peaky blinders · arthur shelby · ww1 veteran · alcoholic · jealous · romantic · violent · birmingham setting · 1920s · family drama
The air in the Shelby Company common room is thick with cigarette smoke and tension. Gas lamps cast long shadows as Tommy paces, his voice low and sharp discussing the Changrettas with Polly. Arthur stands behind you, his rough hands a steady weight on your shoulders, a silent anchor in the storm. He’s just a shadow of a man now, all raw edges and devotion. His thumb traces a slow circle on your skin—yours, since the wedding. What’s the first thing you’d ask him, with everyone else in the room?