April Snowdrop (Thomas Shelby)

𝒯𝒽𝓇𝑒𝑒

Deborah stayed silent as Tommy's words sunk in. It was the first time he had spoken to her about his time in France. She had heard about his battles in the trenches and tunnels and how Freddie Thorne saved his life, but he had never spoken to her of his feelings about it all.

"These races we're going to." Deborah spoke up, while accepting the cigarette and light from Tommy. "It's business?"

"King Billy Kimber and all his men will be there." Tommy revealed, after getting over his initial shock of her accepting his invite.

"Does Polly know of this?" Deborah questioned and watched as he nodded. She knew the man he spoke of and she also knew the troubles that came with him. "What am I meant to do?"

"What I ask of you." Tommy told her, while exhaling the smoke.

Deborah knew he was only bringing her for his own benefit, so she was getting something out of it. "I'll need a new dress." Tommy scoffed at her demand. "If all I'll be doing is following you around and looking like a spoilt rich women on your arm, I'm getting a new dress out of it."

"Weren't you once a spoilt, little rich girl?" Tommy jabbed.

"I also want you to allow Grace to sing, it's part of the deal." Deborah added, ignoring his previous words.

Tommy raised his eyebrows at her bold move. "Since when?"

"Since you mentioned my past." She glared. Everyone knew better then to mention her childhood, it was her past and that was the where she wanted to keep it.

"Am I apart of your past or present?" Tommy suddenly asked, staring her in the eyes.

Deborah didn't like the pressure on her to answer, so she decided to use his question to mention another topic. However, she forgot that Tommy hadn't forgotten their own past.

"It depends on the decision you make, regarding Ada and her unborn child." Deborah warned him.

"You and I both know bringing a child into this world alone would ruin your life." Tommy's words sent Deborah into shock.

"Neither of us were ready." She reminded him, while blinking away her tears. "We were too young."

"So I'm right and Polly is wrong." He muttered. He adjusted in his chair and slowly closed his eyes.

"Ada has Freddie." Deborah snapped, disagreeing with him. "If you would leave them be, everything would be fine."

"Nothing's ever fine with us." Tommy whispered.

After a few minutes of silence, Deborah realised he had fallen asleep in his chair. Standing up, she grabbed the burning cigarette from his hand and gentle nudged him.

"Come on Tommy, lets get you home." She told him and placed his arm around her shoulder, before locking up and walking down to the empty streets. "Things used to be fine." The women whispered to herself.

☾ ⋆ ❁ ✰ ✧ ❦ ❀

"Don't you men have work to be doing?" Deborah joked as she walked into the private room in the Garrison.

It was the following day after her late night chat with Tommy and when she woke up that morning, she hated how her heart jumped at the thought of it. When him, Arthur and John arrived in to the pub, she was pleasantly surprised by the slight smile he had sent her way.

Arthur grinned at the young women, who handed him a fresh pint. "Come on now Deb, us men have been working hard. We deserve a break."

"Yeah Deb, unlike you, who's been missing from the betting shop." John remarked as he tried to sent her a glare, before bursting out laugh.