Nothing New / Peaky Blinders

𝘅𝗶: breather

"Arthur, what 'ave I told you about crude jokes at the table?" Polly beckoned from the other room, no doubt rolling her eyes as she tidied up.

Olivia forced a laugh quietly as she made her way into the kitchen.

"I've got you some toast, nutter, no jam 'cause Arthur's ate it all." John pointed at the empty seat beside him, with the slice of toast sat awaiting her.

And the spare seat next to him. He'd be watching her closely like he had been all week, fear ignited in his eyes as his sister would take small bites of the piece of bread and nearly give up eating it half way through.

Polly would come in and give her a pointed look, and Olivia would finish the slice.

Olivia smiled at him. (It was a grimace) And took the seat next to him, ripping the crusts off before ripping the slice of toast into much smaller chunks and eating it at a slow pace.

"Arthur," Finn started, kicking his feet under the table and making sure they landed against Arthur's knee caps with every kick, "why don't you ever tell us any funny jokes?"

John snorted as Arthur's face contorted with confusion, and Olivia hid a quiet laugh behind her palm.

"What'dya mean, Finny-boy? The joke about that lady in the shop is funny." Arthur said, his bushy eyebrows furrowing.

"It ain't." Finn spoke simply, as if he was unaware to his brother's disarray at his comment, "You've told the same joke for the past few days. It ain't funny no-more."

Arthur nodded his head, slowly, "Orright then, I won't tell it again."

Finn smiled, brightly. "Do you know any fish jokes?"

Olivia stopped tearing her toast to pieces and watched her younger brother, watching as he talked with a mouthful of food, lips covered in butter alongside crumbs sticking to the sides of his lips. He was an idiot. Total buffoon. But, Olivia couldn't help but admire her younger brother for unknowingly softening the ache in her chest with his stupidity.

His interaction hadn't been forced, like Arthur's jokes and John's buttering of her toast, it was simple, natural Finn. It had been the first thing to make her feel better in days.

"Nah, I don't mess about with fishes, Finny-boy, they're always up to something fishy."

Silence descended upon the Watery Lane kitchen, as Finn's older siblings waited for the penny to drop but it never seemed to happen. The boy just stared back at them, without a single thought behind his eyes. Just pure Finn.

And Olivia laughed quietly, again.

John glanced at her before a smile ignited on his face, before he burst into his usual boyish laughter which always descended at their younger brother's misfortune.

Heavy footsteps sounded into the kitchen, on instant Olivia looked back at them in fear. Her stature only slightly calming when she saw it was just Tommy. It were just Tommy, Livvie, she had to remind herself of it like it was a prayer.

"What's goin' on in here?" He asked, leaning over Olivia's chair and stealing a few segregated scraps of toast, before his hands rested on her shoulders, squeezing them lightly, "Stop messin' with your food, ey?"