I don't know who needs to hear this but you don't need to expose every single facet of yourself online. There is no inherent requirement for you to be 100% transparent about your personal life and yourself in your online presence. Your online persona is a curtain, and it can be as thin or as thick as you're comfortable with. You can share your chosen name and leave it at that, and there's nothing wrong with that. Don't let people bully you into thinking you need to share all your intimate details, wants, needs, diagnoses, because you don't. There is no bare minimum, you can share nothing and that is completely acceptable.

This is your internet stage show and you're in charge of the curtain. Both the material it's made of, and how far up it goes. Remember that.

Virginia Woolf, from a letter to Vanessa Bell (August 1908)

The Farewell (2019)

HIM AND I

Taking a drag from his cigar, John intently stared at his girlfriend from afar. She was standing by the bar, carelessly swirling the wine in her glass as she tolerated a man’s poor attempt at flirting. She seemed bored, and a little bit annoyed, but at some point she turned towards the man, a fake smile plastered on her face.

Gilded Prison

The soft night breeze run through (Y/) hair as she stood in her garden, the smell of jessamine and roses filling her nostrils. With her eyes closed, she could pretend she was still in her childhood home, barefoot on the grass, surrounded by the flowers her mother used to grow with so much care. There was love, and joy, and laughter. And freedom.

What else could you possibly want?

Thomas Shelby x F Reader

Warnings: none, pure fluff

Thomas Shelby adored you.

On a night, he’d stand in the hallway and watch you kiss each one of your babes goodnight. Then he’d follow you into the nursery to sit and watch you feed your youngest. He’d watch you tell young John old Romanian tales your grandmother had told you as a young child.

On a morning he’d sit and watch you braid little Charlottes hair, watching you both chat away about everything and nothing.

He’d watch the way your nose scrunched up at Finns horrible jokes, watch the way you chewed your hair nervously when Arthur raised his voice. And how you’d gaze at him when you thought he wasn’t looking.

Thomas Shelby fought for you.

“Oh come off it Thomas! I’m fine, nothing Pol can’t fix up”. He stood in the doorway watching you grimace with pain, your steps sure and unsteady. He knew the risk of you getting involved with him, but he never thought it’d upset him this much to see you in pain.

Taking careful steps towards you, he grabbed your shoulders and gently steered you towards a chair. Once you were sat down, he took a better look at your injuries.

Arms and neck bruised, small cuts all over your face, blood leaking out of your nose. “I’m gonna go find Pol yeah? She’ll fix you up okay.” When he turned to walk away, he felt you grab his wrist.

“Thomas, please don’t hurt anyone. It’s nothing okay just leave it”. You both knew he wasn’t going to listen. You knew he was going to find the men who did this to you, coming back later with blooded bands, getting him a step closer to the gates of hell.

Letting go off his wrist, you watched him walk away.

Thomas Shelby loved you.

Ten long hours of labour and your little babe was finally here. A little boy, just like Pol had said many months ago. Thomas sat and watched you hold him, gently caressing from the top of his head to his chin.

“What do you want to name him love?”. Still gazing down at your son, you murmured an answer back to Thomas.

“Charlie, after your uncle”.

He smiled, moving closer to you to plant a kiss on your forehead. Gazing down at your little boy, Thomas knew in that moment he’d love you forever. You had saved him, brought him back together piece by piece. You gave him a family, something he never thought he’d have. Your son, your little boy.

Thomas Shelby cherished you.

while a lot of people make fun of those who read and write fanfiction (especially x reader stories) i find it truly comforting.

as someone who’s never been in a relationship or had their first kiss or even had anyone like them for that matter, it makes me feel so fundamentally unloveable.

but these stories and the community that brings creators and readers together makes me feel so welcomed and loved. so i just want to thank those out there who support me and my works <3

— Caitlyn Siehl, It Ends or it Doesn’t

Swimming Lessons

tommy shelby x reader

summary - who knew Charlie's swimming lessons would end up bringing you closer to your aloof husband?

word count - 3,380

warnings - smut, 18+, fluff, arranged marriage trope

requested by anon

A/N - I really loved this request, and I'm not sure I wrote it so nicely because I wanted to include many things...still hope you like it. BTW season 6 was sooo dark, I'm super excited.

Sitting outside the beautiful Arrow House and reading your boring magazine while keeping an eye on your stepson while he took his swimming lessons, you made an observation.

Your husband hated you.

And no, it wasn't an abusive relationship (Good heavens, no. Tommy would never, ever hit a woman. You supposed.) but you were pretty certain that your importance in Tommy Shelby's life was as much as the colourful swimming ring your stepson had just demolished.

A thing of beauty, useless forever.

"Mrs. Shelby?" The young man in the swimming pool in charge of teaching Charlie how to swim called out.

Lifting up your sunglasses over your head, you asked, "Yes?"

"I'm afraid we're going to need another one of these." He said with an unabashed grin as he held up the deflated swimming ring.

So much for wanting to sit back and wallow in self-loathing.

You inwardly knew it was the instructor's excuse to check out your arse, but didn't think much about it. You needed to be around Charlie, period. Flirtatious swimming instructors could stare all they want, but you weren't going anywhere.

You looked around for a maid, but despite having a staff of more than fifty, you didn't see one around.

New House - John Shelby x Female!Reader

The reader learns that John was actually the one behind one of the best birthday presents she’s ever received, which leads to a sudden revelation…

It might have been the booze, or maybe you were simply drunk on life, but you could honestly say that you were happier in this moment than you had been in a long time. Longer than you could even remember, in fact. You told Ada so as you downed what could have been your fourth or fifth Scotch whiskey, beaming underneath the warm lights of the Garrison.

Keep reading

Hush

There was something wrong with that house.

(Y/n) had felt it from the very first time she had laid her eyes on it. Behind the huge black gates, its reddish bricks stood out against the sky, surrounded by branches and leafless trees.

It was dark. The dark wood furniture and emerald wallpaper seemed to absorb and block out most of the light. And it was silent. It was always so silent that one could hear a pin drop, every single noise seemed to reverberate inside those walls.

But probably the thing that gave her the chills the most was the portrait hanging above the imposing stairway. Grace’s portrait. It seemed like her eyes were following her. Watching her.

SUMMARY — she finds letters written to her but never sent, professing a love that no one thought thomas shelby could have

WARNINGS — fem!reader, a whole lotta fluff, mentions of thomas’ PTSD

———

SHE’D JUST PUT CHARLIE DOWN when she walked down the stairs into thomas’ office. she was staying the night, her anxiety for thomas ever since word of how sick he was elevated. she didn’t blame him, but she wished she’d been told sooner so she could help.

polly had told her to look through his desk, which she immediately disagreed with. she knew that thomas kept a lot of things in there that weren’t meant for a friend to see. polly assured her though, telling her she’d want to know what’s in the drawer on the top right.

her curiosity got the best of her as she opened the drawer, seeing a stack of papers. she didn’t have to look very hard to see folded papers with her name written on them in a scribble of cursive. her fingers brushed against the pages, her lips pursing into a straight line. she picked up the stack, setting them gently on the desk. she opened the first one, her eyes scanning the words:

“i wish i could tell you how i felt, how you make me feel. i wish i could be a man and tell you, but you wouldn’t want someone like me, right? you’d want to settle down with some rich man from london, which is understandable. i wish i could tell you how much you mean to me,” — tommy

her heart twisted as she read his words, tears stinging her eyes. butterflies crawled out of their cocoons in her stomach, fluttering about. she stood perfectly still, setting aside that letter to read another.

“you’re so good with charlie. he loves you, practically his mum. every time i see you with kids, it just makes me want to start my own family with you,”

that one was shorter, and she could tell he hated the sound of that one. she set that one aside and repeated this until she found one in particular, but this one was different. it wasn’t addressed to her, it was about her.

“she’s a beacon, as much as i hate saying it, she means hope. she means safety, but i can’t ever tell her that. she can’t know this, no one can. but, she’s the brightest star in a dark night sky, she’s the moon in my darkness. she has so much life for living in a terrible part of england. her laugh is a drug, and everytime she laughs it makes the madness subside. she means a clear head, she means love. i love her,”

she could tell he paused before saying ‘i love you,’ almost as if he was coming to the realization himself. tears rolled down her red cheeks. she was frozen in place, reading the same words over and over again. she never realized that thomas shelby has so much love in him, and for her. she swallowed and took a deep breath, setting the letter down with the others, who contained just as sentimental words. she didn’t realize how much love someone had for her; she’s never heard someone say these things.

a creak interrupted her thoughts, and there stood the one and only thomas shelby. he wasn’t angry, but he stood there looking the most uncomfortable he’s ever been. he didn’t think she’d find them, or go snooping; someone must have put her up to it.

“i-i’m sorry, polly told me there was something for me in your drawer. i should have waited until morning,” she wiped away her tears as she stacked the letters and gently placed them back into the drawer. thomas stepped further into the room, dressed in pants and a loose fitting top. he looked exhausted; nightmare.

she stood there, moving out from behind his desk, but she didn’t leave the room.

“you meant them?” she asked him. her eyes still stung with ready tears. what if he didn’t mean them?

“yes,” he answered simply. she nodded and looked down at her shaking hands; she couldn’t believe this.

“you love me,” she whispered, “no one’s ever said that before other then my family,” her voice was quiet, but her head was picked up by the thumb of thomas, directing her eyes into his. his hand cupped her cheek, brushing away the tears that escaped the trap of her tear ducts.

“i do,” he hummed. he was so gentle, he was so soft, and she’s never seen this side of him.

“well,” she whispered as she held onto his hand holding her cheek, “i love you,” her quiet words would be another journal entry for thomas, but not only on paper but in his heart. he pressed his forehead against hers, pressing the gentlest of kisses against her lips. he’s never loved someone as much as he’s loved her. she was his rock, the person he ran to in trouble. she held him together; she was the glue that held him together.

he slowly pulled away, opening his eyes to look into her own. he watched as her eyes filled with joy and with love, something he’d never get used to.

“come up to bed,” he hummed softly. it wasn’t a ploy to get her to have sex with him, but it was a silent plea for her to be with him; nightmares didn’t plague his mind when she was around.

“alright,” she agreed, following his lead as he led her up the stairs. maybe it was a good thing polly told her about those letters. thomas needed her, and polly saw that. polly gave them the push they needed, and she’d sleep soundly knowing she won, but ultimately that thomas would be the happiest he’s ever been.

———

listened to memory lane by hayley joelle and birthed some cute things out of this dusty brain. i really liked how this turned out so pls hype it up! i hope you guys are well and staying healthy <3

What a brilliant, joyful night celebrating the final series of Peaky Blinders ✨ Thank you to the dream team of people that helped me scrub UP and to the excellent fans and beautiful people of Birmingham for such a fun, loving welcome. It always fees like coming home ❤️ Peaky Blinders the final series starts Sunday 9pm @bbciplayer 💣💵🚬

Finn’s ig post

Me trying to defend Michael to the Peaky Blinders