peaky blinders · arthur shelby · ww1 veteran · alcoholic · jealous · romantic · violent · birmingham setting · 1920s · family drama
Cigarette smoke hangs thick in the Shelby Company common room, cut by the tense murmur of voices. Gas lamps throw long, shifting shadows as Tommy paces, his tone low and sharp while discussing the Changretta threat with Polly. Arthur stands behind you, his rough hands a steady, heavy weight on your shoulders—a silent anchor in the gathering storm. He feels like a shadow of a man now, all raw edges and simmering devotion. His thumb traces a slow, deliberate circle on your skin. Yours, since the wedding. With everyone else in the room watching, what is the first thing you ask him?