Angel of Small Heath

eighteen.

1919

The streets of Small Heath had never been well lit, but with the weight and pressure of Campbell breathing down the neck of the Peaky Blinders, the streets looked even darker and more ominous than normal.

Tommy had exited from Grace's apartment block, popping his collar up and lighting a cigarette to ward off the cold. The streets were surprisingly quiet compared to the mayhem and chaos Tommy had been expecting from the crack down of the police.

Up ahead, Tommy could see a small figure dart between a row of houses. A very familiar looking figure. Tommy quickened his pace to the catch up, following them into the alleyway - Tommy reached his hand out, fingers brushing against the material of the figure's coat. Reaching out further, Tommy grabbed a further more solid hold onto the figure's coat, tugging them back into his chest. The figure struggled in Tommy's grip and put one hand up to hit Tommy across the face, when he spoke.

"Angel," Tommy dodged one flying hand - "Angel it's me, Jesus stop hitting me you crazy lady."

Eden stopped struggling, finally listening to what Tommy was saying and relaxed in his arms. "Tommy," she whispered, her hands coming to rest on his chest.

"I told you to stay at Grace's." Eden hit Tommy lightly on the chest, Tommy just shook his head. Gathering Eden tighter into his arms, "I couldn't bear the thought of you out here alone. Are you okay?"

Eden just nodded quickly, taking Tommy's hand in hers. "We can talk later," Eden whispered, "lets go, please!"

Tommy let Eden pull him around the back streets and through alley ways of the Small Heath. They had both grown up on these streets, running through the narrow corridors and behind buildings.

"Eden," Tommy wondered quietly, looking around at the buildings. "Where are you taking me darling?"

Eden just shushed him, tugging him a bit faster through the streets. Tommy didn't have a lot of faith in the world and trust in people, yet he was allowing himself to be led blindly around the streets by the girl in front of him.

Eden stopped by a door that Tommy hadn't even noticed in the dark. Jiggling the handle, Eden pushed it open, tugging Tommy into the small staircase beside her and closing the door gently. She took hold of Tommy's hand again, gently guiding him up the stairs and through the second door at the top.

Tommy stood in the centre of the small room, looking around in wonder. Eden was over beside the small kitchen unit rinsing out some ceramic cups and and old tea kettle and rummaging through the cupboards for some matches.

Tommy took his hat off, holding it in his hands as he walked around, observing every aspect of the room.

It was just one large room, a small door leading off to presumably a bathroom in the far corner and windows along the left side of the wall. Eden was standing in the far left corner of the room pottering in the kitchen. There was an oriental screen to the right of Tommy and peering behind it, he could see a mattress lying on the floor. There was no other furniture in the apartment.

"Eden? Angel, what is this place?" Tommy walked slowly over to Eden standing at the kitchen. She had successfully cleaned some cups and found tea leaves but was struggling to find matches.

"It's um," Eden felt embarrassed, her hand came up to fiddle with the jade coin around her neck. "It's where I grew up."

Eden focused even more intently on ransacking the cupboards for matches, getting frustrated and slamming on cupboard in finality. Eden rested her hands on the small tabletop, watching as a much larger hand slid around in front of her - gently placing a box of matches down.

"Angel?" Tommy rested his hands on Eden's trembling shoulders, running them down her arms around her waist and gently spun her around.

For the first time, Tommy got a good look at Eden's face in the light. There were tear tracks down her face and a very faint red ring on her forehead.

Tommy ran a thumb over the ring where something had clearly been pressed into Eden's forehead. Tommy cursed.

"He threatened you didn't he?" Eden just nodded and curled herself in smaller to Tommy's arms.

"Can we talk about it tomorrow please?" Eden spoke quietly into Tommy's chest. Tommy's jaw tightened, he wanted to deal with this now. He wanted to go out into the street and hunt Campbell down, and show him some ounce of the pain he had put Tommy and his family through.

But Eden needed him now. So Tommy just tightened his grip on Eden and pressed a kiss to her head.

"Let me make the tea yeah Angel?" Tommy murmured into Eden's hair. She just nodded and went to stand in front of the window - hugging her arms around herself and peaking out of the covering.

Tommy watched her quietly, leaving the tea too steep and making his way to Eden - wrapping his arms around her again. Eden relaxed for the first time that night, leaning her head back onto Tommy's shoulder.

"There used to be five girls living here when I was little." Eden started, "All girls that were born out of wedlock, but Mr Zhang took us in. I would of been stuck here the rest of my life if Polly hadn't come to Chinatown that day. But Mr Zhang said I could always come back if I needed to and sometimes I like having somewhere to escape too."

Eden's hands tightened around Tommy's as he turned her around in his arms. Tommy place his thumb and the knuckle of his index finger around Eden's chin, tilting her face up to place his lips on hers.

The two parted, breathing softly - Eden's eyes had drifted close. "You know we never got too dance at Cheltenham Races." Tommy whispered.

A small smile graced Eden's lips - "hey there's that smile." Tommy whispered, tracing his thumb along Eden's lips.

"There's no music Tommy" Eden laughed, as Tommy grabbed both of her hands in his, placing them on his shoulders.

"Shhh, since when did we do thing's traditionally" Tommy smirked, Eden following his footsteps as they danced around the room.

Eden rested her head gently on Tommy's chest, closing her eyes and enjoying the gently swaying.

"Next week I'm going to marry you Angel." Tommy spoke into her hair. Eden let out a small laugh, lifting her head to look at Tommy directly - "do I get a say in this Mr Shelby?"

Tommy shook his head, a wry smile over his lip as he pressed another kiss to her lips. "I can't wait another minute. I want nothing more than to be married to you Eden." Eden leaned up to kiss him this time.

"I guess I can't argue with that." Eden whispered against Tommy's lips, her hands sliding down from his shoulders to meet at the buttons of his shirt.

"Are you trying to get me into bed before we're married Angel?" Tommy asked cheekily, holding Eden's hips as she slowly unbuttoned his shirt, pushing both the shirt and Tommy's jacket to the floor.

"Are you really going to fight me on this Thomas?" Eden asked quietly, raising one eyebrow in disbelief at her fiancé.

Tommy shook his head, kissing Eden softly before pulling back gently tugging on her lower lip. "I haven't learnt how to pick my battles yet have I?"

Eden giggled, returning her arms back around Tommy's neck - kissing him as sweetly as she could as Tommy's fingers gently came up to undo the buttons on Eden's blouse.

"Tommy," Eden breathed out, her eyes fluttering closed as her hands sunk into Tommy's hair.

"Angel." Tommy whispered back, guiding Eden gently over to the mattress, "my Angel."

Sorry for another small chapter! I can't help but write all these soft moments between Tommy and Eden and I love having them running solo!! Hope you enjoy x