Angel of Small Heath

sixteen.

1919

Eden guided Tommy home gently, one hand on his elbow rubbing gently over his arm.

Tommy felt numb, the streets were barely lit and there was some snow starting to fall from the sky. It looked like the stars were falling down. Tommy had not felt this numb since he had come home from the war. He was grateful for the small girl walking next to him, her arm wound through his guiding him through the night sky.

The two had arrived at Watery Lane - Tommy had just muttered the word home to her when they left the Garrison, and Eden didn't know where he meant. His place at Watery Lane was the closest, so she headed there.

What Eden didn't expect was Tommy to stop at the door, shaking his head and pulling her away.

"Tommy?" Eden called, watching as he took her hand in his and kept walking down the street.

"Where are we going darling?" Eden quickened her step so she was now walking side by side with Tommy, his hand holding her's tighter.

Tommy didn't reply, and Eden didn't have the heart to press him into speaking. They walked in silence for a few more minutes, before arriving at the door to Eden's apartment.

Eden couldn't help but feel a rush of love through her veins, that Tommy considered this home. Her apartment was home. She was home.

Eden just nodded, fishing her key out and letting the two into the apartment. As soon as they entered the room, Tommy just froze looking around the small apartment.

He shouldn't be here. Everything here screamed Eden and was soft and gentle. He felt nothing but rough edges and sharp corners - he would ruin everything here. He would cut it all to pieces.

Eden could sense Tommy collapsing into himself again. She pulled gently on his hand, walking backwards to guide him towards the bed. Tommy's eyes were hooked onto her's as Eden turned them around, sitting him gently on the end of the bed.

There was silence as Eden gently took off Tommy's hat, placing it on the table beside the bed, quickly following to take off Tommy's coat and jacket.

Tommy just watched her treat him like he was fragile - as if he might break. It crossed Tommy's mind that it wasn't that long ago that he was the one taking care of her in the same way when he had walked away from her.

Tommy's chest tightened again, and when Eden stepped away from him to get some cloths and water to clean him up, he panicked. "Angel." He managed to get out, hating how weak his voice sounded.

Eden just stepped back into his embrace, brushing his hair back off his forehead - dropping a light kiss onto him. She hummed softly, swaying lightly in his embrace, as he buried his head into her stomach, hands clutching desperately onto the fabric at the back of her clothes.

Tommy didn't know how long they had been like that, but Eden had hummed the whole time and ran her hands through his hair. Finally, Tommy's grip loosened enough that Eden pressed another kiss to his head, before darting off - arriving back just as quickly with some water and fresh cloth.

Tommy tried to bat her hands away from him when she started cleaning his face. "Let me take care of you, yeah?" Eden cooed to him, holding his face still with one hand and wiping at it with the other.

Tommy nodded slightly, taking the time to look at her unabashedly. Watching her eyes, as she wiped his face clean of the blood. His hands slid down to her hips, holding tightly as she put down the cloth in the water.

Tommy was infatuated with his angel - how she hummed softly while she cleaned up his mess. How her hands were never harsh with him and her touch was filled with love. He loved how her ring was cold against his skin but reminded him that he was hers. That they were together and they were in love. He never thought that he could deserve love - let alone a love as sweet and pure as this.