• THE ONE • A Thomas Shelby Fanfic •

C3 - Dreams

Twenty years ago

The first time I had met Thomas Shelby, I was twelve and he was fifteen. He had a fascination with horses and wouldn't stop ranting about them to me. Lucky for him, mum had a few ponies in the ranch. So that's where we spent our time, it was a breezy summers day. Birds were chirping, the farm animals were living their best lives. I had spent my days outside, especially given the lovely climate. The sun warmed my skin up, giving me a glow that was unfamiliarized by me. I was so used to having such pale skin in the winter and fall seasons. Finally, summer had come.

I found it a bit odd with Thomas. I had known Arthur because all of the girls fancied him and his recklessness. Thomas was more of the obscure, shy, reserved. He didn't speak much, and when he did it was to talk about the farm animals we had. He was funny, and made me laugh. But when things got quiet between us - things stayed that way. I made it apparent that I was nervous around the ponies. After all, one had bit me when I was a child. Pulling me away from playing with them.

"I want to own a horse, someday." He had told me, running his fingers over its hair, "Perhaps two if I have the means to."

I found myself smiling like a little girl seeing him take proper care of our pony. He turned around and looked at me curiously. "Why are you standing behind me?"

I froze, looking into those blue eyes. With the fact that I was younger than a boy older than me who was beautiful and gentle and charming, I couldn't help but blush. "I'm a little scared of them."

He laughed at me, it was brief, "Why? They're harmless creatures."

"Says you."

He chuckles before reaching for my hand. "Here," He steps beside me, I take a step towards the pony. Thomas moves out of the way, allowing me to stand close to the animal. He flattens out my palm against the pony's hair, and slowly, he lets go of my hand. "See, harmless."

Thomas strokes the pony's face, patting lightly. "They're the most innocent things." He whispers, the pony cuddles into Thomas's hand. "Hey, hello there."

Thomas turns to me, my heart fills with a foreign feeling of love. It doesn't make much sense, I had just met the kid! To this day, I think it were those eyes.

* * *

When I wake up, I find that I am laying in a bed foreign to me. I move my fingers under the pillow my head lays on, feeling the leather gloves around each of my hands. The same gloves mum had given me that are meant to protect me from feeling other people's emotions. But it's too late, I know exactly how Grace will die. And I know exactly how that'll ruin Thomas's character. I know too much already.

The man's already lost, but what'll happen when the person who showed him even a sliver of light dies?

"What happened to her?" Thomas asks. He hovers over me. I push my head into the pillow, squeezing my eyes shut.

My father, "She just fainted."

"Why?" There is pacing. Thomas is upset, but more than anything, he's concerned for me. "Is she okay?"

"I don't know." He tells him. "She took off her gloves, I don't know why she did that. I guess things got overwhelming for her once she did."