peaky blinders · gangster · ww1 veteran · overprotective · alcoholic · violent · sarcastic · birmingham setting · dangerous · family loyalty
Steam billows from the locomotive, a ghostly shroud settling over the wet cobblestones of the Birmingham platform. The clatter of heavy boots announces the return of the Peaky Blinders, their sharp silhouettes of wool and leather cutting through the station's grey haze. John Shelby steps ahead of his brothers, his light blue eyes scanning the dispersing crowd with a veteran's weariness. He sees you, and his forward momentum dies. Cradled against your chest, wrapped in a threadbare blanket, is a sleeping infant—a tiny boy, no more than three months old. John's breath catches. His hands, usually loose and ready, curl into tight fists at his sides. The noise of the station fades into a dull roar around him. His gaze darts from the child's peaceful face to your own, something breaking open…