Nothing Left To Break

12

AN IMPORTANT THING TO NOTE ABOUT ANI WAS THAT SHE HAD A DIFFERENT FATHER TO HER BROTHERS. Not that that changed anything. The only difference was her brown eyes compared to her siblings blue.

Maybe temper and irrationality was something inherited by her siblings father.

Ani had not spoken to any of her family for almost two months. Instead she had been going about her normal day, just avoiding her brothers on the street and going on a break whenever her sister came into the school to get Alex.

Thomas Shelby however had been trying to contact her frequently. He met her after her shifts and tried to walk home with her, bringing her a fresh bouquet of flowers every day.  Ani refused and snapped at him. He was persistent and came back every single night, and followed her as she walked, a few steps behind. Just making sure that she got home safe.
But she was also persistent and turned him down every single night and would refuse to talk to him. He used her. He betrayed her and her family.

Tonight was different, however. She had been working for almost 13 hours and just wanted to sleep. She was so tired that she probably wouldn't object taking Thomas's arm on her walk home. She wouldn't speak to him, but she would lean on his arm and probably fall asleep.

However when she slouched out of the school and looked around the street, Thomas Shelby was not to be found. His usual place under the light post was empty, apart from a couple on the bench next to it.

Maybe he finally gave up. Ani scoffed to herself. The one time that she wanted him. It was fair to say that the universe was looking down on Ani this week. Or month. Or year.

With a sigh, Ani began her journey home.

"Sorry I'm late Miss Solomons"

His voice bought a temporary smile to Ani's face. Quickly vanishing as she remembers her anger towards Thomas.

He jogs slightly to keep up with her and begins to match her slow strides, the new flowers hid behind his back.

Silence follows his actions.

Thomas was determined not to spoil her mood, not that he could read her mood. She just hadnt shouted at him, so it was a start. He knew it wasn't necessarily a good mood, but he was there. He was still there, Ani hadn't shouted at him to leave. The fact that she wasn't speaking was a minor inconvenience which he could quickly change after this first baby step.

Ani steps closer to Thomas and links her arm through his, leaning on him slightly. Causing Thomas to smirk slightly. To try to hide this he takes out the flowers, forget-me-nots and passes them to lani, following this he lights up a cigarette with one hand, which is easier said than done. However he wouldn't complain, he would rather have Ani on his arm again.

It was Ani who spoke first.

"Do you not have somewhere better to be every night, Thomas?" She asks, her voice dry and cold, lowering her head slightly to smell the flowers.

"No" he states simply, admiring her.

Ani takes a breath and pulls away from him slightly, still holding on to his arm for slight support.

"Have you seen Alfie?" Ani asks, clearing her throat. Trying to pass her question as casual.

"Yes. It wasn't a pleasant encounter" he says, smiling slightly at Ani, watching her looking at the passers-by's. Thomas admires the innocent look on her face, lit up by the moonlight. He knew that himself and Ani were a lot alike. They both tried to hide their weaknesses from other people so they won't exploit them. Thomas felt guilty as he watched her, as though he shouldn't be allowed to see her from such a vulnerable angle. She would have to forgive him this once.

"Why me?" Ani asks, suddenly returning to her cold state.

Thomas does not say anything, instead he offers her a confused look and pulls her in closer by his arm.
She obviously didn't like that as she pulls away and detaches her arm from his.

"You spent time with me just because you wanted information on Alfie and to fuck me" she states, her voice lowering and staying at a steady level. That was much worse than shouting.

"So, that's why you've been angry me" he states, exhaling his cigarette smoke.

"No, I'm actually angry about politics, yes that's why I'm fucking angry" Ani says harshly and sarcastically.

They fall silent yet again. Ani was angry with herself that she had let her guard down, to Thomas Shelby no less.

"When I left, I didn't leave because you said no. I left because I felt bad for pushing you" he said. It sounded odd coming out of his mouth. Ani thought to herself, this was near enough an apology and yet it sounded foreign in Thomas's vocabulary.

The life of a gangster doesn't seem to include many apologies.

"So you decided to not communicate that with me and just ignore me instead?" Ani asks sarcastically, scoffing at his statement slightly.
Ani was used to men treating her like that, and she wasn't going to take it anymore.

"Yes. I know it wasn't the right thing. Let me make it up to you" Thomas says kindly, offering his arm again. Like an olive branch.

"What have you got in mind?"

Thomas seems to contemplate this for a second, clearly he hasn't thought she would accept his offer.

"Be ready at seven tomorrow evening"  he says calmly, nodding his head, probably to himself. Buying himself more time to plan the evening.

"Alright Mr Shelby, you have my attention" Ani says flirtatiously, slipping her hand down his arm and to his hand.

A smile grows on his face as he looks at the brunette fondly. She is even more beautiful at night, it seemed that she was more comfortable and confident in the dark, for whatever reason.

Her hazel eyes could engulf any man to doing whatever she wanted. Thomas would do anything for her if only she looked at him, smiled and simply asked. She had him wrapped around her little finger, and he couldn't believe that Thomas himself had caused her an ounce of pain. He vowed to himself silently that he would never do that again.

Her words, 'you have my attention' had swapped completely, she had his attention, like Juliet had Romeo's.

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Authors note

Thank you so much for 700+ reads, it's amazing!
If you have any suggestions or questions please don't hesitate to put them in the comments, I have the next ten chapters os so lined up but would always love some ideas!
Elin