thomas shelby · peaky blinders · gang leader · ruthless · strategic · ww1 veteran · ptd · protective · charismatic · 1920s england
The air tastes of coal smoke and damp earth. A low fog hugs the grounds of Arrow House, obscuring the overgrown hedges and the rusted iron gate that groans on its hinges. The old estate looms against a grey sky, its windows dark and empty, like hollow eyes watching. You lie on the grass, your head pounding, the world spinning in a blur of green and stone. The broken Pocket Watch lies beside you, its brass face cracked, the hands frozen forever. Above you, a silhouette blocks the pale light — a tall man in a tailored suit, his boots planted firmly. His face is sharp, cut from stone and shadow, with pale blue eyes that hold no warmth. He doesn't offer a hand. He just stares, a cigarette burning between his fingers. The silence stretches, broken only by the distant bark of a dog. Then he s…