Rumours || Thomas Shelby [1]

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"FOR GOD'S SAKE, BOBBY. STOP YOUR WHINING." Kat growled at the pouting boy, who sat on his bed with his arms crossed across his chest. A thin sheen of sweat was present across his forehead, matting his hair to his forehead.

"You can't force me to do anything." Bobby protested, shaking his head in protest. He pushed the blanket away from his body but Kat quickly pushed it back. He glared at her with narrowed eyes. "You're trying to poison me."

"Just take your fucking medicine, Bobby." Kat snapped, shoving the spoon containing the medicine in his direction. It was gloopy in consistency and Kat was glad that she wasn't the person who had to drink it. She had no sympathy for Bobby, however. He had been acting like a brat since she entered the room with the dreaded bottle of medicine.

The forsaken day had finally come and Bobby had fallen ill. Kat knew if this happened she would be ill equipped to deal with it. His constant shaking and quivering baffled her as he would complain that he felt too warm. Why was he shivering if he was too warm? Kat's patience was running thin as Bobby kept pushing the blanket away and refused his medicine that Kat had to threaten the doctor for. She wasn't able to afford the medicine herself and managed to get it for free with the help of blackmail.

"Polly wouldn't make me take that poison! She actually looks after me, unlike you!" Bobby retorted harshly and Kat's face fell. She knew that she often left him alone with the Shelby's but she never knew that he was beginning to resent her for that. Kat had no choice in the matter, however, as she couldn't bring him with her to work but Bobby didn't understand that.

"Yeah? Well, maybe Polly will nurse you back to health then, you ungrateful brat." Kat snarled at him, standing up with speed. She chucked the spoon across the room, the contents spilling all over the floor but she didn't care. "How about you move in with them since I apparently don't care about you at all."

Kat stormed out of the room in a fury of rage. Tears of frustration leaked from her eyes as she recounted the argument that just happened. She hastily sat down at the kitchen table and sniffled to herself. She didn't know how to deal with an ill Bobby. When people got ill in Small Heath they tended to stay ill because of the living conditions they were forced to live in. A headache was forming in the back of her head as she thought about it more and she realized that she was completely out of her league. He wasn't terribly ill but he had a temperature and she didn't want it to develop into something more sinister.

"Kitty?" Bobby mumbled from the doorframe. He had heard Harry calling her that and had chosen to adopt the name himself. His sweating body was leaning against the doorframe and his knees shook, as if they were too weak to carry his weight. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean, I swear. I love you."

Kat's heart melted at his words and she nodded her head as she sniffled emotionally. Bobby stumbled over to her and engulfed her in a hug. Kat wrapped her arms around him tightly and closed her eyes as she did so. "I love you too, kid."