At Your Service [Tommy Shelby]

Glass house - Part 1

Vivian stands still in her tracks, as if she was frozen. She had hoped Lizzie wouldn't notice her, but of course that would be too hopeful. When Lizzie looked at her she could read the desperation and rage in her eyes, she was maniacal. "WHAT THE FOCK ARE YOU LOOKING AT?!" She shouts at Vivian. With big steps she walks up to Vivian and grabs her wrist, just as Vivian was trying to turn away. "OI?! ANSWER ME!" The strong smell of liquor was quite overwhelming. Thomas immediately rushes outside to the hall to see who Lizzie was tormenting now.

~

"I.. I'm sorry I just finished cleaning.. I.."  "BULLSHIT" Thomas nearly bolted out to the hallway when he heard Lizzie focusing her anger on someone else. When he had heard Vivian speak he immediately felt his stomach drop. Turning the corner he saw a hysterical Lizzie holding Vivian by her wrist, which was turning white from her tight grip. "Oi, Lizzie, cut it out." he shouts at her, raising his eyebrows, stating an intimidating stare. A sarcastic scoff comes from Lizzie's lips as she turns around. She drops Vivian's wrist, giving Thomas a feeling of relief.

"Defending every woman you can,  but your wife? Right Tommy?" Thomas didn't really know how to respond to that, perhaps because Vivian was in their presence as well. He opens his mouth as to say something, but quickly closes it. He guesses that anything he says would just be adding oil to the fire. Although.. That rage seemed to have died down a bit. At least Lizzie wasn't frenzic anymore, yet she was crying. He knows he has to feel somewhat of sympathy for her, but he can't, not now at least. He had just told her he doesn't love her anymore. He isn't sure if he ever did, it was circumstance that brought them together. And now that she's become so unbearable, he doesn't know what to do anymore. He misses Grace, he misses having someone who loves him for him. Lizzie loves him, he knows, but he always asked himself if she loved him for him or for what he represents. "I always tried, Tom.." Thomas slowly blinks as he momentarily looks down, "I know, Lizzie." They both shake their head as if there is only a small window in time in which they seem to be on one line. Defeated Lizzie turns around and without saying anything to Vivian, walks out of the hall, upstairs.

When Thomas heard a door slammed shut, he took it as a cue to turn to Vivian, who was standing quite awkwardly with one hand one her arm. Looking as pale as a ghost, but who would not be after a scene like that? The silence is tangible, both not really knowing what to say.
Vivian rubs her painful wrist, making him direct his attention to providing her the care she needs. "You alright?" He asks as he walks up to her, "let me see." He gently grabs her wrist to look if there was any harm done. Such a small gesture, yet it still warms Vivian's heart. "It's fine.." she says, her voice still shaking a bit. "hmm.. It'll probably bruise." When she joined his inspection she knew he was right. There were pretty clear red marks, which tomorrow will probably be blue.

When she looks up again her eyes cross those blue eyes, never breaking contact. He sighs and says: "I'm sorry, about her. She's... it's just all the booze and blow. Sometimes she doesn't think straight." The usual cigarette is grabbed from his tin as he offers her one as well. "You don't have to apologize Thomas. It's not your fault." He scoffs. He knows she means well, but he also knows that she's not right about that. He's pretty sure he is the reason. He keeps driving Lizzie to the edge, and somehow, even though he notices it happening, he doesn't really do anything about it.

"Oh God" She puts her hand to his head and when she draws back he notices some blood on her fingers, "you're bleeding Tom." He puts his hand to his head well, she's right, he feels a warm liquid on the tips of his fingers. He walks into his office, straight to the mirror. She follows and as he had guessed she was stopped right in her tracks. There was broken glass everywhere, a table turned, books on the floor, a couch moved a couple of meters back. "Jesus.." she mutters. Luckily the scratch is not too big, probably caused by some flying glass. He grabs a piece of cloth from God knows where at this point, to get most of the blood off. He'd love a glass of whiskey right now, but the glasses and their content are scattered on the walls and floor. He wipes some glass off of his chair and sits down, letting out a big sigh he didn't even know he had in him.

 Vivian is standing in the middle of the room, not really knowing where to go, as Thomas is sitting in his chair looking up at the ceiling. A big cloud of smoke is being drawn from his lips. All day she'd wanted to talk to him, but this isn't really what she imagined. She also doesn't really know what to say. What do you say after all this? She looks at him, trying to take in as much information as she can from a man who shows next to nothing.

Perhaps it is because the adrenaline is slowly flowing away, but Thomas has this awful feeling in his chest, gnawing at his conscience. When did everything get this fucked. This woman he married, she's nothing more than an inconvenient consequence of his own recklessness. He's good at business, great even. Matters of the heart just seem illogical to him. That's the thing that keeps bumping into them. Lizzie is trying to make it a matter of heart, but it never was. Not for him. Everyone is trying to get close to him, get a glimpse of what they think he could be. But he's not. It's just like Ada has shouted at him before, in a fit of rage, "You destroy everyone you lay your eyes on, Thomas." She's right. Matters of the heart break, they always have. Business however, he thrives on, he can manage, it makes the demons in his head a little less big.

And now that this drowning kitten is standing in front of him again, he doesn't know how to react. He breaks the silence, "I'll compensate you for what happened." he says while tipping the ash of his cigarette. When Tommy starts to read her face all he can see is genuine confusion. She confusedly blinks at him, as to say to him that she does not understand this reaction. And she really doesn't. "Right, I'll throw in some extra, to make sure you don't talk." He is not even noticing he is hurting her in the process. Somehow his train of thoughts lead him to this scenario and there is no backing out now. She scoffs. 'It's fucking business mister Shelby again' she thinks to herself.

She can actually see him growing more agitated by the minute. This is the way he is with Lizzie, with businesspartners, but he shouldn't be like that with her. "What is it then, ey?" His voice sounding louder than before. He just wants her to answer, to tell him what it takes. To close this fucking deal, cause that is how he deals with shit. Making deals, having the upperhand. He doesn't even notice his irrationality growing inside of him.

This girl who he is obsessed with, who gives him peace and serenity, he now tries to chase away. Building those walls back up again. He took off some bricks and placed them in her hands, yet now he wants them back, because it's too vulnerable without it. She doesn't give it back though.. but how can that be, there is no one that doesn't listen to him. Yet this girl, he is twice the size of, goes by her own will. She makes him scared, not of her, but of himself when he's with her. He's scared that when he does get those bricks again, it will be too heavy to carry. That lost cargo seemed nice, but being that naked, feels wrong.