FOR THE ONE WHO STAYED ─ A peaky blinders fanfiction
━ IN WHICH, Elizabeth Shelby has to come to terms with the fact that sharing a name does not necessarily mean family.
━ AND IN WHICH, a father and daughter must learn how to find each other again...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
☾
Effy was agonizingly hungover when she woke up the next day, clouds wandering around her mind as she tried to recall the night before. All she knew was that she was on house arrest for a long time and Tommy dearest snapped real bad that night. And for all that, Fred was most certainly not talking to her. And he had every right, she knew, for all the shite she said.
Crisped tears were dried in the corner of her eyes, she washed her face before heading downstairs. Effy could nearly see from the cigarette smoke when she entered the kitchen. The whole Shelby clan had gathered around at the dining table, looking more distant and dead than ever.
"What's this all about?" asked the confused Effy while rubbing her eyes.
"It's a family meeting Eff," said John, leaning back in his chair.
"Good mornin' to you too" She smiled bitterly.
"It's eight in the bloody evening, love" Raised her brow Polly, and Effy's eyes widened.
"What? How's that possible?"
"You slept all day, that's how it's possible" Smirked her uncle John with a toothpick hanging from his lips.
"Were you crying?" asked Polly with her eyes narrowed. Effy's face was slowly turning red, and she wiped her eyes as if anything was left in there.
"No" She shot sternly and made quick eye contact with Tommy.
"Alright" Arthur pointed at youngest Shelbies, "Finn, Effy, get out" The two didn't argue as they headed to the door, they knew they couldn't stay at family meetings.
"Wait" Tommy held out a hand "They can stay"
"Tom-"
"This matter includes everyone in this family. If they understand, they might stop with their childish tantrums" He was swinging his cigarette between the two adolescents. John held back a snicker, and Finn sat back while rolling his eyes. Effy did the same.
Ada handed her a biscuit. Tommy looked quite stressed, and that worried Effy. She looked over at Finn, who was sitting on the other side of the table. They shared a look. She hadn't forgiven him for snitching on her, but she couldn't keep being mad forever, he was her best friend. When the men went off to war, they bonded deeply. Being almost the same age, they shared everything with one other. Together they survived the time during the war, relaying on each other, making everything a joke. Somethings to keep them alive. The two put a dead mouse once in the cabinet for Polly to find, she screamed so loud, four of their neighbors went over to see if everything was fine. They both earned a whack on the arse after. But it didn't matter, it never did. Because when one of them went down, the other went down with them.
