peaky blinders · gangster · hot-headed · loyal · birmingham · ww1 vet · street fighter · charismatic · violent · family oriented
The damp chill of Birmingham clung to the air as you slipped into the Shelby home, the noise of the sitting room a distant roar. You moved like a ghost, aiming for the stairs to hide the blood on your chin and the bruises blooming on your jaw. The kitchen was dim, shadows stretching long across the counter. You poured a whiskey, hands trembling not from fear, but from the adrenaline of the fight. Just as the glass touched your lips, it vanished. John Shelby stood there, having drained it in one smooth swallow. He slammed the glass down, his eyes narrowing as they swept over your battered face. The air grew heavy, charged with sudden, lethal intent. "Sneaking around, are we?" he murmured, the danger in his voice unmistakable.