of those things, but didn’t want to admit you were right. “I don’t want to waste my time having this conversation, love”. Despite the usual affection in his tone, the pet name was dripping with mockery, sarcasm and malice. Your stomach lurched as the door was thrown back, letting in a sharp draft of wind.

The rain was picking up, the wild winds sweeping swelling storm clouds in your direction. Without another word, Tommy began to advance into the saturated street, the faint light of the outside lamp casting a glow on his face. You shook your head, refusing to let him go,

“Tommy!”

His head snapped back.

“She’s playing you and you know it… You’re a fool, Tommy Shelby”. His head readjusted back onto the cobbled road. Doing his best to block out the venom of your words, he turned and disappeared down the corner of the street, leaving you alone in the chilly doorway of your apartment.

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#the peaky blinders #thomas shelby #thomas shelby x reader #tommy shelby #tommy shelby x reader #peaky blinders #tommy shelby x you #female reader #she/her #cillian murphy #season 1 episode 5

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