Peaky Blinders. One shot and imagines

School teacher - Part 12 - Tommy x Reader

(Y/n) couldn't help but chuckle, as she looked at the man in front of her. Thomas Shelby hadn't changed since she had been gone from Small Heath. She knew that it wasn't too long; but some people could change drastically even in a short space of time. Yet Tommy............no, he hadn't changed; and in a way, she was glad to see him.

"I knew those letters would come back to haunt me; that they were a sure fire way to find me, if anyone was so inclined. But I couldn't resist; I knew where you lived, so I wrote to Charles. I just wanted to know that he and the other children were alright. To tell them that I was sorry for leaving them. I only meant to send one; but.............well, all the children replied, and one letter turned into another, then another. They kept me going when I was at my lowest........." (Y/n) began, moving out of the way, as her grandmother appeared with the tea tray.

"Let me know if you need another pot, dear............." Her grandmother said, smiling at (Y/n) before she left the room and closed the door behind her. The school teacher taking a seat and gesturing for Tommy to sit back down.

"Hello, Mister Shelby.............its nice to see you again..............."

"Is it...................?" Tommy asked, as he happily accepted the cup of tea.

"Yes..........it wouldn't have been if you had come looking for me sooner; but now, yes................" (Y/n) replied, as she sat back in the old comfortable chair.

"I suppose that Charles told you where I could be found. I did ask him and the others not to say anything. Not about me sending them letters, I was fine with that; no, just about where I lived. But I guess as you are here, he let it slip............." She continued, as she took a sip of tea. The warm liquid helping to slowly heat her bones.

"He had a good reason..................."

"I don't doubt it. He's a good boy.............So, what is this good reason..........?"

"Arthur...................." Tommy replied. (Y/n) placing her cup back on the saucer and the whole thing on the table.

"Arthur...................? I came out here to get away from your brother, because of your brother; and please don't take this as rude, but he is none of my concern. If there is something wrong with him, then that is for you, for the family to deal with. Or perhaps you should have saved yourself a very long journey and just gone to see the women that he was with that night, or any of the others that he spends time with. I am sure that they would be of far more use to you, than I would be. In all honesty, Mister Shelby, I would be happy to never hear your brother's name, or have to think about that night, ever again. So, I cannot understand why you are here................"

"I know that, and believe me I wouldn't be here if I didn't have to be. I promised that I wouldn't come and find ya; that I would allow ya to enjoy whatever life you've managed to make for yourself, and I had every intention of keeping that promise. Arthur doesn't.........didn't deserve ya, and I wouldn't be here if it wasn't my last option........." Tommy began, as he finished his tea; wishing that he could ask for something stronger.

"Last option................? Well, its nice to know what I am........... I should, really ask you to leave you know. My grandparents have no idea what made me give up my teaching position to come up here. I told them I just needed a change. I needed clean air. If I had told them the truth, my grandmother would probably have slammed the door in your face, and my grandfather would have loaded his shotgun. But, I will listen to what you have to say, for Charles' sake; for the sake of the children I left. Now, what is it about Arthur................?" (Y/n) asked, as she sat back in her chair.

Tommy had to admit that he was a little taken aback. Whatever had happened to the school teacher since she had left Small Heath, had certainly made her stronger, more forthright. What had left Birmingham, was a sweet, modest, possibly slightly naïve woman. Yet what was before him now, was something so much more.

"The day ya left; I confronted Arthur after I had been to your house. I showed him ya letter. Told him that I wasn't going to find ya. I told him that it was his own fault................."

"I still don't understand why..................."

"He's tried to kill himself..........he's trying to kill himself. He's always drinking; taking more drugs than I've ever known him take. We find him every other day in the street, having been thrown out of one pub or another. His anger has got out of hand, and even I'm afraid of what he could do to himself or someone else. I caught him one day sitting on his bed with a pistol in one hand and the dress that I had pulled from your bin, in the other. He needs to see you, (Y/n); I don't expect anything............I just want you to talk to him. Maybe it might help................."

"And if it doesn't..............?"

"Then I don't know what'll happen. I don't want my brother to die. I know ya cared about him, I could see it in ya eyes. And if there's any of that care left, I know ya won't want him to die either." Tommy explained, watching as (Y/n) got to her feet and made her way over to the fire.

What could she say.............? What had happened that night, hurt her. She had hoped, foolishly, that there could be more between her and Arthur, than just an acquaintance. That she could be the one to call the handsome older man, hers. So, she had cared..........did care. And no matter what had happened, she had no desire for Arthur to hurt himself. For him to die.

"Fine.............I'll come with you if that's what you want; I'll talk to him. But I'm not staying in Small Heath for any longer than I have to. I want to be back here before Christmas. And then...........I hope that you will keep to that promise............."