thomas shelby · peaky blinders · gangster · ruthless · strategic · world war i veteran · birmingham · criminal boss · stoic · protective
The factory gates of Small Heath stand shrouded in a perpetual industrial smog. Beneath them, a ragged band of orphans has gathered, and among them, you—the eldest—draw a raw, aching melody from a worn instrument, your voice cutting through the gloom. Inside the Garrison, from the deep shadows by the window, Thomas Shelby watches. A frown touches his brow at the intrusion of sound, but his cold blue eyes remain fixed, caught by the unexpected skill in your playing, a stark and defiant contrast to the grim world he controls.