Hold On Tight-Tommy Shelby x Sister!Reader
(GIF credit @hardytcm)
Tags: @captivatedbycillianmurphy @jenepleurepasbaby @amirahiddleston @bloodorangemoonlight
Requested by anonymous: 'Hiya love, could yo do an imagine where the reader is a Shelby sister and is closest to Tommy, like best friends and they go do some business together one day and she dies? But like grace’s death where she’s in his arms and he’s obviously really sad but she’s trying to be positive about it. ❤️'
Characters: Thomas Shelby X Reader (siblings), Arthur Shelby x Reader (siblings), John Shelby x Reader (siblings)
Meanings: (Y/N)=Your name
Warnings: Swearing, guns, violence, injuries/wounds, death
(A/N: This is before John's or Grace's deaths)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Morning boys." I greeted as my three older brothers walked in.
"Alright (Y/N)." Arthur nodded, hugging me briefly before making his way to the kitchen.
John copied his actions, catching up with him as Tommy entered, hugging me that bit longer.
"You sure you want me coming with you today?" I asked him as we pulled apart.
"I'm sure. You're the one that's been researching this guy for us, you're the best person to come along."
"Flattery doesn't get you anywhere Tommy. It's not like I'm going to object. Are you wanting to leave now?"
"Not just yet. We need to go over the plan again."
"Again? Tommy-"
He raised his hand, pointing at me."We always go over the plan-"
"Three times." we said in unison.
"Right." he nodded and went to the kitchen, me shaking my head behind him.
John and Arthur had already made themselves comfortable at the table, helping themselves to the freshly boiled teapot. As I walked past John, I smacked his legs that were resting on top of my table. He flinched, almost falling off his chair as he protested, rubbing where I hit him.
"Do you forget manners everytime you step into a civilised house?" I scolded playfully.
"Civilised house? Since when have you or anyone in the family been civilised?" he chuckled.
"Well, just don't put your grubby shoes on my clean table. My house, my rules."
"Alright mum."
I only rolled my eyes at him. John and I were only a year apart, I remember all the times we bickered as children, though there was definitely a love hate relationship. I always tried to act my age unless he was around, then it all went out the window. The boys were much older than us, and didn't always want to play; seeing as we were the closest in age, we compromised on our games, but I grew up with three brothers, they were bound to be tough. It built character (as they say), though it was only after the war that I became closer to Tommy.
Arthur had always been the best big brother, always looking after and defending me. As did John and Tommy, though Arthur could sometimes have a more authoritive look about him, more intimidating. I had always looked up to him. But Tommy and I never talked much, or played games with each other. He didn't even hug me much either. I saw my three brothers be sent off to war, and like all the men that left, they came back different. And Tommy coped with it in an extremely unhealthy way.
All those nights he had nightmares, he didn't have to be screaming in his sleep or crying, I just felt that something was wrong. A weird sense of dread would fill me before going to sleep, and it would wake me up, forcing me to go check on Tommy. He would rarely talk about it, but I stayed strong beside him, refusing to leave until he fell asleep again. Of course there were the drugs, and although I tried desperately to make him stop, he never did. However, I was there on the other side. It sort of happened naturally, our relationship. Maybe it came with age, maybe he acknowledged my help. Tommy was closest to me in my opinion, and I supported him with a majority of what he did (unless he used the family, that's where I crossed the line).
"I still don't know how I feel about this Tom." Arthur said.
"If you're talking about me, which you do every time we do something like this, then you need to get over it." I gently replied as I sat beside Tommy.
"You're my little sister, (Y/N), you shouldn't be here."
He wasn't being mean. He was just concerned. I smiled at him.
"Arthur, I've been through this a million times, with and without you guys. I'll be fine, we all will."
"Just get that feeling in me stomach-"
"That's enough Arthur." Tommy interrupted, lighting up a cigarrette. We waited for him to take a drag, exhaling the smoke before he spoke."We go through the backstreets, to their storage house for their booze. That's where we said we would meet. He has his men, we have ours. Now this is strictly business, no fucking threats, no fucking fighting, no fucking shooting. Understood?"
"I still think it's too dangerous for (Y/N) to come along." Arthur added.
"She's the one that's been getting the information for us. For some reason her tactics have worked better than ours."
"Oi!" I protested.
"That wasn't meant to offend."
"I've helped plenty of times before. Believe me Arthur, I've been behind the scenes of a lot of your operations."
"You've been around Tom too long, starting to speak like him too." Arthur smirked as he sipped his tea.
I ignored him."How many of your men will be there? Our dealer usually has ten with him at all times. He's agreed to not have anymore."
"Then we'll bring fifteen, ten with us and five to hide."
"You don't trust him."
"Any man who takes ten men as protection at all times is paranoid, meaning he'll also have some hidden away."
"So much for no shoot outs." John mumbled.
"Better safe than sorry." I snapped.
"Alright." Tommy warned."We're there to make a deal, and we'll leave with one."
We climbed into Tommy's car, silent as he drove to the meeting place. As we parked up our men were already waiting, watching as us Shelby's got out and walked ahead of them.
"So you listened to me then?" I quietly said to Tommy.
"What?"
"Finn's not here, that means you listened to me."
"Yes, I suppose you were right." he smirked.
"Good, he's still too young for all this."
"Now you sound like Polly."
I always felt nervous about these things. It never got any easier for me. Of course I didn't let it show on my face, and it always shocked these men to see a woman turn up. A slight advantage sometimes, they couldn't comprehend that a woman actually had a brain.
"How's Grace?"
"You want to talk about Grace, right now?"
"Yes, why not?"
He scoffed a laugh."Nothing stops you from getting into my private life."
"It's been a while since someone has been interested in you. And you're interested in her."
"I have never said that."
"There's no need to. It's obvious."
"No it's not."
"Yes it is."
"(Y/N), we sound like children."
I laughed it off, sticking my hands in my coat pockets as the warehouse came into sight. There were two men guarding the doors, holding their guns. We didn't falter, approaching them with confidence. I thought they would search us, but instead, one of them disappeared inside, returning a few moments later, and nodding to the other guy.
"You can go in." he said, opening the door wider.
They stayed put as we all entered, following us from behind and closing the door. As expected, our dealsman was stood there with his ten men. I knew our lot were already trying to seek out anyone hidden away, they had been warned.
"Mr Vallier." Tommy started.
"Mr Shelby." He replied."Not like you to have this many men about for a business proposition."
"And you know how many men I have?"
Vallier ignored that question."Ah, I assumed your sister would come along. I've heard some remarkable things about her."
"The sister is present, you may address her." I interrupted.
"My apologies Miss Shelby. I've heard you commit acts that no other lady has ever done before. I must say, I am impressed."
"Thank you. You flatter me Mr Vallier."
He chuckled."So, Mr Shelby, shall we begin?"
It really was a simple trading agreement. Vallier was making some of the best gin in the country, though it hadn't become famous yet. He was a powerful man, built himself up from the ground; he ran his own gang, like us, knew that alcohol was a good selling point. Tommy saw an opportunity. Get him on our side, and we have another piece of territory as well as more money flowing in. It all seemed fairly simple, Vallier was just paranoid as we expected. This was the easiest meeting we had been to, and it made me nervous. However, that feeling started to drain away as we finished. There was more of a sense of feeling left out as I didn't get to say much.
Tommy and Vallier shook hands once we were outside the warehouse, both looking somewhat smug.
"Garrison?" John leaned over to me.
"Garrison." I nodded, smiling as he swung his arm over my shoulder.
Our lot began walking away, another deal was done. It was all calm and relieved until one of Vallier's boys started shouting, blocking our path.
"YOU KILLED MY BROTHER! HE NEVER DID ANYTHING BAD IN HIS LIFE!" He screamed, aiming his gun at Tommy.
"Don't shoot!" Tommy instructed.
John held me behind him."What the fuck is he planning now?"
"Sam, get inside!" Vallier yelled.
"I'm sorry sir, but these devil's had no right killing my brother, he wasn't even involved in any business!" the boy's aim never faltered.
Before anyone could figure out what to do, someone shot their gun, but it wasn't from the boy. We all ducked, running for cover as more bullets were fired. It was an ambush, there were hidden shooters, but they weren't working for Vallier. This boy wanted revenge. I knew this was all too good to be true.
John had pulled me behind a stack of crates, but the bullets were splintering the wood. We took turns peaking out and shooting, but it was impossible to see who we were shooting at.
"GET HER OUT OF HERE!" Tommy instructed John, but we were ultimately stuck.
"If you slip past the warehouse, you can squeeze through a narrow passage, that will get you out." Vallier rushed."Dont worry, these lads will run out of ammunition soon enough!"
John and I glanced at each other, and before I knew it, he was dragging me into the open space, headed where Vallier had mentioned. The warehouse was right night to a brick wall, with a gap just big enough for me to squeeze through. John on the other hand wouldn't even be able to get a foot in.
"John!"
"You keep going (Y/N), keep hidden until you don't hear no shooting no more, yeah?"
I nodded, groaning as I pulled myself through the gap. I had to walk sideways in order to keep moving, the bricks scraping against my skin. It was starting to get claustrophobic, and I was glad to have reached the end of it. Back in the normal streets, I seemed to be in the alleyway between people's back gardens. Slowly opening a back gate, I looked around it, praying there was someplace to hide. There was a shed, but I had a risk of being seen if the owners came along. But I was a Shelby, they should know who I am and not question it if I they did find me. And I had my gun, I was safe. Luckily the door was unlocked, and I hid inside, ducking so i wasn't seen through the window.
The relentless sound of bullets richoted through the air, echoing to me. I hated not being in the fight, but there was no time to argue in a battlefield. My brother's knew what was best for me most of the time... most of the time.
It sounded like there were less bullets flying about. One last shot rang out, I waited a few minutes for anymore sounds. When nothing came, I made my way back to the alley. I still had my guard up, not that my brother's would be dead, because we were the fucking Peaky Blinders, and this wasn't our final fight.
"In the bleak midwinter..." I muttered under my breath, slowly walking.
I wanted to call out to my brother's, though that was a stupid idea, and I kept silent. The sound of a gun clicking knocked my instincts into gear, and I aimed my gun towards the sound.
"What the fuck do your think you're doing?" I snapped. It was the boy that started this all.
"You fuckers killed my brother!"
"So you think that makes it OK to kill all of us?"
"I'll shoot you!"
Before he could do so, I shot him first, hitting him square in the chest. He froze, hands dropping to his sides, gun falling to the floor before his knees buckledonto the cobbles, and his body collapsed. I wasted no time running past him, checking the coast was clear before I rounded the corner.
"(Y/N)!"
Tommy was up ahead, already running towards me. I let out a breath of relief, also running to him. For fucks sake, why couldn't things go smoothly for once? It couldn't just be a done deal. Someone was always out to kill us.
My fingers outstretched towards Tommy's hand, and I almost grabbed them when an excruciating pain rippled through my back, and the another pang, and another. Everything went silent, my eyes widened in shock and the breath was all but gone from my body. The boy had shot me, somehow he wasn't dead and had shot me.
Tommy caught me before I hit the ground, and I wanted to desperately hold onto him, but I couldn't control my limbs.
"Somebody get the fucking car!" he yelled, the sound suddenly flooding back.
"T-Tommy," I shakily said, looking up at him,"h-h-hold me, please, I w-want t-to feel you."
His arms gradually gripped onto me tighter, and I showed no pain, even though it made me feel worse. It was rare to see Tommy Shelby cry, and it felt like an honour to watch them roll down and out of his crystal blue eyes.
I swallowed the taste of blood rising in my throat."Tommy, l-listen. I-I w-want you to marry that....that G-Grace."
"What? (Y/N) don't worry-"
"She challenges you, I-I l-like her. A-and h-have a nice wed... wedding."
"I will."
"C-an I have a portrait? You always s-said I-I could."
He nodded."You'll sit for that portrait yourself. You're not going anywhere."
"(Y/N), Tommy!" I could faintly hear John and Arthur.
I smiled. My older brothers were here, they were going to look after me like they always did.
"John, Arthur."
"We're here (Y/N), alright?" John cried, grabbing one of my hands.
"Fucking hell." Arthur seethed.
"I-I love you all. T-tell Finn and P-Polly...that...I love them too."
"You can't go (Y/N), you just can't." Tommy whispered.
"You'll live on Tommy. Be happy, please, f-for me."
I lavished the feeling of comfort as I felt my skin turn colder, it was harder to breathe, harder to stay awake. The pain I was in didn't matter, I had my three heroes around me, my three brothers. They say us Shelby's couldn't be killed, and I had always lived by that. However, someone had plans for me to die today, and if it meant something bigger and better for my family then so be it. I held onto my smile as much as possible, not wanting my boys to see how I was hurting. As life slowed down around me, I looked up one last time into Tommy's eyes, his beautiful blue eyes that I was envious of; they were a comfort, a piece of my brother I would keep with me forever, even if they were full of tears.
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