#darby sabini

[darkdevasofdestruction]

Angel of Birmingham ~ Alfie Solomons x Reader

Summary: Before he meets Tommy Shelby, Alfie gets the pleasant surprise of encountering the lovely Angel of Britain, and from then on, he swears to always protect her from all the dangers of the world.

If she were to ask herself who was the first to call her that - That undeserving nickname - She’d have to guess it might have been Arthur. He always had a way with words without realizing, and it all happened when they were children... More or less, considering she is closer to John’s age than his, and she would patch him up after fights and whatever marks of ‘good behaviour’ he got from playing around.

Seeing how great she was at taking care of him and his brothers, Aunt Polly suggested she tries to become a nurse or something. She saw potential in the little girl. Intelligent, charming, beautiful and pretty damn innocent. She shouldn’t stay too close to their dark side, it may taint her, and neither of the Shelbies wanted to see her upset. She was too much of a ray of sunshine and they desperately clinged to her and her kindness.

In the bleak midwinter.

But the girl was also highly ambitious and she didn’t want to settle with being a simple nurse - No, she wanted more. More and more and more. She was smart, she was greedy and she was a conqueror.

Veni. Vidi. Vici.

Until they received a beating sister with death and they suddenly opened their eyes towards the Godly truth in front of them.

She was going to become the only surgeon in Birmingham and she will succeed without a doubt, despite her young age.

The Shelbies already had connections with some important people so it was easier to deal with uncooperative people who dismissed her for being a woman and didn’t even look at her amazing knowledge and skills.

For a while, she had to be away and work in the London’s hospital as she studied medicine, despite her very young age. She hated being alone from her family and her second family, as she always called the Shelbies, but despite her timid personality, she still made some pretty good friends, albeit with the nurses, as most of the girls didn’t have the right connections and the money to bribe their way so high-up the medical field.

For now, that is. Y/N wanted to change the world. She aimed high and jumped higher. With the right money and influence, things will change. She was sure about that.

It was all going splendid for her, until the First World War began and her three Shelby brothers were enrolled - She was desperate to keep them home, but she knew she couldn’t.

So the next best thing was to go with them.

She was a doctor and they needed war doctors to take care of the wounded, so of course, she was accepted without a second thought.

She had to go to Verdun and to Somme, and she had to see so many people being brutally taken away from life - Bombs, gunshots, wails of anguish and despair, fear, cries, agony and shivers.

If Y/N could describe war with a single word, it would be simply ‘Hell’. 

There was no better word to describe it, without a doubt, and an angel in hell always gets her wings burnt horrifically painfully.

She prayed day and night for her three brothers to be alive and well by the end of all this, at least physically, since mentally, she knows neither of them will be the same, that’s for sure.

And this hell went on for four agonizing years that went by, day after day, at an alarmingly lethargic pace, as if time and space were enclosed into a continuous loop of no return, a dark void from which they will never return.

But they did.

And when they did, they were welcomed with hugs and kisses and lots of love from their families...

Yet they reciprocated with a dead look in their eyes.

They died in War, and this was just a second attempt at living, like a dead man roaming the world again.

The worst that happened was Tommy getting shot during his tunneling, but Y/N made sure he would be treated properly, and yet, there was one thing she couldn’t do, no matter how perfect her healing skills were, and that is to erase their mental and emotional pain and all the nightmares and PTSD they had to suffer from.

She tried to stay strong for them, to smile and be radiant as before, to try to take away some of their unseen pain, to talk to them, to sooth them... God knows they needed it. 

She would crawl in Tommy’s bed at forsaken hours and hold him tightly whenever he’d wake up screaming in fear, afraid that the shovels will breach through the walls and he’d get shot again, and she’d talk to him, reassure him and tell him he’s not there anymore and nothing will get to him again, she will protect him from any danger, and her wings were there to shield him.

She would leap out and hug Arthur from behind, dragging him away from murdering or fatally beating more men who looked at him the wrong way, so he wouldn’t lose control of his mind and body again, and she will shoo everyone away while she holds him and lets him cry out his fear and stress and pain.

And John... Poor John... Ever after being home, he was still in a state of shock, and he was so confused, and would look down at his hands, trying to wash them so much that he got burns and irritation, only to get rid of the ocean of blood that he created by killing hundreds of men, and witnessing a thousand more.

And yet...

There was nobody there for her.

Nobody to hold her down whenever she wanted to lash out into hysterics and tear everyone apart limb from limb. There was nobody there to reassure her that she didn’t fail anyone for not managing to save the man split in ten pieces after falling prey to a bomb. That there was nothing wrong with taking lives as long as you protect your own. There was nobody to reassure her during a nightmare or embrace her protectively whenever she’d flinch, jump or panic from the louder noises or frequent gunshots all over Birmingham.

She needed a change. She was going further down and down, spiraling into the horrible abyss that the bottomless pits of anguish and torment she was succumbing to, and she knew that, no matter how much she’d smile and say ‘I’m alright’, she’d only drown deeper into her darkest despair.

And that’s how she chose to cope with all her pain. Work herself into exhaustion, study, practice, work, learn - Do anything but sleep or stay idle - As long as her mind was preoccupied with different things, there was no way she’d recognize her downwards descend into hell.

Thus, with continuous work, gunshot threatenings and more influence and bribes, she managed to become the Head of the Birmingham hospital, as the only capable surgeon in the city.

But now that she achieved this, she needed something new. She couldn’t fall into platitude, or she’d go insane. She constantly needed stimulation, because if she relaxes, even by a little, she will remember she is a human being with human emotions and that’s when shit will hit the fan hard, and she was afraid that was the point of no return.

So she extended her influence in London, went to conferences, met new people and ironically, the big hospital was close to The Angel and Camden Town and she became sort of an administrator - section chief around, so she could organize every patient and treatment the way she wanted. Everyone reported to her.

She was Britain’s Angel.

Things were going very well for her, she got a lot of money, people loved her, she was neutral with all the gangsters, mafia, police and every normal peasant or royalty - Healing did not discriminate against any social criteria made by the higher ups - And she had a very lovely, small house and a beautiful flower garden, a lovely maid who helped her keep things tidy, a decent car ( although she preferred walking ) and a few dogs to keep her company.

Another day, another struggle to keep on going. Y/N got up, drank her morning tea in peace while listening to the gramophone. She combed her long hair, letting it cascade down her back, completely disregarding the fashion of the Roaring ‘20s, and went to look at her wardrobe. She chose a black turtleneck thin blouse with high-waisted black pants, a pair of leather boots, some accessories and an elegant trench coat which she wore over her shoulders. It was Spring, so it wasn’t truly cold enough to dress warmly, but not hot enough to wear a sundress either.

The most peculiar thing happened while walking to the hospital - She heard a groan of pain from a dark alley and going to investigate, she saw a fair haired man whose white shirt was stained with red.

“Is it yours?” the woman asked him as she carefully stepped in front of him, completely disregarding the two dead bodies from the ground.

“Some o’ it. Most o’ it is theirs, poor fellas.” he tilted his head to the side left and right, almost comically.

“Fairs. Let’s get you to the hospital, I’ll treat your wound. Free of charge, of course. Let the state pay for something for once.” she chuckled lightly, extending her hand for him to take - To accept her proposal.

“Who are you, Miss? I don’t recall ever seein’ you ‘round. A new nurse from the hospital?” he asked as he almost skeptically stepped by her side, following her.

“Oh, yes, of course, I’m sorry, I forgot my manners. I am Y/N... I’m sort of the head of the hospital nearby. And, uh... I’m a surgeon.” she grinned at him serenely, almost as if to defy and shock him by his previous assumptions.

“A woman doctor, aye? Now that... That’s top. How’d ya do that? I thought they didn’t accept women at University ‘n such.” despite his words, he seemed genuinely interested and wasn’t mocking her.

“Well... Yes, not wrong. And I want to change that. Hmm, how do I explain this without scaring you away... I’m a pretty smart cookie I guess!” her laugh was crystalline and lovely, and if weren’t for the pain from the bullet he took, he would have laughed as well rather mirthfully.

“That you are, lass, I’m sure.” he grunted as he nodded, a bit robotically.

“Ah, we’ve arrived. Before we go in, are you from a mafia gang or something? Some social... Political... Something? It’s not that I care, but I have to put people in different wings for their own good, you know?” she chuckled awkwardly, fidgeting with her fingers a bit.

“I’m not sure I understand, lass.” he raised his eyebrow, analyzing the soft-spoken woman, trying to understand her intentions, whether they were good or bad.

“Well... My hospital accept everyone, you know? But at the same time I don’t think most people want to be rooming with coppers. Or... I know there are some gang wars around... Italians and Jews I think, or something like that. To put some Sabinis and some from Solomons’ gang in the same room, I not only fear for their lives, but also for the good of the rest of the patients and my hospital, you get me? That’s why I at least have to ask. Who knows, maybe I have some of your peers around for you and you can chat and feel better together.” she shrugged at him, feeling a bit uncomfortable being stared like that by him.

“Alright, alright, I get it, lass. Let’s go to the Jews, right? Y’got some o’ those, don’t ya?” he asked, following her as he watched her smile and greet sweetly every person she was walking past.

“Oh yes, of course. Yesterday came a boy called Oliver... Oh, I mean Ollie. He gets upset when I call him by his full name. And there’s this one called David. They said they work for Alfie Solomons, so I put their occupations as bakers. Would you like me to do the same for you as well?” she asked as she hurried inside the room and asked where he would like to stay, and thus preparing the bed.

“Ye even got flowers ‘round ‘ere. This looks more like a home than a hospital if y’ask me.” he chuckled softly as he let himself fall down on the bed, taking off his shoes.

“Oh, yes! Studies show that if patients feel welcomed and are well taken care of, they have higher chances of recovering at a much faster pace. I wanted to test this theory, so I made a contract with the flower shop down town to always bring me flowers. Isn’t that lovely?” she smiled sweetly at him, which rendered the man speechless and in awe.

“Boss, what happened?!” suddenly, Ollie’s worried voice resounded through the room as he leapt from his bed, by the mysterious man’s side.

“Just some dead fish, don’t you worry, lad.” he downplayed his injury as the woman watched the wholesome exchange between those two.

“Oliver - Uh... Ollie, I mean, forgive me. I have to extract the bullet from Mr. Solomons’ body. I will have to ask you to please not worry, I promise to save him, okay?” why was this woman so sweet with everyone? Was that how a doctor should be? Or was she just some exemplary woman?

“...Alright, miss...” the boy muttered, dejected as he watched the woman leave the room, no doubt to get the right equipment for the extraction.

“Honestly, lad, you worry like some maiden. Let the girl do ‘er job.” the Jewish boss chuckled reassuringly at the tall brunet boy.

“She’s no girl, Mr. Solomons. She’s Britain’s Angel. Haven’t you heard o’ her?” Ollie went to sit on the boss’s bed, leaning down to whisper in his ear.

“That’s ‘er? Really?” Alfie’s eyes widened in surprise, but he quite understood now why she earned the reputation.

“Aye! She grew up with the Peaky Blinders and their influence and bribes got her into University, but she’s like super smart! I ‘eard they call her Angel or somethin’, especially after her services in the War. Can you believe that?! A woman voluntarily enrolling into war?! That’s insane, who’d want a free ticket to hell?!” Ollie’s voice became a bit higher as he gossiped with his boss.

“Someone who wants to protect her family.” a feminine chuckle broke the conversation as the two Jews snapped their heads towards the entrance, seeing her casually leaning back on the wall, looking at them with an amused expression, mock-reprimanding. “Don’t you know it’s not nice to gossip?”

“Sorry, lass. This one has quite the chatter mouth to him! ‘e just can’t seem to ever shut it!” his over the top gesticulation, among with Ollie’s shocked expression made the girl hide her mouth to laugh as she shook her head and pushed the tray with the needed instruments to Alfie’s bed.

“True. If he didn’t call you Boss, I wouldn’t have known who you were, Mr. Solomons. Now, I would have to ask you to let me unbutton your shirt so I can begin the procedure. It won’t last long, and with the local anaesthesia, you won’t even feel a thing... For the most part, at least.” she chuckled awkwardly as she sat down on his bed, smiling calmly at him.

“Nah, lass, no fancy ana-thingy, I want none o' that. Ain’t gonna get some drugs to put me down. I’ve been through this before in war, right, and ya didn’t have anaesthesia in war either, so that’s that.” as he said those things, he immediately noticed the smile disappearing from her face as a dark look flashed before her eyes that used to sparkle with fake happiness.

“It’s local anaesthesia, it won’t make you sleep. Besides, I used cocaine in war. It still works. Don’t be like that, Alfie. Please.” she seemed to almost desperately want to use that numbing solution for some reason.

“Why do you insist on going against your patient’s wishes, miss doctor?” he challenged her, narrowing her eyes, as if he was trying to peer into her mind.

“I can’t stand people’s raw cries. You heard Ollie. I’ve been to war, but a part of me never returned home. If I can do something to absolve the pain from someone, I’m gonna do it, whether they like it or not.” her dark voice seemed to make a complete 180 from the sweet one from earlier.

“Do you do the same with coppers too, lass?” his light question, as he unbuttoned his shirt, came as a begrudged agreement to her proposition.

“Nah. I just hit them over the head with a bottle of alcohol. Works every time.” her devious, vague smirk made him wonder whether what she was saying was true or not.

“Now that -- I really wanna see that, right. Would’ya call me next time you gotta do that?” Alfie chuckled as he attentively watched her gently wipe the blood from his skin.

“It’s usually a spontaneous decision, really. I get impulsive too, sometimes, you know? I’m not perfect. But, should the time come, I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to have an audience that would be pleasantly surprised by my act of aggression.” she smiled softly as she carefully administrated the novocain around the area where he got the bullet.

“So where’d ya serve?” he asked, as the girl encouraged him to talk and get his mind away from the procedure.

“Somme and Verdun. I asked to be deployed as close as possible to the Shelbies... I’m sure you got that by what Ollie just told you. Y’know, the tunnels Tommy dug and all that? Wasn’t fun. And you, Alfie? ... Ah, actually, forgive me, I shouldn’t address you so casually without asking for your permission, I got ahead of myself. You can call me by my first name too. I prefer it that way, kinda. It’s more casual and light-hearted.” she chuckled awkwardly - Alfie realized she wasn’t the best at social interactions. He wondered if this was just how she was, or it was a post-war effect.

“No, s’all right, ya can call me Alfie, no problem. I was a Captain in war, right, I was a Captain and I led tons of lads to their death, yeah, but we killed more than we got killed, so that’s that, I guess. Meddled with gas’n’bombs’n shit like that.” Despite trying to keep things light hearted, he noticed the upset look on her face.

“As long as you’re alive, anything is justified.” She muttered, more to herself than to him as she started poking the area under anaesthesia to see if it got numbed down properly.

“Oi, lass, how about I tell you a story, aye? ‘S pretty funny, I reckon.” He suggested, seeing as she smiled softly and nodded at him, putting on her gloves, ready to extract the bullet old-school.

“Sure, Alfie, I’d love that.” She gave him a quick look as he fingers dug inside his wound, making him flinch.

“So, this happened during war, right. My regiment had some nasty Italians around, and they pissed me off so fucking much, yeah. Well, I tell ya, I once carried my own personal form of stigmata on an Italian.” He used one of his hands to gesticulate wildly, as if to keep her engaged in the story whilst he grunted from the discomfort and pain he felt as she rummaged inside his wound.

“Ohh, the Italians. This is going to be a very good story, I’m sure. What did you do?” her smile widened slightly as she felt the bullet shards and started extracting them one by one, putting them on a napkin until they all formed a complete bullet.

“Listen, Y/N. Listen, right. I pulled his face up against the train and shoved a 6 inch nail up his fucking nose and I hammered it on with a duct board, aye.” As he told his story, Y/N had to turn around and slouch a bit, unable to contain her laughter.

“Oh my God, Alfie, that was horrible!” but despite the words used, she just laughter harder.

“It was fucking biblical, lass, I tell ya!” his voice went a bit higher, as he started chuckling as well.

“Okay, okay, say that again, but this time slower. I-I want to imagine – To, to get a better image of this in my head. “ no matter how much she tried to hide her laugh, she couldn’t, which only fueled his wish to amuse her.

“So, this fucking margherita bastard came to me and started throwing around those cross fingered hands back and forth like he wanted th’ gouge my eyes out o’ somethin’. Just! Like! this!” Alfie started aggressively mimicking the Italian hand gestures as the girl had to put down the needle and thread from shaking so much.

“G-Go on!” she encouraged him quickly.

“Yeah, so, listen, I grabbed him by the fucking head, yeah, and I saw this bigass nail, like this big, and shoved it up his nose, y’know, like the fuckin’ Egyptians hooked the brain out through the nose, right, with the mummies and shit.” He had no idea why, but he really enjoyed making her laugh like this.

“I think I’m getting a nose bleed just by imagining this!” she covered her face entirely as she swung left and right from laughing so hard.

“He’s leaning back on the train now, yeah, and he’s hazy like he’s fuckin’ high on pepperoni or some shit, and I see this board just layin’ there on th’ ground, innocently, begging to be used somehow. So I pick it up nicely, yeah, I pick it up and SLAM it into his face. Once. Twice. Thrice. More. Dunno how many times, until I can’t see the nail anymore… But I guess, by then, he didn’t really have much of a face anymore, kinda just became a jam pancake or somethin’.” The girl needed a few minutes of laughter to calm down and wipe her eyes from laughing so hard.

“Oh, Alfie, I haven’t laughed so hard in my entire life. That was wonderful. I-I have no words. I can’t… I can’t… Okay, I’m good now, I’m good. But don’t say more stories, I won’t be able to sew up your wound if I laugh like that again.” She grinned at him, grabbing the needle and thread.

“Fine, lass, fine, I won’t say more stories today. How about you say one, then?” the Jew leader smirked at her with amusement.

“O-Oh, uhm… I-I’m not exactly the funniest person in the world, you know. Actually, I’m not even sure I know what to say. I’m a horrible conversation maker.” She chuckled nervously, as she continued to make knots and stitch the wound.

“Doesn’t matter, anything works, really! I just wanna hear an angel speak.” Mr. Solomons was truly an amiable one.

“Well, alright then, let me think. So, I think you’ve heard already of the Peaky Blinders and how there are quite a few Shelby siblings, yes? Well, they used to have a baby cousin, before he was taken away by some nasty coppers and put in foster care. I was also pretty young back then, but I remember Arthur used to throw baby Michael out of the window repeatedly for either John or me to catch. Mind you, it wasn’t the ground floor.” She chuckled lightly, remembering the stupid kid things they used to do before the war, when life was so simple.

“Really, now?! Poor lad, must’ve grown up with some serious height fear!” Alfie barked a laugh.

“That’s one thing. John put him in a shoe box and kicked him down Watery Lane. Sometimes when cars were passing by too. It was insane, really, growing up with them. But it was fun. If you ignore the copious amount of times we got in trouble and almost died.”  She mused, finishing the procedure and applying some marigold ointment before bandaging the wound properly.

“Thanks, lass, that was quite the experience. Well, I’ll be off then, I won’t bother you anymore, yeah.” He said, trying to get up, only to quickly get pushed down on the bed.

“No! You need to rest and get better, as well as that, you can’t do effort or brusk movements or you risk breaking the stitches.” She explained as he saw worry in her eyes.

“Let’s compromise, alright lass? I’m these guys’ leader, yeah, I’m the leader, so I can’t stay here, I ‘ave to go home’n all that. But I promise you I’ll take it easy and only do office work, yeah, that good? And to thank ya, I’ll even call you by the bakery, how’s that? Nice and warm fresh cookies? How’s that sound?” he asked, as he saw the girl clasp her hands together to her chest.

“Well… Alright then, I can’t really refuse you. But please do be careful. At least let me walk you home or something, I don’t think anyone will attack you if I’m around.”  She muttered, still worried.

“Oi, lass, I am the gentleman here, right, I am, so I should offer to walk you home, not the other way around, aye. Let me walk ya home and tomorrow I’ll come by with cookies.” as he got up, he was ready to button up his messy shirt, but the girl stopped him.

“Alright, Alfie, you win. Let me find you a new shirt, I’m sure we have some around. Before I leave, I have to check up on one of Sabini’s men. It will be pretty short, but I still have to make sure he’s alive and kicking.” The girl offered him a smile as she rushed out to find him a new blouse.

Much to his surprise, she returned rather quickly, even dressed in her normal attire, as when she first came by, and they were ready to leave that wing. However, as soon as they exited the room, the girl was pinned to the wall by none other than Mr. Sabini himself. Alfie was ready to react and throw him off her, but a stopping signal from her did the trick, albeit, he was still confused.

“Mr. Sabini. How many times must I remind you not to greet me in this inappropriate way? I lost count after twenty.” she smiled sarcastically at him as she roughly pushed him off.

“I simply cannot help myself around una fiore cosi bello! You have to understand me, mio angelo, it is your fault for being so beautiful. And how many times have I told you to call me my by name, bella?” The sleazy Italian smirked perverted at her.

“It is inappropriate to display such behaviour with your patients, as well as that, I do not feel comfortable addressing you in any way but the formal one. I will also have to ask you, again, not to use compliments with me, I will not, under any circumstance, accept your courting proposal. Not to mention, you and your men have your own ward at a completely different floor, so I will have to politely ask you to please stop bothering my other patients who have the same rights of being treated as you do.” Her voice was so cold and venomous, as a sword’s edge cutting deep into flesh. Alfie was shocked to see the angelic woman capable of such a demeanour, considering how sweet and shy she was previously when she was laughing so much that she started tearing up.

“But Y/N, amore mio, mio Tesoro, I can give your lovely hospital monthly charity cheques, to fund it, bring you only the latest technology in pharmaceutical and medical stuff! I can buy you anything you want, only say so, and I will bring it to you! I will –“ he continued boasting about his money until he got quickly cut off by the girl.

“Enough. I don’t need your money, Mr. Sabini, I have my own. Not only that, I will also really want to ask you to stop bothering me already. I have to remind you, you have been harassing me for quite a long time now, and I have all the right in the world to choose the patients I’m admitting, considering this is now MY hospital, and if you don’t stop your desperate cry for attention, I will completely eliminate the Sabini ward and divulge all your secrets to the other mafia gangs. And don’t you dare pull out your stupid gun and threaten me, I’m not afraid of you or of death. I already died in war, now I’m just living a second chance. Good bye, Mr. Sabini.” And with that, Y/N turned on her heels, motioning for Alfie and Ollie to follow her as the click of her shoes echoing through the corridors emanated the angry aura around her.

“So you’ve got the same kind o’ personal vendetta against those stupid Italians too, aye?” Alfie chuckled, hoping to lighten up the mood for her.

“Yep. That story from before – I’d do it with Sabini without thinking twice. Or I’ll have you do it, I don’t think I even have the physical strength to pick up a duct board. I have noodle arms.” She let out an amused breath as the Jew looked at her with a smile.

“Ya bet I’ll help ya.” And thus, they arrived in front of her house, being greeted, as usual, by her barking dogs who jumped on her from happiness.

“So… Tomorrow, yes? When should I be expecting you?” she asked, trying to pacify her excited puppies.

“Maybe ‘round noon?” and thus, the agreement stood and the girl waved at him sweetly as she went inside the house, followed by her furry babies. “Y’know what, Ollie? This one is a woman that comes once every thousand years. I dunno how Thomas Shelby could let go of her, but he can’t be as smart as he thinks he is.” Alfie chuckled, nodding to his right hand man to begin walking.

The next day, as expected, Y/N woke up early to make sure nothing is out of place everywhere in the house. Maybe it was her weirdly acting up over-perfectionism, but she couldn’t stand still if something wasn’t where it should have been.

After all, she hasn’t had visitors in… Well, never. It was always her who would visit the Shelby family, but other than that, she would meet up with friends in pubs and clubs, not at home.

Before she knew it, noon arrived and the sound of barking announced Alfie’s arrival. As she opened the house’s door, she noticed he was on the ground, getting loved by all the dogs.

Shocker.

“They say dogs can always tell a good person from a bad one. You passed their test, well done.” She gave him an amused side-smile, leaning on the door frame.

“Anyone who has so many dogs is trustworthy in my books.” He cackled as he got up, walking towards the girl, holding the basket up so the four-legged beasts won’t steal it away.

“I taught them horribly bad. They eat at the table with me, I cook for them more than I cook for myself. And now, look at them, those rascals, they will do anything for food as if they’re famished! Spoiled brats, I’m telling you!” she smiled as she removed the flower vase from the table and poured some tea, aromatic and very nicely smelling.

He admired the tea pot and the matching cups – They were a soft, light blue with painted pink flowers. – Very cute, he thought, and very fitting to her own sweetness. He’s seen so many women affected by the bitterness and anger of having to be unheard, submissive and mistreated, in this ugly, monochrome, wet Britain, so meeting Y/N was like a breath of fresh air, completely different, not afraid of being as sweet and kind as she wants, without implicating herself in any trouble or business and just doing her own stuff.

“Tea, lass? I haven’t had tea in ages, yeah.” He chuckled as he carefully put the plate of still steaming cookies along with some challah bread.

“…Oh. I forgot most people prefer alcohol. Oh My God, I’m so sorry, I don’t have any kind of alcohol in the house-“ she freaked out a bit, only to be stopped by Alfie’s chuckle.

“I’m a tea guy too, lass, don’t worry so much over silly things like that, right? Tea’s fine too. What’s it got?” he asked, easing her worries quickly.

“Vanilla, cinnamon, cherries and a bit too much honey. I like sweet things.” She smiled at him as she raised the tea cup and clinked it to his. “Cheers.”

“Sweet things like you, little lady, love things just as sweet, yeah? Cheers! It’s quite nice, aye, not bad, not bad at all, I think I’ll want more.” He blinked in surprise as he saw the girl immediately get up and pour more tea into his cup.

“Woaw, Alfie, you’ve made these? I’ve never eaten chocolate chip cookies before! They’re amazing! And this bread… It’s so soft and it tastes like honey! If you ever wanted to stop your underground business, you could definitely make a fortune opening up your own bakery! Imagine this… Alfie Solomons, the sweetest man in all Britain, loved by every citizen, earns a Royal Warrant from the Queen for baking the best cookies in the world!” Y/N praised the man as she ate what seemed to be the 4th or 5th cookie by now.

“Bah! Who cares ‘bout that old hag with a crown on her head? If the right person likes it, it’s all that matter, right, nothing else matters to me, and you already like my baking, so that’s that, yeah, that’s just that!” Alfie laughed, making the girl in front of him make a cute kitty smile and look down, her cheeks becoming just a tiny bit rosy.

“Alfie, now you’re just being too nice with me. You don’t have to do that just because I treated you.” She chuckled softly, surprising the man.

“You think I’m being nice to you because o’ that? That’s silly of you, lass, yeah, very silly, that’s not the case in the least, that’s just who I am!” he protested vehemently, his golden chain bracelet clinking softly with each movement.

“So you just like me? Just like that?” her eyes widened in shock.

“Why’re you looking so surprised, lass?” his voice became gradually much calmer and sweeter, seeing the genuine emotions from her.

“Oh, I just… I haven’t heard that in quite a while, I guess that’s why. Apart from the doctor work I do, and all the people thanking me for saving them, I don’t have much social interaction, so someone saying they like me for  my personality, as Y/N, not Britain’s Angel who saved them, is… You know… Unexpected.” She admitted, smiling shyly at him.

“How would you like to hear another story?” it’s true that he wanted to see her so bashful in front of him, but he also loved hearing her laugh, so why not give it a try with one more of his famous stories.

“Oh, I’d love that! You have the best stories, Alfie!” she immediately cheered up, putting her elbows on the table and resting her chin on her hands oh so cutely.

“Now, now, don’t flatter me, lass, it’ll go to my head, yeah, I’ll get used to you cute words.”  He leaned back on the chair, getting a better look at her.

“That just means I’ll have to say them more often.” Oh, how cheeky, Alfie thought as he grinned at her.

“Right, perfect plan! So, there you go! Tommy Shelby came by recently – Just a few days ago, right – And he, he started being a cheeky bastard with me, so I wanted to teach him a lesson. Got the gun out, cocked it in his face. I said – Look, let’s say I just shot you already, right, in the fucking face, and the bullet goes bone, mush, bone, cabinet over there.” Alfie made a finger gun with one of his hands, pointing it at the smiling girl, and then pointed behind her, where a pretty landscape painting was hanging.

“Oh, Tommy in London? I’m surprised he didn’t tell me anything about coming here, or at least visiting me. What a shame. I’m not surprised by his behaviour though, he’s become a bit of a jerk after the war.” She nodded in acknowledgement, smiling at him to continue.

“Right, it’s a shame, it really is, because that cabinet is fucked. I gotta get rid of it. So, what I do is this, I said. It’s fucking simple, mate.” And thus, he intertwined his fingers together on the table, playfully putting on the intimidating look of his.

“You burn it to splinters?” she tilted her head serenely like a cute puppy.

“Nah, even better. I cut that cabinet in half, don’t I? I do, I’ll just cut the cabinet, I cut… I cut the cabinet literally in half, mate, I said, and threw him a rag to wipe that bleeding nose of his. He was looking at me like a fucking dead body, lass, beaten up and bruised, by Sabini’s men, but still got the cheek to play coy with me on my turf!” Alfie told her the truth, knowing she’d want to know about her old friend.

“Tommy got beaten up by Sabini? What in the world did he do…? That boy never knows when to stop, does he. Anyway, so you cut the cabinet in half. Now what do you do? Throw it in the ocean?” she asked, quickly forgetting about the Shelby boy.

“No! I take half of that cabinet and I put it into a barrel, and take the other half of the cabinet, and all its pieces, and I put that into another barrel.” His hands shifted between left and right to show off imaginary barrels.

“And you fill them up with gun powder and make them explode in your enemy’s factory?” she grinned excitedly at him.

“Gosh, lass, no! But now I hate that you have more imagination than me! But listen – This barrel – I send this barrel off to… Mandalay.” He flapped his left hand around dismissively, making the girl bite her lip to stop herself from laughing. “And the other barrel off to somewhere like… I don’t know…” and he looked deep into Y/N’s eyes, unblinking and trying to come up with a funny city name, as she smiled with expectation for the punchline. “Timbuktu! You ever been?” the line was successfully delivered as the girl had to hang her head down and hide her face in her hands as she burst into laughter.

“Mandalay? Timbuktu? Where the hell are those?” she asked, unable to control herself.

“Fuck if I know, lass, but that’s the best of it! And y’know what? Know what, lass? I saw Tommy Shelby, right? Yeah, I saw him. All gloomy and dark and stuff. But I always thought he’d have a great, big, fucking gold ring in his nose!” Alfie joked around, and the girl was almost afraid she’d faint from laughing so hard.

“Oh, Alfie, you are the funniest man alive. So what did he say, how did he react to that?!” she urged him to continue.

“Nothin’! Nothin’ at all! He was silent as a fucking lake, lass! That Shelby boy has got no funny bone in his fucking body! Can’t even make a joke with him! Shoulda learnt from you, your company is a delight.” He saw Y/N quickly nod in agreement.

“Yeah, that’s right, Tommy has no sense of humour at all! He hasn’t smiled or laughed since the war. He’s changed completely. I know he’s been through a lot, you know? Everyone has. He still has that kind heart, and all he does, he does for his family… But it wouldn’t hurt him to be more genuine with them, or accept the fact that he’s not the only hurt one who can’t get over the war. I mean – I mean John, he’s my age! Got married, has like 4 kids already, married again and he’s still a brat as always! And you, Alfie! You said you were a captain, but you are the greatest person I ever met! He has no excuse for being a jerk. If he had a nose ring, like the bulls have, you could’ve just gotten a hook and tied him to a car and had him paraded around the streets of Camden Town!” she giggled in amusement, roasting her old friend shamelessly.

“Y’know lass, I think you’re as much of a fairy as I am, aye. You look all angelic and pure, but you have a wicked sense of humour!” the girl couldn’t help but let out a mock gasp of hurt and offense.

“Me? Wicked? Never! My, Alfie, you hurt me - How ever in this world could you possibly call me the Devil, when I’m known as Birmingham’s Angel? Recently, Britain’s Angel?” she laughed, almost as though she was making fun of her own nicknames.

“I think I’d much rather hear you being Alfie’s Angel.” Y/N’s smile froze, and her cheeks warmed up instantly, her gaze looking down at the tiny crumbles left behind from the tasty cookies. “Wha’chu say, lass?”

“I... Think I would like that very much, Alfie.” she could barely contain her timid smile.

“Wonderful news, lass!” Alfie merrily got to his feet. “Well then, I’ll be seeing you tomorrow, pretty Angel. Don’t forget to serve your little companions their dinner at the table, a’ight?” he bent down slightly to plant a small kiss on her cheek, a little ticklish from his bear, before nodding his head at her, a cheeky smile on his face, and he left, not without all the dogs desperately seeking affection from him.

“Alfie’s Angel, huh? Doesn’t sound half-bad.” Y/N giggles softly to herself, only to hear her maid coming out of nowhere and cheering for her for landing such a good man, though not without warning her not to get into trouble with the very many gangs and their wars. She was a sweet girl, Y/N thought - Perhaps Ollie would like to date a lovely lady like herself.

Many days and weeks, and even months passed, and Alfie visited Miss Y/N daily, never skipping a single day, or missing to bring her the prettiest flowers, and the freshest cookies and bread. He was going to spoil her rotten, that one, and he loved every bit of it, especially the shy look she always had on her face, and the hesitation of accepting so many gifts - He just loved pampering her, what could he do? It was in his nature after all.

And Y/N absolutely loved whenever he’d come over, and each day, with a new story to tell, and new jokes and rumours and gossips - He was an absolute delight, and her dogs loved him perhaps a little bit more than they loved her, at this point. It was no wonder, after all - Alfie started baking food for them! And Y/N thought she spoiled them! 

For once, Y/N stopped feeling the terrifyingly heavy pressure of anguish and torment weighting down on her very soul and being. She didn’t feel the need to work her mind into exhaustion, not tire out her body to the point of fainting asleep. She didn’t need to do any of those anymore, to feel alive and human. She only needed to look at those beautiful eyes of his, and those kissable lips, always forming a mirthful smile; to feel vitality returning into her body, and any sense of fear and anxiety escaping her very being. She remembered what it was like to have a sense of care and possessiveness over her own life, and finally, after so long, she wanted to be free - As free as it could get, unbound by any rule and regulation - To just have fun and thrive in the bliss of romance and happiness.

Once Alfie heard that, he kissed her sweet lips for the first time, admitting to wanting to retreat from the mafia life, and retreat to a calmer area where no one would be searching for him. Margate. A small cottage, cozy and warm, by the sea, where nobody would care to scold them for shooting those noisy seagulls, and Cyril and her dogs could run around aimlessly and run day in and day out, while they spend their time reading and baking and all the cutesy things that couples in love are supposed to do.

Before that, however, a few more things had to happen - Retirement wasn’t an easy process, after all, not in this business, and shrouding yourself into the veil of the unknown was even more difficult a task. People wanted their vengeance, after all, and they’d stop at nothing to achieve it. Nothing, including threatening the beautiful, benevolent Angel who was supposed to have neutral immunity from all kinds of parties. That is what she thought. That is what everyone thought. It was the catalyst of Alfie’s decision to speed up his retirement process and get this done and dealt with already. He never felt as angry as he was now.

It came during a time when Tommy rang Y/N asking for a favour, though rather uncomfortable. Alfie didn’t agree with this at all, he warned Y/N it would be dangerous - Deals with Italians were unpredictable, those bastards, and Sabini was a lecherous fuck who wanted to steal her away - But how could Y/N deny doing a favour to the man who helped her reach such heights though his influence? The man she went to war to protect? The man she took a bullet for? Her brother from another mother?

“Y/N, lass, you’re going to get fried to death if you approach that pasta fucker. I can’t just let you go.” Alfie grumbled worriedly. “And it ain’t just Sabini I’m worried about, love, it’s Changretta too. ‘course, all the fucking pizza fuckers came ‘round to screw things over, but Sabini keeps saying he ain’t working with that other fucker.” he paced nervously around the room, to and fro, fro and to. “Y/N, listen - Listen, a’ight? LIsten. It’s not Sabini I’m worried about, y’know? We’ve been at each other’s throats since school, it ain’t flash news, right -- I can deal with ‘im somehow -- But the other one? I know shit about ‘im. Came over from fucking America, and now he thinks he owns the whole fucking world, that one. And y’know what, hun? ‘e can fuckin’ have it, for all I care. Let Tommy Shelby fight with him. But you --- I’ll be fucking damned before I let him take you away from me.”

“Alfie, sweety, look at me.” Y/N got up from the bed, and approached the frantic man. She cupped his face and brought him into a tender kiss. “There’s no force on earth that can keep me apart from you. Besides! The hospital, remember? Even if Changretta comes over, I will just tell him of the deals, and the treatment and... He won’t hurt me.” without even realising, Alfie’s arms were wrapped around her smaller form, holding her close to his chest, pouting like a clingy child. “Alfie~! Come on, don’t tickle me with your beard! I promise I’ll give you attention all the after this is over, okay? But family is family, and I promised to help out. It won’t take long. And... It’s supposed to be some private party, right? A party with lots of people. He can’t just threaten me in front of everyone, right?”

“I don’t like risky things like this, Y/N. Can’t blame a man in love for worryin’.” He muttered against the skin of her neck. “But better tell Tommy I’m not gonna let him send you do his errands for him anymore, a’ight?”

“Alright, alright, I’ll tell him.” she couldn’t help her sweet, uncontrollable giggling, all because of him playfully running that trickly yet well kept beard of his over her soft skin.

Just as promised, Y/N dressed in a very pretty dress, making her look like an innocent, sweet flower blooming in Spring, overshadowing all around her with her beauty, thought there was no Tommy Shelby there waiting to escort her at the party. She didn’t think much about it though - She hadn’t a watch at her, so she couldn’t tell whether she was fashionably late or not, and he just went on ahead to do some of his work dealings with his gang friends. It was none of Y/N’s business, she was just supposed to be there as a peacemaker, a mediator, considering she was neutral with all, thanks to her position as the head of the hospital.

She grabbed herself a glass of champagne from a waiter and waited by the sidelines, watching the party unfold, with gorgeous dancers and the orchestra playing songs of all kinds. When a slowed song began, she awkwardly played the wallflower, not wanting to gain any attention to her, but of course, her not so favourite Italian came by, gallantly asking for a dance. Of course, she couldn’t refuse, more or less because she was a diplomat, and despite all the harassment from the past, all of them taking care in the hospital, at a party, it was all fine. Still, she hoped Alfie could have been there - It would have been more bearable.

“A gorgeous lady like yourself shouldn’t be all alone at a party.” Sabini said, making Y/N give a polite smile.

“Well, I was sure Tommy would be busy talking business with you, Mr. Sabini. I’m surprised you’re here, with me.” the man rose a quizzical eyebrow, hearing that.

“My dear, Thomas Shelby never once spoke to me today. In fact, I was not aware he was here at all.” Y/N’s body froze, and their dance stopped.

“What do you mean?” she asked in a whispery voice. “Tommy said he needed me here, as a mediator between the Peaky Blinders and the other gangs of London. If he’s not here -- Why would he ask me to be here?”

“Ah, bella, bella, bella, so your naivite and innocence only makes you more endearing.” he gave a smug smirk. “Luca Changretta asked your dear Tommy, to have a... Pleasant conversation. Negating deals. Business talks... Men talks. Signorina Y/N, he sent you over to receive a message, as he feared for his life, but counted on our long lasting friendship.” his chuckle sent shivers down her spine. Suddenly, she felt terrified for her life.

“I... Don’t want to get involved in your business matters. I don’t do business. I just heal people, that’s all. I wanted to do Tommy a favour, as he is my brother, but I want to have a peaceful life, away from all the gang wars. Please, let me go home, Mr. Sabini. If you want me to send Tommy a message, I will, but I won’t get involved any further than this.” the Italian nodded his head, an almost nasty smirk on his face. 

“By all means, no one wants to hurt you, Signorina. It would be terribly rude of us to kill the messenger... Though Signor Changretta’s father was ruthlessly killed, in front of his wife, for no reason, by your brothers. But us, bella - We, Italians, care for our family above all, and Signor Changretta admires your devotion to your own. He is going to love meeting you.” Y/N slowly removed her hands from the man’s shoulders and offered a small smile, trying to keep her composure. But she was terrified to the core, almost as much as she had been during the war. Not only did Tommy betray her, but he threw her in a pit of vipers... Like a weaponless gladiator, forced to fight a hundred starving lions in the Colosseum. She was a healer, not a fighter! Damn it, Tommy!

“It was a lovely evening, Mr. Sabini. I will be taking my leave now.” with a certain elegant swiftness, Y/N was able to slip past Sabini and hide her presence in the sea of people, trying to make her way to the exit of the grand mansion, only to bump into another man, much taller than Sabini was, and he was towering over her, a passive smile on his face. It was much clear now, the whole place was filled only with Italians. She was trapped.

“Signora, what kind of man was vile enough to make a woman cry? Tell me, please, I will not have such disrespect in my family.” his accent was heavy, and his aura was dangerous, with a mysterious darkness. The stranger rose a hand to cup her cheek and rose her face to wipe the wet, gleaming under eye of the woman.

“Uh... Forgive me, Mr... I didn’t mean to bump into you and disturb you. I... I am not a very sociable person, I don’t do well with crowds. I... Was hoping to return home.” she offered an uncomfortable smile. This man was trouble.

“Don’t worry, bella, I will make sure to discipline my men better.” he nodded, chewing on what looked like a toothpick... Or a match? Was that a match? “You will have to forgive them. Anyway, may I escort you outside and call for a car for you?” something made her feel as though she hadn’t any choice in the matter.

“Y-Yes, please.” she nodded meekly, her voice barely audible from all the noise of the party.

With his arm around her waist, the stranger gentlemanly escorted the lady outside of the mansion, and outside, into the darkness barely illuminated by the lights from inside the house. Were it not for the loud music and all the chattering from the mansion, the graveyard silence would have been entirely ominous, save for the soft cricket and toad melody.

They were all alone.

“Do you wish to kill me, Mr. Changretta?” Y/N asked, frightened out of her mind.

“Kill you? Oh, Signora, no, no, why in the world would I wish to harm an beautiful lady like yourself?” he let out a sardonic chuckle. “Sabini tells me they call you the Angel of Britain. May I call you... Angelica?” Y/N didn’t answer. “Have I frightened you so, bella? Mi dispiace, it wasn’t my intention.” though, based on the sarcastic slur of his words, he was having his fun tormenting her.

“Mr. Sabini said you wished me to deliver Tommy a message. What is it?” the woman asked, holding her hands together tightly.

“Ah, yes, of course. Very brave of Mr. Shelby, sending his dear sister to do his dirty work. How shameful. You see, bella, we never put our ladies in danger. Sabini especially says he’s taken a liking to you for quite some good years. I can see perfectly well why. I’ve never seen a woman beautiful and intelligent such as yourself.” Luca’s hand found itself caressing her face, his long fingers reaching up to her hair, strong her long velvety hair. “I love how you defy this decade’s fashion, though you manage to look more elegant than most.” he kept complimenting her.

“Mr. Changretta, please... I am already dating a man, and we are soon going to move in together. I would appreciate it dearly if you would not continue your courting, though I am very flattered that one like yourself would find me attractive.” the man looked up at the sky, a dry smile on his face, watching how the lady tried to step backwards every time he inched forwards, only to end up with her back flush against a tree.

“Somehow, I don’t quite believe that. You are far too terrified from the simplest gesture. Admit it, Signora, you’ve never been with a man before, have you?” his smirk only widened watching her face burning with a sweet blush. “You needn’t say any word, your body betrays you.” he chuckled, getting uncomfortably close to her. “I hate making ladies cry. My mamma taught me better than this. She taught me to respect and cherish women, for they are a treasure - And I agree. I will not hard you, Signora Y/N. But perhaps you need to be reminded of the importance you play in this gang war... And maybe even remind your dear brother, as he seems to have forgotten about you and how much you worth. Would he react at all, if I were to laugh in his face and tell him I’ve claimed you? Will he even get angry, if I tell him I killed you? Thomas Shelby finds himself to be rather the undefeatable businessman and politician, but from our latest interaction, I say, he’s a man as much as any other, and he has easily exploitable weaknesses. It is really too bad you had to get caught in the middle of all this. I bear you no ill will, Angelica.” he leaned his face closer and closer to her own, to the point of feeling his warm breath on her skin - She tried to move away, though he fixed her head, cupping her cheeks forcefully. He truly just wanted to steal a little kiss, nothing more! He wanted to get a taste of her pink, plump lips that looked like the softest rose petals, bathing in shiny morning dew.

Instead, the loud, resounding sound of a gunshot made the man close his eyes in anger, whilst Y/N squeaked in fear, trying to fall to the ground and defend herself; an awful habit she couldn’t break even after the war was over. Luca used the woman as a shield, one hand buried in her hair, the other, holding a pistol to her temple.

From the paved street the soft sound of a cane was heard, as Alfie Solomons appeared, looking all dressed for a party. He looked alone. Was it him who shot, or was it another? Surely, he wouldn’t be stupid enough to come by all alone, even if it was to rescue Y/N - And if he did, it only meant her worth was a hundred times more than he expected. Was he the man she mentioned just previously?

“Ah, Mr. Solomons, what an unexpected surprise. I don’t believe we’ve had the pleasure. I’m Luca Changretta.” the Italian smirked, chewing on that match, approaching his face to touch his cheek to Y/N’s. 

“Oh, yeah, I know who you are. You are a bit of a failure, aren’t you? You come all the way over here, to this country, yeah, in order to kill Tommy Shelby - But, I mean, well - He’s not dead, is he?” Alfie smiled fakely at the Italian, forcing himself not to look at the whimpering look of his beloved.

“He would have been, were he not saved by Angelica over here. But he cowarded out, didn’t he? Can’t even have a conversation with someone who hides behind his sister’s skirts.” Changretta sneered mockingly.

“That’s it. I’ll tell you what, right? I didn’t want to come ‘ere, in your home, without a gift, yeah? It woulda been rude - And Jews are known for their hospitality, of course. Here - It’s free. A souvenir.” Alfie rose a single bottle of his rum, showing he was unarmed. “Now, why don’t you let go of that lady over there, and we say our goodbyes?”

Changretta smirked darkly at him. “Signora, why don’t you take the bottle and have a sip? Rum is sweet, for women. Men prefer dry, strong gin.” with trembling hands, Y/N extended her arms to get the bottle from Alfie. It was almost excruciatingly painful, being so close to his protective arms, yet so very far away... “Go on, Angelica, take a sip.” Alfie frowned, watching Y/N’s face contort slightly - She didn’t drink alcohol, she hated it. Even if rum was sweeter than most alcohols, it still wasn’t anywhere close to her sweet teas with too much honey in them.

“This clown wants me to run his shit rum into New York.” Changretta let out a dry laugh, insulting the Jew in Italian.

“Damn fucking straight, mate, otherwise you wouldn’t still be thieving my oxygen and patience, would you? Because I have 200 barrels a month, yeah, cleared by your people, distributed through your teamsters.” Alfie continued with the straight business deal.

“Didn’t you just hear me? People want gin these days.” Luca repeated.

“I heard you wanted to come over with a proposition for me. I hate waiting, yeah - So, that’s why I came over, to quicken things up a bit, before they get stale, right. I already know what you want. I just want to hear you say it out loud so I can check how ridiculous it is.” Alfie inched closer to the two, not once breaking his overly dramatic mannerism.

“Ah, bella, what will I do, I am losing my patience with him.” Luca shook his head in disdain, burying his face in the crook of her neck. Based on the twitch of his enemy’s eye, he had hurried over with a half-baked plan. No doubt, Thomas Shelby must have gone over to him to search for an ally in him. To come in the enemy’s den for a woman - Alfie Solomons was a suicidal maniac. “There is gonna be a little fight, a boxing match, between your boy and Tommy Shelby’s boy, and the whole Shelby family is gonna be there.” Alfie hummed, already knowing all this. “And you, Mr. Solomons, you too will be there.” Luca started stroking a lock of Y/N’s hair, intentionally taunting the Jew. “You know, they say you’re a smart guy. You already know what we want before we say it. That’s funny because I believe I know what you want even before you say it. Yeah. You want the girl back, that’s why you’re here. Maybe for the barrels too. But the girl... Yes, I get why you’d want her back. Can’t miss out on claiming a treasure like her.” he pressed a kiss to her temple, his lips lingering and going down, towards her ear, whispering a small threat and softly slipping the sleeve of her dress a little down her shoulder with the barrel of his gun, revealing flawless skin, before leaning down her neck, and to her bare shoulder. Y/N tried to struggle away from him, whimpering from the uncomfortable fear she was feeling, and how violated she felt by the Italian, but the tight grip on her hair only brought out a whimper of pain and disgust from her.

If someone could look deep into Alfie’s eyes, they could see a wrathful fire raging inside his soul. He wanted to make pasta sauce from that fucker for daring touch his sweet lady and making tormenting her so. He had to play his cards well, feign ignorance and uncare, otherwise, he was afraid that wop will be taking Y/N as a bargaining chip and blackmail him, to the point that not even Tommy Shelby playing God would be able to save the sweet lady. “I want some cash too. Don’t worry, ‘cause I’ve broken it down here.” from the pocket of his coat, he took out a neatly folded paper. “A list of costs pertaining to the assassination of a dear friend, all right?” from his other pocket, he took out his glasses, putting them on as he read the terms and conditions to their deal. “Now, a normal dispatch, well, it’s, you know, 500 pounds cost, but you’re going to have to have to add another 100 to that because Tommy Shelby, like me, is from an oppressed people... And... I need you to put another tonne on top of that because his brother is a fucking animal and he will come after me.” Alfie kept reading, frowning every so often at the inconveniences he was listing. “And then you will need to put another 100 on top of that, because, well, you’re a fucking wop, mate, hmmm?” Changretta remained speechless, looking at the mess of a Jew who found himself hilarious, messing with him. “And then... We have to deal with the ugly business of which I’ve been incredibly clear of, before I’ll need another 500 pounds, because, like I stated, Tommy Shelby is a very, very good friend of mine.” though he wished to wring his neck for throwing Y/N in danger like that. “And... Another 500 pounds for threatening my wife. And 500 more pounds for making her cry.” Alfie folded back the paper, handing it to his enemy. “Total is down there, in black and white. All right? Crack on.”

“Mr. Solomons, I’m gonna be very fucking clear with you. I don’t need you to kill anybody. I have people that I trust, okay? So you are gonna take my boys and you are gonna bring them to the ring as seconds.” Alfie frowned at the Italian.

“Well, in order to qualify as my seconds, right, they would first have to qualify as being Jewish, yeah? And in order to do that, they would have to replace their natural Italian fucking arrogance with a Jewish air of absolute certainty. You see, my good friend, Tommy Shelby, he will know the difference.” he warned the unbothered Italian don.

“You see, these days, back in the old country, a lot of the, uh.... You know, the Jewish people, they, uh... They are having to pass themselves off as Italian.” Changretta chuckled menacingly. 

“All right, well, you’ll have to add another ton onto your bill - For being a cunt, mate.” Alfie refuted with a chilling calm. “All right?”

Luca looked away briefly. “You will bring my men to Birmingham?”

Alfie nodded his head, hoping his crazy humour was acting as reassurance for his lady. “You will circumcise them?” Luca was mute. “Yeah, you will have to circumcise them. Because the Peakys will check, yeah?”

“If they’re going to have their pretty doctor check, surely, she wouldn’t quite know the difference, would she?” the Italian jabbed at the Jew, who was imagining different ways of torturing this fucker.

“Don’t bother your little wop brain over what my wife does. She won’t be there.”  Luca smirked, knowing very well his uppercut landed perfectly.

“Okay. Any other requests?” he asked, laxing his grip on her hair. “Two hundred fucking barrels, we have a deal.” Alfie frowned, looking at him with disinterest. “What’s the matter? I said we have a deal.”

“Eh, you just made a deal without a negotiation, didn’t you?” Alfie stared him down. Luca affirmed that statement. “Yeah, Tommy Shelby was right about you, wasn’t he?” then, for the first time, Y/N heard the man speak in his own, native language. “You plan to kill us all.” though she didn’t quite understand what he said, the look in his eyes was enough to give her a good guess. Still, with the deal in place, Luca Changretta smirked in triumph, and with one last gesture of condescence, he forced Y/N into a deep kiss, before pushing her towards the Jew. “Sogni d’oro, mia bella Angelica.”

Alfie instinctively lunged forward, catching and gathering his lady into a tight embrace and watching carefully as Changretta stepped inside the mansion. He could feel Y/N’s soft trembles of her small body as she cried in soft whimpers - She was trying desperately to stay composed, but after everything she’d gone through, he couldn’t blame her. That margherita fucker must have creeped her to hell and back. “It’s okay, darling, cry as much as you need. I’m here, love, I’m here, okay? Alfie’s here, and I’m not gonna let go of you again.” she felt so warm, so safe in his large arms. “Let’s go home, yeah? No more of this gang shit. I’ve done over my plans, and we’re leaving faster. I’m not gonna let any of this fuckers even look at you ever again.” he massaged and stroked the back of her head, where that jerk hurt her, and he kissed her forehead and her cheeks and even her nose, before guiding her to the car, with Ollie driving them to the comfort of her own home, with her many dogs, and a shit ton of guards all around.

Y/N couldn’t say anything, and when they got home, Alfie had her maid draw her a warm bath so she could relax. He made sure to put a nice vinyl on the gramophone, and had Ollie return to their house to bring the emergency cookies for comfort, whilst he continued to internally curse Thomas.

He wasn’t sure how long she calmed down in the bath, with her maid comforting and chatting with her to get her mind off of the anguish she was put through, but when she returned, she was wearing one of her beautiful silk nightgown that barely went down to her knees, and she let herself plop on the bed, cuddling into his arms like a kitten seeking warmth. “How did you know?” her soft voice asked as he pulled them to lay down, stroking her hair and her face dearly, occasionally planting kisses and calling her sweet things. When Ollie finally came back with the cookies, her maid had brewed the sweetest tea in existence for them.

“Well, I always did pride myself with having good intuition, you know, but when Tommy came by my bakery, I realised - Shit, my sweet lady’s in trouble.” Alfie spoke, watching her cringe softly at the mention of the Shelby. “Asked him what the hell he was doin’ over at my place, instead of being there with you, and he said - Who would hurt you? Sabini wouldn’t, surely. There’s no person with more immunity than you, right?” he mimicked the man. “Thought I was gonna lose my mind, hun, hearing that. I was this close to beating him to death, yeah, nobody dares touch my sweet girl after all. He said some things about those fucking greasy wops, and it got me thinking - I already knew things were going to shit, and very fast, right, and I knew I had to make our exit as swift as possible - But when I heard you were all alone, with a bunch of sleazy fucks, my mind went crazy.” he gesticulated dramatically, before pinching her cheek playfully. “I promised Tommy Shelby a beating at some point, and I managed to land one good punch on him before coming to my darling’s rescue. Glad I got there just in time, but fuck, I’m so pissed - So fucking pissed you had to go through all that. I should’ve never let you go. Should’ve trusted my gut.” he grumbled, clearly angry at himself.

“Alfie.” she had an upset, pouting look on her face. “I’m sorry I let him kiss me. I wasn’t strong enough to fight him off.” she hung her head in shame. “If you hadn’t come when you did... I fear what he’d have done.”

“Y/N, lass, what the hell are you apologising for?!” he exclaimed, his hands immediately going to raise her face gently to look at him. “As if a weaponless woman could fight a grown ass man with a gun. If anything, I should be the one to apologise for not being fucking able to protect you as a man should. I thought playing the wife card, and the extra billing, would get that cheapskate fucker let go of you already. Fucking cunt. He’ll pay, I’ll make sure of that.”

But Y/N frantically shook her head. “I don’t care about that, Alfie. I don’t want revenge, and I don’t care what happens to any gangs, okay? I’m sorry, Alfie, I’m sorry I- I’m selfish, okay? I don’t want to do this anymore. I just - I can’t. I really can’t, you know? Always in the middle of danger, always in the middle of war -- I just want to go live out a happy, peaceful life, with you, and our dogs, and a shit load of seagulls to shoot whenever they wake us up with that annoying screech of theirs. And then -- Then, I wanna go have a good travel, maybe. Let’s -- Let’s go to the mountains, I heard it’s fun hiking. The forests are very pretty too. We can hide away from everyone, we’ve got enough money, don’t we - And if you wanted to, I told you, you can open up your own real bakery, and live perfectly comfortable with those earnings. Anything - Anything, just to get the hell out of this God-forsaken, war-riddled, decrepit, barren city, and away from this awful, exploiting people who care for nothing but their damn fucking business.” the way her eyes were gleaming with both hope and desperation shattered Alfie’s heart. “Can we do that, Alfie? Please, can we do that? Just the two of us -- Maybe Ollie and Annie too, if they wanna - And our dogs too - Just us, a nice, big family.”

Alfie’s very soul felt honeyed from her words of love, and her wish of staying together with him - And it was tempting too, taking Ollie and her maid with them, he had to admit. They would finally be living the god damn peaceful fucking life that they deserved. He had been dreaming during the day, and during the night, of a life spent together with her, all away from this shit city, away from the shit gang wars and what nots. He was exhausted, he wanted to let his guard down for once, and he knew he could do that with Y/N. He wanted to provide her a beautiful, comfortable life, a peaceful once - She’s never been to the beach, and he really wanted to show Margate to her. Just them, and the sound of the ocean waves breaking against the shore, walking barefoot into the wet sand and playing in the water.

Perhaps it was a little close for comfort to both France and London too - Maybe some day, they could go further north, further away from the capital. Perhaps they can even change their names, take on new identities, retire completely. Sure, he’ll still be taking care of his Jewish community, but he would stop the mafia dealings - Let the younger generations get themselves in trouble a hundred thousand times per minute, he was completely done for.

“Yeah, my little cookie, we can do that, and we’ll fucking do it, and very soon, yeah? Very soon, I promise you that. I’ll keep you safe, and comfortable, and happy. First, in Margate, and if we get bored, wherever the hell we want, a’ight? With Ollie and Annie if they wanna join, and with our spoiled dogs, ‘course.” he leaned in, capturing her lips into a sweet kiss.

“Alfie?” she called his name, her cheeks flustering lightly, unable to meet his eyes, despite the beautiful smile on her face.

“Yeah, meyn ketsele?” Y/N always blushed so hard whenever he’d call her his little kitten.

“Is the... Erhm... Wifey spot still open? I’d like to apply.” Alfie couldn’t help but start laughing mirthfully at her bashfulness, only to pull her into a loving embrace, peppering her face with kisses all over.

“Ikh hob dikh shtark lib - I’d love nothing more than to be your husband.” Y/N felt faint from all the suffocating love and affection she was receiving all at once, but she couldn’t help but melt to the sound of Alfie speaking in his native language, saying that he loves her so much, that she was the love of his life and what more. It was almost funny, how quickly he became smitten beyond repair for her, but he simply couldn’t help it. Women like her only came about once every thousands of years, and he was just so happy, just by seeing that shy smile of hers, or waking up to her in his arms. How could he ever let her go? 

Y/N wasn’t Birmingham’s Angel anymore, and like hell was she Britain’s Angel. She wasn’t an angel, she was a little wicked fairy, the sweetest lady there was, and any other overdosing sugary sweet and entirely embarrassing term of love that Alfie could ultimately generate from the top of his head, just to see her adorable blush, but by hell, he was feeling trapped and addicted to her magic, and he was never going to let go of his darling honey bunch lady.

And Alfie was going to make her the happiest woman alive, and their wedding was gonna be fucking biblical.

[peakyblinded]

PEAKY BLINDERS LOCATIONS // 2.04 “Episode 4″

[dragonmasterkaylz]

🐻Teddy’s Skill🧸

Okay, before anyone starts, I know Concentration was not a game until the 1980’s, don’t judge me! I’m sure this is the type of game Teddy would play~.

Tags: @hoodeddreams13

“Mum!!!”

Leah Shepherd was shaking at a desk as she looked at her gambling opponent and Alfie gently placed his hands on her shoulders before calming her down. “I-I tried…! I’m sorry Teddy! I lost all of our money!” Then Teddy glared at the opponent before saying, “Y-You… You bastard!!! And in our own house?!!!” He chuckled and said, “If you want the money back, gamble me…”.

“Hmmm… fine, but I get to choose the game”.

Alfie gasped. “Are you serious?!!” “Teddy!!! Please!!!”

“What? Don’t you two trust me? Both my boyfriend and my Mother? How disappointing!”

The man then said, “You already know who I am, but I never introduced myself to your lovely Mother. I am Darby Sabini”. Leah sighed and then stood back. “I-If you’re sure you get past his tricks—!” “Darby, do you accept my terms?”, Teddy asked. The Italian nodded and said, “Of course. What game are we playing?” “A game I’ve loved since I was a young boy~!” Alfie then frowned and watched him go into the drawer, pulling out two decks of cards. “Double Concentration. It’s a game of match basically. For example, if you get two Kings of Hearts, you can keep on flipping the cards, but if you get a King of Hearts and a King of Spades, it’s your opponents turn. Sounds fun, am I right~…?”

The look on Teddy’s face sent chills down all of their spines and Darby said, “That’s fine by me”. “Okay…! Alfie will placed down the cards and we will leave the room while he does so”. Alfie then nodded, when he felt Teddy lean and whisper something into his ear, just before he kissed his cheek. Then himself, as well as Darby, walked out of the kitchen. Leah then asked, “Why are letting him do this, Alfie?!” “I’m not one to tell him what to do, yeah? But, I’m worried. I’ve never seen him gamble, and Darby’s a tricky bastard!!! But, there is no way he can cheat during his game, which is why Teddy picked this one out”, Alfie said, smiling.

Teddy handed Darby a cigarette and he said, “No, I don’t smoke”. “Alright. So, why? Trying to get under Alfie’s skin again? You know my Mother is a gambler, right? So you picked poker, where cheating can… be very easy”, Teddy said with a smirk, as he lit his own cigarette. Darby chuckled and said, “You knew? How interesting. Are you a gambler?” “No, I’m not stupid. But… when I’m challenged, it would be rude to refuse such a game. But, this is an even match. No cheating can happen in a game of match. You just have to be sharp and remember the cards. That’s all there is…!”

“Alright, I’m done!”

The two walked in and sat on either side of the table.

“We don’t need a dealer for this, so what’s your bet?”

“All of the money I got from your Mum. £100,000”.

Teddy chuckled and smirked with pride on his face.

“I call. £100,000”.

“Huh?!! Teddy!!! Don’t do it!!!”

Teddy then looked at his Mother and asked, “… Don’t you trust me, Mum? You’re the one who lost all of the money in a gamble. As your son, it’s my duty to get it all back. And this gamble is fair. You know that”.

Leah gasped and looked down. “Teddy… I’m sorry…!”, she repeated. He smiled and then hugged her before whispering, “Stop apologising Mum, I forgive you. I just need you to trust me, alright?” “Okay, I trust ya”.

Teddy went back to his spot and picked up a coin. “I want you to flip the coin, Alfie~. Pick heads or tails…”, he said with a smile. Darby then said, “Heads”. “I’ll go with tails then!” Alfie then flipped the coin, before it landed on the top of his hand and he placed his other hand on the top of it. He lifted his other hand before he smiled. “It’s heads. So, Darby Sabini will go first…”.

Darby chuckled and started flipping the cards, to get a four of hearts and a four of spades. “Is that a loss?” “Yes, it is. So, it’s my turn!”

Teddy flipped his cards and Darby’s eyes widened in shock as he watched him flip pair after pair. “What?!” He frowned and asked, “H-How?!” “How? It’s dumb luck!”, the blonde told him. “Oh dear… looks like I did not get a pair~”. He finally flipped a pair that wasn’t a solid match and then he said, “It’s your turn, Sabini!”

He flipped over the cards Teddy had flipped over in the last round, along with the rest. “Oh no!” “Looks like you win!” “Pay up—!” Teddy then said, “Hold on!” Then Darby’s eyes widened in shock. “This is a three round game! You cost this house a lot of money, but as a gangster, I’m sure you have no problem playing against me another two times!”, Teddy told him with a deadly glare on his face. “Hm… alright then…! I’ll put my bets up a little higher! £200,000!” “Hehe~!!!”

Leah and Alfie saw the look on Teddy’s face, looking the money pile up in front of him. “I call!” “What?! We don’t have that kind of money!”, Leah told him. “I’m aware… but Alfie does”. Darby’s eyes widened. “What are you playing at?!” Then Alfie put down the money and Teddy said, “You’re trying to intimidate me! Just by showing off your wealth! I’m sorry, but that won’t work on someone like me! Everything must be on the line for me!” Darby then said, “Y-You’re insane…!!!”

As Alfie prepared for the next game, Leah asked him, “Did you know he had this side to him?” “No, I didn’t. But, he’s trying to extort more money out of Sabini and leaving it all to chance. It’s a scary deal to make… but he wants to humiliate Sabini as much as he can”.

After the coin toss, Teddy went first and he flipped so many cards, it was hard for Darby to keep track of his movements. And he knew Teddy wasn’t cheating, or that’s what he thought. But in fact, each of the cards had small marks on them, which paired them all up. Teddy didn’t care much about the money. He wanted to humiliate Darby Sabini as much as possible with a simple game. He also knew, the more angry Sabini got, the more money he’d place on the line. And that would humiliate him even further. “Looks like, I win!”

“Fine!!! £500,000!!!”

“Hmmm… you think I’m cheating, don’t you~? Why don’t I use two more packs for the next game so you can calm down~? I mean, we’re at a tie here”.

“Yes… please!”

Alfie had never seen Darby squirm like this. He saw that Teddy was getting under his skin. But there was no one to back him up, and shooting Teddy wouldn’t do him any good. He knew that Darby would only get himself shot. “Alfie?” “Fucking £500,000 from… my own bakery”. Teddy’s grin widened as he gave Alfie two fresh new packs, but unbeknownst to anyone in the room, they had also been tempered with. “Heh”.

Leah gasped, since everything was on the line. Either they win, or they lose everything. She was shocked by her son’s own recklessness, but that’s when she saw something on each of the cards. “Oh, Theodore”.

“Heads or tails!”

“Tails!”, Darby said.

Alfie looked at the coin after flipping it and he sighed as he said, “Tails”. But that’s when Darby got a little too confident. He flipped over a lot of the cards as he also watched Teddy, who was watching his hand very closely. Darby was confident that Teddy hadn’t in any way, tempered with the cards. He went to lift up two other cards and his eyes widened. “N-No…! Fuck!!!” “My turn~!” Teddy followed the same rhythm Darby did and continued on. Then Leah smirked as her son had won. “Well~! It looks like I win the game, Darby!”

“Y-You cheated!!!”

“Huh? What’s your proof? Alfie is the one who dealt out the cards and he would’ve told us if there was any sign of cheating. Why? Because I told him to just before the game started. Unless you have any proof, stop being such a fucking sore loser and give up!”

After Darby left, Leah giggled and said, “I saw it, my darling~”. “Oh? Did you?”, Teddy responded. Alfie just blinked, as he was clueless. “Saw what?” Then Teddy smiled and picked up two of the same card. “Notice something strange on the back?”, he asked. Alfie just leaned in and gasped. “You marked them all…?” “Yes! Yes, I did. Sorry to deceive you like that, Alfie. I didn’t mean to”. He chuckled and cupped his cheek. “You’re getting more and more interesting, my darling. But… why didn’t you tell me?” “Simple. Because I wanted you to remain impartial, both of you! If you both had a confident look on your face, he would’ve known…”.

Alfie hummed. “That’s fucking smart. And ya got £1,600,000 out of it all! Fucking hell!”

“Yeah, well, we only want £200,000. That’s double of what Darby got from us. You can have the rest”.

Alfie looked at Teddy and chuckled. “I’ll keep the one million, but you keep the other £400,000. Use it to buy another home or something. Something nicer— not that I’m saying you’re living in a dump, Leah…!!!”

Leah giggled and said, “Don’t worry. I know what you were saying. And maybe we should, Teddy~!” “Mum, just promise me you won’t do anything stupid again”, Teddy said to her. She nodded and hugged her son. “I won’t. I promise, Teddy”.

Then Alfie hugged them both before kissing his love on the head. Leah giggled and said, “You two should get married~”. “Yeah, ya know that’s not allowed”. “It is… if we get married in private”, Teddy said.

Meanwhile, Sabini was gritting his teeth.

“Bastard!!! I’ll fucking kill him!!!”

END

[peaky-f0cking-blinders]

Sabini: I could kill you if I wanted to, Shelby.

Tommy: Yeah? So could anyone else.

Sabini:

Tommy: So could a tiny dog.

Sabini:

Tommy: So could a dedicated chicken.

Sabini:

Tommy: You aren’t special, Sabini.

[wandawiccan60]

The Witch of Camden Town: Part 16

***Lit SMUT***

Alfie Solomon's X Jovonka(FemOC)

A/N: HEYYYY how's it going everyone I am back with another chapter to my Alfie story. And I want to thank you all again for following my story and reblogging and liking it. I also want to point out that for any of my future projects I've decided to make a tag list every time I post a new short drabble, One-Shot, or any story that I'll be writing. So if you guys are interested in being in my tag leave a comment. But without further ado here is Part 16 and as always please like, reblog, and I appreciate every single one of you for reading my story that I am so happy to share it with you all. But again you guys rock and asl always good morning, afternoon, or evening wherever you all are, and take care. Enjoy!!! and catch you later. See Ya!!!!

Word Count: 4,073

ALFIE SOLOMON"S MASTERLIST

WARNING 18+ ONLY!!!: Some Graphic Blood, Some Cussing, Some Themes of Torture, Mentions of Puke, & Lit SMUT

TAGS: @i-love-th-characters1, @hecatemoon87, @ao3feed-symbrock, @annisse, @theshelbyslimited, @theshelbyclan, @kittycatcait219, @zablife, @tomhardyspinkyfinger, @edwardthomashardy1, @potter-solomons, @star017, @jarvisrocks, @evita-shelby, @thealmightybitchgoddess, @ninja-potato-shelby-solomons, @professor-alfie-solomons, @solomons-finest-rum, @tea-atfive, @rikki-b-lake, @veddieiscanon, @symbean, @jollysoulfestivalfreak, @mollybegger-blog, @97freaknik, @twvstedsouls, @weirdgirl16355, @omgeternal, @bubblyani, @buttercup32sstuff, @raincoffeeandfandoms, @queenofthefaceless, @queencoraline3, @quarterpastmidnight, @thefics-that-drip, @lovebitesimagines, @alfiesolomons-treacle, @smellslikeillusoryillusions, @shelby-solomons,

🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩

The Next Morning

A silent ocean breeze blew across another morning day in Margate. Jovonka and Alfie slept ever so between their naked bodies. Jovonka mumbled silently in her sleep while hearing the steady heartbeats of Alfie’s heart against her right ear. She tightened her eyes together; her left hand turned into a fist, and her breathing began increasing, frowning her eyebrows together. The thumping turned muffled in her ear and she suddenly saw in her eyes a darkly lit room that only contained a dirty-looking bed. The smell of rotten sewage around her, an empty fireplace, and behind her a raspy voice was heard. A small groan then came out of whoever or whatever was breathing in such an uncomfortable way. 

Jovonka… you… you must get out… of this place…

She anxiously turned her head around to the voice that knew her name. Once she faced the grating voice, her eyes grew in horror at who the person was showing before her. 

“Oh my gods,” Jovonka said, feeling a breath stuck against her throat seeing a bloody disarray Novel tied up in a wooden chair with his hands wrapped on each side of the chair.

One eye was swollen shut while the other had a purple bruise. His mouth was dripping watery blood, trying to balance his head up. He looked towards Jovonka with his good eye as the groaning breaths continued to be heard. 

He… he is coming… for you… and he will not stop un… until he gets his revenge… 

Before he could speak any further, a black-gloved hand aggressively pulled onto Novel’s brown locks. Making him jerk back, letting out a painful groan and exposing his white neck. Behind the dark shadows, a face appeared. Jovonka recognized the same devil face that has been haunting her slumber for many months. 

“You’ll never see me coming without you ever realizing it. I’ll have you in my arms and you will be my slave forever,” Sabini said, taking out a sharp knife with his other hand and cutting open Novel’s neck as black blood gushed out of it.

“NO, NO, NO!” she screamed out in between wails, her forehead glistening with beads of sweat. Alfie called out her name, trying to wake her up.

“Jovonka, Jovonka babe look at me,” he said softly holding onto her arms her eyes opened wide exhaling in and out for air, “it’s alrigh’ my love you just had a bad dream try to calm your breathin’ down yea?”

“No, nothing is alright, my beloved. I saw him again. I saw Sabini in my dreams again, but this time he… oh no,” Jovonka’s voice broke in between her words, remembering the new terrifying vision she had never thought to see until now.

“What is it tha’ you saw of him, my rose?” Alfie asked, caressing her left cheek with his thumb. Jovonka leaned her forehead against his, her tears streaming out of her eyes.

“There was… oh gods… Novel was in my dreams, but… he looked bruised and tortured in every way you could imagine. Sabini then appeared, telling her she will be in his arms and be his slave forever. Could it be possible that Novel is in terrible danger? Or he is already in his doom like I saw in my dreams?” Jovonka let out a shaky sigh, and the tears continued to shed. 

Alfie hugged her tightly in his giant arms, resting his chin on top of her hair. She returned the gesture, hearing his steady beating heart against her right ear. 

“I’m sure he is back in the hotel with your sister Isabel and is safe. I’m very sure of it, love,” Alfie reassures his woman, but deep down in his soul, he feels the same way.

Suddenly the door from the bedroom knocked, interrupting the couple’s moment. 

“Who is it?’’ Alfie called out, reaching down on his black trousers while Jovonka covered herself with her king’s white long-sleeve shirt. 

“It is I, Mr. Solomon’s I’m sorry for bothering you both at these hours, but Isabel is here. And she wants to see you both. She says it’s urgent,” said Edna from the other side of the sodden door, making Alfie stop midway from buttoning his trousers, and so did Jovonka.

They both gaze into each other’s eyes. Jovonka felt a strange and uneasy feeling. Thinking back to the dream, she had wondered if this could be the reason her older sister wanted to see her in such a hurry. Once Alfie adjusted his pants, he then made his way to open the door, revealing Edna next to Little Elena and Cyril.

“Let her know we will be down in a moment and prepare some tea in the meantime please yea?” He said Edna nodded her head while Elena and Cyril made their way inside to greet Jovonka.

“Elena, good morning, why are you suddenly up at these hours?” Jovonka said, hugging her little sister tightly in her arms Cyril then got him up on top of the bed wagging his tail.

“Isabel came in to wake me and asked if we were alright. She sounded worried, but she is now downstairs waiting for us all,” Elena said, sitting crisscrossed above the bed, Cyril cuddled against Jovonka, making Jovonka smile.

Alfie closed the door behind him and made his way to sit down on the edge of the bed, still only in his black trousers showing his upper body. 

“I think we should all head down Little Elena, go run along with Cyril to greet your sister, yea? Jovonka and I are going to get ourselves ready. We won’t take long,” Alfie said, giving a small smile as she nodded her head and made her way out of the room Cyril followed behind.

Jovonka didn’t say a word as she lifted herself up from the bed and opened the closet doors. While looking for her dress to wear, Alfie got up from the bed, making his way in her direction. He then hugged her tightly by her waist, resting his chin on top of her right shoulder and placing a small gentle kiss on her neck. 

“There’s a reason Isabel urgently wants to speak with us. And it’s possible because of what I saw and possibly she has seen it too,” she said letting out a small shaky sigh and gripping the wooden doors with her hands, “we should hurry, I don’t want to keep my sister waiting.” 

Alfie grunted and nodded in reply, giving her one last kiss on her right cheek. Jovonka looked at him sideways, placing a hand behind his head, caressing his short locks.

“I’ll follow you, my love, no matter what we will talk about. Just know I’ll be there with you by your side as long as I live,” Alfie promises while feeling her small hand massaging the back of his head, wishing to be in this state forever.

“I know you’ll always be here, my darling. I already know.”

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

A splash of cold water was thrown onto Novel’s face, waking him up from his deep, conscious slumber. He was sitting on a creaky wooden chair. They strapped his wrists in a hard rope behind him. 

“Wake the fuck up lad, we have lots of talking to do with you,” said Sabini, smoking his long brown cigar and sitting in front of the young man, adjusting his vision and surroundings.

“Where the fuck am I? What is the whole meaning of this, eh? There must be some mistake to all of this-.”

“SHUT THE FUCK UP!” yelled out Sabini, slapping hard across the young boy’s face and letting out a low grunt, trying to not feel the hard sting.

“Now you listen here, you freak. I’ll be the one doing the talking while you give me the answers I want you to give me. And once you do yea, I’ll let you go free, is as simple as it sounds,” Sabini continued on giving a slimy smirk at Novel furiously breathing in and out from his nostrils.

“Whatever you're asking, I will never give you what you want, so fuck you piece of shit. And instead, burn in fucking hell,” the young boy threatens the Italian gangster as he spits right on his face, making Sabini chuckle at his action.

“Very well my dear boy,” says Sabini getting up on his feet while wiping away the spittle with a white handkerchief as he continued, “I had a feeling you will act this way. You got some strength in you boy I could see it in your eyes. But you won’t be so strong after I bring out my little friends.”

The Italian gangster nods his head towards Bob as his henchman squishes Novel’s cheeks with his right hand. Jack restrained the boy’s shoulders down with both of his hands, and Sabini let out a long drag from his cigar. 

“Let’s see here what could be the least painful tool to use on you first. Hmmm ah yes,” said Sabini opening a medium size wooden box filled with his torture instruments trying to decide which tool to use on the helpless frightened the boy.

Novel tried his hardest to release from Bob’s and Jack’s grips, but it was no use. While he continued to struggle, the Italian then took out what looked to be a sharp dagger. Glistening upon the only light that illuminated the dark, putrid room. Novel saw this from the corner of his eye. His heart pumped uncontrollably. 

“No… no,” Novel said between mumbles as Bob gripped his hand harder, keeping him as still as possible.

“I told you Mr. Novel, you won’t be so fucking tough after this, will you eh?” said the sinister devil, giving him an ugly smirk and gently placing the sharp cold dagger against Novel’s left cheek. 

Without a single moment to lose, Sabini cut the side of the boy’s cheek. Novel let out a mumbled groaning pain, feeling the deep cut going down. The young lad struggled ever so, but Bob and Jack were clenching him. As the now bloody line mark that Sabini placed on Novel was shown. The Italian looked at his gruesome work of art as the dagger was filled with red blood. Bob and Jack let the boy loose, taking a few steps back away from the boy as Sabini continued with his talk.

“Right then, are you ready to answer my questions now, Mr. Novel? Or do I have to make myself clearer than before?” Threatened Sabini pointing the red-covered dagger at the boy, he breathed in and out through his nostrils, only giving him a glaring gaze at the sick man.

“Fuck. You. Whatever it is you’ll be asking me, you will never get your answers,” Novel said, giving a hard, menacing stare while the blood on the side of his face streamed ever so slowly.

The Italian only chuckled. His henchmen just smiled at what the young boy said.

“You’re a good one. I’ll give you that,” Sabini said while fiddling with the dagger between his hands, “but I will break you and I will get my answers even if I have to cut it out of you.”

Novel was quiet. His hot breathing became increased with fury, thinking how badly he wanted to hit the wop’s smug face. 

“On second thought,” the Italian spoke again, “I think he might need one more cut on that pretty little face of his, don’t you think, gentlemen?”

The two grown men nodded their heads in agreement and their boss directed them to restrain the helpless boy once again.

“Get your fucking hands off of me!” yelled out Novel, but it was too late as Bob squeezed his cheeks with his large hand. Jack held his shoulders down.

The Italian man made his way towards Novel, and the young boy groan and struggled to fear the worst.

“This is just only the beginning for you, my boy, scream all you like nobody will hear you down here. But right now, my little friend here would like to have with you,” he said and once more the sharp material plunged onto Novel’s cheek, giving him another ugly bloody scar on his cheek while screaming at the top of his lungs.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

3 Weeks Later

“I’m sorry Isabel.” 

Her oldest sister stopped her knitting mid way, eyeing her little sister and seeing her head down in shame.

“Jovonka dear, I have told you a thousand times none of this is your fau-.”

“OH SHUT UP!!! Then why haven’t we found Novel yet? It has been 3 bloody fucking weeks and you still want me to believe that none of this is my cause?” said Jovonka furiously breathing in and out from her nostrils while Isabel’s eyes were wide in fright never thought of seeing her middle sister burst out on her. 

Ever since that morning when Isabel came to talk with her and Alfie Jovonka knew from the beginning, it was what she expected. She could sleep for days thinking about nothing else but Novel wondering where he was. Or more obviously, who took him away and where they might have taken him? Jovonka’s first thought was mostly targeted at Sabini. Since he came by Margate unexpectedly that day when they went to the marketplace. Knowing that he causes her best friend’s disappearance and, more oddly enough. It turns out that the owner of the restaurant Lars suddenly vanished at the same moment as Novel. And horrifyingly though a week later, the body pieces of the restaurant owner surfaced on shore on the beach. An innocent family found him while they were walking on the beach. One of the younger children went up to it until he let out a terrifying scream at the top of his lungs. The family informed the police about this gruesome discovery, while the officers were trying to know who would do such a heinous act to an innocent civilian. Especially a man who has been nothing but helpful and kind towards Novel and was killed mysteriously. Alfie from that day forth increased his bodyguards to look after the girls, especially Little Elena. He also demanded Adam and Vlad keep a secure eye on Isabel and Jovonka while they were working together at the job Isabel got offered. Alfie sent his best tracking men to find high and low for Novel, even to where he was last seen, which was at Lars’s restaurant. Jovonka, however, while the search was in session, had more terrible dreams that were half about Novel and herself. The same things were seen over and over since the beginning, the bruises, Novel’s tortured face, the blood, the baby, the gunshot, Sabini, everything that she has seen. It was just a never-ending madness of nightmares, but there was one in particular that stood out the most for her. It was Alfie covered with blood that was oozing from the top of his head. But behind the dark shadows, the monster that she couldn’t seem to escape from appeared behind her beloved. Sabini in his hands had a blood-stained cane, as Alfie mumbled some words that she could barely hear.

Say goodbye to your precious love one…

In a fast swing, Sabini gave a hard hit behind Alfie’s bloody head and this made Jovonka wake up while letting out a screaming and painful “No!” at the top of her throat. She told none of this to her loving sweetheart, which hurt her very much knowing it was for the best to not speak of such a thing. Jovonka afterward insisted she would sleep with Isabel for the next few days, which Alfie didn’t really like the idea at first. Fearing if she woke up from her nightmares, he feared she might not open her eyes ever again or even hurt herself 

“Please Alfie, it’s for a couple of days and I just…”

“Just what, my love?” he said some nights ago when they both lay on the bed, caressing his fingers against her right cheek. 

“I’m just causing you to not have any proper sleep, and these dreams are worse than I have been seeing. But Isabel could help me and tell me why I’m having these new visions. I promise you, my love, it’s only for a few days until my sister figures out why. I hope you know that I always love you very much, with all my heart and soul,” she said, placing her hand against his scruffy left cheek as she leaned toward his lips, their foreheads touching against each other.

Their kiss became more passionate and more loving as always while Alfie’s and Jovonka’s moaning and breathing increased ever so erotically. She gently plunged her nails deep against his red scared back, where she has left a few red lines. This made Alfie pound into her ever so harder inside her wet core. 

“Fuck me babe… please that feels so… Oh gods,” Jovonka loudly moaned out as her king continued railing her ever so delicious. 

Suddenly, without losing a beat, they both came collapsing between each other, catching their breaths. 

After that night, the next few days, it has been nothing but horrible headaches and continuous night terrors. Isabel didn’t mind being awakened during the middle of the night when Jovonka had her episodes. She felt awful in seeing her middle sister in these conditions. Never thought how badly these visions would affect Jovonka in a troublesome way. 

“Jovonka, please calm yourself-.”

“Calm myself down? Are you that blind to see what it is we are going through, Isabel? Don’t you get it? I had to leave Alfie behind because of me. I can’t sleep for days because of these constant fucking nightmares that you and I know something much worse will happen to us all. And I fear for the safety of Little Elena, for you, for me, Alfie, for all of us. It feels might go mad at any moment and what if these visions I’ve been seeing will be my unfortunate fate? And if it’s possible… I’ll end up… end up dead.”

Jovonka’s eyes filled with tears, letting out a few sobs covering her face with her hands. Isabel made her way toward her sister, hugging her from behind trying her best to calm her down. As her middle sister continued her low whimpers, Mia came into the room.

“Is everything alright ladies? What is going on?” Mia questioned while carrying a basket full of white clothes, making both sisters look up.

“Mia… it’s nothing. I just had a moment but I’m fine now really… oh fuck,” Jovonka cut her sentence short as she swiftly dashed out of the room, leaving both Isabel and Mia behind.

Jovonka made her way to the closest restroom she reached too and before long she made groaning noises. She placed a hand against her stomach and for a moment she gag out onto the toilet. After what felt like moments later, she stopped purging as she heaved some heavy breaths through her nose. As she flushed the toilet on the other side of the door, Isabel knocked and called her name.

“Jovonka, are you feeling alright now?”

She steadily held the side of her head with her right hand, feeling as though she might pass out. But once she found her balance again, she looked at herself in the sink mirror. She noticed seeing two somewhat heavy eye bags, knowing fully well she had none proper sleep. And that isn’t the only thing she has noticed about herself. Jovonka’s body, oddly, has been feeling quite different from she usually would normally feel. There have been twice when she had to go to the restroom several times and, more weirdly, her chest has felt sore. 

Could it be???

“Jovonka, may I please come in?” Isabel said, making Jovonka come back from her train of thought.

“I’ll be out. Just need a moment. I won’t be long,” Jovonka said back as she splashed some cool water on her face, letting out an inaudible sigh of breath.

Once she wiped her face with a white cloth, Jovonka adjusted her hair here and there. But yet again she thought of so many things in her mind which led to thinking of Alfie. Wondering and hoping he is doing alright at Camden Town and if he is coping well without her presence from day to night. Hoping that he will not stop loving her, thinking of her, and that their bonded souls never tear themselves apart. Even if they are both not next to each other, Jovonka’s heart beats whenever she thinks of her beloved king. Knowing that her heart belongs to him and will never give it to no other man.

I miss you so much my love… you can’t imagine how desperately you need me at this moment… I’m sorry for being a ghost…

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

“Alfie, sir, are you even listening to me?” Ollie said in an irritated tone, losing himself in his thoughts while his workers unloaded new deliveries from a gray truck.

“Oh yes, Ollie, I’m listenin’ my apologies just was thinkin’ of something but what was it you said again?” Said Alfie trying to not sound out of place    

The secretary man just let out a low sigh, not wanting to repeat what he just said a moment ago. Ollie knew his boss hadn’t been entirely mentally and physically present business-wise, that is. The last days were nothing but stress, anxiety, chaos, and silence since Jovonka went back with Isabel. The business has been booming high mostly, but Ollie knows Alfie hasn’t been that same old King of Camden Town that he knows. Once the truck was unloaded, Ollie finished scribbling the last few counts down on his record sheet. Alfie, in the meantime, silently made his way back inside the distillery, leaving his young secretary alone outside. Making his way through the rows of run barrels and the smell of the alcohol rising in the atmosphere. Alfie entered his brown-lit office, closing the door behind him. After slowly sitting down on his desk chair, he let out a long, inaudible sigh, placing his hands against his exhausted face. Tilting his head as he looked up at the wooden ceiling, his mind wandered back to his beloved woman. How he wished to have her closed in his warm arms, feeling those lovely lips of hers against his, her eyes he has grown to love so much, her persona, her everything that he has found lovely and a gift. He only hoped that whatever she was doing, she was being taken care of and looked after by Vlad and Adam. Suddenly there was a knock on the door making Alfie come back to reality and he let out a low groan.

“Come in,” he called out as Ollie came inside. He had an uneasy look on his face. “what is it now Ollie? Can’t I just have a moment by meself for once?”

“Sir, I’m sorry for the interruption, but… ummm.”

“But what spill it out will you yea?”

“Is that your dear old friend knows the truth about why that witch dancer and those other runaways haven’t been found for months,” said Sabini appearing behind Ollie pointing his pistol behind his lower back and leading him slowly inside the office while three of his henchmen followed behind.

Alfie stood still under his chair, trying to not show a sign of panic on his face and body. His hands slowly gripped against the edges of his chair, giving a deadly stare towards the person he has called “friend” since they were young.

“What’s the matter Solomon’s? Have you got nothing to say or are your just afraid to admit that it is all true that my only loyal, trusted friend. Has helped these people for a very long time and have kept them hidden behind my back. And you, yea, you’re the mysterious fucker that knocked me out that same night at my house. And your little witch whore was the one who put that false memory in me to keep you safe and out of harm. Is that true also true?” Sabini said, directing the pistol toward Alfie’s way, he showed no fear toward the Italian scum, but in his mind, he was in a state of panic.

No… this cannot be true… it’s impossible…

🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩🩸🤎🎩

[leenieweenie12]

What else can you say? 🤷🏻‍♀️

[capnmachete]

Revised!

Re-read Chapter Four after the allergy meds wore off, didn't like it, revised it. Happy reading and TY to anyone that's following, and Ch. 5 is in the works.

[writers-hes]

Borrowed Time

SYNOPSIS: You always knew Tommy as the cheerful boy who took care of you. He always knew you as the smart girl that he visited by the docks. The daughter of a prostitute, the son of a deadbeat father; a soldier who protected his country; a whore who protected him; a gangster who controlled Brimingham; and now, a wife. War changes people, you just didn't realize that war could change you both. (angst, abuse, canon-typical themes, death, war)

Chapter synopsis: The end of the story.

AN: Don’t look at the comments / reblogs if you don’t want spoilers!! But please discuss what you think once you’re done reading 🤍

LONDON, 1921

Tommy sits in his chair, unmoving. Dying becomes an issue to him if it affected you this way. Ever since the war, he thought that he was living for free. It didn’t matter if he died now since he was on the verge of dying every day in France but…was this a physical manifestation of what you felt every single day for the four years that he was gone?

“I only have less than three hours left,” you mumbled, eyebrows furrowing on the teacup on the table. “I’m not-I’m not supposed to be here, Tommy…he will kill you if he catches me here.” you whispered, afraid to let the whole world know about how terrible Simon truly was. 

“Hey, you’re alright,” his voice soothes you; the raspiness sending shivers down your spine. He was sitting beside you now, a hand on your bouncing knee. “I made sure you’re alright,”

“Tommy, I know that you hate me,” you sobbed, shaking your head.  “I’m sorry for what-what I did but I…we had these plans together of—of living in a future where it’s just us and—”

“It’s alright,” he says. Seeing you risk everything just to warn him was already enough proof that you were sorry. “I’m sorry for all of the things that I said that night,”

“You’ve-you’ve got to believe me when I tell you that I…I sent you letters every week,” you pleaded. “I know that you might think that I forgot about you, but I never forgot about you, Tom. I’m sorry for believing that you’d think I was replaceable…that I didn’t matter to you,” you whispered the last part, hands on your lap forming into fists. 

Would now be a wrong time to tell you that he loves you? 

“How do you…” he coughs, trying to veer away from the road where you were going. He couldn’t do this now, not when everything’s slowly set in motion. “How did you get the information?”

You fished for the paper in your clutch, showing it to him. 

“I received this during a charity dinner in London,” you said. “I tried everything to put Simon away from you…but I couldn’t. I failed and now…now he’s out to kill you,” 

“He’s not going to kill me,” he replied. “It was Alfie’s men who put that there,”

“But he will!” you exclaimed, looking up at him. “He knows Alfie Solomons…”

“So do I,” he calmly says. “Alfie Solomons and I have an agreement,”

“He killed Johnny,” you warned him, but he was looking at you blankly and you feel despondent. “Alfie Solomons…killed Johnny. Has he not?”

“It was Darby Sabini who killed Johnny. To retaliate, I infiltrated the Eden Club. Alfie Solomons’ men were in charge of security and protection but Darby Sabini’s in charge of whatever dirty work Simon wanted to get done. Their dealings started recently with Johnny’s death,” he says. “It’s not—I,” he sighs, not finding the right words to say.

“Tommy…”

“Whatever happens to me isn’t your fault, Y/N.” He means it, you could tell but a small part of you still couldn’t quite grasp the measures that Simon will undertake to keep you close. “Y/N, love, it’s alright,”

“No- I…I can still try to persuade Simon. I’ll give that-that heir he wants so bad just please don’t…” you heaved, choking on your own tears. The way Tommy said it…like he knew that he was dying soon made you feel cold. You've come so far, would you really let Simon kill Tommy that easily? Tommy's hand on your knee tightens momentarily but he lets it go.

“You will do nothing of that sort,” his throat constricts. “You won’t have to do things you don’t want to anymore. I’m—I’m here now. I want you to be happy and I’ll do everything to make sure that you are but if an heir with him is something that you—“

“I don’t want to carry his child,” you shook your head. “Tommy, can’t you see? I just want you to live and be—be happy. We both changed since you left. The war took so, so much from you, Tom. We’ve both said things we cannot take back but God, Tommy. I want us to be happy and I want you to rest,” 

“We can rest together…be happy together,” he proposes. “Our future isn’t that far away if—“

“How?” you asked, voice small and eyes full of tears. “How?”

“No more running away. I have a plan,” he tells you, but he didn’t want to divulge the details. His blue eyes stare directly into you. His face was blank, but his body was leaning towards you, gentle hand still on your knee. “Hey,” he says, putting his hands on top of yours. You started to pick on your nail beds again. He interlocks his fingers with yours and you smile slightly. Just like when you were kids. 

“Sorry,”

“Y/N,” he stops himself. Why did you have to apologize for everything?. “I…I wrote to you,”

“Tommy—“

“I did. I waited for your letter everyday. I-I would be the first one to be there when letters were being sent but I sent them to Watery Lane,” he says. “I can’t go on with this without you knowing that I waited for you. I don’t want you to think that I’ve abandoned you because I don’t. I could never.”

He didn’t know where his courage was coming from. Maybe it was because he could feel the end coming soon. He was so scared to die without letting you know about what he truly felt for you, no matter how selfish that sounded. He wouldn’t die until he tells you about how much he loved you, about how deep this love ran through him.

“I know…Arthur told me,” you nodded. You blink away the tears that threatened to fall. “It’s me who didn’t wait for you and I-I regret it every day, you know? Not waiting…because I wouldn’t—I wouldn’t be here if I did and—I’ve always believed in your promises, Tommy. I knew that you were going to keep them but I—“

“It’s okay, it’s okay,” he soothes you, he’d be asking Arthur about that sometime. “I’m not angry. I’m alright, you’re alright, we’re alright,” You didn’t believe him though and neither did he. 

“Tommy?” you asked. “Do you know who tried to stop the letters?”

“I do,” he replied.

“You don’t want to tell me?”

 He hums.

“Can you hold me? Instead of telling me?”

Borrowed time, you were on borrowed time and all you wanted was Tommy’s arms around you. Love is a funny thing. The world was ending and all you could ever think of is how Tommy’s hands were made for destruction, but they were also made to hold yours. 

-

The house was dark when you came back. For a house filled with servants, the house was quiet  An eerie feeling washes over you and you walked on, looking for anyone. Instead, the fireplace was open, flames roaring while your husband sat. He was looking intently into the fire, smoking his pipe. 

“Where did you go?”

“Out and about,” you said, the lie rolling perfectly from your tongue. 

“I see,” he nods. “Did you know that Ada Shelby was abducted today?”

You stopped, ice creeping up your spine.

“Tommy Shelby captured the Eden Club owned by Sabini and then, Sabini abducted Ada Shelby.” he says it like it was nothing. “I wonder why Tommy Shelby captured the Eden Club. Do you happen to know why?”

“No, Simon,” you shakily replied. “Why…?”

“Because Darby Sabini killed Big Johnny. Do you know why?” he asked. “You don’t because you’re a fucking idiot, but I’ll lay it down for you. Nice and simple so you can understand. I ordered the death of Big Johnny to punish you for hiding who Tommy Shelby was. I ordered Ada’s abduction because you went to see Tommy Shelby today. I ordered for the death of all the Shelbys—even the children so you would never have to worry about them. I tried to be reasonable, but you wouldn’t listen. Maybe you’d listen to me once all of those Birmingham rats are dead, hm? You’ll have to carry the weight of their deaths in your shoulder because you wouldn’t listen. It’s your fault they’re dying. It’s your fault that Johnny died. I liked him and you killed him,”

“I gave you everything. I love you with all of me and all that I have but you…you still love someone else. What do I have to do for you to love me like you love him?” he asked. He wasn’t looking at you, he was just unmoving…smoking his pipe like he was telling you about today’s weather. You were shaking, afraid for them and for your life. 

“Stop crying,” he orders you, but you couldn’t stop. How could you? He just revealed all of his plans—all the things that he wanted to do to them. “Go to our room and stop fucking crying!”

-

“Well, you look like shit,” Polly says, seeing Tommy on the hospital bed. “What did you do this time?”

“Sabini’s men took me and beat me up,”

“They wouldn’t beat you up without anything. They wouldn’t abduct Ada without reason. I heard that someonedecided to drop by. What did you talk about?”

“Nothing that I don’t already know,” he shrugs. “Can you pass me a cigarette?”

“You want me to help you but you’re not fucking telling me anything,” Polly says, tossing the pack to Tommy’s chest. “What is it, Tommy?”

“Poll—“

“Tom,” she asserts sternly. “You tell me now or I will get it out of her,”

“Fuck,” he groans, head falling back. “Simon killed Johnny and ordered Sabini to kill all of us. They know that I was staying at Ada’s and saw her enter Ada’s house and got us to where we are now,”

“Fuck…but we’re talking about our lives here, Tom.” Polly stresses. “Do you think that you get to have a say on whether or not we’re dying just because of a promise you made when you were young and naive?”

“I think it’s better if you all leave me to deal with this whole…thing,” Tommy says. “You’re right. Your life is on the line and I’m not really accomplishing anything if you all fucking die because of me. It’s not Y/N’s fault. It’s…that fucking husband of hers! If you really want to know, Polly…since you did give her away, yeah? Simon’s out to get all of us, even Y/N.”

Polly feels her throat tighten. This…this is what she gave you away for. Her nephew on the brink of dying, Ada with multiple fucking bruises, the threat of death, and then, the receiver of all anger…you. 

“That girl is like my daughter,” Polly says. “I will help you, Tom but you have to promise me that—that you will be honest with me. Don’t keep us in the fucking dark. It’s not your own problem anymore. It’s ours,”

“Alright,”

“I know you have a plan. What is it?” Polly asked, inhaling. “Honesty, Tom,”

“I…I made a deal with Alfie Solomons. We are alliances. He works with Simon for Y/N’s security and I allowed a few of his bookies to be in the racetracks in exchange of ensuring…well, Y/N’s safety,” It was half the truth. The other details, Tommy had to omit to ensure the execution—

“Stop fucking hiding,” Poll warns. “Tommy, you have to tell me,”

“Fuck—“ he coughs. “Everything is set in motion, Poll…there’s nothing else,” Polly looks at Tommy, there was no way for him to let up anything. Tommy was just staring at her, uninterested. He held her gaze, but she knew that there was nothing else. Tommy made up his mind about something; she just wished that it would turn out alright. 

-

“I’d like to stroll around the garden today,” you told one of the servants. Life at home had been back to the way things were. Simon was back to the old Simon that you knew but somehow, you felt like your every move was watched. 

“I’m sorry, miss but Mr. Coventry told us that you can only go to the garden with him,” she replied. “We can call on Mr. Coventry to ask…”

“What-what do you mean?” you asked. “I thought I was allowed to go…”

“Mr. Coventry told us that you can only go out of the house with him and that, if he isn’t around, you’re only allowed to be inside the house,” she repeated. You swallowed the constriction in your throat, unable to form any sentence. “We were also instructed to be with you at every single moment, miss,” 

“What?” you asked, frowning. “I don’t need to be tended to every minute of the day,”

“But miss—“

“You may leave. I’ll go to the garden alone and you can just tell Simon that I insisted on it,” you told her, walking away but she grabs your arm. “I didn’t tell you that you can touch me,” you spit. You’ll feel bad about it later but for now, you need to go out. The house was suffocating, and you felt like you were being watched. 

“Miss—“

“Leave me alone,” you scowled. “I want to go to the garden,”

“Oh, darling but you can’t,” Simon says, mocking you. “I told the servants to follow my orders. With the stunts that you’ve been pulling lately, I think it’s just fine to have you close and protected, hm?” he asked, walking over to you.

“Simon, this isn’t right,” you begged. “I’ve been cooped in the house for too long. I need-I want to go out,”

“I wish you could, but I have to go attend a meeting with Alfie Solomons. Did you know that I had your old driver killed? It’s all because of you,” he chuckles. He dismisses the servants with a wave of his hand. “You have to understand that I…I’m doing it for our family. You can hate me,” he states, walking a step closer to you. “Or push me away…” he adds, a tendril of your hair swirling in his fingertips. “You can even try to kill me,” he chuckles, his breath on your ear. “But you’re still mine. You’re my wife. You’re my fucking wife!”

You shuddered, pushing him away. 

“You’re taking everything away from me, Simon,”

“I’m just taking back what I gave you,” 

“My…my freedom. You took away my freedom,” you cried. “You took Johnny away from me! You took the Shelby’s away from me,”

A slap echoes in the halls. 

“Don’t you dare fucking say that I took the Shelbys away from you. They were taking you away from me!” he roared, chest heaving. “What—you didn’t think I would feel magically alright when you visited Tommy Shelby the other day? You didn’t think I wouldn’t know about that fucking locket that you lied to me about? We were having a wedding and you still had Tommy Shelby on you! You think I’d be happy about that? I love you and I…I gave you everything! But I still have to try to read your mind. Tommy doesn’t. You…you’d rather live in the sewers with that fucking criminal than be here with me,”

He caresses the stinging on your cheek, wiping your tears away.

“What does he have that I don’t?”

-

You were locked inside your bedroom, your heart aching. He loves you…but he hurts you. He’s cruel and controlling and full of wrath but he’s dependent and loving and kind. You hated to admit it, but you understood his fears, his anger, and him. 

What if you stole one of the cars right now? You could drive down to Birmingham and stay there or…or you could leave, find a place to stay in Ireland and never be heard of again. Will Simon shoot down the car? Will he shoot you, too? Or will he forbid you to even set your foot in England ever again? 

Simon enters your room, disregarding you completely before sitting on the bed with you. 

“I’m sorry,” he says, his hand covering yours. “I didn’t mean to…to do that,”

Right. 

“Simon…”

“I’m sorry, please,” he says, coming closer to you but you only feel cold and repulsed. “Please, darling… I don’t want to do these things to you. Do you think it doesn’t hurt me when I have to take things away from you? I just can’t…not until I’m sure that I can trust you.”

You closed your eyes, tears falling on the hands that connected you to your husband. 

“I’m so tired, Simon,” you whispered. “You…you taunt me and-and you turn my freedom into your weapon. I understand that you’re angry but to do that…to do the things that your father did to your mother…when you told me before that you hated him for it…what does that make you?” you asked. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree…was that supposed to be your excuse every time he does something horrible?

“I—I…”

“I married you not because I know that you can give all these things to me. I married you because you told me you loved me. You told me that I was important to you…but is this what love is? Is love supposed to be painful? Is love supposed to bruise? Is this what love is supposed to be like?” you asked. You removed your hand from his, standing up and walking away. If this is what love bruises you like peaches, you wanted no part of it. 

Simon has given you the wings to fly but he likes to cut them whenever you fly too close to the sun. 

When you lay in bed that night, Simon’s arm draped on your figure, you only felt cold. You laid on the softest bed in the world, unmoving…unblinking. 

Maybe you'll be free another time.

-

“I’m sorry for what I did,” he says, setting his utensils down on the dining table. “You have…you have every reason to be mad at me,” 

“Simon,” you sighed. You’ve been playing with your food for a while. “You…you can’t just say sorry every time you decide to…hurt me. I want to be able to love you without fearing for my life,”

“It’s just…Tommy Shelby.”

“I don’t have him anymore,” you told him. “Tommy and I…are nothing but childhood friends. His father used to frequent the brothel when my mother was still alive. He—and I grew up together and he was all I had until he left. Now, I only have you,” you said. “My relationship with the Shelbys is nothing but familial. They took care of me, they took me under their wing,” 

“But he loves you,” he replied. “He loves you, Y/N and he wants to take you away from me! Do you not appreciate my efforts to ensure that our marriage is preserved?”

“What preservation?” you asked, standing up. “What—what preservation? You killed Johnny and you expect me to be alright with it. You took away my friends, my freedom…and you—you expect me to be the same!” You chuckled. “Preservation? You’re the only one killing this marriage, Simon. I love you but no matter how much I show it…it will never be enough,” 

“Then, kill Tommy Shelby!” his voice booms. “You want me to trust you? You want me to see your love? Kill him! We have more than enough money to have one of Alfie’s men or Sabini’s men to kill him. Kill him!”

Your face pinches in anger, eyes turning into slits. 

“What? You can’t be serious,” you scoffed. Simon takes your arm harshly and you flinched. He grips it in his hand, forcing you to stay immobile.

“Kill him,” he spits. “Your love means nothing to me if you won’t,”

“And you think I’ll continue to love you when you’re forcing me to kill my friend?” you asked, shaking your head. “Let me go!”

“No!” his voice booms. He drags you to his office, your legs stumbling behind him. “You have to decide if you’ll kill for me. I’ll kill for you, don’t you know that?” he asked, throwing you on the couch in his study. “I’ll kill for you…”

You stand up to leave but he pushes you down. 

“I don’t care if you don’t love me right now. You will love me again. You’ve been obedient for Tommy’s sake…that’s the greatest love of all and I—I don’t have it,” he whispers. “It’s all I’ve ever wanted and I don’t have it.”  He shakes his head, watching your husband turn into the cruel man that you learned to hate. He walks towards the door and exits. You run after him but he forces the door closed from the other side. 

“Make sure that Mrs. Coventry is taken care of,” he tells his security. “Only maids are allowed to be inside but don’t let anyone near the door until I leave. She will remain in this room until I arrive in the evening.”

You were rattling the door but to no avail. Your tears were freely flowing, trying to get the door open by slamming your body on it. You could hear the quiet murmur outside but they were all ignoring you.

“Let me out, Simon!” you sobbed. “Let me out! Let me out…please!” you cried, slamming your body harder but it couldn’t fucking open. Your fall on the floor, consoling yourself from the coldness and the darkness of Simon’s office. If your mother saw you today, would she be proud of you?

-

Time passes in Tommy’s eyes, his eyes blank. Alfie Solomons told him to wait but he couldn’t. Their men surrounded the mansion, pretending to be your security but they’ve been planning the seeds, telling Tommy that you weren’t allowed to be out of the house with your husband anymore. He heard some of the men joke that you were a ghost that sat on the window because they have never even seen you. 

“Tommy,” Alfie called, a young man trailing after him. “I’ve got someone useful for you. One of my men in Coventry’s fucking mansion. Go on, David. Tell Mr. Shelby here about the fucking horrors in that big, big mansion,”

David nods, his resolve dissolving upon seeing Tommy’s icy stare directed at him. 

“My name is David and I’m assigned to the security of the house. Mrs. Coventry is currently locked in Mr. Coventry’s house—“

“Ah, fuck, mate. Just say Y/N and Simon. These fucking names really…” Alfie interjected. He nods. 

“Um—Simon laid a hand on Y/N yesterday,” his eyes looking away from Tommy. “She’s not allowed to-to go out of Simon’s study…after Y/N refused to have Mr. Shelby killed”

“What about the driver that brought her to me?”

“He’s dead. Darby Sabini’s men killed him,” Alfie shrugged. He dismisses David with a wave of his hand.  “Be honest with me, Tommy. Who is she? Because it’s quite absurd, innit? Here is a man with a wife and then another man who vows to what? Take her back? If I was Simon Coventry…I would be mad too, is what I’m saying. Did you know the tenth commandment, mate? Thou shall not covet thy neighbor’s wife…did you know that?”

“No one,” was Tommy’s laconic reply, standing up to walk away. Alfie chuckles.

“No one!” he exclaimed, slamming his hand on the table. “This no one cost me a man. A poor lad who decided to follow your Y/N’s orders for what? A few pounds and a fucking—a fucking night with you. Is that it, Tom? No one. Fucking no one and I’m letting my men run around after your fucking whims!”

“A fucking night? My fucking whims?” Tommy spits. 

“What? Is it not true?” he asked, “You’re fucking…obsessed, mate. That’s what you are! She is married. The more you act the more she gets…fucking hurt. You think that’s alright?”

“He’s using her!” Tommy shouts over. “He’s hurting her no matter what I do or not do. Did you fucking know that? You’re not doing anything!” he asked, eyes teary. 

“Then, don’t fucking do anything! It wouldn’t matter anyway; you said it yourself. As damned as I am, Tommy, don’t fucking do anything,” 

Tommy shoves Alfie, shaking his head. No fucking difference? 

“What the fuck? Tommy!” Alfie shouts. “What’s the matter? You’re fucking angry, eh?”

“Yes, I’m fucking angry!” he says, pointing a gun to Alfie. 

“Oh, you’re going to kill me?” he taunts. “You’re going to fucking kill me when your anger is un-fucking-justified! So, what, Simon has your woman, eh? He has her? You’re angry at me but fucking hell, Tommy! How many men do I have to sacrifice for this little fucking protection project you got going on? How many fathers will you fucking kill? You think you’re better than Simon Coventry? You’re going straight to fucking hell, Tommy! Straight to fucking hell! Just like me and Simon! You come to me to get closer to Simon Coventry and…you stand there, talking about not doing anything when it’s my men that have to go through the other end of the barrel. Kill me and pull that trigger for some fucking honorable reason. Like an honorable man and not like—not like some fucking civilian that does not understand the wicked way of our world, mate,” he spits. Tommy stares at him blankly. 

“Look, mate—Tommy. I will fucking help you but you have to be fucking patient. The races at Sabini’s tracks are happening soon. You just have to be patient.”

Tommy shoves Alfie away from him. He wouldn’t understand—he’d never understand. Time was ticking and if he didn’t move now, he’ll get killed.

-

“I think it would be much better to wear the green,” Simon says, looking at the dress that you have on for the races. “Wear it,”

“Oh, but it would be such a waste,” you told him, twirling to show him the way the fabric draped beautifully on you. “Don’t you think so? Besides, it’s going to be so hot at the races today. I don’t want to sweat,”

Simon pinches his nose.

“I suppose so,” he agrees, striding over you and laying his hand on your waist. “You do look ravishing, darling. I already can’t wait to take you home, hm?”

“We have to make sure our horse wins first,” you tell him, laying your head on his chest while you let his eyes rake over your body. “Simon, can-can you kiss me?” 

“Why so sudden?” he asked, turning you around. “Is everything alright, darling?”

“Of course,” you smiled at him, studying his face. This was the Simon tha you loved; the kind Simon that you rarely see these days. “I just want you to kiss me, my love. Can’t you kiss your darling wife?” He smiles a small smile, taking your chin with his gentle fingers and kissing you. 

“I love you, Y/N,”

“I love you too, Simon.” you told him, pecking his lips once more before a knock breaks you away. 

“Looks like we’re ready to go,” he tells you. 

“Of course, you can go ahead. Let me just fix my hair and we can go,” you replied, turning away from him. He was so warm…so, so, so, warm. Simon leaves you with a kiss on your forehead. You’ve been good lately, no Tommy Shelby…no requests…no anything. You could tell that he loves it; that you were obedient but if you didn’t want a repeat of what happened, you had to play your cards right. You fix your hair one last time and double-check the contents of your purse. It felt heavy, it felt right. 

You had to get this right; you were living on borrowed time after all. 

Your car stops at one of Darby Sabini’s tracks in London. Simon requested privacy and privacy he’ll get. No one knows that the Coventry’s are present in the race except for Alfie, Sabini, and the men who ushered you to the private room. No word was supposed to be out that you were both here. Simon forbade it. You let Simon walk in front of you with his hand clasped around yours. The room you were in had whisky, rum, and other items that you knew were not for the general public. When you arrived, a man with a hat was waiting.

“Darling, I’d like for you to meet Alfie Solomons,” Simon tells you, removing his hand from yours to shake Alfie Solomons’ hand. “He’s been the one supplying us with security. Sabini will get here in a while, but I think that it’s better for you to meet Mr. Solomons first.” 

“Good…day, Mrs. Coventry,” Alfie greets, a polite bow sent to your way. 

“Good day, Mr. Solomons. I’ve heard so much about you from my husband,” you offered, smiling at him. 

“Good things, I hope?” he asked. “Well, it doesn’t matter anyway. Mr. Coventry, Darby Sabini’s been looking for you. Something about your dealings. I don’t really keep track, you know?”

“Of course,” Simon nods. He kisses your head. “Will it be alright to leave you with Mr. Solomons for the meantime, my love?”

“Sure, darling,” you said, your hand tightening on the beaded purse in your hand. He smiles at you before leaving, looking for Darby Sabini. You watched the door close and you were about to sit down when Alfie Solomons spoke.

“You know, love,” Alfie starts, walking to you closer. He stops right beside your ear. “If you wanted to hide that gun better, you’d have to loosen your grip on your purse. I can see the outline of the barrel from where I was standing.” he says before leaving you in the room. “Darby Sabini’s not here but he is somewhere by the racetracks,” he hints.

“What do you want?” you asked, following him. “Why are you telling me this?”

“Let’s just say I’m a friend of Tommy Shelby,” he nods to himself. Your blood runs cold, and your face turns pale. “Go,” he urges. “Do whatever you want,”

You exited the special room with haste. Blood was ringing in your ears and you couldn’t breathe properly. You were stumbling with adrenaline, with hope, with…every single emotion that you never thought you could feel and comprehend. Nobody else was in the corridors leading to the room marked with an unassuming planter box beside it. You cautiously entered and Simon turned around immediately. His face tenses with alarm when he sees you. 

“Darling, what are you doing here? You should go back with Mr. Solomons before Darby Sabini sees you. I told our men to all leave so he and I could have some privacy,” he warns, eyes darting everywhere.

“He’s not…he’s not here,” you tell him, unloading the gun from your purse with shaky hands. 

“What—what is this about?” Simon asks, looking pointedly at the gun that Tommy gave you long ago. You weren’t even sure if it was still working. You point the gun at him, straight to his face. “You’re going to kill me? Is that it?” he asked, anger taking over his features. “You’re going to kill me when I’ve given you everything! I gave you your fucking life, Y/N. Put that gun down and-and we’ll pretend like this never happened,”

“No! You—you took everything away from me, Simon. You took my family away. You took Johnny away from me and you still—you still expect me to love you? You took me away and weaponized my freedom. You think—you think that I can still love you? I wake up every day counting to ten if you’d hit me. If you’d shove me down and slap me and kick me. This isn’t love, Simon! This is prison,” you enraged, your gun shaking. “You told me that…you told me that the only way out is if I kill you,” you heaved. 

“Y/N…you’re being callous right now, love. You’re not you…you’re angry,” he tries, walking towards you but you just shook your head. “You’re being stupid!”

“Stop! Simon, stop!” you shouted, the volume of your voice raisins. “I can never be smart for you. I’ll always be a property in your eyes and I—and I’ll never ever be your equal,” you sobbed. “This is something that I need to do. You broke me,” you cried, tears falling in your eyes. “You broke me, and you still expect me to love you,”

“I love you, Y/N,” he sobs. “I love you—“

The coiled spring that wrung your heart explodes.

A manicured hand pulls the trigger, and your husband falls to the ground along with the gun that you held. Your hands shake and you fall on the floor, wailing. Now that the job was done, who else would you have? You crawled towards him, your dress was getting dirty, but you didn’t care. Who thought you’d finally use the gun that Tommy bought you for protection? 

You lay your head down on his chest, there was no heartbeat. He was dead, Simon was dead. The trembling of your hands, hold what you could. The blood trails down your arm and you just lay there. He was dead. Simon was dead, you killed him. You killed Simon. You killed the man who loves you. 

“There’s no use crying over spilled milk,” a gruff voice that belonged to Alfie Solomons says behind you. “You’re more capable than what Tommy painted you out to be,”

“Where is he?” you asked. It was odd, you thought you’d be crying by now. “Where’s Tommy?”

“Sabini’s men took him,” Alfie shrugged. “Simon ordered Sabini to kill Tommy today. You did well,”

“I killed my husband,” you told him. The waver in your voice couldn’t be pinpointed to one single emotion. “I just…I just killed my husband,”

“I see that,” he replied. “This wasn’t Tommy’s plan really. He was supposed to kill Simon and I was supposed to guard you while this all happens but…I guess Simon was quite intelligent too,” he says, pushing Simon’s limp arm with his cane. “You’re a good shot,”

“Mr. Solomons, I’ll buy your silence for five thousand pounds. I’ll let your men take care of this scene for ten thousand more. Make sure that none of this is blamed on me or on Tommy,” you negotiated, pulling yourself away from your husband. You were still trembling and Alfie could see how hard you tried to supress yourself from revealing too much.

“You just landed yourself millions. I don’t think a few thousand more will be burdensome on your pockets?” he asked, looming over you. He extends his hand for you to take, and you do, hauling yourself to meet him at eye level. You swallowed. 

“Blame this all on Darby Sabini,” you told him. You stand up straighter, looking him in the eye. “And I’ll make sure that the cash is ready for you after the funeral. I’m sure you’d want very powerful friends on the inside?”

Alfie nods, a smirk forming on his face. Looks like you never needed Tommy in the first place. 

The police found you wailing on the scene of the crime, the weapon nowhere to be found. Alfie Solomons testified that you were with him the whole time when one of his men ran to tell you that Sabini’s men shot him in the head. He had someone testify on it too.The funeral was private and quick, you decided to bury him with his parents in the mausoleum with ‘COVENTRY’ written in gold. Simon bequeathed every property to your name in his will. You were free; you were finally, finally, free. 

-

BIRMINGHAM, 1922

After selling your mansion in London, you moved back to Birmingham. You bought a house that was big enough to have guests over but still not as massive as your mansion in London. You haven’t talked to Shelby’s in a year, even though they did lend a hand with what happened to Simon. Apparently, it was Polly who arranged a meeting between some Lizzie Stark and Sabini. Tommy and Alfie connived to kill Simon, but Sabini’s men took Tommy away to some far away place before anything could happen. You couldn’t face them yet, not with the freshness of your wound…not with the guilt that clawed its way deep into you. 

You’ve been with Simon for such a long time that you almost forgot what it was like to be yourself. 

You looked at the garden outside your window, feeling nostalgic because this was the same garden where Tommy used to take you all those years ago. You were only kids back then…how time flies. Does he know thatnyou moved back to Birmingham? Is he giving you space?

You watched the rain fall from the French windows, appreciating the breeze and the calm that the pitter patter gave you. You looked on, a single figure walking towards your house and you smiled. For the first time since your life started, you were finally free. 

-

A/N: It’s done! It’s finally done…actually, it isn’t. I will be uploading an epilogue sometime soon and then, I will be doing a Q&A afterwards which by the way, I’m already accepting question submissions! I will be posting all of the questions in one post and I hope you guys send in some questions about the story. I want to thank every one of you for loving the story of Y/N and Tommy and it has been such a ride. I can’t write anything about a final author’s not yet…I still don’t know how to feel to finally be able to finish this story…but maybe soon? Thank you so much for waiting and thank you so much for the overwhelming love and support! As always, don’t forget to like, reblog, comment, or maybe all… to show your appreciation! Thank you so much.

TAGLIST:  @shelbydelrey @runnning-outof-time @duckybird101 @thenattitude @swordofawriter @litteltourtius​ @trixie23​ @everythingelseisextra​ @majesticcmey @liveat1am @dumb-wh @denabp16 @yvonna-chan @goldensunflowe-r @therosabel @hunnibearrr @dazecrea @daddyslittleattentionwhore @the-girl-wh0-cries-w0lf @dang-shawty-okay @dasia21 @tsenthusiast1920 @aces-tattooartist @panda-luminary @ttaechi @spencerrxids @i-heart-food @fudge13 @affabletimelady @heartcereql @ce1iat @notalxx @1800-queen-trash @sweetwanderlust05 @globetrotter28 @thebestandworstdayofjune @reggxe-a @verreuckteli @vampireluck @zoexme @liter4ti @quixscentsposts @homosexualjohnwayne @charli123456789 @Maria_elizabeth21

[heavencanbeaprisontoo]

Imagine Being Arthur Shelby’s Twin

Platonic!Arthur Shelby x Shelby!Reader

Warnings: Angst, fluff, mentions of past childhood neglect, period-typical sexism. The image below is just to visualize what a twin for Arthur could look like. Very, very vague implication of Darby Sabini and Luca Changretta x Shelby!Reader.

“I’m not crying, you’re crying!”

The two of you are very sensitive, always have been. Aunt Polly likes to mention that you and Arthur used to cry at the exact same time as babies. As young children, if one of you got hurt, the other would start crying. This remained mostly the same even into adulthood. Though, you are definitely the more stable twin. 

Arthur would go to you when he needed comfort. You and your twin would draw horses together under candlelight by copying them out of books as children. It was you who first told him that he could be an artist. Arthur laughed you off back then.

Although Arthur bends the knee to Tommy, you are not nearly as submissive as him. Tommy and the others look to you as an equal to Polly. Their elder sister who stepped in when mother wasn’t feeling quite right. 

As the oldest Shelby daughter, you had a hand in raising most of your siblings. Arthur got to run about Small Heath cracking skulls while you stayed back to change nappies and read bedtime stories. Compared to the other Shelby children, you didn’t have much of a childhood at all really.

You had a reputation of being the family tattletale. When your brothers acted up, you acted like a second mother. Always chasing after the little ones and setting them straight. Aged beyond your years because you had to be. Not because you wanted to. 

By the time you were sixteen, you were working three jobs. You were a laundress, a clerk at a drug store, and waking up early to help out at a bakery. The last job worked best for you as you had a talent for baking.

Arthur was such a dreamer before the war. He didn’t have a real plan for his life, only fantasies. You weren’t anything like that. Always looking ahead, mapping out your path, it felt like Arthur didn’t take life seriously. Didn’t take you seriously. 

Before the war, Arthur didn’t fully understand that about you. It was all “women’s work,” and you seemed happy enough. It didn’t occur to him that you might have had dreams of your own. 

You were too strict, too obedient, too boring. It led to many, many fights. Mainly, you and Arthur would disagree about how he was living his life. The fastest way to get Arthur mad was to accuse him of being a bad influence. His face would go red, and he would stomp off, he never had a good counterargument for you.

Just before the war, you got into a terrible argument. You and Arthur can’t even remember what started it. It ended poorly. Both of you said things that you couldn’t take back. When he left to serve, all you could think about was how the last thing you said to him might be his last memory of you. 

The war changed Arthur in a terrible way, but it also changed your relationship for the better. You became more understanding of each other and valued the time spent more. 

Arthur made up with you not long after he came home. By that time, you were married and had fixed yourself up a quaint little home. You didn’t know that the boys were back yet. John and Tommy had gone straight to Watery Lane, Arthur went straight to you. His face was sallow, and he cried like a baby into your apron as he fell to his knees and begged you to forgive him. You started sobbing right along with him and told him that there wasn’t any way you could forsake your twin. This started a long tradition of Arthur dropping by unexpectedly to have a slice of peace.

Even if you marry and have children, Arthur is sure to pop in unannounced for any number of reasons. Your home is warm and quiet, his head is sick and loud. You understand this about your brother and do what you can to soothe him. Oftentimes, just you mentioning that one of Arthur’s nieces of nephews are nearby is enough to get him to calm down. 

Nobody is ever allowed to call Arthur “crazy,” in your presence. In your words he is, “psychically and emotionally distressed.”

Your husband had better be tolerant of Arthur, because you are not going to budge on letting him stay over. Arthur has a permanent open seat at your dinner table and a guest room just for him. Unless you can see he’s been using. That is where you draw the line. 

If you aren't married, expect Arthur to be simultaneously invested in finding you a good man while also hating anyone you date. He wants you to be happy so, so, so badly. It's just hard for him to trust people with you.

You also have a tendency to attract troublesome men. Like Darby Sabini, for instance. Or one Luca Changretta. There's just something about a motherly woman who bakes that gets these men going.

When you found out that Tommy had dumped Arthur’s medication, you gave Tommy a black eye while still dressed in your Sunday best. Everyone seems so alright with Arthur being used except for you. It has caused a rift between you and your other siblings. You try to encourage Arthur to take a step back from the Peaky Blinders, but it never stays. 

Arthur is more than a bit envious of the life you have. You’re married with children, living in domestic bliss. He’s expressed to you many times that he feels that he’s too old, ugly and mad in the head to be loved. All you can do to get him to smile is say “My twin can be old, and he can even be a bit wild, but he can’t be ugly. We look too much alike for that to be true.”

Any time you need his help, Arthur is there. He has you on the highest pedestal he can muster. Arthur hates to disappoint you and fears losing all the progress you’ve made in mending things. If he was ever to cause harm to you, even by accident, it would devastate him.

Now that you’re both grown and can see your childhood with clarity, Arthur holds a lot of guilt. He can see how you didn’t get to have fun like the rest of them and the toll that took on you. To try to make it up to you, Arthur likes to take you and your children to all sorts of things. The circus, the zoo, the funfair, anything bright and exciting. You both insist it’s for the kids… but then you’re both stuffing your faces with fairy floss and craning your necks to look at the tigers. 

All in all, you do what you can to look after your twin. 

[emotionalcadaver]

Obviously this isn't everyone but I wanted to keep the list from getting out of control. But if there's one on here that I didn't name specifically, please specify in the comments/tags.

Please reblog for larger sample size!

[zablife]

Hello, Lee! I don't know If you already choose the character to write your fluff fic, but it's a little idea: reader/oc is a bit insecure and she doesn't know if her s/o truly loves her or not (It's a new relationship). Maybe because that day in particular her s/o was busy or tired and maybe was a little rude, but unintentionally! He could never, he loves her. But he was having a bad day. But she decided to say nothing. So, at night when they're in bed he starts talking in his sleep and he says something cute about her: I love you, I need you, idk something nice. And that's when she realises that he loves her ❤️.

No characters. Just something to help you in your fluff era 😅❤️.

I'm Listening

Tommy x reader (Fluff w/ a hint of smut)

"We have to rethink our strategy," you warned. "The Sabini family will be expecting an attack and that puts us all in danger."

"For fuck sake, that was because of your big mouth!" Tommy argued.

"Me? You're the one who angered Darby at the luncheon! Do you really think he'll trust you now?" you asked, huffing out a laugh.

Tommy slammed his hands onto the desk. "Yes, because I fucking say so, Y/n!" he yelled. You jumped at the volume of his voice as it echoed throughout the room. Your fiance could be forceful when he wanted to be and you had to know your place when he decided to assert his dominance. A hush fell over those seated at the table, seeing you both at odds and the meeting quickly adjourned.

Polly found you outside later, offering a smoke and a word of advice. "He knows you're right. Too bloody stubborn to say so," she said with a shake of her head. Softening her voice tenderly she added, "He loves you and he doesn't mean any of it."

"Of course," you muttered as you fumbled with your lighter. You tried to convince yourself of that fact as your driver chauffeured you home, but it was cold comfort.

Tommy didn't arrive in time for dinner. Instead, you ate in the kitchen alone and had a long hot soak in the tub. Then you slipped quietly into bed, hoping tomorrow would be better. Tossing and turning in your sleep, you reached out toward Tommy's empty side of the bed, wishing he would come home.

Then suddenly in the middle of the night, Tommy was there, sitting bolt upright. Panting for breath he called out, "Fuck...I...I dreamt you were gone."

"I'm right here," you said in confusion, sliding closer to rub his chest comfortingly.

"All the things I said today," he muttered, swallowing harshly.

"S'alright, Tom. You didn't mean it," you apologized for him.

He turned to face you, gripping your face between calloused palms. He shook his head earnestly. "I didn't, I swear it. You're my whole world. If I lost you..." he choked up, thinking of the dream he'd had moments before.

The tunnel had collapsed with you inside, buried in the dirt and mud he could practically feel caked to him now. He had called out to you saying he could go on without reinforcing the muddy walls when the supports around him began shaking precariously. His stubbornness keeping him from making his way to you up ahead. Why the fuck hadn't he listened? Tears pricked his eyes as he grasped your hand. "I never meant to lose you, you know," he confessed.

"You haven't lost me, Tom," you said, ducking your head to search his eyes. He was beginning to scare you.

"Good, because I always want you by my side," he said, eyes boring a hole into you.

"I believe you," you assured him, sensing his fright. You took his head into your lap and carded your fingers through his hair until you felt his breathing even out. There were times you knew he wanted to be a better man for you and that's why you stayed, to show Tommy how strong you could be together.

In the morning you woke tangled up in Tommy's arms, feeling his fingertips caress your skin. He smiled at you as he observed your hand resting over his hardening cock, eyes flicking to yours and you smirked back at him. "Someone's happy to see me this morning," you giggled. "Definitely not worried about Darby anymore I see."

"Oi, no more talk about him in the bedroom," Tommy warned playfully, his voice low and still rough with sleep.

As you began stroking him languidly beneath the sheet, you asked, "Going to tell me I have a big mouth again or shall I show you?"

"Cheeky, I like that," he replied as a laugh rumbled from deep within his chest.

Before you could slide down the bed, he caught your chin in his palm and tilted it up to look him in the eye. The flirtatiousness had dissipated and an apologetic look washed over him as he asked, "No more fighting, eh? I promise to listen to you more."

"I like the sound of that," you agreed, pushing yourself toward him for a tender kiss.

[solomons-finest-rum]

Hello! I love your writing 🥰 and congrats on your milestone! I have a request —but no pressure if it doesn’t interest you!

I’m thinking of an enemies to lovers type scenario where Alfie falls for an Italian girl and resists it because we all know how he feels about Italians! 🙈But then he secretly adores everything Italian about her (her cooking, her accent, even her nonna haha) and falls in love, somewhat begrudgingly.

Thanks and have a good day! x

"Fire and Brimstone" — (Alfie Solomons x fem!Reader)

SUMMARY — You see, there were many things Alfie Solomons was prepared to let go of in this life or the next, but for you… For you, he would bring this city down to its knees.

AUTHOR’S NOTE — Thank you so so so much for this request and for the kind message ❤️❤️❤️ I hope I did it justice!

WORD COUNT — 876

Masterlist

By the time Tommy Shelby rolled into town with his new Birmingham ways, everybody who was anybody in their world already knew Alfie Solomons was losing his turf war to Darby Sabini.

Though truth be told, that loss was brutal for both sides in equal measure. Any Italian boy that ventured closer to Camden Town than strictly necessary, would soon be returned home through the river current—throat cut from ear to ear. Sabini, like any good opponent, worked hard to return the favour, spite and malice included.

True, it was clever of Tommy to decide to use the bitter rivalry for leverage—but what he didn’t know was how it started. And, like any good revenge story, it started with a woman.

What Alfie remembered most about these times, times he would thereafter try to think about as little as possible, was the food. Because you see, Darby Sabini was the kind of man that liked to show off what was his, and in this case, he liked to argue with Alfie that when it came to food, the Italians did it better.

“Nah, see, that’s where you’re wrong, my friend!” Sabini shouted for the entire restaurant to hear and motioned for you, the waitress, to bring more wine around.

It was your parents’ restaurant and you had been helping there all your life. After all, you definitely inherited your nonna’s culinary gifts. And you used them from time to time—especially if a certain Jewish gangster came around to pretend he never liked anything about your cooking in the first place.

“Even badly made pasta can be a good meal, all right, if the sauce’s good enough. Thank you, sweetheart,” Sabini continued his tale and raised the glass in a toast. Alfie had to raise his, though he barely touched it. “But now, see there Alfie, you try to make them matzah balls before? Yeah, them little buggers, you remember which ones. We used to eat them at your house all the time, you remember that? Yeah… One wrong move and poof! Gone! Basta!”

Alfie hummed at the theatrics, as Darby was entertaining the table in his usual Darby fashion, clapping his hands and exaggerating even his usual mannerisms. But the good food and what was a good company at the time was not exactly the reason why Alfie let the minor transgressions slide. Because of course he endured it all for you.

Whenever Darby dragged him to your parents’ restaurant, Alfie did his best to keep up the grumpy front all night and never really indicated that he enjoyed himself even a little. As for you, the nights he came by were some of your favourites. You loved the silent game of cat and mouse you had with Alfie.

Tonight you watched him nodding at Darby’s ridiculous anecdotes about their youth, sometimes you spotted him chuckling at this or that. One thing Alfie never managed to hide, though, was how much he actually enjoyed the food at this place. You knew it well and it gave you immense satisfaction. His plate would always be cleaned right out and he would bear Darby’s comments about it afterwards. You didn’t know it, but Alfie thought the food was completely worth it.

“Do you want to order anything else?” you asked in the general direction of the table as you came to collect the empty wine bottles, though you allowed yourself to glance once or twice towards Alfie when you thought no one was paying attention.

But Darby was. He always was and that was precisely why Alfie’s expression only grew darker and even less approachable; just to hide how much he enjoyed your presence.

“Don’t know, sweetheart,” Sabini said then entirely too loudly and placed a couple of coins on your tray as a tip. “See, my friend here is of, as you’d call it, curious taste.”

“Oh?” You turned around to Alfie and the way you smiled at him sent a shiver down his spine.

Alfie suspected, though, that the tale his friend was spinning wouldn’t be too favourable. He hoped you wouldn’t believe it.

“Yes, you might say he’s—”

“Heard you make your own ice cream,” Alfie interrupted, already fed up with whatever nonsense Darby was trying to say.

“Sì, naturalmente.” You flashed Alfie a smile and he hummed appreciatively. “I will bring you some.”

You left the table and hoped he would watch you do it, though when you turned around, Alfie was already back to placating his companion.

“I hope you’re not doing what I think you’re doing, Alfie,” Sabini said to him, quieter this time.

“Yeah, an’ what’s that?” Alfie grunted.

“Breaking the arrangements.”

Ah. The arrangements were simple of course—the Italian women were off the menu, tonight or any night for that matter. Though to be honest, as Alfie nodded and finally shared the remnants of the wine with Darby in an attempt to lull him into complacency, he already knew that arrangements were done for. He could no longer just watch and not touch. He was done.

You see, there were many things Alfie Solomons was prepared to let go of in this life or the next, but for you… For you, he would bring this city down to its knees.

[dragonmasterkaylz]

🐰Bunnie Shepherd🗡️

This is all about Teddy’s adorable little sister, Bunnie Shepherd. She is the leader of a gang in London, but she’s not to be messed with. This is a little blurb into how she does things during her meetings. She’s also a bit of a Yandere, but you’ll see that in later fics.

Tags: @hoodeddreams13

“N-No…! You can’t do this to me—!!!”

Darby gulped when a gun was pointed at him and he looked up at the holder. A young woman with blonde hair and dead blue eyes looked down at him. Wearing a pink dress made her look so innocent, but she was far from it. She was Bunnie Shepherd, the Leader of one of the main gangs in London. Despite her sheer innocence and sweet attitude, but she could be very cunning, mean and manipulative when she wanted to be. No one scared her, she was completely fearless.

“Oh, I can… and I will. You threatened my brother and tried to get all of our money. Would you like me, of all people, to humiliate you even further~?! Hehe~!”

As soon as he left, Bunnie sighed and said, “I’m tired. Please tell me I don’t have any more meetings”. “Yes, you do… with Thomas Shelby”. She then whined and mumbled, “Send the fucker in…!” Once the door had opened, she sighed and rolled her eyes. “Sit”. He did so and he pulled out a cigarette before humming. “I must say… I didn’t expect the boss of a new gang in London to be so young”. She gave him a cold stare before saying, “Get to the fucking point”. Bunnie lit her own cigarette and Thomas said, “I would like your protection. I heard from Alfie, and your brother, that your services are unmatched”. Then Bunnie smirked.

“Protection…? From Luca Changretta…? The Shelby Family…? Are you serious…?”

Thomas then said, “I lost my brother because of him. It’s better if I have more allies”. Then she stood up, as she leaned on the front of her desk, right in front of him. “What makes you think I’d want to help you? All of you Shelby’s are nothing more than pieces of shit that need to be taken care of. You should be happy I didn’t come after you. I may be cute but you have a reputation for double crossing people. Billy Kimber ring a bell? I only work with people who are going to be faithful to me. Also, they all work for me, Tommy”, she explained. He glared up at her, but nothing was intimidating her. “I also know you brought your brute of a brother with you~. If he walks in, my men will kill him. So… choose your next words wisely. … Or else~”.

Bunnie’s sweet voice was getting under Thomas’ skin and that didn’t happen often. Teddy could be brutal, yes. But he was cheerful and kind. His sister was just cold, calculating and very manipulative. A smirk then appeared on her face as he stood up, pointing a gun at her. Both of men did the same and he said, “All… I wanted… was your fucking protection!!!” “And, like I said, I don’t work with people. They work for me. So, unless you have something better to offer me, get… the… fuck… out”. Thomas put his gun away and said, “I know you work with Solomons”. “He’s family as far as I’m concerned. And, unlike you, he’s smart. He will not let Changretta get under his skin, unlike you. If you want to make a deal… go see him…”, Bunnie said.

“Fine”.

Thomas was escorted out and Bunnie rolled her eyes before asking, “Anymore?” “No, Miss Shepherd”. She blew out some smoke and then put the cigarette out before putting on her hat. “Alright then~! I’m going to see my big brother~! I’ll see you all tomorrow~”, she said to her guards in a cheerful tone. After she put on her coat and walked out of her office, she looked at her other guards. “Kill them”. As she walked away, all she heard was the screaming and shooting of two of Changretta’s men. “Didn’t think I’d find out, huh? You thought wrong, and you have made an enemy out of me… Luca Changretta”, she stated, leaving the place with a hop to her step. “Now…, let’s go see Teddy~!!!”

“Yes ma’am!”

Bunnie Shepherd was a wolf in sheep’s clothing. She was smart, cunning, always made deals in her favour, and she never let her guard down. She knew that the men she had employed were Luca’s spies, since she had spies of her own. She built her own empire and her own reputation, overnight, with her brutality. She wasn’t one to mess with. Not by the Shelby’s, not by the Italians, the Irish, not by anyone in England. She wasn’t invincible but she was smart and cunning.

Pray that you never get on Bunnie’s bad side.

END

[peaky-f0cking-blinders]

Sabini: Were you dropped on your head as a child?!

Tommy: Bold of you to assume I was held!

Sabini:

Tommy:

Sabini: Are you okay?

[look-at-the-soul]

All we’d ever need (Part 10)

Tommy Shelby x reader

Series master list

Fluff, fluff reloaded. ♥️

Two problems solved 😉 enjoy everyone! We never talked about how this would be fixed, but I hope you like it @lyarr24 🌻

Tommy thanked the nurse as she finished checking Y/N. They have been monitoring her vital signs and the baby every hour. There shouldn’t be any bleeding during those first hours, not many things could be done, being pregnant made it difficult to use most of the antibiotics, she could just have some fluids. A miscarriage was a latent threat, she had been under so much stress and the doctors weren’t very hopeful.

Y/N had a dark mark on her cheek, probably from a slap and an ugly cut behind her shoulder, it was deep, she got a couple of stitches for it, some bruises decorated her arms, it seemed as if she had been fighting.

She looked so pale and fragile.

Taking her small hand in his, Tommy couldn’t help but blame himself for putting Y/N through all of this. She was hit as a collateral damage for his ambitions, the last thing he wanted and of course in everybody’s eyes, he cheated on her.

“I will open the betting shop, and we’ll take turns to be there.” Polly handled him a glass of water. He needed something stronger. The worry and love in her eyes were evident.

Tommy could only nod, but before his aunt left the room, he asked her: “Could you please light a candle for Y/N and our baby?” His voice barely audible.

“Done.”

“Do you think she will believe me?” He never showed this vulnerable side to anyone. “This is all my fault.”

When all his family began to complain about his behavior while the doctors checked Y/N he had no choice but explain how everything happened, he never imagined his plan of staying the night in the hotel would cause so much trouble, apparently he was a smart man in business but a completely knob and expert on how to piss a woman.

Polly walked towards him, he had done so many wrong choices, but so did her goddaughter. She never should have gone to that clinic, part of her understood her reasons though. The physical contact between she and her nephew was very reduced, not because they didn’t love each other, they just didn’t show a lot of public display of affection. Polly placed her hand on his shoulder.

“You both have a lot of things to work out, but let her get better first. Don’t make her upset for now.” She would need to let Y/N parents know. “Make sure to call once she wakes up.”

Once Polly left, Tommy rubbed his eyes, struggling with the lump in his throat. He wanted to scream, cry and hit something.

He would trade her place without hesitation.

Leaning forward, he kissed gently Y/N’s hand and rested his forehead next to her fingers, on the mattress.

“I should’ve protected you from Donal Henry and Rita.” He whispered. Regret making him feel miserable. He had been thinking of canceling the plan to take over Darby Sabini, if he couldn’t have her, he didn’t want anything at all. “I should’ve told you about May but I was scared you wouldn’t approve the fake flirting to get her help, I know it’s a low thing to do to make her believe I was interested, but I swear I never thought of crossing the line, yes I went to her house, but all I could think about was you… I was just having dinner with her, then I went to sleep to the Midland Hotel because I was tired of the drive, I would neve-” His confession was interrupted by a gasp.

“You woke up!” A rush of adrenaline ran through him, cupping her face between his hands, his lips trembled as he was able to see her beautiful eyes open, unable to contain his emotions he moved to the door to get a nurse, but her weak voice stopped him.

“What you just said…”

Tommy walked back to the bed. “How are you feeling, what happened?” A million thoughts ran through his mind.

A frown decorated her features. “You didn’t sleep with… her?”

“No! God, of course not… I wouldn’t be able to look at you.” He was so overwhelmed that he didn’t know how to react or what to do. “I’m sorry for everything, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, I never meant to hurt you.” He was speaking with his heart in his hand. Hovering over Y/N, he kissed gently her forehead, whispering everything would be alright.

“But you said you would do anything to get what you wanted?”

Tommy pinched the bridge of his nose. “I did… but I meant us…” Tommy leaned against the bed, his head hanging down. “I was talking about having a family, in that very moment I was thinking of taking you somewhere until you could believe me. I was so frustrated it even crossed my mind to drag you out of the house to get married, I asked Jeremiah to do the ceremony but he told me he needed you to do it because you wanted to, not because I said so.”

“I thought you meant your business.”

His choice of words dug his own grave.

“And why would I want a business or money or being the number one if I don’t have you? Ey?” His hands cupped her face gently yet firmly while his thumbs whipped away the tears. “You and this baby are the reasons I wake up every morning.”

Her hands moved instinctively to her stomach in a protective motion, panic in her eyes.

“I couldn’t do it, Tommy… I wanted to keep my baby.” Her voice broke then. She changed her mind last minute, determined to find a way to make it work even without Tommy in case he had cheated. But the doctor and nurse wouldn’t let her get up. They started calling for Rita who was outside and then the chaos began.

“The baby it’s okay, don’t worry about that.” Tommy’s hand caressed her face, she needed to calm down, they were still trying to get her levels back to normal. “Baby is just fine, shh. You’re safe here, just the three of us… I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

“Rita was there, she had a knife, she was going to stab me.” As she tried to move, a sharp pain on her shoulder made her stop. She had called her stupid several times, how could she fallen for her lies?

Tommy tried to hold her. “Be careful, you got hurt, take deep breaths. There’s a lot of information to process, but try to stay calm love, for the baby.”

As Rita tried to stab her directly in the stomach, Y/N was able to crouch down to protect her baby and she got hurt on the shoulder blade. In pain she hit Rita with a metal plate she found on the floor and then her hand touched the wound, shocked by the blood she caressed her stomach over the hospital gown getting it stained with blood in the process until she moved away and that’s when Tommy came in, shooting Rita in front of her. His face was the last thing she saw until she woke up in the hospital bed. The memories slowly appearing in her mind.

Moving a little from her, he finally called for the nurse, who hurried to check on her.

The medical staff provided strict instructions since Y/N and the baby were still in the middle of critical times, a miscarriage could happen at any time and the patient’s stability was a determinant factor.

Tommy made sure that Y/N ate completely her food and have her checked twice in the last hour. He hadn’t left her side, not even for one minute since they arrived at the hospital that morning.

“You’re not angry with me?” Y/N asked looking at her hands just as the nurse left.

Tommy let out a deep sigh as he was rolling up the sleeves of his shirt. “I am… but right now all I care about it you and me child.” He admitted taking one of her hands in his. “Probably just as you were angry at me when you thought I slept with her.”

They both knew the things each did wrong, there was no question about it. But it wasn’t the moment or place to talk about that.

“Why don’t you have some rest, ey? You’ve been through a lot lately, I’ll stay here.”

But Y/N needed to feel safe, so she patted the small space next to her in bed for Tommy to climb in. And he did, trying to get comfortable on his side, one of his arms was under her neck and his other hand resting on her stomach, trying to protect his baby.

Feeling his heartbeat against her ear, Y/N was swept away by the love of this fearless man, who decided that this time love should be the priority. The wellbeing of their baby was on top of everything else.

“I’m sorry.” They both whispered.

They both were, they both made terrible choices that could have ended breaking their relationship forever.

***

Esme had been so worried about Y/N and the baby, the news that she was recovering spread fast in Watery Lane, but she needed to make sure, so the first chance she got, she volunteered to visit her in the hospital that afternoon, before Polly could ask her to watch the shop. Walking down the hospital hall, she reached the reception, immediately the nurses and administrative personnel looked her up and down like so many people had before. But now, Esme walked with her head up, she was proud to be a gypsy and she was a Shelby now.

“Y/N Y/LN room please?”

Giving her one more look, the woman asked. “And you are?”

“Esme Shelby.” She made sure to say her last name slowly. The face of the woman squirmed and immediately changed her attitude guiding her.

Opening the door, she found an image she never thought she would see; Thomas Shelby smiling, he was lying in bed with Y/N, holding a book.

As soon as Tommy realized they had company, he got up from the bed and straightened his clothes. Esme walked around the bed, to the opposite side where Tommy was standing, she noticed the new color around them as their hands were linked, the darkness around them was slowly fading away. Their love was stronger than everything.

“Sorry to interrupt, I just wanted to see if Y/N was alright.”

“Doctor said Y/N needs to stay in bed for the rest of the pregnancy and absolutely nothing that stress her.” Tommy was so protective now.

“Do you think you can get me the biscuits? Please?”

Tommy looked worried, he didn’t to leave her alone.

“I’ll stay here.” Esme proposed and reluctantly, Tommy left them. “He’s going to be all over you now.” She pointed to Y/N.

“He warned me already.”

A small smile started to form, she had been on a rollercoaster of emotions.

Esme started rubbing her arms. “I got you something, I know Polly gave you the black Madonna, but I want you to have the evil eye protection too.” Esme took a small sack. “It’s not as good as your father’s work and it’s made out of the gold my family has stolen, but… I want you to have this.”

Y/N respected so much the gypsy’s traditions and beliefs, she had learned so much about them and it wasn’t about the material of the necklace, it was about Esme’s gesture towards her and her baby.

“Thank you, Esme. I will wear it every day.”

As Tommy entered again in the room, Y/N noticed the newspaper in his hand.

“I’ll go back to the shop now.”

Both Tommy and Y/N thanked her and Y/N showed him her new necklace. Esme had a wild temper, but also a good heart.

———

Three days in the hospital were enough, Tommy quickly turned it into his new office and bedroom, she just wanted to go home whatever that was.

Ada’s house was conveniently close to the hospital, it also had a guest bedroom on the first floor. Tommy moved the covers to help Y/N and tucked her in. “I’m going to bring your bag, don’t move.” He chuckled.

“Tommy.”

He had been watching over her every move, now she didn’t want to even try to get comfortable in bed because he would be arranging the pillows in seconds.

Y/N patted the space in bed next to her. Tommy exhaled the smoke from his cigarette and placed it on the tray that was on the bedside table.

“Now that we’re past the danger.”

“You still need to take it slow, there’s nothing granted.”

There was something that had been on her mind, something that was keeping her from taking a deep breath, her eyes filled with tears and her voice broke down. “I need you to forgive me for what I was about to do to our child. I should’ve never doubted your love.”

“I have nothing to forgive you, I love you, Y/N believe me when I say that.” Taking out the handkerchief from his jacket, Tommy wiped her tears. “I never meant to hurt you either, I was just doing what seemed best to make it to Epsom. Now I know it was a terrible mistake.”

“What if May doesn’t help you to take Hope into the races because you didn’t sleep with her? Epsom is a few weeks away.”

“I don’t care about that anymore.” Holding her hands tightly between his, he looked into her eyes. “All I want is to know that you and me baby are safe.”

“How did you get away from that?” He couldn’t just walk out of her house.

Tommy arched his eyebrows. “After dinner, I excused myself to get some rest… I knew she was waiting for me, she sent a maid to my room with instructions to find her bedroom. I took Hope ridding for a couple of hours to clean my head and when I made it back to the stables I found a man and asked for some oil engine for the car, he helped me, went back to my room and left a note saying I couldn’t stay.” Tommy finished the remains of his cigarette and looked at Y/N. “I tried to explain how it wouldn’t be professional from me to mix pleasure and business until the races passed. After Epsom I was planning to break any contact with May. The less damage I can do the better.” It was a low blow, he knew that, but at least he wouldn’t cross the line. “Now, if she takes it badly, I will understand if she doesn’t want to train Hope anymore, like I said I don’t care. I know there’s a limit.”

“But you shouldn’t give up this Tommy, you fought so hard for this moment.”

“If taking over Epsom will mean I have to sleep with someone else, then… I’m not longer interested, there will be other races.”

“There has to be a way.”

“There is… but it’s cruel.” He admitted. “I don’t want you to worry about it.” His thumb and forefinger caressed Y/N’s chin, Tommy gave her an adoring look. “I don’t want to make the same mistake twice, I’m going to be completely honest with you about my plans, but I need you to trust me.”

“I do, Tommy… no more doubts, I know you love us.”

“You’re my life now.” Y/N pulled him for a soothing kiss, one that told the other one everything words couldn’t express, one that professed the adoration they had for each other. Letting the other know they could leave all the pain behind.

As their lips pulled apart, their bodies found their own way to link together, both falling in a spell like a magnet. The most gentle and honest hug they had shared, forgetting completely about anything else, it was one of those hugs that brings you back to life and you just can’t break away from the embrace.

Polly opened the bedroom door without knocking, Y/N’s Mum following her, she was delighted to see Tommy again after his visit in London, he had asked back then permission to date her daughter even though they were already together, but he wanted to make things right. Both women stared silently at the couple and shared a look of complicity followed by a smile.

Closing the door, Polly offered her best friend some tea in the kitchen.

“Who would have thought your idea would work out like this?”

“It was the perfect match.” Y/N’s Mum praised accepting the cup.

***

Next part

A/N: this is not the end! More coming soon… if you like this story your comments are my guideline

Tag list:

@lyarr24 @stevie75 @lovemissyhoneybee @2000snostaalgiia @zablife @runnning-outof-time @gretelshelby @cloudofdisney @onlydeadcells @datewithgianni @peaky-cillian @crowssixof @l1-l4 @kissmyquill @xoxoloverb @gypsy-girl-08 @julkaamazing @midnightmagpiemama @skydeinert @audelia01 @nesstelford2019 @that-girl-named-alex @milsies @millies0bsimp @animelover2161 @holacia2 @squishyturtle @babaohhhriley @empressnatsume @kittycatcait219 @aafiyas @httyd-marauders @evita-shelby @muhahaha303 @fixtionlover @lauren-raines-x @planetgalaxystars @lilyevanswhore @cersei-phoenix-thorn @easilyobessedbutflighty @lespendy @watercolorskyy @iwanttohitmyself @esposadomd @queenofbeingdepressed @shae2001bts

[justrainandcoffee]

That stormy day (Alfie Solomons x fem!oc) + (Alfie Solomons & friend!oc)

Masterlist

Summary: Lucy Winters slammed the door and left her house. Her damn father. She cared little and nothing about the storm that is hitting London that afternoon. She's furious. Walking to her friend's house, she saw a man attacking a girl. She didn't know her but she's ready to defend her. It happened that maybe she already knew her, at least her name.

Warnings: Some mentions of physical injuries and blood.

Words: 2k.

This fic was born reading Laur' fic, @emotionalcadaver where I learned that her beautiful oc, Lucy Winters, knows Alfie since they were teens. As you imagined, I screamed 🤭. I had to drag her temporarily to Alfie and Rose universe (or send them to hers...or Both things) so they could share at least one day together as nothing but young people.

It wasn't long ago that she and her family had moved from Yorkshire to London. Her three siblings, plus her parents were now living in the capital of England. Quite a change considering the quiet Yorkshire they had left behind.

What had not changed was the tension within the Winters family, ruled by a strict and closed-minded father who put his religious beliefs, often blinded by the Bible, and his own interests before those of his family. A mother completely submissive to her husband and children who were divided between venerating Mr. Winters or wanting to throw him to the lions. The firstborn, Lucy, believed that the lions were the better alternative.

It was raining like hell when she left the house slamming the door.

She had to get out of there or she was going to kill more than one in the family starting with her father and one of her brothers.

She could hear her brother Teddy calling out to her as she ran, but this time she ignored him. Not now. She needed to be alone.

A clap of thunder echoed in the sky. Lucy had gone out without any coat and now she was paying the consequences of it.

There was a house she knew, a boy, a friend. And there she was going.

Rose had taken her youngest brother to her grandmother's house. The middle one was with a friend and her mother was at work. Now she was coming home carrying a basket of eggs, vegetables and cheese. Some of it was legitimately purchased. Some of it was not. Not for the first time she had stolen food and would do it again even if her mother disapproved. In the girl's eyes, it was unfair that some had too much and some had none. It was the lack of balance in society that had driven her, again, to steal cheese from the Sabinis.

At least when Alfie came home from work she could share it with him. Sometimes she wondered if the feeling of butterflies in her stomach every time she thought of him would pass. She had been with him for three years, and at the moment that hadn't changed.

The rain was now falling torrentially all over London. Her brown hair was plastered to her face and the drops made it impossible to see properly. If she didn't get there soon she was going to catch a cold.

Rose picked up her pace. A couple more blocks and she would get there.

That was until she felt someone grab her arm and pull her back. A young man was pushing her against a wall, while holding her tightly.

It was Gianni Sabini, a cousin of Darby's, older than her. Rose tried to break free but couldn't.

"Rat! Stop stealing from my uncle, you Jewish whore!"

"Let me go!"

"I'd have to cut off your hand, they do that to thieves in other countries! We're too nice here!"

A clap of thunder sounded over their heads.

"Let me go, you son of a bitch!"

Gianni Sabini had a penknife in his hand. "I may not be able to cut your hand with this but I can teach you to think twice before you do it."

The cut on her hand caused the basket that, unbelievably, she was still holding to fall to the floor. But at the same time, something red crossed in front of her eyes and it wasn't her blood.

Rose didn't know where she had come from but a red haired girl, not only had she pulled Gianni out from in front of her, she was on top of the man threatening him with her own penknife.

"Don't touch women! Fucking piece of shit!"

Rose let out a gasp when she saw the girl smacked his head against the pavement. It suprised her, not the violence, but the strength of the girl considering she was probably the same height as she was.

Gianni wasn't dead, but he was clearly unconscious with the rain falling over him.

Used to the violence on the streets in that part of London, the few people walking there barely paid attention to him. Nor to the two girls.

"Are you okay? You're bleeding" the redhead girl, asked.

"Yes. And it hurts, but I don't think it's deep… uhm, thank you."

"No worries. I'm Lucy. Let me help you. Do you live nearby?"

"Almost two blocks, yeah… Thanks Lucy. I'm Rose."

While Lucy picked up the basket, Rose used her chal to bandage her hand. At least until she could use a proper bandage that her mother had in the house.

"Sorry about that," Lucy said. "The bastard was lucky that I didn't shot him. Do you know him?"

"Barely. I know his cousin, we used to go to school together. The Sabinis aren't very kind with anyone. Especially Jewish people. My boyfriend and him, fought more than once. This bastard is angry because I stole some cheese from the shop that his family has…" Rose looked briefly at the girl next to her and she felt a bit embarrassed by her actions. "…hard times," she said.

"Well, Rose, don't worry about it I stole his penknife," Lucy showed her the hand where she was holding the weapon.

Despite that her hand was still bleeding and the storm, Rose laughed.

.

The familiar streets of her house brought her peace. The key was in her pocket.

"Would you like to get in? At least you can get warm and I can prepare some tea, before you continue your way," Rose said. "My mom is working and my brothers aren't here, my boyfriend probably is about to come but he's friendly… well, sometimes. He lives next door."

Still in the rain, Lucy looked at her and then to the next door. "You're not Rose," she said "you're Rosie! You're Alfie's Rosie!"

"You know Alfie?"

Lucy chuckled "of course I know Alfie! And considering the times he talked about you, I already know you… my Rosie," she imitated him, finally accepting her invitation to get in the house.

.

Lucy helped her to bandaging her hand. The wound wasn't bleeding anymore, but still hurt. She also insisted on preparing some tea. And Rose couldn't stop her.

Rose only stood up when she heard knockings on the door. As she imagined, it was Alfie.

The boy entered the house before she could say 'hi' and greeted her with a kiss, pushing her against the wall. He never noticed the other girl grinning, while she was pouring tea in the teacups.

"I fuckin' missed you, luv. We're alone! Can we…? ya know… My day was fuckin' awful. We can cuddle afterwards. It's raining and…"

"We can't, Al. We're not alone," she replied, looking to where Lucy was. Alfie finally paid attention at the house.

"Hullo, Alfie."

"What?" The boy look at her like it was the first time seeing her "what the hell are you doin' 'ere?"

"I am planning how to steal your girlfriend."

Rose let out a chuckle before returning to her chair and the boy rolled his eyes. Alfie sat next to her and Lucy in front of them, "she saved me," Rose explained. "I was coming here when Gianni Sabini attacked me."

"Gianni Sabini, what?!?"

"It's nothing. I'm fine," she showed him her hurt hand. "I may or may not, stole from them again."

"I don't fuckin' care! I'm goin'to kill him! Fuck him! I'm going to kill Darby too, fuckers!! Rosie, I'm sorry, pet" Alfie kissed her hand. Then, he asked Lucy "do ya kill him?"

"Nah. But I almost broke his skull against the pavement."

"Fuck, Luces! You're a little demon aren't, ya? well, it's just a wop."

"Alfie…" this time it was Rose who interrupted. She didn't like when he talked like that about the Italians even if they're were famous for their expression against the jews. Alfie just ignored it, in his mind planning a revenge against the Sabinis. No one touched his girl.

"So, Luces, what're ya doing here?"

Lucy looked at her teacup before answering. On the table the strawberry pie that Alfie had baked the day before was waiting to be eaten.

"My fucking father, of course…"

Neither of the three teens at table could say that their fathers were extraordinary. Quite the contrary.

For Alfie that wasn't new. For the very first moment he had learnt that Mr. Winters was nothing but a piece of shit. Alfie saw her friend stirring the cup.

"…same old story. He thinks he's the only one who's right. We're nothing but a waste of time and money. My mother says nothing. She's not bad person… but she's so afraid of him. At least for a couple of hours I had to ran away. This Sabini just crossed my way at the perfect time because it helped me to channeling my frustrations."

"Good. At least a Sabini was useful for once…" Alfie cut a piece of pie and served it to Lucy "told ya, as soon as you can run away from there because things with people like him never ends well."

"Easier to say than do," she ate a bit of the pie and smiled. Sugar always helped with people's mood. "He remembered me that I'm going to marry only the man he chooses for me. And I know the kind of man that's awaiting for me. A piece of shit like him. Excusing his actions behind the lord's words. Fucking hypocrite."

The young couple said nothing, they just let the other girl talk "…probably I'm going to ran away, yes. Bristol, Liverpool, Birmingham… I don't care."

A new thunder.

"Seems I need to go. Or the night is going to caught me here. But I don't want to."

"If this won't cause any trouble you can stay here for the night," Rose said "My brothers' beds are free tonight. And my mom doesn't care if a friend is here. Better here than the streets. Alfie can sleep in his own bed…"

"No, I can't. I need cuddles," the boy kissed her cheek.

"Al…"

"I'll behave. I promise, we have guests. And how old is she, by the way? Nine? Ten?"

"Fuck you, Alfie Solomons!" Lucy pointed at him with the teaspoon. "You're lucky your girlfriend is here."

.

Mrs. Coldwell greeted the new girl with kindness when she arrived from work and later that night the four of them were eating a dinner prepared by her. They laughed at old anecdotes that Lucy had from Yorkshire. Outside was still raining, but there no one noticed that.

At bedtime, Rose gave Lucy one of her nightgowns. In the morning, Lucy had to return to her house, whether she liked or not and Rose had to go to the infamous Evert's house. But for now, both of them were gossiping at the light of the candles. Giggling like the teens they still were. Alfie supposedly was sleeping in the couch but as soon as Mrs. Coldwell went to sleep, he went to where he really wanted to be: his girlfriend's bed.

At sunrise, when she woke up, Lucy saw them sleeping together and smiled. They were cute. Alfie was still with his clothes on, meaning that they did nothing but sleep all night. But he was holding her tightly against him.

Lucy ask herself if one day she too, will be capable of experiencing that kind of love.

Probably. Life couldn't be just bad things right?

She could see the first rays of sunshine. No more rain. The thought of her father made her angry again but she decided not to think about him for now. She heard sounds in the kitchen, probably Mrs. Coldwell. Lucy put her clothes on again, left the nightgown on the bed and left the couple alone.

Lucy left the house before they had wake up. Watching the people around them and thinking about nothing in particular she barely noticed when she left the old Camden Town behind her. She put her hands in her pockets and smiled when she felt the penknife.

If his father in the future keep being an asshole, then she'd kill him. In her mind, the idea wasn't that crazy. She knew he deserved it. '"And run away"…Alfie was right, she needed to ran away. And for some reason, Birmingham sounded like a good place to start again.

Not now, but one day.