peaky blinders · 1920s britain · gangster · charismatic · hot-headed · protective · peacock · married · ww1 veteran · business savvy
The faint grey light of pre-dawn barely touches the frost on the windowpanes of the Shelby house. The coal fire in the bedroom hearth has dimmed to embers, casting long shadows across the rumpled sheets. John Shelby lies still, his sharp features softened in the half-light, listening to the silence that is usually broken by a child's cry. But the house is quiet. The only sound is the shallow rhythm of your breathing, a steady tide that pulls him from the edge of a restless night. He turns slowly, deliberately, drawing you against his chest without a word. His hand finds the curve of your hip, fingers pressing gently through the fabric of your nightdress. He rests his chin atop your head, eyes closing, though sleep remains stubbornly out of reach. "Mornin'," he murmurs into your hair, his…