At Your Service [Tommy Shelby]

Revolution - Part 1

Ada laughs sarcastically, "Jesus, why are you so worked up about this?" "I'm not. It's just-" He takes a second to regain his composure, "Let's just do this fucking meeting, okay?"

"I'm all ears."

~

Stressed out Vivian lights up a cigarette. James already read the room and now seeing that frown on Vivian's face guesses there is definitely something going on there. "Are you alright?" "Yeah." Vivian mumbles. James takes a tug from his cigarette as well, "Are you going to be in trouble?"
"What?" "Well, that you're here.. he seemed rather taken aback." She shakes her head, if it would, she would be happy to be leaving there. "No, I think he just didn't expect me there."

"You said you didn't have much contact." Vivian is getting annoyed by these questions, especially now that he is basically uncovering the truth. "We don't", she snaps back. Making James hide his smile by looking the other way. There's something going on there and his curiosity grows. He can't blame her, Tommy's a sight to behold and a force not to be reckoned with.

All Vivian feels however is annoyance. Annoyance to Thomas for him treating her like this, for dismissing her as just one of his maids. But also annoyance to herself, on why she cares so much. They've shared plenty of conversations and some were rather personal. She had felt this connection, this bonding, a certain trust establishing. Was it just her? Does he see her as nothing more than an employee?

There was a moment where she hesitated to just leave. Her taxi would stay around, he said. Perhaps if she would walk down the street she could find him..

But before she could make any attempt to, the front door opened and Thomas walked out. His eyes immediately searching for hers. She actually wasn't really planning on staying and finding out what he wanted, so she threw away her cigarette and was about to walk past him to the front door. But she couldn't when he grabbed both her shoulders, "Vivian." He said almost annoyed by her choice to walk away. "Let me talk to you, ey?" She sighed and rolled her eyes. "Now you want to talk?" His face is as cold as ever yet she can read a tinge of desperation behind those blue marbles.

James, as uncomfortable as ever took this little silence as a cue to move his butt into the house again. "I'm gonna go... inside.." he said, not really to anyone, those two were too immersed in their own stubbornness. But he does feel a bit of pride, he was right, there is definitely something going on between those two.

Tommy wanted their eyes to cross, yet she kept looking away. "Let's just sit down.." He sat down on the stairs leading up to the front door. and waited for her to follow, "come on." he said, encouraging her to hurry up. Against her better judgment she sat down with him and finally crossed his eyes again. There was something poetic about the synchronization of their butterflies, all because of the shared look between them.

She doesn't start the conversation, it is not her place to fix whatever was done. He opened his mouth, but abruptly closes it again. Instead he reaches for the thing he always reaches for. He offers her one, an offer she can't deny. He scrapes his throat as he looks at the cars going by. 'He's taking is damn time' she thinks to herself. They both follow a couple walking with a stroller at the other side of the road. "Do you think they're happy?" He begins. Vivian gives him a puzzled look, what is he beating around the bush for? Since Vivian is not giving any reaction he continues on his own, "They look happy... It's funny", he said slowly, "How people can be so content with something so small. A baby, a little home, and they're set for life." He paused, then looked at Vivian. "I used to wish for it.. but it's not for me, that kind of life." She looks at him, trying to figure out what he is hinting at. "I couldn't live like that." He says.

Vivian tilts her hear, studying him, responding almost annoyed: "What kind of life do you want, then?"
Thomas shrugged. "The kind where you make your own rules, I suppose. No obligations, no commitments.." Vivian raises an eyebrow, "Sounds lonely." she says as she takes a tug from her cigarette.

"Mm. Maybe it is," Thomas said, his tone unreadable. "But it's what I know." A long silence followed, where they both are trying to figure out what this information means for them.

Then he finally spoke, "Look, Vivian.. I shouldn't have said what I did.. I- I didn't mean to hurt you,"he said, his voice low and gruff. Vivian scoffed. "You didn't mean to? I think you made pretty clear what you wanted.." she crosses her arms, almost as if she was a little child having a fight on the playground.

Thomas clenches his jaw, taking a frustrated tug, "I know I fucked up, alright!" he said louder than he wanted, politely greeting an older couple that walked past them. That's a first, Thomas admitting he did something wrong, Vivian thinks to herself. She is however still in no mood to just follow him around again. "And what about now? Do you still think I mean nothing?" she says sarcastically.

Thomas immediately looked up to her and with his hand under her chin points her gaze towards his, making her have to look into his eyes.  "I didn't say you meant nothing," raising his eyebrows as he speaks. Vivian tries to look away but he points her head towards him , making her put her hand on his to push him away, "Thomas-"

"You mean something.. to me, okay?" he switches between her eyes, as if he somehow could tell her everything he felt for her. Now he no longer feels the force of her hand, but she is letting it rest on his as she stares into his eyes. Even at this moment, he is difficult to read. Thomas however reads the confusion on her face.

She sighs, "Then stop hurting me.. stop pushing me away Thomas." He finally lets go of her chin and their contact breaks. Thomas swallowed hard, his mind racing for the right words, "I just- I can't have anyone getting too close. It's not safe for them.. or for me."

Vivian slowly nods, she understands, it is what she expected had happened in his head. "I know what I'm getting into, Thomas. Everyone who gets close to you, knows. And it's my own choice." He clenched his jaw, feeling a pang of guilt. He again opens his mouth to say something but closes it. 'She has no idea,' he thinks to himself.

"Just.. Things happened.. before, and.." he stops speaking as he feels tears welling up. He won't shed a tear again. he turns his head away and clears his throat in hopes she doesn't notice. She does, of course, it is quite something when he shows only the slightest of emotions.

"You're a hard man to read, Thomas Shelby," she said softly. Making him meet her gaze again.He nods, she's not the first one who said that to him, and she definitely will not be the last.

After a couple of seconds he stands up again and offers her a hand to help her stand up. "Let me make it up to you." he says. Vivian raises an eyebrow, "You're going to have to try pretty hard to make it up to me, Thomas." He throws away his cigarette as he chuckles, "I'm glad to try. I'll show you London, we're here anyway." he says as he looks around.

She can feel a twinge of excitement in her chest, she does want to see the city. Somehow this man knows how to win her heart again, and he keeps getting away with it. That faint smile on his face is already worth it. However she doesn't want to make it that easy for him. "You do have to wait, Thomas Shelby." He takes a surprised look at her. "I haven't even finished my tea yet," she says playfully as she walks inside again.