With tense shoulders and a blush to her cheekbones Stella turned from where she had reached out to fuss the grey mare, a tentative smile coming to her lips as she faced the approaching Tommy Shelby “I just needed some air,” she said in a small voice, allowing her hand to fall back to her side “But I, I can leave,” she said as she stepped away, the grey standing behind her reaching her nose out to nudge her arm.
Nerves swirled in her stomach as her eyes met his, there was a lit cigarette resting between his lips and a flat cap pulled low over his face. With his hands tucked deep into the pockets of his long black coat, she was able to see that his eyes were narrowed as he came closer. Her heart skipped slightly in her chest; he couldn’t have looked more intimidating if he tried.
But, at the same time, there was something different about him now he was standing on the yard surrounded by the horses. His posture wasn’t as tense as it had been back at the house, his tone wasn’t as snappy and she was pretty sure there was a hint of a smile on his lips as he regarded her.
“You can stay as long as you like,” he said to her surprise, tugging his hands from his pockets and snuffing his cigarette out on the floor before he slowly approached the filly, who had given up on getting a mint from Stella and was now happily munching on her hay “This is the first time she has settled since she arrived from the sales,” he said running a hand gently down the horse’s neck “You know horses?”
“I’ve been around them my entire life,” Stella said stepping back to her original position and holding her hand out to allow the filly to nuzzle her palm “I don’t have anything for you sweet girl,” she said in a low and gentle tone as she raised her hand to rub it down the long nose being shoved in her personal space “Does she have a name?” she asked looking across to the impressed looking Tommy.
“She does,” he said, looking away and taking a step back. His guard seemed to shoot back up for a second as he added “But no one knows it yet.”
Gathering Storm
Tag List - @professormoonys @jewelswrites-ish @foxesandmagic @prophecy-grrl @nygmas-riddler @lukespatterson @starcrossedjedis @ochub @ocappreciationtag @myocmultiverse @peachlle
idk what you did @chlobenet but some creativity came back??
“I really don’t mean to bother you, but can I stay the night?” Stella x Tommy
Prompt requested by @isaaclahys like a million years ago
“Estelle?”
Letting out a sigh Stella placed her book down on the bed beside her. She had only been home a week and the sound of her name echoing up the stairs to her room was already beginning to get old.
“Yes?” she called back as she pushed herself up onto her feet, wandering over to her window to glance out across the rolling hills and blue skies staring back to her.
A yawn crossed her lips and she reached up to rub at her eyes. She missed the greying, smog filled Birmingham atmosphere with the sounds of rumbling cars and beeping horns, so much so she found it hard to sleep without the noises of the city going on around her. The countryside was just too quiet, and she was exhausted.
But she couldn’t go back. Not after what had happened. After what Tommy had done.
“There’s someone here to see you.”
Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she moved back away from the window. There weren’t many people in the village who would come to visit her after her and Michael‘s disappearing acts. They had caused quite the stir and her return hadn’t brought anyone back onto her side “Who?”
“Just come downstairs. Now please.”
Pinching the bridge of her nose Stella made her way out of her room and down the stairs “What is it?” she asked with a frown as she saw her mother waiting for her at the bottom, a worried look on her face.
“I tried to say you weren’t here but he wouldn’t take no for an answer.”
Her breath hitched in her throat as she turned the corner. Sitting, looking very out of place, at the top of their kitchen table with his head bent over a steaming cup of tea was Thomas Shelby.
As much as she hated to admit it her heart skipped slightly in her chest at the surprise of seeing him. She had forgotten just how striking he was and she was caught off guard with him being sprung upon her in such a manner.
Her eyebrows arched as she exchanged a glance with her worried looking mother “It’s fine,” she said in a quiet tone, her voice a lot steadier than how she was feeling “I’ll speak to him.”
He glanced up upon hearing her arrival, a small ghost of a smile coming to his lips “Estelle,” he greeted simply, taking in a deep breath and straightening up in his chair as she stepped into the kitchen.
“What are you doing here?” she asked as she folded her arms over her chest.
Instead of answering her he turned to where her mother was still hovering at the kitchen door “The tea was lovely Mrs King,” he said, his gruff tone sounding so alien in her mother’s kitchen “Would you mind if I took your daughter out on a walk?”
The older woman let out a sigh as she glanced across to where Stella was pretending not to listen “If you know my daughter as well as you say you do Mr Shelby it isn’t me you should be asking,” she said as she bustled into the kitchen, plucking his cup and the teapot beside it up and placing it in the sink for the maid to clear away later on. She paused for a second as she reached Stella’s side, not looking up to her daughter this time as she spoke again “If Estelle wants to go on a walk she will go on a walk.”
There was a look of surprised amusement on Tommy’s face as Stella’s mother disappeared further into the house “It would seem you aren’t just headstrong when trying to keep me in check then,” he said, pushing the chair he was sitting in back and getting up to his feet “Are you walking?”
“You still haven’t told me why you are here,” was her answer, the stern look he had grown used to on her face as her jaw tensed and right eyebrow arched.
“Please,” Tommy said, a word Stella was sure he was saying for the first time in his life, as he gestured to the back door “Accompany me on a walk?” he asked, going into the pocket of his jacket and pulling out his tin of cigarettes, plucking one out and placing it between his lips.
She let out a huff at his action and raised her eyes to the ceiling “You know, my life has been a lot more peaceful since coming back here,” she said, reaching for her coat and slipping it on. Her mother and father had never allowed anyone to smoke in their home and Stella wasn’t about to allow Tommy to break one of her parents’ rules.
They walked in silence for a few moments, passed twitching curtains and glances from passersby. Tommy’s smoke twirled and danced through the crisp evening air once it had escaped through his lips, the smell filling Stella with nostalgia for a time not even too long ago. She knew they were about to be the talk of the village, she was already being linked with all kinds of rumour about why she left and why she was back; walking side by side with the man known to them as Henry’s troublemaker uncle wouldn’t be doing her any favours.
And it made her miss Birmingham even more.
The further they walked, passing house after house and even the stable yard where her and Michael’s mares were now being loaned to other local children to take out on hacks, the more she could feel her anger toward him bubble up. She wanted to ask him, again, why he was there but the words died on her tongue before they could be spoken, knowing he would just brush her off again until he was the one who decided it was time for her to know.
She wanted to ask how everyone else was - Polly, John, Arthur and even Michael - but couldn’t bring herself to say their names to him after what he had done. If he responded with anything other than updates on them all she would only get angrier; and she couldn’t imagine he had been writing them letters while they stayed holed up in their jail cells.
“You know,” he began, once they were at the end of the rows of houses and were entering a more secluded part of the village. Stella kept her head facing forward, not giving him any of her attention now he was finally speaking “I made sure you were kept out of it.”
That anger, white hot and bubbling in the pit of her stomach, threatened to erupt but she took in a deep breath. There was no point in exploding at Thomas, she had learned that since moving to Birmingham and beginning to work alongside him, so instead she raised her chin and turned back to face him. She knew there were pink spots on her cheekbones giving her true feelings away but she pushed that to the back of her mind “And I’m supposed to thank you for that am I?”
The corners of his lips turned down slightly as he thought over her question and shrugged his shoulders. Another cloud of smoke encased him for a couple of seconds before he spoke again “They wanted you as part of the deal but I told them no.”
Stella’s eyes narrowed as she regarded him. He was different to how she remembered him and it wasn’t just the round glasses covering his usually sparking eyes, he was not as formidable and didn’t tower over her as much as she recalled whenever she allowed herself to think back to her time with the Shelby family.
It was usually late at night, when she couldn’t sleep, that she allowed her mind to wander. She thought back to nights in the Garrison chatting with Polly and avoiding getting into rounds with Arthur and John, she remembered meeting up with Tommy at the yard and noting how out of place they both seemed in the formal wear they had both become accustomed to and she even thought back to paydays with Michael when he’d take her out to the fanciest place he could think of and kiss her beneath the stars on their way home.
But something would always cut across those memories and bring her back down to earth with a harsh bump. The sound of gunshots and the smell of too much whiskey, the way Tommy had whispered for her to run and how she had hidden while the others were taken away, their hands cuffed behind their backs…
Remembering the many times she was stirred from near sleep by the broken memories pushed her on and, if ignoring the pounding of her heart telling her not to speak, she turned back on him “Is this your way of telling me you care?”
Her face became hot once more as all he did was stare back to her. Frustration and embarrassment doused out her white hot anger and, as tears sprang to her eyes, she turned her back on him and stormed toward home.
“Estelle!” he called after her but she ignored him. This was not what she wanted, when setting her eyes on him she wanted to be dismissive and cold. She hadn’t wanted to find herself slipping beneath his spell.
Wind rushed through her ears as her shoes slapped against the pavement. Her heart thudded in her chest and her lungs burned with the exertion after spending so much time around the Shelby smokers.
But she pushed on. Not wanting to be around him after speaking before thinking, just wanting to be tucked up in her bed away from anyone not having to think about anything to do with the Shelby family.
“Estelle wait.”
She was surprised as his hand grasped around her wrist, spinning her so she was facing him once again “What Tommy? What?” she asked, breathless as she stared up to his blue eyes “What do you want from me?”
He was close, too close, as his eyes flickered over her. The fingers he had wrapped around her wrist were the only thing between them, their noses almost touching “I care,” he said in a slow and measured tone “I didn’t mean for you to leave.”
Swallowing down her nerves Stella nodded, unable to drag her eyes away from his “I was so angry I was scared I’d kill you,” she said with a quirk of her brow and a slight smile “I needed to get away.”
When he smiled, truly smiled, his whole face lit up and Stella found herself breathless once again “It’s a long drive back to Birmingham,” he said glancing over her shoulder to her parents house “I really don’t mean to bother you, but can I stay the night?”
Stella smirked, tugging her arm away from his grasp “I’ll do up the spare room.”
Tag List - @jewelswrites-ish @foxesandmagic @prophecy-grrl @ocfairygodmother @stanley--barber @oreostars @eddies--gazebos @ochub @myocmultiverse @peachlle
“I can’t look at you right now” (for anyone you want!) Stella x Tommy
Requested by @jamezvaldes :D
“Lizzie. I’ve told you. I don’t want to hear it.”
She stayed quiet as she sat in the chair opposite him, folding her hands in her lap and crossing one leg over the other. Her eyebrows arched as she turned her head in time to watch him down the rest of his whiskey sours “Hello Thomas.”
If he was shocked to see her he didn’t show it, placing a new cigarette between his lips he took the time to light it and inhale before he replied “I didn’t expect to see you here today Estelle.”
“Well you were the one who approved Ada and I’s time off,” Stella answered, gesturing for the waiter to come over and quietly ordering herself her own glass of whiskey “Put it on Mr Shelby’s tab,” she added as he turned to leave.
Letting out a cloud of smoke Tommy allowed his own eyebrows to raise as he lazily glanced to his left “You don’t call, don’t write but you don’t mind using the company tab.”
She didn’t answer him, keeping her eyes forward and accepting the glass handed to her before taking a sip and shifting in her seat “To be honest I didn’t expect to be here, but Lizzie told me you’re planning on a Christmas alone.”
“I’ll have Charlie.”
“But who will Charlie have?” Stella snapped back as she placed her glass down on the table between them.
“He will have me,” he said, ignoring her loud scoff “And that is all either of us need.”
She had forgotten just how much his stubborn nature infuriated her “If you just-”
His hand slamming down on the table would have made her jump if she hadn’t been expecting it “If I just what Estelle, hm?” he asked and she could feel his ice blue eyes staring into the side of her face. He had never gotten out of the habit of calling her by her full first name and, despite the anger she felt toward him, she found it still sent butterflies through her stomach.
“We’re not speaking,” he said in a quiet tone, raising his cigarette back to his mouth as he settled back into his chair.
“And I don’t blame them,” Stella answered, running a fingertip along the rim of her glass and still not glancing in his direction “I can’t look at you right now and you didn’t even send me to the gallows.”
“You’re welcome for that by the way.”
Her anger toward him bubbled up, warming her veins and sticking like a lump in her throat. Her jaw clenched and she closed her eyes for just a second to calm herself, there was no need to let Tommy Shelby know you were angry with him.
Finishing the last mouthful of her drink she slammed her glass on the table and pushed herself up onto her feet. Finally allowing her eyes to meet his, she shook her head “Call your family Thomas. It’s Christmas,” she said before plucking her bag from the floor and heading toward the door.
“Will you be there?” he asked after her, stopping her in her tracks “At Christmas?”
Her eyes raised to the ceiling as her heart pounded uncomfortably in her chest. Pulling herself together she smoothed her hair back and glanced to him over her shoulder “We’ll see.”
“I really thought you’d always be the one who was there for me, but you weren’t.” Stella and Michael
Requested by @isaaclahys :)
“Essie?”
Michael’s brow furrowed in confusion as Stella tugged her arm away from his grasp and turned away. Taking a step closer to her he reached out unsuccessfully and his heart, what was left of it, sank to his stomach. He had never seen such a look on her face.
It wasn’t anger or even hurt. Stella was disappointed in him.
“Please just…leave,” she said without looking back to him.
She had excused the drinking, stood by him and tried to help with the dodgy business. The girls hanging off him had hurt but he’d never returned their attention and had always come back to her…
Until now.
Her anger rose up into her chest like hot lava as she actually turned to look at him “Did you even stick around to make sure she was okay?” her voice shook slightly and the angry tears she was hoping would stay away lined her eyes.
“I…of course I did Essie I-”
“You need to stop calling me that,” she said turning around once more and crouching down to tug her bag out from beneath the bed. Dumping it on the quilt she crossed over to the wardrobe and swung it open “And you need to stop looking at me like that,” she continued in a snap, turning back to him and pointing her finger in his face.
“Essie please. What’re you-”
“I’m leaving,” she answered folding up her dresses and pressing them into the bag. She was hurt, she was angry but, most of all, it was the crushing disappointment that was spurring her decision to leave on. She and Michael had always confided in each other, he told her everything…but now he kept more from her than he ever had. She found things out about him from Esme or Polly or even Tommy and he knew how much she valued the truth “This is too much Henry!”
They both paused at the sound of Michael’s old name. As she glanced over to him a single tear made its escape down her cheekbone and she reached up to wipe it away furiously “This is too much,” she repeated in a whisper and with a shake of her head.
“You’re upset, please sit down and talk to me,” he said stepping toward her, his face falling when she flinched away from him and shook her head once more.
“I really thought you’d always be the one who was there for me, but you weren’t,” Stella said dropping her gaze away from him. There was venom in her tone when she spoke again “Because you were encouraging some girl to have a fucking back alley abortion.”
“It wasn’t like that Stella, she asked me to find a place…” letting out a sigh he sank down onto the bed and rubbed his hands down his face. He knew there was no talking his way out of this one, he had fucked up and he’d fucked up terribly “Please let me apologise.”
“Do you think you deserve to?” she asked without looking at him as she continued to pack “I didn’t believe the others when they said you were going to turn out just like Thomas and yet here you are. Worse.”
“Estelle, wait,” Michael said jumping to his feet and reaching out to grasp onto her wrist before she could leave “Please don’t go,” he said in a whisper as he tugged her back around and she fell into his chest.
Pursing her lips together she couldn’t stop herself from burying her face into his shirt, her fingers gripping onto his jacket as she closed her eyes and took in a deep breath “I can’t do this,” she said as she pushed away from him, grasping onto her bag she dragged it with her as she turned her back on him “Goodbye Michael. Please do one thing right and never come look for me.”
Stella woke with a start at the sound of Michael’s exclaim. Her neck and back ached from falling asleep in the chair beside his bed but she didn’t care, he was awake and he needed her “Hey, hey it’s alright,” she said practically jumping up to lean over and check on him.
“Where is he?!” he exclaimed as he scrambled up into a sitting position, batting her hands away and catching her cheekbone with the side of his head as he glanced around the room with wide eyes.
“It’s okay,” she said in a soothing tone, ignoring the pain, as she reached out to cradle his face in her hands, trying to get him to focus on anything but his panic “It’s okay,” she repeated in a slower tone as he stopped and his eyes flickered over to connect with her own.
“Stella,” he breathed as his hands landed on her waist and he pulled her closer “You’re okay,” he said as his right hand came up to push her hair from her face so he could check her over properly “I didn’t know they’d - it was an ambush - I would never have taken-”
“I know, I know and I’m fine,” she said with a watery smile “I was inside with Esme I was safe.”
“And John?” Michael asked with a concerned frown “I know he was outside with me where is he?” he asked glancing around the room as though his cousin would wander through the door with his hands in his pockets and an endless amount of teasing quips to hand.
Stella bit down on her bottom lip as she perched on the edge of the bed beside him and took his hand in hers. A tear escaped her eye and trailed down her cheekbone as she spoke “Michael…”
He was shaking his head before she could even continue, his eyes screwing shut as a strangled noise filled with pain left his lips “No,” he said covering his face with his hands “This is my fault. I did this.”
“No,” she said firmly and with a shake of her head. Kicking her shoes off she clambered into the bed beside him and held onto him tightly as a sob erupted from his mouth “Michael it wasn’t you,” she said as she shushed him gently, her hand rubbing his back in an attempt to soothe him “You didn’t know this was going to happen.”
They both lay there for a little while in silence. A couple of times some of the medical staff would appear at his door but, as soon as they saw the scene, wandered off almost immediately. They had been monitoring him closely for so long he needed just a few moments without being poked and prodded.
Plus Stella was pretty certain she had spotted Polly out there scaring them away.
It took time but Michael soon pulled away from where he had been hiding his face in her neck. Reaching up he brushed her hair from her face, his fingertips ghosting over the red mark on her cheekbone “I’m sorry for hurting you.”
“I can handle it,” Stella answered with a nonchalant shrug, a smile coming to her lips as she glanced to him from beneath her eyelashes “Can I tell your mother it’s okay for your doctors to come and check on you now?”
Though he smiled back to her she could tell it was forced, could tell his walls were building themselves back up for him to hide behind “Yes,” he replied pushing himself up into a more sitting position “Send them in. But make sure they check your face first.”
