love knows no bounds | thomas shelby

prologue

across the narrow street, nestled in the heart of small heath, lived thomas shelby and his brothers, arthur and john. they grew up admist the gritty backdrop of birmingham. though, in the midst of this neighborhood, there was a tiny flicker of light--a friendship that would stand the test of time.

eveline ward, a young girl with wistful baby brown eyes and a great spirit, lived just across the street from the shelby family. the little girl found solace in the company of the brothers as the troubles of her own household melted away. the endless arguing between her parents became a distant echo, blocked out by the laughter and carefree nature of their adventures.

it didn't matter whether the sun illuminated the cobblestone streets or if the neighborhood was being showered with rain, eveline would always find herself knocking on the shelby's front door, and her arrival was met with big grins.

in the make-believe world eveline had conjured, her baby dolls became her children, with thomas taking the role of the father. together, they built a realm filled with dreams and giggles, where for a moment, eveline could forget the harsh realities of her own household. she found warmth, love, and a sense of stability that she could not find in her own troubled home--not with parents who loved two things: drinking and arguing.

but the shelby brothers, as mischievous as they were protective, had a different game in mind--one that would ignite eveline's adventurous spirit. with playful smiles and a sparkle in their young eyes, they would challenge her to play cops and robbers. eveline, even while wearing her new white dress, would play the role of the law enforcer, chasing after the brothers as they raced through the streets, their laughter mingling with the echoes of their footsteps.

through their silly games, they learned to navigate the intricacies of life, weaving threads of friendship, loyalty, and shared dreams.

as time moved forward and childhood gave way to the uncertainties of adulthood, the bond between thomas shelby and eveline ward would be tested in ways they could never have anticipated. though, their shared memories of childhood would forever serve as a guiding light, reminding them of the unbreakable connection they built on the wet, rain-soaked streets of small heath.

so, their story begins, where childhood friends become guardians of each other's hearts, their lives forever marked by the spirit of a friendship born amidst the turmoil of life's most challenging storms.

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| DISCLAIMER |

hi beautiful people! before we start, i do want to preface by saying that i am in no way affiliated with the show peaky blinders, nor do i own the characters. evidently, all rights go to the amazing creators, cast, and crew. a lot of this story is going to be taken from scenes that happen in the show. this, however, is just fan fiction.

now that we got that out of the way, i do also want to say that i am american. one may read this story and think, "hmm.. that sounds a little too american.." and yes, i apologize! i am going to try hard to research and include the brummie dialect so everything sounds *somewhat* correct. but please, take your time with me and be nice!

and as always, thank you for reading! i hope you guys enjoy this story. i have wanted to make a thomas shelby fan fiction story for quite awhile now. i have made fan fiction in the past, but this is going to be my first real story!

enjoy! : )