Forbidden Alliances // Alfie Solomons Peaky Blinders

(79) Compassion

*edited 03/19/23*

"I can't believe I'm fucking doing this..." she whispered under her breath, standing in front of the full-length mirror in Tommy's house in Warwickshire and shrugging on her blazer. She pulled her hair out from underneath and laid the rippling curls over the backside of her suit.

It was a strange sight to behold. Her hair was newly pulled from its curlers and lightly oiled. She never wore he hair like that when wearing a suit. Her hair was always ugly and rolled up under a flat cap—but not now.

She refrained from a tie or a bowtie, never liking them before, and hooked her father's pocket watch to the vest. The white button-up was laid against her skin, then the red-purple vest, and then the blazer of the same color. Her pants were perfectly pressed and her shoes were a pair of black, newly bought, unisex lace-ups. Her eyes had the slightest shimmering shadow and her lips were a mauve shade as she shoved a pair of silver hoops into her ears.

"You look beautiful."

Freya's eyes moved from her own reflection to her aunt sitting behind her, seeing her smile tenderly and appreciating the acceptance despite the disagreement.

Her waist looked slightly sinched despite the lack of a corset and she had to wonder if it was due to the fact Belle had a way with design or if it was because she had little time to eat since Tommy broke the news two weeks prior.

Either way, she looked stunning. Diamond pins kept the hair around her face pinned back, her fingers were laced in diamond rings and rubies, and her neck was wrapped in the necklace Alfie gave her for Christmas as well.

She twirled the silver pendant between her fingers and smiled as she looked in the mirror and read, 'Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.'

The green of Alfie's emerald and the yellow of her topaz didn't have anything to go with but she didn't care. They were so small anyway that no one would notice unless they were eying her with the intent to observe her.

"The symbol of the crown..." Polly pondered as she got to her feet, noticing the way Freya looked at it like it was the most beautiful diamond in the world. But it was only a piece of silver with slightly expensive gems that were so small they were barely worth more than a couple of pints in the Garrison. "Where'd it come from?" she asked, smiling up at Freya who looked even more beautiful than Polly remembered.

"It was a Christmas present the year before last..." she drew off, realizing it had been nearly a year and a half since she was with Alfie. She knew it felt like a decade but that was far too long to be away from a loved one. It was indescribable how she missed him.

"From who?" Polly was smirking like she knew something Freya didn't when her hands moved to her shoulders and patted her down and made her look like perfection.

Freya felt her cheeks begin to blush as she fought a smile.

"The Jew..." Polly drew out suspiciously, seeing how Freya reacted whenever she mentioned him. "It's been two years," Polly informed her.

"And he's written to me every week for one of them..."

Polly stopped touching Freya and pulled back incredulously. "You can't be serious." She met Freya's stare with disbelief.

"Honestly, I'm just as surprised as you are," she chuckled nervously, her hand going to the necklace again as she ran her finger over the stones. "I didn't know a man could go over a year without sex."

Polly scoffed, causing Freya's heart to speed up and her brows to furrow skeptically.

"Fuck, sorry." Polly sniffled, rubbing her nose and trying to contain her amusement.