I thought that I would try a Peaky Blinders imagine and chose to use John Shelby as my protagonist. This is a kind of gender bender story, the reader character is female, but she pretends she's male to get on in life. This is only the first part and things will play out in the parts still to come. Hope you enjoy.

"Richie!" Alfie called out from his office, as a young man popped his head out from around the corner.

"Yeah, boss?" The man asked, as he walked over to where Alfie stood in the doorway.

"Don't forget that we av that meetin tomorrow, I want ya in early. I want ya ready for the Shelby's." Alfie told the him, as the man took a cigarette from his holder, lighting it and taking a deep drag as he followed Alfie into his office.

"No worries boss, I'm more than ready for any Shelby." Alfie looked at the young man, holding back the smile that always wanted to spring to his lips when he saw Richie.

Unknown to the young man, Alfie was well aware of what the boy he had taken to calling the face of the business really was. Alfie wasn't stupid, and as soon as he had laid eyes on the young man, he knew there was something different about him. Richie was well spoken, intelligent and always wore well-tailored suits with a shirt and tie, a cap perched on his head and a long black overcoat that swept behind him as he walked; yet under all that lay the truth.

Before Alfie had hired him, he had made it his business to ask around about the man who was as handy with his fists as he was with a knife and gun; he had had to go to the other side of London to find out the truth, but when he did, Alfie couldn't help but be intrigued.

According to his sources, Ritchie was in truth a young woman called (Y/n), an orphan that had grown up alone on the streets of London since her parents had died. Life had always been hard for (Y/n), and despite being a girl, she had learned to fight, and she had fought for everything, food, honour, pride, money, and especially her life. She always dressed like a boy, cutting her hair like the other around her and strapping her breasts down when they became noticeable as she grew. By the time she was in her late teens (Y/n) had gained quite a reputation for herself, everyone but everyone knowing not to mess with the young woman.

But as the time passed, she wanted more. When the war ended, she had decided to move to another part of the city, trying to fit in with the men returning home. It was hard building up her reputation again and she had taken to telling everyone that her name was Richard, always referring to herself as a man, so that no one would know what she really was, knowing that being a man would allow her to do things that as a woman she could only hope to achieve.

Richie had been introduced to Alfie by one of the men that worked for him, and when Alfie had found out the secret of the young man he had to hire him, finding himself curious about what the outcome would be of her being one of his boys.

Alfie was not sure how long Richie would last, but a year later Richie was still by his side, more faithful to him than any of the others that worked for him, and to Alfie such loyalty was important. Alfie hadn't told anyone else about Richie's secret, and as far as the other boys were concerned, the young man was just one of them.

The other lads called Richie 'The Dandy', and as he made his way through the streets, he cut that much of a fine figure of a man that he had become one of the most eligible bachelors in that part of London and wherever he went the girls seemed to levitate to the young man.

"I'm sure ya are Richie, but I just want ya ta be careful." Alfie told him, as he patted him on the shoulder.

"Now get outta here." Alfie ordered, watching as the young man swaggered out of his office. Alfie couldn't help but smile, as perfect as Richie's disguise was there were still subtle indications that he was every inch a woman. Any man with any kind of eye would notice that seductive swing in the hips as she walked away, and he couldn't help but wonder what lay underneath that well-tailored suit.

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As Richie and the other boys sat in the bar playing cards, drinking whisky, and smoking cigars, one of the girls sauntered over to him and perched herself on his lap.

"Richie, will you dance with me please?" Her sickly-sweet voice making him roll his eyes.

"Look lass I don't dance, why don't you go and find someone else to annoy, can't you see I'm winning here?" Richie said, pointing to the cards and the money in front of him.

"But Richie, I'm bored, please dance with me." She said, leaning into him and quietly telling him what she'd let him do to her after they'd danced. Richie abruptly stood up making the girl fall to the floor on her backside.

"I thought I told you to piss off, I've got better things to do than you! I know all about you, you've had every prick in London so go and find one of them idiots to fuck with!" The anger in Richie's voice was evident to everyone as he looked down at the girl, causing a few shocked glances. The girl rose to her feet and slapped him hard across the face before walking out of the room. Richie sat back down in his chair to resume the game of cards, pushing a stray hair slick back over his head.

"Oi Dandy, what was all that about? That lass was all over ya, ya should have taken it!" Richie glared across the table at the man that dare speak.

"I swear, the next one of you fuckers that calls me Dandy I'm gonna shove their teeth down their fuckin throat, do you hear me?" His voice was low and menacing, all the men at the table nodded nervously knowing that the threat was real.

"And I wouldn't touch that slut with a ten-foot barge pole, she's had more pricks than a fuckin hedgehog!" Richie said, the boys around the table laughing, but one looked at him.

"Come to think of it Richie, I ain't ever seen ya with a lass, is there something wrong with ya?" The man said, chuckling to himself as the room fell deadly silent as all eyes turned to Richie.

Richie stood from his seat and taking out his gun and placing it on the table; balling up his fists, he leaned on them pushing himself closer to the man, glaring at him as he got closer to his face.

"Who the fuck do ya think ya talkin to ya piece of shit? You either apologise now or I swear I'm gonna shoot you in the fuckin face!"

The man who asked the question gulped and Richie could see him physically shake.

"I didn't mean nothin by it Richie, fuck, it was just a joke, I'm sorry alright." The man said, as Richie leaned closer, huffing hot air into the man's face through his nostrils.

"Well the next time ya feel like making a joke at my expense, will be the day they find ya floating face down in the fuckin Thames, do you understand me?" The man looked at Richie and turned pale as he nodded frantically.

Before Richie could say anymore, a big hand was placed on his shoulder pulling him back from the man's face. "Come on Richie, he ain't worth ya time." Alfie said, as Richie stood up straight, putting his gun back into its holster still glaring at the man.

"Come on we've got a big meetin in the mornin lets get ya outta ere!" Alfie, said, throwing the young man his coat and hat. Picking up his winnings Richie threw his cards in to the man's face. As Richie moved towards the door, he couldn't help but overhear Alfie behind him.

"I'll deal with you myself." Alfie told the man as he followed behind Richie.

As the pair got outside, Alfie pushed Richie towards the car; and as Alfie drove him back to back to his digs he explained about the meeting.

"Tomorrow the Shelby boys will be ere from Birmingham, they wanna do business with us. I want ya ta meet em with me cos I'm sending you up to Birmingham with em for a while, I want ya ta be me representative up there, I trust ya to get the best outta the deals for me. Plus, I don't really trust em so I definitely need ya up there. Ya alright with that kid?" Alfie asked, watching Richie out of the corner of his eye.

Richie nodded his head as he stared out blankly into the darkness. "No problem Alfie, whatever ya need!"

"Ay kid, ya alright?" Alfie said, shoving his shoulder to get Richie's attention.

"I should have just bloody killed that bastard, makin fuckin insinuations about me!" Richie growled. It was obvious that Richie was angry, and that Alfie had to diffuse the situation.

"Don't worry kid, I'll sort it out. But he did have a point, I can't ever remember seeing ya with a lass." Alfie said quietly chuckling to himself.

"I just av standards that's all, I ain't interested in some cheap slut throwing herself at me; and just cos ya ain't seen me with a lass don't mean I don't have one!" Alfie couldn't help but laugh out loud as he heard the slight panic in Richie's voice.

Alfie held up his hands in surrender. "It's ok lad, I was just takin the piss. So, ya do have a lass then?" Alfie asked, a knowing smirk on his face, curious as to how Richie was going to get out of this.

"Yeah I have, her names (Y/n), she's a good lass she doesn't mess around; and she's clever too." Alfie smiled strangely at him, as Richie looked nervously into his boss's eyes.

"You'll have to bring er around one time so I can meet er." Alfie said, watching Richie nod nervously, as he tried to change the conversation.

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The next morning the Shelby boys sat outside the bakery in a car they'd borrowed waiting for the meeting, when Arthur alerted the others.

"Oi, lads, get a load of this." He said, motioning for the others to look out onto the street; as Tommy and John followed Arthur's pointed finger they lay eyes on a young man. They watched as he swaggered down the street in his freshly pressed suit, shiny shoes, cap jauntily placed to one side of his head, a walking cane in hand, and a large black overcoat flowing behind him.

They observed as couple of girls stopped him, and gave him some fruit, the man smiling and thanking them politely as they ran away giggling. Arthur turned and looked at John.

"Ay John, it's the London version of you." Arthur said, laughing out loud, making even Tommy chuckle.

"Oi, there's only one John Shelby round ere and that's me." John protested causing Arthur to laugh again. They continue to watch on as the man got closer, finally opening the door to the bakery. Taking off his cap, he ran his fingers through his hair straightening it before he stepped inside.

"Ya don't suppose that's one of Alfie's lot do ya?" Arthur asked, looking over at Tommy. "He doesn't look like Alfie's usual kind of thug."

Tommy shrugged as he looked down at his watch. "Ok, lets go in."

Once inside Ollie showed the Shelby's to Alfie's office. "If ya will just wait in ere, Alfie and Richie will be with ya in a minute." Ollie said, indicating for them to sit down before he left the room.

"Tommy, who's this Richie bloke?" John asked his older brother.

Tommy glared at him. "I know as much as you do John boy, just shut up, we'll find out in a minute." Tommy told him, as John shrunk down slightly into his chair.

Within seconds the door to the office was thrown open and the Shelby's watched as Alfie and the man they had seen swagger down the street entered. Alfie sat down in his chair as the young man stood behind him, taking out a silver cigarette case from his jacket pocket opening it and offering Alfie one which he light before taking one himself.

"Well Tommy its nice ta see ya again, I'd like ta introduce ya to my representative who I'm sending up ta take care of my business up your end. Tommy Shelby, this is Richie (y/l/n), he's me right hand man. Alfie said, as Richie leaned forward and gave Tommy's hand a firm shake.

"Nice to meet ya Mr. Shelby."

"And this is Arthur Shelby." Alfie said, indicating to the obviously older Shelby brother, to whom Richie nodded his head respectfully.

"And last but by no means least we av John." As Alfie introduced the younger Shelby, he noticed the change in Richie's face as he looked at John. Alfie couldn't help but smile as he saw John stare back at Richie, both their faces turning the slightest shade pink, the signs of confusion in Johns eyes. Suddenly Richie began coughing on the smoke from his cigarette, before recovering and nodding his head at the young Shelby, instantly averting his gaze so that he was looking at anything other than John.

"Good! Well that's the introductions ova with, so let's get down to business." Alfie said, as Richie sat down next to him.

At the end of the meeting Tommy shook Alfie's hand. "Thanks Alfie, and don't worry we'll look after ya lad for ya." Tommy said, before he turned to Richie.

"We'll see ya tomorrow morning at the train station at 11am, you'll travel with us up to Birmingham. Alfie's paying for it so we should be able to get ya somewhere descent ta bed down." Tommy said, shaking Richie's hand.

"Thank you, Mr. Shelby, I'll see ya then!" As Richie nodded to Arthur and John, Alfie shouted for Ollie, who escorted the trio outside to their waiting car.

"I think we better find out some more about this Richie kid before we meet him tomorrow, better know what we are dealing with." Tommy said to Arthur and John, who nodded their heads in agreement.

As the boys asked around town about Richie, they find out that his appearance concealed the heart of a true gangster. People weren't too pleased to be talking about the young man, but the Shelby's did manage to pick up the fact that Richie was a vicious fighter, deadly with fists, a knife and a gun, and most certainly not someone to be messed with; his temper being notoriously quick and dangerous. They managed to find a drunk bloke in a pub who happily told them, after a few extra drinks, that Richie had made Alfie quite a bit of money since he had been working for him, and that Alfie saw him as the respectable face of the business as he always dressed and spoke so well.

As Arthur and Tommy listened to every bit of information, they could get about the young man that would be journeying back with them to Birmingham, John's mind started to wander, thinking back to the meeting in Alfie's office. He had sneaked a couple of looks at Richie as he sat listening to the discussion. He noticed that his hands were quite small, his fingers elegant. His eyes and lips were delicate, strangely delicate, but that's maybe why the girls liked him, John thought to himself.

"Oi Johnny boy!" Arthur said, snapping his fingers in front of John's eyes.

"Oi, we are conducting business ere and ya look like ya all doe eyed over a lass as per usual. Snap outta it!" Arthur told him, obviously irritated by John's lack of concentration.

"I wasn't thinking about a lass!" John said bluntly, annoyed at his brother's insinuation.

"Alright you two, I think we've found out all we need. This Richie sounds like my kinda kid." Tommy said, as they left the bar and drove off back to their hotel.

All night John tossed and turned; he couldn't get this kid Richie out of his head. There was something not quite right about him, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. He sat bolt upright in his bed, all he could see was his lips and his eyes, all he could think about was his voice. He got up and went to wash his face and splashed cold water over his head. Why was he so intrigued by this kid? He steeled himself to ask the young man questions tomorrow, determined to find out more about this Richie during his stay.

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When Richie arrived home that evening, he slowly removed your coat and jacket, followed by his shirt and tie revealing his heavily bound breasts. He started to unwrap himself; this was the only place he could be free, the only place that no one could find out his secret, the only place that he could be the woman she really was. Being bound all day was uncomfortable but Richie had gotten used to it after all these years. She removed the suit pants and put on a comfortable nightshirt, that despite its looseness, still showed off her curves. Richie began to pack suits, shirts, and ties as well as several pairs of shoes, she was going to Birmingham as a representative of Alfie Solomons, so she had to make a good impression and she also had her own reputation as Richie to consider. As she packed, her mind drifted to John; his sweet face, those beautiful eyes, those lips that turned upwards into that oh so perfect smile. She had never met anyone like John Shelby before, during the meeting she had struggled to keep her eyes off him. She had never been so captivated by a man before, and she was finding it difficult not to think about him; as Richie she could do nothing, but as her true self, she could admire him from a far, and with her stay in Birmingham she hoped that she could get to know him better.