A Voiceless Lioness (Peaky Blinders)

Fragile like a flower or a bomb?

(Leona's P.O.V.)
I was helping out Willow with closing the Lioness for the night. I was in cleaning the tables and sweeping the floor while Willow was cleaning the glasses and restocking bottles. Koda, who laid on her mat by the bar, suddenly looked up when the pub door opened. "We are closed for-" Willow began but stopped, which made me turn my head. I saw the head of the Blinders, Tommy Shelby, walk into my pub. Willow turned to me to see what I would do. I nodded towards Mr Shelby in a greeting before motioning that he could take a seat. I turned to Willoe and signed that she could go home. "I'm not leaving you alone with him" she signed back at me. She signed because she didn't want to alert Thomas. "I'm not alone. Koda is here aswell" I signed trying to wave her away to get her home. Yet she didn't agree and went ahead to clean the next thing. I turned my head back at Tommy and saw him light up a cigarette.

As soon as I noticed, I instantly snapped my fingers to gain his attention. He lifted his head up and blew out a puff of smoke. "Don't smoke in here" I signed at him angrily, I was to pissed that I had forgotten he doesn't know any sign language. He raised an eyebrow in confusion before turning towards Willow so she could elaborate. "Leona does not allow people to smoke indoors" she explained. Tommy turned to me "it's because of your vocal cords, right?". So, he knew and yet lit a cigarette anyway. The smoke burns and irritates my vocal cords and I absolutely hate it. My vocal cords are already uncomfortable and painfull and when you add smoke to the mix it will only make it worse. So, I do not want anyone to smoke near me when indoors. Outside is fine as long as I am standing out of the directions of the wind. "I'll promise to blow the smoke away from you" he told me and showed his promise by turning his head away from me before blowing the smoke out of his mouth. "Fine, have it your way. You cocky bastard" I signed and Willow explained but stopped and looked at me. Wanting to know if she needed to say the last three words aswell, I simply nodded for her to continue and she obliged. "You cocky bastard" she interpeted and it made Thomas laugh "fair enough". I walked away to go behind the bar and grabbed a bottle of white whiskey and two glasses. Koda followed me back to the table. I placed the bottle and glasses down on the table in front of him and poured the two glasses with the drink. Meanwhile Koda made her way towards Tommy to find out who he was, by sniffing his hand. I watched the two interact with the each other and to my suprise, she liked the Blinder. "She likes you" Willow said interpeting after I had signed. "I can charm dogs" he told me as he patted Koda over her head. I didn't reply to him and just turned to Willow to sign "go home" to her. She was reluctant but left anyway. I turned my attention back to the Blinder. I needed to find a way to communicate with him. I looked around the pub for something that could help us out. Then I got the idea to just write everything down for him. So I walked to the back office to grab a pen and notebook before returning to him. He looked at me with curiousity as I sat down and placed the notebook down. Koda left his side and stood up to go to my side and lay down. Although Koda liked Tommy, she still watched him carefully. So if he did something, then she'll make him regret doing it. I leaned over the notebook and began to write. I didn't think he would be patient enough to wait for me to finish writing but he was. He silently waited for me. I finished and turned the notebook around to show it to him. "Why are you here?". "Wanted to see your pub" he simply replied. I looked down and wrote a responce "liar. You already have been here once before". He showed a quick smirk before giving a different answer "I came here for good company". "And I'm good company?" I wrote down. "Seems so" he answered before taking the glass to have a drink. Well, he just drank everything in one go basically.

"Its whiskey. You're supposed to sip. Not gulp it down in one go". He looked back up at me before grabbing the bottle and filling his glass again. I watched him take the glass back to his lips and then take a sip.

(Tommy's P.O.V.)
Leona looked unamused at me before writing something. I noticed her body language had suddenly changed, from a relaxed one to one that gave me the feeling we where in a meeting of some sort. She was writing longerer than the last time she wrote. She even flipped a page to continue writing. Eventually she laid her pen down before sliding the notebook towards me, keeping the same cold emotionless look in her eyes. I looked down to read it what she had written. "You want to fuck me, Mr Shelby?". The first line read. I was caught of guard slightly but continued. "Perhaps because you want to get closer to my brother or maybe you are actually stupid enough to want it". I looked up to her, once again I couldn't read her facial expressions. Yet, there was a daring glint in her eyes. While looking at her I flipped the page to continue reading. "But that all doesn't matter because I will never give you the satisfaction". And here I was thinking that the she was would be the easier from the two Solomons siblings. But that was far from the truth. She is not fragile like a flower. She is fragile like a bomb. And if I was not treading lightly she will kill me without hesitation. I realized that I did not have the power in this room, nor never had for even a minute. "Now I will politely ask you to leave my fucking pub before I put a bullet between those pretty blue eyes. Because I sure am not the good company you where looking for".

Published: 2nd of March 2023