The Sweetest of Hearts.1| T.S

•In more ways now.

XXXIV. In more ways now.

After Maude and Tommy finished, they rushed to get dressed and return to their wedding party. Tommy was done before her and smoked a cigarette as he waited for her to try and get her clothing and hair back in place again.

She was in the process of pulling up her stockings underneath her dress when Arthur busted into the room. "Tommy?" He called out before his gaze landed on Maude, his eyes widening before he looked down at the ground and closed the door a little. "Didn't see a thing. Did not see a thing. Sorry, brother." He called out from the other side of the door and Tommy shared an amused look with his wife before meeting his brother at the door. "I need you downstairs."

"It's all right. We're done." Tommy assured his brother as he glanced back at Maude, watching her with an amused glint in his eyes as she sat by her vanity, trying to cover the bruise he left on her collarbone after she had begged him not to leave his marks where people would see. Tommy's gaze turned to his brother. "You good?" He questioned.

"Yeah," Arthur replied with a slight nod of his head. "Never been better." He insisted.

"Yeah? You drunk?" Tommy asked as he raised his eyebrows at Arthur and Maude looked at her husband through her vanity mirror, quirking an eyebrow at his question.

Ever since Linda had come into Arthur's life, he wasn't allowed to drink He wasn't allowed many things at first but after a while, Tommy put a quick stop to Linda's demand before she made Arthur go completely soft.

"No," Arthur replied with a shake of his head. "No." He repeated firmly.

Tommy's eyebrows furrowed as she stared at his brother, placing his cigarette between his lips before pulling out a flask, opening it before handing it over to his brother. "Here." He said. Because if there was something Tommy truly liked doing, was seeing how he could push through Linda's limits and corrupt his brother.

Arthur glanced between Tommy and the flask before taking it from his brother's hand. "Alright, it's just one drink, then." He agreed

"Linda's a good woman, Arthur," Tommy said as he watched his brother take a drink of the whiskey.

"Good whisky," Arthur muttered as he handed the flask back after only one drink like he had said.

"A good man needs to hold out sometimes, eh?" Tommy told his brother before taking a drink of the whiskey as well.

Arthur glanced back at the flask before lowering his gaze to the floor. After making sure she was presentable again, Maude joined the two brothers by the door, and Arthur glanced at her with an amused smile. "So, uh, do I mention this in my speech, then, eh?" He asked her.

Maude raised her eyebrows at Arthur as she took the flask from Tommy. "Not unless you want to get cut, Arthur." She warned as she pointed a finger at him before taking a drink f whiskey as well.

"Sorry, sister." He replied, his amused smile still lingering as his gaze diverted to the ground again.

"Right. Look." Tommy spoke to his brother, patting his chest to get his attention. "Tell the maids to break out the champagne." He instructed. "We'll be down in a minute." He assured.

"Champagne, yeah. OK." Arthur nodded before patting his chest pocket where he had safely put his speech. "I got it right here. I'm ready." He told his brother before turning around and walking away from the couple.

When Tommy turned around to his wife, he met her stern face as she glared at him. "I told you not where anyone can see." She muttered softly as her head tilted to the side and she quirked an eyebrow at him.