sweet french. peaky blinders

74

Finn

Finn Shelby had always been a family boy. His list of friends was rather numerous, but no one could match the value of which he held his brothers and Aunt. He was no more than a few days over ten when he first asked Tommy to be a part of the business, wanting nothing more than to be like him. He was verging on eleven when he followed John down the lane, only to find something he wish he could unsee. Still, he idolised them, no matter how many times Aunt Pol would call him stupid for doing so. 

Now Lucille was a part of his family and she too was someone he would follow to the end of the universe and back. 

It was not the end of the world, but London was further than he'd ever been.

They left in the early morning before the sun had even broken the horizon. John had left the car on Watery Lane, half mounted onto the path. It was likely that he was drunk when he'd driven it. But Finn was far a better driver, even when his brother was sober. Indeed, Lucille remarked upon the fact on many occasions as he drove them south through the country roads, speed increasing the longer they went without seeing another car and the further they got to the capital.

It was only as they neared their destination, that his confidence faltered. London was far larger than any place in Birmingham. The air was the same, dirtied and thickened by the distant pummels of smoke, painting the outlying skyline a charcoal grey. Far grander were the buildings of browns and painted white, their height reaching far into the sky, windows glistening in the low sunlight. It hadn't seemed possible, but the people were far ruder too as they bustled down the street, elbows manned liked weapons. 

Lucille took the lead, weaving through the streets on foot, the crumpled letter spread between two hands in an attempt to make the writing legible. Her stance held no sign of worry nor nervousness, only desperation. If Tommy were to see her now. He wondered what he would think.

"What do you think he wants?" Finn said as he quickened his stride to move into step with her, bringing his head down from where he gazed at the towering buildings that surrounded them.

"I never did know with Adam. He's always been impossible," Lucille said with a sigh. Her eyebrows creased her forehead, making her brown eyes look darker. 

"You good?"

She nodded briefly. "Yes. I am. I just wish this wasn't happening. I don't have the energy," she said. "I wouldn't be surprised if he turned around and said he was lying about my father being ill."

"And what if your father really is ill, what then?"

Lucille paused by the end of the street, blonde hair falling neatly to the side of her face as she turned. She swallowed, in thought, and pulled her hands tighter around the sleeve of her blouse. 

"Then I would go to see him," she said slowly as she moved to walk again. "It is what my mother would want."

"You never speak of your mum," Finn said. He supposed he never spoke of his own either. Perhaps she too had not known her. 

"It was a long time ago, when she died." That was all Lucille said about her mother before she stopped in the middle of the street and turned to gaze upon one of the townhouses. "This is it."

Finn frowned. In the time she'd been with them in Birmingham, he hadn't thought of the man she once would have called husband. She and Tommy seemed too perfect to think that they ever would have been another way and the man himself seemed unworthy. 

He hadn't known what to expect, but Adam certainly wasn't it.

The man who opened the door to them was shorter, remaining at eye level to Lucille. Finn towered above him, even at his younger age and he felt his eyes drifting down and down until they lay flatly on the sneer than painted his lips. Finn didn't need to see the man to know that he hated him, but laying eyes on his scowl had certainly made him sure. 

In spite of it, he was still handsome in a way that was unusual. His jaw was elongated and slim, his wide eyes a glossy shade of honeyed brown. Broken language fell from between his lips, along with words broken in persuasion.

The two stared at each other for a moment. Adam opened the door slightly, but Lucille shook her head. The mere expression on her face proved her refusal. The last thing she wanted was to lead him falsely into thinking she trusted him. The last thing Finn wanted to do was follow her in.

"You have to come home," he said slowly, in French at first. He watched her with wary eyes, trailing up and down. 

"Home? Is that what that was?" Lucille spoke in English, and he quickly got the hint. "Home is where my daughter is. Home is here, now, Adam."

"You are making a mistake."

"Why?"

"Is this still about the letters?" He lowered his voice and glanced down the street when he realised he was shouting. "How many times do I need to apologise for you to come home."

"An apology won't conceal your double life. It won't erase the fact you left me lonely all those years so you could tend to them." Lucille never once let her chin drop. "I feel sorry for the woman who loves you."

"They've changed you, Luci," he said.

"It is for a good reason, at least," she said, voice quiet and somewhat unbothered. "What was your excuse, Adam? Was I not good enough? Not young enough, not pretty enough? Or did I have too much of my own mind?"

"Your father is ill."

Finn glared at him from where he stood behind Lucille, but Adam didn't let his eyes move anywhere but her face. He either hadn't noticed him or simply refused to acknowledge him. But Finn moved close to her side so he could no longer deny his presence. 

"That isn't one of your old lies to lure me back?"

His lips twitched. "I swear on my own life."

"Then it must be true," Lucille snapped, eyes darkened by the shadows of anger. 

Adam let out a harsh, incredulous laugh as his hand reached to pull in the back of his collar.

"If you won't come back for me, come back for him. He needs his daughter."

"He could have thought about that when he lied," she said as she swallowed. "Tell him his granddaughter is happy."

Lucille glanced back to Finn and nodded. That was all she had to do for him to understand what she wanted.

"Goodbye, Adam," she said lastly before walking again.

Behind them, Adam started forward, and for a moment, Finn was scared. He was a tall boy, but he'd never been as well built as his brothers, and he had to admit that sometimes age was a benefit. He had neither the passion nor the anger to be as violent as Tommy, and he feared to think what would happen should he return with a black eye with Lucille in to behind him, when he hadn't even known about their trip.

"Lucille."

"She said goodbye," Finn shouted, stopping in front of him, blocking her from view.

Adam's eyes lay on Finn for a single moment before he leaned to see Lucille. "What, you've got a bodyguard now?"

"No. This family loves each other. This family protects each other," she said, meaning lacing her words. "Finn is family."

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Gonna try out different POVs to keep things interesting