𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏: 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮

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Eleanor needed to leave. She knew that she couldn't go on for much longer. She hated her dad. All her life she had been the primary focus of her father's mistreatment and abuse. From the age of 2, it had just been Eleanor and her father Billy Kimber, as her mother had died from a sudden illness, according to her dad, and she hated it. She hated being at home, if you could even call it that, but she had nowhere to go.

'ELEANOR KIMBER HURRY THE FUCK UP!' Billy bellowed from down the stairs.

'I'm coming!' She responded, rolling her eyes and putting her shoes on, quickly rushing down the stairs.

Tonight was another one of those stupid events her father always drags her to, flaunting her to his old friends like a piece of meat to a dog.

'What the fuck are you wearing?' Her dad asks her as she walks down the stairs in a black dress. The dress was knee length and had a high neck and short sleeves, paired with a pair of long black boots.

'A dress?' Eleanor questioned, not seeing the problem with what she was wearing.

'You're dressed like a whore.' He responded.

'Dad please don't do this now, can we just go and get this over with.'

'No, i'm not going anywhere with you dressed like a hooker off the side of the street.'

'Dad it doesn't make a difference what i wear, all them men will still look at me the same regardless-'

Slap.

Her dad had just slapped her across the face.

'Don't fucking speak to me like that.' Billy spoke through gritted teeth, before walking out the door, slamming it closed and leaving without her.

'I HATE YOU!' She screamed at her dad as he left the house. Holding her cheek, Eleanor slid down the wall, sinking to her knees as a tear slid down her cheek. That was her final straw.

Rushing upstairs, she grabbed a large bag she had underneath her bed and began shoving all the clothes, jewellery, shoes and belongings she could into it. Storming into her dads room, she opened up his safe, taking a large wad of cash from there and closing it, running downstairs, out the door and practically running to the train station.

She was getting the fuck out of there, and out of London forever.

Eleanor arrived at the train station around 20 minutes later, still lugging a large suitcase around as she walked in and walked up to the ticket box.

'When's the next train out of here?' She asked the man behind the counter.

'Erm, in 10 minutes' He responded, looking at her confused.

'Okay, one ticket please.'

'Don't you even want to know where it's going?' The man asked, even more confused now at the girl's strange behaviour.

'Oh yeah, where is to?'

'Small Heath, Birmingham.'

'Okay, thank you sir, have a nice evening.' She responded, taking the ticket and leaving the money on the desk, walking towards the train and waiting for it to arrive. She recognised that name, but couldn't think where from. Strange.

'Goodbye London.' She muttered under her breath, feeling relieved as she was finally getting out.

Stepping off the train in Birmingham, she immediately noticed the smoky air and the noise from surrounding factories. She had been here before with her dad, and she knew who lived here.

The Peaky fucking Blinders.

'Fuck.' She whispered to herself, remembering the horror stories her dad had told her about them.

'It will be fine, i probably won't even see them.' She told herself, but boy was she wrong, and she was about to realise that sooner rather than later.

Walking down the street, dragging her suitcase behind her, she was heading towards the only place she really knew.

The Garrison Pub.

She remembered that there were some rooms on the floor above, and she was hoping there was one she could stay in whilst she got back on her feet. Opening the door, the atmosphere was lively, men and their wives dancing, groups of people singing and drinking, and there was one group in particular that she hadn't recognised yet, but they had seen her.

'Oi, Arthur, who's that?' John asked his brother, staring at the girl who had just walked into the pub, recognising her from somewhere but not knowing where.

'Fuck, it's the Kimber girl, oi, Tommy, what's Kimber's daughter doing here?' Arthur asked, swigging the rest of his whiskey and directing his question towards Thomas.

'I don't bloody know?' He responded, taking a puff of his cigarette.

'Well she's fucking beautiful i'll tell you that!' John exclaimed, laughing with his brothers whilst Arthur slapped him round the back of the head.

'Behave you.' Arthur joked. Meanwhile, Eleanor walked up to the bar hoping that there was somewhere for her to stay.

'Miss Kimber! What brings you here?' Harry, the bartender asked.

'Hello, i was wondering if there were any free rooms available upstairs?' She spoke, a hopeful smile on her face.

'You're in luck, Miss Kimber, we have one room left, here you go.' Harry told her, reaching under the bar and handing her the key to the room.

'Thank you so much, you're a lifesaver! Also, just call me Eleanor!' She told the man, turning around with a smile on her face as she was about to head towards the stairs that took her to her room.

That's when she saw him.

'Well hello there Miss Eleanor Kimber.'

Fuck.

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hey guys welcome to my john fic i hope you enjoy! couple of things to say,
first of all this will follow the series but it starts just before season 1 so bare with me, esme won't be in the story (love her tho just not here),
no tragic events will happen to john (season 4 episode 1 i'm talking to you),
and also i don't actually know if the garrison has like a hotel above it but for the context of this it does🙏
anyways thankyou for reading and i hope you enjoy! don't forget to vote and comment any ideas!!
and creds to my queen W4ITINGROOM for helping me with the cover🙏

~L☆