Request: Anon: reader had been a nurse in the war and now they offer their healing services to gangsters so families aren’t losing their men to street violence but everyone knows the reader is neutral and Alfie is protective of them and pretty much in love with them.
“He’s coming in again today, isn’t he?”
You kept your eyes fixed on the book you were reading– in fact, it had been a gift from the very man your friend was referring to.
“I don’t know when Mr. Solomons is going to visit our centre until the moment he walks through the doors, Anne,” you hummed in response to your friend’s question.
Anne rolled her eyes before inching closer to you and closing your book. You looked up at her with a frown, “What?”
“Don’t give me that look! This place might be full of injured gangsters, but we both know a man like Alfred Solomons– a man of that sort of standing– wouldn’t think to come here even if he was just about ready to die. He’s too proud.”
You set the book down on the counter, “I don’t know what you’re implying, Anne.”
She scoffed, “Like hell you don’t. He must really like you if he comes all the way into this part of town just to see you, Y/N, because he’s definitely not coming in to get his wounds treated.”
“Everyone knows a good boss checks up on his workers,” you jumped slightly at the deep voice joining the conversation. You hadn’t even noticed the door open during your conversation and you felt instantly giddy at the sight of Alfie, “And seeing as you’re treating nearly half my men in here I thought I’d pay them a visit,” Alfie stopped and turned to look at you, “Though to be fair, I would use any old excuse to see Nurse Y/N over here,” he winked at you.
The heat rose in your cheeks in response while Alfie flashed you a quick grin. Anne only gave you a knowing look before excusing herself.
As soon as she was out of earshot, Alfie stepped towards you, “How’ve you been, love?”
Your heart quickened slightly at his words. “Since you saw me yesterday?” You raised an eyebrow in amusement when you realised he was genuinely asking, “I’ve been quite well thank you, Alfie.”
“Good, good. I’m glad,” he mumbled to himself, gently brushing away a strand of hair from your face. You couldn’t hide the grin that escaped your lips at his gesture. Your encounters with Alfie often went like this– he seemed to have a knack for sending your heart rate into a frenzy the moment you saw laid eyes on him. You had rather hoped that after all this time, you would’ve become used to Alfie being his usual self with you. But needless to say that even a lingering glance left your cheeks rising in heat.
You snapped out of your reverie, clearing your throat, “Shall I take you in to see the boys then?”
Alfie looked puzzled for a moment, “What? Oh– yeah, yeah let’s go,” he nodded, following you into the hallway, “Any casualties I need to know about?”
You shook your head, “Nothing too serious. There’s a hell of a lot more this week than usual though, Alfie. All your gangsters are good for is keeping us nurses busy with their never ending list injuries. Between your lot and Sabini’s men, this place is never quiet– they even fight with each other when they’re in here those… those ruddy idiots!”
Alfie chuckled at your choice of words, “Why d'you think I let my boys get into all them fights in the first place, love? Gives me a bit of peace and quiet too ‘round my bakery and all.”
“I doubt there’s ever a dull moment in your bakery, Alfie Solomons.” You chided playfully.
“Well you’d know for yourself if you ever let me show you round.”
“Tell your men to stop fighting with their fists and start talking to one another and maybe I’ll actually have the time.”
Alfie loved this. The back and forth between you two that seemed to flow effortlessly. And it was thanks to your indifference on the entire gangster situation. To you, treating these men was no different to treating soldiers during war. You had become a nurse to help people, and if the war had taught you anything, it was that groups of men not getting along very well often resulted in casualties.
At least, this was the explanation you had given to Alfie the very first day he visited the centre and asked what an innocent young woman such as yourself was doing treating criminals. He even asked if you were being forced into it, promising to take care of it if that were the case.
You had laughed it off, saying a job was a job. From that day on, Alfie had taken a keen interest you. The only woman– no, the only person he knew outside the bakery who didn’t look at him with either fear or disgust when they found out about his line of work. And for that, Alfie thought the world of you.
You had arrived in the infirmary– the ward that had most of Alfie’s men, at least, “I’ve tried to keep them separate from Sabini’s men this past week. Bit of extra paperwork, but Anne and I are sick of them trying to murder each other while they’re still bedridden.”
Alfie scoffed, “I can barely put up with my lot longer than a day before I lose it at someone. How the hell do you put up with all this lot?”
“Gives me an excuse to see you nearly every day, doesn’t it?” You said truthfully. Even as the close friend he had become, Alfie’s presence was oddly comforting when you were dealing with his men all day long.
“Have they been behaving themselves for you?” Alfie asked, as if he was reading your mind. You were stood at the entrance to the ward, no one had noticed you yet.
“I don’t think it’s in their nature to behave, Alfie,” you joked.
“Well you tell me which ones are give you trouble and I’ll sort them right out.”
“Duly noted,” you smiled as you gestured for Alfie to step into the ward. Some of the boys had noticed you and Alfie and began to get riled up.
“Boss is here boys!” One shouted out, “Looks like he’s brought his bird with him too,” he snickered as he winked at you.
You grimaced at the man while Alfie marched up and grabbed him by the collar, “Don’t you fu–,” Alfie stopped, giving you a sideways glance before continuing, “Don’t start with me boy, or you’ll be too dead to regret it,” he muttered threateningly.
You couldn’t count the amount of times the men had hurled all sorts of lewd comments your way but most of them knew to shut up when the boss walked in. Most.
“Right then,” Alfie looked around with a cold expression, “Anyone else got something to say to Nurse Y/N?… No? No one at all?,” Alfie looked around with mock concern before hardening his expression, “Good. Now keep it that way or I’ll make sure these injuries become permanent.”
You stayed quiet, Alfie’s visits to his men often ended with him lecturing them all about treating you better. Needless to say you were used to it by now, you even got a little kick out of watching the men’s faces turn pale after Alfie had stormed out of the room.
“Come on, love,” Alfie said quietly to you, gently pulling you out of the ward.
“You really don’t have to give that spiel every time you come in here, you know. I can handle myself.”
“Believe me, I know you can,” Alfie chuckled, “Actually, that um… that brings me to why I really came down to see you today.”
“Oh?” You raised an eyebrow.
“Yeah, yeah,” Alfie started, running his hand through his beard, “Seeing as you already know how to handle yourself round my men how’s about you come and work for me directly?”
“A-As what exactly?” You were surprised at yourself that that was your first question. Alfie Solomons was offering you a job and for some strange reason, that didn’t strike you as unexpected.
“As a nurse, what else?” Alfie shrugged as if it were obvious.
“Alfie, I already am a nurse for your men here– and all my equipment is here too, I couldn’t pick it up and move it because it doesn’t exactly belong to me. Besides, I doubt your factory would have space for a makeshift infirmary anyway.”
“Makeshift? No love, I’d have it all built nice and proper for you– if you said yes, of course.”
To be fair, your own space to work did sound rather appealing, but you still couldn’t envision leaving this place. “What of all my equipment? Technically it all belongs to Mr. Briggs, he owns the building.”
Alfie thought about if for a moment, “I’ll have my men speak to this Mr. Briggs about letting you take it. Or I’ll buy the building and have anything you need transferred to my warehouse– Or you can give me a list and I’ll have all your equipment bought brand new. Choice is yours,” Alfie said, mulling over those three options himself.
You were slightly taken aback by Alfie’s generosity. You knew he was in a position to afford it, but to be prepared to spend all that money on you was quite the compliment.
“Maybe we ought to see what Mr. Briggs says first, he might me willing to part with some of the equipment. Besides, I really wouldn’t want you spending all that money on me.”
Alfie smiled, “You know I could afford to buy this building and have a new facility built for you in the warehouse. Speaking of money, how much is this Briggs paying you?”
“Ah– enough to get me by each week, I suppose.”
“Well whatever he pays you, I’ll double it– no, triple. And you live alone?”
You nodded, “My flat’s just down the road.”
Alfie hummed, “Right, well I can’t have you making the trek all the way over to me everyday by yourself–”
“I’m sure I could manage, trust me,” you said, slightly defensively.
Alfie chuckled, “I’d trust you with my life, Y/N. But being the beautiful young lady you are, it’s the men out there I don’t trust,” he said gesturing to the street, “I have an empty house not far from bakery, you can live in that if you want, and–”
Your eyes widened slightly, “My own house?” Saying it out loud made you realise it wouldn’t work, “Thank you Alfie, but I really don’t think I can afford an entire home–”
“You’ll find that I’m a very generous landlord, Y/N. As long as you’re working for me, the house is yours free of charge.”
“Alfie this is all far too kind…” A new home, a tripled salary and your own facility?
“Kind? No, love, you’d be doing me a favour. I won’t have to come all the way out here to see you everyday– in fact, you can start visiting me in my office,” he grinned at the thought.
You smiled at that, “I’m being serious Alfie…”
“Honest darlin’, I need a nurse on site and you’re the perfect person for the job. Nothing kind about that, just business,” He said nonchalantly, though secretly he loved that this was all making you smile so much, “What d'you think? You’ll come and work for me?”
You didn’t even need to consider it a moment longer before nodding excitedly, “It would be my pleasure, Alfie,” without thinking you engulfed him in a hug, “Thank you.”
Alfie was slightly surprised by your gesture before you felt his chuckle reverberating through his chest as he wrapped his arms around you, “No need to thank me, Y/N. You know I’d do anything for you,” he said quietly, placing a quick kiss on your forehead.
You couldn’t help but think that being so close to Alfie each day might actually mean the friendship between you might blossom into something more now. You smiled at the thought. And although he gave nothing away on his expression, Alfie was thinking exactly the same thing.
2087
janainaart