Peaky Blinders Imagines

[Tommy Shelby] - Scintilla

Scintilla: noun; [Sin-till-ah] a tiny trace or spark of a specified quality or feeling.

Thomas Shelby was not a man that walked hand in hand with his emotions. It did not come with the territory. Instead, he kept his feelings to himself when he could, and the only time he showed them was in anger or annoyance. Never to you, though. As mad as he could get with his family, as furious as he could get with his adversaries, never once did Tommy show this to you. To you, he was kind, perhaps a little cold but not ever negative.

This feeling was new to Tommy.He sat at his desk, a cigarette lit and smoke surrounding him as he relaxed in the partial darkness of his office. Moments like this did not happen often for him, so where he got a few moments to slacken, he took it. On his mind tonight, was you. Taking a drag of his cigarette, Tommy let his mind wander to the first time he met you.

- The streets of Small Heath were not safe, for anyone. Tommy was making his way through the narrow back streets, hearing the water on the cobbles under his shoes as he walked. The night was cold and dark, usual weather in the North of England. As he turned a corner, more eager to get in and dry than anything, he felt a figure run into his chest and hit the floor.

"Sir, I- I'm sorry, I-" 

"S'alright, come here," Tommy offered you a hand as he cut your stuttering off, and pulled you up to your feet. "Not hurt are you?" 

"No." Tommy savored your voice; it was quiet, calm, the opposite of his own. As you stood a little straighter, your features were lit by the small amount of light in the alleyway.

You were easy on his eye, and your grateful smile caused him to inadvertently smile back. Footsteps were heard from the direction you came, and fear spread to your features. Tommy became protective, on instinct, and something in him sparked; he did not like seeing you so scared. A man rounded the corner, stopping when he saw Tommy. 

"And you are?" Tommy questioned, and the man failed to answer for a few moments. The young Shelby raised his voice. "I asked you who you are?"

Still, the man stayed silent, but his eyes landed on you. Without thinking, you curled into Tommy's side, though he was at present a stranger. He seemed safer than the man in front of you both. Feeling your reaction, Tommy pulled you closer into his side and partially behind him. Narrowing his eyes, the man no longer seemed brave. The Shelby stepped closer, making sure that you were a safe distance away. Backing the man against the wall, Tommy spoke lowly in a dangerous tone of voice.

"Listen, I don't know who you are or what you think you're doing, but if you ever so much as lay your fuckin' eyes on them again, it'll be the last thing your eyes do, right?" 

The man nodded, trying to glance at you behind the imposing gangster. Tommy blocked his every attempt, and the man skulked back the way you both came. Hearing you let out a small breath of relief, he turned back to you.

"Thank you, not often strangers are so kind around here," you were more confident with your voice now he was gone, and Tommy raised his eyebrows in agreement. 

"No need to thank me. What's your name?" 

"Y/N." A lovely name, he thought.

"I'm-"

"Thomas Shelby," he looked surprised, lighting a cigarette as he stared at you, waiting for the rest of your sentence. "I've seen you around. Not many people who don't know about the Blinder's." 

You chuckled airily at the end of your sentence, and Tommy felt something in his heart; just what that was he did not know. He offered you a cigarette, but you had declined.