thomas shelby · peaky blinders · protective husband · cold exterior · strategic · post-war trauma · 1920s setting · romantic · dominant · loyal
The night was a living thing, breathing rain and thunder over the dark fields of Warwickshire. Lightning split the sky above Arrow House, illuminating the wet slate roof and the skeletal branches of the oaks that lined the drive. Inside, the storm was louder. A woman's scream tore through the corridor, raw and unending, swallowed by the groan of the old house. The gas lamps flickered, casting long shadows that danced with every cry. Thomas Shelby stood outside the bedroom door, his shoulder against the wall, his collar undone, a cigarette burned to ash between his fingers. The scent of blood and sweat drifted through the crack in the door, mixing with the polish of the mahogany. Polly stood in front of him, her hand firm on his chest, her voice low and steady. "Don't you dare, Tommy. You'…