love knows no bounds | thomas shelby

silent storms

the sky above small heath was a somber canvas of gray, thick clouds looming ominously overhead. rain fell relentlessly, a steady drizzle that veiled the streets in a misty haze. the sound of droplets tapping against windows and rooftops echoed through the alleyways. it was a melancholic symphony that seemed to match the mood of the day.

the streets, usually bustling with activity, now lay deserted, shrouded in a cloak of dampness. puddles formed on the uneven cobblestones.

for the shelby family, the dreary weather seemed to mirror the darkness that had cast its shadow over their lives. ada remained locked away in her room, with her newborn baby cradled in her arms. despite polly's attempts to coax her out with food and comfort, ada couldn't bear to emerge from the safety of her sanctuary.

eveline dressed herself in a cream-colored button-up shirt, the fabric crisp against her skin, paired with sleek black slacks that hugged her figure. with nimble fingers, she pinned back her wavy brunette locks, securing them away from her face.

as much as eveline longed to remain at home with ada, to offer comfort and support during this tumultuous time, she knew that succumbing to her anger and frustration would only serve to consume her. the turmoil surrounding freddie's situation and her feelings toward thomas weighed heavily on her mind, threatening to overshadow her every thought.

determined to maintain her composure and keep her emotions in check, eveline made the decision to stay busy, to distract herself from the chaos unfolding around her. avoiding thomas, at least for the time being, seemed like the best course of action, and so she opted to work.

before eveline could descend the stairs, she caught sight of polly leaving, with the slam of the door punctuating her departure. her gaze then shifted to where thomas stood. his posture was tense and his expression was clouded with evident frustration. 

upon locking eyes with the man, eveline felt a surge of discomfort wash over her. she quickly averted her gaze, unwilling to engage with him in that moment. it was as if she hoped that by not acknowledging him, she could somehow avoid the tension simmering between them. 

eveline then went down the stairs, the footsteps making noise.

thomas, however, remained rooted to the spot, with his eyes following eveline's every move as she made her way down. despite her attempts to evade his gaze, she couldn't shake the feeling of his eyes boring into her.

finally breaking the silence with his thick voice, thomas addressed her.

"right.. and where d'you think you're off to, eveline?"

eveline, without making any eye contact, grabbed her black coat and responded with defiance in her tone.

"i'm off to do secretary things now. got a job to do, same as you."

with her coat draped over her arm, eveline opened the door and stepped out into the rain, leaving thomas standing alone in the silent house.

as the day wore on, arthur called for a strictly family-only meeting at pol's. the rest of the shelby clan had assembled, but they were waiting on two crucial figures: thomas and eveline. eveline had been rushing around all day, causing her to be fashionably late for the gathering.

as she hurried to polly's, eveline sensed a familiar presence behind her. turning around, she found thomas walking just a few steps behind. they exchanged a quick glance before reaching polly's door together.

eveline pushed open the door, with tommy following closely behind her.

"ah, speak of the devil," came a voice from inside the room.

eveline and thomas looked up to see arthur shelby sr. standing before them. their eyes widened in disbelief, and their mouths hung open in shock.

neither of them could believe who was standing in front of them.

"how are you son?"

thomas remained silent, his eyes fixed on his father. sensing thomas's reluctance to respond, the gray-haired man turned his attention to eveline. he scanned her from top to bottom.

"look at you, all grown up," arthur shelby sr. remarked. "do you still wear them poofy white dresses like you used to when you were a kid?"

a faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

thomas stared at his father, his expression unreadable as he questioned eveline.

"get out," thomas commanded, with a nod indicating the door.

eveline turned her head to look at thomas, who stood there with an air of defiance, his jaw set in determination.

"come on, son. i'm a changed man."

thomas remained steadfast, unmoved by his father's words.

"this family needed you ten years ago when you walked out on it. not now," he stated firmly. "get out of this house."

arthur sat at the table, with his voice trailing off as he attempted to defend his father. 

"tommy, he's different.." he began, but before he could say anything else, thomas cut him off with a sharp command.

"you shut up."

"it's alright, son. arthur shelby never stays where he is not welcome," the father responded calmly. his voice was tinged with resignation as he began to gather his coat.

with one last look at thomas, he offered a parting remark.

"quite something you've become."

as arthur shelby sr. made his way to the door, he paused to ruffle finn's hair. it was a bittersweet gesture of farewell. finn glanced back at the figure, but john pulled him forward.

the weight of the moment settled heavily on the family.

silence descended upon the room as the shelby's processed the exchange that had just taken place. despite eveline's resentment towards thomas, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of sympathy for him and his brothers. his father's attempt to reconnect with his family were overshadowed by the specter of his past actions--his abandonment of his children, and his manipulative and abusive behavior. 

the wounds he had inflicted ran deep, only leaving a legacy of pain and mistrust.

breaking the silence in the room, arthur stared down at the table before him, his gaze unwavering as he whispered, "he's our dad."

thomas shook his head incredulously as a bitter laugh escaped his lips.

"he's a selfish bastard," he retorted.

a small grin tugged at the corners of arthur's lips at thomas's response.

"you calling someone a selfish bastard? that's a bit rich, tommy."

eveline's ears perked up at arthur's words, her gaze narrowing as she stared daggers at the man. she felt a surge of indignation rising within her at his audacity. 

deep down, eveline knew that thomas could be selfish at times, but she was the only one allowed to admit it. 

though, thomas's expression remained stoic as he pointed towards the door, his tone firm.

"you want to see him? you can go with him."

as the tense atmosphere enveloped the room, eveline found herself at a loss for words. she knew that there was nothing she could say that would ease the shelby brothers complicated feelings towards their father, so she remained silent.

finally, arthur lifted his gaze from the table and directed it towards the door.

eveline watched as arthur hesitated. with a decisive nod, he rose from his chair and moved to stand in front of thomas.

for a moment, arthur seemed lost in contemplation, struggling with his decision before finally turning to leave without uttering another word.

in that fleeting moment, arthur chose the man he was named after, even if it meant walking away from the rest of his family.