Thomas Shelby Imagines

Will You Be Here?

News travels fast, words that the women of Birmingham proved very true to Tommy. He'd told you that the Shelby's were going legal and all he'd need is a license on the race tracks, he'd foolishly thought he could leave his explanation at that, that you'd never find out just how he was going to have to obtain what he wanted.

He swallowed when he stopped outside the small apartment you shared, he'd already had an earful of Poll, you'd turned to her as a means to talk out your thoughts and for guidance as to how you should deal with him.

It wasn't the hours of screaming and yelling that he thought would be inevitable that stopped him from entering your home. Polly had struck home when she reminded him that he could only expect you to put up with so much and that every bad decision he made put you in danger to.

You'd probably move in with Poll until you found your way in the world and then it would be too late, before the war you would have depended on him but now there was no need for you to do so. He swallowed as the thought of you with another man, a better man filled his head and he finally made his way into your home.

The thought of saying anything to Tommy about the current situation vanished when you saw the state he was in. You gripped him by his jacket lapels and pulled him to the kitchen where you roughly sat him down, he closed his eyes and clenched his jaw when he realised you weren't going to talk to him.

"(Y/N) ... we needed to make a move." Tommy started to explain as you set the kettle on the cooker and waited for it to warm up as you retrieved a bowel and cloth so you could clean him up.

He watched you move around the kitchen and let you stand between his legs as you dipped the cloth in the bowl of steaming water. His heart began to pound in his chest as you cleaning him up so gently, he wasn't in control, you were always open with him about how you were feeling and now he had no idea.

Your fingers ran through his hair and down his neck as you tilted his head up and pressed softly on his split lip. The Blinders mind was whirring, what did he have that you wanted, how could he convince you to stay with him, would you even hear him out if he told you what was going on?

"It's not as easy as just going legal." Tommy muttered when you stepped away from him. "It's going to take time."

This is the same thing that Poll had said, you understood but it still hurt that he hadn't told you what was really going, you'd thought he trusted you with his own life but now it felt like he had never trusted you at all.

Before he could see the tears prick your eyes you slammed the now empty bowl down, heading over to the door where you grabbed your over coat. He was up and across the room before you could reach the door, pushing you away from it as you angrily pounded against his chest, still refusing to say a word.

"I might have fucked up but I'm not a fool (Y/N), I get that I've messed up but I'm not going to let you out alone after midnight." Tommy said forcefully.

You wanted to slap him and tell him he was wrong, that you could look after yourself out there. But Thomas' hand on your waist was a reminder that he was only trying to protect you, like he always did in his own long plotted ways.

That was when you took your first long look at Tommy. His cheek bones and jaw were both dusted with large purpling bruises, his split lip was slowly swelling but when you met his gaze you found something worse than the bruises and cuts that you'd cleaned up, fear.

His forehead rested on yours as you slid a hand to the back of his neck and watched the rare swirl of emotion run through Tommy's eyes. His grip on you loosened when he realised you were no longer planning to run off but he didn't let go or move away from you.

"I need you to give me time, I thought it would be easier and that it would be done by now." Tommy admitted "Please don't leave me (Y/N)."

"You've had time Tommy, every time you promised it was the last time and I finally believed you." You muttered making him swallow nervously.

"But this time..." His desperate tone did nothing to persuade you that he would keep his word.

"This time you mean it, you're tired of staying up and worrying about us, your family, our future so you've decided to find a way that will keep us all safe." You finished for him.

He watched you head over to the spare room, never had your arguments ever gotten so bad that you slept in a separate bed, but there was nothing he could do to persuade you he meant what he said.

"Will you be here when I get back from the bookies?" Thomas asked quietly, his voice timid and fearful.

"I'm sorry Thomas." The use of his full name had tears almost flowing from his eyes. "I don't know this time."

He watched as you shut the door and stood there alone as the kitchen fire slowly died out, heading to the liquor cabinet knowing he'd get no sleep with the fear of you leaving hanging over him.