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moral-turpitudes · 3 years

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Deal with the Devil: Ch. 10

(gif creds: @shallowthinkersunite)

Trigger Warnings: Swearing, Violent Descriptions of Death, Fighting, Explosions, Guns, Knives, Angst.

Characters: Thomas Shelby x Isla Maxwell (OC)

Word Count: 3,315

Chapters: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | *7* | 8 | 9 | 10

The clock struck 7pm as the townspeople milled about on the cold, damp roads. The sounds of cars and incessant chatter filling the entrances to the race track as everyone trickled in.

“Everyone knows the plan right?” Isla asked, getting silent nods in response while checking her knives and the rounds in her gun.

“Aye what if we make it? Can we get drinks after?” John asked, Nick elbowing him in the shoulder.

“You really can’t think of anything else right now? Jesus.” Nick said, his hands shaking slightly as he grabbed a handgun and grenade.

“If we make it through we will. Focus on our targets and not dying though, please.” Isla said, wrapping her coat around her where a machine gun was concealed. Snow was falling sporadically as they made their way to the back entrance, the skies creating a gray fog over the dirt covered path.

As they stalked forward, Thomas looked straight at the doors for anyone standing guard. With a quick motion, he put his hand out in a fist to stop the rest of them from walking ahead and quickly got his gun ready, holding it out and aiming through the fog.

The shots pierced the air at a blinding pace, going through two of Mosley’s security members before they could return fire. Their blood coating the white-washed bricks as they fell limp in front of the door.

As they neared the back entrance, Isla looked up to see some of her connections perched atop the roof, giving her a quick nod as she stepped over the bodies and went inside.

The area was dark and smelled of hay and horse manure, which was typical for a day spent at the track. But what wasn’t so typical was the four men in the distance, barely blinking an eye as they heard the commotion down the hall.

“Oi! You aren’t allowed back here! Go to your seats!” They yelled through the dark room, the lack of light working to Isla’s advantage. She quickly grabbed two of her knives and flung them as she stalked forward, their blades sticking in two of the men’s bodies like darts in a dart board. The other two quickly ran after her, attempting to grab her before being shot at close range by Arthur, who’d came in from where the tunnels were.

“Anyone down there besides our men?” Thomas asked, crouching down and slitting one of the men’s throats to silence him as he wailed in pain.

“There were two but I got ‘em. It’s so loud in here you can’t even give a bloody command.” He said, looking out at the rowdy crowd that was forming in the stands, Isla’s connections getting in their places near the stage and blending in.

“Right, so that leaves around sixteen of them.” Nick said, looking down the vacant hall where Mosley’s room was located. A faint shot rang out from above as music started playing, the band looking weary as they played for another night in a row.

“Sounds like your sniper got one.” Thomas said, walking down the hall with Isla following, not wanting to waste any time.

“Back!” He yelled, his arm shoving her behind him as they dashed around the corner, four of his men walking out of his room and down the hall towards the stage.

Thomas looked at her and nodded as she got her knives ready, John and Nick keeping an eye out towards the stage as they hastily prepared for anymore attacks.

“I’ll get them from behind.” Thomas said suddenly, tilting his head to another hall that led around to where they were. Isla caught on and nodded, taking her coat off to adjust her revealing dress and quickly retrieve the pocket watch. She put on a worried face as she walked out from the corner, her hand gun concealed under her coat as she stalked near them.

“Excuse me...I must’ve gotten turned around. I have this watch Mosley wanted me to give back after last night. Is his room this way?” She asked pushing a stray hair behind her ear, their eyes carving into her as she adjusted her dress, dangling the watch in front of her. In the distance she could see Thomas aiming and nodding for her to duck down.

She flicked the watch off her hand haphazardly, sending it to the floor with an audible crack, and bent down quickly to pick up the glass shards as the bullets ripped through the men. The loud noise sending Mosley’s door flying open as three more of his members came out, each pelted with bullets as Thomas shot them.

John and Nick ran over to help her once it was clear, kicking the ruined watch out of the way before they all sprinted down towards the stage.

“He goes on in five minutes.” Arthur said, closing his watch as he stalked back towards the tunnel once again.

“Fuck.” John said, pacing the area as the time ticked down.

“I looked in his room. He’s not there.” Thomas said, walking away from the bloody mess.

“When the snipers see me nod, they’ll know to take him out. We could just wait him out in the crowd.” Isla said, her plan only half working as reality set in. Mosley cheated death before, so it was only fitting if he avoided it this time.

“John, you and Nick stay here. Take out any men you see, except Mosley.” Thomas said, taking Isla’s hand and leading her out the back entrance and around to the front where the last few followers were heading in.

They kept their heads down as they crept in, Isla pulling him to the side when she found a couple of her connections standing in the vacant halls.

“He’s about to go on. Take out as many of the members out as you can, we’ll be in the stands. Tell the others.” She said to them quickly, clutching Thomas’ hand tightly as her nerves set in, scanning for open seats just out of Mosley’s sight.

Once seated, Isla looked up and saw the snipers faintly as the night closed in. The cold air creeping in amongst the crowd as the eerie music started up.

The lights dawned on the stage as his followers clapped. Mosley coming out with a smug expression as he spoke.

“Thank you everyone. Tonight has started off a bit unsettling, given the attempt on my life once before, but don’t you worry. I have protections in place now more than ever. You are all safe here.” He said, smiling his wicked smile as some of the crowd shuffled uncomfortably in their seats. The sight made Isla’s stomach churn as he continued his speech, knowing some of them would follow anything he said without questioning it.

“You’re pale, are you alright?” Thomas asked, noticing her face changing color.

“He makes me sick.” She said, eyeing her men in the crowd as they watched Mosley speak, their guns nestled in their coats, ready to shoot at a moments notice.

The crowd grew more rowdy as he went on, Thomas fleetingly looking at his rival as he spoke, careful not to show his face too much.

“What’s going on?” She asked, ripping her eyes away from Mosley to see Thomas staring at him.

“Oh...just thinking. I can’t believe I couldn’t kill him last time.” He said, mentally tearing himself apart as she clutched his hand.

“He’s a hard man to catch, we’ll get him this time.” She said, focusing on her men in the crowd. Mosley’s passionate shouts erupted from the stage as his followers stood and clapped, the music blaring from the trumpets and other instruments near them.

Behind the stage stood Alfie and a couple of his men, blocking the view to the back portion where John and Nick were. A sigh of relief escaped her lips as she saw him, he was a welcome sight after all, even amongst the chaos.

“Well if Alfie got here that means they got through alright. I wonder how many are down now.” He said, looking up at the snipers, only the tips of their guns poking out from the roof.

“At this point as long as we get Mosley that’s all that matters.” She said, watching as Mosley waved at the crowd. Her eyes narrowing as she scanned the area.

Thomas gripped her hand, getting her attention as he nodded in the corner where some of her connections were. They were fighting a few of the members and one of them waved back at the members sitting near the stage.

“You see that?” Isla asked.

“Yes. We have to go.” Thomas said, slowly getting up with her following his lead. He pushed through the crowds frantically as they made their way towards the back of the stage, their eyes adjusting to the darkness and chaos that was ensuing as Mosley spoke.

As if on cue, the rest of his men came in except for the ones in the crowd, a hail of bullets flying through the air as Thomas shoved her behind him and led them around the corner.

“Fuck!” Thomas shouted as he got his gun. Aiming from behind the corner as Alfie and his men shot at the others.

“Go find Arthur and the rest of our guys Tommy. I’ll take these ones.” She said, loading her gun and shooting from beside him, the loud recoil almost shattering both their ears.

“No.” He said, helping her into the main area where Mosley’s members were firing. Alfie was fighting one of them and the others were knocking each other senseless amidst the gunfire.

As the light came in from the stage, Isla saw two men lying on the ground, their eyes open and breathing shallow as they bled out on the floor.

Her heart sank as she crouched near them, realizing it was Nick and John.

“No! No....you both have to stay with me!....Please...” She said, her eyes welling up with tears as she clutched onto them, anger rising within her as she grabbed their weapons, shoving their grenades in her coat pocket.

Before she could move away from their bodies, Thomas grabbed her hand, putting it up to his face.

“Look at me aye? They’re gone. You couldn’t save them alright? Keep going.” He said, his heart tearing at the shock and anguish on her face.

“We have to end this.” Was all she said before she got up, walking past Alfie and shooting at whatever moved. She saw fire whenever she looked at his members, their faces menacing as she pulled the trigger. There were now two of Mosley’s members left, excluding the ten of his men sitting near the stage, blissfully unaware of the carnage that took place behind the scenes.

“Isla wait! Wai-“ Thomas started to say before a sharp pain hit him in the shoulder.

Isla panicked inside as she shoved him out of the way, causing them to fall onto the dark wooden floor.

“Tommy? Tommy! Hey!” She said looking into his eyes as he searched hers.

“Don’t you fucking die on me.” She said, tearing a strip of fabric from her coat as she tied it around his arm.

“It’s just a shot to my shoulder I’ll be fine, love. Go on I’ll be there soon.” He said, wincing as she tied the last knot.

“You better be.” She said, looking into his eyes for a moment before she headed off towards the tunnels.

Her footsteps clamored along the damp floors, echoing as she ran into the darkness. As she made her way down she was dragged forcefully against a wall, a hard punch landing straight to her jaw as she tried to wrestle free.

“Let me go you bastard!” She yelled, grabbing at the mans arms and eventually wrestling her way free. The man swinging as she dodged him.

In a swift motion she retrieved her gun, shooting the man without hesitation, sending him falling back. She looked around after that, scanning the long tunnel for any signs of movement and finding none except a heavy set of boots running in the distance.

“Isla! It’s Arthur! I heard you! You alright?” He asked, almost running into her as her eyes adjusted.

“Y-yeah. Are there anymore down here?” She said panting, looking around and over Arthur’s shoulder.

“No, you got the last one. C’mon we have to get back to the stage.” He said, leading her back to where she’d left Thomas. Her heart dropped as she looked to where he’d been, seeing the blood smeared on the wall of where he once sat.

“Where the fuck did he go? Tom?” Arthur asked, panic in his eyes as he walked towards Alfie and a few of his men.

“Oi! Where did he go?” He asked.

“I’m afraid he went out to the crowd I think. Had a mad look in his eyes mate.” He said, following Isla.

“If he doesn’t make it love...you can always-“

Isla turned on her heels and slapped him, her eyes blazing as she spoke.

“Don’t you fucking say a word. Just do your job.” She said, pulling her machine gun out from around her, the grenades securely put away in her coat as she walked towards the stage.

The crowd was roaring as she crept along the wall, his members in the stands clapping and yelling along with him as his voice carried throughout the track.

“I told the guys near the entrance. The snipers will know.” She heard a voice say behind her. She turned with her gun raised up, only to be met with a pair of blue eyes.

She sighed as she lowered her gun, walking towards him with tears in her eyes.

“How’d you get over there? You’re hurt.” She said, looking at him as he tightened the tourniquet around his arm.

“I ran and snuck through some hallways, made it to one of the upper floors and managed to snag one of the snipers attention.” He said.

“So they’ll know when to shoot?” She asked.

“Yes. Now c’mon. He’s lived far too long already.” He said, sneaking back into the room near Arthur and Alfie and his men, the rest of their small band of connections all gathering there.

“How many have we lost?” She asked, looking at each of their worn faces.

“Three people. They were killed in the fight that happened near the entrance.” One of the hitmen said.

“Alright. I lost my two so that makes five. Let’s just finish this alright? For them?” She asked, hearing what seemed to be the closing music to Mosley’s speech. He stood there with his arms open as if summoning something from above, basking in his own glory for all to see. He stayed there looking down at his notes and dismissing the crowd, before going back to his weird meditative state. Forever relishing in the fact that he managed to pull off one of his largest rallies yet.

“He’s been yelling for half an hour. I think it’s time we shut him up.” One of the men said. Alfie smirked and grabbed his gun, patting Thomas on the back as they glanced at Isla. She looked forward to this moment for ages, knowing all the pain and suffering she went through would finally be worth it.

With a deep breath, she got her gun ready and walked towards the open area near the stage, watching as the followers left in droves. Waiting patiently until the place was almost empty before giving any orders. As the last groups dispersed, she gave a quick few nods to her allies above. As she did so, she looked back at Thomas one last time before she headed towards the stage. The rest of the small crew following after her as they went towards the heavy curtains. The thick fabric being the only thing separating good and evil.

The sounds of bullets fell from above as the snipers aimed at the men below. Their shots taking them out one by one, narrowly missing Isla’s other connections who helped hold them at gun point at their seats.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion as Mosley opened his eyes at the podium to see his men slaughtered, hearing a slew of footsteps behind him as he turned around. He was soon met with Thomas shoving him to the ground, using his cap to slice his face as he pinned him to the ground.

As his beating ensued, Isla looked around for any other threats, making sure the others went to scope out the place.

As she looked back, her heart raced as she realized this was the moment she trained for.

“You...you can kill him. Go ahead.” Thomas said, breathing heavily and slamming his head into the floor once more before getting up, leaving Mosely a bloodied, battered mess.

She nodded at him, Thomas’ hands were shaking slightly as he wiped his bloodied knuckles on his shirt. Watching as she stalked towards him with her knife.

“I’d shoot him but it would be too quick.” She said aloud.

“Why would you want to kill me sweetheart?” He asked between painful breaths.

“You killed my whole family in a fire remember? All for your stupid party. You fucked with the wrong family though Mosley. Now you’re going to burn.” She said. Slitting his throat slightly so he bled out slowly. The floor turning a slick crimson under her boots as she backed away.

She pulled out a grenade, stepping off the stage.

“Everyone out!” Thomas yelled as they heard everyone scattering out the door. A wicked smirk playing at her lips as she let the pin go. She hurled the grenade onto the stage, grabbing Thomas’ hand as they ran towards the door. The explosion causing them to drop to the ground just outside of the track. The debris from inside the track mixing in the air with the snow that fell frantically outside.

As they sat up on the cold ground, they watched as the flames grew higher. Illuminating the winter sky as the sounds of guns went off in the distance.

Moments later they heard cheers and footsteps running towards them as they shared a cigarette, the shock of the evening not yet snaking it’s way into their bones.

“So uhm...what now?” She asked, smiling as everyone made their way over to them, her eyes still fixed on the flames.

“I say we get drinks...” Arthur said loudly as the fire rumbled through the building before them. The rest of them walked on, leaving Thomas and Isla to themselves along the dirt path they’d walked only hours ago.

“I’ll have to agree with Arthur. Do you want to join?” Thomas asked, a playful smirk gracing his features as he helped her up.

“I will only If your family doesn’t completely hate me, I didn’t exactly give them the best first impression.” She said, walking next to him.

“There’s always room for second chances.” He said.

“Let’s hope so.” She said, holding his hand as they walked towards the car and to whatever else awaited them.

It was in these moments after the chaos that she always dared to hope. Knowing this could one day happen again. But as she grappled with that reality, she knew one thing was for certain. One of their main enemies were gone, never to reign over their lives again. And with careful steps she cautiously looked towards a more hopeful future, knowing that the flames couldn’t touch her. Knowing that despite all the pain they suffered through, that their world would never be the same. That there may come a time where they’ll have to fight again, but for now they could rest easy knowing that justice was served and that her particular deal wasn’t done in vain.

#peaky blinders fanfic #peaky blinders #thomas shelby x oc #thomas shelby x female!reader #thomas shelby

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mareebird · 2 years

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I posted 4,695 times in 2021

950 posts created (20%)

3745 posts reblogged (80%)

For every post I created, I reblogged 3.9 posts.

I added 3,573 tags in 2021

#loki - 1444 posts

#loki series - 758 posts

#loki spoilers - 277 posts

#sylvie - 212 posts

#thor - 195 posts

#writing - 178 posts

#mobius - 177 posts

#asks - 119 posts

#sylki - 109 posts

#stephen strange - 104 posts

Longest Tag: 133 characters

#omg if i had a nickle for every time loki or cora did something in-character that i would never do and don't personal believe is good

My Top Posts in 2021

With credit to @shallowthinkersunite and @dailyloki for original images

248 notes • Posted 2021-06-20 01:47:34 GMT

Kinda wanna write meta about what a great narrative choice that nudity in Loki is, but it's bedtime. But symbolic nudity is something dear to my heart. I think that scene in the new ad deserves meta and commentary, because it's brilliant.

341 notes • Posted 2021-05-18 03:06:46 GMT

Omg. I just realized that Miss Minutes is literally a Clockwork Orange.

I'm pretty sure.

Okay. Hear me out.

The more I think about it, the more it's smacking me in the brain that A Clockwork Orange, written by Anthony Burgess, and the Kubrick film starring Malcolm McDowell, is a major source of inspiration for Loki. I wish I could put it more eloquently than that, but I can't right now, probably because of the way my brain is being smacked by the concept. I have a lot of thoughts and I'm going to do my best to distill them into...something.

TW. If you're not familiar with ACO, it's a messed up trip down to messed up town. I'm not necessarily recommending it, because there's a lot of triggery stuff, but it is a work of art.

It's is a dark, DARK satirical commentary on the freedom of man. At one extreme, you have chaos and destruction when man is left to his own devices. At the other extreme, you have governing forces that step in and attempt to control, forcing man to be good. It asks whether we can prevent bad things from happening under any circumstances at all.

And all of this plays out as they attempt to control the most chaotic man on earth by bringing him into custody and reconditioning him. (In ACO, his name is Alex DeLarge.)

Already, I think you see where I'm going with this.

Right, so the TVA is a bureaucratic organization making sure things go the way they're supposed to go. Its focus is on the common good in the sense that they are keeping existence itself in motion. So they claim, anyway. At this point, this is really all we know about them.

Now, the TVA is in no way on the same level as the controlling powers of ACO and the show is not going to go that dark, but Loki has found himself in a situation where he's being asked the same thematic questions: Is he good or bad? What makes him tick?

Or, as ACO asks, How do you make a clockwork orange? "If he can only perform good or only perform evil, then he is a clockwork orange—meaning that he has the appearance of an organism lovely with colour and juice but is in fact only a clockwork toy to be wound up by God or the Devil.” --Anthony Burgess

Now, there a lot of other similarities between Loki and ACO. The general aesthetic is similar. The music is similar. Both involve a man in custody watching videos.

As of right now, let me restate, I do not think the TVA are necessarily evil and I'm reserving judgment—though I dub Mobius to be a good guy. Like a legit good guy in the sense that he's a good person. But this isn't about Mobius, it's about ACO and the thematic similarities.

TVA might be bad.

But we've got a chaotic guy in custody, we have a controlling organization forcing the common good, and we have questions about whether or not moral good can be anything except freely chosen.

And we have Miss Minutes.

And what is Miss Minutes except an orange clock?

414 notes • Posted 2021-06-11 02:07:18 GMT

Believe it or not, this is not my house, but it's ridiculously close to my house.

461 notes • Posted 2021-10-18 16:38:47 GMT

I saw a take complaining that Kid Loki handed Loki his sword because it didn't occur to the writers that Loki could conjure his own weapon.

And just.

It's haunting me. It's haunting me that someone thinks this is a good point to make as a strike against the series. Recieving a sword was bad because it's... insulting to Loki? Who can make his own weapons?

Good grief. It's not just any sword. It's Lævateinn. It's origins are in the Norse mythology of Loki. Our MCU Loki cannot just make this sword because it's that important of a sword. Kid Loki happened to possess it and he's handing it over as a gift. And nevermind the importance of gift-giving in narratives about quests, because you don't even have to understand the history of this sword to get why passing it on was important. Kid Loki is the oldest Loki and king of the void. He's the king giving a gift to his new knight. But if you know what the sword is, then you should also understand Loki obtaining Lævateinn is a moment of huge significance for him as a character. It's like his Mjölnir. Kid Loki deemed him worthy of his special sword.

But no, reduce it to hurr durr writers dumb.

Which Loki then used in a WHOLLY MAGICAL WAY rather than defaulting to stabby stabby.

800 notes • Posted 2021-07-29 11:25:43 GMT

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#my 2021 tumblr year in review #your tumblr year in review

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