March // John Shelby x Reader - Peaky Blinders

Chapter 32

John

"Thank fuck for that," John sighs. He exhales, jumping out of the car in the daylight in his grey suit. Arthur hands him a flask, tells him to take a drink. He chews a toothpick.

"What?" He asks his brothers, the other men staring at him. "What you all staring at me for?" Nobody responds. "What?" He asks again.

Tommy says, "Let's go."

An ominous feeling begins to creep through John's gut as they walk ahead.

They move into the Lee territory, all walking calmly, if a little determinedly. John glances around him — none of the blinders seems to be moving to attack.

"Tommy, what are you playing at?" He asks, wondering if everyone's lost their minds. "We're in shotgun range."

Tommy says to his brother, "John... before you go into battle, there's something you're going to need."

He tucks a white flower into John's pocket.

"What are you bloody doing, Tommy?" John asks. Now he knows his brother's lost his mind — maybe this is a delayed reaction to the war.

Tommy claps his hands at John's face. "Smile, John. It's a wedding."

Realisation slowly begins to dawn on him. His face is torn, dreading the answer as he asks, "Who's bloody wedding?"

Tommy says, "Now, if we'd told you, you wouldn't have come. There's a girl in the Lee family and she's gone a bit wild, and she needs marrying off. Look, you refuse to marry the March girl. And you won't even try to find another wife since you met her. I love March like she's my own sister. We all do. But you've got to be reasonable, John."

He has no choice but to comply as they force him, try to talk sense into him, lead him to the altar. But he feels sick to his gut. Not even the news of a car is enough to cheer him up.

All he can think of is you.

He doesn't want to marry some Lee girl. Even if it would mean peace. He cannot stomach the thought of waking up each morning to anyone else. Of entrusting his children to another woman.

He pictures how you'll look when he tells you the news. Just turns up and announces he's married, and has no need for you any more.

He pictures living with the hollow, empty feeling for the rest of his life.

There's a woman in white approaching.

It doesn't matter.

He gets to his feet.

"John," Tommy calls out warningly.

He knows he'll be reigniting the war, to greater levels than before. He knows everything he's risking.

And he knows he wouldn't be able to live a single day if he goes through with this.

His jaw is set, determined, as he leaves. He hears the calls. He can only imagine the carnage his brothers might have to deal with.

"Have Arthur fucking do it," he calls over his shoulder.

Before they can catch up to him, he gets in the car.

He has to see you. Before it's too late.