NOTHING NEW / prologue.

small heath, birmingham, january 1909.

THOMAS SHELBY WAS, AND ALWAYS WILL BE, A BAD INFLUENCE. He leaves his shoes right in the middle of the floor, no matter how many times Aunt Pol tells him off for it. He leaves his buttered knife next to the sink instead of just throwing it in and cleaning it himself. The nineteen year old makes silly faces at his youngest brother, even when told not to. And most of all, he drinks far too much even after Polly warns him not to.

But, for some reason, a reason beyond Tommy's understanding, his littlest sister thought he hung the moon and stars, Olivia Shelby placed him on a pedestal higher than anyone else, so high she'd probably hurt her neck staring up at him.

It was on a particularly cold January night of 1909 did Thomas Shelby really realize just how much his sister idolized him. He was coming in at the break of midnight, his shoes (obviously) left sloppily right in-front of the door, a place that was destined for young Finn or John to fall over them. Tommy held onto the wall beside him, as if that would help him to recover from all he'd drank tonight.

In his defense, he'd only planned on drinking half the bottle. It had been Greta Jurossi's fault that two bottles of whiskey had ended up empty tonight.

It was alright for her, they'd walk down the street with their arms interlinked, trying (and failing) to be quiet in hopes that they didn't wake any of Greta's neighbors (which they failed at) Tommy would walk her home, smile and wave as she stumbled into the warm and inviting abode, he'd hear a clatter to signal that she'd fallen into something and walk the opposite way with the smallest of smiles on his face.

And then the smile would drop completely when he realized he had a twenty minute walk and had left his coat with Greta. He'd shiver the whole way home, his arms wrapped around his stomach as he hoped his crew neck would provide him enough warmth until he got home, and then he'd be able to throw himself under the bedsheets and fall asleep, to wake up in a few hours and repeat his day.

Except, tonight he could not do the simple action of throwing himself unto his bed and fall into an inviting slumber. No, no, because if Tommy was to throw himself onto his bed tonight he would squash his littlest sister.

It had taken him five minutes to get up the stairs and then a couple rubs of his eyes to realize Olivia was wrapped up in his duvet, the worst part was the little girl wasn't even asleep! It was obvious to Tommy that the girl had clenched her eyes shut the moment she heard footsteps coming up the stairs, she did this often and it would only be Tommy or Aunt Pol who were able to notice when the girl wasn't sleeping.

Tommy tried his best to be annoyed at the fact his sister was most definitely going to force her way into sleeping in his bed, but really he didn't mind.

It was Livvie, there was no way Tommy would be able to object.

Tommy probably slept best when he was in Olivia's comfort, anyway.

Her back was to Tommy, her one hand clenched around her pink pig's neck, 'Poor Oinks' he thought, sitting down next to her curled up frame on the bed. He watched as her eyes clenched harder when the mattress dipped and a creak sounded in the room.

"I know you're awake."

"'Am not."

Tommy stifled his laughter, pulling Olivia by her shoulder so that the two could face one another, "I think you are."

Despite being turned around to face him, Olivia kept her eyes shut, the corners of her lips twitching upwards, "You're thinkin' wrong."

"Me?" He pointed at himself as she opened one eye to peak at her brother, he shook his head, "Thomas Shelby never thinks wrong."

"Pol says you've got too much ego." Olivia remarked.

"Polly's wrong." Tommy voiced, the offense clear in his voice.

"Pol's never wrong." Olivia whispered with a yawn.

Tommy rolled his eyes, "But I am?"

"Exactly." She whispered.

Tommy furrowed his eyebrows, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and pulling her closer to him while his hand moved to cradle her head. "Did you wait up for us, Livvie?" He whispered, having now noticed how easily his sister was falling asleep since his arrival.

"No." She murmured, reaching out for his other hand to hold.

Their hands came together, one much larger than the other, one much colder than the other, one softer than the other and yet they fit together so perfectly; like two pieces of a puzzle.

"You lying?"

Olivia hummed, a smile blossoming onto her face as she curled up even more, trying to get into the perfect position to fall asleep under the duvet. Tommy, while he envied the little girl who slept under his covers, he didn't want to move to get under them himself, he was perfectly fine knowing Olivia was comfortable and wrapped up warm.

Tommy would suffer in the cold if it meant Olivia was warm.

"You shouldn't do that." He told her in a warning tone with a little nudge of his elbow, Tommy knew she wouldn't listen but at least Polly couldn't tell him off for trying.

"You shouldn't leave your shoes in the middle of the floor, but you do that anyway." Even if she was on the urge of fighting sleep, Olivia would always find energy to fight with Tommy and prove why she was correct.

Tommy hummed, "But I'm me." He shrugged, "You shouldn't be like me."

"What if I want to be like you?"

His eyes widened. It wasn't really shock because his Aunt had told him numerous times that Olivia always followed him around like a puppy, steal coins from John to count them like she'd seen Tommy do, talk about horses like no tomorrow because she'd learn it from him. Even at the young age of four (turning five in a couple months) Olivia was showing signs of being a miniature Tommy.

Of course, nineteen year old Tommy was not the Tommy we know today, but this Tommy still had the same dreams. Tommy Shelby wanted a company, a name that everyone knew, one that would immediately make you lower your hat in respect and step to the other side of the street, he wanted a legacy. A legacy that provided his family with enough money to last a lifetime, he wanted them to escape from the chains of Small Heath, he wanted something better for them. Tommy didn't know how yet, but he was sure to figure it out soon.

Tommy wanted to be the boy who started in Small Heath, who grew up in with the expectation that he would get nowhere. And he wanted to pave the way for more people like him; born in an industrial city with no escape, no other job than working in those factories around them. He wanted to give them the opportunities he was going to make for himself, and his family.

And while he sat here, his little sister's body completely relaxed, his hand loosely holding onto hers, Tommy just couldn't imagine a future of the Shelby family without Olivia Shelby at his side.

While the thought of her looking up to him scared him, Tommy couldn't help but let a smile grace his face as he thought of what they could conquer together, for the success of the Shelby family.

Isn't it funny how so much could change in the next ten years?

AUTHOR'S NOTE:
oh i love them your honor and we should appreciate these moments while we can 🫡 it can only go down from here!