Thomas Shelby Imagines

The Other Man

You'd met Michael through Tommy. In fact, everyone you knew was because of Tommy, not that you didn't appreciate the almost obsessive protection, it was just that you didn't feel for Tommy the way he felt for you.

You often felt like you were deceiving him, in a way you were, you'd once told Arthur how you felt and he'd told you to never tell his brother for fear Tommy might go mad. But that became more difficult when Michael came along.

"You're thinking again." Michael observed when he came into the kitchen and found you staring into space, a teacup in your hands, waiting to be sipped from once you'd snapped out of it.

"Do you really have to go with him?" You asked and he raised an eyebrow, making a face that told you he wouldn't talk about it.

"He's too distracted to notice anything." Michael lent over and softly rested a hand on your shoulder. "Besides Solomons has a thing for you and he hasn't done anything about it yet."

"You won't let him hurt Alfie?" You asked, knowing if he did Michael may not make it out of London let alone back home.

"I'll see what I can do." He promised and you glanced up to see Tommy slowly walking past as if he'd been listening but didn't want to get caught.

Once Tommy had moved past Michael gripped your chin, tilting your head up, as he placed a gentle kiss on your lips.

Michael's gut flipped when Tommy and Alfie began arguing about you. Alfie decided that Tommy was paranoid, incorrectly portraying you as a quiet and well behave stay at home housewife. Tommy bellowed about the times you went missing, accusing Alfie of spending the time with you, when it was Michael you'd hidden away with.

"Tommy stop!" Michael yelled and dived between them when they got angry enough to start laying blows. "Bloody hell Tommy it's me."

"What... you?" Tommy muttered as he calmed down a little.

"Yes alright, there's a place that we rent that's just us two, no one knows about it so we can be alone." Michael swallowed and felt Alfie step back and head over to his men, seeming to understand that he was no longer needed in the argument that would follow.

"You... why would she...?" Tommy looked utterly perplexed and waited for Michael to tell him he was making it up to stop the fight.

"Because I love her Tommy, believe me she's grateful for everything you've done for her but she just doesn't..." He trailed off, unable to force Tommy to the harshness of his words.

"Get the fuck out of here." Tommy growled as he pulled himself from Michael's clutches and glared at him. "You take (Y/N) to that nice little hiding place and get the fuck out of my house."

Michael hesitated before deciding to take advantage of Tommy's breaking heart, hurrying to get back to Birmingham before Tommy, knowing that if he did you'd try and make it up to Tommy and you'd never forgive him for spilling your secret.