Shelby heart- Completed

John- Starting a war

The peaky blinders had recently been involved in something out of their depth. Yet it seems that y/n is the only person who can see that. The New York mafia. Not someone you want to cross and yet somehow, John shelby managed to piss them off enough to start a fucking war

"So go on then, what's the urgent news?" Y/n asked as she rocked her 6 month old son in her arms. Her and John had decided to try for a baby last year and it didn't take long before she was pregnant. This is the couples 3rd child. First, they had when they were 16 and that boy is now 14. The 2nd, they had just after the war, now 6 years old, a girl. Johnny, the eldest, Peggy, the middle, and Peter, the youngest

"I don't want you to freak out. Because it sounds so much worse than it is. Just remember, everything is under control, and we are safe"

"John Michael shelby, what the fuck have you done?" Y/n asked making sure not to raise her voice from fear of startling her youngest

"The peaky blinders are at war"

"They're always at bloody war" y/n grumbled

"With the new York mafia" silence. Utter silence. What do you say to your husband after he starts war with one of the most powerful and dangerous group of people the world has ever seen

"We're going to win this, and then we can have everything" John promises putting his hand against her cheek lovingly. She looks him in the eyes as a tear falls

"I already have everything. And when they kill you, I'll be left with nothing" y/n barges past John and storms up to her room with her baby in arms. The second she sits on that bed, violent tears erupt and she clings onto her baby as she sobs. Peter begins to fuss and so she apologises

"I'm so sorry honey, see, I'm fine, all happy now" y/n lies smiling at her child and stroking the delicate, soft cheek as a way of calming Peter

"Mummy" Peggy is stood at the door with tears in her eyes after watching her mother

"I'm sorry sweetheart, I'm fine really. Are you OK?"

"Daddy's sad. And now you're sad too" her little lip wobbles, breaking y/ns heart

"I'm not sad my love. I'm just frustrated is all, a little bit angry. And I think daddy is tired in all honesty. He's very tired and perhaps you should go and give him a big hug to boost his energy"

"OK mummy. Do you need a hug too?" Y/n nods knowing that if she opens her mouth, then she will simply cry and never let go of her child. Peggy goes downstairs and sees John crying with his head in his hands at the kitchen table. Without saying anything, she goes over and sits on his knee wrapping her arms around him. He quickly wipes away his tears

"Mummy said you needed a hug"

"Mummy is a smart woman. Did you give her a hug?" He asks to which Peggy nods making him smile at her

"She says she's not sad, but she's angry. Is she angry at me?"

"No honey never. I think your mother is angry at me. I've done something very stupid and it's scared her very much. But it's ok, because I'm going to make everything right for all of us, I promise" he clings onto her for a little bit longer

That evening as they are eating tea, the tension is clear. Y/ns eyes are red from crying although she tries her hardest to hide the pain. John looks exhausted and hardly speaks. Peter sleeps, Peggy tries to talk and break the tension and Johnny sits looking at his parents as he tries to figure out whats going on

"My maths teacher says I'm top of the class, but I don't really understand my science lessons" Peggy goes through her school day bit by bit whilst y/n nods and tries to sound interested despite everything else flooding her brain

"Pegs, why don't you go and play upstairs with peter" Johnny suggests. She agrees happily and takes the baby up to her room

"Fucks going on?" Johnny asks his parents

"There's a war-"

"John" y/n warns quietly

"Peaky blinders have made enemies-"

"John" she says it again but louder

"We are at war with new York mafia" he finishes as y/n bangs her hand against the table angrily

"He's a boy, he doesn't need to know about fucking war"

"I was a boy when I went to war" John says

"You went to war so your sons wouldn't fucking have to! You fought for them, don't you dare try and involve our boy in this nonsense because I won't have him dying just like jacob" y/n yells at her husband making him feel incredibly guilty. Jacob was y/ns little brother. He was killed on a job with the peaky blinders after he'd become interested in John's work. When was a little kid, he idolised the peaky blinders and saw them as the coolest people ever. Now he's 6 foot under....age just 15.

"Mum, it's alright. I don't want to get involved. I'm not stupid enough to want war. The people who cause wars are the ones who let millions die so they can live fancier lives. I don't want to be like them. I'll Go to war when my country needs me, not when dad decides he doesn't like some fucking American bastard" and with that, he leaves his parents to talk it out

"Y/n I-"

"No! No, this time, I am going to talk, and you are going to listen! I met you when we were 7 years old. I loved you from the age of 12 and from the age of 16, we've been a family. We've raised a good fucking kid but we aren't finished yet. Johnny is getting into his teenage years, Peggy and Peter are little kids, they need parents to raise them. If you are stupid enough to start a war because you can't keep your trap shut, then maybe you don't love us as much as I thought you did. Because I would never speak for the rest of eternity if it meant being able to watch my kids grow up. Well now there's a good fucking chance you won't get to watch that because you dignify playground taunts with a response rather than thinking of your children. I love you John shelby, but if anyone, and I mean anyone, be it our kids, you, polly, Tommy, even fucking Michael die, then I will never forgive you" after she finishes, both parents are crying to one another

"I have made a horrid mistake, but I'm putting it right. Me Tommy and Arthur are working on an agreement with the new York mafia so war doesn't have to be an option. I won't let anything happen to my family, I swear on it. I'm going to fix this" John promises kissing his wife as she kisses him back. He holds her close whilst she sobs into his chest

"I'm so scared John. I'm so scared"

"I know baby, I'm scared too, but we'll get through this together, ay? Together"

That night, Johnny was lay in his bed staring up at the ceiling. He felt weird, like someone was watching him. He got out of bed and tiptoed to the window looking out onto the street. In the shadows, a man, watching him intently, making eye contact and smirking. It filled Johnny with dread as he stepped away from the window

BANG

The sound awoke everyone in the house. Peter and Peggy's cries echoed but the silence from Johnny's room was even more terrifying for the couple. And y/n stuck to her word. She never could forgive her husband...not ever