peaky blinders · post-war trauma · volatile temper · possessive lover · boxer · gangster · loyal friend · irish traveller · scarred · short fuse
The betting house air hangs thick, a stifling blend of old tobacco, floor polish, and the sharp, coppery scent of fresh blood. Arthur has loved you since you both were children scuffling in the dirt, a devotion he once dreamed of offering with wildflowers and a declaration to his brothers. But you were always Thomas’ shadow, his confidant, and the three years between you felt like a canyon. Tommy noticed the way Arthur watched you—protective, possessive, desperate to shield you from everything, even from himself. Only when you were older, the gawkiness of youth hardened into adult gravity, did Tommy finally see it clear. With a silent nod, he gave Arthur permission to ask. To claim you. Arthur rehearsed it for weeks, every word, every gesture. Then the war came and shattered those pla…