Peaky Blinders One Shots

Finn X Reader: Late Night Meetings

The night sky outside the window is as black as the car you're travelling down winding country roads in, signalling just how late it is. You're sure it must be the early hours of the morning, and you dread the thought of how your parents will react when you get home several hours after curfew. But it's not like you did this on purpose. Your date with Finn ran over time for multiple reasons.

First of all, at the start of the day, you had no idea that Finn planned a day out so far away from Small Heath, so you didn't have the chance to warn your parents that the journey back might make you late. Secondly, when you two were finished with your trip to the countryside, the car Finn borrowed from his brother, John, wouldn't start. Neither of you are mechanics of any kind, but Finn tinkered with the engine enough to get it chugging again, although you both know that the problem isn't fully gone, you just hope that it will keep running until you get back home. Honestly, those are the only reasons you have for being late, but they're both really good, so you hope you won't be in too much trouble, or stopped from seeing Finn for a while.

Speaking of Finn, he's sitting beside you, with his hands on the steering wheel, peering out at the road in front of him that's illuminated by the headlights. Even with those lights, though, he takes it slow, watching for any people or animals that could be out. Really, that gives you another reason to be late, and makes your date look good. He's being careful instead of reckless. Still, though, you're nearly an hour away from Small Heath if the car was going at its normal speed, but at this rate the sun will be coming up when you finally get there. All you want to do now is sleep, but you feel bad trying to rest when Finn has to stay awake, so you keep your eyes open and look out at the road ahead.

"Thanks for bringing me out here," you say quietly, "it's been a lovely day."

"Hasn't ended too well, though," he jokes, making you smile.

"Well it's not over yet," you point out, "and there's no guarantee it'll end badly. My parents may be very understanding." There's some truth to that. The consequences you'll face may only be minor. "Besides, all the worst is behind us. We just have to get home now."

It's like you've just jinxed yourself, because right as Finn is about to say something, the engine sputters loudly, and the car slows down until, with a loud bang, the engine dies, stopping the car completely and turning the lights off suddenly, plunging the both of you into darkness. You both sit there in silence for a second, before Finn tries turning the key and pushing the button, but the engine only makes a pitiful chugging sound, before going silent yet again.

"Fuck!" Finn shouts, startling you. He turns to you then, looking exasperated and tired. "Stay in here. I'll see if I can do something to get it going."

Before you can stop him, Finn swings the door open and jumps out. You can barely see him as he makes his way around to the front of the car, leaning down to crank the lever a few times, but you know it's pointless. You press the button that is supposed to start the car, but now the engine won't make a single noise. The two of you continue to try again and again, but nothing happens. Eventually, Finn rises and comes around to your side of the car, opening the door.

"It's no use," he explains, "this car isn't starting, and we're too far from Small Heath to walk, but my brother Tommy lives a few minutes from here, so we'll stay at his for the night, and in the morning, we'll see if he knows anyone who can get it started. If not, he can drive us back."

You blink in shock. Staying the night at Tommy Shelby's? That sounds absolutely terrifying to you. You've never met him before, only seen him and heard about him, and everything you've heard has given you enough reasons to avoid meeting him. Finn has introduced you to most of his family since you two officially started going out together, but whenever Tommy is brought up, or is in the same area as you, you always have an excuse to not meet him, like you have to go home right that second, or you can't go out that day because you have work. While Finn isn't the smartest of all his siblings, you know that he's begun to pick up on what you're doing.