Dangerous Things | Thomas Shelby

29

Hazel really wasn't in the mood to care for her appearance, her encounter with Thomas made her feel even more anxious- it made her heart race and her head scream with thoughts, and all she felt now was the longing to hear out loud that he was still in love her. But her heart ached when she saw how unsure he seemed, and she couldn't help but wish she never left Small Heath in the first place. It was almost as if whenever things between them were going well, some thing had to mess it up. She knew she was to blame for it all though.

She stepped into her dress and pulled it up, cursing when she realised it tied up at the back, instantly wishing she had Ada there to help her- and instantly dreading that she'd have to ask Thomas for help.

Her dress was a neutral colour that was similar to her skin tone, but it was covered with gold sequins that sparkled rather brightly, and she caught herself doing a small twirl in front of the dusty mirror in Thomas's room, smiling slightly as each sequin caught the light. She admitted to herself that getting dressed up actually had made her feel much better.

She made her way to the top of the stairs, peering over and watching as Thomas sat back in his armchair, a large cloud of cigarette smoke surrounding him. Hazel began to clear her throat and ask him for a hand, before his deep voice interrupted her.

"You spying on me?" He called out, and she could tell by his smug tone of voice that he was smirking. She then realised that positioned near his chair was a large mirror in which he could see her in.

"Shit." She mumbled, her cheeks flushing with red. "-No. I was about to ask you to help me with my dress."

"Does that mean you're almost ready to go?" He spoke hopefully as he made his way up the stairs.

"No. I still need to do my makeup." She replied, rolling her eyes at his impatience and turning round, moving her hair to one side.

"Fine." He huffed, and she flinched slightly as his cold hands brushed against her back.

"Sorry." He mumbled, carefully crossing the delicate string over and pulling it slightly, tying it into a small bow.

He noticed the faint scars on her back, and seeing them triggered a sense of nostalgia to him. He remembered when she told him what she'd been through, when he realised how similar they were in that regard. How embarrassed she was of them when he first saw her unclothed, but how beautiful he thought they were. He remembered how he felt when he realised he had fell in love with her, and he realised that he felt that same faint flutter in his stomach now.

"Are you done?" Hazel asked slowly, the silence between them becoming slightly uncomfortable.

"Yeah. Yeah all done." He coughed slightly, shaking his head to try and clear his thoughts. "- look, I need to go and find Finn before I go to the garrison so I think I'll just meet you there."

"Alright, that's fine. Is Ada coming?" Hazel asked as she turned back round to face him, brushing her long hair behind her shoulders, trying not to stare at his own cheeks which seemed a pinker colour than usual.

"Yeah. Her and karl." He replied, staring awkwardly at her for a moment before snapping out of his small trance, spinning on his heel and jogging down the stairs "- try not to be too late!" He called from downstairs before leaving out the front door, slamming it behind him.

"Right." Hazel spoke to herself with a tone of confusion, letting out a large sigh before heading back to Thomas's room to do some light makeup using whatever she'd thrown in her back.

..

Hazel inhaled sharply as she stood on the cobbled ground outside the house she'd debated visiting all day. She then exhaled quickly in an attempt to steady her expression and nerves, and knocked lightly on the front door which to her surprised creaked open.