Note: I’m so in love with these two you don’t even understand!! I think they’re so well matched (ik a lot of people disagree skjgnre) and wanted to explore what they’d be like with a third partner. Also the beautiful divider was made by @firefly-graphics
Tommy Shelby x GN!Reader x Grace Shelby
♡ How you meet them
around the time when Charlie turns two, Grace decides it’s time for her to get back to work
Tommy and her had been talking about it for a while and they decided to hire a full time nanny, since Grace had basically been taking care of him the whole time
and sometimes the rest of the family would watch him when Grace was busy
enters you a student considering taking a gap year to save up some money and try out different experiences
one day as you’re browsing through job listings, you stumble through a full time nanny position
the pay is more than decent, and you would be a live in nanny so you wouldn’t have to worry about rent
it almost seems too good to be true, especially when you end up getting a call for an interview pretty quickly
on your way there, you kinda wonder if you’re gonna go back home with all your organs
Grace, wanting to make sure she left her baby with the right person, is the one conducting the interview
you’re taken aback by her beauty, like you had to do your best not to stare at her creepily during the interview
her smile and calm presence put you at ease pretty quickly
the interview turns into a lengthy conversation about everything and nothing, and she ends up hiring you by the end of it
Charlie loves you almost immediately
it’s a bit rough at first, since he was so used to being with his mom all the time, but he gets over that pretty quickly
he’s a little angel with the cutest chubby cheeks
Tommy’s away on a business trip for your first three weeks, which allows you and Grace to form somewhat of a friendship
she’s not really used to opening up to anyone other than Tommy. She doesn’t have many friends and isn’t that close to the rest of the Shelby clan
and she doesn’t magically open up to you either, but you do spend quite some time with her and Charlie after she comes home from work so you get close
this did not help you get over the little crush you had on her
especially not when you two would get tipsy on wine and start giggling about anything
ok now imagine you first meet Tommy when you’re in that state vjefnwd
he comes home early from his business trip only to find you and Grace giggling like schoolgirls in the living room
he hadn’t seen Grace behave that way around someone else in a while, so he doesn’t know if he should feel happy or suspicious
it’s Thomas Shelby we’re talking about come on, of course he’s suspicious. He’d already ran a background check on you, but he just wanted to make sure you were there for the right reasons
when you finally realize he’s there, you freeze like a deer in headlights
part of it was from fear. His presence is intimidating and you weren’t dumb, you knew exactly what Tommy Shelby was capable of
the other part was because you realized that fuck, they’re both hot and you didn’t know if you wanted to be with them or be them
Grace thinks your reaction’s hilarious, but she tries her best not to laugh so she doesn’t make it worse for you
you get saved by little Charlie who starts crying right after his mom introduces you to his dad
♡ How you get together
a few months into your job, you basically became an honorary Shelby
you did your best to put aside any attraction you felt for your employers
you weren’t about to lose this opportunity by letting your thirst control you
plus you and Grace are practically besties (she hates that term) and you value your friendship with her
and even Tommy would occasionally say more than two sentences to you
he once even cracked a small smile *gasps*, though you’d convinced yourself you’d imagined it
they (and by they I mean Grace) ask you to join them during some family activities, especially during picnics
Charlie loves it cause it just means he has more people to play with
a few weeks before Christmas, Grace goes on a business trip for the first time since Charlie’s birth
it’s only for a few days, but she gets pretty anxious about it. So depending on who’s with Charlie, you or Tommy facetime her every night to reassure her
you and Tommy end up having a few discussions over dinner for those few days, and although you’re still very much terrified of him, you’re glad to see you’re one of the few people he kinda talks to
for the holidays, they allow you to take a few days off. You’d been pretty excited about it, since a friend had offered you to spend the holidays with them
your absence is definitely noticed by the little family who’d been so used to having you around
Grace’s trip a few weeks prior allowed her to come to terms with her feelings for you, and judging by the way Tommy behaved around you, she knew he held the same sentiment as her for you
a shift in your dynamic with them is immediately noticed upon your return from vacation
not that it was a bad thing. The way Tommy’s gaze would occasionally linger on your lips during your daily chats or the way Grace’s hugs would last a little longer than usual made your little crush on them resurface
a part of you considers acting on your feelings at times. You decide against it because you’re convinced that despite them showing interest, it wasn’t possible to actually be with them. They were married to each other after all
at one point it does become a bit too much for you and around that time you decided to finally go back to school. You’d saved up more than enough by that point and felt motivated enough to want to finish what you started
you announce it to Grace the week you get accepted, to give her and Tommy the occasion to look for your replacement
she’s convinced her and Tommy pushed you too far, she thinks she might’ve misread your feelings which drove you away from them. Especially when she noticed you wouldn’t look her in the eye when you told her you were leaving
she tells Tommy that night, after he noticed how distraught you two looked when he got home
unlike her, he didn’t think they pushed you too far, he thought you were probably just confused because they had been beating around the bush for so long
so after Grace falls asleep he tiptoes to the garden, knowing you like to go there to clear your head after putting Charlie to bed
he finds you on the patio swing staring at the treehouse he’d built for Charlie
when he sits next to you and lights a cigarette, you think he’s for sure about to fire you or do something worse for upsetting Grace
so when instead of doing that, he asks you if you reciprocate his and Grace’s feelings for you, you almost cry in relief
you end up confessing everything, from the way you had a crush on Grace from the beginning to how you ended up falling in love head over heels for them both
you explained how going back to school was the perfect solution for you, since you didn’t want to ruin the friendship you had with them
eventually you start wondering why he’s still staring at you expectantly and you finally realize you hadn’t expressed any of your thoughts out loud
so you take a deep breath, smile at him and begin a discussion with him you knew would last all night long
in the end you were both able to clear any misunderstandings and talk about what kind of relationship could come out of this
of course you still needed Grace’s opinion before you could do anything, but Tommy assured you there was nothing to worry about
so when the morning came and she had woken up, you both share the good news with her
after some rest and long conversations, the three of you decide to give this a chance and begin a relationship
♡ what being with them is like
okay listen, now that you don’t have to pretend you’re not absolutely in love with them anymore, you fully take advantage of that
Tommy’s not the most affectionate person *surprised pikachu meme*, but he has his moments. He expresses his love in more discreet ways
Grace however doesn’t shy away from being affectionate with you. Usually you’re the one who initiates, but she has no problem returning your affection… especially if you’re tipsy
they treat you like an equal. You’re involved in their lives as much as they are in each other’s. They come to you for your advice or your opinion as much as you do with them
Charlie mostly calls you by your name, or at least his interpretation of your name since he can’t pronounce it properly yet.
you’re a parental figure in his life, but you thought it would be less confusing for him to refer to you by your name
going to events with them!!!! most of the time it’s never actually all three of you since you have conflicting schedules, but you cherish the rare occasions you get to all be together
when Tommy’s taking a quick (smoking) break, Grace and you make sure to distract anyone at those events looking for him, knowing how much he hates socializing
gifts, so many gifs, especially from Tommy
it’s one of the ways he can express his love best. He puts a lot of thought behind each gift he gets you or Grace
at one point after enough begging he even lets you adopt a cat that he ironically ends up spoiling the most
depending on the night, either you or Grace sleep in the middle. Tommy feels too trapped, due to his time in the army
you’re also used to him having nightmares and not really wanting to talk about them. You’ve learnt to help him deal with them in more discreet ways: making him a cup of tea when he wakes up, making sure he goes back to sleep after, etc.
you wished he’d get professional help, since that was something that had helped you, but you knew how he felt about it. Although you had managed to convince Grace to see a therapist so you remained hopeful
you’re usually the one who picks Charlie up from daycare, often with a piece of candy in you. It’s your little secret, even if Grace and Tommy are aware
you sometimes feel insecure because you came later into the relationship and you’re afraid they’ll eventually get bored of you and want to stay with each other instead. Usually as soon as you voice your concerns, they’re quick to remind you that won’t happen
family vacations!!! These don’t happen often because Grace and Tommy are unfortunately workaholics, but you insist on doing it at least twice a year
Charlie usually has a blast, especially if you go to a tropical location. You’re all required to participate when he builds sandcastles. He also makes you bury him under the sand and makes puppy eyes at Tommy to force him to join (as if Tommy could ever say no to him)
one of the gifts Tommy got you was a polaroid camera which you most often used during these moments
on your anniversary, you give your little family a scrapbook filled with pictures captured throughout the years by you. Some of them are planned, but most are candids. Your favourite is one where Charlie’s chubby cheeks are covered in birthday cake, while his father’s holding him. Both had the brightest smiles on their faces
We all already knew about the tattoo Tommy has of his , Grace’s, and Charlie’s initials … and now I find out HE ALSO HAS THEIR INITIALS ENGRAVED ON HIS WEDDING RING! I am cryyyyyyyyyying
SmallTheory: Confirmation from SK that Grace is alive
I honestly don’t know why I didn’t realize this before when I first read it, I guess I was blinded by the idea of Grace being dead due to the elapsed time between S3, when she dies, and S5, when I started watching the series.
Forget all the previous theories and focus for a moment on this small compilation of answers from Steven Knight when he is asked about Grace over the years.
2016-17 (after S3)
With these declarations he already gave us hints about what Grace’s role was going to be in the following seasons and how long it was going to last despite being dead, and subsequently, that was exactly what we saw. SK’s words are revealing and (maybe) tricky.
2018-19 (before S5)
I don’t think it’s necessary to remember that Alfie Solomons came back from the dead in that season. And I also want to highlight the abrupt change in his answer on Grace.
In the first interview, made after she “died”, SK confirms that’s true, but doesn’t give a definitive closure to the character since her presence will continue being in the series. But now that the end of the story is approaching and also the redemption of Thomas, his answer is a very different one. (Personal Perception: I suppose after seeing the insistence of the fans with this topic he avoid ambiguous answers, or with double meaning as I explain below, so as not to be accused of lying).
Answers with double meaning: another important fact to be considered is the belief in this series that when someone IS CLOSE to death undergoes a kind of psychological metamorphosis in which these people think they are dead, or at least, they are more dead than alive, and that’s why the author said Grace was dead, because by his own rules she is.
At this point and now taking everything into consideration, I could almost say it’s an open secret that Grace will return and not exactly as a hallucination… But since SK may come up with one of his fantastic plot twists along the way I keep this affirmation to myself and will only say the probabilities of her return have increased exponentially.
[Disclaimer: the dates of these interviews are unclear, for this reason I don’t set an exact date, but it’s obvious that all this happened after and before those seasons respectively due to the context of the questions and answers].
Praise coming from the enemy. That way, Churchill is now aware of her excellent espionage skills
An unfinished dispute whose hidden objective is to remind the viewer of the role of agent of the crown that she played in S1
Thomas, and with him the narrative, never finishes giving a definitive closure to her character
The government and Churchill have the Shelbys under control. They are able to access and manipulate them at will for their own benefit
Series of photographs of Grace wearing her uniform, seasons 4 and 5. Another reminder of her former occupation
The three elements of the beginning come together: Churchill, Campbell and Grace. The protagonist is not suffering from any delusions in those moments, however, her presence is there to point out their shared past
THEORY #2 Why everyone thinks she is dead
Catalepsy, or apparent death, is a symptom that can occur due to chemical poisoning among other reasons, whose characteristics are: rigid body, lack of response to visual and tactile stimulous, loss of muscle control and slow down of bodily functions; such as respiration, digestion, and heartbeat. Cataleptic attacks can last minutes or even days. The person appears to have passed away. (It could be a possible and good justification…specially for a tv show).
As we saw in season three, Thomas was transported in an ambulance controlled by Section D so as not to arouse suspicion, and then they injected him with some drugs to bring him round because they needed him active.
What do I mean by this? It’s clear that Thomas and Grace are a reflection of each other, hense the same situation could have happened to her in that same season. The government, or Churchill, would have needed to use her espionage skills for a secret mission in which it was imperative that her true identity disappear. She had to be dead to everyone. Nontheless, all these hypothetical answers and explanations about what happened still leave me more questions that I hope will be answered satisfactorily in the future. For example:
In S6 we’ll be placed in 1934 (confirmed), so she’s been missing for ten years, which leads me to wonder: Has she tried to make contact with her family in any way at some point? Or are there too many obstacules in the middle?
And there is Churchill, who has been subtly connected to Grace two of the three times he has appeared in this season. Does he know anything about all this? He should, I think.
Brief explanatory note about the latter:
5x1 Thomas receives a letter from Winston Churchill for no apparent reason -”He was in New York and had a dinner with Charlie Chaplin”. Grace lived in New York for a couple of years and Chaplin contributed to Thomas and Grace reconciliation. Their son was named after him, SK confirmed.
5x6 Campbell, Churchill and Grace -“Was it you who killed that Ulsterman intelligence officer?” (Grace’s breathing)
Also it wouldn’t be the first time that this series has tricked us with graves and the content inside them…I do believe there’s some sense in this madness, feel free to share your opinion ^^
[This is a mix of conversations and hypotheses that I had with @craziigamerchick who has a good analytical eye]
♫ The boy I love is up in the gallery, The boy I love is looking now at me, There he is, can’t you see, waving his handkerchief, As merry as a robin that sings on a tree. ♫
Hi everyone! Today I’ve got a new theory related to the song “The Boy I love is Up in the Gallery” whose hidden meaning passed unnoticed from my point of view. Of course, all of this is just speculation based on small details collected throughout the series, Steven Knight has the final word.
So, let’s go…
When Grace sings the song “The boy I love is up in the gallery” she mentions the handkerchief and the robin. On the other hand, Thomas is looking at her captivated but he is also listening to the music lyrics. This becomes a symbol between them, the song and its lyrics.
It should be noted this bird is not red actually, in any case orange, but even in other languages this animal is considered red despite of its orange tones, (Anecdotally in Spanish is called ‘’petirROJO’’) that’s why we have to focus on the ESSENCE of these details.
Clothing and clothing accessories are also important because express secret ideas and messages.
Now, Thomas telling Grace to buy the matching dress with ‘his handkerchief’ (1x3)… He doesn’t mean Billy Kimber’s, but the boy’s in the song which will be a foreshadowing of her feelings towards him. Moreover, he’s never seen Kimber wear a red handkerchief, yet. The man appears for the first time in 1x2, but he is not using that.
So, why is Billy Kimber wearing a handkerchief of that color later? To mislead. SK does this to make Thomas’ feelings for Grace unclear. The best example of this is at the end of that episode when she asks him why he changed his mind. Thomas doesn’t answer but it is obvious that he likes her, a lot. It is a way the author utilises to intrigue the viewer about what kind of feelings there are between them.
But it doesn’t end there, in subsequent episodes we find Thomas wearing a beige scarf to match her dress, implying they are on the same page. It is an element that links them once again. Yes, it isn’t a handkerchief; it is a scarf, even so, is still a pretty similar accessory. The essence is there.
After what happened that night, we never saw him wearing anything like that until now. Recently, we’ve seen him using a maroon (dark red) scarf in France. If you ask me, it’s the same colour Grace dressed for S1 and S5.
But the most decisive proof of this theory was shown to us a few days ago… when a part of the PB team was caught in Scotland due to inclement weather. It was then when some sources reported there was a robin on the crew. They probably used this little bird to make reference to Grace in France, in order to finish that narrative arc created from the first season. In fact, the song in question is recovered in S4 during Thomas and Jessie Eden meeting for a similar purpose.
1. Thomas played along with Grace and she wasn’t aware of that
2. There’s a real connection between all these elements and for that reason I think Grace (the real one) still has unfinished business in S6, and will appear alive at some point in the story. I mean, If she disappears after Thomas shots his hallucination (I do think that will happen), it makes no sense that they continue creating symbolism or manipulating the old one, in this case the handkerchief and the robin. It’s exactly the same as with the swan thing. Why do you create a completely new symbolism for someone who is dead?
3. More Grace content is coming!!
UPDATE 5/3/21
Thomas Shelby wearing a suit and scarf suspiciously similar to the ones he wore to the charity dinner in S3. However, it’s not a flashback. The situation seems to be linked to an important event connected with Oswald Mosley and his fascist political party. And at the same time, all of this takes place in St George’s Hall, a building previously used for the secret meetings between Campbell and Grace and the fateful charity dinner. Once again, I think it’s not a mere coincidence, but one of many callbacks that point to Grace.
A Connemara Girl is an early 1870s painting by the Irish artist Augustus Nicholas Burke. One of the most identifiable paintings in Ireland, it depicts a young girl in traditional Connemara attire carrying a bundle near the shore. It is one of many paintings Burke created of daily life around his native Connemara. It hangs in the National Gallery of Ireland and is one of the more popular paintings despite its simple subject matter. The painting is oil on canvas and was presented by Mrs Ida Monahan in 1951.
The National Gallery of Ireland label text is:
“Showing a young woman in traditional Connemara attire, this painting might be said to evoke rather than illustrate Augustus Burke’s beloved west of Ireland. It was probably painted before the artist’s reluctant emigration, prompted by his brother’s murder alongside the Chief Secretary in the Phoenix Park in 1882. While the artist has relied on authentic detail, particularly in the girl’s costume and the terrain, he has made no attempt to disguise the contrived nature of the composition. The central position of the figure, her head and shoulders framed by a heavy shawl, calls to mind devotional Christian imagery.”
“I think he’s kind of wasted if he’s not a mole of some sort,” he said. “There was the insinuation that he was something to do with a larger conspiracy to do with people from foreign countries involving very important people.
He continued: “I suspect that if anything he’s not just a love interest, and that that element was a way to get to become a bit more dangerous. You have to assume it’s going to come back, so there are elements of him that were kind of shady and I quite like that.”
Okay, I always suspected that the painter Ruben Oliver, who appeared in S3 as Polly’s love interest, was hiding something. It was too strange his complete disappearance for no apparent reason and after having hit it off so well with Polly (which is difficult). He was also a friend of Grace’s father and there still seems to be contact with that family. Perhaps the series’ weirdest disappearances are more connected than we thought after all. Maybe we will see them again if there really is ‘a bigger plan’.
I definitely belive that both of them have something more to provide to the story and what we saw of them in the third season was only a trick of Steven Knight, an ace up his sleeve that he will uncover at the precise moment…
Unpopular opinion here I know. I know SK said she was dead and she may very well be but till I see REAL ghost Grace, her funeral, or a flashback to her dead body then nope I won’t believe it.
I didn’t actually believe she was alive till after the 5th season. But down below I’ll list the signs I’ve seen throughout the show that I think point to her not really being dead.
