𝙁𝙞𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙣. 𝘖𝘭𝘥 𝘏𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘋𝘪𝘦 𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘥
...
A HABIT IS HARD TO BREAK. One usually doesn't catch themselves creating one until it's too late – when the hole has already been dug too deep.
Thomas Shelby always made sure to be aware of bad habits he could fall into, but this one he could not have predicted. It was not his smoking, nor his drinking. Not even the whores he sleeps around with. His usual remedy to fall asleep at night was opium, as it was for many men after returning from war. But recently the strongest remedy he has found was the living room of the Alder home, in front of the burning fire.
For the past few nights in a row, ever since the first, the man had continued to show up late in the night at his golden haired girl's doorstep. The process was the same: She opens the door and he walks in without as much as a word. He would then sit down on the couch in front of the fire that was crackling away, and she on the opposite side. Exchange of words was rare, the sound of the fire usually being the only thing filling the air with the occasional sound of a match being struck to light a cigarette. But neither seemed to dislike this silent habit. To each, after a long days work, sitting in front of a warm fire with just the presence of the other was better than to not.
Although in the back of her mind Elizabeth was still frustrated at the Shelby man about the races, she continued to push it aside as she saw he was coming to her home for some sort of comfort. And dare she admit so too felt the same.
Eventually within the night the golden haired girl would look over at the man and see he had finally fallen asleep, usually still sitting up, and she would quietly get up from her spot and go to her own bed. And when she would wake up the next morning, he would be gone from his spot on the couch.
Days were long, leaving little time to go anywhere. Not that there was anywhere to go in Small Heath except The Garrison. Almost everyone in town seemed to need a doctor or nurse, but it came to no surprise given the filth they live among.
As the bright afternoon daylight shine in through the windows of her home, Elizabeth sit down on her couch as her patient walks out of the door. There was no guess to what the next person will come through the door with: an infection, a broken arm, a bullet in their leg, the list is never ending. With a deep exhale she slump down to make herself comfortable but the sound of the door opening back up causes her to immediately sit up.
"Liz! Liz!", Ada's voice echoes through the house and the golden haired girl springs from her seat and to the side of the very worried Shelby girl.
"Ada, what's wrong? Are you...", Elizabeth asks as she looks down at the girls stomach.
"Not me", Ada says as she begins pacing back and forth, "It's Freddie."
"Freddie?", the girl echoes, "What happened to Freddie?"
"Have you seen him?", Ada asks ignoring her question and Elizabeth shakes her head, "What about Tommy?"
Again she shakes her head no and the expression of worry grows even more on Ada's face. "Ada sit down, you're going to hurt the baby with your worrying", the golden haired girl says as she directs the worrying Shelby to the couch to sit.
"What's wrong?", she asks as she takes a seat beside her, her arm around the girl's shoulder.
"I have to find them", Ada says as she rubs her knee in angst, "I think they're going to kill each other."
"What happened?", the Alder girl asks.
Ada let out a deep sigh and looks over at Elizabeth, worry screaming from her eyes. The golden haired girl gives her little sister a small smile of comfort with a nod, and Ada soon begins telling it all.
...
"The usual Grace", Elizabeth says and the barmaid pours the girl a glass of whiskey and slides it over to her across the bar.
"The races are tomorrow, are you excited?", Grace asks with a slight smile on her face. No doubt thinking about Thomas, the Alder girl thinks to herself.
"Yes", she replies as choosing civilness seemed to be the appropriate response at this time, "Have you ever been to the races?"
The barmaid shakes her head, "No, but I hear it's filled with class and luxury."
"Can't image it being too nice", Elizabeth scoffs as she takes a sip of her drink, "With Billy Kimber being the so called king of it and all. Bloody ugly bastard."
Before the barmaid to make a remark the sound of the doors being pushed open catch everyone's attention, and Thomas Shelby appears. And just as quickly as he appeared, he disappears into the private room up front.
"Excuse me", Elizabeth says to the barmaid and picks up her glass.
As she takes a few steps, the girl stops in her tracks and turns back to face the girl behind the bar, "May I?", she asks pointing to the bottle of Irish whiskey that was previously beside her glass.
"Of course", Grace says in a soft tone.
Elizabeth take hold of the bottle in her free hand with an empty glass to match and begins where she started off. With a slight push the golden haired girl now stands in the open doorway of the room, Thomas Shelby seen sitting at a chair lighting a cigarette.
"Don't tell me you've picked up a job as a barmaid now", Thomas says as he turns his attention to his golden haired girl.
"This is for me", the girl retorts as she walks into the room, "You want a bloody drink get it yourself. Ask that pretty barmaid of yours."
Thomas let out a slight chuckle as Elizabeth set down the bottle of whiskey and empty glass on the table which were clearly for him.
"Your sister paid me a visit earlier today", Elizabeth says as she leans against the wall with her glass in hand, "The poor thing was worried shitless about you and Freddie, it made her sick."
The man continues to pour his drink, as if he cannot multi-task and respond to the girl's statement whilst he does so. "She's fine now if it concerns you at all", Elizabeth continues with a little sternness in her tone, "But in her condition, with the baby, she needs peace."
"She could have peace, yet she and her husband choose to stay here", Thomas says lowly as he brings his glass up to his mouth.
"Would it be such a bad thing if they stayed?", the girl asks, and again Thomas does not give a response.
As much as the girl tries to avoid confrontations with the man, this one particular circumstance she feels she cannot let slide. As it doesn't have anything to do with her herself, but the girl she considers her little sister. Elizabeth knew it wouldn't be easy to get anything out of the ocean eyed boy, but she told herself she would try; For Ada.
"Women talk", Elizabeth speaks again in hopes to muster a response.
"That is something they do", Thomas finally replies with a noticeable hint of sarcasm in his voice which causes her eye to slightly twitch.
"She told me about you and Freddie, best mates pointing guns at each other over the same girl", Elizabeth explains, "Fighting over the same bloody thing."
"Well, that's what men do", Thomas replies and the blonde lets out a scoff.
"Is it Thomas?", the girl says which catches the man's attention and he sets his drink down and turns to face her.
"You've been gone, things change", Thomas says as his ocean eyes peer into her hazel ones.
"All I know is that if things don't change, Thomas, your sister will loose her baby", Elizabeth begins with seriousness written on her face, "And I can guarantee if she can't forgive you for what you've already done, she would never forgive you for that."
Similar to their recent nights spent in each others company, moments of silence go by between the two, both casually just sipping their matching drinks. Why the two haven't spoke about this habit that is seemingly unfolding in front of them comes down purely to denial. Denial from the man that the girl he once loved so deeply still holds the same power over him that she did all those years ago, and for the girl that she had nothing to stay in Small Heath for. Both statements proving themselves to be false.
"The races are tomorrow", Thomas says changing the subject, "You've gotten your dress I assume?"
"Of course", Elizabeth replies.
"How does it look?", Thomas asks as he brings his burning cigarette to his lips.
"Spectacular", Elizabeth smiles with envy.
Thomas sees the smile upon his golden haired girl's face, but notices this smile was not one of genuine, but something else. He stares at the girl a little while longer before picking up the paper that lay on the table in front of him, and opening it up to read.
"9 o'clock, tomorrow morning", Thomas says with his face now hidden from the girl behind the paper.
"I'll be sure to tell Arthur", she smiles and walks out of the room, leaving Thomas Shelby alone with his now confused thoughts.
...
[ Chapter Status: Not Edited ]
...
a/n— here's a quick little chapter for you all. i hope you are all enjoying the story so far! i appreciate each and every one of you reading, voting, and commenting! love you all <3
p.s. next chapter will be a long one, so buckle up for that.