Peaky Blinders One Shots and Imagines (Reader Insert)

Meet Cute (Michael Gray x Reader One shot)

Credit to the Gif Creator

Summary: A little one-shot, about how Michael comes to meet the reader

Word Count: 1400 even

Warnings: This one-shot is a rewrite of a scene from season 2, so there are a couple of racist remarks, just like in the original scene, so please skip this one-shot if you think it may trigger you. I in no way condone racism

A/N: The heading is a reference to one of my favourite rom-coms, The Holiday.

Hope you enjoy and please, feel free to drop me a message, feedback is always welcomed and encouraged.

Isaiah was right, the Marquis was crawling with beautiful unattached women, women that sat at tables sipping on drinks they bought with their own money, no beau attached to their arms as they laughed and flirted with any man of their own choosing. Times certainly were changing and right now Michael could only see the benefits of all those changes.

Walking up to the bar they both ordered their drinks and as the bartender was busy fulfilling their order, Michael turned around to lean up against the counter. Looking across the room his eyes quickly came to settle upon one very beautiful girl. There she sat chatting and laughing with her friend, her (HC) hair sat in loose gentle curls that almost reached her shoulders, not quite the latest fashion, yet somehow looking perfect, framing her stunning features. Michael found it almost impossible to keep his eyes from her, finding it hard to believe there were currently no men interested in competing for her affections.

The bartender placed the drinks to the counter with a loud clink, breaking Michael from his reverie and for a moment both he and Isaiah remained there, leaning up against the counter drinking mouthfuls of their whiskey and chatting. Yet before long, his eyes drifted back upon the beautiful girl at the table, where he found her gazing curiously at him, the most exquisite smile gracing her lips. Michael was sure he felt his cheeks grow red at her attention and quickly averted his gaze to the floor, Isaiah noticing his reaction with a laugh, "Seen somethin' you like, Mickey?"

Clearing his throat, he took a sip of whiskey not bothering to answer. All the while, looking to his feet, praying Isaiah wouldn't turn around and bring more attention to him. Lifting his head from the floor, he found his prayers unanswered, watching as Isaiah looked behind his shoulder to her table. Turning back to Michael he looked surprised, "What?... you haven't met her yet? Giving a bit of a snicker, Isaiah sounded amused as he slapped him across his shoulder, "You might be in with a chance there, no one else is good enough for her, hell, the men around here are too scared to even touch her with a ten-foot pole."

Michael looked at Isaiah, his face filled with confusion, "What do you mean... who is she?"

Shaking his head, Isaiah once again looked to him with surprise, "I really can't believe you haven't met her yet. That girl there is Tommy's cousin." Isaiah noticed how Michael's expression fell a little and he knew exactly what Michael was thinking, "Don't worry, she is no relation to you, she's Tommy's mother's niece, but she's practically a little sister to them."

Everything fell into place for Michael, his face dawning with awareness. "Ohhh...is that (YN) (YLN)." He had heard a lot about this girl but had never managed to meet her.

Isaiah nodded his head and smiled, "Yeah, probably the prettiest girl in all of Birmingham and no one's allowed to touch her, your cousins are very protective of her, but maybe they'll let you have a go."

Michael didn't know why Isaiah's last comment annoyed him so much, but it did and he found himself giving him a bit of a death stare, Isaiah put his hands in the air and laughed, realising he had hit a nerve, "I meant no disrespect," he then gave Michael a little smirk and with a nod of his head in her direction, he continued, "C'mon, let me introduce you, you can have (YN) and I'll take her friend."

Michael all of a sudden felt nervous, his heart speeding up as he made a move to follow Isaiah, though they were both stopped short when a man came between them and the girl's table. Giving Michael the quick once over he turned his attention to Isaiah, "I don't drink with Blacks."

Isaiah rolled his eyes and threw down his cigarette, "Here we fucking go."

The bartender realising exactly who the boys were, tried to diffuse the situation, "They're okay Paddy, let it be."

The man wouldn't let it go, "No, it's not, I said I don't drink in pubs with Blacks."

Michael was quick to speak in his friend's defence, just two simple words but his message was clear, "Then leave."

Again the bartender tried to intervene, "I'm tellin' you to leave it Paddy."

Still, the guy wouldn't let it go, clearly in search for a fight, his stupid friends gathering around to back him up. And after yet another smart comment, the guy pulled back to land a punch in Isaiah's direction, but was stopped short when (YN) hastily placed herself between them. Shoving her hand against the guy's chest, she pushed him back with a surprising amount of force, leaving Michael a little astonished. The man looked at her, his face going a little blank, unsure as to what he was supposed to do, then she spoke, "Are you bloody daft Paddy? Next time you want to pick a fight, make sure you know who you're picking it with." As she turned around slightly, Michael found himself close enough to look into her (EC) eyes, 'My God, beautiful,' was the only thought going through his head.

(YN) didn't notice him staring as she gestured towards Isaiah and, continued, "Don't you know he's a Peaky Boy?" Then moving her hand towards Michael, she continued, "And if I'm right, this here, is Michael Gray, Polly's son."

The man's expression grew panicked, almost scared as he backed away a couple of steps, his hands palms up in front of himself, "I'm sorry (YN), I never knew.... I never would have.... sorry." Turning to face both Isaiah and Michael, he gave them both his apologies and quickly made his way from the pub, looking in quite a hurry to leave.

Straightening out his suit, Isaiah looked to (YN), running a hand across his head, "We could have handled that, you know."

(YN) gave a little laugh, the sound causing Michael's heart to quicken, "Yeah, I know, but you would have ruined my evening and probably got my favourite pub burnt down." Then looking to Michael, she gave him a smile that found him holding his breath, "Besides, we don't want you boys messing up your handsome faces." Isaiah laughed at her reply as she turned her full attention to Michael, "So am I right? Are you Polly's son?"

Looking at him expectantly with her stunning (EC) eyes, Michael could feel his face heating up again, clearing his throat he nodded his head and answered her as well as his twisted tongue would let him. "Aah... Yeah... but... how did you know?"

With all the confidence in the world, (YN) gave him a look that told him she knew exactly the effect she was having on him. Taking her time, she picked off some imaginary fluff from his jacket lapel, "Well, your mother keeps telling me how handsome her son is and besides, you look so much like her it was easy to tell." Michael gave her a bit if a smile feeling like a shy schoolboy, before she added, "Why don't you and Isaiah buy me and my friend here a drink, then we can sit down and have a bit of a chat." Moving her hand from his jacket, she looked up at him through her lashes, the sight making him want to bite his lip, her words making his train of thought derail, "After all, we are... almost family."

With that, Isaiah clapped his hands together, obviously happy with the invitation, Michael feeling relieved when his friend replied for him, "I'll be in that, c'mon Mickey let's get these two lovely ladies some drinks."

Turning towards the bar, Michael inhaled quietly and smiled to himself, his heart still beating too fast in his chest, his cheeks still a little too flushed and his head awash with too many thoughts. Shaking his head he lit a cigarette and leaned up against the bar, unable to believe how much his life had changed since moving to Small Heath. Turning his head, his gaze settled upon (YN) as she sat there laughing with her friend, unable to stop the smile from spreading across his lips, thinking and hoping his life was just about to get a whole lot better.

please, feel free to drop me a message, feedback is always welcomed and encouraged.