Gun metal and Daisies (Thomas Shelby)

"I didn't take you as the jealous type?"

I don't pay attention to the
World ending.
It has ended for me
Many times
And began again in the morning.

"This is karma, y'know?"

Dorothy groaned and pulled Thomas' neck back to where her head lay so she could get lost in the warmth again. She squeezed her eyes shut because at that moment, the world seemed all too bright.

"Right then. That's it. I'm taking you back home." Thomas patted her knee, to which she responded by curling up further.

Thomas sighed and chuckled quietly. Had she not been sick, this would have been tremendously cute; but now was not the time.

"I can't go back home. Mama's there and I can't have her getting more ill." She mumbled in his ear; her wheezing breathe made it sound scratchy and bothered.

Thomas and Dorothy sat there for God knows how long. If it wasn't for her occasional coughs, Thomas would have thought she'd fallen asleep. He leaned his head to the side and breathed in her scent of Vanilla and Rose water.

The silence was broken by Dorothy shifting her head up and sitting up straighter "so how has YOUR day been?" She wiggled her eyebrows at him jokingly "You and that fancy shmancy Irish barmaid been talking?"

Thomas's mind catapulted as he thought all the way back to Grace a few months ago. He thought back to the letter on his desk and how it hadn't moved.

Thomas rose his eyebrows up at the girl, the girl who was perched in HIS lap. "I didn't take you as the jealous type, Bonny?"

Dorothy's mouth gaped open for a second before she scrunched her mouth shut and hit Thomas on the back of the head, "I'm not jealous, you mook!"

Dorothy settled again and smiled, "you just looked really happy with her at the Garrison. You said you liked her dress! Mind you, it was a very nice dress."

Thomas smiled at her obliviousness, even if it pained him. "Yeah well, she left for New York about two months ago, not sure what she's up to now."

"Ah, what a shame. She really liked you, I could tell." Dorothy tapped her nose with her index finger, "I always think New York is so heavily built up. I've always wanted to live in the countryside. I love the look of cottages and and stables, maybe a farm. But I'm stuck in Birmingham, so it'll have to do. It's better than London though." Dorothy shrugged, she breathed out heavily, but Thomas figured that was just from the stuffed nose.

The pair sat and talked for a little while longer, joking and throwing smiles and giggles at each other.

Thomas knew he had to get Dorothy to a bed of sorts, or a sofa at least so she can rest up and get better, but she was adamant that it was only a cold and she'd be fine soon enough.

The day wore on and soon enough, Ms. P left the bakery for the two to lock up.

Dorothy had now vacated her seat on Thomas' lap and had now moved to lying on the spare counter, claiming that the cold surface was nice on the pressure in her head. Thomas had also moved so he was head to head with her, his legs going the other way.

Though he couldn't see her face, he could feel the smiles being sent his way, and the sound of her laughter reverberated around his head, bouncing from wall to wall.

The two were talking about when they were younger again, reminiscing of the old days.

Thomas talked of his family and by this point, Dorothy felt like she knew all of them.