#i hate adas old voices.

[theonlyadawong]

said this when the game came out, but even though lily isn't the best voice actor, she's still a genuinely stellar ada. the deadpan voice combined with blink and you'll miss it expressions really do work well for the character

#now playing: 4r #if she were to return i would not be mad! #though i understand why she wouldnt. fans were vile to her. #also i gotta be honest. #i hate adas old voices. #iconic yes. grating and annoying? absolutely

[bloatedandalone04]

Illicit Affairs

➪the one where leon is yours entirely, even though he is married to someone else.

Warnings: cheating, affairs, swearing, unprotected sex, fluffy sex, mentions of cheating, angst, smut, toxic relationships, small amount of ada slander since that is actually a warning i found out, mentions of divorce and all that fun stuff

Word Count: 3.3k

Do not repost this anywhere, reblogs are fine ♡

Left the door unlocked, just in case. I hope you had a good day.

That was the text Leon is met with as he enters the house he shared with his wife. His thumbs ghosted over the screen, his mind trying to come up with a good enough answer that wouldn’t leave you feeling cheap. There was nothing he could say through text, he decided, and he ended up pocketing his phone and heading towards his bedroom. 

Ada was sitting against the headboard, picking at her freshly painted red nails with a dangerous glint in her eyes. Her engagement and wedding rings reflected off the bedside table lamp, and Leon wished he cared enough to remember where he had placed his own wedding band after taking it off many weeks ago, but it held no meaning to him. “Late again, Leon,” she muttered, glaring at him as he entered the room. “What was it this time?” 

Leon huffed as he walked towards the dresser. “Work,” he answered and he was being completely truthful, not that she’d ever believe him - which is quite hypocritical, if he had to be honest. He was well aware of the many times she came home late, and the many more times she never came home at all. She was just as bad as him, maybe even worse. “Like last time.”

Ada scoffed, tossing the sheets over her body and crossing her arms. “Liar,” 

She was trying to get under his skin, something she has always been able to do, even back when he was twenty one years old. Now at the age of twenty eight, he had no idea why he still continues to put himself through this. 

He was so sure that what he felt for the woman was love, but after four years with her, he quickly found out that it was lust. He met her when he was just starting out and had no idea what love even was, but he knew that it wasn’t what he felt for her. 

At first he was infatuated with her. It was a cat and mouse game that left him feeling like he could never truly and fully have her, and that was still true to this day. 

He married her, and yet she still wasn’t his. 

The guys she met at the bar. The men she ran into on missions. The rookies who had information she wanted, but didn’t need. She was all of theirs, as well as Leon’s, but never in full. 

Leon kept his back to her as he rolled his eyes and rummaged around in his drawer. “Whatever, Ada,” he muttered, grabbing his grey sweats before opening another drawer. 

“Don’t whatever me, Leon,” she seethed. “Don’t act like you haven’t been sneaking around on me. We both know you have. Some poor, naive girl who thinks you’re actually into her but probably doesn’t even know you’re married to me.”

Leon hated the way she was talking about you, and she was once again getting under his skin. He slams the drawer shut loudly after grabbing a black tee, turning towards his wife with a fire in his eyes. “You’re one to talk,” he growls. “You’ve been sleeping around since before we even got married. You haven’t changed, and I was dumb enough to believe you would.”

Ada’s eyes widened a bit but she tried to hide it by sitting up a little straighter.

He caught her, though. And they both knew it. “Yeah,” he laughs, the sound lacking any humor. “Haven’t been as discreet about it as you thought, huh?”

Leon turns to leave the room, but she wasn’t done playing with him, clearly. “Oh, come on, Leon,” she called out, dropping her attitude and making her voice sound sultry. “We both know how good we are together. Just come to bed with me. We can forget all about this.” 

She pushes the sheets off her body and crawls over to him, kneeling on the bed and running her hand up his arm. “Ada-”

“Shh,” she purrs, reaching her hands up and capturing his lips in a messy kiss. He doesn’t move at all, even though he wants to pull away, he also wants to prove a point. The fact that this was the first kiss they’ve shared in months should be a clear enough sign that this was completely over. She smirks when she pulls away, licking at her slightly wet lips. “See? You feel that?”

Leon didn’t know what he was supposed to be feeling, but he knew that she was trying to coax him into bed with her so he can fuck her and then pretend like their relationship was a normal and healthy one. 

When her hand wanders down his body and is about to touch him through his jeans, his own shoots out and his fingers wrap around her wrist, successfully halting her advances. “I don’t feel a thing,” he says, his voice so serious it had her eyes narrowing as she ripped her hand away from him. 

She sat back in disgust, crossing her arms again. “You can’t leave, Leon,” she states, unaware of just how far gone he is from her control over him. He’s detached from her completely and felt nothing for her but resentment. And maybe a little anger at the years he’s wasted chasing after her when she didn’t want him at all. 

“I want a divorce, Ada,” he says, voice monotone as he turns away and leaves the room. 

She yells harsh words after him but makes no move to stop him, further proving the point that she didn’t care. And neither did he.

Leon hates how much time he’s wasted with her when he could’ve been with you. You could’ve been his, officially, had he not been so afraid to let go of something he’s spent so much of his adulthood holding onto. 

He grabs his keys from off the counter, where he had tossed them not even ten minutes ago when he arrived home, and leaves the house, his mind on you as he hastily types out a reply to you and starts his car.

-

I’m sorry.

You read the text over and over again as you lie on your side in bed. 

What was he apologizing for? For stringing you along? For promising he’s going to leave his wife but never does? For not showing up tonight? 

The night was still young, so he might still show up, but the fact still stands. 

You felt terrible. 

Leon’s marriage was an unhappy one, and you knew he found happiness with you, but he hadn’t made it official yet, nor had he broken things off with Ada yet. Was it all a lie? Does he only come to you for an easy lay? For a sense of normalcy? 

You weren’t sure you wanted the answer. 

Falling in love with him was slowly breaking your heart, but you really didn’t have a choice. Leon was every girl’s dream and only became unfaithful when he grew sick of the lonely nights where his wife went off and fucked half the town. 

From what you know, you’re the only person he’s seeing, and that was enough for you to keep on inviting him to come over and escape from that environment. 

How Ada could ever take him for granted was beyond you. 

You shut off your phone and set it on the nightstand beside you after reading the time. It was nearing twelve in the morning and you were beginning to feel a bit like an idiot after sending that text to him. 

It was an invitation to stay at your house, and you even threw in a dumb line about his day, all because you knew Ada didn’t care enough to ask him that herself. 

As you begin to get more comfortable in bed, the sound of the front door opening then locking pierces your ears. Your mood lifts considerably at the fact that he had shown up after all, but you also knew you would be met with the same old line of ‘I’m going to break up with her, I promise’. 

You really weren’t sure how much more your heart could take. 

Quiet footsteps neared your bedroom, where the door slowly creaked open. “Y/n?” His soft voice called out and you just shifted to let him know that you were still awake. Leon kicks off his boots and drops his sweats and tee onto the top of your dresser before pulling the covers back and moving to lay behind you. “Sweetheart.”

“Hi,” you greet quietly, keeping your back to him. 

“Hi,” he says back, wrapping his arms around you. “I missed you.”

You stiffen slightly. “Did you?” You ask harshly, instantly regretting it when he doesn’t respond. You turn your head and look back at him, seeing guilt swim in his blue eyes, even in the dark room. Sighing, you turn back around. “I missed you, too.”

Leon could hear the tiredness in your voice, and he knew it wasn’t because of how late it was. He knew it was because of his broken promises of leaving his wife, but never sticking to them. Until now. “Baby,” he called softly, leaning in and pressing a kiss to the side of your head, smiling at the way you lean into his touch. “I asked for a divorce.”

That had your eyes widening and you tried to turn around, but his arms kept you still. “Really?” You ask as you settle against him once again. When he nodded and hummed, you added, “When?”

“Before I came here,” he answered, tangling his legs with yours under the sheets. 

Your lips tremble as you try not to get too ahead of yourself. “Leon,” you nearly whisper. 

“It’s over,” he confirmed, kissing your head again. “I promise, this is the last time. She doesn’t mean anything to me anymore.” 

“And me?” You felt selfish for asking, but you needed to know that you weren’t the only one feeling this between you and him. 

Leon’s hand slides under your shirt as he pulls your body closer to his. “You’re my girl,” he mumbles. “And I love you.”

Your head turns again and you keep your back to his chest as you grin. “You love me?” 

He nods, leaning in and brushing his lips against yours. “So much,” 

Reaching behind you, your hand tangles in his hair as you pull his head closer to yours. “I love you, too,” you confess, pressing your lips to his afterwards in a kiss that was all smiles. “I missed you, Leon.”

Leon runs his hand higher up your body and strokes the undersides of your breasts. “I missed you, too,” he says as he kisses along your neck. “I thought about you all day.”

“Leon,” you hummed, gripping his hair tighter as his fingers began to tease your nipples. His thumb and index finger gently pinch and pull at the buds, making your legs squeeze around his. “God.”

With the arm that is pinned under your body, his fingers continue to tease your chest while his other hand slides down your body. “I need you, sweetheart,” he nearly begs. “Please.”

He couldn’t remember the last time he had felt like this about Ada, and it was clear that you had completely changed his perspective on what a real, happy relationship looked and felt like. 

You remove your hand from his hair and wrap your fingers around his wrist, sliding his hand lower down your body until he is softly rubbing your clit through your panties. “Take me, Leon,” you request in a whisper, reaching behind you so you could gently palm him through his jeans. “I’m yours.”

Leon kisses you deeply, sliding his hand in between the lace and your skin so he could properly tease your clit. “All mine,” he stated when you pulled away and moaned. “‘M all yours, too, baby.” 

You whimper when his index finger gathered up your wetness before sinking into you knuckle deep. “Leon,” you moan quietly, struggling to unzip his jeans from the position, but somehow managing to.

“God, you’re so perfect,” he murmured, kissing your shoulder blade. He thrusts his finger a couple of times before adding his middle and allowing his thumb to rub bruising circles onto your clit. “Everything I could ever want.”

This is how it’s supposed to be. 

You never pressured him to do anything, never forced anything or broke his trust in any way. It felt so right with you, like how a relationship should. 

He didn’t have to force himself to love you, that was something that came naturally, and quite quickly. 

Running into you at that bar nearly seven months ago was one of the best things that has ever happened to him, and he wouldn’t take that day back for anything in the whole world. 

“Leon,” you moan and it’s the sweetest sound he’s ever heard. “Please, fuck, I need you.” 

“I’m right here,” he promised, kissing the side of your head as he slowed down the fucks of his hand in order to help your own rid him of his uncomfortable jeans. “You want this?” He asks, just to be sure you weren’t thinking this was all he came here for. 

Really, he would’ve been completely content with spending the night fully clothed and in your arms, but he was also more than okay with ending his day with you wrapped around him. 

“I want this,” you kiss him deeply, the angle making your neck hurt a bit but you don’t care. You kick off your panties as you ask, “Do you?”

Another thing he wasn’t used to, the question of consent that sounded so sweet coming from you. “Always,” he answered, kissing you again when you reached back and pulled him free before guiding him to your slick entrance. He slips into you with a deep groan, the quiet gasp you emit making his head spin in the best way. “I love you. I’m sorry I made you wait so long.”

You shake your head and reach back to grip his hair as he pulls your leg to rest over his. “I think I would’ve waited forever, Leon,” you confessed as he began to slowly rock into you. 

He grunted quietly at your words and felt his whole body heat up, as well as his heart begin to race. He had never felt this way before, and he was glad he had found the person to experience this with at a still young age. 

Leon didn’t ever want to let you go after the first night he met you, and that only intensified as the months went on. “Yeah?” He asked as his hand settled on your hip, his other arm wrapping tightly around you. “I can promise you this, baby, I wouldn’t have made you wait that long. But I love you for telling me that.”

You lean back and kiss him, your brows furrowing at the slow fucks of his hips. “I love you, too, Leon,” you say back, placing your hand on his that was still tightly gripping your waist. “I just want you to be happy.”

He kissed along your neck, his teeth nipping at various spots. “You make me happy,” he rasped, pulling your body impossibly closer to his as he loved on you in more ways than one. “I’ve never been happier.”

You moan at his words, your heart swelling with pride and a bit of shock at the fact that you were, it seems like, the only person who truly has his entire heart, and the only one who has made him feel like this. 

At the sound of Leon’s quiet grunts, you allow yourself to lean back and against him completely, the assurance that he was yours entirely after tonight at the front of your mind. 

“You make me happy, too,” you say as you bury the side of your face in your pillow. Leon hums in response, pushing your hair away from your neck with his nose before kissing the skin there. “Leon…can I?”

He opens his eyes and looks down at you, noting the way your head was turned so your lips were ghosting against the base of his throat. Without you even finishing your question, he knew what you were asking, and he somehow got even more turned on at your request. 

A deep grunt leaves his mouth as he nods, gripping your hip tightly and thrusting into you. “Yeah, baby,” he answered. You smile and moan quietly before kissing his neck, your lips teasing his spotless skin. He grunts again, tilting his head a bit and exposing more of his neck to you. “Do it, baby. Please.”

You give in and suck a mark onto the base of his throat, feeling the pulse of his heartbeat against your lips as you stay there for a bit. He groaned loudly, and the thought of Ada seeing the hickey when he returned back to her with divorce papers sent his mind into a frenzy. He wanted her to see it after seemingly assuming that he had no one other than her. Oh, how wrong she is.

Pulling away with a lopsided grin, you bury your face in the pillow again when he sped up the pace of his hips.  

He couldn’t wait for this to become his normal life soon. The sound of your sweet moans filling your room played on repeat in his head whenever he was away from you, and your kind smile was the only thing he thought about when he went to sleep. 

“You’re everything I want,” he promised as his hand slipped from your waist and found your clit once again. Your body shuddered against his as a loud moan left your mouth, and you reached a hand down to grip his wrist. “Everything to me.”

“Leon,” you whimper and arch your back a bit as you feel your high quickly approach. Your hand wraps tighter around his wrist as your moans increase in volume, chanting a multitude of “Please.”

“You close, sweet girl?” He asked, already knowing the answer as he felt you clench helplessly around him. 

“Yes,” you replied in a breathy whisper, pulling his hand from in between your legs and pressing it against your chest. “Please, Leon.”

He wraps his hand around your breast, his thumb rubbing against your nipple through your shirt. You cry out and he feels your walls spasm a bit as you come around him, your core sucking him in even deeper and begging him to mark it as his own. “Good girl,” he praised, kissing all along your neck while you writhe against him. “Good girl, baby.”

“Leon,” you whispered, leaning back into him again and turning your head so you can brush your lips against his. 

“I know,” he rasped, fucking you through your sensitivity. “‘M gonna come, too, baby.”

“I want it,” you begged, tangling your hand in his hair. 

And he would never deny you of something you wanted. 

He groaned and cursed under his breath, his thrusts halting altogether as he leaned down to kiss you again. You moan against his mouth, your fingers gently massaging his head as you both came down from your highs. 

When he pulled out of you, your body turned to face his. Wrapping your arms around his shoulders, you kiss him deeply and tangle your legs with his again. “You really mean it? It’s really over between you and her?” You ask quietly when you break the kiss, your fingers gently tracing his jawline. 

Leon turned his head and kissed your fingertips as he nodded. “It’s over, sweetheart,” he swore, kissing your forehead after. “I’m all yours. I always was.”

#re4 leon #leon smut #leon kennedy #leon re #leon s kennedy #leon #leon s kennedy x reader #leon s kennedy imagine #leon s kennedy smut #leon kennedy angst #leon kennedy imagine #leon kennedy imagines #leon kennedy x reader #leon kennedy smut #resident evil #resident evil 4 #resident evil x reader #resident evil 2 remake #re4 remake #resident evil 4 remake

[xxresi-rotxx]

Avoiding You- L.S. Kennedy (pt. 2)

It was well into the night when you decided to depart from the base. You had been trying your hardest to get Leon out of your head. Why was he so interested in your lead? Was he upset at the move you pulled? 

It didn’t matter, at least you got the satisfaction of seeing his face when you mentioned Ada and how you saw the two of them. It wasn’t entirely the reaction you were expecting though. There wasn’t a trace of anger or embarrassment, but more of shock and shame. 

It didn’t make sense in your head at all. Leon was probably the most loyal, down to earth agent you had ever met; it seemed so out of character for him to fall for someone like her. But then again, maybe you didn’t really know him. You definitely didn’t know him the way you thought you did. 

You had been walking through the back streets of the city for a good half hour now, making sure you weren’t being trailed. It was close to pitch black out now, the dusk quickly turning into night, and you finally began scoping out your lead. 

It looked like an old, abandoned warehouse. Perfect setting for a bioweapon. Almost too perfect actually. It felt off to you; the hairs on your arm standing on end. You didn’t like this feeling; you knew something was wrong and you went on high alert trying to figure out why. 

Before you could react, someone was behind you. They made quick work of disarming you & pinning you to them. A hand covering your mouth and an arm around your waist, you slammed back into something solid. 

“Relax Y/N, it’s me.” The hold on your body becoming looser. 

You forcefully yanked your body away from Leon, a flood of emotions coursing through your veins. Fury, embarrassment, confusion, excitement; it was all so much. 

“What the hell are you doing?!” You quietly shouted at the man. 

“Look, I would have explained this all to you earlier but you stormed off at base and-”

“And what?” You interrupted, earning an exasperated and tired look from Leon. 

“And you really shouldn’t be here alone.” 

“And why is that?”

“You know why” Leon’s tone turning serious “I don’t know where you got this lead but it’s right, the bioweapons” he paused to glance at the factory “are right in there. What were you trying to prove by going alone?”

You hated that he could see right through you. 

Before you could think of something to say another shadow emerged from the street’s edge. It took every ounce of restraint you had to bite your tongue and hold back the anger you felt just looking at this woman.

“I told you tonight wasn’t a good night Leon.” Ada purred as she got closer to the two of you.

“We were just leaving.” Leon responded, grabbing your arm before starting to walk away.

Ada put a hand on his chest, halting his movement.

“And who’s this?” She asked gesturing to you.

You opened your mouth to respond but Leon beat you to it.

“Nobody.” His voice dripping venom as he spoke. You rarely heard Leon this clipped, angry.

He pushed the two of you past Ada and began walking towards base. Keeping to the street’s edge to avoid unwanted attention, his grip on your arm never wavering.

——————————————————————————

“Mind telling me what the hell this is all about?” Leon asked the second you arrived back at base.

“I could ask you the same thing.” You replied, ice in your tone. This whole situation was so confusing. Was he making things hard on purpose? He was the one who rejected you, not the other way around.

“What Ada?” Just hearing her name leave his lips killed you a little. “She knows more about those bioweapons than we do at this point, she’s been giving me intel on the situation there.”

You scoffed at that.

“Seriously Kennedy? I saw the two of y-”

“Leon.”

His interruption left you speechless.

“What?”

“You keep calling me Kennedy, it’s Leon incase you’ve forgotten.”

If looks could kill you’d both be dead on the spot. Your stares penetrating each other, neither one backing down.

“Okay Leon,” the memory of the last time you said his name haunting you “why not share your intel hm?”

“You think I trust Ada?” Leon scoffed, his voice slighter raising in volume. “I learned a long time ago never to do that. There’s a reason they only ever have me contact her, I’m the only one she won’t immediately betray.”

“I wonder why that is.” You mumbled under your breath, your emotions getting the better of you.

“There isn’t a price I wouldn’t pay to keep those I care about safe Y/N, but that doesn’t mean I enjoy paying it. I figured you of all people would know that.”

You had no response. Starting to feel guilty for saying what you did. Leon would do anything, give anything, to keep you all safe. You knew that for a fact. Your heartache made you forget so much, made you forget everything you had ever known about Leon just to try and ease the pain.

It had been over thirty seconds and you were still speechless.

Leon let out a laugh, “Okay, well”, he turned on his heel, leaving you frozen standing alone in the dark.

You came to your senses and ran to catch up with him, going past him to stand in front of him, blocking his path. To your surprise, he spoke first.

“You know if you really saw us you would have known that much, following a lady’s lead isn’t my style.”

You thought back to when you saw them, Leon against the tree with Ada pressed against his chest, her clearly taking the lead.

“So why then?” You could hear the slight tremor in your voice but chose to ignore it. Avoiding Leon wasn’t going to work anymore, something had to give.

“I already told you-”

“No not about Ada, why did you reject me?” You bit your tongue, trying to swallow it the way you wished the earth would swallow you.

“Reject you?” He asked, voice laced with confusion.

“I tried to kiss you Leon, don’t tell me you don’t remember. I made a mistake clearly, but if you didn’t want me like that you could have just said so.” You broke eye contact with the man to stare at the ground. Had you become a masochist? This conversation was leading you to believe you had.

“I didn’t reject you.” He lifted your chin, locking eyes with you once again.

Had you heard him correctly? You stared deeply into his eyes looking for any trace of insincerity but found nothing.

“You didn’t reject me? Leon you pulled away from me, the message behind that is pretty clear.”

“You don’t get it.” He sighed, leaning his forehead against yours.

You missed him. God you missed him so much. You just wanted to reverse time, forget you ever tried to kiss him. You missed his banter, his scent, his voice, having him by your side for every mission.

“You’re right,” you whispered “I don’t.” Leaning against his forehead gave you some sense of relief. At least he couldn’t see how shiny your eyes had gotten, glistening with unshed tears.

“I didn’t kiss you for multiple reasons, not a single one of them being that I didn’t want to.”

You tore your head away from his to look into his eyes.

“What?” You spoke, trying to piece it all together.

“Did you not realize where we were when you tried to kiss me? How many people were around?”

“So?”

“So? So I didn’t want people to think that I was using you. That that’s the reason I specifically requested you for each mission I went on.”

“Specifically requested me?”

“You didn’t think that was random did you? That we just happened to get paired for every mission.”

“You requested me?” You spoke like a broken record, he requested you? Specifically?? Every time?! You heart was beginning to beat faster, feeling better with each word he spoke.

“Every time, without fail. I pride myself on a lot of things Y/N, but my self control isn’t one of them.”

You smiled a little, thinking about past memories proving his statement to be true.

“I wasn’t worried about my reputation, there’s no rule against dating other agents in the DSO, but I was thinking about yours. You hear the shit everyone mumbles when Ada’s mentioned, I didn’t want that happening to you. That I would have minded.”

“I was right then?” You asked barely above a whisper, “to kiss you I mean, I didn’t misread you?”

“No you didn’t misread me, in fact I’d been waiting for you to figure it out. But after you tried to kiss me and I stopped it, you went radio silent. Every time I tried to find you or talk to you, you weren’t there. And when you were, you wanted nothing to do with me.”

You thought back to the debriefing, when you saw his steps hesitate, turns out you hadn’t imagined it. Leon broke you from your thoughts.

“I thought maybe you had regret it.”

His eyes were the ones to break contact first, glancing down at his boots before looking back to you.

“I did regret it, but for a completely different reason I assure you.” He smiled slightly at your comment, you continued on “But when we saw Ada just now?”

“I barely trust her with my own life, you think I’d trust her with yours? Better she have no idea who you are.”

Everything was starting to make sense now. You started to feel so stupid thinking of all your wasted emotions and pain. The stupidity you felt was quickly replaced however by pure joy. You were right, Leon did feel something for you.

“I can’t believe I spent all this time away from you and it was for nothing.” You grumbled.

“Well not for nothing”, Leon smirked, staring down at you, “I heard you’re one hell of a shot with a 12 gauge now.”

You laughed, a genuine laugh, and Leon’s smirk grew bigger.

“Let them say what they want about my reputation Leon, I have a feeling they won’t dare.” You smirked back at him.

“In that case…” Leon grabbed your chin and leaned down, his lips connecting with yours. It was so soft, so gentle; his lips meshing with yours so perfectly.

You both disconnected, a comfortable silence hanging between the two of you.

“For a man who doesn’t pride himself on his self control, that kiss was pretty impressive.” You teased Leon.

“You know, teasing me isn’t going to help that so called self control of mine.” He teased back.

“I’m counting on it, Kennedy.” Using his last name on purpose, only fueling the fire.

Leon moved faster than you, throwing you over his shoulder and giving you a slight smack on your rear, earning a squeal from you.

“Where are we going?” You laughed, trying to lift yourself off his shoulder.

He jumped slightly, making you fall back down onto his shoulder.

“Someplace more private”, he responded “I intend on hearing my first name fall from your lips tonight, over and over actually, until I can be sure you won’t forget it again.”

You stopped trying to lift yourself up and surrendered into his hold, after all you had a long night ahead of you….

——————————————————————————

I LOVED THIS SO MUCH😭😭I hope this was the pt 2 everyone wanted! I’ve officially reached over 200 followers here and I’m so flattered❤️❤️I love this fictional man and am so happy I found others who do too😂enjoy my writing lovelies😘😘

(Also sorry if this looks funny, I finished it on my phone)

Taglist: @levisbebe

@momma-vi

@apathetickun

@animesnowstorm

@the-abyss-of-fandoms

@warm-milk-with-honey

@crystaldwightsworld

@lottathoughts

#Spotify #leon kennedy #resident evil #leon kennedy smut #leon scott kennedy #resident evil smut #leon kennedy x reader #asks are open #leon kennedy x y/n #leon kennedy fic #leon kennedy angst #angst #comfort #fluff #leon kennedy imagine #leon kennedy drabble #LEON FUCKING KENNEDY #resident evil au #leon kennedy sfw #thanks for reading #resident evil fic #re4 leon #re4 remake #re4 remake leon

[acewritesfics]

FIREFLIES | Tommy Shelby

⚠️ THIS IS A REPOST FROM MY MAIN BLOG @/DLMLUFICS. UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE TO DO IT THIS WAY. MORE INFO IN MY PINNED POST.

Pairing: Tommy Shelby x Reader

Request: No but I was encouraged by @runnning-outof-time to write this. This is a extended version of my Fireflies mood board.

Fic Type: Imagine

Warnings: Death. Grief. Swearing. Murder.

Word Count: 1,922

TOMMY SHELBY MASTERLIST || TAG LIST SIGN-UP

"You're late," Y/N says as she senses Tommy walking towards her.   

"Late for what?" he asks as he reaches her.   

"To see the fireflies," she says turning her head to look at him. "But I guess there will be other nights that we'll get to see them. They aren't going anywhere, and neither am I."   

"I wish I could take you anywhere that you wanted," he tells her.   

"But I like being here," she smiles softly, turning her body to stand in front of him. "It's peaceful and the view is beautiful and even more so when you're here with me."   

"I'm sure it gets lonely," he sighs sadly, hating that his first love will always be tethered to this spot.   

"Maybe for a second but then the fireflies come out and I'm reminded of you," she tells him. "You were always my light in the darkness."   

"I was never the light, sweetheart," he says cupping her face in his hands. "You were always the light."  

"If you think that because of the man you've become, then think again, Thomas Shelby," she says placing her hands over his. She turns her head, kissing one of his palms before resting her head on it. "I knew you before the war and before you had blood on your hands. You were the only good thing in my life. And I know that man is still inside you."  

"He died with you," he tells her. "That man doesn't exist anymore."  

"Yes, he does," she smiles. "He'll be back, once you learn that despite everything that's happened, you're allowed to be happy and live the life you wanted back then."  

"I'll be living it without you," he sighs.  

"One day, you're going to meet someone and all I'll be is a distant memory," her voice is soft, but her words were loud in his ears.  

"Do you remember when we met?" Tommy asks, changing the direction of their conversation. Their surroundings blurred out and was replaced with the night they met.  

Tommy could see his 17-year-old self, sitting on a log in front of a campfire. Arthur Shelby Snr and a few of his buddies decided to take their families camping one weekend. It was there that Tommy met Y/N, daughter of one of his father's associates.   

The 16-year-old version of Y/N was dancing as a group of teenagers to the left were making music with the few instruments they owned. A very young Ada had taken her hands as she skipped and leaped and danced around the fire. The sky was pitch black; the moon bright in the sky but in the moon light and the glow from the fire, to Tommy, it made her look like an angel. Tommy had fallen in love for the very first time that night.  

Him and Y/N watched as the younger versions of themselves came together. 16-year-old Y/N had let go of Ada's hands telling her she needed a rest and that she'd be back shortly. She'd left the campfire and walked past the campers. 17-year-old Tommy whispered something to Arthur before following her.  

Tommy and Y/N follow them down to the creek that ran through the campground.   

"You're a good dancer," they listen to the younger Tommy tell her, causing her to jump slightly. He quickly apologises. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."  

"Apology accepted," she smiles, lifting her skirts up to her knees and dips her toes into the cold water. "And I wouldn't call myself a good dancer. The rhythm of the music does all the work, I just follow it."  

"It wasn't the music that had me captivated," he admits.  

"I'm sure it wasn't my dancing either," she chuckles, stepping into the cold water and kicks it around until it starts to feel warm.  

“I’m Thomas Shelby, but you can call me Tommy,” he introduces himself.  

“Y/N L/N,” she tells him her name. “It’s nice to meet you, Tommy.”  

From that moment the two of them were inseparable. You couldn’t find one without the other. They were both the happiest they’ve ever been. Everyone could see and feel the love the two held for each other. They were the king and queen of their own world, and they treated each other as such. Tommy gave her everything that he could with promises that one day, they’d be so rich that money wouldn’t be an issue and he could give her the grandest of all things. She would assure him that, even though those things would be nice, that all she needed was him.   

The scene in front of Tommy and Y/N is blurred out again and replaced with the original scene but this one was slightly different.   

It was the night he realized he wanted to marry her.   

On the anniversary of the day they met, they would come out to the field their families camped at and spent the night under the stars.   

Their first anniversary, Y/N, now 17, arrived at their spot earlier than Tommy. She starts the fire and sets up the picnic she had packed. As she sat waiting for Tommy, she thought about the trouble she would be in for sneaking out this late to meet the boy she’s been with for a year. It was worth it, being with Tommy.   

17-year-old Y/N’s been there a few minutes when the tree in front of her starts lighting up. There must be close to 50 of the little lightning bugs scattered along the tree. She’d read about fireflies and was always curious about them, but she wasn’t sure if she’d ever see them like this. The scene in front of her brings a certain warmth to her and her mind goes to Tommy.  

“I’m sorry, I’m late,” she faintly hears Tommy say as he approaches her. Y/N’s too focused on the bugs to reply.   

It isn’t until Tommy’s arms wrap around her that he finally gets her attention. That night she had fallen pregnant.  

The scene changes a little, everything looks the same, except the two of them are a little older, Tommy being 20 and Y/N being 19. Their relationship was going well, and their daughter was happy and healthy, but their family lives had taken a turn for the worse.   

Tommy’s mother had fallen ill not long after having Finn. After she died his father, Arthur Sr, had taken off, leaving Tommy and Arthur Jr to raise their younger siblings with their Aunt Polly’s help and deal with the debts his father owed. Not only that but they had the illegal betting den that needed a major up heave after the state their father left it in.   

Y/N’s father had become more paranoid, believing everyone was playing a part in some ploy to ruin his life. Her mother, who had enough of her husband’s behaviour had left, only leaving a note to explain her departure. She never bothered to tell Y/N about it either, only finding out when her father stormed into the store she worked at, yelling and shouting about how she was a part of her mother’s plan to leave. Once she managed to convince him that she had no part in it, her father seemed to calm down for a while.  

This was when Tommy new he couldn’t wait any longer to marry her. He wanted nothing more than to call her his wife. In the last year they had been coming more to their spot, needing to get away from everything for a moment. His proposal hadn’t been planned. They’d been sitting on a log, watching the fireflies fly around the tree, creating trails of light behind them. He turned to her, looking at her with so much love and said, “I think it’s time we get married.”  

She looked back at him, a soft smile on her lips. With all that love he was looking at her with reflected in her eyes, she says, “I also think it’s time.”   

As if Tommy knew where his mind was going with this, the scene changed. It once again was the same scene set at a different time. Tommy was late to meeting her at their spot. It was something he regretted to this day. Because instead of finding her sitting there waiting, with her smile that was only reserved for him, he found her by the creek, her closed soaked with water, her skin a ghostly shade and cold to the touch, her lungs filled with water instead of air and yet she looked so peaceful.   

Tommy still feels the pain as he broke down as if it were only yesterday. He doesn’t recall how long he stayed with her out there before bringing her to the hospital. He soon found out she’d been out to their spot hours earlier than they were supposed to meet. Her and her father had a massive fight and she needed to get away. Their spot was always a place she could spent hours at, reading, drawing, and just being with herself, clearing her head.   

Unfortunately, this time, her father had followed her out to the creek. Things got physical and he overpowered and drowned her in the creek. Instead of taking her to the hospital, he left her there for Tommy to find in some sick twist of paranoia, blaming him for taking his daughter away from him.  

Police ruled her drowning accidental despite all the evidence pointing to it not being that. It would be almost ten years later when justice would finally be served by Tommy’s own hand, what he had been through during the war, adding to the feeling of nothing as he put a bullet through Y/N’s father’s head.   

The scene shifts once more but this time they’re back to the first scene, her body is no longer laying on the creek bed.   

“Can you do me a favour?” Y/N asks him, breaking the somber silence that had fallen between them  

He nods and she stands on her tip toes to whisper something in his ear, before she shoves him into the cold water.  

Tommy wakes up from the dream with a jolt. He’s had the same dream almost every night since her death but this time the ending had changed. She had asked something of him, and he promised to fulfil it.  

Later that night, Tommy made his way to the field where their spot is. He could never bring himself to come back out here after she died. This is his first time back but this time he wasn’t alone. Sitting beside him on the log, is his 13-year-old daughter, Sophie.   

He pulls out the photographs that he has of Y/N. “See this place Sophie, this place is a very special place to me and your mother. Not only did we meet here, we also had many special moments here.” He starts handing her the photos, she’s seen many times of Y/N. Sophie had only been 2 when her mother was killed. That day, Sophie had been with Polly. “Your mother loved this spot, especially at night,” he continues as the tree begins to light up. “This is the reason why.”   

“The fireflies?” she asks, seemingly just intrigued by them as her mother was. 

In the faint glow of the fireflies and the moon above, he can see Y/N, smiling that smile reserved only for her little family. She blows them a kiss before she turns around and disappears into the darkness. 

“The fireflies,” He confirms, smiling down at his daughter. 

TAGGED: @chapter-in-my-old-diary - @hanawrites404 - @goblinjnr - @halsteadbrasil - @alexxavicry - @rainydayteacups

BOLD means your profile didn't come up when I tried to tag you. Sometimes it links when the post is posted but I don't know if you still get the notifications. Let me know if you get the notification. Here is a post that could help: WHY OTHERS CAN'T TAG YOUR BLOG

#acewritesfics repost #thomas shelby x reader #tommy shelby #thomas shelby #peaky blinders #peaky blinders x reader #tommy shelby x reader #peaky blinders imagines #tommy shelby imagines

[cillianshearts]

Tommy Shelby X Reader

Imagine Tommy and you having your first proper argument and you thinking he is mad at you all day…

Summary: You and Thomas have your first, proper harsh argument. You are convinced he is beyond may at you and so you hide yourself away all day, when in reality… things couldn’t be further from the truth.

Warnings: Strong language, little angst at the beginning but apart from that just pure fluff!

P.S - This is my first story and I’m new to writing. Please be kind! (Reader is 19)

-January 1st-

“YOUR BEING A SELFISH LITTLE BITCH” he yelled, slamming his fist down on his desk.

Tommy had seemed secretive upon you walking into the office and after you calling him out in it, things had escalated. Truthfully you was worried about him, you knew business wasn’t yours to understand and know about but when your fear got the better of you, you’d take it out on Tommy for being too secretive, usually just ending up in the two of you saying things you would both regret to one another.

You was so infuriated with him to even think properly about the words you were saying back.

“OH FUCK OFF THOMAS, IT’S NOT MY FAULT I WANT TO MAKE SURE YOUR SAFE.”

“Fuck off eh? That’s how you want to fucking speak to me? Y/N, when are you going to fucking understand…” he said through gritted teeth, his voice dangerously low now, breathing heavily. “There are some things that don’t concern you. Business that isn’t yours TO FUCKING KNOW” he raised his voice once again and you tried to stop your lip from trembling.

There was no way you was going to cry in front of him. It always made him feel absolutely terrible and you didn’t want that too, but in this moment your emotions seemed to get the better of you, and Tommy picked up on the quiver of your lip almost instantly. “Don’t fucking cry, don’t stand here and fucking cry in front of me” he said, his icy blue haze hardening in front of you.

This pissed you off. Anger took over immediately as you retaliated with words once again. Words you probably didn’t mean.

“YOU KEEP ME A SECRET, AND THEN EXPECT ME TO LIVE IN A LIFE THATS FULL OF FUCKING SECRETS TOO?” Tommy shut his eyes and sat back down in his desk.

“I have to keep you a fucking secret you stupid little girl” he seethed, sighing as he did so. “You think any of those fuckers out there would let it slide that I’m dating a fucking kid. Your 19 for fuck sake. I’m old enough to be your dad.”

There was an awkward silence between the two of you until you said something that over stepped the line.

“Yet whose the one who makes me call him daddy at night?”

Thomas looked done.

“Just fuck off Y/N” he said raising an eyebrow and shaking his head. He had no energy in him to argue anymore. You couldn’t take it any longer, how dare he patronize you and then blame you for feeling locked out of his emotions?

“I FUCKING HATE YOU” you screamed, and with that you turned on your heel and slammed the door to his office behind you, immediately bursting into tears as you had done. You’d just told him you hate him, when in reality he meant more to you than anything in your world. You loved that man more than you loved yourself. But that didn’t matter now, you knew Tommy was probably hurt now too and you would be the last person he wanted to see.

That day was the worst, you had meant to be spending it with him and now you was locked in your tiny bedroom in small heath, just you in his family’s, little home. Polly, Ada and the rest of the boys were out on business, whilst Tommy had time to focus on other things back in Birmingham and more importantly… you. But it had ended up in an argument and you spend that entire day crying by the fire, lighting candles to make yourself feel cozy and regretting everything you had done that day.

It was getting to evening when you heard the door click. You was in Tommy’s room, lying in his bed and hopelessly smelling the bedsheets wishing he was with you when you heard his footsteps on the stairs. “Y/N?” You heard him call. His voice sounded raspy and low, like he didn’t want to wake you in case you was asleep. But he was probably so mad at you, and now he was going to find you in his bed. Trying to get out of the covers as quickly as possible, you sat up and went to stand when he opened the door. To be greeted with a puffy, red eyed girl surrounded by tissues and smudged makeup.

“Oh sweetheart” he said pitifully looking at you, and as soon as you heard his tone and realized he wasn’t angry at you, relief flooded in your veins. You couldn’t get your words out quick enough.

“T- Tommy I don’t hate you! I- I’m sorry I- I love you so much I’m so sorry” you babbled, probably sounding like an idiot but in that moment you didn’t care. “Hey! What you crying for eh? Don’t be so daft, come here silly girl” he said now laying next to you in the bed and engulfing you in his big, strong arms. You inhaled his scent of whiskey and cigarettes and a hazy smile appeared on your face. “I missed you so much” you cried again.

“Why didn’t you come and see me? I was only in me office all bloody day, it was fuckin’ lonely” he chuckled, using his thumbs to wipe the makeup that had run down your cheeks.

“I - thought you would be mad at me” you snuffled, sounding like an incompetent child. Thomas sighed.

“I’m sorry” he said gently, but still with a rasp to his voice. “I shouldn’t of shouted at you like that earlier and called you what I did. I fuckin hate myself for it, your a kid and you need answers and I get that. I do.”

“No Tommy it’s okay! You was right I was being selfi-“

“No!” He interrupted, grabbing ahold of your hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. “You weren’t, your just worried and I get that- I do”

You lifted the hand he wasn’t holding up to his cheek.“I just wanted to make sure you was okay, I feel like you keep everything from me-“ you said in almost a whisper now, doing everything within you to stop yourself from breaking down into tears in front of him once again.

“I don’t mean to, I just want to keep you safe” he said gruffly.” His blue eyes staring straight into yours.

“I know” you said, half smiling. Thomas looked as sad as you as his eyes flicked down from your plump little lips to his rough ones. Slowly he edged closer to you, meeting each other’s lips as your glossy ones met his gently. He tasted of the whisky he’d been drinking and smoke, and within seconds you was pure putty in his hands. You let out a soft whine as he pulled away and without hesitation you climbed into his lap.

You smiled now up at him, half happy you had made up and half happy you were both alone in his room together. That was until you caught a lost glint in his eye. “Why do you look sad?” You said, staring into his eyes as he looked at you.

“Because I was a fucking bastard to you earlier” he said sighing. “And I don’t want you to think I’m just kissing you to make up for it-“

“Hm, since when did Tommy Shelby care what others thought about him?” You said starting to undo his tie and take off his waistcoat.

“Since a pretty girl like you changed my world” he said meeting your gaze again. He took you off guard by saying that and you blushed.

“I fucking love you Y/N. I love you so much”

It was you this time, who leaned down and brought the man you was kneeling above, into a deeper kiss. To which even Tommy this time groaned at. “Show me how much” you pouted, fluttering your eyelashes at him, and it didn’t take him another second to flip both of your positions so he was on top of you.

His rough hands brushed along side your porcelain cheeks as your breath started to hitch. “Pretty girl…” he sighed in content. “My pretty girl”

#cillian murphy #peaky blinders #tommy shelby #fanfic #fiction #john shelby #grace shelby #ada shelby #arthur shelby #shelby sister #polly gray #gina gray #cillian fluff #cillian x reader #cillian smut #cillian x y/n

[fallout-mountains]

Thoughts on Fallout 4 companions after playing the game for a bit and reading a whole lot of headcanons and fanfic and reactions:

- Hancock said he didn’t want to look at this face in the mirror and decides to do a drug instead of surgery. That’s some real self-hate there.

- There’s so much self-flagellation

- One the same note, ghouls can’t go under surgery?

- Someone mentioned that quests for the minuteman could have been handed out by the Freedom radio, instead of Preston, so that more backstory could be given to Preston.

- Nick and Deacon we’re probably thought to be too old and they didn’t want it to be creepy of hooking up with an older guy…(sigh)

- That it’s easy to write Sole to be compatible with everyone, since the game allows you to role play that character in many ways.

- MacCready’s backstory is both endearing and weird (because of him not going to see his son). I think the people who made the game didn’t want to bother with coding him leaving for a bit and then coming back, but… really? Should have changed the background story a bit to at least add that he needs to stay in case the medication didn’t work (or something like that)

- Deacon since he changes his face and has seemingly traveled could be in another Fallout game, any of them…

- Since Deacon changes his appearance, you get more attached to his voice. (He also has some very interesting things to say.)

- That when Deacon changes his face, Dezdemona is there the whole to verify it’s still him.

- Nick rolls with the punches, and has a very good emotional IQ, moreso than any of the other companions. He’s so even keel emotionally, that the Far harbor expansion hits a bit harder, because that’s where you see more of His emotion.

- Piper would be the best to adapt to our world

- Majority of the ways people can become your companions is weird why they even offer. (Like why would Hancock travel with Sole and not another person who wasn’t part of quest to raid their warehouse? Doesn’t Piper have other stories to investigate? Doesn’t Deacon have missions to do? Why isn’t Strong following Rex Goodman around? Nick has plenty of other cases to just run around randomly)

- Paladin Danse says that he wasn’t sure about Sole but also highly recommends you join the Brotherhood. So which is it? Also, I only did like one big quest for them and I am given a power armor.

- Is the reason they complain about picking up stuff is that eventually they have to carry some of it?

- Ada is a good companion, but doesn’t offer a perk, hence the reason probably not talked about a lot because no reason to travel with her

- I don’t know why the institute is doing what they are doing

- I really wish they could mark the clothes that can go under a person’s armor.

- Why are people wearing scarves? Is it cold there because it never seems to snow.

- I find it interesting that the companions all generally know each other or at least the have swapping dialogs that make it seem that way. (Curie has literally been locked away for 200 years.)

- They have veritbirds but no land vehicles. There’s supposedly caravans, but no wagons? Would it be too dangerous to have that?

I probably have more, but that’s for now

#fallout 4 #fo4 #fallout headcanons #fallout 4 companions #john hancock #Deacon #deacon fo4 #piper #danse #nick valentine #preston garvey #maccready #rj maccready

[padfootdaredmetoo]

Hey 👋 I’m not too sure if your doing requests( if not completely ignore this it’s fine:)) but I was requesting a peaky blinders one-shot where reader is like an orphan and lives in an orphanage and tommy the philanthropist he is goes down to the orphanage with Polly,John,Arthur,and Ada and whoever else you want and they see reader going at it with on of the sisters. You could choose the conflict or their argument but yeah, if you could draw the reader as someone who’s quick and sarcastic with their words like a speak before thinking type of person you know. Also can this be like a tommy Shelby x daughter!reader kinda like a found family kind of trope. Sweet kisses love your stories❤️

Dear Anon,

I hope this does it justice!! I changed a few things because I felt like it fit the story better (I hope that's alright) but there is lots of family stuff. And lots of Lizzie and Tommy - not something I have ever written before so hopefully that's also alright. Sweet kisses back to you love, thank you for this wonderful idea!!!

Warnings: peaky type stuff, religious language? Implied that a priest was going to assault the reader, bad words, not descriptive death of parents, mentioned death of a baby, grief, so much sweetness and hurt comfort and hopefully laughs. I promise it's not as dark or sad as it sounds. Also some Grace bashing / group hate.

Word count: 6606 - may have gotten carried away...

Part 2

Tommy watched Lizzie closely as they approached the large building. According to his sources it housed around a hundred and fifty children, the building was large but it didn't seem that large. 

It was gray and rainy, much like every day. The dark dampness didn’t bother him as it had seeped into his bones and made a home long ago. At this point, he was convinced that the sunlight would simply cause him to turn to ashes if it ever reached his skin. 

Lizzie looked nervous but that was expected, he felt beyond nervous. Suddenly hoping she would change her mind altogether. Children were overrated, he would know having raised Finn and half of John's kids. But after her she lost the baby, he would do anything to bring some happiness to her. He knew he wasn't the best husband, but he was trying to do better every day. 

Walking up the steps a voice in his mind started to remind him that he would only be bringing this baby into a world of danger and horror. Only going to ruin them so no God would allow them refuge. He pushed them down as best he could, reaching out to hold Lizzie’s hand. She looked taken back at the gesture, another thing wrong with them. Wrong with the situation. 

They were escorted in to look at the babies. They were just as expected, plump, cute, and small. Tommy tried not to look at them too close, no point in getting attached. Lizzie would pick a baby, and he would attempt to be a good father. 

He hated that he knew what it felt like to reach out for parents that were not there to hold you. He was sulking when a commotion caught his attention. 

“For Fucks sakes woman! ” A girl shouted. 

“You listen here. Father Stryker is a noble member of this community and organization. You will do what he asks of you.” A woman responded in a cold tone. 

“We both know that’s not what God would want you old bat.” The girl snapped back and he held back a smile. 

“Now you listen here, we do not know what God wants, that’s not our place. He has a way -” 

“No, he sure as hell doesn't. God would NEVER.” The girl demanded. “I thought God was in all of us, and GOD doesn't want me to be alone with him. In fact, I would say he’s overcome with passion about the issue. It would be a sin for me to ignore his protests.” 

“I will not tolerate such language, you foul girl!” The sound of a slap was dealt out. Tommy felt an odd feeling of unease about the situation. 

“You let this happen! You. And you will BURN FOR IT. Mark my words, you will suffer an eternity for his sins. There are no amount of crosses under the sun for Jesus to croak on that would make up for your grotesque choices you evil witch.” The girl's voice was pure venom, and Tommy was overcome with an urge to protect the girl. What type of place were they running here? 

“I want her,” Lizzie said clearly standing next to him looking at the Sister that was showing them around. 

“Sorry Mrs. Shelby ?” She asked looking for clarification. 

“The girl in the hall.” He looked at Lizzie landing her eyes on a girl that must have been about 15 standing off with the nun in the hallway. Her face was beet red, making her blue eyes seem extraordinarily bright in contrast,  her fists clenched ready for a fight of any size. That girl did not care what happened, she wasn't going to back down. 

“Ah, are you sure? She’s quite temperamental.” She responded looking embarrassed. 

“Excellent, I’ve never seen anyone look so much like my husband,” Lizzie said with a smirk on her face.  

“We’ll take her. And I’d like a word with management.” He asserted firmly. This was not the sort of thing he could look the other way on, plus it would only further the family image. Win-win. 

______________________________

Another sister came into the hallway. 

“Sister Margret, she has been requested by a family.” She said quickly. 

You were positive this must be some type of trap. But a tall angular woman moved into the hallway. She looked like someone from a painting, impossibly pretty, elegant, clothes worth a small fortune. This was impossible. 

The sister grabbed your arm and pulled you away from that bitch. Far away from the classroom you were terrified of. 

The lady looked you up and down and removed the sister's hand from your arm. She shot her a warning look and the sister apologized. Whoever this woman was, she meant business. 

“I’m Lizzie, Lizzie Shelby.” She said in a voice that belonged on a stage. You introduced yourself feeling embarrassed. 

“We’d like to take you home if you're alright with that.” She asked holding her arm out. Normally you didn’t like being touched for any reason, but being escorted out of the place was a good enough reason for you to make an exception. 

You looped your arm in hers and she strode out of the place with her head held high. 

“The Paperwork -” The sister called out 

“Get my husband to deal with it.” She called back, her voice dripping with power. You accompanied her into a very expensive car. You sat in the back seat beside her and watched her take in your appearance as if it had changed being in the natural light. 

“Do you read?”  She asked you lighting a cigarette.

“I had a tutor before my parents died.” 

“How did they pass?” 

“Car accident.” 

“I’m sorry.” 

“Me too.” 

“We’ll expect you to go to school.” 

“You’d be a shit parent if you didn't.” You mentally kicked yourself. “Sorry I -didn't” You were stumbling over an apology as the door opened and a man got into the driver's seat. 

“That’s my husband. Thomas.” 

“Hello,” You said feeling completely deflated. “It’s nice to meet you, both of you, It’s nice.” You couldn't remember a time being so embarrassed. You wished that they would just run you over with their expensive tires. There were just too many emotions in such a short period. 

An hour ago a priest was forcing himself on you, telling you God would never allow you to get adopted, and here you were making a fool out of yourself with your new parents. 

That phrase stung so bad you visually imagined pushing it from your mind.

“Did you sort the paperwork?” Lizzie asked in a frosty tone that made you wonder what their relationship problems were like. 

“That and a few other things.” He responded in a tone you assumed only ghosts were capable of. 

“Like what?” She said looking out the window with resentment. 

“Taking the place over.” He responded easily. As if it was no big deal, like spending money on petrol for the car. 

“What do you mean?” This caught her off guard and you watched a bit of hopefulness come to life in her eyes. 

“Saw things.” He hesitated, obviously aware of your presence in the car. “That I didn’t think God would approve of.” You caught a slight smirk on his face in the mirror. His eyes told you it was easier to poke fun at the situation. 

Lizzie hummed in approval, and even though you’d only known them a few minutes it felt like progress. 

_______

They wanted to give you a few days to settle in before introducing you to the whole family. Something you saw as a bit of a red flag. The house was massive, but it was clean and quiet. Both a blessing and a curse. You were too shy to ask for something to do or go explore. Your bedroom was unbelievably beautiful, and warm. 

There was a knock on the door that caused you to jump. 

“Yeah?” 

“Can I come in?” Lizzie’s voice rang through the door. 

“Of course” You responded stiffly. She came in and smiled at you, she pointed to your bed but you didn't understand what she was looking at. Should you not have been laying on it during the day? 

“Is it alright if I sit?” She asked you and you realized that’s what she meant. 

“Yes!” You sat up straight feeling like an idiot once again. You’d had to sit through two dinners each equally painful due to your rambling. 

“How are you settling in?” She asked kindly. 

“Um, fine. It’s nice. I love my room.” 

“What do you get up to in here?” She looked around with a frown. 

“Mostly sitting and thinking.” You responded blandly. 

“Are you sure I can’t take you shopping for anything?” She’d asked at least three times, and you felt horrible imposing on them further. 

“I don't want to bother you.” You finally broke. She let out a strange laugh. 

“Bother me. All the time. Big stuff little stuff, doesn't matter.” She picked a piece of lint off of your bedspread. “Plus kids cost money you know. That’s no one's fault, so don’t carry it like a burden.” 

Your eyes stung with tears. That was not the narrative you had grown up with parents or none. You’d always been acutely aware of the burden your existence placed on people. Her words made you feel like you were special, not something your parents could give you. This brought on a very large mix of feelings. 

“Don’t cry, really all this is-”  Her face appeared displeased with your reaction and it only made your hurt more. 

“Normal. Not for me, it’s not. If you wanted a kid that was used to this you should have had one yourself.” the words flew out of your mouth and she was up and out of the room before you could try to apologize. You felt so much worse, you wanted to pull out all your hair trying to make it stop. 

You stopped trying to hold the tears back and got up off your bed to apologize. An embarrassing apology was better than them shipping you back. 

You followed the sound of her soft crying sounds. Through a door that was slightly ajar. It was a beautiful nursery. They had tried to have their little spoilt children, the guilt only became worse. 

You locked eyes with her and decided the truth was always best. 

“You treat me better than my parents. But they're dead and it hurts. I don't want to bother you both, it's already some kind of miracle that I got adopted at this age, I don't want to push my luck. Or live through you getting bored of me and then tossing me aside.” 

For a moment you thought she was going to shout at you. But she just nodded in understanding. You both were crying, so why not try to risk a hug. You got down on the sheep skin rug next to her and hugged her. 

Her grief wrapped around you with her slender arms. She pushed your face against her chest and kissed the top of your head. You didn't understand, but the hurt in her felt a lot like the hurt inside of you. So you leaned into the feeling crying just as hard. 

“I lost her. She was born and - nothing anyone could do about it.” She said after a long while. The thought made your heart break all over again. “They told me I couldn't have kids. Spent years avoiding it like it was the plague and now, God it hurts.” 

“I’m so sorry.” 

“I’m sorry for you too. My dad left before I was born, mother passed when I was 13. Prostitute till I was twenty.” She let out a sad laugh. “This life.” She motioned to the house with her arm. “Is not the life I came from and my husband doesn't have much. But he has money, so don’t ever feel bad for spending it.” You looked up at her in shock. There was no way she was telling the truth. She looked like she belonged in a palace like you wanted to trust her with the whole world. So elegant, kind eyes. 

“We’re the same then” you whispered. 

“Absolutely not!  If you become a prostitute I will have officially become the worst mother in history.” She said causing you both to laugh. 

“I’m not good with people.” You joked along. Tommy pushed the door open and you stiffened slightly. No matter how you tried to calm down, he made you uneasy. Like he would be impossible to please or get to know.

“It’s not a whore house?” He said with a confused look having caught the end of the conversation. You’d never seen a man look more confused as the both of you were tear-soaked holding each other on the floor. 

“Not anymore it's not.” Lizzie quipped causing him to almost smile. You wondered what made him so stuck up.

“Good lord, how did you guys make all this money again?” You asked cheekily, causing Lizzie to laugh. 

“Just you wait.” She said lightly, but you couldn't help but know already that it was not God’s work that placed them here.

“Come down for lunch?” he asked you both, still slightly put off by the situation. 

“Yes” she wiped her cheeks with the back of her hands, you watched her walls of composure surround her once again. 

“Come on. Let’s see how much trouble we can get in before supper.” She said helping you up. 

_____________________________

You stopped by to pick up people on the way to the shops. 

“We’ll get Esme first. She’s John’s wife. Tommy’s younger brother - he made a deal with the Lee family - a bunch of gypsies - Tommy needed men, and she needed a husband. Technically I almost married John. It was a complicated time. But they both get along like a house on fire. She holds him down pretty good, probably the only reason he’s still alive.” You listened as she drove you through the countryside. “Then we’ll get Polly. She’s Tommy’s Aunt. She probably goes up against him the most. She’s some kind of Gypsy royalty, a very peculiar woman, but she means well. Hated Tommy’s first wife Grace. Well, we all hated Grace. Us women tend to stick together. We have to put up a good front against the boys or they raise hell like nothing else.” 

“You’re all gangsters then?” You asked her catching her slightly off guard. 

“Technically he’s a gangster turned politician. But trust me having been on the receiving end of both there really isn't a difference.” 

You blushed at her words and tried to hold your tongue. 

“I shouldn't have said that last part.” She flicked her cigarette case open and lit one up. “Forget I said that.” but you started laughing. You pulled up to a country-style house, chickens squawking loudly at the car engine. 

“Oi! That is not a baby!” A woman with wild curly hair approached the car. She slid into the backseat and you felt awkward sitting in the front. You looked at her looking you over. “Total babe, but not a baby.” She said with wide eyes in disbelief.

“She’s fifteen,” Lizzie responded looking at you like you were a brand new car. 

“Good lord. Going to have to beat the boys off of her. She’s pretty like you.” 

You blushed heavily at her words unsure of what to do with the attention. 

“Eh, as long as we keep her close I think we’ll manage just fine.” Lizzie smiled and turned the car around. 

“I’m Esme, I’m sure Lizzie caught you up to speed.” She lit a cigarette and smiled at you as you introduced yourself. She asked you lots of questions, about how you liked the place. 

“It’s cold. You can say it, love.” Esme blurted out. “It’s a monument to Grace. Should have been burnt down the second she left us.” You could tell this was a part of the stormy ocean of problems that rested between your adopted parents. You put that piece of knowledge into your back pocket. You pulled up to a stylish-looking complex and a woman in a black suit and sunglasses approached the car. 

“I was going to offer to babysit for you when you need a rest - but by the looks of it I’ll be asking you for help, love.” 

“How many kids do you have?” You asked while you waited. 

“Too fuckin’ many,” Polly responded climbing into the back seat. “I thought you asked Tommy for a baby, not a miniature replica of yourself?” 

“Come off it Pol,” Lizzie said starting the car. 

“I’m serious, I thought I was seein’ a bloody ghost. I’ve known you since you were the size of a potato, when I say she looks just like ya, I fuckin’ mean it.” 

You looked at Lizzie and wished you looked even a fraction of how beautiful she was. 

“How's he managing with this then? He was always good with the kids when they were little but I can’t imagine he’d know what to do with her.” Polly said stealing Esme’s cigarette. 

“Eh, like everything else, he’s adjusting.” Everyone seemed to find this funny. 

“You look at me, that boy gives you any trouble you call me alright. I’ll set him straight.” She was strong like Thomas but soft like Lizzie, and something distinctly her own. You could tell she was in charge. 

“Thank you.” You said sheepishly unsure of what else to say. 

“You're welcome, love,” She said kindly. 

Shopping was a lot. You cried on the way home and they had a unique way of comforting you while also making fun of you, making you laugh. Once you started laughing with them it seemed impossible to stop. You assumed that you would all pile into the sitting room, but instead, you piled into the kitchen, which quickly became your favorite space in the house. A large wooden table surrounded by something that felt so perfectly warm. Grace clearly didn’t touch this space much. 

They poured you cranberry juice and set into a bottle of whiskey. The jokes got worse as the night progressed and for once your sharp tongue and misplaced comments brought a great deal of joy. 

“Where did you find this girl!” Esme said between laughs 

“Fighting off a Nun in a hallway,” Lizzie replied still laughing from the joke before. Tommy and you assumed his brothers appeared in the doorway.

“Wow, Looks like you Lizzie, but with Tom’s eyes” John said, or you thought it was him because he went to stand behind Esme and she looked up at him in a way you hadn't seen before. 

“And his mouth.” Esme quipped and you hoped it was a compliment. He reached across the table to shake your hand. 

“John” 

“It’s nice to meet you” You introduced your self. Arthur came and gave you a crushing hug. 

“They got you out numbered now brother.” He joked letting you go to pour himself a glass of whiskey.

Tommy gave you a tense look, like he was worried about something. He took the seat next to you puting space between you and the boys. 

“Might be enough women to put some life back into this place.” Polly said with twinkling eyes. 

“I’ll try my best.” You responded quickly seeing that Tommy didn’t seem happy. 

He stuck close to your side, sliding glasses of Whiskey away from you as the boys started drinking. His youngest brother was only a few years older than you, and he showed up with a bunch more men that introduced themselves politely before joining into the savagery. 

You scooted your self along the bench to sit closer to Tommy not knowing the others well enough to want to sit as close. 

“Thank you, Lord, for blessing us with such a wonderful girl! May she shine bright for us in these dark times. To the newest Shelby!” Arthur’s voice boomed and your face turned bright red. Everyone finished a drink, but you caught Lizzie and Tommy sharing a look. 

Tommy put his arm around and you were grateful to have something to lean into with all the commotion. They were the loudest and rudest, most funny group of people you’d ever seen. 

“Think it’s time for bed, eh?” He asked you quietly and you nodded. 

“Alright! Clear out you lot. She’s got to get to bed. We can have a proper dinner tomorrow night!” Tommy called out causing a few groans. 

“But we just got here!” Finn mumbled.

Everyone said their goodbyes and goodnights to you moving out of the kitchen. Polly placed a kiss to your forehead. She said something in a different language, to which Tommy responded with a sharp nodd. 

Once everyone had piled out the front door, they took you up to your room. You hit the bed feeling more tired than you could ever remember.

_________________________________________

You slowly became more at ease around Tommy. Sitting alone at the table didn’t frighten you nearly as much. You heard him shout at people occasionally and that made you determined to keep your distance. 

It wasn't until Lizzie stayed away for a night getting stuck at Esme’s due to a storm. You assured her that you ate dinner and that everything was fine. In reality, you'd been sitting by the front window praying for her to come back. You hated storms and you’d just trusted that she’d be there and know what to do about it. 

Eventually you decided to retreat to your room to avoid any conflict. 

“Goodnight.” You poked your head into his study. 

“Night, love.” He responded kindly looking up from his papers. You thought about bothering him for a moment, telling him that you were scared. You decided to slip up to your bedroom instead. Girls your age didn't get scared of these types of things. 

Without Lizzie, there was an impending sense of doom about the place. Like there was pressure pushing down on you. Listening to things creak and shift, you had an idea that maybe without Lizzie here Grace’s ghost would try to snatch you up. 

Laying there listening to the storm and the house, your mind cooked up a story of revenge. Grace would kill you to get back at Lizzie for stealing her mourning husband. Maybe that’s why Lizzie’s baby wasn't born right. Your heart started to race as your stomach twisted.

There must have been some deeper story, Lizzie always seemed like she was very hurt by Grace, despite having come into Tommy’s life after. But Polly’s known Lizzie since she was a baby….

Questions were swirling in your mind non stop trying to make sense of it all. Your door made a horrid sscreeching sound and you let out a scream in response, pulling the blankets up above your head. 

“LEAVE ME ALONE GRACE.” You shouted hoping that it was enough that you could see it was her this whole time. She’d be deterred by your cleverness and the quilt Polly had made you. 

The quilt was tugged away from your face and you balled your fists ready to fight her off. However you looked up at Tommy’s horrified face instead. 

“I don’t do well with storms” You blurted out hoping that would make it better. You both looked at eachother for a moment.

“Let’s make some tea.” He said firmly. You knew that you’d fucked up and the last thing you wanted to do was have tea over the situation. You got up and he pulled your quilt around you, keeping his hand on your shoulder as you moved down the stair case. 

You watched him light a fire in the kitchen and grab two glasses and fill them with whiskey. 

He passed one to you and sat across from you, he took off his glasses and placed them on the table.

“Why do you think my first wife is out to get you?” He cut right to the chase.

“I got scared of the storm, and Lizzie is trapped, Grace- it’d be the perfect opportunity to get revenge on Lizzie for stealing her mourning husband.” You rushed the words out wishing you were dead. Tommy actually chuckled.

“That’s the story you’d been told then?” 

“No, just the one that made sense.” 

“How so?” He took a sip of whiskey. 

“Everyone says this place is some kind of shrine for her, Lizzie hates it. Hates her, why exactly,  I’m not sure but I know it’s because she’s hurt.” 

“Lizzie is hurt by Grace?” He asked with a wrinkled brow, you didn't think he was capable of such emotions. 

“That’s obvious.” You said sadly. He made a humming noise.

“I didn’t intend to marry Lizzie. She got pregnant and I married her.” He answered easily, suddenly you were very angry at him. Happy he did right by her and married her but - 

“Doesn’t mean she hasn’t always loved you.” You argued. 

“Is that so?” 

“Obviously. Have you ever looked at her? This place, the family, everything, me. Obviously.” You were dumbfounded. How on earth could someone so smart and sharp be so daft. “She puts up with a lot of shit around here. Not once has she ever mentioned leaving or hating you.” 

“Perhaps I should talk to her about it.” 

“You’d better. Everywhere we go men look at her.” You said trying to scare him into doing the right thing. 

“I’m sure they do, she’s a pretty woman.” He answered tensly. Suddenly you started to worry that maybe he wont ever love her, and if that was the case he would certainly never learn to love you. Panic started to wash over you.

“Do you want to watch the storm then?” 

“How?” You answered even more uneasy. He got up and you followed him through to the dark sitting room. He pulled the curtains open adding the slitghtest bit of light to the room. You helped him turn the couch around to face the big window. 

You watched him pour more wiskey and sit down motioning for you to do the same. Wrapped in Polly’s quilt you sat next to him and he put his arm around your shoulders.

“The only way to stop being scared is to face the thing that scares you.” He explained easily. He held you close to his side as you watched the dark figures of trees swaying violently. The lightening causing you to jump. Eventually things calmed down but you found yourself wishing that it would continue on so you could spend more time sitting like this. He just sat with you tucked into his side sipping his whiskey. 

“ I do care for you and Lizzie. More than anything.” He kissed the top of your head. “Things in the past weren't always easy or safe. Keeping her at arm's length seemed like the best way to keep her from ending up like Grace.” 

You listened to his voice in the dark, feelingthe pain in his words. 

“However, I would hate for her to leave me for a man at the shops.” He said lightly and you snorted. 

“Sorry for overstepping - I didn’t mean that she looked back at them” 

“S’alright.” He answered easily. Suddenly you saw headlights coming up the drive. You felt his body tense. “Hide behind the desk,” he said seriously. He grabbed a gun hidden in the paneling on the wall. You could hear the door open and to your relief, you heard Lizzie’s voice. 

“Fuck sake, Thomas! A gun! Scared the bloody life out of me!” She started to scold him but suddenly she stopped. “Are you alright? Where is she?! I knew something was wrong! Where-” her voice was muffled and you assumed it was because he was holding her.

“She’s fine, in the sitting room” He answered calmly.

“The sitting room at this hour!” 

You got up and moved back to the couch hoping that they might sit with you a while longer before going up to bed. 

“Why is the couch the wrong way?” She asked sitting down pulling you against her. “Miss me enough to sit up at the window like a couple of dogs.” 

“Something like that.” You said enjoying the way she held you tightly. Tommy came to sit down on the other side of you. His arm came across your shoulders pulling Lizzie towards you slightly. 

“Did you give her whiskey? She smells like distillery.”

“One glass to calm her nerves, won’t hurt her any.” You felt him reach over you to kiss the top of her head. 

“Alright. But don’t you go turning into your father.” She said sternly causing you to laugh. 

You sat for a while with the them till eventually the gray sky started to brighten with the sun of the next day. 

“Let’s get to bed. We can all get in a nap before the day starts.” Tommy said. Lizzie followed you through to your room to help you into bed and make sure you were okay. After you were settled you heard them talking down the hall and hoped that he was ready to face his fears. 

The next day you all had breakfast around noon in the kitchen. Lizzie and Tommy seemed in better spirits, might have had something to do with the marks on her neck, but you hoped he’d talked to her about the situation. 

After that night things were noticeably different. You went to school and tried to get along with the other kids, your marks were not great, leading to long nights in the kitchen studying extra with various family members. Esme was the best person to sit with, having learned maths and reading from her mother. She knew how to encourage you without stressing you out. 

Tommy on the other hand would look over the material and already look stressed. He always tried to keep his temper in check, but it was unbearable feeling him be frustrated with you. Eventually he caught on that you did worse with him there because of the added pressure, he learned to just sit next to you and work on his problems and offer you help when you needed it. 

It took a lot of struggling but eventually you were caught up and getting good marks. 

Things were going well till some old business needed to be handled. Tommy was to go away for two weeks, something that seemed to crush Lizzie. 

To her surprise he called her everynight. You’d watch her sitting on kitchen counter talking and occasionally laughing. Then he’d talk to you about school and the weather, telling you that he missed you. That was when you realised that something must be very wrong. He was clearly in a great deal of danger where ever he was. Polly came to stay at the house with Arthur, you enjoyed having them around but it only confirmed your suspicion. Everyone seemd it was best to keep you in the dark on the whole thing. 

 When he came back he was very different. Somebody, or some people, were most certainly dead. A great relief fell over the family and something was different about him. He had a smile on his face when she rushed to the door to greet him. You watched how they held eachother and thought back to when you’d first met them. Things were very different. You eventually butted into the hug feeling left out. 

______________

Extra Blurb. 

Eventually the unthinkable happened. The boy you had your eye on at school asked you out. Not knowing what to do or what the rules are you decided to get some more information on him make sure he was worth the risk of asking. 

Finn laughed at you.

“Not from the best family. But not a rival either, Tommy’s sure to have a fit, and Lizzie, I’m not sure. All in all, I don't mind the guy, you might be better off not telling them.” He said looking out the stained glass window of the Garrison. “If he gives you a hard time, come see me yeah? Don’t let him take you out of Small Heath” He looked at you seriously. 

“Sure thing.” You said getting up. You shouted a thank you over your shoulder rushing out of the pub. 

You thought long and hard about the situation. He made you laugh, didnt seem to care to much about your last name or who your dad was. Didn’t care that you were adopted. He was very polite, but enjoyed your peculiar sense of humor and misplaced words. 

You thought about turning him down. It was too complicated and anything that would upset your parents was too much of a burden. Thinking of what you would say to him, your heart gave a painful wrench. 

You went downstairs towards Tommy’s study. God this boy better be worth it or you’d put him in the ground. 

You poked your head in to see him writing and Lizzie sitting on the sofa reading a magazine. 

“Erm - So.” You started and watched them both look up at you. 

“What are you wearing?” Lizzie said smiling at your dress. 

“Go upstairs and change” Tommy cut you off before you could respond.

“Theres a boy -” You watched his face fall into his hands. “And he’s picking me up in a half hour if that’s allowed.” You fumbled with your words, wanting them to say yes badly.

“What boy” They said at the same time, giving eachother a glare. 

“Noah Solomons. I met him at school.” you responded expecting an explosion. 

“No. absolutley not. No way on earth am I sending you anywhere with him.” 

“Finn said he’s alright.” You started by stopped once he let out a sigh. 

“Finn! Fucking bastard.” He pinnched the bridge of his nose. 

“Where is he taking you then?” Lizzie asked

“Just around Small Heath for dinner. I told him that I can’t be out late.” Your face got red and you looked out the window.

“Put on a longer dress. The purple one, and put your hair up -” 

“Tommy! Don’t make her wear the purple one” Lizzie started to argue but stopped once she saw the look on his face. Her eyes narrowed back at him. 

“How bout I wear the red one -” 

“The black one is fine” They both answered suddently. 

“Just put on a cardigan,” Lizzie said getting up. “I have a nice one upstairs.” You followed her up to her bedroom. She pulled out a nice cardigan and some less opaque stockings. After you’d changed you looked yourself over, more modest, but that wasn't a bad thing. Especially if it got Tommy’s blood pressure back down. Lizzie got your hair up and you were grateful for her help. 

“Do you think dad will let me go?” You asked as she fixed your make up. 

“Dont think he can stop you. But, we’ve done business with his father. I think he’s worried this is apart of some elaborate plan.” 

“I don’t think so, but I’ll keep an eye on him” You were even more nervous now. Lizzie gave you lots of advice and you felt bad making her this worried. When you walked down stairs you could see Tommy talking to Noah at the door. 

You loved the way his face lit up when his eyes landed on you, he looked at you like you were the most beautiful thing in the world. You watched the front door swing shut, keeping him on the other side. 

“No.” He said firmly looking at Lizzie.

“Going to have to let her find her own way sometimes.” 

“No I don’t. Not with boys, not dressed like that.” He responded angrily. 

“Look, I told Finn where we are going, he said him and Isaiah would be around to keep an eye out. I’ve known him for the past two school years. I - please” You looked up at him in what you hoped were puppy dog eyes. You saw the conflict rage in his eyes.

“Fine.” He sighed in defeat. “But you don’t like something, anything, you call me from the restaurant and -” You cut him off with a big hug. 

“I won’t be out too late. Love ya” You said flying out the door before he could change his mind. 

__

He kissed you on the cheek on the door step, promising to take you out again next weekend. After saying goodnight you watched as he drove down the drive way before opening the front door.

You were surprised at how quiet it was. You slipped your shoes off and followed the lamp light into the sitting room. Much like the day with the storm, they sat on the sofa turned around to face the large window. You moved towards them to see your dad looking beyond relieved, and mum asleep on his lap. 

“So how was it then?” He asked you handing you the last bit of whiskey in his glass. You sat down next to him, watching him look you over for anything out of place. 

“Felt a bit like the Queen to be honest. More Blinders than people in that restaurant. Not to mention people watching from their windows.” You gave him a look as he started out the window. “But he was nice. I -He is nice, I enjoyed myself”

“Just for food then straight back?” 

“You already know that’s what happened. Can you help me get the pins out of my hair?” You turned away from him and felt him struggle to find them, pulling slightly too hard. 

“What? No, this is my job hands off.” Lizzie said groggily. “What did I miss? Tell me everything.” You felt the two of them shift and Lizzie's expert hands start bringing your hair down. By the time she’d gotten it brushed Polly and Esme had showed up for a full debrief in the kitchen. 

You were giggling like mad for hours with them, hearing their stories about past lovers. Some sweet, other cautionary. Eventually it was time for bed and you stopped into Tommy’s office before going to wash up. 

“Dad.” He gave you a shocked look then you realised what you had said. You didnt feel like apologizing though, too tired to make a big deal of it. You leaned over and gave him a hug. “Thanks for letting me go tonight.” You felt his arms wrap around you tightly. 

“I don't like it, and there will be lots to talk about tomorrow. But I'm happy that you're happy.” You kissed his cheek then headed up to bed. You knew that he’d probably already called Noah’s father, a tense conversation awaited you, but you had no doubt it was because he loved you.

@kpopgirlbtssvt

Tags List: Feel free to send a request or message to be added.

#Tommy Shelby #thomas shelby #Peaky blinders #Peaky blinders request #Dad Tommy shelby #Tommy Shelby x Reader daughter #Peaky Kids #Shelby Children #Shelby Children imagine #Tommy shelby imagine #Thomas Shelby imagine #Tommy Shelby x Lizzie Stark #Thomas Shelby x Lizzie Stark #Lizzie Stark imagine #Lizzie Stark mum #Lizzie Shelby #Lizzie Shelby Imagine #Polly gray #esme shelby #finn shelby #shelby family

[gothicxreylover]

Hello I have recently become obsessed to reading about platonic yandere Dazai with a younger sibling, I would love to see how you think they would interact and especially how he would act and feel towards his sibling. Maybe show the difference between pm! Dazai and present Dazai if you think there is some! -🦊

Sure I wouldn't mind! I hope you enjoy this! Tumblr had deleted my other process on this 3 time already 😭

warning- mentions of physical violence( such as kicking,slapping, shooting etc), ADA Dazai being a pain in the ass, mention of depression and death, mentions of bones breaking. (I think that's all)

Being the younger sibling of Dazai is something alright. His lazy and annoying behavior gets on your nerves a lot especially since he knows it bothers you. He likes to coo you and treat like a 5 year-old knowing dam well you're (whatever the age you want to be).

But he isn't always like this. When you hang out with your friends without telling him he gets upset. Not that your spending time with your friends it's just that you didn't tell him. He doesn't want you roaming around the city at night when the port Mafia members or bad peop are roaming around.

Once you get back from home he'll be sitting down on the chair staring into Oblivion. His eyes look dull as he started at you, a guy feeling from your stomach told you that you were in for a lot of scolding. He would raise his voice at you telling you that you shouldn't be roaming around the city with your friends at the middle of the night. And that he wouldn't know that you could be in trouble and he wouldn't know that you'll be died in a ditch somewhere.

Eventually he'll stop and hug you tightly telling you to not do it again or so he'll break your legs as a joke (he would do it)

Asking about his past isn't a good conversation for him and you to have. He wouldn't tell you anything and say it isn't your business to know what he dod when he was younger. If you keep pushing it he would most likely tell you to shut up but if you still kept pushing it lord help you that only a slap is what you'll receive.

Overall ADA Dazai isn't so bad as long as you told him where your going, don't ask about his past or his bandages then you'll be fine.

PM Dazai is really different from ADA Dazai. He wouldn't have a good relationship with you and would most likely hate you. Of course, he'll be sarcastic, push you around time to time but you actually left him he would miss your presence.

Since he works in a dangerous environment he doesn't like you getting involved with such violence. He wouldn't let you see him killing someone or hurting someone thinking you might turn out the same way like him.

Sometimes if you do get on his nerves or fight with him he wouldn't hesitate to hurt you. He would slap you, kick you, maybe even punch or shoot you. He just wants you to know that what he's doing is for you and it's to protect you from the bad people out there.

It's not a healthy place to live with him but it isn't that bad besides the talking of how he wants to kill himself because of you. He would have fun and take you to places like parks or arcades. He still wants the best for you and you to live your life and not end up like him

My dearest apologies if this sucks my English isn't very good and I'm still working on it.

#bungou stray dogs #gender neutral reader #bsd dazai #yandere dazai osamu #sibling reader #platonic yandere #dazai headcanons #port mafia dazai #Gothicxreylover

[runnning-outof-time]

Will you please do “I could never get tired of you.” for Tommy from the fluff prompts?

Hi there, anon! Thanks so much for sending this in!! Sorry it took a little bit to get to. I hope you enjoy the story! 🥰❤️

Thank you for helping me celebrate hitting 2K followers! Want to read more blurbs from this celebration? Check out this post!

Something Keeping You Up?

Tommy Shelby

Warnings: none

(Y/N) decides to go into Tommy’s office late one night to find out for herself why he hasn’t joined her in bed yet.

She’d already put on her nightgown and had her hair pinned up out of her face, but (Y/N) wasn’t quite ready for bed yet. It’d been tough getting to sleep these last few nights, and she knew the exact reason why. Tommy wasn’t in bed with her.

She figured it was just the business he was dealing with on the first night. After the second night, she thought that maybe his meeting got pushed back a few days. Now, Tommy was going on his fifth night of staying in his office well past the time that his wife put their three year old to bed.

Sure, helping out with Charlie’s bedtime routine wasn’t an everyday thing that Tommy did, but partaking in her routine was something he did nightly. So now that he was absent, she felt like she was missing a part of herself.

Tonight, however, things were going to change. She’d become adament on that. So she made her way to the wing of the house that held his office and knocked gently on the door. His muffled response telling her to come in came short after, so she did just that.

“Having trouble sleeping?” Tommy asked her as he took his glasses off and sat them down on the pile of papers he’d been working through.

“As a matter of fact, I am,” (Y/N) answered him as she walked into the office.

“Something keeping you up?” he asked another question, his brows furrowed.

“Yes,” she didn’t even try to beat around the bush.

“What is it?” he sounded slightly worried now.

“You’re not in bed with me,” she gave her answer almost immediately after he was finished speaking. Tommy raised his eyebrows as he heard his wife’s complaint. She decided to elaborate more on her initial statement, “you always come to bed with me, but you’ve not come in once this entire week,” a slight pout formed on her face as she then asked a question in a hushed voice, “are you tired of spending time with me?”

(Y/N) was afraid to hear his answer. She knew that she was probably overreacting to the situation, and that he was probably just tied up with his work, but she couldn’t stop herself from wondering it. And once she was wondering it, she knew that she could either continue worrying about it and let it fester, or she could come right out and ask him about it.

Tommy was shocked by her sudden question, and the worries she expressed with it. “I could never get tired of you, love,” he told her, his voice unwavering as he spoke with sincerity.

“No?” she timidly checked to make sure, hating that she probably sounded like a small child as she said this.

“No,” he affirmed, shaking his head for extra effect, “I’ve been putting more time into checking over these acquisitions that the company has taken on. Ada’s given me some idea on them, but I can’t be too sure, so I wanted to look over it myself,” he explained the reason behind him being locked in his office until such a late hour. “I’m sorry that I’ve made it seem like I’d rather be spending time on this instead of with you,” he added at the end.

(Y/N) couldn’t help but smile as he spoke. Just him affirming the fact that she was overthinking this whole situation turned her night around. Tommy sat back in his chair then and pushed his thumbs against his eyelids as he let out a sigh.

“Tired?” (Y/N) hazarded a guess, hoping she was still able to read his non-verbal cues.

“Very,” he agreed with her, the strain in his voice emphasizing the fact.

“Why don’t you come to bed with me?” she then suggested, her one eyebrow quirked as she finished speaking.

He dropped his hands to his lap and looked over at his wife, making her think that he was thinking over his options for a few moments. “That doesn’t sound half bad,” he then told her, his decision making her smile.

“Perfect,” she said, giddiness apparent in her voice. The sound of it made him smile. “Come to bed with me, Tommy Shelby,” she said to him then, and that was all he needed to stand from his chair and take the hand she’d stretched out in his direction.

“Gladly, (Y/N) Shelby,” he responded with a grin as he allowed her to lead them to their master suite.

———

Tagged: @mgcllovdrms @the-anxious-youth @cloudofdisney @look-at-the-soul @golden-hoax @elenavampire21 @peaky-cillian @mrsalwayswrite @julkaamazing @evita-shelby @lilyrachelcassidy @notyour-valentine @shelbydelrey @december16-1991 @onlydeadcells @peakyswritings @just-a-blackhole @watercolorskyy @strayrockette @peakyduchesss @alexxavicry @captivatedbycillianmurphy @yummycastiel @dark-academia-slut @tommystargirl @stevie75 @lyarr24 @signorellisantichrist @zablife @anotherblinder @midnightmagpiemama @cillmequick @rangerelik @lovemissyhoneybee @dandelionprints @letal-y-poetica

MASTERLIST

#tommy shelby #tommy shelby x reader #tommy shelby x y/n #tommy shelby imagine #tommy shelby blurb #peaky blinders #peaky blinders x reader #peaky blinders x y/n #peaky blinders imagine #peaky blinders blurb #peaky blinders fanfic #peaky blinders fanfiction #fanfiction #fanfic #root2kfollowercelebration

[wednesday-if-it-was-tuesday]

More Batfam Disability HCs

Alfred has some mild heart issues that he pretends doesn't exist when others need help but will use as a reason to get out of going on a walk with old pals he doesn't like.

Cass assumed chronic pain was normal because she grew up around a bunch of assassin's who were always injured.

Steph is super dyslexic and autistic.

Barbara goes to court to file ADA claims every week because public spaces aren't accessible.

Damian has tourette's and at one point had the "I am Batman" deep voice as a tic.

Jason's vision sucks ass, but he hates wearing his glasses and contacts. Therefore all the games are the jumbo print version (like the massive cards) or brailled.

Babs wheelchair is called the BMA (bat-mobility-aid)

#batfam #batman #batboys #batfamily #jason todd #tim drake #robin #damian wayne #dick grayson #red hood #nightwing #red robin #bruce wayne #cassandra cain #barbara gordon #batgirl #stephanie brown #spoiler #alfred pennyworth #autistic tim drake #autistic stephanie brown #everyone is disabled #disabled #disability headcanon

[vintagepresley]

My Satnin

68' Comeback Special blurb

Ada overhears her parents arguing because Elvis is feeling insecure about his weight.

I loved this idea 💗 @kiankiwi

Elvis had just returned back from his tour and he was grumpier then usual as he came upstairs to the bedroom mumbling about his appearance under his breath. You loved him no matter what he looked like he just couldn't believe it. Not only was he insecure about his weight, but also the huge age gap between the two of you. Which never mattered to him before, but now he always had to bring it up. He'd always get insecure about you possibly wanting someone better looking and younger. But that couldn't be far from the truth you loved Elvis and could never even think about being with someone else. He was the love of your life and your first everything.

You were laying in bed when he came into bedroom and Ada was in her room pouting about having to go to bed and you watched Elvis continue to just mumble to himself but not saying a word to you. Which that only meant that something bad must of happened on tour. You watched him in the mirror looking at himself and seeing the extra pounds he put on and just how different he was looking with age and he sighed softly, shaking his head. "I don't know how you're still married to me.." he mumbled. You raised an eyebrow at his words. "What do you mean?" you asked softly. "Look at me.. I'm fat.. I'm gettin' old!" he huffed as he continued to look at himself. "Elvis, stop it. You know that I don't care about any of that. You're as handsome and sexy as the day I first laid eyes on you." you said with a smile. "That's bullshit.. I look terrible now. You could have anyone." he said angrily. "Stop it. I hate when you talk about yourself like that. I don't want anyone else. I love you and only you. I have eyes for you and you alone.." you said with a soft sigh.

Ada could hear the two of you going back and forth and Elvis saying the meanest things about himself that made her pout because she thought her daddy was perfect. She climbed out of bed and walked over to the door that connected to your bedroom and she reached up to open the door just a smidge and she peeked out to see her parents having a heated discussion. You were doing your best to comfort him but you couldn't take it when he always assumed you'd want another man. It was hurtful. "You always do this! I don't want anyone else, Elvis. I just want you, I love the way you look. Why can't you see that!?" you let out a soft sigh. "Because I just don't, goddamnit!" he yelled. "Keep your voice down or Ada will hear you." you said in a hushed tone. Ada continued to watch the two of you and how upset you were both getting at one another. She never heard you argue before or the way Elvis spoke about himself and she couldn't take it anymore. She wandered right into the room, which made the two of you stop. She just stood there for a moment staring at the both of you with a confused expression on her little face, pouting. "Ada, sweetie, everything is alright." you nodded with a smile.

She looked at you and then over at Elvis and she walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his right leg giving it a tight hug as she stared up at him which caused the angry expression that was on his face to fade and he watched as she reached up with her little hand patting his tummy. "Satnin." she said softly. A smile forming on his lips because she had reminded him of his mother and how he'd pat her tummy and call her satnin, it took him by surprise when she did that because he had never told her that story about Gladys. He let out a soft sigh as his head hung low and he got a bit choked up now. "Daddy you're not fat. Addy yuvs you no matter what!" she said with a smile as she continued to pat his tummy, giggling because she always liked how squishy he was. "My satnin." she beams. You smiled because she always knew how to bring him out of that dark place he'd get himself into. Now the tears that had welled up in his eyes began to roll down his cheeks and he kneeled down to her level and wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug. She smiled widely as her little arms wrapped around him. "It's okay, satnin.. Don't cry.." she mumbled to him.

The moment between the two of them was so touching, that you started crying because it was only the second time in your life you seen him break down, the first is when he thought he almost lost you and Ada. He lifted his head up to look at you and not saying a word but you could tell from the look he gave you that he was sorry. You just nodded your head with a smile, wiping your tears. Elvis quickly wiped his eyes and pulled back from Ada. "Thank you, baby. You made daddy feel so much better and I'm sorry if we scared ya." he said softly, lifting her up in his arms. She smiled, nodding her head slowly as she let out a soft yawn as she clung to him. "Can I sleep with mama and daddy?" she asked tiredly. "Of course you can, baby." you said sweetly. Elvis smiled widely and he brought her over to the bed and gently sat her down and she crawled over to you and she gave you a big kiss on the cheek and you smiled warmly. "yuv you mama.." she mumbled tiredly. "I love you too, baby." you said happily, wrapping your arms around her as Elvis climbed in beside the two of you. Ada cuddled comfortably between the both of you as Elvis covered you all with the blankets and she placed her little hand on Elvis' tummy, patting it as she slowly drifted off to sleep.

He chuckled quietly to himself and he looked over at you, carefully leaning towards you, a smile formed on your lips and you carefully leaned over to meet him the rest of the way and he planted a few soft kisses to your lips. "I love you." he whispered. "And I love you so so much. I mean it.. We both do.. No matter what." you whispered back, glancing down at Ada who was fast asleep. “I know.. My girls will always love me." he said with a big smile, knowing that it was silly for him to think otherwise. You both eventually fell asleep holding your sweet little girl and three of you slept cuddled up together happily.

**

Tagging: @prayerstopresley @18lkpeters @abeautifullie88 @jfkkenndy @re3kin @memphis-mania @kendralavon7 @powerofelvis @vintageshanny

#elvis presley #ads presley #elvis x ada #dad!elvis #elvis fluff #68 comeback special #elvis imagine

[multifandomwriter56]

Karissa's 31 Days of October Fun

Day: 1

Prompt: "I bet you can't catch a leaf." from this.

Fandom: Peaky Blinders

Characters: Shelby family x Shelby!Reader, Sister!Reader

Warnings: language

It was a chilly day, the leaves falling for the first time for the autumn weather.

Y/n Shelby was awoken by an overly excited Finn who kept rambling about a road trip.

"Shut up, Finn! I'm sleeping!" She snapped as she covered her face with her quilt.

"Come on, Y/n." The eleven year old whines at his sister. "Tommy said we have to be downstairs in five minutes or else he's not going to take us."

The youngest Shelby frowns at her brother even though her face is hidden by the quilt. "Fuck off, Finn. Tommy doesn't take us anywhere." Not anymore, at least.

Finn pulls the quilt until it falls to the floor, ignoring his sister's threats. "Y/n, come on! I don't want to go by meself. It'll be more fun if you go."

She smiles at his confession. The two youngest Shelby's do almost everything together. Their Aunt Polly has always had a love/hate relationship with the fact that they stick together constantly.

"Oi! Finn! Is she coming or what?" John yells from the bottom of the stairs.

"She won't get up!" Finn yells back.

"Oi! Stop fucking yelling inside!" Polly scolds from somewhere in the kitchen.

Y/n groans. She's about to yell for everyone to fuck off when ten digits jab into her ribs. She turns to punch John, but freezes when she realizes it's not John.

No... it's the last brother she would've ever guessed.

"Tommy, stop!"

"Then get the fuck up and let's go." Tommy orders with no heat in his voice. He's too pleased with himself with catching his sister off guard.

When Tommy removes his fingers from her sides, Y/n moves as far as she can without having to get up. "Where are we going?"

"We're going for a drive."

Immediately, Y/n is on edge, her eyes narrowing. "Tommy Shelby never does anything without a reason. What gives?"

Tommy's eyebrows disappear underneath his hair. "I'm your big brother. I ask the questions around here."

"Then how am I to learn if I don't ask questions, eh?"

"Oi! I say we leave her." John pipes in.

Sensing that Tommy might agree with their brother, she pulls herself out of bed. "I'll go."

Eyebrows still raised high, Tommy questions his sister's change of attitude. "Why?"

Y/n shrugs her shoulders. "If you're wanting to drive your siblings around, either you've gone mad or something crazy's going to happen." She pauses, a smirk pulling at the corner of her lips. "And I want to be there for either one."

Tommy chuckles. Y/n has been the only person to ever give him so much cheek without retribution.

***

The ride itself would have only taken thirty minutes, but with the Shelby clan, it was closer to an hour.

When Tommy parks the car on the side of the road that cuts through the middle of a field of grass with a few trees nearby, Y/n for sure thinks her brother has gone mad. "Where are we?"

Her question is ignored by everyone as they all start piling out. Seeing she has no other choice, she follows them.

She watches as Polly and Ada lay down three different blankets side by side while her brothers unload the car.

"Picnic? We're having a picnic?"

"Aw, John. Our little girl is growing up. She knows what a picnic is." Arthur teases before taking a sip of what Y/n assumes is a bottle of whiskey.

"Come help us with the food, love." Polly calls.

"I'm must be dreaming." Y/n mutters as she obeys her aunt.

The Shelby family enjoys the food, the quiet, and each other's presence. The youngest Shelby doesn't remember the last time she was this happy.

Just when she thought she couldn't be happier, the wind picks up, forcing the dead leaves to fall from the trees.

Finn jumps up and starts trying to grab the leaves before they touch the ground.

Wanting to join in on the fun, Y/n stands to her feet and runs to her brother's side. A few minutes later, John joins them. Then Arthur. And then Ada.

Y/n laughs as John tries to climb up Arthur's back to grab a big, beautiful yellow leaf; which causes them both to fall to the ground. She looks over at the only brother not participating, sitting by their aunt.

She runs over to them, a mischievous smirk in place. "I bet you can't catch a leaf." She taunts him.

Tommy's smile reflects her own. "I can't, eh?" He glances at their aunt who shakes her head no. "Well, I must prove you two women wrong." He stands to his feet, grabbing Y/n and throwing her over his shoulder.

Y/n giggles in delight. Tommy's been too busy with his new woman to be around his siblings.

Just when Y/n thought she could die from happiness, a cold feeling runs through her body. She blinks, hoping the feeling will go away.

"Get up, Y/n! I need your help in the betting shop!"

Y/n frowns when she realizes she's not outside any more; but back in her room. She looks at Ada, who is holding an empty bucket. She looks down and sees that she is soaking wet.

"What? But- We were-" She looks to her sister for help. "Tommy was just-"

Ada's anger melts away. Y/n had another dream. "Tommy's not here, Y/n." She reminds her softly. "The boys are still at war."

The cold feeling runs through her body again.

Right. Her three older brothers are fighting in the war. The rest of them are trying to keep the family business going.

Any hope she has left dies. Life will never be the same.

Peaky Blinders: @raincoffeeandfandoms @runnning-outof-time @zablife @lovemissyhoneybee

#karissa's 31 days of october fun #day 1 #shelby!reader #shelby family #peaky blinders

[notyour-valentine]

The Boy in the Window 17 ~ (Tommy Shelby X Reader Series)

Chapter Summary: With Tommy still missing, Lizzie and Ada take matters into their own hands

Notes: Poor darling Charlie- he really broke all our hearts. Let's see if we can do something about that. This is another set-up chapter, I suppose...the end is near. I do not consent to my work being translated, copied or posted elsewhere on this platform or any other.

Here, you can find my [Masterlist] and the [Series Masterlist]

Warning: Canon conforming mention of violence. (18/21+). Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Expect spoilers for Peaky Blinders Season 1-4.

Wordcount: 5253

Part 17

[Previously]

That night she got not a single second of sleep, with her throat closed up and her eyes burning as she thought of nothing but him, Lizzie's words echoing in her head like the charge at the final judgement. 

Only now did she truly understand the meaning of drowning in guilt, because that was what she was…drowning. 

Everything she either heard, smelled or felt was muted, all these sensations unable to pierce through the cold darkness that had surrounded her which swallowed everything but the pain. 

She had expected the children to forget soon, that the price or parting would have been hers alone to pay but Lizzie’s words had driven the truth like a dagger into her heart and ever since then, she had felt herself bleeding out slowly, drip by agonising drip. 

When (Y/N) knelt down to pray in church, the old wood made her knees ache, but she welcomed the pain. 

After all, it came from the outside for a change.

Closing her eyes, she prayed for the boy - that he would soon forget her. 

When she rose, her knees were red with the promise of turning blue very soon. 

Father Callitch had looked at her with pity, and asked if she wanted to talk, but what was there to say?

During the second night, despite the exhaustion, she fared hardly better, staring up at the ceiling and yearning for a reprieve that never came. 

~

Mrs Cook greeted Emma with a smile and offered her a sweet as they entered the house, but that smile soon turned to a frown when her eyes met hers. 

She looked her up and down and then she sighed. 

But (Y/N) knew she’d get no pity here, not that she deserved any. 

She was a good, kind woman, but she had heard the rumours and seen the aftermath. And Mrs Cook had her principles, about virtues and honesty, and she hated the Peaky Blinders with a passion. 

No doubt, she had formed her own opinion, but she kept it to herself. 

“You look bad.”, she told her bluntly, as she put the basket down on her table.

 I feel worse, (Y/N) thought. 

“I’ve got more time now,”, she said, “I can get back to my usual workload.”

Her lips tightened.

“Now that Charles Shelby no longer lives with you.”

Mention of his name felt as if someone had rubbed salt into an open wound, it’s burning bite lingering long after the words had disappeared into thin air. 

“Yes.”, she only said.

What point was there in lying?

She did not miss how Emma’s head raised at the mention of his name.

“Start with this.”, Mrs. Cook told her, adding a new pile of clothes into the basket.

“Only remember not to sew in razor blades.”

The old woman seemed just as startled as (Y/N) was, as if she had accidentally said her words out loud. 

She half expected it to hurt, but somehow any slight dealt to her couldn’t even begin to compete torment she was already suffering.

And when (Y/N) just stared at her, her cheeks began to burn. 

But she did not want to torture the woman and so she took her child, her work and left. 

They were halfway down the main road when a car stopped next to them. 

It was black and shiny, with a little silver figurine on the front. 

The man held the steering wheel with white gloves, his uniform hat reflecting in the window. 

“Hello (Y/N).”, she heard the familiar voice of Lizzie Stark. “Hello Emma!”

“Hello Lizzie.”, Emma replied, waving back at the woman inside the car, who’s head peaked up from a fur coat. 

“Picking up work?”, she asked, leaning forward slightly to see better. 

“Yes.”, (Y/N) said, avoiding to look into her eyes, afraid of what next horrid revelation she might share with her. 

For a moment there was silence, before Lizzie spoke up again.

“That basket looks heavy, why don’t I give you a ride?”

She was about to turn her down, but she turned her attention to Emma and opened the door. 

“Would you like to sit next to me, Emma?”

That gripped hold of her and she darted towards the car. 

(Y/N) thought about calling her back, but her little girl had been so unhappy these last few days, she didn’t want to take away this little joy. 

Every part of the car that was leather was soft, everything that was not was so shiny she could see her reflection in it. 

She saw the driver look at the rearview mirror and Lizzie nodded. 

The engine sprung to life and Emma leaned forward curiously, watching how the man moved his hands to steer the machine. 

They were supposed to pass the church but instead the car turned into the courtyard, circled around and back out again, into a direction different to the one she lived in. 

Her head snapped around only to see the other woman smirk.

“Lizzie-”, she said impatiently.

“You at least have to look at it.", she quickly said, stroking over the back of Emma’s head. 

"I don't want to, Lizzie.", She sighed, rubbing her pulsing temple. 

"You have to.", She argued. "Even if you decide to sell it.'

I don't want to sell it. I want nothing to do with it. 

She swallowed hard and glanced down at the floor of the car. 

I wish none of this had ever happened. 

What good were a few weeks of happy moments against the misery she felt now? The one she'd carry with herself forever?

But she was also too drained to argue. 

So she leaned her head against the side of the car and let things be. 

Lizzie was a natural with children and so it was easy for her to keep Emma occupied during the drive, while she watched the world go by. 

The dark grey snake line streets slowly evolved into red brick buildings, with cleaner facades and larger windows. 

Soon there were small gaps between the houses that grew as they left the city behind them. 

Then, there were just green plains and trees, as cottages and farms replaced factory buildings and worker’s housing. 

They had driven for the best part of an hour when they left the main road and into a village. 

"Look out now, Emma.", Lizzie said, almost in an announcement for the driver to slow. 

(Y/N) too opened her eyes again and glanced out. 

"You have to be joking.", She whispered. 

The car left the road and immediately began to drive up to the house on the gravel road. 

One could have fit half her street on the distance it had to the gate, and all the houses in it, but here it was just green grass lined with neatly trimmed bushes. 

The chauffeur stopped the car just a few feet in front of the entrance to the house. 

And what a house it was. 

It was white as snow, which made the pale lilac of the wisteria which had grown on parts of the facade shine even more clearly. 

On either side of the pitch black door and on each of the two stories, she could see large bay windows reaching out into the space. 

There were no other house next to it, instead just more greenery and trees. 

“Welcome to Warburton House.”, Lizzie told her as they got out, sounding very pleased with herself.   

“Look, Mummy!”, Emma cried out and pointed at the door. “A lion.”

She was right - on either side of the steps that led to the front door, two small stone lion figures were resting, like dogs awaiting the homecoming of their owners. 

What in God’s name is this place?, (Y/N) thought as she barely glimpsed the brass lion door knocker before it swung open. 

Evidently, they had been expected. 

“Mrs Hale!”, a middle aged woman greeted with a warm smile. 

She wore a modest, plain black dress which went past her knees, black stockings and black shoes. The only thing not black about her clothes was the white lace collar. 

Her dark hair was combed back and tamed into a neat bun. 

“My name is Frances.”, she introduced herself. “I am Mr. Shelby’s housekeeper at Arrow House.”

Her mouth dropped open. 

Over her shoulder she could see a far younger woman wearing a pale grey dress and w hite apron. She also had a white cap in her hair and a wide smile on her lips.

Cautiously she stepped inside, but she did not get far.

“Let me take your coat.”, the older woman offered. 

It felt strange to have another person, especially an older woman who was owed respect by her age alone, do that for her. 

She handed her coat to the girl who had already taken Lizzie’s and Emma’s. 

“Would you follow me?”, the older woman asked and led them beyond the small entrance space into an open room. 

The first thing that caught her eyes was the wide staircase which lead to the upper story with steps so large Emma could lie down on them without touching wall or bannister with either head or toe.

Instead of being narrow and straight, it almost leiserously curled its way up into the house. 

Despite being in the inside of the house, light fell in from upper windows, ensuring the room didn’t suffer the darkness of her own corridor in Small Heath.

At it’s centre stood a round table which didn’t seem to have any purpose but to display the large array of flowers which had been placed in a porcelain vase at least a foot tall with two arched handles. It was painted so delicately and with such detail she knew it hadn’t been produced in a factory. 

(Y/N) felt her eyes widen as her heels echoed thanks to the high ceiling. 

Doors lead both left and right and in between them she saw cushioned benches and smaller mahogany tables under landscape paintings and glass lamps let into the wall. On them were smaller vases with flowers, or little staturettes. 

There was hardly any time to do much than let her eyes drift through the room though, as the woman continued. 

“I’ll just make a call.”, Lizzie said, placing her hand on her arm as she walked past her and through one of the side doors more towards the back of the door. 

So there’s a telephone too. 

For a moment she saw a glimpse of a sofa and a wall filled with books, but Frances opened another door for her. 

Only after a moment of silence did (Y/N) realise she was waiting for her to enter first. 

So she hurried to do so, muttering an apology as her cheeks burned. 

The room also had an impossibly high ceiling and windows so big she wouldn’t be able to reach the top with her fingertips even if she stood on a stool.

Each one was framed by two floor length curtains that were from the same pastel blue colour as the rest of the room, which fit perfectly with the white stucco decorations on the ceiling and at the wall. 

The fireplace was decorated with equal craftsmanship and on the mantlepiece a large mirror hung, capturing the light and doubling it. 

There were armchairs in front, and sofas with cream upholstery. But there was not a single mark on them, no chip in the painted wood, no thread loose in the decorative stitching. 

Everything was impeccable. 

The whole room - the whole house felt so light, not just because of the paleness of the walls which weren’t stained by the smoke of factories, or because of the natural light that fell in from the high windows. 

From the windows she could see into the gardens where she was met with flower beds, a terrace and delicate white garden furniture. 

The house seemed completely furnished and even decorated and yet it was clean - too clean. It lacked not dirt but the marks of use, of life. 

On a second round table, covered with a white tablecloth, had been set for tea. 

The étagères held slices of cake and petit fours.

“Mummy look- chocolate!”, Emma said. 

Her excitement made Frances smile and she drew the chair back for Emma to sit on, before doing the same for (Y/N). 

It made her heart thunder in her chest in the worst possible way.

It - all of it - didn’t seem right. 

Especially not when the older woman remained standing. 

The plates were smaller than the ones she had, specially made for tea, so were the spoons. They shone and sparkled and on the ends they had delicate engravings. 

Sugar was served in a little white box but instead of a little knob to lift the lid up, it had a swan on top, matching the design on the little can which one could pour the milk from. 

At that moment, Lizzie returned, who seemed far more at ease with being helped to her seat than (Y/N) had been. 

That left two more places that had been set. 

“Have you explained the situation yet?”, Lizzie asked Frances. 

“Not yet, Miss Stark.”, she told her. 

Lizzie nodded and turned to her, her business face on.

Frances cleared her throat. 

“This is Warburton House, also known as the Dower House for the Dowager Countesses of Arley.”

“Oh?”, (Y/N) said simply because she did not know what to say, halfway stunned into silence. 

“Arrow House used to belong to the Earl of Arley before Tommy bought it and the whole estate.”, Lizzie explained.

Frances nodded. 

“It is custom that when a Lord dies, his wife moves to a widow’s seat, a Dower House, not too far away and with all the comforts befitting her station, yet with as much distance as necessary.”

(Y/N) mumbled a stupid “Oh.” again as Emma nicked one of the chocolate petit fours and placed it wholly into her mouth, glancing around to make sure no one saw.

 “You’ve already met Lisa.”, she continued.

“Although she is very young, she’s the head housemaid. She is a hard worker and very good with children. Mrs. O’Sullivan is the cook and the gardeners are from the House but will come once or twice a week depending on the season of course. There is also a driver at your disposal whenever you shall need it.”

She understood the words Frances was saying but there was still a blockade in her mind that didn’t allow her to accept them, like a wall she could not see through. 

“They are all already hired and it’s taken care of.”, Lizzie said under her breath as she reached for a slice of cake herself. 

(Y/N) leaned over and placed her hand on her arm.

“Have you lost your mind?”, she hissed. “This is too much - far too much.”

Lizzie rolled her eyes.

“No, I won’t…he won’t want me to have it.”

Not now that she had broken with him. 

She still remembered the cold, empty look in his eyes when he had taken Charlie away, as lifeless as a stature. 

“It’s already yours. By law. No one can take it away from you.”, she reminded her. 

“It’s yours, and the rest is taken care of.”

She shook her head and glanced around the room.

Frances had said so herself- this was built for a great woman, a countess, and not meant for a nobody to live in. 

It wouldn’t be right. 

“You shouldn’t have brought me here.”, she insisted.

And most certainly not against her will and with Emma, who would undoubtedly ask questions now. 

Lizzie’s eyes remained without a trace of remorse. 

“Why? Because you were having such a fun time in Small Heath of late?”

She had no answer for that and Lizzie clicked her tongue.

“It won’t get better, you know? They never forget, so you might as well start anew here.”

Just as Lisa, the head housemaid, entered with a tray, they heard the door bell ring. 

“Just in time for tea.”, Lizzie said. 

“I’ll let them in, Ma’am.”, Frances said and bowed her head slightly before leaving. 

(Y/N) hoped against hope that she meant Lizzie with that. 

But then her heart tightened painfully as she stared at the door.

She had no clue who else they could be expecting and was entirely unprepared. 

The uncertainty made her stomach drop. 

The door flung open carelessly and revealed just a flash of the boy before he came running at her as soon as his pale blue eyes caught sight of her. 

Without a moments hesitation he pushed himself into the narrow space between her chair and the table, scrambled into her lap before she could even hope to offer a helping hand. 

He flung his arms around her neck and clung to her, still wearing his coat. 

His blond hair was a mess from where his little cap had fallen off. 

(Y/N) was too shocked to speak, to even react, but on instinct her arms had wrapped themselves around him and held him tightly.

His hot breath brushed over her naked collarbone, frantic and uneven from the running he had done, as his hands coiled into the fabric of her dress, twisting it so much it was likely to leave marks that would have to be ironed out. 

As she leaned her head against his, his soft hair brushed against her cheek.

She inhaled the smell, not of his soap, or his coat - but of him, and she leaned into that smell, into the weight of him on her lap, the sound of his breath. 

Desperately she tried to blink away the hot tears that came to her eyes-

“Let me look at you.”, she asked, cupping Charlie’s face with both her hands. 

It had only been a week or so, but she had thought she would never see him again, apart from glimpses in the distance when he would drive down Small Heath streets in the shiny cars of his father, one day, when he would have long forgotten the old woman watching from a window. 

And now she held him again. 

“Oh my darling boy.”, she whispered, unable to keep her voice steady. “I am so, so sorry.”

Charlie looked up at her with pouty lips and shiny eyes before burying his head into her chest, just above her thundering heart. 

Her fingers ran through the long blond hair on the back of his head as her other hand found his back, rubbing soft circles. 

She had missed his weight, his touch, the way he always leaned into her. 

“Hello (Y/N).”, she heard the familiar voice of Ada Shelby, and so she had to look up again. 

The only Shelby sister looked divine in a dark red dress with a matching brooch shining on her chest. 

“Come on Master Charles, you have to take your coat off if you want to have tea.”, Lisa said sweetly.

Only cautiously did he pull back far enough for the girl to take his coat. But he still remained in her lap.

Every time he had to remove one arm for the girl to take his coat, the other hand held onto her, digging through her dress into her flesh as if he feared a moment’s weakness would see him taken from her. 

It was the sweetest pain she had felt in a long time. 

“Charlie, if you stay there neither you nor (Y/N) will be able to have tea.”, Ada reminded him after a while, having taken the spot next to Lizzie, leaving the chair to (Y/N)’s right free. 

“There’s chocolate cake- your favourite!”, Emma told him. 

~

They had tea in painful silence. 

Charlie had pulled the chair as close to hers as possible and watched her every move cautiously, his free hand clutching her dress.  

Since she had no appetite for much, she stroked over his fingers under the table where no one could see. 

But then they were done and Ada leaned over.

“Charlie, do you want to show Emma the garden?”, she asked with a wide smile.

“Not really.”, Charlie said, nuzzling into her side. 

“We will go with you.”, Lizzie suggested and they got up, leaving the table with the dirty dishes as it was, even if it left a bitter taste in her mouth. 

Frances and Lisa brought them their coats and helped them into them before they went out into the terrace.

What she had seen earlier was but a glimpse of the size of it. 

The terrace was larger than the ground floor of her home, with the delicate garden furniture.

There were flower beds and a patch where roses could climb up the facade. 

Further to the back she could see a vegetable patch. 

A small stone pathway led to a sundial situated on a small pillar. 

There was a bench under one of the trees while the other had swings hanging from it - two swings, she realised. 

It was twice as large as the church green and thrice as beautiful and that was before the flowers were in bloom. She could only imagine how stunning it would look then. 

“Swings!”, Emma cried out and took off running. 

For a split second, Charlie twitched as if he wanted to run after her, but then his hand clutched hers painfully. 

(Y/N) crouched down and stroked the side of his face. 

“Go ahead if you want to.”, she assured him. “I’ll be right here.”

He glanced to Emma on the swings, then back at her. 

“Promise?”, he asked. 

“Promise!”

He went, but only when looking over his shoulder from time and time again, to make sure she hadn’t disappeared. 

As she watched him go, she sighed heavily.

“You did this on purpose.”, (Y/N) told the both of them, who had watched her with hawk eyes. 

“You’re just as bad as Tommy with his pathetic blackmail attempt. The both of you.”

“Of course we did.”, Ada scoffed. “And it’s not an attempt. He will follow through, you know. So be a good girl and stop being difficult.”

She glanced from one to the other as she rose.

“Ada, I can’t. Why can’t you just accept that?”

Ada stopped and turned to face her.  

“This is a very simple situation. Good things rarely happen to good people. This is a good thing, for you, Emma and Charlie. So either you accept this house as the new reality of your life, or you don’t. And every time you hear gunshots in Small Heath, or your cough gets bad from the smoke, every time you can’t let Emma play in the street or have to walk forever just so she can see a patch of grass, every time you wish she would have gone to a better school or yearn for quiet or the sound of birds, every time you miss Charlie, you will know that it is your own fault.”

She opened her mouth to argue but Ada was far from finished, even as her face burned. 

“Fucking hell, (Y/N)! Will you just come off of your high horse of self punishment, not only for your own sake but that of the children too!”

Her words cut deeper than (Y/N) was comfortable admitting. 

“Or you can go there right now and tell them that you chose not to do this because you were too busy revelling in your own created misery.”, she added. 

(Y/N) wanted to answer but no words came.

“Then we’re in agreement.”, Ada said, before turning her back, leaving her alone with Lizzie. 

“If that doesn’t convince you, do it for Charlie.”, she said softly. “You know how Tommy is even when he’s supposed to be around. And right now, he’s all alone in that big house up there.”

(Y/N) swallowed hard. 

“He needs some place he can go to, a person he can go to. Otherwise the boy will drown in loneliness.”

When the tears came to her eyes this time around, she couldn’t stop them from falling, even if Lizzie’s handkerchief soaked them up. 

“Emma can stay here while you and Lisa go back to your house to pack up the necessities. The rest of the move should be done in time for next monday.”

“What’s monday?”, she asked.

 Lizzie smirked slightly. 

“You first day at work. Be ready at ten. I’ll pick you up.”

~

She almost felt ashamed bringing Lisa back to her home. What would the girl think after all? 

It was in such a dark and grimy place, especially in comparison to the house they were just leaving. Perhaps it was due to that comparison, but Small Heath had never seemed so dirty to her. 

On the way the girl had told her about herself and her family. She was a local girl. Her father and elder brother worked as gardeners for Mr. Shelby. Her whole family had been in service and she was so excited to have a little girl to look after. 

She even told (Y/N) that she had been practising braids for Emma. 

It was difficult not to like Lisa then.  

Within a few days all the things she wanted to take to the house had been packed, the house cleaned form top to bottom (which Lisa found strange that (Y/N) insisted on helping with herself) and the furniture covered with white sheets. 

She had not decided what to do with the house yet, just as she had not yet truly accepted that the other house was now her and Emma’s home. 

There was the drawing room, which they had taken their tea in, as well as a room called the library, which included hundreds of books, a grand piano and softer sofas, which was supposed to be a living room. 

She had a dining room as well, with an oval table large enough to seat a dozen. 

Upstairs it was just as airy and beautiful as downstairs, with a master bedroom, complete with an own bathroom and a dressing room, which alone was bigger than her old bedroom had been. 

In addition to the office and the three other bedrooms, one of which was Emma’s, they had a nursery- an entire room filled with toys. 

(Y/N) did not fail to notice that they were all new, from the rocking horse, to the small table for drawing, to the doll house by the window. 

What a strange thing to find in a house meant for a widow. 

There was also a kitchen, which probably was the only room (Y/N) was not welcome in, as the cook, Mrs O’Sullivan was very diligent in fulfilling her duty. 

(Y/N) wasn’t used to anyone cooking for her. The last person that had done that had been her mother and all Mrs. O’Sullivan had asked of her was to tell her what meal she wanted. It was like living with a restaurant. 

It was all a lot to get used to, but Emma had done so easily, and whenever doubt crept in, she thought of Charlie. 

Since Tommy had not yet returned from his holiday he came to visit every single day, arriving in the afternoon and leaving only after dinner, and then most reluctantly. 

He had worked out however, that he would be allowed to sleep there from Saturday to Sunday so that he could be there for Sunday breakfast. 

Like all other breakfasts and meals, they didn’t take it in the dining room, but rather in the drawing room at the smaller, rounder table. 

What use was it to sit at the large one when they could be much closer. 

There had also been an arrangement that saw Emma taking riding lessons together with Charlie. (Y/N) hadn’t been sure at first, since she didn’t want to cross Tommy, but apparently that had been part of his plan as well. 

Those lessons were at Arrow House, Tommy Shelby’s residential home with a size fit for a king.

She had seen the red brick walls, the high gates, the long driveway, but stayed clear of that place he and Charlie called their home, even if Emma had seen it inside to get changed after her riding lesson. 

It wasn’t just getting used to a new house, but an entirely foreign way of life. 

Lisa and the others did not want her to do any work, not even if it meant carrying a tray back to the kitchen, while (Y/N) felt uncomfortable not doing it. 

They still had a lot to figure out, but sooner than she would have liked, monday came, which had given her its own share of sleepless nights, even if playing catch with Charlie and Emma had truly worn her out. 

~

Lizzie had arrived just as she had expected and they drove back to the city together. 

The board of the Shelby Family Foundation included, apart from them, Polly, Ada, who was absent, Linda, who was very much present and Arthur. Although it ought to have been presided over by Tommy, his chair remained empty. 

“Still on holiday then?”, Linda asked, pursing her lips, disapprovement radiating from every inch of her skin. It was almost as if one could smell it. 

Beside her Lizzie shifted. 

“What is it?”, (Y/N) whispered under her breath as she saw her paled cheeks. 

“Not a single word, not for two weeks now.”

Her hushed words made her stomach coil as a chill no one else could feel made her shudder. 

Something wasn’t right, she felt it. But there was absolutely nothing she could do about it. Nothing at all. 

“How are you liking the house, (Y/N)?”, Arthur asked with a lopsided grin under that thick moustache of his. 

“Yes!”, his wife said, her tone sickenly sweet, “how are you liking it?”

(Y/N) felt her cheeks burn as she cleared her throat. 

“Emma loves it.”, she quickly said, averting her eyes. 

“I wonder though - if it really is appropriate for you to be sitting in on this meeting.”, she continued, clearly not content with her embarrassment.

“After all, this is a family foundation and even if she has become…familiar with Thomas, she is not family!”

(Y/N) felt like all the air had been knocked from her lungs.

She had heard it in whispers and openly, from Mrs. Laddler and Jackson, from Mrs. Cook even. But somehow here, in front of his family, who had every reason to doubt and look down on her, it stung so much more. 

Was that what she would be forever now, Tommy Shelby’s whore?

Lizzie had warned her it wouldn’t go away. 

And the house now given to her and Emma not a place they could make into a home but payment for a service well provided?

It made her want to throw up…and to disappear from the face of the earth, although from the meeting would have been enough for now. 

“She’s here,”, Polly Gray said, blowing out smoke in Linda’s direction, making her cough, “because she knows the community and has worked with it in the past.”

She glared at Linda as she brought the cigarette to her lips once more. 

"Choose your words carefully, Linda. One could almost think you were jealous."

End

~

Part 18

So we got one of our boys back!

Thank you for reading! I’d be very grateful for feedback of any kind!

I chose Winkenhurst Manor as inspiration for the exterior and now I want to move there.

Taglist: 

@lilyrachelcassidy @jyessaminereads @watercolorskyy @books-livre @chlorrox @quarterpastmidnight @lilyevanswhore

Tommy Shelby Taglist:

@knowledgefulbutterfly

TBITW Taglist:

@kaitebugg03 @esistmon  @chlorrox   @theshelbyslimited  @budugu  @woofgocows  @orkwardx0 @judig92 @100percentamess @kabbuu @esposadomd  @im-nowhere-but-also-somewhere @starsnsecrets @lady-loves-a-lot @katiepie67 @acoolnight @chaotic-onigiri @ohshititsfenharel @muhahaha303 @globetrotter28 @xoprincessmel @shittingonyourgrave @pessimisticbiitch @elisa20beth @simran-preet19 @majesticcmey @akiisbae @iwantmyredvelvetcupcake @vodkainthecoffee @pearlstiare  @jk-acc @cutecurly-hair @lovecleastrange @kishie8  @kirenia15 @burninggracesandbridges @nervousmumbling @babayaga67 @mbv2361 @butterfly-skinnylegend @pheitvsx

#Peaky Blinders #Tommy Shelby #Thomas Shelby #Thomas Shelby x reader #Tommy Shelby x reader #Tommy Shelby Imagine #Thomas Shelby Imagine #The Boy in the Window #valentineswritings

[gwaedhannen]

End of Year Fic Recs

Recommend up to 5 series or multi-chapter fics from 2023 that everyone should read (multi-year WIPs count, if the last update was in 2023).

Recommend up to 5 single chapter fics/one-shots (long or short) from 2023 that everyone should read.

Recommend up to 5 fics NOT from 2023 that everyone should read (oldies but goodies).

Recommend up to 5 of your own fics (completed or WIP) from 2023 that everyone should read.

Open tag courtesy of @grey-gazania. No-pressure tagging everyone here and anyone else who wants to participate.

All Tolkien stuff. Mind the tags on AO3. Nothing Explicit but some Mature.

5 series/multichapter fics:

1. sir, take it easy by @exercise-of-trust (Maglor, Finrod, Celegorm, Maglor/Maglor's Wife)

“I thought you were adamant that no music was bad. And what would do you suggest, that we go back to Ráincë’s parallels in fifth, or Ambalincë’s discant exercises in fourth? Those were old before either of us were born, and you know it.” “I am not saying it is bad. I am saying that to me it sounds like all the fiends of Morgoth, but worse, because the fiends of Morgoth were not taking a clausula I wrote for my parents’ anniversary and mangling it. However, as its inclusion in this anthology shows, there are other people who like it, and while I do not understand it, I am not about to give up my Neldor or my Palecéva because the wind of scholarly opinion has blown against them from time to time.”

2. Spun by Grace by SpaceWall (Galadriel, Lúthien, Maeglin)

“Did you see them? The kinslayers who took your Nana? Who tried to take you?” “Ada says I did, but I don’t remember them. I don’t remember anything, except Nana screaming.” “Did your Ada say anything after? Aside from telling you to hide and stay safe.” The child nodded, bravely, and said in as clear a voice as he could manage. “He said they took Nana because she was bad. He said she was a kinslayer like them, and I had kinslayer blood in me, and they’d take me too if I wasn’t good.”

3. An Oral History of Dying in the Dagor Bragollach by Beleriand Death Trip (too many characters to list)

Please note that all participants were recently rehoused, but not extremely recently (this is regarded as unethical in our field). They have all had the opportunity to reflect on historical events after their death, both during their stay in the Halls and after being rehoused. We do not regard this as “contamination” of their recollection for our purposes, but rather as part of the normal process of narrative formation.

4. Foresight by @aotearoa20 (Fëanor and sons)

“He’s so small,” he said, not softly, “Such a beautiful baby.” “I know. He’s mine.” Fëanáro glared, he dared not do anything else. “You should appreciate it while it lasts,” when he smiled and the scar on his lip twisted strangely, “He’ll not be either for long.”

5. The Hazards of Love by @aipilosse (Finrod/Amarië, Anairë, Findis, Elwing)

Excerpt from The Empty House by Vatharwë Lelyindë held herself straight and tall, undaunted by Helluinon’s greater height. “You, my Lord, are free to live as you would, but others bear chains you cannot see. You speak of oaths and bonds, and yet you must see that when an oath comes in conflict, it is yours that is always the greater, and the other party must always acquiesce. So it is with me, so was it with your mother, your younger brother, and even your dearest friend!

5 single-chapter fics/one-shots:

Raised by Wolves by @warrioreowynofrohan (Elrond, Elros, Gil-Galad, Maglor, Maedhros)

“I hate him, and I do not hate him. Or, I do not hate him for cruelties. I hate him for kindnesses.”

2. The Hope of Love: Eärendil and Elwing as Symbols of Romance in Popular Culture by @imakemywings (Elwing/Eärendil)

Capping off these mesmerizing performances is Elwing’s final speech to the Teleri of Aman, a moment so fascinating that it has become the basis of many other dramatic confrontations throughout popular media. Almost anyone will recognize the line “I plead my hope,” or even its more extended version “Oh ye of foreign shores, I plead my hope. Let my home not be crushed ‘neath the boot of Bauglir,” even with no familiarity with the film. The passion of Torthoriel’s performance here has brought many a moviegoer to tears and captures a moment few had before bothered with—Elwing’s part in gaining the aid of Aman.

3. the bones of small contention by @quixoticanarchy (Celegorm, Oromë)

“You see, evil haunts a hungry man. If he eats his fill, he is called immoral; if he refuses, he will starve honorably. But free is the man who realizes that there is no satiety to be had, and equally there is no reward waiting in starvation. If my end shall be evil regardless, then my deeds matter not. I may eat as I please, and in that transgression, I find some shadow of liberation. A kind of laughter, almost - a light and wild feeling, like the moment after releasing an arrow, or the moment after the plunge off a cliff. You would not understand.”

4. all the daughters of my father's house (and all the brothers too) by Chestnut_pod (Fin-Galad)

These are the things ladies are, in the songs that are told of Finduilas and Niënor, her mirror: Love. Beauty. Laughter. Inconstance. Haunting. Sorrow. Screaming. Silence. In fact, the tales are not told of them. They are merely there. Many songs are written of Gil-Galad. Centuries after his death, Hobbit-children learn to sing of him.

5. Fire From The Ashes by @herenortherenearnorfar (Nienna, a Balrog)

“There is a terrible pain to conciousness,” Nienna acknowledges. She has not yet let go. “I just want to be an instrument.” Coals glow bright for a moment in the wind and then fade. “I was made to remake worlds, not feel this guilt.”

5 oldies but goodies (fair warning these are all liable to make you cry):

1. The legacy of a failure by from_the_wood (Frodo, Merry's Granddaughter, Merry, Pippin, Sam)

That's the thing with despair: it wants to erase everything, all of you, all that had been, or could have been - kind word, memory, hope for the future - but it cannot do so. It cannot. It should not.

2. An Oral History of the End of Innocence by @ceescedasticity (House of Olwë, Galadriel)

I think Hawser Road probably had the highest proportion of… Noldor swung their swords at a moving group and hit Noldor. Lindar shot arrows into crowds and hit Lindar. Noldor tried to ride down Lindar and also rode down Noldor. Lindar trying to get away trampled Lindar. Torches everywhere — I have never been so grateful the city is mostly stone, but wagons set on fire, sheds and stalls and barrels set on fire, there were some wooden additions… Panicked horses. Panicked cows, of all things, who brings cows when you're fleeing the gods to fight another god. There was so much screaming.

3. The One With All The Birds by @clothonono (Elwing/Eärendil, Elrond, Nerdanel, Sons of Fëanor)

What was her desire? "I desire my father, given back to me again," she said. "And my mother, and my brothers too. And my people, and my home, and all the years of my children's lives. Can the Lords of the West grant me this?" No one answered. Everyone knew the answer. "Equally I might desire that my enemy be punished. Let him go to the Halls of Mandos, whence none escape. Let me know that he is prisoned, so that I may gladly walk free." Is this your desire? "No," said Elwing. "I already told you my desire. Let justice be done. There is no vengeance that will satisfy me; there is no redress that can restore to me my father, my mother, my brothers, my home, and my children. There is nothing I want that he or you can give to me."

4. To Love What Is Mortal by @astridbecks (Lúthien/Thuringwethil)

Splintering pain as she was torn apart, yet as she parted beneath the hands of Lúthien there was a curious want mingled with the agony – strip me of this darkness, lay bare my soul, remake me – break me – and she had known pain before, had always known pain, but this was new and different and somehow right. (hurt me, because I deserve it. break me and make me as clean as you.)

5. woman into bird by @arrivisting (Elwing/Eärendil, Idril, Tuor, Elrond, Elros)

This is the best gift parents doomed to die can give their half-elven children, after all: to spare them the sight of their ends.

5 of mine from 2023:

1. Kill the Flame (Galadriel, the whole 3rd Finwean generation)

For Angrod, laughing at everything and everyone. You were an ass but you were our ass. You taught me patience, however little you meant to! For Aegnor, firebrand of our family. You saved me when the cold of the Ice tore into my heart. From you, I learned when to burn, and when to smoulder. For Finrod, dearest brother. What can I say? What words would suffice? Your ring’s bearer is worthy of his ancestors. I miss you. I miss you I miss you I miss you I miss you I miss you.

2. The Myth Hanging Heavy Over You (Elrond & Elwing)

He sends radiant wings, dark hair streaked with silver, a queen’s pride, laughter among the waves, lembas, handkerchiefs. He receives home, with such ardentness that he weeps for a week.

3. Sorrow Beyond Words, Collected Testimony of the War of Wrath (Finarfin, Lalwen)

The Valar said that he could no longer twist elves into orcs even by the time of his first imprisonment, but from the conditions there, from the bodies we pulled out…I don’t think he cared. Every torture, every debasement, every abomination against the Eruchîn that could be imagined. For each we thought might survive if we got them to the surface, there were five who wouldn’t, and ten corpses.

4. Shall we look at the moon, my little loon? (Aerin, Aerin's mother)

Aerin stands in her mother’s dress before the looking glass, eyes unseeing. Hitheth adorns her with the jewelry which will be her dowry, the only riches of her house, the last gift of the elves who vanished into the mists as if they never were.

5. Still-untitled "What if Fëanor took the Helcaraxë" AU (Círdan, Thingol (for now))

It's still Y.T. 1497. Morgoth hasn't had centuries to innovate his siege technology, but Círdan's cities also haven't been rebuilt with Noldor walls. The Grey Annals says Fëanáro's host arrives some seven solar years after Melian raises the Girdle. (Yes if we go by the usual "1 tree year = 9.582 solar years" then it could've been upwards of 25 solar years since the Darkening in 1495 before the landing at Losgar.) (I hate Tolkien's timelines sometimes.)

#fic recs #silmarillion #tolkien #stormthinken

[veeisdunn]

Sneaking around

Shelby family x sister!reader

warning: period typical homophobia

context: set before season one, reader is a few years younger than Ada.

I know this isn't an original idea and is kind of overdone, but I figured since I am very very queer I might as well give it a shot.

WC: 4.1K

MASTERLIST

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

It took awhile for everyone to recognise, but it was clear as day now. The youngest Shelby girl was slipping away.

Finn saw it first. The young boy idolised his older sister. Though less than a year was between them, Y/N was his world. You were there, day in day out, to offer support, advice, or generally cause trouble; until one day, you weren't.

Arthur, bless his heart, took a long time to come around. 

"But I fuck off all the bloody time and I don't see any of yous all stressed"

"This is different Arthur, it's y/n" Tommy, the replacement voice of reason.

You were barely a teenager when you first realised you were different. You had a playground boyfriend who you adored, but not in the right way. You always looked at him like a best friend, but it became painfully obvious he was dealing with some serious puppy love. He kissed you. You hated it.

You promptly ended things after that embarrassment.

As you got older, it clicked. You didn't like boys, not in that way. You looked at women the same way many men would. 

I'm fucking delusional. A looney.

The Shelby boys would tease your lack of romance, but deep down appreciated that you being single gave them one less thing to worry about.

You was all alone with these thoughts of self-loathing, until you met her.

Emma was a few years your senior and worked as a seamstress on the other side of Small Heath. You were caught in the rain together one evening, and the rest was history. You and Emma became close friends, both craving female companionship in your male-dominated lives. Your relationship escalated one drunken night in the snug of the Garrison. Most of the Blinders were in London doing god knows what, leaving the private room of the pub to you and her friend.

"Truth or dare?" Emma slurred 

You hummed, "truth!"

"Who was your first love?" 

"That's a big question." you pondered

"I've just never seen you around any men! You never even talk about them, you literally have your pick of every man in Birmingham." Emma giggled, her inhibitions getting the best of her.

"I… I just haven't found the right person yet." you quipped defensively, pouring yourself and Emman another glass.

"Maybe you're looking in the wrong place?" 

You choked on her gin. "What's that supposed to mean?”

Emma leaned back into her chair and stared you down. "I saw the way you look at the barmaid." she smirked.

shit. shit. shit.

"I think she's cute as well" Emma continued, swirling her drink around her glass.

You felt like all of the air had been ejected from your lungs. Did Emma feel it too?

"Wait. You also like women?" 

"Yes. I think they're rather more attractive" the older girl replied nonchalantly.

— 

Ever since that fateful evening, you had been "best friends" - more accurately, you were sneaking around each other's houses, stealing kisses behind buildings or under tables, and fighting the urge not to show any physical affection in public. You were enamored by each other.

This new arrangement made you fear your family, quite simply because they ran the entire city - the walls may as well have had piercing eyes following your every move. Though if the you were exposed, you didn't worry for yourself, you worried for Emma - an unmarried 20 year-old living in a bedsit above a cobbler who had no family (or gang for that matter) to come to her defense.

Y/N was certain this was one of the only laws her family hadn’t broken, and now you were walking all over it. Homosexuality, as Emma had taught you, was fully natural, but extremely illegal. Sometimes the you wished you could just be normal, but then you wouldn’t be able to spend hours gazing into your girlfriend's glowing eyes - a truly impossible predicament.

— 

The sun peaked up over the dense bog of factory smoke, darkened rays illuminating the dusty streets. Y/N took a deep breath in, halfway between a slumber and reality. 

That’s a nice smell.

Only a few minutes later did you realise that that nice smell was, in fact, Emma’s perfume and your head was, in fact, buried in Emma's chest.

“Morning, sunshine.” The older girl whispered, resting her hand on your knotty h/c  hair, attempting in vain to comb through it with her fingers.

“What time is it?” you yawned and relaxed into Emma’s gentle touch.

“Just turned seven, the bird’s woke me.” She spoke softly but the you were thrown into a panic. This was your first time sleeping in your bed and you'd slept in.

“They'll be up.” You shot up from Emma’s embrace. This revelation ruined the tranquillity of your night together. Emma hastily slipped on one of your frilly blouses and long woollen skirt, abandoning last night’s evening dress for the sake of blending in outside. You then helped your lover out of the window and onto the fence, then down to the alleyway beside the Shelby home.

“Em I’m sorry, again. I’m just scared, I don’t want anything to happen to you.” You apologised profusely, feeling ashamed that you went to such lengths to hide. 

Emma smiled sadly “No, I get it. We can’t have our fun end now can we?” She giggled playfully “I best be off, you should sleep over in my room tonight.” 

You blushed as Emma waltzed down the alley and onto the bustle of Watery Lane as if nothing had just happened. 

— 

“Aunt Polly, guess what?” Finn giggled, skipping into the crowded kitchen. The whole family, except you, were crowded around the table eating breakfast. “I heard someone in Y/N’s room!”

“Finn, that’s not funny. Go and cause trouble elsewhere.” Tommy scolded, glancing up from his newspaper.

“No!” the boy protested, grabbing his Aunt’s arm as she walked past, “I heard her talking! And I heard lots of footsteps! And the window!” he blabbed

The chorus of murmurs that filled the room ceased. 

“Y/N’s finally gotten herself a man!” John cheered, slapping an angry Tommy on the back. Across the table, it looked as if steam was pouring from Arthur’s ears.

“Boys, I say it’s a good thing. It’s time she found someone to have fun with.” Ada sighed, sensing one of her brother’s was about to blow up.

“I agree with Ada.” Polly announced, “Y/N is an adult now, she can do whatever the bloody hell she pleases”

“She’s barely 18!” Tommy slammed his paper down “she should NOT be having men sharing her bed.” Ada glared daggers into him. A floorboard creaking across the hall meant that you had accidentally announced yourself sneaking back to bed.

“Speak of the devil.” Arthur tutted. 

You apprehensively stepped towards the stairs.

Maybe if I walk slowly, they won’t see me?

“Y/N! Y/N! Who was it? When can I meet him?” Finn sang, bounding up to you, Tommy hot on his heels. 

“Who was the man in your bed?” Tommy demanded “Do we know him? Or will I have to introduce myself?” He snapped, a menacing undertone in his voice.

“THIS is why she felt the need to sneak him out!” Ada shouted over her brother, “you could at least pretend to be supportive!”

Tommy let out a sarcastic chuckle. “Okay, how was your secret fuck last night?”

“THOMAS! Cut it out. Now.” Polly could have broken glass with her shriek. “Girls, I suggest you leave. Your brothers need educating.”  

You fled up the stairs to her room. Ada followed close behind, stopping her sister from slamming the door and locking herself away. You threw yourself on the bed in despair. 

“That’s a nice dress. Did you wear it last night?” Ada tried her best to be friendly, inspecting Emma’s crimson dress hung over a desk chair.

“That’s not my dress.” You rolled over to face the wall, “it’s my friends.” you huffed defensively.

“You know, you can always borrow my dresses?” Ada settled down at the end of her sister’s bed, misjudging the situation.

“No Ada, it’s just that she wore it last night and left it here.” 

“So if one of your friends slept over, can’t you just tell everyone so they’ll shut up?”

An unfamiliar knot tied itself in your stomach. It was one thing sneaking around behind the backs of your family, lying to their faces was not something you'd considered. You opted to remain silent.

“What’s going on with you lately? You keep shutting everyone out.” Ada leaned over and looked down over her little (adult) sister with concern.

“I’m just so fucking tired of hiding.”

Ada’s the least likely to kill me.

“From what?” 

“Everyone. I am sick of living life like this.”

“Y/N, who was here last night?” Ada asked softly, catching on.

You snapped. “My girlfriend. My girlfriend was here and we slept in my bed. We didn’t have sex, we just talked.”

Ada silently gasped and took a moment to compose herself. “Look, I don’t care what you’re doing with her-”

“No, it’s not that.” tears began to well in your eyes, “it’s the fact they all probably think I’m no better than a common prostitute despite the fact they sleep with every woman they find.” 

“Oh Y/N…” Ada mumbled with a smile, “Polly will sort them out. You shouldn’t be sneaking around us.”

You was taken aback by Ada’s lack of anger. 

“Now…” Ada jumped up and picked up Emma’s dress from the chair, admiring the quality “tell me about her!”

— 

“Look Thomas, just because she is a woman and you are a man, it doesn’t mean you have more rights than Y/N.” Polly snapped, towering above her nephew.

“You just can’t seem to get it through your head, Pol.” Tommy retorted, standing from his seat, “men are bad, they can’t be trusted.”

“Yes, and you would know all about bad men Tommy, since you yourself run with the devil.” Polly squared up to him and snarled, staring into his dark eyes.

John joined the pair standing and rested a hand on each of their shoulders. “Eva is a smart girl, she probably picked someone who’s the total opposite of a Blinder. He’ll be nothing like Tommy.”

“At least if he’s a fuckin’ Blinder we can finish him off quickly.” Arthur chimed in, gripping his glass so hard it could have smashed.

“There will be no finishing of anyone off. You boys cannot sentence an innocent man to death for sleeping with Y/N. How do you think she will take that? Will she thank you? Or will she leave this God forsaken city and never come back?” Polly snapped, “It’s your decision, but it’s one you should take in a fucking heartbeat.”

As Polly berated Arthur and John sat back with indifference, Tommy stormed into the hallway and ascended the rickety stairs to your room. His mind was running at lightning speed, anger and guilt both clouding his rational brain. He had to know who this man was before he decided on his next step. Your jubilant voice and Ada’s giggles stopped him from bashing her door off its hinges.

“And when Emma kisses me, I swear my heart is going to explode.”

“Does she treat you well?”

“She’s so thoughtful. On the anniversary of Mum’s death, she brought flowers for us to throw in the cut. We sat on the edge for hours and she just listened to me ramble.”

“Oh my gosh! You lucky girl Y/N!” 

Tommy kissed his teeth and looked up at the ceiling before opening the door.

If there is a God, he thought, then please tell me what the fuck is going on.

Both yourself and Ada jumped as your older brother entered, his expression was impossible for either of you to decipher.

“Tommy, before you yell at her, can you at least think about this!” Ada begged, standing between him and yourself.

“Ada. Out. I need to talk with Y/N alone.”

Ada stepped forward “If you upset her Tommy, I’ll fucking kill you.” she threatened through gritted teeth.

Begrudgingly, after bickering some more, Ada left your bedroom and closed the door behind her. 

Thomas sighed, listening to the rapid rhythm of his pulse. Wordlessly, he picked up your desk chair and placed it next to your bed, sitting down and staring at his sister who was leant against the headboard, your knees to yourchest. You refused to meet his gaze.

“So,” He coughed, “Who is Emma?”

You traced circles into your thigh as you took a shaky breath in.

“My friend.” You mumbled

“Your friend who you shared a bed with and kissed?” Tommy raised his eyebrows. He needed to hear you say it for yourself, though, as Ada did, he’d caught on.

“I - you know, Tommy.” You sniffed your tears back.

“I need to hear it from you, Y/N. Use your words.”

“Fine. I love her Tommy! I love her more than all the girls you sleep around with. I know you don’t want me to be happy but I don’t care because I love her.” You lost it, you sat up and faced him, shouting with tears streaming down your face. The only thing stopping you from attacking him was the iron grip you were keeping on your bed sheets.

Tommy didn’t reply. He rested his elbows on his knees and held his head in his hands.

“I know you’re pissed but quite frankly I’m sick to death of being a prisoner to the men in this family. For once, I have someone who loves me for me and who doesn’t treat me like a child. If you don’t like it, I’ll fucking leave and you can be rid of me.” The words flew out of your mouth without much doubt and you couldn’t figure out if they were empty threats or if you were ready to run. Your brother’s reaction would decide that.

Silence. “So?” you spat, “when do you want me gone?”

Tommy barely registered what he had heard. He was stunned, sifting through his racing thoughts: She could be arrested, or even killed. Her reputation would be finished. What if she wanted her own life and career? Would she even be able to find a job?

He was so engrossed, in fact, that he didn’t even notice you leave in floods of tears.

— 

You were running on fumes. You hadn’t woken up prepared for any of this anguish. Your legs carried you to the one place where you knew you’d be safe - Emma. Before long, and after lots of odd looks from people around you, you'd ended up at the door of the dress shop where your girlfriend worked. 

“G’morning! How can I help?” The woman behind the counter looked up from her work at you, a fake smile on her face.

“Emma.” you panted, catching your breath, “Is Emma here? I’m her friend and it’s an emergency.”

After studying your face, the woman’s smile faded. “Emma!” She poked her head through a door behind her and called, “There is a Miss Shelby here looking for you.”

A crash, a slam, and then Emma appeared, rather flustered. If it wasn’t for your panic, you would be swooning at the sight of your lover in your clothes. 

“You should step in the back for a minute - I don’t want customers seeing you girls chit-chat.” The woman, who you had now deduced was the boss, spoke quietly. Emma didn’t respond and grabbed your forearm, leading you into the back room and closing the door.

“What happened? Why’re you crying?” Emma fretted, sitting you down at a desk.

You held back your tears in fear of getting your girlfriend in trouble. “They know.” You whispered, “My little brother heard someone in my room and they’ve all found out.”

Emma cursed under her breath, holding onto your hands so hard her knuckles went white. “Are they angry?” She whispered back, her eyes flicking to the door cautiously.

“I - I don’t know. My sister was really happy but I don’t think my brothers are. I asked Tommy if he wanted me to leave and he didn’t even say anything. I don’t think I can go back.”

The older girl walked over to a set of pegs and took a key out of a bag, handing it to you. “Go back to my room. I’ll finish at six today, then we can come up with a plan.”

“No!” You snapped in a hushed voice “You don’t understand how crazy my family are. You should leave me here and go somewhere else, it won’t be safe in the city for you anymore.”

“I’m not going anywhere without you. If you don’t think it’s safe here, then let’s both get out.”

After that exchange, you were sent on your way back to Emma’s bedsit. Luckily everyone else was at work so no one saw you run in. You were originally planning to spend the day figuring out what you and Emma were going to do come the evening, but you instead collapsed from exhaustion and slept.

— 

“Thomas Michael Shelby!” Polly bellowed, practically picking him up by his collar. “What in God’s name have you done?!”

Tommy snapped out of his haze. Y/N was gone. Polly was out for blood. Ada was crying. Arthur was having a drink - at 8am. John was gone, too. What the fuck happend?

“You were meant to comfort her! Not drive her out of the fucking house!” 

Tommy ignored his raging aunt. “I’ll get every bloody man on the street to find her.” His voice was monotone as he pulled a cigarette from his pocket.

Ada chuckled sarcastically, “John’s already onto that, got all the Blinder’s after her. He was being a brother while you were sitting on your arse.”

“SHIT” Tommy stood up and threw the pile of books from Y/N’s desk into the wall. “Shit shit shit.” And he was gone.

— 

The three brothers were out all day looking for their sister, while Polly, Ada, and Finn stayed home waiting in case she returned. She didn’t. As the night approached, the trio returned and handed over to a group of their associates who planned to search all night.

On the other side of Small Heath, you and Emma were getting ready to head out. Your plan was to sneak back to Watery Lane, get your things, leave a note, and get out. You was intending to hide in Emma’s room until you could both figure out where to go next. You took the reverse route that you had that morning, seeing that all the lights were on downstairs, but no one appeared to be upstairs. Down the alley, up the fence, onto the roof, then through the window. The one thing that you'd forgotten to consider was that somebody could already be in there. 

Ada was laying on your bed in floods of tears. The second your feet hit the floor, she shot up and screamed, bounding over. “Y/N! I thought you were never coming back!” She grabbed you and smothered her in an embrace, “Tommy didn’t mean it. He was just being an idiot. Good god Y/N I thought we’d lost you.”

Emma awkwardly slid in through the window, extremely embarrassed. At the same time, a pair of footsteps sprinted up the stairs and into the room and the door flew open. John. He looked exhausted and was too shocked to even speak, he assumed Ada was having a nightmare. On her guard, Emma stormed over to him and backed him in a corner. 

“Are you Thomas?!” She snapped, seething with anger.

John let out a sincere chuckle and smiled. “So Y/N did pick someone tough after all - I’m John, not Tommy.” Emma retreated in embarrassment.

“Sorry, I thought he’d made you cry.” She mumbled to you “I couldn’t help myself.”

“I like her, Y/N.” Ada smiled, taking a good look at the new woman in the room.

You walked over to Emma and took her hand. “You don’t need to protect me, it’s ok.” You whispered, wrapping her in a calming hug. You could feel her pulse pumping across her body.

“So you’re the girl who stole my little sister’s heart?” John enquired, relieved.

“Emma.” You spoke into the girl’s chest, “You’re hugging me too tight.”

Emma immediately let go “I’m sorry, I’m just tense.” You pecked her lips, “Better now?”

Ada awed at the interaction and took in the sight of her baby sister in love, John could have sworn his legs had turned to jelly. The moment was destroyed by another set of footsteps, Tommy entered drearily. 

John ceased his opportunity to wind his brother up. “Emma.” He announced, turning to her, “This is Thomas. Tommy, meet Emma.”

The loving embrace between you both ended as Emma stormed over to the doorway and pinned Tommy against it. Ada covered her mouth, trying not to laugh at the exchange.

“You. You fucking made Y/N cry. She’s been in my room all day crying because you couldn’t talk to her, after demanding that she ‘use her words’ you fucking prick.” she spat. Tommy lifted his hands up in surrender, shocked at this new girl’s confidence. 

“Ay, no need to shout. I came to apologise to my sister for being an arse.” 

“Honest to God Tommy, I don’t think an apology will cut it.” John folded his arms and walked towards the door.

“No. I’ll listen.” You piped up, pushing past John. “Emma, it’s ok, I promise.”

Emma shook her head and stood back. Ada took her out of the room begrudgingly and John followed, the three of them waiting outside of your door.

“Tommy, I-” You began but you were cut off by your brother engulfing you in a hug and practically picking you up.

“I’m so sorry sweetheart. I’m sorry. You can be angry at me but I’m just so happy you’re home.” He rambled, gripping you as if you were about to disappear again.

“I’m not angry, I’m hurt.” You stepped back from the hug and looked into his glassy eyes. “Why didn’t you say something, anything Tommy? I thought you were mad, I thought you hated me.” You spoke as tears fell down her cheeks.

“I - Y/N I was thinking about you. I was scared. You’re too good for this world and people won’t understand this.”

“I just wish you could have said something. Tommy you fucking terrified me.” You sniffed.

He took your hand in his and held it to his chest. “I don’t care who you love, Y/N, as long as you love. I don’t know where all that talk of me hating you came from. You could scream and shout at me, but I will never, ever, hate you. I got scared that you’d met some man like me who wouldn’t treat you well; but now I see you’ve found yourself a woman who will fight me over your feelings - a brave woman.” 

“So… you don't hate me? I thought you’d want me locked up.”

Tommy scoffed “Locked up, eh? You don’t have shell shock. You aren’t crazy. And even if you were, I'd look after you, I wouldn’t shut you away.”

You burst into relieved tears, prompting Emma to open the door. Tommy immediately stood to face her, his arms yet again up in a surrender.

“I don’t know if you heard that, Love, but I was apologising, so please don’t cut me.” He spoke, locking eyes with her pleadingly.

“Ok.” Emma sighed. “You’re forgiven, for now.” She warned. John skipped through the door cheering. “Tommy brother, we have found your match!” He laughed, “Aunt Polly will love you!”

The rollercoaster of a day came to a crashing halt as night fell across Watery Lane. You apprehensively introduced Emma to your family. John was right, Polly adored her: “Finally, another woman to help me control these feral men.”

Arthur was less expressive: “D’ya want a whisky?” Emma obliged - immediate friends.

Finn, bless his heart, was very confused - “Y/N, your boyfriend is a girl.” but he eventually figured it out.

— 

“You know,” You started, looking into the fire surrounded by your family with the woman you loved, “sometimes Em and I joke that the Shelby’s have now broken every law in the book.”

“No, I’m sure your brothers could find a few others.” Polly chuckled, leaning back into her seat, a smile plastered across her face.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

please drop me a comment or message with any feedback or suggestions! I'd love to hear from you ♡

Vee x

MASTERLIST

#peaky blinders #peaky fucking blinders #thomas shelby #tommy shelby #shelby #finn shelby #angst #hurt #comfort #shelby sister #peaky fookin blinders #cillian murphy #peaky blinder fanfic #peaky blinder imagine #imagines #peaky blinder imagines #shelby sis #lesbian

[onthr-dream]

MONSTER

Character: obsessive!Ada Wong × reader(y/n) × Leon S. Kennedy

A bloodthirsty monster has been appearing and kidnapping people on the village. And then there's y/n l/n, an unfortunate girl who happened to catch the monster's eyes.

Tw: poly relationship, curse word, excessive ise of y/n, gore, cannibalism, toxic behavior, obsessive Ada, monster/fantasy stuff, Ada and reader being a monster, grammar/spelling mistake, reader's parent being irresponsible :D

Notes: i know i said i'm quitting writing but i need to write this sooooo bad. Also please tell me if i have any mistake or tw to add :p

3k+ words

"John went missing? That must be that monster's fault, gosh when will it stop" said y/n with a tone filled with annoyance.

"You all must be carefull okay? Especially you y/n! You live alone!" The old lady chime in and y/n only nod to indicate that she understand.

Y/n l/n, an ordinary girl who live in a small village. Her parents left her alone in the village once she turned 10 and the kind old lady always take care of her. Currently, she works at the old lady's bakery to repay her kindness and finance for her own life. Seems like everything went well right? Yes, until some people went missing and they got discovered with only some of their body parts, leg, arm, even only their head is left. This of course, concern the villager. Some assume it was a monster, some assume it was the bear, some assume it was a psychopath, no one really know. Y/n? She assume it was a monster. She hate hate hate it, not only did it destroy the village's peace, but it -or should i say, she- keep appearing near her. She always there in her dream, whether she was gutting people or showing her some body parts that later can be found on the forest nearby her village. She also saw a lady just like her near her house or inside the wood. She felt uneasy because of that, y/n was dead terrified.

Damn, what if i was her next victim.

Y/n couldn't remember her feature, all she know is she always wear red dress that hugged her body nicely and a short black hair. She's mesmerizing, she can admit that, but the fact that she gutted one of the villager is your dream is just weird. It must've been just a weird dream...right?

"Y/n? You okay there?"

A voice snapped her out of her deep thoughts. Oh, Leon, Leon Scott Kennedy, her best friend and the old lady's grandson. He was the only boy who was nice to her when she was a newcomer, while the other boy mock or teases her.

"You surprised me!" She nudge him in the arm lightly.

"Not my fault you're spacing out. Grandma told me to gave these eggs to you, where should i put it? Are you making macaroon?"

"Oh! Put the eggs on that corner. Wanna have a taste?" Y/n offer the macaroon to him and he happily agree. He approached y/n and take a bite of the macaroon in her hand, and oh gosh, he does look heavenly. His blonde hair paired with blue eyes and seemingly soft lips touching her gloved fingertips lightly, y/n can feel her stomach filled with butterfly. She wished he know about her feelings towards him, she cherished him, she loved him, she adored him with all of her heart, if only he know.

"Oh wow, good as always. Grandma makes no mistake when she hire you hm?" He gently wipes the side of his mouth and excuse himself to leave the kitchen with a slight smile. He could've gave her a heart attack, no no, he gave her a heart attack already.

Y/n stacked the macaroon into the display case and carry them into the store, then opening the bakery. After hours of working and lunch break is finally here. Y/n decided to ignore her stomach and sleep off the lunch break since she can barely sleep due to that 'lady in red' she calls. Sleeping felt so short after she got woken up by the feeling of someone is watching her. She opened her eyes and she swore she saw a short haired woman with red dress in front of her face. She quickly snap her eyes fully open and check her surrounding, nobody's there. She got up and look around, nothing. She looked outside the bakery, nothing. She stand in the middle of the bakery completely frozen, confused who that person was and why she looked awfully similar to that 'lady in red' inside her dream. She stared into the wall until she felt a hand caressing her hair, she whipped her head around in surprise just to find Leon behind her.

"You sure you're okay? You've been running around the bakery and stared off into space, you don't even notice me being here"

Oh shot he saw me!? God that was so stupid. Do i look so weird just now?? God what the hell "um yeah..haha no worries, sorry i was having a weird dream"

"Did you ate yet? I uhh..bought some food for you and me..soo...wanna eat together?" He showed her the paper bag he has, probably containing food he meant.

"Sure! It's been a long time we didn't eat lunch together!"

Leon and y/n sat down on one of the bakery's seat, happily chatting with each other completely forgetting whatever happened just now.

Night fall upon the village, everyone is ready to be asleep, unless y/n. She's currently sitting on her bed reading book even though she can't read them as her mind is focusing on something else. That damn 'lady in red' keeps her mind occupied, it felt like she need to find her, she need to know who is she. She felt her body move on it's own, her mind is occupied with 'lady in red' to notice that she has been walking deep into the wood behind the village. Then, she heard a loud scream and knowing it must be a bad sign she tried to ran to the opposite direction she's standing. Until she saw someone kneeling on the ground.

I think i can ask her for a help!

She approach her and the person stand up, looking back at her. My face draws an absolute horror towards her, her blood covered mouth and red dress, just like 'lady in red' huh? And more scarily, her hand holding an organ. Just beside her is a dead body with some of her organs missing. I think i fucked up.

"Ah sorry for the bad first impression, dear y/n" the lady speak.

Fuck, she knew my name. I fucked up so bad this time.

"Don't be scared y/n i won't hurt you, ever. Name's Ada Wong, you catch my eyes y/n l/n. Let me keep you forever hm?" She said while approaching me. I know i should've run, but i think my body became frozen, it felt just like when i was in the bakery this noon. She dropped the organ she held and took out a little tube with syringe, she held my face with her bloodied hand and caress my cheek. She looked at me with adoration in her eyes while she inject me with the strange liquid she held. Y/n felt a soft lips against her forehead before she fall unconscious.

Y/n woke up on a comfortable bed, feeling her head being hurt so much. Everything seemed to be blurred, and she felt a warm hand caressing her head. She looked around only to found that she was in a bedroom belong to God knows who, she looked to the right and found 'lady in red' -or Ada Wong she said- beside me, remembering what she did last night scared y/n to death and made her jumped out the bed, running into whatever door she could find. Ada seemed to let that happened and smiled thinking to herself.

So you wanted the chase game? Okay then y/n

Meanwhile y/n was running downstairs and into seemingly the main door. She ran there until a figure blocked her way.

"Ah ah ah, no sweetheart. You'll regret it going outside" she held y/n by her waist to not let her running away more. Y/n struggled to let herself go but seems like she's stronger than she looks.

"P-please let me go" y/n felt her eyes pricked and her heart beating fast.

"I would love to, dear. But if i did, you'll do something you don't want to" Ada seems unamused by how y/n writhe against her, but y/n didn't gave up and keep trying.

"This is why you caught my eyes y/n. You never gave up and always try your hardest, such a sweet little human. I wanna keep you for myself, can't i?" Y/n didn't answer and keep trying. "Fine, you can go, but i'll warn you y/n l/n, as soon you stepped out there you might change into...something you didn't want. You'll come back to me eventually." She let go of her hands and y/n ran as fast as she can outside. She found herself in the middle of the unknown place, but she trust her instinct to run to the left and soon she found herself back to the village. As soon as she got there, Leon notices her first and went to hug her.

"Where have you been!? You've been missing for half a day! Did you got hurt? Did you meet something unusual? Are you okay?"

"L-leon, i'm completely fine. See not hurt! I'ill explain to you later..i felt a bit unwell"

Leon only nods in understanment and guide y/n into my house not far ahead. Y/n felt weak, her head is spinning around and she felt the urge to tore her skin apart. Yet she ignore it either way and just rest upon the bed until she fell asleep.

Y/n woke up in the middle of the night with a moonlight shining through the window of your bedroom. You walked out of your room just to find a food on the table with a note 'from Leon :)'. Your heart flutter at this discovery and began to eat the soup as you felt hungry, probably from not eating the whole day. Finishing eating, she put them on the sink and decided to take a walk outside.

Who know, maybe it's just a dream?

Breathing into the fresh air, y/n heard a sound calling for her. She whipped her head left and right to find who it was and no one is really there, no one unless a little deer looking at her from the distance. Y/n stupidly followed it, she thinks the deer is going to show her something. 5 minutes of running and they're in the middle of somewhere inside the wood. Y/n was tired, she felt like she wanted to tore her skin, that feeling was so great that y/n couldn't help but tore the deer's skin with her bare hand. The deer screech in agony and y/n felt a relieved over that sound, it's like a lullaby to her. She wanted more. She tore more of the deer's skin and breaking it's bone. Y/n felt happy, it's been a long time she didn't feel this level of happiness. She started to devour anything she can see from the deer's inside, heart, stomach, liver you name it, anything that could quench her thirst. It's a strange feeling. How come she felt this way?

"Y/n darling i think you've ate enough off that deer. Look at it, it's empty now."

A familiar voice snap y/n out of her cloudy thought. She looked down only to find her hand is soaked in blood and a dead deer in front of her, she jumped in surprise and back up from the dead deer.

"I told you to not go outside. And i guess you have to found out the hard way."

"Wait Ada, what just happened? Did you do this?" Y/n said, trying to stand up but her legs seems to gave up.

"Me? Very funny. It was you, obviously."

"The fuck? No way! I would never kill an animal, i just...can't"

"Yes way, honey. You've turned into one of me, 'a monster', 'a psychopath', whatever you called it. Let's go back to my house yes? I'll tell you more about it there. Beside, how did you will explain this to those villager?" Ada extend her hand to help y/n up and y/n gladly accept the help.

"R-right, but what about th-" y/n pointed at the dead deer.

"Leave it there and let nature do it's work"

Ada lead the way to her house while y/n is not far behind her.

The walk there filled with a slightly uncomfortable silence and a little squeak from animals around them. And finally they both arrived at the traditional modern house owned by Ada Wong herself. She let y/n in and sat her down in one of the couch with her sitting awfully close to y/n, she even put her head on y/n's shoulder.

"So, i know you have a thousand question. Ask me and i'll answer them" Ada started while gazing lovingly at y/n.

"Um..but can you like...not getting to close to me? I'm sorry, i'm a bit...uncomfortable?"

"But i'm your master, can't i be close to you? And before you ask, yes i turned you into a 'monster' like me, don't worry buttercup you're not fully turned yet. Maybe tonight you will.."

"What do you mean!? I don't wanna be a psychotic monster who destroy someone's life like you! And master!? Do you think i'm a pet or something!?" Y/n backed up, terrified of her discovery.

"I know it's shocking, but i wanna keep you forever with me and those villager are just a pest to us. So me turning you into monster are just for our own good and about that master thing..you can't get to far away from your master or you'll turn crazy, remember those deer? Poor little deer have to suffer from your own selfishness, soon it may be human."

Ada got closer again to y/n, inches away from her face. "It's your choice now, stay here with me or left and harm your loved one" Ada left and goes to the kitchen, leaving y/n blushing mess on the couch.

Holy shit that's hot. Fuck no! You can't fall for her, she's a monster, she even kidnap you!

"Y/n did you eat yet? Come on i'll show you your room, you can eat there since i know you wanted an alone time" Ada grab y/n's hand lightly to pull her up from the couch. Y/n suddenly went to hug Ada.

"I'm scared..i don't want to kill people. Please *please* keep me from hurting people."

Ada could feel y/n body trembling a little.

"Darling, you won't. As long as you stay with me, as long as you're being good for me. Do you think you could do that?"

Y/n went quiet for a second before nodding her head. She made up her mind, she will live here and never go out again, if possible lock herself up so no one especially Leon got hurt by herself.

And that happened a year ago, now, y/n has fully adapted on her way of living and Ada Wong. They even started to date each other around a month ago and that strengthen their bond more. But one particular person catches Ada's eyes one more time. It was this boy that y/n has a crush on, Leon Kennedy. At first Ada don't understand what's charming from him to the point that her beloved y/n fell for him, but she understood now.

"Y/n what do you think about bringing Leon Kennedy into our pact?"

Y/n's face lighten up with the mention of adding another person into their life, she has been dreaming about it since forever and the fact that Leon was the one that will be there, she was more than happy.

"Oh. My. Gosh. You're kidding!? Of course i would love to!" Y/n went to hug Ada, radiating happiness to anything around her.

"But you never told me how to do it though? Will it hurt?"

"Maybe a little. I just need to bite him while doing a little mating ritual, that's all, just like what we did a month ago." Ada winked at her, happy to see her all red and flustered.

"Stop mentioning that one! What about me? What am i gonna do?" Y/n let go of her, earning a little displeased grunt from Ada.

"Sit there and look pretty of course. What? Do you want to bite him too? Hm, i didn't know my baby is kinky" Ada teases, earning a light slap on her arms.

"But won't he be upset if we force him to do it?"

"Don't worry about that one, i have my own special way. Now go back inside, i'll go hunting for some food" Ada smiled to herself as she watched y/n goes back inside. And if you're curious of her 'special way' it was just a spell that Ada use to manipulate someone's mind, she has been using it for as long as she can remember, mostly to lure her victim, but now she always use it to make y/n stay with her.

It's for your own good

Ada thought as she left the house. Little did y/n know, Ada was going to her underground lab not far from there, that was the place she made injection and practices spells. After 2 hours without Ada, y/n felt bored and decided to take a walk around, letting her mind wonder off. Unknowingly, she walked a bit too close to the edge of the woods.

"Y/n?" A raspy male voice calling her from the distance.

Shit! Y/n ran off as fast as she could, unfortunately the male ran after her into the wood.

I can't run into the house, he'll know about Ada Y/n decided to turned around and face him.

"Leon! Stop!" Y/n said with heavy breathing. "L-listen, I-" her words halting as Leon fall down into unconsciousness with Ada behind him, holding a now empty syringe.

"What did you get yourself into, little y/n?" Ada kneel down on Leon and check his pulse.

"I'm so so so sorry to fuck this up! I was wandering around too far and he saw me!" Y/n explained in panic.

"Well, i guess we don't really have to kidnap him from the village. Consider this as a bonus, maybe? Come on let's go back and claim this handsome boy" Ada said as she picked him off the ground and walking off, y/n walking just beside her.

Leon woke up in a strange bedroom with a (h/c) colored woman cuddle up against his chest.

"Oh you woke up?" Ada put down the glass of water on the bedside table.

"I'm sorry, where am i?" Leon tried so hard to remember anything, but he got nothing.

"You seriously didn't remember? You got drunk last night, thankfully your girlfriends was there to help you up." Ada helped him sit up and gave him the water.

Right...i was getting drunk with Ada and y/n. Gosh that was fun "Mind join us cuddling, Ada?" Leon said while lifting the blanket for her to get in, which Ada happily do.

"So, are you ready to make a pact with both of us tonight?" Ada let out her smirk and Leon was blushing like crazy, knowing full well that what she meant is the mating ritual. Ada let out a lighthearted laugh, knowing that she succeeded on tricking those 2 humans into loving her. So easy to fool.

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