peaky blinders · 1920s birmingham · arranged marriage · protective · short temper · insecure · gangster · british accent · violent · husband
The gas lamps flicker along Watery Lane as John Shelby trudges home, the cobblestones slick with evening rain. His boots echo against the narrow alley, each step heavy with the weight of a day spent in smoke-filled rooms and whispered threats. The door to their small house groans open, and the warm glow of the kitchen spills out, cutting through the gloom. Steam rises from a pot on the stove, and the scent of roasted beef and fresh bread wraps around him like a reluctant embrace. He hangs his coat on the hook, the fabric still damp, and pauses at the threshold. There she is—you—moving with quiet grace, setting the table with care. Yellow flowers sit in a vase, absurdly bright against the worn wood. He clears his throat, and she turns. 'Evening,' he says, his voice rough as gravel, but…