broken toy soldier { tommy shelby } UNDER EDITING

one: down by the water

Tommy rolled his eyes and laughed to himself. It always started like this. Iris pretending to be sophisticated and proper. Never lasted long. Tommy gave it about 2 minutes.

"No. Now piss off would ya." John spat.

Iris's nostrils flared and her green eyes darkened. "John, either you come out and speak with me now or by God, I will say it in front of your brothers."

Thomas and Arthur looked at each other again before turning back to the show.

John looked up from the glass he was glaring at to Iris. "Fuck off, you tart."

Now he'd done it. Iris sauntered over to their table and lowered herself to John's face, her full lips pursed as she tried her very best to keep her composure intact. "You don't speak to me like that, John. Not after what you've done to our Martha. She hasn't left the fucking house in days!"

"What are ya bloody talking about?" Arthur asked, sounding exasperated.

"John knocked up Martha, and hasn't spoken to her since she told him! She's fucking distraught, as you can imagine!" Iris spat, her face twisting with anger.

Thomas sighed at the latest instalment of the ongoing John and Martha drama. The pair had been on/off since they could speak, and it often wore thin on Tommy. "Fucking hell, John-boy."

John remained as he was, staring hotly into his glass of whiskey.

"Say something, then, John! Anything!" Iris shouted, slamming her balled fist down on the table forcibly, making the glasses rattle dangerously.

Again, John remained unflinching. 

Iris had well and truly lost her temper now. She flew up from her seat and turned to Arthur for assurance. "Tell him, Arthur!"

Arthur held up his hands. "It ain't my place, Iris..."

Iris looked as though she was about to physically attack John, when finally he spoke. "Look, Iris, I'm sorry. I just dunno what I'm supposed to do! I'm 17, fuck sake!"

Iris calmed down. Slightly. "You step up and you take some bleeding responsibility!"

John nodded slowly. "So, what then?"

"I won't have my sister's reputation dragged through the dirt. So, you'll marry her."
                                ——
Another explosive argument later (this time from John at the prospect of marrying so young), it was settled. John would marry Martha, and all would be right with the world.

With a groan, John downed the remnants of his drink. "Right, got to go propose, lads. See ya's later." Then the boy breezed out of the private room without looking back.

Sighing, Iris turned to face Arthur and Tommy. "Sorry, boys. Wasn't my intention to cause a scene, but that needed to be sorted."

Thomas dipped his head in understanding and Arthur laughed abrasively. "Kids, eh?"

Iris grinned at him. "Too right. I'll see you later, boys."

Arthur shot up.  "Stay for a drink, Iy. The night's just getting started!"

Iris glanced at the clock briefly before shrugging. She'd never turned down a drink before and wasn't going to start now.

She flopped dramatically into the armchair she had screamed at John from just moments before and placed a hand on Arthur's forearm. "Go get us a drink, Arth. Gin and tonic."

Arthur grumbled but obliged anyway. He always did.

"That was quite the entrance, Miss Iris," Thomas commented through a puff of smoke.