Peaky Blinders | Imagines and Headcannons | Tommy Shelby | Redghs

Tolerate | Ada/John

Warnings: Swearing, over protective brother
Word Count: 850
MALE POV

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You'd been dating Ada Shelby, now, for just over four months, and you could already say you were in love. Well, you could have said that from the moment you saw her.
You'd been having drinks in The Garrison, just a few with your friends after a good day at the races, when the doors swung open, revealing Tommy Shelby and his infamous family. Everybody had seen the Shelby's: Tommy sitting quietly in the cubicle next to the bar; John terrorizing the youth of Small Heath; even Arthur could be seen at the boxing ring, battering any novice that came into sight.
However, the same couldn't be said for the sister. Ada usually kept to herself, drinking at her house with Polly or wandering the nicer streets of Birmingham with her son. She rarely came into the Garrison and when she did, you never saw her. It was as if she was simply a whisper - everybody knew about her, yet nobody could see her. Although, when the Shelby's occupied the room beside the bar and you saw Ada following in her brothers' wake, your eyes lit up. She was the most gorgeous woman you had ever seen.
And you wanted to make her yours.
It took all your strength to ask her out, and of course your friends were behind you, drunkenly egging you on. You didn't think she'd say yes, of course, you thought one of her brothers would pull her away before they laid into you - 'Nobody touches our sister' they'd yell. However Ada accepted your invitation.
And now, four months later, the two of you were happy; and you were practically part of the family.
But not entirely.
John was very protective over his family, particularly his sister. And when he discovered the two of you were dating, he went ballistic.
"Ada!" He yelled, arms thrown high in the air. "How the fuck can you date this- this-this -this piece of shit!" You scoffed at John's stumbling question, sitting back in your chair as you took the wrath of the Shelby.
"For fuck's sake, John! Give it a rest!" You were completely in awe of Ada. She never let anybody boss her around, let alone her brothers, and when she did become defensive, her eyes would sparkle, lips set in a tight line. She was beautiful, even when her veins were full of white hot heat.
John didn't warm up to her anger as much as you did, however, and this simply spurred him on further.
"He's a Y/L/N, you know we don't trust the Y/L/N's!"
"Oh my god..." Ada chuckled, biting at her lip as she watched John pace the room, thumb rubbing gently against his lip.
"Don't give me 'oh my god'..." He said, pointing his finger at his sister.
"She was giving me a lot of 'oh my gods' last night..." You knew you shouldn't have spoken, especially something so crude, and when Ada shot you a look you'd never seen before - a look of death and despair - you held your hands up in mock surrender.
"What the fuck did he just say?" John began yelling once more, and this time, his anger was directed at you.
"You aren't good enough for my sister, for the Shelby famil-"
"Oh and you're a Saint, are you?" You spoke again, standing from your chair and squaring up to the youngest of the soldiers, chest puffed out, chin held high.
"Oh will you both just sit the fuck down!" Ada yelled, cutting between yourself and John her hands held in the air. "John..." She said, seemingly calm, trying to mask her rage, "I'm not asking you to love him... Just- Just to accept him?" John chewed at his gums. He loved his sister, you could tell, he thought the world of her. It was hard for him to see her with someone else, especially after her first heartbreak. But when he saw the softening look in her eyes, a look of longing plea, he simply gazed down for a moment or two and after a second, began to nod his head.
"I'll tolerate him. 'Won't like him but I'll tolerate him..." John held eye contact with you, face hard, jaw set like stone. You could tell he hated you, wanted to rip your head off and face no reprocussions.
You were a Y/L/N after all. And the Shelby's didn't like your kin.
It took John a moment to collect himself, to break his gaze with you and hold back the side of himself that wanted to beat you into the ground. He began to nod again, and with this, stormed out of the room, the picture frames rattling against the wall at his exit.
"Well..." You muttered after John's departure, and Ada turned toward you, mock sobs greeting you as she snaked her arms around your waist "...At least he tolerates me" A soft chuckle escaped Ada's lips as you rested your chin against her hair.
"It could be worse..." She muttered longingly "...I thought you'd be dead by now".