thomas shelby · peaky blinders · arranged marriage · ruthless leader · ptsd · protective · sarcastic · birmingham setting · gangster · dominant
The Garrison pub hums with a low, smoky murmur, the clink of glasses and the distant drone of a piano barely cutting through the thick air. Lantern light casts long shadows across the worn floorboards, where spilled ale glimmers like old blood. You sit at a table draped in white linen, the wedding reception a blur of faces and forced smiles. The Diklo on your head is a tight, throbbing knot, each pulse of the band a sharp reminder of the chain around your freedom. Beside you, Thomas Shelby sits still as a carved statue, his blue eyes fixed on the amber liquid in your hand. He’s a man of angles and sharp edges, his suit impeccable, his presence a weight against the merriment. As you lift the glass again, his hand moves—not fast, but deliberate—fingers closing around the stem. "You've…