Peaky Blinders Imagines.

•Michael Gray•

A/N: So this was request by @MariaSeavey006
Thank you so much for all of your support, you really are the best! I hope this is what you wanted and sorry it took so long! Xx

It's an average Friday afternoon as you sit in the side room of the Garrison with Michael and his cousins. Alcohol flows freely as does conversation, all the worries of the week slowly slipping away with every drink you have. Michael's arm is wrapped around your shoulder while you lean into his warm body, angelic laughter spilling from your lips as Arthur's joke finally meets its punchline.

It's times like these that you love the most, being able to see Michael so happy and relaxed, when gang business takes a back seat and the boys you love beyond belief are finally able to show their softer sides. You've known the boys a long time, even before Michael had been a part of the picture you had been a part of their mismatched family. You had recently started dating Michael, after a long time of stolen glances across the room and awkward tensions, much to the other boys amusement. Your relationship is still reasonably new, both of you taking things slower than may have been expected, but that's fine with you, every moment with Michael is like magic.

You kiss Michael on the cheek, standing from your place beside him as you realise the drinks are running low. He looks to you with a soft smile, "I'll go get us some more drinks" you tell the boys, a chorus of agreements coming from the group as you make your way out of the side room. You saunter up to the bar, bustling with life as people make their way in to drown the sorrows of the week. Harry comes over to you, slinging the towel he has in his hands over his shoulder. "The usual Y/N?" He smiles knowingly as you give him a lazy smile, the alcohol slowly taking affect on you. "Of course, does it ever change?" You joke as Harry pulls a bottle of whiskey off the shelf behind him, "I'd be concerned if it did" he chuckles and you join him.

You begin to make your way back to the side room, you barely make it a couple of steps before the doors to the pub slam open, a group of men storming through, guns in hand. The entire pub freezes, not sure how this encounter is going to unfold. "Where are they?!" The ringleader bellows, making some of the people in the pub flinch, no one dares to answer and the silence feels suffocating. You look around, realising no one is going to answer the question that could mean life or death for everyone. "May I ask, who exactly, you are looking for?" You speak with false confidence, hoping your voice doesn't betray you. All eyes fall on you, the violent glare of the group making you want to shrink away but you force yourself to stand tall. "The Peaky fucking Blinders you stupid bitch" the man snarls as he begins to stalk towards you.

"Try another pub, they aren't here. Perhaps use your fucking manners next time, it may help you ugly bastards" you snap back, eyes widening slightly at the stupidity of your reply. You can only silently pray that the boys don't make an appearance, and that you haven't dug yourself a hole you can't climb out of. "What did you just call us?" The man is now towering over you and you can feel your heart lurch into your throat.

"Get the fuck away from my girl" a voice cuts through the silence, Micheal's voice. The man in front of you turns slowly to face the boys you were trying to protect. You take the opportunity to rush to Michael's side, the bottle of whiskey on the bar long since forgotten. He wraps his arm tightly around your waist as you try to move in as close to him as possible. "You lying bitch!" The man screams at you, the boys pulling their weapons ready to defend you, "your problem isn't with her, it's with us" Tommy's gruff voice replies.

The man begins to chuckle, the sound as grotesque as his looks. You feel yourself wanting to bolt for the door, all of your sense on high alert as you force yourself to remain glued to Michael's side. He's tense beside you, knowing that this isn't going to end very well. He'd ask you to leave, but at this moment in time, it doesn't seem like a sensible idea.

A series of words are exchanged between the two groups but you're too caught up in your racing mind, the pounding of your heart roaring in your ears drowning out whatever is being said. It's not until you feel yourself hurtling towards the beer stained floor with the force of a push that you snap back to reality, a surging pain slicing through your right shoulder before you hit the hard wood. Gun shots ring out around you, but you can't seem to bring your vision into focus. The world is spinning and you look to your arm to see blood staining what was a perfect white blouse. There's shouting, and then, as quick as it all began it's over. You look up to see Michael bent over you, worry etched into his handsome features. "Are you alright? Please tell me you're okay?" His voice fills your ears and you can only stare into his vibrant eyes as you try to bring everything back into focus, bring yourself back to the real world.

You sit up slowly, now seeing the other boys crowding around you, you look to your shoulder as it stings, now realising that it's nothing more than a superficial wound. "I-I'm fine, I don't think it's anything to worry about" you finally manage to say, Michael helping you to your feet. "Let's get you out of here" he mumbles in your ear before placing a reassuring kiss to your cheek, guiding you towards the door.

•

You sit on your bed, your wound bandages underneath your nightdress as you wait for Michael to come back from having a shower. You can't help the shaking of your body, or the salty tears that flood down your cheeks as the scene in the pub plays again and again in your head like a broken record. It was never about you getting hurt, it was never about you at all, all you wanted to do was protect the boys you love, protect Michael and you can only think about how much worse it may have been. You'd never forgive yourself if something happened to Michael, you'd never be able to love again, he's the only love for you. You're glad that it was you that ended up hurt, not anybody else, you can't help but wish that this gang business would all end, that you could live a normal life- but then the boys you love wouldn't be the boys you love.

You hear the door to the bathroom open, you quickly try to compose yourself, hurriedly wiping the tears with your sleeves as not to worry Michael further. He enters the bedroom in nothing but his boxers, his eyes quickly moving to you as the soft smile drops into a concerned frown. The sight of your red-rimmed eyes all to obvious. "What's wrong?" He asks as he moves to sit beside you, one glance into his eyes and you breakdown once again. Collapsing into his chest as your words come out in a jumble. Michael wraps his arms tightly around you, stroking your hair as he presses kisses against your forehead.

"Shhhh it's going to be okay, I would never let anyone hurt you, nothing is going to happen to me" he whispers into your hair as the shaking of your body begins to subside. You look up to him, taking in all of his features as if it may be the last time you get to see them. "I love you Michael Gray" you croak, he brings his lips down to yours in a tender kiss.

"I love you more than anything in the world Y/N, don't ever forget that"