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Your eyes rolled as you walked into your room and heard pebbles tapping your window. You laughed softly to yourself and closed your door before you walked to your window that overlooked the attached garage and opened it.
"I can promise you Esme and John are still fuckin'," you said in a low voice as you leaned yourself out the window.
"So they're too busy to notice you leavin'," Isaiah said, his smile spread as wide as his outstretched arms. "Come out and play. Your boys are lonely without you."
"Your charms won't work on me, 'Zay," you laugh.
"What about a bottle to share?" He taunted, shaking a full bottle of whiskey up at you.
"I'm already in my nightgown," you whined, but you couldn't hide the smile that was creeping on your face. "My hair's wet from the bath."
"I'll keep you warm," Isaiah said, voice carrying. You burst into a fit of giggles and shushed him, afraid the kids, or worse Esme, would hear.
"Me and the whiskey," Isaiah said quieter, smirk stamped in place across his face. God, he knew you couldn't resist. "C'mere, girl."
You sighed and looked down at him for a moment, as if you were weighing your options. You both knew how it would end. But for a moment you could pretend.
"Alright," you ceded. "Let me throw my dress back on."
It started out so innocent between you.
Your mother had sent you to live with your sister Esme and her husband John in hopes it would make you behave. You had grown too wild and she didn't trust you anymore. She thought living with Esme -- taking care of the children, being around strong men that could protect you -- would calm you.
You suppose it did at first. It's hard to be wild when you don't know anyone. Soon enough, Esme took you to gatherings and you met the Peaky boys your own age. You got along with Finn like a house on fire and he introduced you to Isaiah. While Finn was strictly platonic, you had quickly bonded like brother and sister with the youngest Shelby, Isaiah was more complicated.
You were friends, first and foremost, but occasionally when the whiskey demanded it you would find each other in a dark corner and cling to one another for a kiss. Those moments were few but precious. Most of the time you were just flirtatious friends.
Finn and Isaiah had started sneaking you out of the house semi-regularly, when both had a free night and wanted a bit of fun. You three would wander the city in the dead of night, or go play in the fields, or even take a dip in the canal if the weather was agreeable. On especially bold nights you would enter The Garrison and drink in a far corner or the private room if it was empty. If John had ever known you got out, he kept his mouth shut. And Esme was none the wiser as long as you were up to help with breakfast in the morning.
You changed back into the dress you wore that day and leaned back over the open window.
"Help me down," you said as you mock glared at the boy below you but immediately broke into a sly smile. "Don't look up my skirts."
You heard his chuckle as you climbed out of the window onto the roof of the garage. You balanced with both hands out as you stepped quickly along the roof to the gutter at the end. Isaiah had already moved there and set the bottle down at his feet. He looked up at you with his arms up when you peered over the edge. It had become routine.
You swung your legs over the edge and gripped the gutter in attempts to slide down at a steady pace. Your grip loosened and the last few feet came faster than you wanted, but Isaiah caught you, his strong arms grabbed your waist. He stumbled back a few paces as he let you down slowly.
"Careful, (Y/N)," he said into your hair, his hands tangled in the mess of your skirts at your waist.
You playfully leaned back against him and rested your hand against his cheek.
"Who needs careful when I have such a gentleman to catch me, eh?"
He chuckled into your ear, giving you shivers along your skin. He squeezed your waist and pulled you closer.
"I'd show you gentleman if Finn wasn't waiting at the gate," he said as his breath tickled your ear.
You spun in his arms and grabbed his hands from your sides to lead him back out into the streets.
"Promises," you taunt as you match the playful grin on his face. "Let's go before John comes out and shoots us all."
"Hold on, love," he laughed as he let you go and reached down to grab the bottle. "You almost forgot the whiskey."
He returned to your side, arm swung around your neck, and led you away from the house.
You see a puff of smoke above the stone wall fence and slip out of Isaiah's arm to round the corner and steal Finn's cigarette. You laughed as he jumped at the suddenness before you placed his cigarette between your lips and pushed his shoulders back into the wall.
"Easy Finny boy," you murmured around the cigarette before you inhaled the tobacco. "I'd hate to see you hurt yourself."
"Bloody took you long enough, (Y/N)," Finn said as he grabbed your arms and kicked himself off the wall. "Started to think you weren't coming."
"A girl has to bathe some time," you said with a tsk.
You shook your wet hair at him and he groaned and pushed you backward. You stumbled barefoot on the stone but grabbed the bottle from Isaiah as you went. You opened the top and took a gulp as you walked backward away from the boys.
"What mischief are we up to tonight?" You asked, eyes gleaming as the whiskey warmed your blood.
Isaiah produced a pick from his jacket and placed it between his teeth before he stuffed his hands back in his pockets and stepped forward. Finn rolled his eyes and moved in step with his friend to follow you.
"Thought you could use a night of air," Finn said before he sped up to take the bottle from your hands and take his own drink. You tossed the top of the bottle into a bush.
"I could always use a night with you boys," you cooed as you grabbed Finn's cheek and pulled his baby fat. "Anything to give me a breather from the kids and constant sex. I swear those two fuck like rabbits. It's a wonder I don't have a dozen nieces and nephews instead of six."
A round of laughter echoed through the empty street as you wrapped an arm around Finn's waist and held your other arm out, waiting for Isaiah to catch up. You hugged Finn to you, taking the cigarette from your mouth to your hand. He rolled his eyes at you again as he took another drink and leaned to your hand to place the cigarette back in his mouth. Isaiah wrapped around you, squeezing your hip as he pressed his cheek to yours to reach around you to grab the bottle from Finn.
This is how you always were, a pile of puppies squirming over each other for smoke or drink, and you loved it. Only Isaiah's hands on you made you warmer than the whiskey. You pushed the feeling aside as you squeezed them both to you and you all walked down the empty road.
"How about just sitting on a bridge, tonight, yeah?" Finn said as he exhaled the smoke from his cigarette, botching the French inhale he had attempted. "Arthur's at The Garrison and it's too cold for a dip. I bet the field already had dew."
You hummed in agreement and Isaiah drank deeply from the bottle. You all wandered to your favorite bridge on a dark street, splitting up to walk separately and crashing together again to trade vices or for you to warm against a boy. You sank under their wool costs, hands wrapped around their middle as you stole their heat, both accepting and warm for the moments you did. Finn rubbed your cold arm that escaped his jacket and laughed.
"You'd think you'd hide a coat in a bush or something by now, (Y/N)," he pressed you to him tighter, the whiskey rolling heat off of him.
"She likes the cuddle, Finn," Isaiah chuckled as he sat on the edge of the bridge and dangled his legs over the cut below. "Don't complain, it's the closest you'll get to a girl unless you pay for it."
"Now now," you scolded him, moving your warm hand to Finn's cold cheek and patting it. "Don't be jealous little Finny only has to speak his last name and every girl gets stars in her eyes. You're just upset you have to charm them like a snake."
You pulled away from Finn and sat beside Isaiah, swinging your feet over and kicking them like a child. Isaiah scoffed as he sat the bottle between you and reached into his pockets, pulling his own cigarette out and lighting it. You grabbed the bottle as Finn sat on the other side of Isaiah. You took another drink and a surge of warmth and haze went over you as you set it down on the other side. Isaiah looked at the emptiness between you with a smirk. He chuckled as the smoke curled from the corner of his upturned lip.
You felt a surge of confidence when his warm eyes floated over your body. You grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him to you easily, his lips almost meeting yours as he exhaled his smoke into your mouth. You inhaled his breath and laughed the smoke away as you pushed him back.
"Enough of that," Finn whined. "I'm right here. We're not even proper drunk enough for your flirting."
"Didn't even need charm, did I?" He murmured as he nudged Finn.
"Shut it, 'Zay," you rolled your eyes and hid your smile by taking another drink.
You all talked and drank and smoked, nudging and teasing each other for hours. As the bottle emptied, you found yourself closer and closer to 'Zay's side, the whiskey giving you a false sense of warmth but also making you cuddly and tired. He had tossed his pick into the water long ago, just like each of you had thrown the ends of your cigarettes.
"Are you lot ready to be off?" Finn asked as he rubbed his eyes. "It'll be daybreak in an hour or two and I'm tired."
"But I'm having fun," you frowned, your lip poked out into a pout. "Just a bit longer?"
Finn sighed and looked across as you yawned, trying to hide it in Isaiah's chest.
"You're fighting sleep yourself," he scoffed as he stood up. "Let's all go home."
"I'm not tired," Isaiah frowned. "How about this, I'll walk (Y/N) home and Finn, you can head to bed. Maybe the walk will wind me down."
"Yeah, okay," Finn said as he yawned. "That good for you, (Y/N)?"
"I suppose," you pouted.
"Night, then," Finn called with a wave, already steps away.
You giggled, leaning forward against your friend's chest to watch Finn leave.
"Careful love," he slurred. "You'll fall into the cut and catch a cold. You're already freezing."
"Am not," you said as you sat straight and frowned. "I'm buzzin' warm."
He chuckled, swung his legs back over the ledge and stood up before reaching for your arm.
"That's the whiskey talkin'," he said as he helped you stand. "Let's walk you back. Finn's right, it's late."
You knocked the empty bottle into the cut and giggled as he pulled you from the ledge and you stumbled into his arms. You collided your lips with his and tasted the tobacco and whiskey on his tongue as he easily parted your lips to taste you. He groaned against your lips and goosebumps rippled across your body.
"Is that the whiskey talkin', 'Zay,?" You teased as you pulled back and watched the world spin behind him. "Are we going to pretend like we both aren't itchin' to fuck?"
"Is that how you feel?" His voice was husky as his honeyed eyes roamed your face and his tongue touched his lip. "Is that how you think I feel? Do you double dare me, (Y/N)?"
Your eyes wavered from his for a moment before he rushed forward and his forehead touched yours.
"You'd be right, (Y/N)," he rasped as he kissed you. "You'd be right."
You kissed him hungrily, your cold hands framed his face and you squealed as he picked you up and turned to carry you down the road. Your hands wound around his neck as he carried you bridal style in the dark.
"You taking me to an alley?" You teased. "Or a dark corner somewhere like when you kiss me at the pub? Gonna treat me like your other nightly escapades, 'Zay?"
He looked down on you and smirked, but his steps and grip on you never faltered.
"You jealous of them other girls?" He smirked. "You helped me nab half 'em."
"I'm not jealous," you laughed and he kissed you again. Excitement shot through you. "I'm just trying to figure out where you've decided to carry me. I've got to be getting heavy."
"You're as light as a feather, love," he murmured as he brushed his nose against yours. "And I promised I'd walk you home. Perfectly good bed there."
Your eyes lit up and he kissed you again.
"That there is."
….
You shot awake as your door knob rattled. You looked at 'Zay sleeping peacefully beside you and shoved him, hissing into his ear.
"Get up!"
He opened his eyes groggily and looked up at you with a sleepy smile.
"(Y/N)," John called from the other side of the door. "What did I tell you about locking doors when you sleep? What if there's a fire?"
Isaiah's eyes widened as he heard John's voice and the incessant rattling of the door. You pushed him again and he fell onto the floor with a thump . Your eyes shot between him and the door and you waved frantically for him to hide under the bed. He slipped under as you grabbed the covers and covered your bare chest, kicking covers over the bed to hide him as John broke through the door, his torso bare but his pants and gun slung around his waist.
John met your wide eyes with his as he matched your expression. His eyes darted to the floor and the opposite wall sheepishly once he noticed you hadn't a nightgown on.
"(Y/N), you know it's not fuckin’ proper to sleep naked in other people's houses," he said awkwardly as he scratched the back of his head. "This ain't the fuckin' road, yeah?"
You tried to look shamed, looking down at the covers as you clung to them.
"You're just walking around in pants," you responded childishly.
"I own it, though," he shot back. "You buy a house you can walk around however you choose--"
His voice trailed and when you looked up, fear froze you. John was squinting at the open window and then back at you.
"Did you have a visitor last night?" He asked as his eyebrows shot up and a grin threatened to spill across his face. He sat down on the bed and you turned red and dug your face into your hands.
"I just like the air--"
"Who's the bloke?" He smack under your chin to have your eyes meet his. His expressions rounded from happy to upset as his face knotted. "Oy, you know Esme will have my balls if you get knocked up in my house. And your mum--"
"John!" You exasperated and tried to hide your red face more. Oh God, please say Isaiah scooted his clothes under the bed with him.
"Wait, that thump--" he flew from his seat to the window, looking out across the yard. "He just left, didn't he? Or --" his eyes shot to the bed. "He’s right under me feet, innit?"
He pulled his gun out and cocked it before he aimed at the floor.
"Boy, come out before I shoot you," John's voice took a step deeper, his jaw set tight. "Let me see who's walking away bloody from my house."
"Don't! He's--"
Isaiah's hand slowly came out from the blankets that covered him. He crawled from under the bed and stood in his boxers, his hands behind his head and a sheepish grin on his face.
"Mornin' John."
"Isaiah?" John's face slacked as his gun wavered. His eyes shot between your heated face and Isaiah's smug look. "But-- ohhhh ."
John lowered the gun and paced for a moment as he put the gun away and slid a hand over his face. Isaiah stepped back and he sat next to you on the bed. His hands dropped from his head. He wrapped an arm around your waist underneath the covers, the skin contact making you flush with a different kind of heat. He pulled you closer as John finally stopped pacing and pointed at you both.
"What am I going to tell Esme?" John's head fell back as he looked to the ceiling and his eyes closed. “What am I bloody well going to say to your demon sister?"
Your eyes welled up, fear flooding your body. Isaiah immediately pulled you onto his lap, one hand gripped your waist and another pried your fingers from the sheet to interlace with them. He soothed whispers into your ear.
"Hush now," he whispered, "C'mere girl, it'll be okay. This is all my fault. It's all on me. It'll be okay, (Y/N). I won’t let you get in trouble. You’re mine, now."
John's pinched face slowly turned into a smile as he opened his eyes and watched you. He tried to scowl but it only softened his eyes more. He looked out the window with a scoff before looking back at you two.
You looked up at John, worried but the fear eased from you the longer his expression softened. Your eyes were rounded and shiny from tears that Isaiah stopped from falling. His whispers surged through you and stilled your fears. John sighed.
"(Y/N), get dressed and come start breakfast for the kids," he said before giving Isaiah a stern look. "'saiah, get dressed and climb out the window. Knock on the door like a proper young man and come eat breakfast."
John broke out into a sly grin as he walked back to the door.
"You both look tired as hell," he said over his shoulder before he hesitated and poked his head back through the door. "If you make her cry, Isaiah, I really will shoot you."
Isaiah smiled and nodded before he kissed your forehead.
John closed the door behind him as he whistled down the hall.
"Young love," he chuckled before raising his voice. "Despicable. Thirty minutes, (Y/N), then I'm expecting you to be in the kitchen making breakfast."
"Yes sir!" You yelled back as you heard John's whistle break into a chuckle and his boots echoed the hall.
You leaned back and rested your forehead on Isaiah's, eyes meeting his. The crinkles around his eyes melted you against him as you lost yourself in the warmth and honey of his brown eyes. He chuckled before he kissed your nose and then your lips.
"Well that went better than I expected," you exhaled. He rocked you in his arms for a moment.
"Perks of being a Blinder and best mates with his brother I 'spose."
You nodded, raising your hand to his chin and kissing him before you grazed your thumb across his lips.
“So I’m yours, eh?” You looked into his eyes as he pressed you close.
"I can promise you Esme and John are still fuckin'," you whispered against his mouth with a smile.
A Cheshire grin erupted on his face. You squeaked as he picked you up and pinned you onto the bed. His hand fought the tangle of sheets to run up your thigh and along your hip before he gripped it and his tongue tickled your bottom lip.
"The things we can do in thirty minutes," he groaned.