Ekaterina walked through the bathhouse, peeking into every occupied bathtub to see if it was Ada sitting in it. She was just apologizing to an older woman, who was glaring at her for disturbing her peace, when she spotted a heavily pregnant woman hoisting herself out of her bathtub. She rushed up to her. "Ada?" Said woman whipped around, pressing her towel to her front. "God, Katy! Don't scare me so much!" She complained, putting her hand on her belly. "It's hard to move now, you know." The blonde held up her hands. "Sorry, that wasn't my intention. I've just been so excited." Ada smiled and the girl lightly put a hand on her friends belly. "How are you? Oh, your belly is quite hard already." The brunette looked at her questioningly. "Is that bad?" The blonde smiled and shook her head. "No. It just means the birth is not far off anymore." She retracted her hand. "You're going to be a mother very soon, Ada."
Ada smiled softly and petted her belly. Soon, huh. She couldn't wait anymore. The brunette turned around to start getting dressed. "How did you find me?" She then asked. "I didn't tell anyone that I would be here today." Ekaterina shrugged. "You know how it is. Tommy has his eyes everywhere." Ada cocked an eyebrow. Since when did she call her brother 'Tommy'? It had always been 'Mr. Shelby' or, at max, 'Thomas' before. It seemed like she had missed some things while she had been forced to hide. "Does he?" She asked. "So what did he send you for?" Ada sat down on a bench to put on her stockings and Ekaterina sat next to her. "John is marrying tomorrow." Ada stopped and looked at her. "Who?" The blonde avoided her gaze. "I don't know exactly..." The brunette cocked an eyebrow and she continued. "I only know that it's a girl from the Lees."
Ada sat up. "And does John know he is going to marry that girl? Because it sure doesn't sound like it." Ekaterina sweat dropped. "I'm actually not sure. Though, of course I hope he did." The pregnant girl sight. "Let me guess: it's what Tommy wants, not John." The blonde just nodded. Because, what else was there to say? It was how she had said. "Tommy wants you to come tomorrow." She mumbled after a while. "To the wedding. And he said it will be a truce and you can even come with Freddie. You can go afterwards, he will not bother you." Ada scoffed. "Sure he will." Ekaterina took her hand. "I will be there. And I would be happy if you came as well. Don't worry, I'm going to protect you from Tommy, if I have to." She smiled encouragingly and Ada looked into her green eyes. Then she sighed. "I'm not sure if I should come. Freddie is angry with me enough as it is."
Ekaterina cocked her head. "Why is he angry with you?" Ada looked at her questioningly. "You don't know?" The blonde just looked at her so she continued "one of Freddie's Bolshevik friends got taken into custody by the police and has not been seen since. Everyone thinks he is dead... and Freddie thinks that it's Tommy who tipped the police off." Ekaterina looked at her surprised. She had not known that. "I'm sorry to hear that." Ada just hummed. It was quiet between them for a moment, then Ada said "I see if I can come... though I'm not promising anything." The blonde nodded and smiled. "That's okay." Ada began putting on her shoes, what was quite difficult with her big belly. "Anything else?"
Ekaterina looked before her, thinking about if she should tell her... though it was probably better to tell her now, before she found out from someone else; especially if she came tomorrow. "Well... you've been gone for a while, and some things have, indeed, changed." The brunette looked at her with knowing eyes. "Let me guess: it's about you and Tommy." The girls eyes grew big. "How..?" Ada scoffed. "In all of the time I've known you, you've never called my brother 'Tommy'. You've always distanced yourself from him. And now it's Tommy, Tommy, Tommy." Her blue eyes drilled into hers. "So tell me what's going on between you." The girl swallowed and scratched her temple. "Well... we're kind of... dating?" Ada didn't react visibly. "Kind of?" Ekaterina shrugged her shoulder. "We haven't exactly put a name on it. But... we're kissing... and holding hands and stuff." She blushed lightly and Ada found this almost endearing, but the anger in her won out. She turned her face away from her friend.
"I can't believe you're that stupid." She suddenly muttered and Ekaterinas face fell into shock. "What..?" Adas blazing gaze fell on her. "I thought you were the ONE friend who would never fall for my fucking brother, like all the ones before. But the moment I leave you alone with Tommy you throw yourself at him?" Ekaterina took a sharp breath. "Ada, that's not true and you know it! I would have never done something so shameless... it just happened!" Her friend scoffed and mocked "Oh, I'm sure it has. What, have his 'dreamy blue eyes' put a spell on you?" Ekaterina felt a blush rise to her head and tears shoot into her eyes. Yet, she was speechless. The brunette continued. "Have you lost your mind? Tommy? You know what he is! A power hungry asshole who gives a damn about anyone! He even drove his own sisters husband into hiding... and he will use you and then spit you out." She was practically hissing by now. "Don't come running to me then, when that happens."
Something in Ekaterina snapped. "That's rich, you criticizing Tommy." Ada looked at her. "What do you mean?" The blonde hissed "your husband is a communist!". She had said it silent, as to not draw too much attention, but Ada had heard her clearly. "A supporter of the Bolsheviks!" Ekaterina continued. "He is against the very thing my family and I stand for! And he is the reason you can't have a normal life." She looked at her best friend with angry, glittering eyes. "Don't put the fault on Tommy when everything that has happened was because of Freddie's choices!" Ada looked at her in shock. Never before had her quiet, serious friend spoken to her like this.
Ekaterina abruptly got on her feet, wiping over her eyes with her arm. "I better go." She said through gritted teeth. "Before I say something I will really regret." She started to walk and Ada hurried to her feet as well. "Katy!" She cried, but said girl did not stop.
.
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As she walked back to Watery Lane she felt terrible. Never did they have such a fight before. Sure, they did have squabbles here in there. Neither of them was perfect, and they both possessed character traits the other, sometimes, got irritated by. She had also not been ecstatic to learn about Freddie's communist leanings. But she had not blown up like this when Ada had told her, back then. Maybe... maybe it was because of what had happened to her mothers family. They had still been in Russia when the October revolution had happened and she had always wondered what had happened to them. Andrew, though, had told her, finally. Most of them had made it to Switzerland or France before the worst had hit the nobility. But a few hadn't made it. An uncle, two cousins and... her grandparents. All of them, arrested and shot by Bolsheviks.
It had always been kind of distant to her before. Sure, she vaguely knew from newspapers what was happening in Russia. That the tsar and his family had been deported to Siberia and, subsequently, murdered. That a lot of nobels had met similar fates. But it had never hit her personally like that. Ekaterina had no illusions about the Russian nobility. She had been in Moskow and St. Petersburg - or Petrograd - a couple of times in her childhood, to visit her mothers family. She knew how corrupt the imperial government had been. That a lot of the aristocrats and nobels had been downright cruel to their subjects. Really, if Freddie thought it bad in Great Britain, he'd have never made it a day in Russia. So she understood, to some extent, why the revolution had happened. But the Bolsheviks were not better. They were the same devil in different clothing. Murdering people left and right for believing in different things. And the members of her family who had been murdered had not deserved to be treated like that. Like the lowest of criminals.
Still, she didn't want to fight with Ada about that. Neither of them was at fault for that. Hell, not even Freddie was at fault. It had just exploded out of her when she... when Ada had criticized Tommy. Why had she reacted like that? When Ada had attacked her, she hadn't reacted that strongly. But the moment she had moved her target to her brother Ekaterinas defenses had been in full swing. Was that how it felt to care for someone deeply? More deeply than for her best friend? And when, exactly, had that happened? Would that still have happened if Ada had been there? Or did it happen because she hadn't been there? Been there to prevent Ekaterina from getting to know Tommy better... The blonde shook her head. She shouldn't think like that. Ada was not at fault that it had taken her so long to see Tommy how she saw him now. She had never prevented them from meeting or speaking. That had been their own doing.
She blinked suddenly when she noticed what she was standing before. Tommy's door. When had she even entered the house? She couldn't remember.
Tommy frowned. He had just been changing out of his clothes to prepare for bed when he had heard footsteps coming up the stairs. At first he had thought it was John again, but the light sounding steps had clued him in that it was Ekaterina coming up. He had smiled at that. They now often slept together, although that was all they had done until now. He sometimes thought about doing more than the kissing and fondling they often did before lying down to sleep, but in face of her obvious innocence he was still hesitant. Tommy was pretty sure that he could seduce her if he wanted, he often saw it in her eyes. And he wanted her like he had wanted a woman rarely before. The last one had been, maybe, Greta. And that had been before the war. But he wanted Ekaterina to be sure when she decided to have sex with him and not regret it afterwards.
She had stopped before his door, but didn't knock or come in, seemingly just standing before it. That's what had made him frown. After a couple of silent moments he went to investigate, opening the door. It revealed Ekaterina, tears streaming down her face. He immediately took her face between his hands. Her huge, glittering eyes stared up at him. "What happened?" He asked gently. She sobbed. "I think... I think Ada hates me now." Tommy sighed and pulled the girl to his chest.
.
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Ekaterina pulled out the toothpick John was always chewing on when he wasn't smoking out of his mouth. "Treat her with respect. She is probably just as scared as you." She warned before Tommy send his brother to meet his soon-to-be wife at the makeshift altar. They were at the camp of the Lee family, where the wedding was to be celebrated. She had driven here with Tommy and Arthur in Tommy's car and when the men had gone out to explain to their still clueless brother what was really going on Tommy had told her to stay in the car until he got her. She had been glad for it, because she had been afraid of how John would take the news of his wedding. But, apparently, John had taken it better than she had at her time.
Tommy watched his brother approach the altar and then looked down at the small girl next to him. Since he had gotten her from the car she had been practically glued to his side, though he couldn't fault her for it, nor did it bother him. Not too long ago she had been attacked by some of the Lee men and she was probably still a bit scared, even though he had assured her that he had made it known amongst the Lees, by now, that she was not to be touched ever again. Though maybe she was just tired. Yesterday evening she had cried herself to sleep, telling him about the fight she had had with his sister. Today no one would ever guess that she had practically dissolved into tears in his arms.
She looked beautiful with her white blouse and the royal blue dress over it. A matching hat, decorated with flowers and and a couple tiny feathers, sat cheekily on her head and her long, bright blonde hair was tied into an elaborate updo on her neck, a few escaped strands framing her face. A small, dainty hand encased in a white glove was lightly holding onto his arm. All in all he felt good to have one of the, obviously, prettiest girls at the wedding at his side. He had noticed the jealous and possessive looks some of the other men had given them. But Ekaterina remained at his side, voluntarily. "How are you?" He asked as she squeezed his arm. The girl adjusted the thick, green shawl that lied over her shoulders with her free hand and looked up at him through her eyelashes. "A bit nervous." She admitted and then mumbled "it's kind of ironic. I'm watching John and this girl confront a fate I have been running away from."
He looked into her eyes. "Do you hate it?" She averted her gaze. "She will have a good life. John is a good man... he will treat her with respect and care." Unlike I would have been by Campbell was left unsaid. Tommy lightly patted her hand. Ada and Polly stepped up to them, though Polly immediately moved on, leaving her niece standing next to Tommy. Ekaterina, who was standing between Tommy and Arthur, immediately tried to hide against him and he sighed. Neither of the girls greeted each other, so he said to his sister "You look well." Ada didn't say anything.
At the altar the bride lifted her veil and John took a peek. Then he looked back at his brothers, a grin on his face. Tommy and Arthur looked at each other. It seemed like John, at least, liked the looks of his bride. "You got my invitation." Tommy continued after a while and Ada tried to peek past him at her small friend, but only saw a few blonde locks. "Katy said there's a truce." Tommy nodded lightly. "Family day." They followed the ceremony for some time, then Tommy asked "your husband couldn't make it?" though he knew that Freddie wouldn't be there, after what Ekaterina had said. "He's not speaking to me." Ada explained. "And when he does, he calls me a 'fucking Shelby'." She looked at her brother. "Even though I'm a Thorne now." Tommy grinned lightly. "Thorne in my side, that's for sure." He gave a quick glance to his other, smaller 'thorne'. Ekaterina looked stubbornly ahead. Ada huffed and grinned ironically. "My god, Tommy. You admire him, don't you." The blonde looked up at him at that, but he didn't answer anything.
.
.
After the ceremony came the feast and neither the Lees nor the Peaky Blinders were down for a quiet evening. There was food, lots of alcohol, music and fireworks. Tommy danced with Ekaterina to a few songs, twirling her around until she shrieked from amusement, before whisking her behind some wagons, pushing her against one and capturing her lips in a kiss. It was a slow, unhurried one, with him taking his time to plunder her mouth. For how long they made out the girl could not say, as she had lost every sense of time. She just concentrated on his lips on her own and his hands wandering up and down her body, sometimes grazing places no man besides him had ever dared to touch before. Like her breasts and bottom. But she didn't hate it. At the contrary; it made her heart beat like crazy. When Tommy finally let up from her she felt drunk.
Tommy looked at the small, heavily breathing girl before him. Her hair was disheveled, her updo almost completely undone and her hat had fallen to the earth. Her face was red, her lips swollen from all the kissing and her pupils were so dilated that they seemed almost black as she looked up at him with half lidded eyes. He chuckled, but he knew he had to stop now, lest he would devour her then and there. He had just pulled her behind the wagons to finally loose the gazes that seemed to follow her everywhere here and the men that were constantly trying to steal her away from him for a dance. But she had looked up at him so hopefully and aroused that he had felt obligated to comply to her obvious wish of him kissing her thoroughly. But now his erection was uncomfortably tenting his trousers.
Ekaterina didn't seem to notice though, so after a few minutes of Tommy allowing them both to calm down again, he pulled her back to the feast. A few men were whistling when they emerged, clearly thinking that they had done much more than just kissing and fondling like innocent teenagers. Though Tommy didn't feel like correcting them. If they thought Ekaterina would let him - and only him - have her whenever he wanted, so be it. As long as that meant that they would leave their fingers off her. As Tommy was in no mood to dance anymore, they joined the Lee matriarch at a table. He lightened a cigarette and put an arm on the back of the girls chair.
"So, Miss Smith." He asked, puffing out some smoke. "How do you like your first gypsy feast? Can it compare to a ball full of nobles?" The Lee matriarch cocked a brow at that, but chose to stay out of it. Ekaterina watched her heavily pregnant friend whirl around, worry pricking in her heart. She should not move this much. "It's certainly more chaotic..." she then answered, turning her face to Tommy. "But that's very fun in it's own way." Tommy grinned. "More chaotic, eh." She nodded and pointed with her chin at the dancing people before them, a smile on her face. "No one would ever fool around like this at a ball. The dances there are more like a choreography. Every step perfectly calculated." He imagined her at a dance like that. He could clearly picture her at a fancy ball, wearing a dress much more lavish than the one she was wearing now and whirling around the dance floor. She would surely be a sight to behold. "I think I would like to see that." He mumbled and she smiled at him. "Well, maybe I'm taking you to a ball someday." He cocked an eyebrow. "Oh?" She nodded. "Maybe there will be one soon, even."
She looked to the dance floor again when Ada laughed very loud. "My brother told me he is currently courting someone. Who knows, maybe there will be a wedding soon. And that means a ball at the Alton Towers." He ashed his cigarette. "Alton Towers?" She looked at him. "Our homestead in Staffordshire." Ekaterina suddenly cocked her head in thought. "Though I probably should teach you a couple dances before that." Tommy huffed. "I can dance." She nodded her head. "So I saw. But can you do a waltz or a schottische? What about a polka?" He just took a drag of his cigarette. She looked up at him smugly. "Don't worry, I can teach you and we'll have you whirl me around in no time. We'll be the stars of the dance floor." Tommy did kind of like that idea.
Ada screamed again from being whirled around by Arthur and the blonde suddenly sprung to her feet and announced angrily "Christ, I can't watch this anymore. She is going to pop right here if this continues!" She stomped up to Ada just as Polly approached him. "A lovely little fairy you've cached yourself there, Mr. Shelby." The Lee matriarch commented as his aunt was walking up. Tommy gave her an interested look. "The eyes." She said. "Beware of green eyes. They will bewitch you." She warned, but then Polly arrived and she didn't say anything more.
Ekaterina arrived at her best friend, who ignored her though. No matter what she said, Ada just didn't calm down. At one point even Arthur stopped to dance and tried to calm his sister. She listened to no one. "Alright, Ada." Tommy suddenly said from behind the blonde. "Come on, have a rest. Sit down." He tried to take his sister's arm, but she avoided him. "Come and look, Esme!" She then shouted towards John and his new wife. "Come and look at the family you've joined!" She hit Tommy's shoulder. "Come and look at the man who runs it!" She continued to hit him. "He chooses his brothers wives! He hunts his own sister down like a rat and tries to kill his own brother in law! He even-" She shoved him. "Doesn't make halt before my best friend and fucking takes her away from me!" She suddenly put a hand on her belly and Ekaterina was immediately at her sight. "Ada, calm down, please! The baby!" But she just continued. "And now he won't even let me have a fucking dance! Not even at a fucking wedding!"
John and Esme reached their group and John demanded "sit her down!" Ada suddenly groaned and Ekaterina took her arms, pushing her back a few steps. "Ada! Ada! Calm down! Tommy didn't take me away from you, I promise! But you have to calm down! Think of the baby!" The brunette suddenly panted, slightly bending over and Ekaterina took in a sharp breath. "Oy blyat..." The blonde girl muttered. "What is it?" Polly demanded to know worriedly, all eyes on both girls. "Her water just broke." Ekaterina stated, matter of factly. The older woman joined the girls. "Are you sure?" Ekaterina huffed as Ada groaned. "Yes, pretty sure, because I'm having ammoniac fluid flooding my fucking shoes!" She looked at a suddenly very unsure looking Tommy. "We have to go back to the house. Now."
AN: shout out to s Jackson Cullen! Thanks for commenting :) so, I just finished my drafts for Season 1! Now I'm going to re-watch Season 2 to think about how to incorporate Ekaterina in there. Though I'm not all that looking forward to it thb, for one simple reason: Grace. Fucking. Burgess. I guess you have figured out by now that I can't stand that woman (though I try to still be true to her character and don't just outrightly bash her in this FF). I will maybe elaborate on it at the end of S1 if you're interested, but I can tell you now that I wish she would have never returned after that season and actually celebrated her death. Still unsure if I will let her come back. Nevertheless, I hope you have a beautiful day :)
Xoxo Lulu
