• TOMMY SHELBY IMAGINES •

darling charlie shelby (request)

He was always so charming with kids, it was something that shocked all of his close friends and family when Charlie was born. Especially because the only things Thomas Shelby seemed to care about was money, power, and glory.

He lives his life as a single father, and tries to spend as much time with Charlie. Thomas has his ups and downs with the little boy, he just reminds him so much of his dead lover Grace.

Thomas frequented his mornings with the little bugger until Charlie witnessed his father with come home with a bloody face and body. Poor Charlie was only four when that happened, and broke out into tears and those emotions of pure love and adornment towards his father broke.

Fast forward to Charlie's seventh birthday, and he's learned to call his father Thomas, and not daddy. But as Thomas took a sip of his famous gin, and moved to his sons eyes did Charlie look up at him and tell him ask him something Thomas has been dreading.

"Who is my mom?"

The two stare at each other for a long period of time. Charlie's never asked Thomas such a thing, and Thomas has only hoped that he'd ask the maids that question, and not his biological.

Thomas takes another sip of his drink, looking at the boy who is far too smart for his age.

"Your mother?" He raises an eyebrow, making sure that Charlie said what he heard.

He nods his head up and down, the glasses on Charlie's head nearly falling off. The maids have always told Thomas that Charlie was gifted, always stated that he had the IQ of a genius at such a young age. Thomas brushed them off, thinking they were just gloating about his boy to get a raise or something.

"Yes." Charlie hisses, "Tell me! I deserve to know."

Thomas is taken back by his attitude and frown. "Alright, alright, don't get snappy with me boy."

Charlie frowns back, wrapping his arms over his chest.

"Your mother was..." He starts before sighing, a smile plays on Thomas's face, "Your mother."

"What?" He grows extremely excited, moving to the couch to sit down.

"Well for starters she would have absolutely loved you. She was smart, just like you." Thomas plays at his words, "As a matter of fact, I think you might be smarter than her."

Charlie chuckles, "What else?"

"Mmmmm," Thomas tries to imagine what else to say. "There was so much, Charlie." He states.

"Did she like maths like me?"

"I don't know. But she was a detective,"

"Really?

Thomas nods. "She was an amazing woman, Charlie. So sweet and kind to everyone, and she loved you."

The son he created with Grace lights up. "Her name was Grace, but I'm sure you already knew that."

He nods.

"She didn't want me to show you the life I live." He whispers. "Charlie, she would have been fucking pissed off over me and the way I act towards yous. We used to talk all of the time." Thomas looks at his son who just turned seven. "And now we don't even say a single word to me."

"You scared me." He tells his father. "You get hurt too much, and then you drink and get drunk."

He shakes his head, "Life for me isn't as simple as life is for you, son." He tells Charlie, his voice breaking the moment he remembers the day of his wife's death. "Nothing is simple anymore."

Charlie looks at his dad, and feels the disconnect between the man he used to look up to. A silence so thick and unwelcome, it makes Thomas turn around and walk away from his son.

It's Grace's voice who tells him to be calm, and love his son the way she would have loved him.