Peace
Author's Note: Not sure I did much justice to Alfie but this came to mind while at work today. Hope you enjoy and if you have any feedback to provide it would be appreciated!
Disclaimer: I do not own Alfie Solomons or any of the other characters within the franchise.
*EDIT: It was brought to my attention that reader/you fics aren't allowed on here so I apologize if I've offended anyone on here. I've made edits to any of my previously uploaded fics to include an OC instead. Again, I apologize I guess I overlooked the guidelines by reading too fast.*
He was beautiful. This was always Lillie's first thought whenever she laid her eyes on him. From the moment Lillie saw him walking across the sandy beach of Margate near her home all those months ago, she knew she was hooked despite not having spoken a word to him.
Most of the time he was alone and other times he would have an adorable mastiff with him. Despite the size of the dog, they appeared to be nothing more than a big puppy who trailed happily beside their owner.
Each time Lillie saw him, he would walk so far along the beach and stop at one particular spot for a few moments staring out into the ocean before continuing along. He greeted those he passed along the way but never stopped long enough to have a real conversation.
It seemed Lillie's thoughts were becoming consumed by this man who's name she didn't even know. Like herself, it seemed he preferred to be alone save for his furry companion. She wondered if he worked in town but thought if he had she would have crossed paths as she worked at the small library a few days out of the week. She wondered if he liked books as much as herself.
Lillie couldn't help but watch him move from that one spot continuing with his walk wishing she'd have the courage to approach him.
Maybe one day.
That day came many months later. Summer arrived which meant warmer, much warmer, days for sitting on a blanket, reading a good book and eating a light lunch on the beach. Or even dipping your toes in the ocean for a bit if the heat became too much.
Wearing a light-weight, striped cotton dress Lillie decided to spend her day off doing just that.
The weather was perfect today. It wasn't too warm and there was just a slight breeze that made sitting in the sun more comfortable. She was in the middle of reading one of Agatha Christie's novels when Lillie heard a shout that caught her attention.
Not even able to lift her head quick enough she felt a weight knock her onto her back as she let out an oof.
"CYRIL" Lillie heard someone shout as she was being attacked in the form of dog licks to the face.
"Fuck love, m'sorry, right. Tried to stop him didn't I? But the bastard does what he wants don't he?" Realizing the dog belonged to the man she's admired from afar as he pulled the dog from licking her face and helped her upright.
Lille never imagined this would be how she would finally get to talk to the man, but she wasn't about to complain.
Trying to brush the sand off her dress, which was a lost cause really, she laughed softly and replied, "It's fine, really. I imagine it could've been much worse than a dog just wanting some attention, don't ya think?"
Having a closer look of the man, Lillie saw he had what some may describe as a terribly, ugly scar taking up a good bit of the left side of his face. His left eye was also cloudy indicating he was blind in this eye. But to her, it didn't take away from how handsome he truly was. Even more so than she had originally thought.
With a look of relief that he wouldn't have to deal with a woman screaming at him he said, "That's fair now, innit?"
Despite being pulled off of her, Cyril sat next to Lillie nudging her hand with his head as a clear sign he wanted some more attention from her. Petting his large head she laughed, "I don't think this handsome boy wants to leave yet."
Looking up at the man she asked, "I don't want to overstep but you could sit a while if you'd like? You both could sit and enjoy the weather a bit and I have some lunch leftover if you're hungry." Already starting to pull some food out of the basket Lillie brought with her even though he didn't give her an answer right away.
"Alfie."
Lillie paused. "I'm sorry?"
"Me name," he said. She smiled up at him taking that as his answer and gave her name in return.
He made his way onto the blanket while grumbling, "fuckin' dog. Lucky I care 'bout you or I'd leave you here, havin' me get covered in sand." Lillie couldn't help the giggle she let out as she continued petting said dog's head as he laid his head on her leg and closed his eyes.
Alfie scoffed, "real funny he is. Makin' the old man crawl around in the sand." Handing Alfie a napkin she snorted. Maybe he was a good number of years older than her but Lillie wouldn't consider him old. He certainly didn't look old to her but she kept those thoughts to herself.
Lillie was shocked he even took up her offer of sitting for a while. All the times she's seen him walk the beach he's never stopped long enough to have a full on conversation with anyone. Maybe he felt obligated to accept since his dog disrupted her afternoon though it didn't bother Lillie at all.
Despite the company, Lillie and Alfie sat mostly in silence besides small talk here and there not that Lillie minded. Alfie took to eating the sandwich he made with the food offered and Lillie jumped back into her book while petting Cyril.
And that was how Lillie started to spend her days off from the library.
While working one day, Lillie couldn't help but wonder why Alfie took to her company. He couldn't use the excuse of Cyril because even the days he didn't have the happy dog beside him, he would join her on her blanket whether food was present or not.
Lillie didn't think she was interesting enough for someone like Alfie. She spent her days working, reading or looking out into the ocean. But, there he would always end up. Sat on her blanket in the sand for two hours if not more.
She also wondered about that one spot he always stopped in before he'd make his way towards her. It was too precise to be just a coincidence. Lillie never asked because she didn't think it was really any of her business to know but she was curious.
Thinking back to one of the first conversations she had with Alfie as she left the library when he told her a bit about himself. She found out he was originally from Camden Town and that he served in Word War I as a Captain, no less. He was also very well taken care of thanks to the bakery he once owned.
"Had me own bakery once." Alfie spoke as Lillie set out lunch on the blanket. Looking up at him curiously she replied, "is that right?"
"Baked all sorts of bread, yeah?"
"Hm, you'll have to make me some then won't you Mr. Baker." She quipped with a small smile on her face. "You fuckin' with me?" Alfie huffed. "No, Fie," Lillie giggled. "I'm serious, I'd like to try some of your bread if you're up to making some? Sounds like you were pretty good at it too."
She didn't notice the grin that crossed Alfie's face, like he had some sort of inside joke with himself. Which he supposed he had because Lillie was very unaware of the other type of "bread" he used to make.
He ignored how that giggle of hers made him feel every time he heard it. Or how beautiful her smile was. These feelings were so very foreign to him but the more time he spent around Lillie the more they came to surface. He didn't have much contact with women in his old life unless it was for the rare one night stand. But, she was different. He knew that the moment she asked him to share her blanket.
"Alright pet, one of these days I'll be sure to bring some of my bread, just for you, yeah?"
Tomorrow would be the day. Lillie stopped at a few stores in town to pick ingredients up to make an apple pie. Since Alfie was going to bring her some of his homemade bread she thought why not make one of her pies for him to try.
Lillie couldn't ignore how her heart would flutter every time she thought of Fie. Fie. The first time she called him that had been without thinking but seeing he didn't seem to mind, the nickname stuck.
Thinking back to before he was a part of her life, Lillie couldn't believe how boring life felt before those two hours spent together every few days. She was once content going to work, coming home and reading or listening to her records never feeling the need for more human interaction than she experienced.
But now, Lillie wanted more and didn't feel as content as she once was.
For some reason Lillie woke up feeling like today would be different. Good different. The sun was out today, thankfully, because it rained the last two. She didn't want to think about the possibility of not seeing Alfie if the weather was not fair. They very well could have relocated indoors but she didn't know where Alfie's home was exactly and wasn't sure if he would trek out in the poor weather just to spend time with her.
Lillie pulled on a light-weight pale pink dress and fixed her long curls. Putting today's lunch, the pie she made before going to bed last night and her blanket into the basket, she headed outside. Hearing the familiar barks of Cyril as she opened the door, Lillie couldn't stop the smile forming on her face.
"There's that handsome boy! I was beginning to miss his adorable, furry face." She said as she made her way over to the two.
Alfie grumbled, "bake a girl some bread and she payin' more attention to your dog."
"Stop frowning you grumpy bear, I made you something too, look!" Lillie said as she set the blanket and basket down so she could pull the apple pie out to show Alfie.
He peeked over her shoulder inspecting the pie, "looks good, pet." Lillie's heart fluttered again at the nickname.
They sat down on the blanket with Alfie complaining about the sand as he did every time. "For someone who doesn't like sand all that much you sure picked a bad place to live," Lillie laughed. "We could always relocate-"
"Nah, love. I just like to complain don't I?" He smirked. "I enjoy sittin' out here on this blanket with you, right?"
'No where else I'd rather be' he thought but didn't dare to say aloud.
Cyril made himself comfortable with his head resting on her leg as usual. Lillie couldn't resist lovin' on the dog a bit while Alfie started on his lunch. He looked up and smiled at the sight of his now two favorite beings in the world. "You're right spoilin' him."
"Oh, Fie. Like you don't spoil him. You think I don't notice when you sneak him some of our leftovers." Lillie snickered. "Plus, he deserves to be spoiled. He's such a good boy."
"Yeah, try livin' with em." He muttered while trying to hide the soft smile on his face.
Biting into a piece of the bread Alfie made, she could've moaned. "This is so good, Fie. I think I could eat a whole loaf myself."
Feeling proud Alfie said, "told you I was a baker, pet. And that I was really good at it too, yeah? Bettin' that pie of yours tastes even better though."
Practically stuffing her face with the bread without looking too indecent, Lillie thought about the one thing she's been wondering for a while about Alfie. Well two things actually.
She wondered if she should even mention the one question that's been tearing at her brain ever since the first time Lillie laid eyes on him as he walked along the beach.
"Fie, can I ask you something?" She questioned nervously.
Alfie turned towards her some more and said, "`course, love. You can ask me anything, right?"
She took a deep breathe and thought 'well it's now or never.' "I noticed when you take your walks along the beach you always stop at one particular spot. How come that spot, Fie? Or is it just coincidence and I'm being silly?" Lillie chuckled nervously.
He paused for a few minutes not looking at her. 'How do I even begin to explain that without explaining everything.' Alfie thought. Figuring he couldn't hide in the dark much longer about who he truly was from Lillie, Alfie wondered where to begin.
"Back in Camden Town, I had me bakery, right?" He started. "And I baked all sorts of bread. It weren't the type of bread you thought, love. Was making rum. White and brown, right." He looked at Lillie to see her reaction. She was looking at him with a look of confusion.
"You what?"
He almost laughed at how confused she sounded. "Right, love. I ran a rum distillery and were involved with bad, bad men. Made a lot of enemies, I did, and because of that I was shot in the face."
" Fuckin' Shelby," he muttered.
Trying to process everything he was telling her, Lillie looked at him still confused. "What does that have to do with the beach, Fie?"
His heart skipped because there was that nickname still. He thought as soon as she heard a bit of what his old life was like she'd be packing up and going back into her house.
"It were that spot that I was left to die."
The two were sat in silence mulling all of this over. Alfie chuckled beside Lillie, "ya know, pet. You're 'bout the only person here who hasn't asked about me face. 'Nough reason to keep small talk to a minimum, yeah?"
Suddenly realizing why Alfie was the loner he was in this town. He was polite enough but didn't stick around for much more than greetings. This all lead to her second question.
"Why me, Fie?" Lillie asked. "Why spend any of your time in my company like you have this entire summer?" This lead her to wonder how she would keep up these 'meetings' once the chill crept in. But, she'd save that for another time.
"For that reason, love, and because. Well, fuck. I've felt more at peace with you since that day Cyril knocked you over than I've felt in me entire life, yeah?" He paused because he suddenly felt like he couldn't breathe. What if Lillie didn't feel what he felt? Shaking his head and telling himself he never shied away from a situation before and he wouldn't start now.
She almost started crying at hearing those words. Thinking that's almost exactly how she felt about him.
He continued softly, "it's almost like I weren't meant to die in that spot that day. Like I were meant to find you, pet."
No longer able to hold her tears in, Lillie looked at his beautiful face and spoke softly, "Fie.."
He cut her off, "I'm not perfect, pet, I've done bad things. I've killed men before. I'm like the bad men I got involved with. But.."
How could he tell her what he was about to say? He didn't deserve her. Didn't deserve anything good in his life really because of all the bad he'd done.
Lillie placed her hand on the left side of his face gently and looked into his eyes. Smiling sweetly at him because she just knew what he was going to say because she felt the same way. 'I think I'm falling in love with you.'
"Fie, no one is perfect. You may have done bad and even awful things but an even worse man would have lied to me about what his life once was. Yet, here you are trying to deter me. Ya know, I feel the same as you, Alfie." The tears wouldn't stop flowing.
"You feel like home, Fie."
Taking in Lillie's words he leaned his head further into her hand while closing his eyes. He didn't deserve her. How could someone like Lillie ever see him as anything but a horrible man?
Wiping the tears from her face, "how about you try some of that pie first and see how you feel about me afterwards?"
Alfie opened his eyes to Lillie's smiling face. She was beautiful. So beautiful.
He took her hand on his face in his and placed a kiss on her knuckles. "Maybe I'll eat the entire thing myself?"