Bloodsport ; tommy shelby

𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 - 1919

Iris turned up to the Garrison later on after fixing her hair into long, soft waves and doing her makeup. She wore a sleek black evening dress with her favourite fur-trimmed coat.

John was sitting by his wife Martha, who seemed to be in an unusually chipper mood. Ada and Polly were dancing drunkenly and Arthur was talking to Betty of all people by the booth.

Betty caught her eye, silently begging to help her slip away from Arthur's drunken ranting.

"The thing is about coppers..." Arthur was rambling when Iris came over.

"Hello, Arthur," Iris grinned, patting him on the back. "Betty, can I get you a drink?"

"Yes please," Betty said desperately, and she ushered the girl over to the bar.

Arthur didn't seem to mind, simply swivelling around to talk to someone else.

"You look beautiful," Betty said a little breathlessly.

"As do you, Betty," Iris smiled, signalling to Harry behind the bar. There was a tap at her leg, and she looked down to see little Finn Shelby holding up a glass of whiskey.

"Tommy said to get you," he explained. "He said to meet him in the back room."

Iris exchanged a look with Betty, and knelt down to eye level with the small boy. She took the drink.

"I hope you haven't drunk any yourself," she smiled, taking a sip.

Finn shook his head. "I've already had it before," the ten-year-old told her proudly. "Arthur let me try some on my finger on my birthday."

Iris raised an eyebrow. "What did you think?"

Finn grimaced a little and shook his head again.

"Stick to lemonade for now, eh boy?" She smiled, ruffling his hair.

The boy nodded, and Iris ruffled his hair, getting up.

"Good lad," she said, heading off to the back room.

She pushed the door open to a darkened room with a few round tables among the deep green interior. It was dimly lit in an orange glow, and Tommy sat at one of the tables smoking a cigarette. She shut the door behind her, the light from an open window illuminating her silhouette.

Iris raised an eyebrow as they locked eyes. "What's all this?" She asked, taking a sip of her whiskey.

"You like your drink?" He asked as she walked over.

Iris sat down in a chair across the table from him. "You know I do," she said, downing the rest.

He smiled, reaching over to a fresh bottle on the table. He poured her a glass and sat back. "Try this."

Iris obliged, letting the spiced but smooth liquid fill her mouth and tingle her throat. "Wow," she simply said. "That tastes expensive."

"It is," he said. "But I know better than to waste it on people who won't appreciate it."

"Like Finn?" Iris raised an eyebrow. "I'm sure he'll gain the taste for it."

Tommy let out a laugh. It was her first time seeing him since Christmas, and the air tingled with excitement. For a moment, Iris felt herself thinking that she never wanted to leave his side again. She'd never felt anything like it and it almost scared her.

"Come on, get up," he said, standing up and holding out a hand. "Let's dance."

Iris raised an eyebrow. "Are you asking me to dance?"

He chuckled again. He wasn't used to asking, rather than telling. "Iris Hancock, can I have this dance?"

She smiled, slowly slipping her hand into his, allowing him to whisk her up into his arms. He rested his hand on her waist and pulled her close.

"So he dances?" She noted.

"Only on special occasions." He said as their faces grew closer.

"You know there's only nine minutes 'till New Year," she said quietly.

"I know," he responded, his gaze flitting between her eyes and her lips.

"Don't you want to be there for the countdown?" Iris asked as they swayed.

"Don't you want to dance with me, Miss Hancock?" He said as he spun her around, pulling her back so they were even closer than before.

She smiled coyly, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Of course I do," she whispered as their lips met in a kiss. It was all she wanted to do.

Tommy pulled back for a moment, his blue eyes scanning her face. "You know sometimes I look at you and wonder who the fuck you are," he said.

Iris felt a pang of hurt in her chest at the reminder that no matter how close they grew, Tommy would never really know who she was. It was an utterly lonely feeling, not one that was foreign to a girl like her, but it hurt especially when it came to him.

"I've been told I have that effect on people," she said, breaking his gaze for a moment.

"I can imagine," he said. "But Tommy Shelby's not usually included in 'people'."

"Well, I'm unusual," Iris smiled.

"I'm aware," he said. They kissed again, and then he pulled out the pocket watch she'd bought him for Christmas. "Two minutes."

"We should go back," Iris murmured.

"I'd rather stay here." He said, his eyes on hers.

"I want to count down," she said, pausing before leaning closer. "And then we can go back to yours and make it our first fuck of 1919."

He raised his eyebrows with a small smile. "Let's go."

She took his hand, leading him out of the back room and into the party. Polly spotted them from over at the bar and walked over with a wide smile.

"Where the fuck have you two been?" She asked over the loud music.

"Never you mind," Tommy said. "Where's Ada?"

"She's sleeping in the booth, poor girl," Polly giggled. "Off her bloody face, she is."

The music died down with the clinking of a glass, and the room's attention went to John Shelby, who was standing on the bar tapping a fork against his glass.

"Right! Attention everyone!" He yelled, looking over at some chattering people in the corner. "Can we have some fucking quiet please?" The room fell silent. "Right, so Arthur's watch is wrong, and there isn't actually twenty seconds left of the year, there's fou— ah, bollocks, we've missed it. Oh well, Happy New Year!"

There was an uproarious cheer as John tugged at Harry's sign. Arthur drunkenly clambered up onto the bar next to him, swinging his arm around his brother's shoulder.

"Happy fucking New Year!" Arthur yelled. "From the Peaky fucking Blinders!"

The cutout number eight flipped around into an upside-down nine, but only for a second before Arthur tripped, pulling both John and the sign down with him.

Iris let out a laugh and turned to Tommy. He was smiling at her, and she felt herself smile back.