• TOMMY SHELBY IMAGINES •

you and i

The day I've been dreading has finally come, which makes me feel a whirlwind of emotions. From last night, to breakfast, I've been a complete mess. My stomach is in knots as I watch him get ready, he's just as nervous as I am, but Tommy seems to act cool. Because today's the day he'll meet my parents. And God knows that won't go smoothly.

I've told him countless times that I was raised by two people who should be jailed for the way they raised me. Mum had her spirits in her head, dad had bottles of a deep brown whiskey to chug every night. They were savages, who had me out of the blue, I was a child they did not want. So they did not hesitate to treat me like someone they did not want.

Mum decided to teach me about how to put a curse on someone young, whilst dad showed his emotions by drowning himself in bottles of alcohol. I didn't know a single thing about love until Thomas Shelby waltzed into my life. For a long time, I was alone, before they were taken away from me, the police had stripped myself from them. I was raised by the Sisters at an orphanage for a few months before they reclaimed me, stating that they were fit to nurture me.

They were better when I was back in their care. Mum was still a self-proclaimed spiritual being, claiming that she could speak to the dead, while dad would still wake up drunk, but he was better. I mean, the man could walk to his bed drunk, unlike before, when we'd have to drag his lifeless body to bed.

They live in a small house in Aylesbury, far enough from me. They're old and deteriorating by the second, she calls me Cherry, and he always asks for forgiveness. They want me have children before they die, and always tell me they love me over the telephone. I do love them, I do, somehow. Despite all they've done to me, they're still my bloody parents. They have no idea about Tommy, but they know that I love a man who treats me well.

"You alright?" He asks me, I sit before my vanity, I raise my gaze from my lap to catch Thomas make his way over to me.

"Ahhh," I contemplate the question before he places his hands on my arms and leans in to kiss my cheek. Crumbling, I soften against his lips. He tries to erase my thoughts, ease my mind, but I'm afraid this isn't something he can just kiss away.

"You're so tense, love. Breathe." He says against my ear, looking at me through the mirror as I do the same.

I inhale deeply, looking back at him. He looks so handsome, God, he looks absolutely stunning. My fingers crawl up to his, where I lace my fingers in his, that nervousness does not go away, but he makes me feel an abundant amount of security.

"What is it, Cher?" His eyebrows pull in, pulling his arms around my body to give a squeeze. Its an attempt to calm me down, but all I feel is tangled up in his warmth. 

"I'm so scared they'll fuck this up, Tom." I say quietly, my eyes dropping.

"Fuck up what?"

You don't know them, they're wicked, sick people. They've done so much to taint my life, they'll only fuck this up. They'll only ruin this.

"Look at me." He sends a shake my way, raising my eyes to his. Thomas turns the chair I sit on around, and I watch as he moves to his knees. I look down, smiling sadly at him, because this is new to me. He's always somehow looking down at me, never up. Except the time he proposed, I blush at the memory.

"I love you." He says each word slowly, trying to convince me.

"I know-" I begin to shake my head.

"Stop. I love you, which means I love your fucked up past, and I don't give a shit about your parents. You think they'll sway me into ending things with you or something?"

In that moment, he takes my left hand and mentions the new accessory that sits wrapped around my finger. A small gold band, "I love you enough to want to marry you. And I love that you get scared of how much I drink, because I know your dad scared you when he was piss drunk. I see how scared you get sometimes, Cher, and I see the hurt they've caused. But I love you."

Melting away, I can feel my eyes well up and chills make their way down my spine.

"And I hate them so much for fucking up that brain of yours, and I hate them for making you have nightmares and panic attacks. And I bloody hate them for neglecting you. But I'm so fucking in love, Cher. And the shit they did shaped you into the lady you are today.They're arseholes who fucked up, but they created you and I am forever be in their debt."

"Thomas-" I whimper. Oh God, here the bloody tears come.

"And I won't allow them to get in the way of hurting you anymore. They've done enough damage. So fuck them. You are mine, and I couldn't ask for a more stronger, more beautiful, more everything life partner."

He gives my hand a squeeze, as I literally go blind by my teary eyes. "Don't cry, love." Laughing weakly, he rubs his eyes himself, "Christ, you're making me choke up."

"That was," I breathe deeply, shaking my head as I rube away at my eyes. I cant even relay my message without wanting to cry more.

Looking at my damp fingers, I sniffle, trying to control myself but I can't. Not with the way he looks at me. "How did I get so lucky with you?"

"I ask myself that question every time I look at yous." He whispers, smiling at me. "Now - we're going to see your parents, and we're going to tell them we're getting married. And then we'll leave, and hopefully never see them again. Because above all of this is you and I."

"Argh!" I look up before smiling, "That sounds wonderful!" I gush, leaning in to press my hands against his cheeks. "I love you so much."

He breaks into a grin, wrapping his arms around me before lifting me. He stands with me in his arms and kisses my lips sweetly. I smile against them, because life is so good with him in it.

"We won't even stay for tea if you want, we can scream it from the car." He adds, pulling away to swipe away my tears. "Okay?"

I nod, giggling as I imagine Tommy and I screaming the news of our engagement from the car before driving off. He kisses me some more, this time moving me to my feet. I lift my head up to his and brush my nose against his. "Okay."