"Oh, that was funny," Christine laughed and Ruby nodded with a wide smile.

Going to the pictures for the first time after two years had been a wonderful idea of good ol' Christine, and the movie they've picked had been a really funny one.

"I love pie fights," Christine said. "I laughed so much, I nearly pissed my pants."

"Me too," Ruby answered. "So, what now?"

"Now we're going to have a drink at a pub. How about The White Horse?"

"Alright." She nodded and linked her arm with Christine's.

The night was warm and the streets still crowded. The people of Birmingham searched for fun and entertainment and fled out of their closed and cramped flats in the mild summer night. Once at The White Horse, Christine ordered two glasses of whiskey, not giving a shit about the fact that Ruby never drank.

"Christine, I ..."

"Aye, I know. Drink. Try it. It's time for you to ... live a bit." Christine answered and pointed to a table in the back: "Look, there are Leo and Jacob!"

Christine grabbed Ruby's hand and pulled her to the table where the two men sat with four other guys.

"But," Ruby protested, not knowing even one of them, but Christine didn't listen.

Christine said hello and seemed to be highly welcomed. She placed Ruby between two of the men and soon was very busy with kissing the guy named Leo.

Ruby didn't talk much, she listened to the men's discussion of the upcoming strike at the docks. The men clinked glasses and prompted her to join them in drinking. She did and soon she had another glass of whiskey, and a third one followed no twenty minutes later. Once more she felt the effects making her loosen, and she laughed with the men as if she'd know them for years. Not even Jacob's hand which was suddenly placed on her knee seemed to be false or annoying. After her fourth whiskey something happened at the bar and the conversations stopped.

"Uh, the Peaky Blinders settling old scores with Curt, the owner. Today of all days, bloody hell!" Jacob said at her ear and Ruby held her breath, her eyes searched in the crowd for familiar faces.

First, she noticed John, then she spotted Arthur, who held a man at the coattail and hissed something. His face was distorted with rage and hate and he seemed to be so very angry, so upset. Seconds later there was a huge bar fight going on and there was no way to flee. Christine pulled her up – and Ruby noticed that her legs were somehow wobbly. And she had to laugh. What seemed to be totally ridiculous, but she couldn't help herself. It was just so funny. Ruby suppressed her laughing as good as she could and followed Christine to the very back of the room, were Christine placed her with her back at the wall.

A man ran towards them, searching for the rear exit, his nose bloody, a cut on his cheek. Ruby felt an arm around her shoulders, and looked to the left, where Jacob was.

"Maybe ... we should go. At someplace where it's a bit quieter. And a bit less crowded," he suggested lowly at her ear, and placed a kiss on her earlobe.

"I'm ...," Ruby started but was interrupted when Jacobs arm was pulled off her, when he was thrown to the side.

"What are you doing here?" Arthur asked, grabbing her hand and pulling her with him.

"I was ... at the pictures," Ruby slurred. "With Chrish-tine."

"Are you drunk, Ruby?" He asked, guiding her carefully around the still fighting men.

She nodded, laughing: "Guess so." She lifted four fingers and said: "Four. I've had four whiskey. I'm a grown-up woman, I'm allowed to drink!"

"Aye," Arthur said and led her out of the pub. "Let's go."

"No! I wanna stay and ...," she said and had to laugh again. "One ... one more whiskey, Mr. Arthur Shelby, please!"

"I'm gonna bring you home. End of discussion."

"Arthur, please, please, please ..."

He shook his head and linked her arm with his. Arthur walked fast, with big steps, and way too soon they'd reached the house she lived in.

"I'm so dizzy," Ruby mumbled and Arthur pulled her close while he opened the door with the key he'd fumbled out of her handbag.

"I know," he said under his breath. "Come on, Rub, carefully on the staircase."

"Aye," Ruby answered and saluted, starting to laugh again.

"Shh," Arthur hissed. "Keep quiet. We don't want to wake the neighbors."

Ruby nodded and tried not to laugh, to find this situation incredibly funny. Once the door closed behind them and they were finally in Ruby's flat, she felt that all the fun was gone. The way Arthur looked at her wasn't funny at all. She noticed hunger and pure lust in his face and felt her own desire for him awaken. She made a slurry step towards him, feeling so sexy like never before, and started to open his shirt.

"Ruby ...," Arthur whispered. "That's a bad idea."

"Alright," she giggled. "What about this?" She asked and opened her blouse.

"I should go," he mumbled. "I really should go."

"But I want you to stay."

"You're drunk, Ruby."

"And lonely, and in love with you, and needy. I want you to stay. On one condition." She said, trying to avoid slurring.

"What condition?" Arthur asked and lifted his hand slowly, placed his fingertips on her collarbone and shifted the straps of her bra and her chemise to the side, baring her shoulder.

"Be gentle, please." She answered and stripped.

She didn't want to let him go, so she got rid of all her clothes as fast as she could, standing naked in front of him within a minute.

"God, Ruby ...," Arthur said, but he didn't move.

She took his hand in hers and placed his palm on her breast. Arthur breathed deeply, open-mouthed, his eyes fixated on her breast in his hand.

"Please," she whispered once more. "Please, Arthur."

He gave her a short nod, then she was pulled close, his lips met hers and everything seemed to be pure bliss.

"You were so angry, earlier at the pub." Ruby whispered between kisses.

"Mhm," Arthur answered. "Regardless, I'll be gentle, I promise."

"Are you drunk, too?" She asked and opened his shirt a bit wider.

"A little bit. Not enough to lose control. Never fear, alright?"

"Aye." Ruby nodded and placed a few kisses on his neck, inhaling his scent.

"You sure?" He asked and she nodded, squeaking a second later when Arthur lifted her up and carried her to the bed in the next room.