𝙿𝙴𝙽𝙼𝙰𝙽𝚂𝙷𝙸𝙿 - 𝚃. 𝚂𝙷𝙴𝙻𝙱𝚈

5

Juliet hears a loud knock on her door and she swings it open to find Tommy standing in the doorway of her home.

"Arthur insisted I come and invite you to the fire we're having," Tommy says. "He's grown quite fond of you. As has Polly"

"And yet you regard me with suspicion, why?" Juliet asks, leaning on the doorway.

"You have secrets, that much I know," Tommy says. "There's talk from the coppers about a room in your house that was locked so tightly that they couldn't get in"

"And you think my big secret is in there?" Juliet asks, knowing in reality that doorway was an entrance to her mind, a chaotic whirlwind of late night thoughts that had to be written down before they faded.

"I do not know," Tommy says.

"That's the beauty isn't it?" Juliet asks the man. "No one has a fucking clue what I'm hiding, not even you. The all knowing Thomas Shelby"

Tommy stares down at the woman who showed no fear at his presence, merely amusement at how easily she could taunt and mock him. Had any man spoken to him as Juliet had, their body would never be found as it would be resting with the fishes at the bottom of the cut.

"You aren't scared of me," Tommy states, there was no use questioning it because her lack of fear was blatant.

"I am scared of no man, Mr Shelby," Juliet says.

"Many say I am not a man,"

"Men who play God are still men and those people are fooling themselves," Juliet says.

"Or maybe people find it easier to believe in something they can see,"

"Seeing isn't always believing, Mr Shelby," Juliet says. "If that were true, imagination would cease to exist and what is a world without imagination?"

"A realistic one,"

"You are like an unsolvable riddle, Mr Shelby,"

"Haven't you heard that curiosity killed the cat?"

"And yet satisfaction bought it back" Juliet quips and Tommy lets his lips twitch slightly, which Juliet assumes is his version of a smile.

"So the fire?" Tommy asks and Juliet nods.

"What are you burning?"

"The King,"

"You are either very brave or very stupid, Mr Shelby," Juliet says. "And yet whichever one you are, you do it with such confidence it is almost admirable"

"Almost?" Tommy asks as Juliet pulls on a coat before lifting her portrait of the King off of the wall and hands it to Tommy.

"It takes a lot for me to admire a person Mr Shelby," Juliet says. "And acts of stupidity are not the way to gain it"

Tommy grins at her this time. No twitch of the lips, a full grin painted his face.

"You think I'm stupid?"

"No smart person would openly burn the King's likeness without a plan," Juliet says.

"I always have a plan," Tommy says as they walk towards the crowd at the end of Watery Lane.

"And what, pray tell, is the plan to follow this?"

"Where's the fun if I tell you?" Tommy asks. "Besides, you don't want to become entangled in my stupidity, am I correct?"

Juliet shakes her head with a small smile.

"That's correct Mr Shelby,"

Arthur cheers when he spots Juliet approaching and stumbles over.

"I see someone has had plenty to drink," Juliet says and Arthur belches loudly.

"Charming brother," Tommy says.

"Come and dance," Arthur says. "Leave my grumpy git of a brother behind"

Arthur leads Juliet into the middle of the dancing people and they begin to dance, John and Finn, joining them as they do. Juliet lets out a surprised shout when John lifts her up in the air, grappling at his shoulders to try and ground herself. The brothers laugh at Juliet as she demands for John to put her down.

"Fine," John shrugs, letting go of her waist and Juliet's eyes widen, already imagining the pain that was going to shoot through her ankles.

Tommy takes a step forward but stops when John catches Juliet bridal style before placing her on her feet. John laughs as Juliet hits him in the chest, wrapping his arms around her as he apologises through his laughter.

Juliet rolls her eyes but there's no malice unlike when she rolls her eyes at Tommy the man notes.

"Let us walk you home," John says to Juliet as they join Tommy in observing the dancers.

"I'm more than capable of walking down a road," Juliet says.

"You need a strong man to walk you home," John asks.

"Well be sure to let me know when you find one," Juliet says and Arthur snorts loudly.

"How dare you," John gasps. "I'll get you, you little shit"

Juliet turns and runs down Watery Lane as John chases after her. She fumbles with her key which gives John the chance to grab her from behind and he spins her quickly.

"Take it back," John says.

"Make me," Juliet says, her breath hitting his face due to their closeness.

John smirks at her as his eyes lock with hers and Juliet returns the smirk, mischief dancing in her eyes.

"That's enough John Boy," Tommy says and John rolls his eyes.

"We're only having a bit of fun Tom," John says.

"Well whilst you're having fun, two of your sons are trying to throw your Katie in the fire,"

"Fucks sake. Don't have kids Jules," John shouts as he runs back towards the fire.

Juliet laughs as John grabs his two sons by their ears.

"You seem to have an effect on men Miss Barrie,"

"Well most men are easily enchanted by a pretty face," Juliet says.

"Most?"

"I haven't quite cracked you yet," Juliet says. "But I will"

And Tommy had no doubt that she would.