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Chapter One, Run-Ins. "SUNSHINE, AND SHIT."
EVERYONE IN SMALL HEATH had heard of the Shelby brothers. It didn't matter what you did, how you had come to reside in the dusty borough of Birmingham, or even if you had little to no chance of bumping into one of the infamous brothers - so long as you had half an ounce of common sense in your body, you knew to avoid the Shelby family and the gang that walked alongside their name: the Peaky Blinders.
No matter how many times her father had tried to raise her to fear very few individuals - and to trust even fewer - Felicity Woods couldn't help the overwhelming dread that would fill her being whenever she were to overhear their voices or pass them in the streets. She was very much aware of the silver razor blades that had been sewn into their caps, and from the stories of horror that came with their namesake. Splatters of blood were not often found on walls of the pubs like so many women claimed they were, but that was only because everyone knew better than to attempt to cross the fiercely violent gang. Felicity had never spoken with a single one of the brothers and for that she was grateful - even if part of the reason for that was because not only had she been forbidden by her father to do such a thing, she was also so much to afraid to do anything but smile meekly and hurry to the opposite side of the street if she were to ever cross Thomas Shelby's path.
As Felicity Woods crossed the street, she was careful to glance both ways in case she were to walk upon the path of another person, or even a dark, raven-black horse who's back the second eldest Shelby brother had been seen upon in previous times, when the man was trying the final trick in the book in order to secure the horse's luck at the races. That's what he was, supposedly: an illegal bookmaker. Coppers on his payroll. Women at his feet. Everyone turning a blind eye to the silver, shining razor blade that glinted in his cap, as though it didn't exist, as though it hadn't cut a smile on anyone that looked at him the wrong way.
"Morning, Woods!"
A smile grew upon Felicity's lips as she crossed the street with a skip in her step, making her way over to the boys that had called her name. "Morning!" She called back joyfully.
The tallest of the group straightened up to converse with the girl. "Shitty day, isn't it?"
"It could be a hell of a lot worse." Felicity shrugged and shook her blonde curls roughly.
"You're kidding."
Felicity chewed her lip thoughtfully before laughing. "Not in the slightest," she replied, "people are forever looking for the glimmer of sunshine in the midst of a shower of rain, aren't they? What's the difference in looking for the hope in life, rather than only blinking through those thick, dismal eyelashes of yours and complaining of the clouds?"
"I'm just seeing the world how it is, that's all," the boy grumbled lowly, seemingly embarrassed at being scolded by the young woman who stood with confidence in front of him.
