Peaky Blinders Fanfiction - Tumblr Posts

Thomas Shelby Series

Blind Date- Modern Thomas Shelby

Masterlist One Masterlist two

In This Together - Thomas Shelby

Masterlist One Masterlist two

All Apologies

Masterlist (Complete)

Back to the Start -Modern Thomas Shelby ( A twist on my Blind Date story) Masterlist

Office Christmas Party Masterlist

Broken Rules Part 1 Part 2

New Chapter Part 1- 2 3 (Complete)

Mrs Shelby's Birthday Masterlist (complete)

Wild Night

1 2 (complete)

Date Night - Masterlist - (Complete)

Challenge of a Name - Masterlist (complete)

No Whore -1 2 3 - (complete)

You Get What You Take - Masterlist (complete)

Old faces - Masterlist (complete)

Blind Date Masterlist

Modern Thomas Shelby

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98

Blind Date Masterlist 2

Modern Thomas Shelby -99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108

109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126

127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149

150 151 152 153

Ride the Bull - An Alfie Solomons/Reader One Shot Story.

A couple of drabble requests combined prompted this new piece of Alfie smut. Enjoy, my darlings! 

“Alright, Y/N, what you still doing here at this time?” Your boss asks, leaving his office to find you still behind your desk, writing in the ledger. Just the feel of him standing behind you, his imposing bulk right there, the scent of him, god. He makes your insides burn.  

“Just getting ahead, Mr Solomons.” You look up, your heart and stomach somersaulting as usual to behold your handsome boss. You might be a married woman, but you’ve always found him attractive.  

“How many times have I got to tell you, darlin? Just call me Alfie. Mr Solomons is my father.” His tone is brusque, but there’s amusement there in his voice, perhaps even a tinge of softness.  

Keep reading

K’s Reading List — AUGUST

Hey there! Thanks for stumbling upon this reading list! I figured that as a way to support the lovely writers within this fandom that I’d compile a reading list of all of the stories I read over each month.

August was a wonderful month filled with incredible stories. Below is the list of stories that I read. I hope you will find some that you like as well!

As always, please make sure you heed to the warnings on each fic!!

🧡 — denotes story written for my 3.5k celebration

@youtifulsunshinelixfics (was @/acewritesfics)

Prove It - Tommy Shelby x Reader blurb **

Serves You Right - Tommy Shelby x Reader blurb **

It Led Me To You - Tommy Shelby x Reader blurb **

Dirty Dishes - Tommy Shelby x Reader **

**Changed username, so links may not work**

Peaky Caps and Razorblades - Tommy Shelby x Reader — this link works!!

@peakyswritings

Hope Is A Dangerous Thing For A Woman Like Me To Have - Tommy Shelby x Reader — contains dark themes!

Pinkie Promise - Tommy Shelby x OC (prewar)

Heart, Body and Soul - Tommy Shelby x OC (on- going series)

Too Young To Love You - Tommy Shelby x Reader

@lis-likes-fics

A Deal’s A Deal (pt. 2) - Tommy Shelby x Reader — contains 🔞 NSFW themes!

@notyour-valentine

Welcome to Downton, Mr. Shelby - Tommy Shelby x OC (on-going series)

@holacia3

Tommy Shelby Gif Blurb — contains 🔞 NSFW themes!

@brummiereader

Killing Me Softly - Tommy Shelby x Reader (completed series) — contains dark and 🔞 NSFW themes!

Happy Birthday Love - Tommy Shelby x Reader (from Killing Me Softly universe) — contains dark themes!

@gypsy-girl-08

Blind Date - Modern!Tommy Shelby x Reader (on-going series) — contains 🔞 NSFW themes!

@zablife

My Sun, My Moon, and All My Stars - Luca Changretta x OC (Aurora) (on-going series) — contains some intense themes!

Pearls from Tommy - Tommy Shelby x Reader headcannons — contains 🔞 NSFW themes!

Funeral - Tommy Shelby & Sister!Reader

Pretty When You Cry - Tommy Shelby x Reader — contains 🔞 NSFW themes!

@shelbystales

Story Time - Tommy Shelby x Reader

@peakyltd

Unexpected Friendship - Arthur Shelby x Reader

@writers-hes

Protection - Tommy Shelby x Reader (on-going series)

@weaponizedvirtue

The Face We Hide Behind - Tommy Shelby x OC

@everythingelseisextra

Casual - Tommy Shelby x Reader

Only The Wild Ones - Tommy Shelby x Reader (on-going series) — contains dark themes!

@look-at-the-soul

Skyfall - Tommy Shelby x Reader — contains 🔞 NSFW themes!

@little-diable

Sunshine - Tommy Shelby x Reader — contains 🔞 NSFW themes!

@call-sign-shark

Hey Bunny - Yandere!Arthur Shelby x Reader — contains dark/mature themes!

Birthday Blurb - Arthur Shelby x Reader

@holacia3

Blurb - Tommy Shelby x Reader

@there-goes-thefighter

What Did You Say? - Tommy Shelby x Reader

The Task - Tommy Shelby x Reader blurb

Love You Goodbye - Arthur Shelby x Reader blurb

Cake On the Dance Floor - Tommy Shelby x Reader blurb

Monster - Michael Gray

Bury the Hatchet - Tommy Shelby

@multifandomwriter56

A Good Dose of Laughter…Or Lack Thereof - Tommy, John, and Arthur Shelby & Sister!Reader

Blurb - Tommy Shelby & Daughter!Reader

Five Sentence Blurb - Shelby!Reader featuring young Finn Shelby

Gif Blurb - Tommy Shelby & Daughter!Reader

@raincoffeeandfandoms

Emergency Call - Tommy Shelby & Alfie Solomons (feat. Cyril)

Just Another Test - Alfie Solomons x OC

“Yes or No?” - John Shelby x Reader — 🧡

@moral-terpitude

The Talk - Tommy Shelby x OC

@shelbydelrey

Mrs. Shelby - Tommy Shelby x Reader

@pacifymebby

Peaky Blinders Headcannons - several Peaky Blinders characters — contains 🔞 NSFW themes!

@cillmequick

The Dress, part 2 - Cillian Murphy x Reader — contains 🔞 NSFW themes!

The Dress, part 3 - Cillian Murphy x Reader — contains 🔞 NSFW themes!

@teenwolf-theoriginals

Happy birthday, my love - Tommy Shelby x Reader — contains 🔞 NSFW themes!

@peakbys

A Minute And Gone - Tommy Shelby x Reader

@kitixie

The Sapphire Ring - Tommy Shelby x Reader

@valentine-in-my-quinjet

Best Made Plans - Tommy Shelby x Reader (prewar)

@dreamlandcreations

Imagine Tommy Coming To You All Bloody After Meeting With Alfie - Tommy Shelby & Sister!Reader (Alfie Solomons x Reader hinted at here)

@jomarch-wannabe

Control - Tommy Shelby x Reader — contains 🔞 NSFW themes!

What Was I Made For? - Tommy Shelby x Reader — 🧡

@dearshelby

NSFW Alphabet - Tommy Shelby x Reader — contains 🔞 NSFW themes!

@amysteryspot

Jay Halstead Blurb - Jay Halstead x Reader — from Chicago PD

@notyour-valentine

Welcome To Downton, Mr. Shelby - Tommy Shelby x OC (on-going series)

@zkvry

Are You Laughing At My Brother? - Shelby Brothers & Sister!Reader

@noforkingclue

Dark Promises - Tommy Shelby x Reader

@loverhymeswith

Let’s Be Alone Together; part 1 -Tommy Shelby x Reader

Let’s Be Alone Together; part 2 - Tommy Shelby x Reader

George Masterlist

A Peaky Blinders series - currently ongoing.

This is my first attempt at fanfic. An AU set after Grace’s death in series three. 

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. All characters, settings etc are the property of their respective owners. All original work is my own.

Chapter One: A Bird In The Hand

Chapter Two: Hidden Gems

Chapter Three: The Emperor’s New Clothes

Chapter Four: Off and Racing

Chapter Five: Vengeance and Furious Anger

Chapter Six: In the Wee Small Hours

Chapter Seven: The Cold Hard Light of Day

Chapter Eight: Absence Without Leave

Chapter Nine: Slowly Goes The Night

Chapter Ten: Rum and Whiskey

Chapter Eleven: Blood Brother

Chapter Twelve: Amongst the Thorns

Chapter Thirteen: Strange Bedfellows

Chapter Fourteen: One Step At A Time

Chapter Fifteen: Babylon

Chapter Sixteen: House Rules

Chapter Seventeen: Fighters

Chapter Eighteen: In The Ring

Chapter Nineteen: The Pearl

Chapter Twenty: Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart

Chapter Twenty-one: Out Of The Woods

Chapter Twenty-two: The giving of aid and comfort

Chapter Twenty-three: The gathering storm

Chapter Twenty-four: The End Is Nigh

Chapter Twenty-five: Before Dawn

Chapter Twenty-six: Of Gold and Lead

Additional works in this AU

These are additional pieces that are outside the main story of George

What Should Have Been - An alternative Christmas to the one described in chapter 23. 

She’s Here, By My Side - The first meeting between George and Tommy from Tommy’s POV (chapter 1)

If you’d like to read my other work my MASTERLIST is here.

Blind Date Masterlist 2

Modern Thomas Shelby -99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108

109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126

127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149

150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159

160 161 162 163 164 165 166

Blind Date Masterlist

Modern Thomas Shelby

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98

Masterlist-

Back to the Start-

Pairing - Modern Thomas Shelby and Reader

P1 2- 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Only The Wild Ones

Moodboard by @runnning-outof-time (thank you so much!)

Your whole life, you've been running, desperately seeking safety from a past you want to forget. You spend your time working yourself into exhaustion, then getting up the next day to do it all again. When a powerful but vulnerable Thomas Shelby comes into the picture, you're convinced, for once in your life, to stand and fight.

Part One: Everything Is Fine

Part Two: Commit To The Bit

Part Three: Treasure The Memory

Part Four: Petty Criminal

Part Five: Give Yourself A Reason

Part Six: My Body Is Here

Part Seven: Lingering In Doorways

Part Eight: First Time

Part Nine: Stand Your Ground

Part Ten: Work

Part Eleven: You're Like Me

Part Twelve: Run, Little Girl

Part Thirteen: Horse To Water

Part Fourteen: Come Home (Tommy's POV)

Part Fifteen: David and Goliath

Part Sixteen: Cain (Tommy's POV)

Part Seventeen: The Ends Of The Earth

Part Eighteen: Love Song (Tommy's POV)

Part Nineteen: No Harm

Part Twenty: Scar Tissue

In This Together -Masterlist two-

90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121

Masterlist-

Back to the Start-

Pairing - Modern Thomas Shelby and Reader

P1 2- 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

To Be Alone | Tommy Shelby x OC | Masterlist

Summary: Celia Farraday and her family had to return to England to say goodbye to her dying grandfather. Misfortune falls upon her family soon after, and now she has to find work on the streets of Birmingham to help her parents afford rent. These are the same streets controlled by the Peaky Blinders, and Celia soon finds herself in the line of fire of said gang’s leader, Tommy Shelby.

Warnings: language, violence (typical to the series), mentions of death and child illness, familial arguing, smoking, drinking, talks of war/PTSD, mentions of prostitution, brief descriptions of assault, descriptions of a panic attack, weapons, sexual situations (PG-13 rated), murder, mentions of prostitution, minor character death, hospitals

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Peaky Blinders characters, just the main OC, and other original characters that will be introduced throughout this fic.

———

Chapters:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29

30 Epilogue

To Be Alone Shorts:

Snapshots into Tommy and Celia’s life.

-> In Secret: It's only been two months since Tommy asked Celia to marry him, but he can't wait any longer. This on the whim decision angers some family members once they find out it's been done. Then, Tommy honors a promise he made to Celia back in America.

-> A Sunny Spring Day: a moodboard and blurb of Celia and Eden’s day out on the grounds of Arrow House

Blind Date Masterlist

Modern Thomas Shelby

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98

Blind Date Masterlist 2

Modern Thomas Shelby -99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108

109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126

127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149

150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159

160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170

𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 | tommy shelby x reader › 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒏𝒆

when you read the biography of the shelby family you decide to travel back in time to help them and save the lives of several of them, but things get complicated when you start to have feelings for thomas shelby

word count: 4451

masterlist

content: fluff and emotions

warnings/info: mention of weapons, too many conversations, grace and thomas don't fall in love in this fic. it is adapted to the series but i changed several things. based on peaky blinders season one.

author note: english is not my first language, so forgive me if there are spelling mistakes

You walk with slow steps, you're terrified. You travelled to this place believing it would not be risky, but when you arrived in the city your veins filled with fear, and your courage fled like that woman you saw in the dark alley, fleeing from the man who tried to hurt her so cruelly.

The streets of Small Heath were more dangerous than the biography you read for weeks before travelling said, there were not only criminals, there were also people looking to do harm and steal what little hope was left in the palms of innocent people's hands. This city is like a dark hole, once you fall into it you will never get out.

You take a last deep breath and open the weathered wooden doors to enter the famous pub called Garrison. The eyes of several men sweep over your figure but you ignore them and begin to search your eyes for the only person you care about, and that person is Thomas Shelby, the leader of the Peaky Blinders, the horse enthusiast, the man who received two medals in the Great War, the reason you travelled to this town, your mission.

You approach the bar where a tall, thin man with a serious face and rather striking ears looks at you judging you with his dark brown eyes. Normally you were used to men disrespecting women but in this era women had no right or voice, they wouldn't mind hurting you if they had the chance, for them women were just a piece of meat to satisfy their "needs", just thinking about that idea makes you want to vomit. Finally you get up the courage to speak and clear your throat, trying to get the nerves out of your body: "I'm looking for Thomas Shelby" you say.

"A woman shouldn't be in this place," he replies in disgust, ignoring you completely. He goes back to his work, cleaning the bar and serving alcoholic drinks to the customers.

"Do you know where I can find him?" You ask again and this man ignores you again. About to speak again his eyes look behind you and grow wide with fear, he stands up straight and nods, formally greeting the person behind you.

"Why you looking for me?"

A low, husky voice sounds behind you, sending a shiver down the bones of your spine, you swallow your saliva nervously and turn to look at the person with the attractive voice. He wasn't as tall as his biography said, but his defensive stance made him intimidating, his piercing blue eyes mesmerised you and his strong, clenched jaw gave you goosebumps.

"When I ask a question I expect an answer." He speaks again but nothing comes out of your mouth. Thomas Shelby lets out a tired sigh and takes a cigarette out of his pocket and then points it at you: "Are you a whore?"

You open your mouth in offence, ready to reply rudely, but then you remember where you are and who is standing in front of you, calm yourself and take a deep breath, preparing to speak to Birmingham's most feared gangster: "No, I'm not a whore." His pale blue eyes look away from you to light his cigarette, but a few seconds later they focus on you again. "I'm looking for you because I have a message for you" You look around, all the men's eyes focus on the two of you, "I need to tell you in private" He raises an eyebrow and then cocks his head.

"Well, let's talk in private." Thomas Shelby turns to go to a small secluded room at the side of the bar, opens the door and gestures for you to enter first. Inside there is a table with whiskies and a couple of chairs around it, the sound of the door closing diverts your attention from your observation and you notice him move behind you until he is facing you again, he takes a puff on his cigarette and blows the smoke out, creating a haze between your faces. "If you're not a whore, what are you and what do you want?"

"I'm just a woman" You blink, "And I've come to give you a little message: the men you sent to do that robbery are too drunk, they'll get the wrong box and bring you a box of government weapons instead. I suggest you throw them in the canal and for nothing in the world hide them, otherwise your life will change completely and it will be the first step for misfortunes to come into your life like rats looking for scraps." When you finish speaking the gangster's eyes darken, and it is then that you fear for my life for the first time.

"Who the fuck are you and how do you know about that robbery, eh?"

"As I said before, I'm just a woman. Do as I say Thomas Shelby." You stride out of the Garrison, once in the small house you've been renting for over a month you let the bated breath out of your lungs and close the door. Your sweaty hands roam the furniture until you find the bottle of rum, uncork it and take a deep swig, praying that it will take effect and take the trembling out of your body. What you had done broke all the rules you had created for yourself, you couldn't tell the people you were trying to help what would happen in the future but you found it impossible not to, it's many years apart and this time you're not helping someone innocent, you're trying to change the life of a mobster. You took a risk by exposing your identity to Thomas Shelby, now you just had to wait and if he really listened to you, you could go back to your time, otherwise it would take more than a year and that's what you least wanted.

Your plan to have tea the morning after the events is interrupted when there is a light knock on the door, you leave the sugar on the side of the table and go to the door to open it, behind the door you meet the person you least expected to see on this cold, dark morning. His expression is serious but his eyes look confused.

"We need to talk and this time you'll tell me who you are."

Thomas Shelby enters the house without your permission, you stand stunned in the doorway watching the man light a cigarette and sit in one of the chairs as if nothing has happened. Taking one last look at the gangster you close the door and walk over to the table, also sitting down in a chair and preparing yourself for what is to come, as this mission will not be as easy as you had planned.

"I tried to do some research on you after you ran away from the Garrison." He speaks again and takes a deep drag on his cigarette "The people here don't know anything about you, nobody knows you and nobody knows for sure when you came to Birmingham. So I went to your house to get you to explain to me how the fuck you knew about my planned robbery and how you knew they'd get the wrong box and just like you said, now I've got government guns in my hands. You'd better speak up and tell the truth."

"If I tell you the truth you won't believe me" You say sincerely.

"Are you a witch?" He asks a second later.

"No. More like a seer." You lie to his face.

"A witch" He affirms his own question, staring at you.

"I just wanted to warn you about the guns to save you the trouble but I see it was in vain because you still keep them" You grab the cup of tea and drink from it, "Do you want tea?" You ask, you may be with the most feared mobster of the 1920's but you would never lose your kindness.

He gawks at you and shakes his head, "I'm not a tea man." Thomas Shelby lifts the cigarette to his thick lips for one last puff and then flicks it into the ashtray that happens to be on the table. "What's your name?"

Your eyes drop to the cup in your hands, your missions couldn't know your name, another of your rules. So you look for the first way out: "How do you know where I live?" You ask him another question and look him straight in the eye.

A small wry smile escapes his lips and he clasps both hands together on the table to bring his face close to yours. "You won't tell me your name, will you?" your lips part to answer him but you seal them again, "Fine, I'll find out just like I did with your home address." Thomas Shelby pulls a piece of paper out of his pocket and drops it on the table and then gets up from his seat and walks towards the door, "Are you any good with numbers?" He asks you and you look at him confused but end up nodding, "Today you will quit your job as a housewife and start working at my family's betting shop, there's the address" He points to the paper with his index finger "So when you have a vision for my life you can tell me before I make another...mistake" And without another word he walks out of the house, leaving you stunned in your chair. This shouldn't be happening.

You were making big mistakes, your main goal is to help or change the lives of the people you choose from the background, without having contact with them. But you also had to admit that all last month you got nothing out of being away from Thomas Shelby, maybe if you had approached him from the beginning the mistake of the guns wouldn't have happened, and you wouldn't be in this mess today.

For the next two hours you questioned whether you should really take this job or just abandon this mission and go back to your own time, you were about to lock yourself in the wardrobe to give it all up but then you remembered the tragic life of the Shelby family, you couldn't go back. Even if they didn't know it they needed your help, all the unjust deaths that were coming were breaking your heart in two, they deserved better and if you were the only person who could change their lives you would do it, even if in the process they would probably hate you or you would end up buried lifeless in the dirty mud of Birmingham. You put on a simple white shirt with a brown skirt and pick up the paper with the address of your next job, a few minutes later you arrive at the famous Shelby house on Watery Lane, you knock on the door but no one answers, you knock again and nothing.

"Nobody will open the door because no one is at home"

A woman's voice interrupts your action of knocking again on the black wooden door with a horseshoe nailed to it. Your head jerks in her direction and you can't help but recognise her, her snub nose and dark-as-night eyes are typical Polly Gray features. She takes a drag on her cigarette and looks you up and down, intimidating you to the bone.

"What do you want?" She asks.

You nervously fix your fringes "I think Thomas has given me a job."

She raises an eyebrow: "So you're that famous seer. He told me he'd give you a place at the betting shop, so you have to go through the other entrance, down Montague Street."

"I didn't know that. Thomas gave me this address." You take the paper from the pocket of your worn woollen coat and hold it out to her, she takes it and reads it, then shakes her head, throws the cigarette on the floor and takes a key from her small purse to open the door. She gives you permission to enter and you both walk down a hallway to a living room decorated with brass and elegant floral china. The Shelby house is compact and has a typical terrace style. There is an excessive amount of floral and brass decorations throughout. The Shelby family are rich in money but lacking in what is considered conventional good taste, it was evident that their gypsy roots were intact in their home, as you come to a small kitchen with a coal fireplace there is a pantry that has been opened up to form a small back room. But instead of a wall, black curtains cover what is on the other side.

Polly Gray walks up to them and opens them, then opens two doors in a row, finally arriving at the famous betting shop, which is bustling with activity. The large room is dominated by a huge blackboard where two bookmakers keep the bets and odds. You approach it and look at it carefully, each holding a ladder to reach the top of the board. Your eyes move to scan the room which is filled with cigarette smoke. In the middle of the large room is a large desk where men queue up to place bets and at the back of the room is a small office, divided by glass and curtains. Polly Gray walks up to stand in front of you.

"With all due respect, but isn't having a betting shop in your own house illegal?" You ask.

"It is. But this house belongs to the Peaky Blinders and nobody messes with us, dear. Now, this will be your workstation, you will count all the money we collect during these hours and write it down in this book. At the end of the day you will calculate the total and write it down too" She hands you a huge dark brown one, full of dust and yellowed pages. "It was Arthur's work, but he is very bad at adding numbers, so this afternoon you will catch up with all the miscalculated numbers in this book." She turns around walking back towards the kitchen, "Good luck with that!". She shouts at you and disappears from your sight, leaving you alone in the middle of all those men looking at you as if you were an intruder.

You press the book tightly to your chest and take a seat at the large desk, you had to concentrate. One wrong step and they'd know you didn't belong in this era, and your attempt to help this family would be futile. You carefully check the numbers and definitely the older brother from Peaky Blinders doesn't know anything about sums, they were all wrong, you ask the man sitting next to you for a pen and start correcting all the wrong sums, at the end of the day you finish your work successfully and leave the book on the kitchen table and go back to what you call home. The same routine is repeated for two weeks, the Shelby brothers would come to the betting shop from time to time, do their typical revisions and leave for hours. Thomas Shelby was not a frequent visitor, the only time he came by he watched you work in detail and left without a word. You had to hurry, his future wife had already arrived in town, which meant he would soon be betrayed by her, which would cause him to become more involved in the mafia, you had to prevent it, you would save several lives, even hers in a few years.

You walk into the kitchen ready to put the book down when suddenly Thomas Shelby, soaked to the skin, enters, as usual, with a cigarette in his mouth. "Good evening, Mr Shelby," you say and turn around, but before you walk away you stop and look at him, perhaps it's the right moment to tell him what you've been rehearsing for days. "I'd like to give you an honest opinion about your business, Mr. Shelby," you start to speak and move closer to him, standing a few inches away. He nods slowly, giving you permission to continue. "Every day I write a large amount of money, the two weeks I've been working here the figures haven't stopped going up..." You look into his pale blue eyes. "Why don't you invest all that money in a new place to do your bets? A legal place, where the police can see it and can't do anything against you."

He takes a puff on his cigarette and approaches you, his breath mingling with yours in the air. "Come with me, let's talk business somewhere else."

Thomas Shelby starts to walk away from you, you soon follow him. As you walk you say nothing, your nostrils fill with the smell of wet earth, it has been raining at night for days and you couldn't be happier, you loved the rain. When you finally reach your destination he opens the door and you walk in without complaint, inside the pub it was warm, in the distance you see Gracie Burgess, she was even more beautiful than in the old photographs, blonde, blue eyed and delicate as a feather.

"Leave us alone, Grace," Thomas says dryly.

"Yes, Mr Shelby." She sets the whisky aside and walks out of the pub past you.

You walk over to where Thomas is sitting, lighting another cigarette. "I hear she sings beautifully," you say and sit down next to him, he frowns at you, "Besides, she's pretty, isn't she?"

"How do you know she sings?" he asks.

You get nervous and look for an excuse to remedy your mistake, "There are many people who say that...that sometimes she sings here."

He shakes his head, "I forbade her to sing weeks ago". Thomas looks down at the cigarette between his fingers, wondering why it mattered so much to you to talk about Grace.

You think deeply, according to her biography her singing made Thomas Shelby's cold and broken heart fall in love, if that's not exactly happening there are only two theories: whoever wrote the biography got it wrong or something is going on because of a mistake of yours. "Why did you forbid her to sing?" You ask him and he raises his eyes to stare at you.

"Because I am Thomas Shelby, and no one should disobey my orders" He says ironically and fills his lungs with smoke.

You chuckle "So this isn't a real pub. In pubs people sing and have fun maybe... you should let her sing".

"Maybe... Now tell me why are you so interested in the business? Would you like to be part of it?"

"No. Not really" You answer honestly, "I just feel that you and your family can have a lot more money without the need to be illegal"

"You don't like that we're criminals, eh?"

You shake your head, "No. I don't judge you for the life you have and chose, I just think you're a good family who deserve something good, something less...dangerous."

Thomas Shelby looks at you looking for a reason for your kindness to him and his family, ever since he met you, you have not stopped telling him that he deserves a better life than the one he has. Your simplicity appeals to him constantly and he hasn't stopped thinking about you since that day in this pub, he stubs out his cigarette and takes some coins out of his pocket, leaving them on the table. "I'll take you to the races, with this money buy yourself a nice dress. A beautiful woman deserves one, don't you think"

You stare at the money blushing, other men have called you beautiful but Thomas Shelby saying it had a different effect on you, something you thought was long lost, you blink a couple of times before picking it up. "When are the races?"

Your reddened cheeks look like a gesture of tenderness to Tommy, who smiles a faint smile on his lips.

Tommy takes you by the waist with one arm and guides you to the side to get a better view of the horses, everyone around you is excited about the race ahead. You and he, on the other hand, are quiet, enjoying the moment.

"They are the best this season" He starts to explain to you once you find a comfortable place, "That one there is the fastest in this race, he will probably win it" He says pointing to a black horse, you look carefully at the other horses, you didn't understand much about how to identify a good horse but a white one with black spots catches your attention, you look again at the gangster next to you who already had his eyes fixed on you.

"For me the white with black spots will win." You tell him and this time you point your finger at a horse. His eyes move in that direction and he automatically shakes his head.

"That one lacks training, it won't win."

"Wanna bet?" You challenge him and he raises an eyebrow with a coy smile on his lips.

"Alright, let's bet. If the one I say wins, you'll dance with me and tell me your name" He moves closer to you "If the one you say wins, you'll get a promotion at work, you'll be my secretary and the family business accountant"

You look at him in surprise, you were expecting a money bet, not that. You look at the horses preparing for the next race, a thousand thoughts come into your head, he can't know your name, that would only make his affection for you grow stronger, just like it is happening with you. You swallow hard and your eyes travel to his, they were like the ocean, so beautiful but at the same time they generated fear in your whole body. Unable to control your words you end up accepting his bet and he smiles blushing like a teenager, unable to control his emotions.

The sound of the gunshot brings you out of your trance and you look at the horses, which are running at full speed together with their rider leaving a dust in the air, you approach the bar and look carefully at the white horse, Tommy was right, it was slow compared to the others but you don't lose hope, your hands clutch the iron bar, squeezing it tightly. And a scream comes out of your lungs when the white horse catches up with the black horse but seconds later it runs slower, coming last among all the horses. The race is over, the black horse is the winner, your eyes turn to Thomas Shelby who offers you his hand with a mischievous smile, you take it and together you walk towards the dance floor, where jazz music reigns in every corner of the room.

Tom puts one hand on your waist and the other on your right hand, you try to follow his steps but it's impossible, you laugh as you make another mistake, inadvertently stepping on the left foot of the man in front of you. "Sorry, I've never danced jazz"

Thomas looks at you, unable to believe your words: "Why is that?"

"Well...in my town we don't dance to this kind of music" You try to explain, but you can't tell him that women in 2023 dance sensually in short dresses, "The music I usually dance to is more free, without the need to dance with a partner"

He pulls you close to his body and your faces are inches apart. "You are different from other women. I've never met a woman so interested in business and yet so spontaneous."

"All women are spontaneous and also like business," you say offended.

He caresses your back with his hand and shakes his head "I don't mean to offend you, I agree, but it's very difficult to find a woman like you here. Normally women were brought up to marry and raise a family. You show no interest in such things."

Your faces are almost glued together, and that's when you realize the reason he invited you to a race, the reason he's so insistent on knowing your name. Thomas Shelby showed no interest in Grace Burgess because you had captured his attention in every way. Despair invades your whole soul and you try to patch up another mistake of yours. "Grace is also a very intelligent woman, even more so than I am" He frowns as he listens to you "Besides beautiful and she—"

Tommy's lips are glued to yours, your first instinct is to pull away from him but you can't, instead you close your eyes and let yourself go. You just couldn't deny the fact that he is a very attractive man and you had been dying to taste his lips for a long time, you just didn't know that the feeling was reciprocated. Thomas grabs your waist tightly, pressing his body completely against yours and deepens the kiss, his lips were soft but they were full of desperation, he wanted more, he wanted every part of your body but you couldn't let him. So you pull away from him with a push from you. He opens his eyes not understanding what is happening while you shake your head.

"This is wrong, Tom. You shouldn't be with me" You say, unable to control your words, totally disturbed by what had just happened.

"What are you talking about, ey?" He asks and approaches you, taking your hands.

You break free of his grip and pull away from him. "I can't be with you, Thomas."

He pushes his hair back and purses his lips before speaking: "Are you...do you love another man?"

Your gaze goes down to the ground, you think of the consequences if there is something between you. It would change everything and you could never go back to your time, you would never see your family again and you could never travel back in time, and the destiny of him and his family would change completely, you would no longer know what would happen to his life if he is with you and not Grace. Your eyes fill with tears and you look him straight in the eye. "Yes. I am in love with another man" You lie to him.

He takes a deep breath and nods, "Good. I think it's time for you to go home."

click here

LADY OF THE DAWN

Tommy Shelby x Reader

Summary: Tommy doesn't care about her, right? So why would he be bothered that John wants to marry Y/N? Tommy's stubbornness and the inability to process feelings will get heavily tested after he hears the news from his younger brother. ”Speak now or remain silent forever” part of the official's speech says. What's he going to do?

Warnings: name calling, angst, argument, swearing, Tommy's got issues

Notes: I'm really proud of this one. Let me know what y'all think in the comments!

Thomas' hand froze mid air as he was reaching for the cigarette hanging from his lips.

John looked at him with a frown, eyes narrowing at the weird tone of his brother's voice.

”I'm marrying Y/N Y/L/N.” He repeated with confidence, leaning back with his chin tilted upwards. Silence followed his words, as nobody dared to speak purely because of the way that air thickened.

”You're what?” His voice boomed through the Garrison, getting the attention of each family member.

Seemingly unreasonably.

”Don't worry, Tom. It doesn't change anything, I'll keep fulfilling my duties as Shelby.” John added, taking a gulp of whiskey from his glass, feeling the burning fluid flow down his throat. He didn't want to argue or be on bad terms with Thomas, not only because they were family, but also because he knew how much of a pain in the ass he could be as his boss. Hearing it, Thomas snorted taking a drag from a cigarette.

”You're marrying a whore, John?” His voice was low, full of mockery as he fearlessly looked his brother in the eyes. Usually Tom could be more sensitive and understanding when he had to, especially when it comes to family, so even Polly was surprised by his harsh approach.

”She's done with it. Besides, we all know her since we were children. Don't act like you don't know why she ended up doing it.” John barked back, as his patience ran off in a split second.

Confused thoughts filled his busy mind, seeing the determined face of his younger brother. The left leg started pouncing, hard sole of his polished shoe clicked against the floor.

John and Y/N.

Whore. The bitterness of the name that he used to describe her filled his mouth, leaving a bad taste. Reaching for his glass, Thomas knocked it back leaving it empty as the alcohol washed it away. Clearing his throat before he spoke, Tommy chuckled again. Gaze shifted from the empty space he stared in, onto John's face. Tensed jaws and sharp gaze seemed to be flowing in their blood, as both brothers shared the same body language.

Neither of them knew why, as it felt like.. like a battle. Over what? John's confusion showed in his blue eyes, and Tommy took it as a sign of weakness, furrowing his eyebrows with a smirk on his face. Upper hand.

”As long as you're happy, brother.” Words snaked from between his lips in such a velvety, sarcastic way that Arthur's alarms went off, seeing how John's breathing picked up on pace. The whole family could see the harsh, mocking look in his eyes and intimidating body language. The one that he usually saved for the coppers or enemies whenever they tried to reach for the Shelby family.

”Enough of that. This thick atmosphere makes me want to daft.” Ada spoke, her voice sharp and loud as she held her round belly with both hands, easing the tension in the room.

”How do you feel, Ada?” Polly asked, smiling at her niece. Her stomach was getting bigger with each passing week, and soon enough little Karl would be born.

Thomas remained seated for a couple minutes, before he scoffed, getting up. John's gaze fell at his brother again, and their eyes locked before Tommy nodded, turning around as he wordlessly walked out of the Garrison.

Lighting another cigarette, he wondered why his own reaction was so strong. Calming down his breathing, the blue eyed man tilted his head back. Taking a deep breath he felt the tension leaving his body as his muscles relaxed slightly.

Why did he get so combative over such insignificant news?

Y/N hummed to herself, doing laundry in her apartment. Usually she'd use the gramophone, but now it only stood in the corner, broken and not working. Teasing with its promising appearance, so she stopped noticing it entirely. It would be too expensive to fix it anyway.

Her whole apartment wasn't too big, yet big enough to be one of the prettiest places she lived in. Coming from a broken house that couldn't ever be called a home. Pulled into prostitution by her own mother at the young age of seventeen, only a year ago she managed to escape the nightmare, finding a job as a seamstress, she wasn't making thousands, but it was more than enough.

It provided money, roof above her head and.. waking up without feeling disgusted as soon as her eyes opened. She was free. Not stripped by her own dignity and choices anymore.

Y/N became her own woman.

She knew Shelby's since childhood, growing up shoulder to shoulder in Small Heath, at one point they all used to be friends. Sharing pains and joys, before they.. stopped. And it never came back, not fully.

Still in contact, Thomas at one point became her.. client. Coming over every time he'd need it, fuck her wordlessly and leave under the cover of darkness, leaving banknote on the bedsheets behind. Even after she stopped working that way, Thomas kept coming back.

”Stop paying” She begged. Commanded. Warned. Threatened. She tried everything, but he never did. So he became the only reminder of the wounding past, causing periods of depression after each of his visits. So eventually, she stopped opening the door.

He'd knock, at night or during the day but she never opened. Not ready to meet the judgemental gaze, temporarily full of lust and.. understanding, coated in some warm feelings that she never believed in. Man too proud to approach her in public, asking why she would ignore him.

Thomas Shelby was a devil himself, and she didn't believe that he could have any warm bone in his body. Not ever since he grew up, burying the boy that he used to be in the mud. Completely opposite to his younger brother.

John was kind. Funny. Understanding. Handsome. He was everything that every girl could dream of. Y/M always kept him at a distance, not wanting to hurt him by not being able to love him the way he deserved.

What would she say? ”I'm sorry John, I can't give you my heart. Your brother has it, despite being the most heartless and cruel man I've ever met.”?

She wouldn't dare. Looking in the baby blue eyes, full of gentleness and all the love that he could give. John deserved better. But once in her life, she wanted to act selfishly. Whole life doing everything to please people around, she was.. tired. Y/N wanted to be taken care of. Be.. be loved.

So when John showed up one day with a ring in his hand, she accepted gracefully, smiling so hard that her cheeks hurt.

Deep in her thoughts, Y/N smiled at the gentle weight of the ring on her finger. It felt... Good. Her sweet bubble burst, as soon as she heard a knock on the door. With a sigh she got on her feet, heading to the entrance before swinging them open, expecting it to be John or Ada with congratulations.

As soon as she saw the sapphire blue eyes, she tried to close the door right back, but it was too late. His big, rough hand rested on the wooden surface as he pushed them open, marching into her apartment unceremoniously.

”What do you want?” She asked in an emotionless tone before he'd even manage to speak up. One that was the only way she could talk to him without exposing any of her feelings to the dark haired man who stood in the living room, leaning back on the dresser as he smoked, not worried about whether she'd allow it or not.

”So John, eh?” He asked, the tense smirk on his pink lips that was supposed to come out as cocky, appeared way more angry, showing his true emotions. Anger. The only emotion that he never managed to hide from her.

”What do you want, Thomas?” She repeated harshly, not letting him to pull her into his mind games. Thomas chuckled at her combative approach before he put out his cigarette into the ashtray, slowly walking through the apartment. His hands shoved into his pockets, as he tried to be as calm as he could be.

”So that's why you ignored me, eh? To get with my brother.” Tommy spoke up, as he kept walking, hand tracing over the random decorations standing on the shelf before he touched a framed picture. Picture of her and John. He huffed under his breath before turning back to face her. Peaky cap sitting neatly on his head, so low that it was throwing shadow over his eyes. If it wasn't for his powerful blue gaze, they would be nearly invisible. ”That's what you want, eh? To be a Shelby?” He chuckled taking a step forward. ”You're too weak to be one, Y/N. Back off while you still can.” He warned.

”Been handling you for years, haven't I?” She shot back, keeping eye contact. She couldn't afford to show her how weak she really was.

Thomas smirked, tilting his head to the side. ”It paid well.” He replied very calmly, but she could hear the venom in his voice. Deep down Y/N was confused at why he was acting like that. Going out of his way to stop at her apartment and.. argue? It was difficult to determine what it exactly was. But his usual self wouldn't be bothered to stop at her place if he didn't want to fuck.

”Not once I fucking demanded you to pay. I pleaded with you for years to stop doing it.” She said, much louder this time. Y/N knew that he just wanted to hurt her. Her finger was pointing at his chest as she took a step forward, before her gaze became stoic again. ”I pleaded, until i... Until I realized that it was your inner issue that was making you pay. Your need to stay above any kind of intimacy was making you pay me. So I stopped protesting.” She spoke, head held high without shame. Her gaze made him.. embarrassed as she exposed the struggle that he didn't know she ever saw. He hated when she was right when it came to him. Thomas' huffed, trying to laugh it off but one glance at her serious expression made him drop his gaze for a moment before looking back up. ”...but it doesn't matter now, Thomas. If you came for a fuck, you can leave. Because I'm not going to touch you.” Her voice was so calm, body language fully closed on him. He felt... Locked out, and the weird, painful tingling in his chest got more intense. His anger rose even more as her face seemed to be unbothered by his words. By his presence.

”You're using him to become a Shelby.” He stated, not bothered by the fact that he was being unreasonable. ”You got with him, because you knew that you wouldn't get it from me. Because you could find it there.” He pointed at the bed. ”There” at the couch. ”But not here.” He hissed, pointing at the left side of his chest, where his heart kept pounding.

Did he come here to torture me? She wondered, feeling the old scars on her heart opening up further with each word.

”I never expected anything from you, Thomas. Especially not feelings. Your heart is cold and dead like a rock.” Y/N said, not showing even slightly her hurt. Her face remained emotionless as she shrugged. ”You're... You're..” She tried to add, but her voice started breaking slightly. Tommy didn't notice it, too influenced by where the sentence was heading.

”What? A monster? C'mon, love. Let me hear it.” His hard exterior broke, and Y/N caught a glimpse of the panic behind the fury in his eyes. The mocking smile on his face was nothing but the last line of defense. She shook her head.

”No, you're not a monster. But you desperately try to appear as one and... And it works.” She stuttered out, hugging herself lightly as she took a step back to regain some confidence.

Thomas was furious that she already managed to get to him. To dig into his mind and dig out the most painful and hidden things. Pacing back and forth, he ran his hand over his face, visibly angry. She stripped him from his mask, defense and his collected composure.

Y/N could see how angry, bothered and uncomfortable he was. She just... Wanted it to end. The stagnation, foolishness hopefulness as she waited for him just weeks ago. Waiting for something to change despite each meeting ending with tears in her eyes and pain in her heart.

”Just go, Tommy.” She replied, quietly, gaze shifting down at the floor. The atmosphere in the room got weirdly... Sensitive and intimate, but she didn't let herself become hopeful.

His head shot up at her words, and seeing her body language her realized that... It wasn't any kind of game. She wasn't trying to get back at him or make him jealous by getting with John. She was... Tired. Hurt. The realization hit hard as he understood that he himself was one of the thorns in the crown she carried around. Willingly.

The mask from his face slipped, hitting the ground in the silence that hung in the air between them, revealing the panic and confused feelings. Revealing how he couldn't handle the feelings that grew in his chest years ago, which roots slowly but surely climbed upwards to his heart. To his mind, leading to the point where they were now.

Standing in her tiny flat, broken and confused. Lost in the race to not fail, to not bow their heads towards each other.

”What the fuck do you want from me, Y/N? Confessions? You won't get them.” He stated, pacing back and forth. Y/N didn't look up, listening to the clicking of his shoes against her wooden floor.

She just shook her head, taking a deep breath out of how tiring the whole interaction was. But before she could say anything, he yelled again.

”What the fuck do you want me to do! You.. you can't marry him, you don't even fucking love him, do you? It's a lie. A fucking lie, Y/N.” his voice was full of frustration, as he took off his cap, setting it on the table.

She shifted uncomfortably at her feet. He was honest, not hiding anymore so she couldn't lie either.

Shaking her head lightly she sighed, confessing.

”N-no, I don't. But with time.. with time maybe i will. With him I have the chance to be loved. To love and not hurt.” She explained in a quiet voice, and Thomas couldn't look at her while she spoke. Looking down in shame he felt how tense his body was, stomach filled with anxiety and pain at the whole conversation.

”What do you want? Jewelry? Big house? Clothes? Name it, Y/N. Name it and I will fucking get it for you.” He hissed, taking a step forward with his finger pointing at her silhouette, causing just anger in her previously calm self. She bolted out from the place she was standing on, as she stood eye to eye with him, her fists landing on his chest in a couple hits as she yelled.

”I don't! Want! Your fucking! Money!” Each word pronounced clearly and in a rhythm with her blows. ”I just want to be loved, you son of a bitch!”

Her closeness affected him even more, as the distance between them was the one thing that helped him think clearly during the whole conversation. Stopping her series of blows, Thomas grabbed her wrists, pulling her closer as he leaned his forehead on hers with a sigh, shaking it lightly.

”Don't.” He pleaded. ”Don't make me say it. Not now. I need time, you... You need to give it to me. Time to learn.” He whispered, stuttering as he tried to make sense in his words.

”You need to go, Tommy.” She whispered back and his grip on her wrists became even stronger, nearly bruising. She didn't even wince, already used to his rough touch, manhandling and his struggle with being affectionate even to his family.

”Don't marry him.” He repeated, her words falling on deaf ears. Pulling her closer, he let out a shallow breath as their noses brushed against each other. His eyes were squeezed shut. ”You feel it. I know you do.” He said quietly, almost like someone else would hear them. ”I feel it too.” Thomas added in a low tone, whisper so quiet that she could act like it never happened.

Her head was a mess, the sensation of his body warmth being so close to her. His almost gentle touch on her cheeks. The words that she waited years to hear. Y/N felt almost dizzy.

”What do you want from me, Thomas” She asked, but the question got interrupted by her heavy sigh.

He was quiet for a second, jaw clenched tight as he thought how to word it without making himself feel even more pathetic.

”I want you to... To not marry him. To give me time and.. and teach me how you want it.” He went around the whole topic, choosing words carefully and stuttering lightly which made her chuckle silently, a tiny smile appearing on her lips. Heavy sigh.

”You're a pain in my ass, Thomas Shelby.” She said, letting her body get softer in his hands as he carefully wrapped his arms around her waist. This touch was different, and he knew it. That is what was making him so nervous. So... Uncomfortable.

Laughing quietly he wondered if it was really that easy. If things would be different way sooner if he really tried, just like now. He moved closer, hugging his cheek to her own, wet lips grazing over her skin in the meantime before he chuckled.

”Come on, I'm not that bad. I.. can be better, I think.” He said, before letting his hands slide down her body, but she caught them quickly, pulling away.

”No, no, no. We're not doing anything. And we won't for a long time.” She stated, seeing a smirk on his lips, but as her expression became more serious, his followed. Another sigh.

”Tom, if I'm about to wait, I need... Need more than this.“ She tried her best to hide the desperation in her voice, not really successfully.

He stopped smiling, as he sighed again becoming.. nervous once more. Frustrated. She waited, allowing herself to grow hopeful. Just one last time. So she waited.

Waited as minutes passed, but he didn't say anything, looking in his head for the right words. Only when her expression dropped, saddened by his inability to say what she needed, he pushed it through his throat.

”I... I want you to teach me how to love you the way you need.” He said, boldly looking into her eyes. It was the one moment that he needed to man up, to save the chance that he kept losing for years.

Almost gave it up for his brother.

”Fucking please.” He added, grabbing her hand. Tears swelled in her eyes as she laughed quietly, touched by his words and actions. It was so... New. So exciting.

Nodding weakly, she pulled him closer, throwing herself into his embrace. Thomas froze for a moment, before he hugged her back, letting out a shaky breath. They stood like that for a moment, before he mumbled an apology.

”For what?” She asked.

”Everything. For... Everything.” He mumbled into her neck, and she smiled again. ”What now?” He asked eventually, as she pulled away from him.

Y/N smiled, looking at the ring on her finger as she played with it for a minute, seeing how Tommy's eyes widened. Only a couple moments later she fully took it out, putting it in his hand.

”Now... Now you will go and talk to your brother. Confess to what you did.” She said seriously, tucking her hair behind her ear. Thomas knew she was serious, and after so many years of bad treatment, he didn't have the right to bargain.

He nodded slowly, knowing that he'll have to face him, better sooner than later. Y/N moved out of the way, gesturing at the door and he rolled his eyes with a light smile, before he pulled the cap onto his head as he headed to the entrance.

Passing by Y/N he leaned down, puckering out his lips for a kiss that never came as she shook her head. ”Nu-uh. For now I'm engaged.” She said, and he roed his eyes again, escaping her apartment.

When he was a couple metres away she yelled.

”Shelby!” Making him stop and turn around, looking up to her. Y/N dropped something shiny towards him, which he caught into his calloused hand.

As soon as he opened it, the shiny one pound coin caught his eye. Looking up at her with a question in his eyes, he made Y/N laugh.

”Thanks for the visit, Shelby.” She added, looking down at him with a smirk and chin tilted up. Realization hit him as she closed the door, and Tommy stood for a moment looking at the shiny coin in his hand before he tucked it into his pocket.

...and that's how Thomas Shelby had to become a whore to save the chance for love, that he nearly lost.

Taglist:

@everyonesawhore @forgottenpeakywriter @muhahaha303 @cilliansprincess @shynovelist @pet1t3 @trixie23 @1nterstellarcha0s @tommyshelbywhore @gaslysainz @star017 @greenshinigamieyes @c6llian @lau219 @no-fooking-fighting @sagemastah @honeymoon8 @in0320 @hanawrites404 @femefetalelevelingup @shroombloom-rry @shelbysproperty @sunpuffsstuff @pinguwrites @fvllenstqr @anxietybutterfly @thatonesinglefriend

Hello! Can I request John with "Do you actually love me?"

Hi there @kpoploverxx-12 ! Thanks so much for sending this in! I’m sorry it took so long for me to write it! I hope you like what I did with it! This is my favorite John fic that I’ve written in a long time….it might even be my favorite fic of this celebration. Enjoy! :)

I’D LOVE TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK! - YOUR COMMENTS & REBLOGS HELP ME WRITE!

Part of my 3.5k Celebration — find more stories here!

Exactly Like That

John Shelby x Reader

Warnings: none

Word Count: 683

Summary: Two friends become a something a little more than that when John lets those three words slip.

John and (Y/N) were sitting on the bank of the Cut, like they usually do. They’d gone there nearly every Friday for the last ten years, spare the years when John was away at war. Whenever he’d come home though, they’d somehow find themselves sitting there.

In a way, it became like their therapy. The calming sound of the water flowing became the backdrop that the two would share their goings on to.

It was there that these two became closer to each other than anyone else in their lives.

John just finished telling (Y/N) what was happening in his family. She was the one person who would listen to everything and not tell a soul. She did so because she knew John would do the same for her. They were both thankful for each other in that regard.

“You’ll get through it, John. You always do,” she said to him, a smile forming as she turned to face him. “And hey, if you don’t, I know that I’ve got a handsome amount of money coming my way,” she joked then, cracking up at her own statement.

John couldn’t help but laugh. Her laughter was like music to his ears. It always instantly put him in a better mood. “I love you,” he admitted once his laughter died down and he’d been watching at her as she came down from her fit of giggles from a few moments ago.

“Yeah,” she agreed, not really hearing what he said at first. Silence fell over them as (Y/N) looked down to the water again. Then it clicked. “Do you actually love me?” she asked, a seriousness present in her voice that hadn’t been there seconds ago. This conversation had essentially changed tones on a dime.

“Yeah, course I do,” John responded without a second thought.

(Y/N) froze for a moment, her heart rate quickening. “Yeah, well not like that, right?” she scrambled to ask while mentally telling herself to calm down and not get ahead of herself.

John’s eyes danced over her face for a moment, taking her features in before the slightest smile graced his lips. “No, exactly like that,” he spoke with sincerity, like it was the most important thing he’d ever said.

(Y/N) let out a breath, her eyes going wide as she quickly looked straight again. She was freaking out now, and she didn’t want him to see it. In all their years of friendship, she never thought that things would get to this point…where she’d make her feelings for him known.

Nothing was said as John reached over and gently took hold of (Y/N)’s chin so that he could guide her eyes back to his. They held eye contact for a few moments, the air around them holding this weird tension that neither of them had experienced before.

John just had to break it. “I love you, (Y/N). Have since you and I was kids,” he told her, speaking softly due to their proximity, but she heard every word clear as day. She also didn’t miss his eyes as they flitted down to her lips. There was no hesitation in her moving the slightest bit closer to him, showing him that she wanted exactly what he wanted. He licked his lips before continuing, “…been wantin’ to do this for a long time too,” he breathed, giving her no time to respond - if she even wanted to - before he leaned in and pressed his lips to hers.

The kiss felt exactly like those kisses that are described in the romance novels…the ones that sweep people off of their feet. (Y/N) was thankful that they were sitting, because otherwise she wasn’t sure if she could trust her legs to hold her up.

“I love you too, John,” she breathed against his lips once they broke the kiss. Her eyes were closed, but she was able to feel his smile, and that alone made her smile. Nothing else was said as their lips met again…nothing more was needed to be said.

**tags in reblogs so that hopefully they get sent

MASTERLIST

Mrs. Shelby

(Tommy Shelby x f!Reader)

Gif by @peakyblindersdaily

Summary: Tommy is feeling sentimental and thinks about the first time he met his wife and the things they have been through together.

Word Count: 3103

Warnings: just some injuries, nothing too harsh, but if I missed anything please let me know and I'll add it.

A/N: Hey loves, this is the first fic I have worked on in quite a long time. I just ran out of motivation and felt like everything I wrote wasn't worth anything. I read through it for mistakes but I might have missed something so I apologize. I feel really good about this. Fluffy Tommy is my favorite and loved-up Tommy is needed every once and in while, so I hope you enjoy it and let me know what you think! <3

No one ever believed Thomas Shelby of Watery Lane would ever get married, let alone himself. He thought he would go through life alone with only his horses, money, and sometimes his brothers by his side, and he had come to terms with it, swallowed that fate, and decided to meet it head-on. But as he stood in the doorway and watched his wife rock his newborn daughter to sleep, he now couldn't imagine his life going any other way.

He vividly remembers the first day he met you. It was three years ago, and you looked like a fish out of water standing in the middle of the arena’s horse stables in a pretty light pink dress. Your hair was windswept and mud-covered your shoes.

“Are you lost?” He had asked you.

You jumped at the sudden appearance of another person. You looked up at him, a blush slowly painting your cheeks. “Is it that obvious?”

Tommy had laughed and walked over to you. He could now see the remnants of horse feed on your hands. It’s no wonder the horse was staying close to you, patiently waiting for more. “Only a little.”

Turns out your father had told you to go to some office and ask for paperwork regarding one of your father's new horses and expected you to find it with little to no direction. It was your first time at the arena and you had walked yourself into a circle. After giving up, you decided to just stay with the horses. Months later you told him he was your knight in a well-dressed suit that without him you would still be there living amongst the horses, sleeping on hay bales, and eating sweet feed.

"I'm (Y/N)." You jutted your hand out in the space between you. Your nails were a glossy pink proving you were a woman who kept up with the latest fashion trends. Ada talked endlessly about the girls in London with their red nails and ever-shortening dresses.

"Tommy." He replied, shaking your hand.

“Nice to meet you, Tommy.”

Tommy remembers that your hand was freezing even though it was unnaturally warm that day. He also recalls that when you said his name, it would never sound as sweet coming from anyone else.

He helped you find the office and retrieve the paperwork for your father. The ladies in the office wanted to brush you off telling you it would take at least three hours to get there because of some nonsensical reason they made up on the spot. Their tune changed quickly when they realized who you were with; the paperwork somehow magically appeared under a stack of folders.

"Who exactly are you again?" You asked him when one of the ladies all but shoved the papers into your hand.

Tommy shook his head," No one important." He placed his hand on the small of your back guiding you in the direction of the bar. "Let me buy you a drink."

One drink turned into three and small talk turned into a deep conversation getting to know each other, the paperwork had long been forgotten about and was serving as a placemat for sandwiches and a foundation for a relationship that means more to Tommy than anything in the world.

"Darling, I didn't know you were home."

Tommy's attention snaps from his memories back to you. Even though you greeted him with a bright smile, he could see how tired you are. You're standing with your shoulders curved inwards as if the lack of sleep is weighing you down. He tried to take over tending to the baby as much as he could to allow you the rest you desperately needed and deserved, but there's only so much a father can do compared to a mother.

"I just walked in." He walks over to his wife and gently takes his daughter in his arms, careful not to wake her. She is so small and at just a month old, she already looks just like you with the same color hair and big eyes. He smiles down at her and places a small kiss on her forehead before laying her in her crib in the nursery.

He follows you to your room and immediately pulls you into him and you respond by wrapping your arms around his waist and burying your head in the crook of his neck. He can feel as you start to plant kisses along his neck and up to his jawline. Turning his head, he captures your lips with his letting a quiet moan escape as he deepens the kiss. He cups your heated cheeks with his hands and walks you to the rocking chair by the window where he sits and pulls you into his lap. Every kiss he shares with you always feels as good as the first, and no matter how many times he kisses you, he will never grow tired of it. It's like he is dying of thirst and you're a never-ending spring.

"Tommy, why are we still out here?" You tugged on his hand trying to get him to move his feet towards the door. "The film is about to begin. Let's go."

He huffed a breath of laughter and told you, "Give me a second, woman. I need to finish this cigarette."

You pouted and stood in front of him blinking up at him as though staring at him will make him smoke faster. "I don't want to miss the beginning. Emma said it's the best part."

Tommy dropped his cigarette on the pavement and snuffed it out with his shoe. “Sweetheart, if the beginning of the film is the best part, I don’t think it’s going to be worth watching.”

He laughed as you rolled your eyes and drag him inside the theatre.

The film, Tommy remembers, was as bland as expected. There were a couple of moments when Tommy looked over at you, and it seemed as though you had dozed off. You held his hand throughout the entire movie never once letting go.

“Okay, you were right. That film was horrible.” You blurted out. The film was finally over and the two of you were sitting in his car while the radio quietly played a song he didn’t recognize. It had just finished raining by the looks of the wet pavement and humid air making the car windows foggy.

“I told you.” Tommy leaned over and pinched your cheek.

“Oh hush.” You swatted his hand away but he caught it and kissed the back of it, and you watched him as he kissed each individual knuckle. “The company was worth it. I have to admit that."

“Glad to hear I was up to your standards,” Tommy whispered and continued his ascent up your arm with his mouth. He stopped at your collarbone, looking up to gaze into your eyes, and being met with your eyes shining bright as though they were lit on fire.

You started to lean forward and Tommy met you halfway closing the distance between you. The kiss was soft in the beginning, and you tasted like heaven and mint. His rough hands brushed your cheeks and slowly found themselves buried in your hair while yours were fisted in his jacket. He let out a small moan when you deepened the kiss with your tongue. He had been dreaming about kissing you since he met you in the stable all beautiful and lost.

Never breaking the kiss, you slid closer and somehow ended up in his lap causing you to be pressed against his chest because of the close quarters of the car.

Hands were everywhere teasing and taunting as the seconds ticked by. One second they were in your hair, around his neck, or under his shirt scratching thin lines onto his stomach, and then the next second they were somewhere else entirely.

When you finally parted for air, you rested your forehead against his trying to catch your breath, and after a moment you kissed his nose and muttered, "I dare say the company exceeded expectations."

After that first kiss, Tommy would find any excuse in the world to see you, touch you, kiss you. Anything as long as you two were together. Now He is watching as you try to reach the bottle of whiskey stored on top of Tommy's wardrobe. He tries to hide his laugh when he has to resort to standing on your tip-toes.

"Don't laugh at me!" You quip even though Tommy can see you're smiling. You almost had it in your hand but your index finger hit the bottle and pushed it back an inch. He heard you mutter a curse under your breath. This time he couldn't hide his laughter. "You know you could help me instead of laughing at your poor wife."

"But you're doing so good, Baby."

The look you gave him could whither a thorn bush but it makes him laugh more. When you finally get your hands on it, you pour him a glass and all but shove it in his face. "I should spit in it."

He takes the whiskey, letting his fingers brush yours, "It would make it taste sweeter."

You shake your head and sit on the edge of the bed. Normally, you would have a drink with him, you never being one to turn away whiskey, but since you're nursing, the strongest thing you partake in is tea. "How was the office? Did Arthur come by? Polly is really worried about him and frankly, I am too."

Tommy takes a small sip and shakes his head, "He hasn't and probably won't be for a while. Says he is hearing fucking voices again, and Linda spouting shit about how the Italians are coming back to kill them all."

No matter how many times Tommy tells them Luca Changretta is dead and not coming to seek revenge on the Shelby Family, there will always be that fear it will happen again. He went to the ends of the earth to ensure your safety and he will continue to do so.

You nod your head agreeing but he doesn't miss how you always tense up at the mention of the Italians, the Black Hand, and the havoc they brought to Small Heath. Sometimes he will catch you rubbing your shoulder where there is a scar to remind you and him of that trauma and the vow Tommy made to never let it happen again.

He still has nightmares about that day. There are many mornings where the sun will rise and you have been long awake from holding him and reassuring him that you are alive and safe, not back in that hospital room or trapped in a random house being beaten black and bloody.

"Where is she!"

“Tommy, she’s in here.”

He turned at the sound of his Aunt Polly’s voice. He stormed towards her ready to shove her aside so he could see you. He needed to lay eyes on you, touch you, anything.

“Wait a minute, now.” Polly put her arm out, stopping him before he could even get to the doorway. “I want you to be prepared for what you’re gonna see. They messed her up good, Tommy.”

He could see the sadness and worry in her eyes and when he gripped her arm, giving her a comforting squeeze, tears gathered and threatened to fall but she stepped away before he could see it fall.

The first thing Tommy saw was the sun. The curtains were pulled as far apart as they would go leaving no darkness.

Later he would learn that was one of the first things you asked for when you woke up. All you wanted was your husband and light. The doctor suggested it was because you were kept in a dark room that it triggered a need for bright light and to be able to see everything. Long after the incident you always had to have a light on, even when you were able to finally sleep. Sometimes he would find you in the middle of the night sitting in Charlie’s room, with as much light on so he wouldn't wake, just watching him breathing and sleeping while tears absentmindedly ran down your cheeks.

The second thing he saw was your back facing him. You were laying on your side curled into a fetal position. Your hair was tied up allowing him to see a bruise forming on your neck. Anger began to fill Tommy as took stock in other bruises along your arm that was peeking out of the blanket. You also had a large bandage wrapped around your shoulder. He took a cautious step forward to not wake you if you were asleep which he figured you were because you didn't acknowledge anyone had come into the room. His heart moved up into his throat as he got closer. He was torn between wanting to wrap you in his arms and keep you there forever and going to finish the job he started before coming to the hospital, but he knew he wanted to take his time with the bastard who did this to you, so he walked over and sat in the chair by the bed.

After a few seconds, he heard you whisper his name. Your voice was cracked and dry sounding as if you hadn't drunk water in a week. “Tommy?”

He looked over and saw you were still facing the window. “Yes, Baby, it's me.”

Tommy saw as you tried to roll over and sit up, all the pain and concentration painted on your face. Knowing you weren't likely to ask for help, he shot out of the chair and guided you as gently against the pillows as he could. Your skin was hot but dull like all life had been sucked out. You had a black eye and your lip was cut, making a thin, jagged line across your cheek. Changretta was going to pay for that too. He’ll feel every bruise and scratch tenfold.

When you got settled and comfortable, he smoothed the hair out of your eyes, and careful of the bruises and cuts, he kissed your forehead. You shifted over so he could sit on the edge of the bed and be as close as possible.

His left hand made its way into yours, your wedding bands clinking at the contact, echoing in the too-quiet room. You hadn’t been married for long; your wedding flowers were still drying on the kitchen counter because you refuse to get rid of them because one of the housekeepers told you of a way to preserve them.

Tommy remembers thinking that it’s a strange feeling to know that even though his world was at a standstill in this hospital room with his wife who was shot, cut, and bruised essentially because of him. He could still hear the hustle and bustle of the hallway and the chatter of the nurses and the rest of his family. He is sure your family is on the way from London. Polly said she would call them after talking to him.

After what felt like an eternity of silence but could really have only been a few seconds you whispered, “They had Charlie, Tom.”

“I know.”

Changretta called you while you were at work telling you to meet him outside the Garrison, and if you told anyone, especially him, he would hurt Charlie. He put Charlie on the line proving that he was serious. You dropped everything and left without a second thought.

He saw the flash of fear in your eye when the fact settled over you. “Where is he?” Your voice was coming on in a panic. “Is he here? Please tell me he’s okay.”

Tommy pulled you gently into his arms to try and calm you down. He felt you flinch as his arm grazed your shoulder bandage but you melted into arms and rested your head in the crook of his neck. “Baby, he is just fine, all safe and sound at the house with Ada and Johnny Dogs.”

You nodded and gripped his shirt tighter, and he could feel hot tears soaking through his shirt.

Even though Charlie isn’t biologically yours, you have always treated him like he is. On the side of your bed, you keep a photograph of the three of them taken at your wedding. Charlie had his arms around your neck smiling with cake smeared across his mouth and nose, Tommy was actually smiling for once, and you were laughing because Charlie tried to smear the icing on Tommy’s suit jacket. You always say it’s your favorite photo because it was a time where everyone was truly happy, and it was a day full of love.

From the first time you met his son, you welcomed him with open arms, and Charlie did just the same, now even calling you mom. You try to keep Grace’s memory alive and even though you never met her, you talk to Charlie as if you were best friends telling him that she loves him and always will and her photo is still up in the house so Charlie and he could see her. You said her picture deserves a place in the home because if she means a great deal to him and Charlie, she means a great deal to you.

“What’s going on in that head of yours, Mr. Shelby?” You nudge him with your bare foot trying to get his attention. “You got quiet on me for a second.”

He laughs, leaning down and catching your foot and massaging it. “Well Mrs. Shelby, I happen to be thinking about my beautiful wife and how much I love her.”

“Wow. She’s a lucky lady.” You lay back, letting your head hit the pillows while he drops your leg and makes his way over to you. “Tell me about her.”

Tommy kneels over you, placing his arms beside your head, and kisses your lips after each word. “Well, she's beautiful.” kiss “funny.” kiss “Smart.” kiss “caring and kind.” kiss “wonderful with my children.” kiss “and somehow she puts up with me and loves me.”

He ends with a deep kiss and when you break apart, he rests his head on your forehead.

“She sounds truly wonderful.” You reach up and brush a piece of hair out of his face. “You know, her husband sure is lucky to have a gal like her.”

Tommy laughs and intertwines your hands, kissing your hand. “Indeed he is.”

Keep Me Close | Tommy Shelby x Reader

Request: yes by @badgerdryad

Pairing: Tommy Shelby x reader

Summary: As a maid at Arrow House, (Y/N) has many tasks that she has to complete. She never thought that one of those tasks would be to calm Charles Shelby down after he's had a bad dream. Nor did she expect to catch the attention of her boss because of how she completed that task.

Warnings: talks of a nightmare centered around kidnapping

Word Count: 3051

A/N: thank you for being so paitent and waiting for this story. I hope it’s what you expected. I just adore little Charlie so much. Enjoy! :)

Let me know if you’d like to be tagged in stories similar to this one!

———

Arrow House was always much different after the sun went down. The already enormous house felt even larger, its halls felt even colder, and some would even swear that shadows lurked at the end of each corridor. But to (Y/N), Arrow House at night felt peaceful. It's when she felt that she was able to get her work done at its best.

She was in the room that was designated for laundry, making sure that all of the clothing was folded perfectly and up to the par of her boss. Humming a song to herself, she barely heard the whimpering of a child until it was coming from the room's doorway.

When she turned around, she found Charlie Shelby standing in the doorway with an expression that was a mixture between sadness and fear on his face. "Charles?" she asked, blinking a few times as she tried to decipher whether he was actually standing there or not. "Charles, what's wrong?" she asked him a question when he didn't dissipate after her blinking finished.

"I...I...I had a bad d-dream," he stammered through his tears, a deep frown present on his face.

"Oh no," (Y/N) stated as she set down the shirt she had in her hands so that she could move over to where the boy was standing, "I'm so sorry to hear that, buddy. Do you need help going back to sleep?" she asked him as she crouched down to get on his level.

He shook his head profusely, the fear returning to his features, "no. No, I don't want to go back to sleep. He always comes back when I sleep," he told her, his statement rushed and frantic.

"Ok, ok. That's fine," (Y/N) spoke in a calm voice, hoping to be able to soothe his worries, "what if I come into your room with you?" she then suggested another plan. It had to be the middle of the night at this point, so it wouldn't be good for him to stay up until the morning. But at the same time it was evident that he didn't want to be by himself.

"You'd do that?" he asked in a soft voice, surprised that she was offering up such a thing.

"Of course I would," she sent him a friendly smile, showing him that she was more than willing to accompany him to his bedroom. She watched as the smallest smile formed on his face. "How about we go back to your bedroom now?" she suggested, watching Charlie nod before she stood up and extended her hand to him. He took it and then they walked down the hallway to the room at the end of it.

Charlie's bedroom had to be moved down to the first level of the house when it became known that he sleep-walked at times. Tommy made this choice after he found out the hard way that his son did this. A broken vase and a screaming child surely frazzled his nerves...the boy's entire bedroom was moved down into the same hallway that held his father's office, so that he could be stopped if he sleep-walked again.

"Your room is very nice, Charles," (Y/N) commented as the two entered the room. She was able to see the great amount of toys from the dim light that the lamp sitting on the bedside table was producing.

"Thank you," the little boy responded through his sniffles as he moved over to the bed and climbed up onto it.

"Would you like me to sit with you?" she asked him then, wanting to make sure that he was comfortable with it before she went forward with doing so.

"Yes," Charlie answered, nodding his head as he grabbed his stuffed rabbit toy. He then moved over in his bed so that (Y/N) was able to sit on the side of it. She smiled at him before she sat down, making sure that he still had enough space to lay comfortablely.

Within seconds, he was cuddled up against her sitting figure, his hands gripping tightly onto her forearm as he tried to make himself feel safe. "Do you know what helps me when I have bad dreams?" (Y/N) started, thinking of a possible way to get him to calm down, "when I talk about the dream, it helps me to see that it wasn't real...that it was all in my head."

Charlie nodded along with what (Y/N) was saying, the frown still evident on his face. She felt so bad for him...whatever his nightmare was about, it must've been terrible.

"Do you want to tell me?" she asked him softly after a few moments had passed. Charlie nodded again in response, and (Y/N) smiled at him, showing him that he could begin speaking whenever he felt comfortable.

"In my dream, there's a man. And he's taken me from my family...he takes me and he brings me somewhere far away. And he keeps me there. I'm screaming and screaming but nobody hears me," he began to explain, his words breaking (Y/N)'s heart.

"And what happens then?" she asked him to continue.

"I'm in the dark room and it's quiet, and then the door opens. I always wake up before I see who is at the door," he told her how the nightmare ended, his eyes wide as he looked up at her.

"Maybe it was your dad who was at the door. Maybe he had found you and was coming to save you," (Y/N) tried to make light of the ambiguous ending, hoping that it would give the child some solace.

"But...but what if it isn't my dad? What if it's the man who took me?" he asked, fear still evident in his eyes, "I don't want it to be the man who took me."

"Then don't let it be," she answered his fear-filled question with confidence, "make the person in the doorway be your dad. Make it so that he is coming to save you and make sure that you're safe."

"Ok," Charlie nodded his head, his grip slightly relaxing on (Y/N)'s arm.

"Does that make you feel less afraid?" she asked him then, curious if his feelings had shifted at all.

"Mmhmm," he responded as he nodded again, a more content look on his face now.

"That's good," (Y/N) smiled at him, happy that she could help him get out of his state of fear.

"Will you still be in here with me and keep me close to you while I fall asleep?" he asked another question, moving on from the previous topic.

"Of course I will," she assured him, "I will stay in here until you fall back asleep."

"Thank you," Charlie smiled at her, calming down even more now as he found out that he wouldn't be left alone right away.

"You're welcome, Charlie," she smiled at him. "Would you like me to sing you a song that my mum used to sing to me when I had trouble falling asleep?" she then asked him, making a suggestion to help him slip back into sleep faster.

"Yes, please," Charlie replied with a slight nod as he cuddled in closer to her side.

"It's called Le Vie en rose, and whenever I sing it to myself, I feel happy and at peace," she told him before taking a deep breath and starting to sing the song in a soft voice.

She only managed to get to the end of the song's second verse when she looked down to see that Charlie was now sleeping. His hold on her forearm had relaxed completely, and how he was hugging his stuffed animal instead. Deciding that she didn't need to sing any more, she slowly slipped off of the bed, making sure that she didn't wake him up. She smiled at his peacefully sleeping figure before she moved quietly to the door of the bedroom. What was waiting for her at the door made her slap a hand over her mouth so that she wouldn't wake the boy up with her sudden scream.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Shelby, I didn't see you there," she said after the initial shock had subsided.

"Is Charles ok?" he asked, glancing behind her at the child sleeping in his bed.

"He's ok now. He had a nightmare. I was in the laundry room when he came to the door, crying. I figured I'd bring him in and try to get him back to sleep myself since you were busy with work," she explained to him why she'd been in his son's room.

"I heard him crying and figured it was another nightmare. What I didn't expect was to hear singing coming from his room afterwards," Tommy stated, his words not holding any hint of anger.

"I was singing him a song my mother used to sing to me when I was a child. It always helps to calm me down when I am scared or unable to go to sleep," she told him, "I really should have come to get you sir, I just..."

"No, you did the right thing," Tommy stopped her from finishing the sentence, "thank you for making sure that he was able to go back to sleep."

"You're welcome, Mr. Shelby," she smiled at him, proud of her decision to help the child. It wasn't everyday that her boss handed out compliments like this.

"You can be finished for the night. It's late anyway, go to bed," he told her, and she nodded, thanking him before he moved out of the way so that she could leave the hallway and head to her bedroom.

——

"Go on, son, ask her what you wanted to," (Y/N) heard Tommy's voice coming from the door to the room that she was cleaning.

She then heard the sound of light footsteps coming from behind her, making her turn around to see Charlie approaching her. "Hi, Charles," she greeted him with a smile before glancing up at his father, who was leaning against the doorway, "what can I do for you?" she asked, her eyes back on the child.

"Hi (Y/N)," he chirped, a smile on his face.

"You address her as Ms. (Y/N), Charlie," Tommy cut in before the boy was able to say another word.

"Sorry...Ms. (Y/N)..." he trailed off with a bashful look on his face before he mustered up the confidence to continue, "I wanted to ask you if you'd like to come out and ride horses with my daddy and I?" he then asked her, his look turning to one of hopefulness.

"I'd like that, Charlie," she smiled at the child, "but I've got chores I need to finish first," she gave him her answer, a slight frown on her face as she turned the child's idea down.

"You can have the day off," Tommy interjected from behind the boy, making (Y/N) look over at him with a look of surprise on her face.

"Really?" she checked to make sure she heard correctly. A smile formed on her face as she saw him nod his head. "In that case, I'd love to come ride horses with you, Charles," she changed her answer, her statement making the boy squeal with joy.

"Yay!" he exclaimed before he turned and rushed past his father, leaving Tommy and (Y/N) behind.

"Are you sure, Mr. Shelby?" (Y/N) asked as she walked over to him.

"Yes," he nodded his head definitively, "he's been talking about asking you to come ride with us since he woke up this morning," he added, a slight smile on his face.

"Well I feel honored to have been given the opportunity," she smiled at him as he stepped out of the doorway to allow her to pass him. "Oh, and Mr. Shelby..." she trailed off then, not yet moving from in front of him. He raised his eyebrows slightly, his nonverbal way of telling her to continue, "you can tell Charles that 'Miss' is fine when addressing me...I've no one waiting for me back home," she informed him, a polite smile on her face. Tommy only nodded at the information before he allowed her to walk past him.

"You ever ridden a horse before?" he asked as they exited the house and began walking its grounds.

"I have," (Y/N) answered, turning slightly to look at him, "my family used to have one...before we lost everything," she explained, her voice softening slightly. She hated talking about her family's misfortune, but it was the very reason why she was working at Arrow House. Every piece of money she earned, she sent it home to her family.

"I figured you did...saw how you'd always watch them in the fields," he stated, his words making (Y/N) blush slightly.

"You've noticed my daydreaming then, haven't you?" she asked, feeling slightly guilty for being caught. She couldn't help it when she'd be in rooms with a beautiful view of the stables. It was hard not to stop for a few moments and admire the magnificent beasts as they grazed about.

"There's nothing wrong with it," Tommy shrugged her statement off, a slight smile on his face.

"Come on, dad!" they then heard Charlie calling from the doors of the stables, "they're already saddled and everything!"

"Come on," Tommy said softly to (Y/N), waving her on towards the stables. (Y/N) smiled and picked up her pace so that she wouldn't get left behind.

—

After spending most of the day riding across the expansive grounds of Arrow House, the three returned to the stables. (Y/N) had never been on a more well-behaved horse, and she couldn’t stop her heart from swelling as she watched Tommy ride with Charlie on the saddle in front of him. It was so refreshing to see this whole new side of her boss, and it felt really intimate…like she shouldn’t have been witnessing it. She truly felt honored to have been asked to join them.

“My legs are tired, dad,” Charlie complained. He had good reason to though…(Y/N)’s legs felt close to numb from spending several hours in the saddle. She could only imagine what the four year old was feeling.

“Come here, son,” Tommy told him after he’d finished returning the two horses to their respective stables. Charlie limped over to his dad then, who lifted him into his arms once he got close enough. “I’ll carry you in,” he told the boy, who smiled before dropping his head to his father’s shoulder.

“Thank you for allowing me to come with you today, Mr. Shelby,” (Y/N) offered her gratitude once he and Charlie had come over to where she was standing. She was unsure if she should have returned to the house the second they returned, so she just stayed in her spot. “You really have a beautiful property.”

“It was nice to have someone along with us this time. We don’t get very many people over these days,” Tommy said then. (Y/N) couldn’t help but feel a tinge of sadness at his words. It was no secret to anyone that the Shelby family had had a rather large falling out. (Y/N) was happy that she wasn’t there to witness it like most of the other staff were. She’d been told that it was rather brutal.

“I’d be happy to join again anytime,” she told him with a smile, “if you’d let me that is,” she backtracked after remembering her place in the house, her cheeks heating up at how forward she just was with her boss.

“I think Charlie here would like that…wouldn’t you?” Tommy answered, glancing down at his son, who nodded his head as best he could with it against his father’s shoulder.

“That means the world to me,” (Y/N) smiled at the little boy, her heart swelling at the acceptance.

“Would you like to come eat dinner with us, Miss (Y/L/N)?” Tommy asked then, catching her completely by surprise.

“Oh my…that’s very nice of you to ask me, but I’m afraid that would be improper, Mr. Shelby,” she turned him down despite wanting to accept his offer. She could already hear the gossip of the other workers in the house…the things they would say if they saw a young maid sitting at their boss’ table.

“Screw being proper, I insist. You’ve most likely already missed your allotted eating time anyway, and that was on account of me,” Tommy brushed off her answer, “and please, call me Tommy from now on, yeah?” he added.

(Y/N) was unsure of how to feel or respond to his statement. She was confused by how she went from just another maid on the staff to spending time and having dinner with her boss and his son. It all seemed so sudden, but also so natural. She didn’t get the feeling of being unequal to Tommy while spending time with him today. He felt like he was a friend of hers, and they were catching up after being apart for some time. It certainly didn’t feel like he’d invited her out for the day to wait on him and make sure that his every need was met. She felt like she was free from her normal duties.

“Can you eat with us, please, Miss (Y/N)?” Charlie’s voice brought (Y/N) out of her thoughts, and when she focused on the boy, she saw that he had a pout on his face.

A smile formed on (Y/N)’s face as she finally gave her answer, “how can I ever say no to you, Charles?” she jokingly asked, making the boy smile widely after hearing her answer. “Thank you, Tommy,” she said softly to the boy’s father, her heart swelling once more when he sent her a smile in response.

The three then made their way back to the house, and shared a rather lovely dinner. What (Y/N) didn’t know at the time was that that dinner would be the first of many that she would share with Tommy and his son.

———

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