I saw your reblog on the 100 different AU’s post and I’d like to request the roommate au with John. Can’t wait to see what kind of stunning moodboard you’ll come up with!
Thanks for sending your request, Daisy!! 🥺❤️. A modern!John for you ❤️.
You knew John since you were teens. But only the last year you started to live together mostly because sharing a place was cheaper. Both of you worked and you were studying as well, so splitting the expenses, really helped. But despite living under the same roof, you thought you were just friends.
But gradually that started to change. John started to prepare the breakfast for you every morning, even if he didn't understand at all what you were studying, he used to ask if you needed help. Not to mention the day he found that puppy in the streets and gave it to you, exactly on your birthday.
It was a rainy sunday that found both of you together again. Netflix, the sofa, the puppy and you two sounded good. But later you noticed that he wasn't watching the movie. His fingers were brushing your arm and you could feel his blue eyes on you. And, when you turned your head you found him staring at you. You looked at himas well. When John leaned over you, you close your eyes and when you feel his lips over yours you couldn't help but smile. Maybe that sunday afternoon, you found other way to spend your time.
"Time was always the same, no matter our notions. Seconds will forever move like seconds and minutes will only ever last how long minutes last. Hours will go and the days will always end. Mornings always arrive. As long as you are breathing, mornings always arrive. Even those most dreaded."
Pairing: A mix.
Warning: Canon typical violence.
Story Summary: When Nani survived her first games, she swore that she'd never go back in. That's until President Snow, in a twisted way of power, orders her to play again. This time to stomp out the girl from Twelve and restore the Capitol's morale. Just when she gets close to Katniss, Nani steps on an explosive that not only jolts her, but everyone else left in the arena back to 1923. Nani thinks everyone is relieved, except there is still one boy who wants to play, and would like nothing more than to split Nani's throat.
Luckily for Nani, Tommy Shelby allows her refuge and protection just for a small price: do his bidding. She's a Shelby after all, might as well carry on the family tradition.
Chapter Summary: Ladies and Gentlemen, the 74th Hunger Games.
🌕He’s honestly as surprised as everyone else that he fell in love with someone with such an opposite personality to his.
🌕Being with someone so happy and upbeat helped him forget about the war and reminds him of when times were simpler. As he would say, they help keep the shovels away.
🌕It would be a big shock at first for anyone that knows Tommy when he starts dating you, and his brothers have a moment where they genuinely wonder if Tommy is playing a joke. But no, it’s real and I think those early days would be the hardest for the two of you in the relationship. Just navigating all the confused reactions would really test Tommy and you both.
🌕But if the relationship lasted through that, it would be a solid one.
🌕Polly loves you, thinks that having someone so cheery is good for the man.
🌕The cheeriness doesn’t rub off on him, but he does loosen up a bit when you’re alone.
🌕Also, if anyone tries to make fun of you, he will shoot that shit down immediately. Will absolutely ride or die for the one he loves and would become murderous if someone made you sad.
🌹Alfie
🌹He absolutely loves how happy and carefree you are. That was what drew him to you initially.
🌹He’d been having a shit day, Ollie had fucked an important order up and his sciatica was acting up. He’d gone up to the actual bakery front of his distillery to check on things, and there you were. You’d greeted him with the most incredible smile and chirped a happy ‘Hello!’. He was a goner from that moment on.
🌹Would do anything for those sunshine smiles and will literally kill anyone who makes you sad.
🌹Some people get annoyed with bubbly personalities, they tend to not be able to keep up with the energy, but Alfie loves every moment of it.
🌹He also gets a kick out of seeing the jaw dropped expressions of other people when they meet you and they see this bright, cheerful person with him looming just behind.
⚡️Michael
⚡️Knew you before he’d become aquatinted with the Peaky Blinders and you were a person he’d not been able to let go of.
⚡️Becomes incredibly protective of you and refuses to let any one besides his mum meet you.
⚡️Obviously that’s not a long term solution and Tommy and gang do eventually meet you. Michael would puff up and try to crowd you to his side, and fierce glares would be sent over your head to warn off the Blinders.
⚡️He’d relax eventually, though, once he saw you getting along with Ada and John. He just doesn’t want you to become corrupted like he has.
⚡️Once he became more involved with Blinders business, he might push you away in an effort to protect you, but he’d never really be able to let you go. You’re his light.
💥Arthur
💥He really uses your personality to ground himself. Everything since the war has been chaotic and terrible and having someone who is just happy makes those storm clouds go away.
💥He loves taking you out on the town and showing you off. He takes you to all the newest clubs and fanciest restaurants; places he thinks that you can really stretch your wings.
💥If Tommy or John try to make fun of you, he’ll knock their teeth out. Ain’t no one talks to the person he loves like that.
💥Overall, a bubbly person is a good match for someone like Arthur. He tends to match energies of the people he’s with and if he’s with someone happy, he’ll be happy.
🌞John
🌞This man will either bring out the best of your personality or the worst, there’s no in-between.
🌞He’s a bit like a kid, has lots of goofy energy and likes to just let loose all the time. If he’s with a bubbly person, that person will also have to have some sense of responsibility too. Because if you don’t, you will just fuel each other’s energies until it’s a whole mess.
🌞You are a very expected person for John to date, it wouldn’t be very surprising. But, it might surprise people just how protective he can become of you at the drop of a hat.
🌞One of the lads at the pub made some snide comment about you and John had snapped. Cut a smile into that man’s face and threatened to kill him if he so much as a thought about you ever again.
🌞Tommy and Polly both genuinely fear what will happen if you two have children together. God help them if your kids have your personalities haha.
It hadn't taken them long to get from Charlie's Yard to the house in Small Heath. As usual, Tommy didn't bother knocking and just walked in like he owned the place, which maybe he did in some capacity.
Arthur and John had followed Tommy inside and the Walter 'bots were a little more skeptical, but followed inside after them anyway. They could hear Tommy starting to speak to someone else in the kitchen but as they enter it and see an older woman, she immediately goes on the defence.
John had been closest to her, so she grabs his gun straight out his belt and points it at the mechanical people. Tommy is quick to start talking to her again, assuring her that they aren't a threat. The Spine, Rabbit and The Jon have their arms raised in surrender so she doesn't shoot them. Even if the bullet would not hurt them as it would a human, they still didn't want to have to fish one out of their chassis or fix said chassis when they don't even know if they'd be able to get suitable materials for the job.
Once she finally puts down the gun, resting it on the table near her, which was an okay compromise, they finally put their arms down. Tommy leaned against the kitchen counter while Arthur and John sat down. Polly glanced between the boys and the metal people before finally taking a seat as well, gun still very much in reach of her. With affirmative from Arthur that they were allowed to, the automatons sat down too.
"Right, so what's the reason for the three human-like machines in our kitchen?" Polly asks, sounding annoyed more than anything, almost like her nephews had brought home a dog instead of three sentient automatons.
"They got shipped to Birmingham instead of San-Diego," Tommy says matter-of-factly and this seems to annoy Polly only more. "That doesn't answer my question," she barks it like an order and Rabbit has the fleeting notion to leave the table and do something else.
"We thought they could stay here until we figure something better out," Arthur supplies and Polly is none too impressed with that notion. "Where are we going to put them? The rooms are full now that you boys are back and I don't think the extra bed will be strong enough to carry their weight." She objects, or maybe just points out the facts, it's hard to tell.
While the humans go back and forth about letting them stay here or not, the three automatons communicate with a language all their own. It's whistles and chirps, sounding like music notes and pieces of instruments to make the noises that allow them to communicate.
"Where do we go if they can't house us?" Rabbit chirps at Spine. On the other side of her brother, Jon leans into Spine's side and sighs a plume of steam. "We'll figure something out and I'm sure Tommy will help either way, I trust him," Spine whistles back, only vaguely noticing that Tommy perks ever so slightly at the use of his name in their music language. He forgot Tommy may have picked up a few select words from their time at the front lines.
They tune back into the conversation just as it seems to settle on a decision. "Fine, but I don't know how we'll feed three more mouths," Polly concludes.
"Oh, we don't need to eat, Miss. We just need some water for our boilers and the occasional oil change!" Spine states cheerily, giving a bit of information about them. Polly seems momentarily surprised that Spine speaks so clearly and deep, but nods to show she heard him.
"Then it's settled." She says with air of finality and the tension in the kitchen seems to dissipate slightly.
At that moment, another woman walks in from a doorway that they assume leads to some stairs, a pre-teen (?) boy just a few steps behind her. She pauses at the sight in the kitchen and the boy bumps into her, wondering what the matter is.
They are introduced as Ada and Finn, Tommy's sister and youngest brother. Ada is quick to adjust, offering them tea or even an alcoholic drink but they decline, only Rabbit asks for a glass of water and Polly spends a couple minutes eyeing how she manages to 'drink' it.
At least that night, Rabbit, Spine and Jon were all in one piece and sleeping sitting on the couch with their heads and shoulders leaning on each other. It was the best stasis they'd gotten since the war began.
Since John's a (temporary) human now in TNW, I think it's time to show off a concept for an AU that makes no sense but has been rattling around in my brain for a while
Bonus doodles:
Notes:
Monster!Shelby replaced the Actual Shelby Waters
She just kind of decided to keep being a twitch streamer ig
Keeps up the skeptic act
John's fake backstory has become his real one for this AU, sans the part where he gets hit by a car- it's unclear how they met in this AU
He's literally Just Some Guy with very low self esteem
Summary: You, who once dreamed of being an actress, find out Tommy wasn't supportive as you thought he was | dark!AU
A/N: In dark!Tommy we (should not) trust.
The street was bustling far too much for a Thursday evening. With the sunset near, the cold breeze brought a shiver under your delicate shawl, a gift from Tommy, the pattern gave you a soft yet elegant look, just like every clothing he provided.
Inside Small Heath's church, everything could be heard, a tiny ginger woman thanked the priest in the confessional and walked away, her heels against the wood floors echoed in the whole building. Outside, cars drove by the street and groups marched on the sidewalk.
The few remaining sun rays shone through the stained glasses, painting colored shapes on the walls. At the altar, the candles burned warm orangish on the hem of Mother Mary's veil.
Your heart stung, tears threatening to run down your face, not even the sacred place served some relief, perhaps only going back in time would, back before you ever rented a room on Watery Lane.
“Alone for once, Mrs. Shelby?” the priest asked.
“I'm never alone, father, not for long,”
“Well,” the old man smiled in pity, “would you like to confess?”
“No, I just-” few tears ran down which you quickly brushed off, “I thought I was marrying a sinner, but I guess I married the devil himself,”
“These are strong words, some sins might be worse than others, nonetheless are all sins, worthy of forgiveness for those who regret,” he reprimanded, “is it alright if I leave you alone? I promised to visit a sick child,”
You nodded and he left, it was the first time you were alone in a long while. Tapping your feet on the floor, there was nothing more to do than wait, peeking at the watch on your wrist, it wouldn't take long for you to be found.
The devil walked through the door exact twelve minutes later, you didn't even have to look, only recognize his walking pattern.
“Know the truth and the truth shall set you free,” you said.
“John, eight thirty-two,” he stood beside your bench, “this doesn't seem like a theater to me,”
Earlier that day, you told Tommy you'd watch a play for the evening, the sudden change of events led you to the local church, “I couldn't stand watching it knowing I could be on the stage,”
“It's really a shame, isn't it?”
“Oh, stop it!” you snapped, “The director told me everything! He showed me a resigning document I never signed!”
Tommy's face closed off, taking a cigarette from his pack, he sat near you, “Mr. Thompson talks too much,”
“He showed me proof, my signature in a paper I never saw! How could you do this to me?!”
“How could you do that to me?” he challenged, “I let a woman go to New York with my baby in her womb, I let her sail away for a promising life with you,”
“Oh,” you scoffed, “the woman who betrayed you?”
“She was more willing to marry me than you ever was,” the comparison and disdain in his words hurt you, “I had proposed to you, you said you needed to think, but you know what hurts the most? I knew if Thompson casted you for another play, you'd had left me without question,”
Your chest weighed in tension, Tommy never talked to you so frankly and the impact your previous insecurity had on him seemed to turn at you with full force. To you, it was simply being divided between a career and marriage. To him, it was an ultimate act of betrayal, a spurn of his love.
“Why didn't you take her then? Why not sail to New York? To a more certain future?” you hesitated.
The humiliation of the first answer to cross Tommy's mind would never leave his lips. Because he loved you. He gulped, looking at you with squinted eyes.
“You don't know what you're saying,” he drawled, “you'd be nothing without me,”
“You took away my choice! I spent months waiting to be casted, waiting for a call I'd never get and you knew it,”
“I did, I spared you from a life of supporting roles,”
“Is that what you tell yourself? To feel less guilty?”
“What about this,” Tommy offered, “this item is done, I lied and you found out, now you go to the car, we go home and I treat you right for the night,”
“You can't possibly think sex will fix this,” standing up, you walked past him heading to the door.
Pragmatic as you were, the next logical decision would be leaving him. Tommy ruined your dream, sabotaging and betraying you, he also rooted himself deep inside your heart.
As pragmatic you were, the possibility of leaving him never existed and as tears ran down your face, you walked straight to his car.
Summary: Y/n has called John for a small favor…the removal of a dead body from Alfie’s kitchen. Who was the dead man and why was he there in the first place? That might be the biggest surprise of all.
Author’s note: Requested by @darklydeliciousdesires who wanted to know what this duo would do if tasked with disposing of a body. Ty for the wonderful inspo! Also, Rose is an OC belonging to @justrainandcoffee. She is Alfie's wife and an advocate for women. Quick reminder that Y/n is Alfie's sister.
Warnings: language, mention of a dead body and murder, weapons, blood
You sat watching steam rise from a piping hot cup of tea as John paced before you. “I don’t understand,” he said, twisting his cap in his hands.
“What?” you mumbled as you shoved a biscuit into your mouth.
“How did you manage it?” he asked with a note of genuine surprise, though he should have learned by now not to underestimate you.
You only shrugged as he gestured toward the hulking man splayed out before him on Alfie’s kitchen floor.
“Used me knife," you explained in a flat tone.
“Bloody hell,” he exclaimed with a low whistle. John stood over the mangled corpse stroking his chin thoughtfully before gazing back at you with pride. “Carved him up like a Christmas turkey!”
“Serves him right, filthy wanker,” you spat, wiping the crumbs from your lip with a shaky hand.
"Hey, you alright?" John softened momentarily, tilting your chin up to meet his gaze.
You narrowed your eyes at him, hating the look of pity you found staring back at you. "You seen the state of him? And you see me?" you gestured toward yourself with a flourish, demanding he acknowledge your victory. When he took a moment too long, you shoved him away. "Course I'm alright," you insisted stubbornly as you settled back into your chair, crossing your arms over your chest.
John let out a long sigh, wishing he'd never asked. Then recalling the trail of overturned furniture and broken glass leading to the kitchen, he changed the subject. "Was he looking for somethin'?" Opening and closing the cupboards as though he might find an answer hidden in the shelves, he called out, "Does Alfie still have that faberge egg?"
“Fuck no!" you vehemently denied. "Sold it ages ago to that toff who wanted it for his dog-faced cunt of a wife. Reckon she eats kibble out of it now or whatever the fuck rich people do."
John snorted out a laugh as he ran a hand down his face. How you could crack a joke at a time like this was beyond all comprehension. Turning back to his search, he opened another door, peering inside with intense scrutiny.
“Dunno what you're expecting to find," you muttered, irritation rising in your throat as you surveyed the room. "Not a sausage...."
John scratched his head as he glanced over his shoulder, “Is that a kosher thing?”
You rolled your eyes before clarifying, “Sausage and mash,” rubbing your thumb against your fingertips. When John still looked at you with a quizzical stare you shouted, “Cash, you daft cunt! If you think Alfie's stupid enough to hide anything of value here, you're a few sandwiches short of a picnic, mate."
He nodded in understanding. “Right, well….don’t matter why that fucker wanted in, we have to get him out.” He stood facing the man in question, removing a toothpick from his pocket and seesawing it between his teeth as he thought.
You quickly grew impatient, eyes darting wildly from the clock on the wall to John’s motionless form. “What are you waiting for? This is your speciality, ain’t it?” you asked in a high squeaky voice, anxious to move things along.
John spun around to face you, “And you’re such a big help sat there like a pudding!” he exclaimed taking a large step to swipe at you before slipping in a pool of the man’s blood.
You raced from the table to catch him, but he was already propelled halfway across the room, finally tumbling over and landing atop the dead man’s barrel chest. “ALLEY CAT!” he roared, face to face with the man’s hideous pallor of death.
Barely containing your laughter, you watched your partner in crime grimace before turning away to suppress a gag. “Smells like cheap whisky and piss,” he proclaimed.
“What do you reckon he smelt like? Bloody roses?” you asked, hoisting him up by the elbow.
John emitted a low growl before brushing himself off. Removing his jacket and tossing it aside, he crossed his arms, mouth twitching anxiously. “Can we get on with it?” he asked with a sigh that sounded like resignation to his fate. “You take one end, I’ll take the other,” he instructed with a nod of his chin.
John began wedging his arms beneath the man's upper body as you took hold of the thick legs which felt like two tree trunks. Hoisting the weight off the floor took a few moments and the body swung precariously between you, grunts and groans passed between you as you struggled to find equilibrium. Eventually you were able to take a few teetering steps backward and out of the kitchen doorway into the hall, but then you realized you didn't know where you were going after that.
“Wait! What’s the plan?” you demanded, knitting your eyebrows in confusion.
John snapped his head toward you, “Are you serious?"
"Well, we can't walk out of the house with him. People will notice," you pointed out.
"Just...keep...going," he instructed through clenched teeth. When you slowed your movements again he warned sternly, "If we stop now, you're going to break my fucking back."
"No...no, I don't like this, Barney," you said, shaking your head.
"You going to fight me the whole way?" he asked, nostrils beginning to flare in frustration.
“Do you want my help or not?” you huffed, dropping the pair of legs you were barely holding to begin with and placing your hands on your hips.
Dropping his half with a thud John laughed mirthlessly. He pointed at you, cheeks rosy with exertion and the tips of his ears beginning to match as his temper ignited. “You asked me to come, you ungrateful horse’s arse!”
"What did you call me?" you asked, rushing him and pinning him to the nearest wall, hand poised over your switch blade.
Just then someone cleared their throat and you both jumped, startled by the noise.
You broke away from John, looking up at a dark haired woman who stood above you in a halo of golden morning light. Her amber eyes were warm and held nothing but concern as she searched your face in wordless communication.
John frowned at you, his eyes darting between you as he wondered aloud, "Who the fuck is she?"
Ignoring him completely, you looked up at her unable to contain the burden of your guilt. You swallowed a lump in your throat as you admitted softly to her, "I didn't want you to see this."
"Is she one of Rose's women or..." he trailed off, watching her descend the stairs slowly and walk into your waiting embrace, placing a tender kiss to your trembling lips. "Do you two know each other?" he asked thickly. "Please, Y/n, I'm so confused," he pleaded.
When you parted, you were still holding her hand tightly in yours. "John, this is Eliana Armstrong."
"And him?" John asked cautiously, pointing at the body. "You know him, don't you?"
You nodded slowly, but Eliana spoke up. "His name is Harold Armstrong,” she said sadly, holding up her left hand to reveal a small gold band on her ring finger.
John's shoulders hunched and his brow creased as he thought.
"Give him a minute," you whispered next to her ear. "Got a nice boat, that one, but he ain't the brightest."
"Oi! M not deaf!” John scowled at you. Then turning to Eliana, he puffed out his chest, ready to defend you. "You had her kill your husband?" he hissed the accusation as he closed the distance in a few long strides. "You had no right to ask that of her!" he shouted, pointing a finger in her direction.
Quickly stepping between them, you placed a hand to his chest to halt his movements. "You've got it wrong," you stated simply.
"He was going to kill Y/n..." Eliana began before you hushed her.
"She told him she was leaving to be with me. He thought he could stop her by..." You stopped to inhale a sharp breath, thinking of the perilous fight you barely survived hours earlier. "Well...you know," you swallowed harshly, not wanting to give details. "I called you cos I knew you'd be there for me no matter what," you explained quietly. John's hands dropped to his sides, fists unclenching as all tension left his body with the shock of what he'd just heard.
"Oh, my God," he said, lowering himself by the banister to sit on the bottom stair. He knew something was off when you opened the door for him, possibly before that, when he heard a slight quiver in your voice on the telephone as you gave the code word for emergencies. His heart clenched in his chest at the thought of you reaching out to him before anyone else, speechless at your show of trust.
After a few minutes of deafening silence you needed to know if John was upset for being asked to clean up your mess. "Will you please say something?" you prodded gently.
John raised his head from where it hung cradled between his large hands, his bright blue eyes observing the body lying before him in Alfie's demolished house. His curious gaze finally resting upon your exhausted and disheveled form, he managed, "Is this why we never shagged?"
You and Steve went out clubbing, to enjoy the night together. It was all fun, till Sharon was in the same club too. She spots you both and starts to flirt with Steve.
Steve leaves you alone, to dance with Sharon. Their dance is anything but a dance. The touches and whispering makes you jealous. Later on, Steve has the audacity to bring Sharon to your table. He looks at you for a moment, he realizes his mistake but quickly covers it. He then becomes busy with Sharon.
Having had enough you confront him and Steve becomes rude and says "I can enjoy with anyone. I'm not confined to stick by your side all night." While Sharon has a smug expression.
You are all alone in the club, despite coming with Steve. His actions and words has hurt you deeply. Just as he was about to pull Sharon closer, a tall handsome man grabs your arm and pulls you towards the dancefloor.
Though you were hurt and upset, something about the guy with his irish accent and the clothing and the confidence dripping from his handsome face, attracts you to him. he introduces himself as "Thomas Shelby". Each spin, each dip, brings you closer and closer.
Steve clenches his jaw, seeing you with Tommy. He thinks Tommy is some random dude, until the bartender tells him about him being a famous gangster from Birmingham. How he owns many clubs in England and USA, including the one they are in. Steve's jaw drops to the floor, while Sharon is seething in jealousy.
Tommy honestly tells you "He wants you." You look at him with wide eyes, his honesty and straightforwardness makes you say yes to him.
Tommy takes you with him. Steve and Sharon try to follow you both, but Arthur and John stop them.
While Steve didn't get to enjoy the night because Sharon got overly drunk in jealousy ending up puking.
You had the time of your life. Tommy was a beast in bed yet gentle to make sure you feel pleasured and special. He worships you all night long.