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Being with a Peaky blinder had its challenges. Being with a Shelby had its problems but being with Arthur Shelby had just as many ups as it had downs.
You loved Arthur. He was a kind sweet man who truly cared for his brothers but Arthur had a mean streak. You knew of his reputation but you ignored it, pushing it to one side and allowing yourself to get to know the gentler side of him.
It was difficult sometimes to turn the blind eye but as time went on you had nowhere else to look because Arthur's temper left destruction in all paths.
Arthur was sick in the head, you'd have to be blind not to notice what the war had done to him but he was worse with his brothers. You hated the control Tommy had over him. Arthur would kill at the drop of a hat if Tommy said so.
When he came home that night covered in blood you finally broke. You had spent too long living in this ideal world, pretending that Arthur was someone he was not.
"Where've you been Arthur?" You asked him from the doorway of your bedroom. "Workin'," He said it as if he had been in the factory but you knew the truth. You were not blind to his ways anymore.
"Who was it this time?" You didn't want to know, knowing would only make it worse but the words fell from your mouth without a second thought.
"What?" He was shocked. Arthur had grown accustom to you pretending you were tired whenever he came home like this. "I asked you who have you killed tonight." Your exterior was calm and cold but your insides were crumbling down. The wall you had built up to ignore your lovers crimes was falling apart.
"I- you don't-" He was dumbfounded. "Or did you not finish the job? Just cut his eyes or shoot the poor fucker is it?" You could no longer stand to the side like a good house wife. You needed to speak up.
"Who the fuck do you think you're talkin' to?" He demanded to know. "Well from the looks of it I'm talking to a gangster - a murderer." Arthur was seething at your words.
Like a spoilt child, he did not like it when people called him out for his cruel behaviour, especially you.
"Did it hurt?" You asked looking at his blood stained hands. "What?" He asked confused. "Did it hurt to take another life? Did you feel anything Arthur?" You needed to know if he felt anything when taking another mans life.
"No. I switch off." You sighed. "I thought so." It was the answer you didn't want. "It's something that needs to be done." He said trying to defend himself. "No, no shopping is something that needs to be done."
"The cleaning is something that needs to be fucking done Arthur! Not taking another mans life!" You were yelling now. Your emotions were too raw for you to ignore.
"Why are you suddenly now asking these things? It's Peaky business." You sighed again. "Because I can take so much, till I've had enough and Arthur, I've had enough of this."
You walked past him, straight down the stairs to the front door. "What do you mean?" He yelled following you.
"I can't stomach this anymore Arthur- what you're doing- what you've done!" you glanced at his bloody clothes once more. "I'm only human Arthur and humans feel things! Sadness! Regret! Fear!"
Arthur had his fists clenched but you took no notice in him. "The problem is Arthur I don't think you can feel any of those things anymore, you've done too much- you're too numb."
The next words killed Arthur. Like a knife jabbing at his side, your words hurt him. "I don't think you're human anymore Arthur and I can't be with someone like that."
You were broken, he had broken you. Not from being cruel and unkind but from what he was doing to others. You were forced to feel the pain that he stopped himself from feeling and you couldn't do it anymore because you were only human.
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I wanted to give Arthur some love but I just ended up writing this! Sorry to all the Arthur lovers out there. I do love him but I felt like this was a good chapter!
