Avos'

𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐝𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭

OKSANA WOULD HESITATE TO SAY THAT THINGS ARE GOOD.

Good things rarely happen to her. From the death of her family to all the turmoil she's endured since then, believing that she could have something of enjoyable quality is almost like asking for trouble. However, that's how things have been in the week since she moved into the Shelby mansion, good.

Charlie has been wonderful every step of the way. Her little employer warmed up to her the very same night she first tucked him into bed. He's a spectacularly brilliant child. He likes reading and playing and asking a million different questions, always curious, always wanting more, and it's invigorating. The staff has also been nice, warming up to her rather quickly and assisting her with anything she needs.

And Thomas Shelby. The undeniably attractive, stunningly silent, overwhelmingly drawing Thomas Shelby has been absent.

Although the girlish part of her has become annoyed at his lack of attention, the more reasonable survivor in her is thankful. The meeting in his office when she first arrived has been playing over and over in her mind whenever she even thinks she spots him.

It had been at that moment that she realized just how brilliant he is. She had seen the workings of suspicion and intrigue in his clear eyes when he poked at her accent, asked about her age, and demanded she look at him. Then, like a true leader, he had the last word that nearly rocked her composure.

She recognizes that he is a man that is used to getting what he wants and deconstructing people like little wooden matryoshkas, opening them one by one until he reveals the tiny pathetic core.

But he's not the only one that's brilliant, so is she.

She had taken the chance by bringing up poor Mrs. Milton- still slightly guilty at leaving the woman- mostly to gauge his reaction. It was a bit reckless, but she had dabbled in revealing her hand. She wanted to see if there was something more to him, something human to use to her advantage.

Now, she has no nefarious plans. She isn't trying to steal his fortune or fuck with him, but she is trying to see how to make her life here as inconspicuous as possible. She wanted to see if he was going to be an issue, unbending and unyielding.

He hadn't been. He had seemed genuinely perplexed at her mention of Mrs. Milton, of her subtle judgment, of her pointed and refined words. She had taken a risk, but it had paid off because he bent. This seemingly powerful man who didn't hesitate to pounce on her in the most obvious day bent, and it had almost given her the sense of assurance she had been looking for. She's sticking to the shadows and this decision is a smart one. She gets a warm bed, enough food to keep her full, and she's five pounds richer.

She's also- thankfully- getting sunshine. Despite any reservations, she imagines in a perfect world she would have said yes to this position just for the scenery alone. She's laying on a blanket out in the yard a few minutes' walks from the back of the mansion. Even though she has a book in her hand, her head is resting back lazily and letting the sun's rays shine on her. It's still cold- the sky growing darker and the air growing thicker each day- but the warmth the light provides her has a way of banishing all those horrific memories.

Every few minutes, she peels her eyes open to look for Charlie, making sure that he's still just playing with his wooden toy a safe distance from the lake. When he waves at her with a cheeky smile on her face, she waves back and closes her eyes, content in knowing he's okay and she can relax.

But her relaxation does not last long when a rather abrupt cough comes from behind her.

Acting on instinct, she snaps her eyes open and whirls around, forcing herself to not throw her hand over her frantically beating heart when she sees it's just Thomas.