𝐇𝐄𝐒 𝐌𝐘 𝐌𝐀𝐍
𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐃𝐔𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓:

𝐇𝐞'𝐬 𝐌𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐧
(Luvcat)

𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐬
(Sunday 1994)

𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐫
(Luvcat)

𝐃𝐨 𝐈 𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰
(Arctic Monkeys)

𝐊𝐧𝐞𝐞 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐬
(Arctic Monkeys)

𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐄𝐥𝐬𝐞
(The 1975)

𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐀 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬
(Sleep Walking Animals)

𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐠
(Lana Del Rey)

𝐈 𝐃𝐨𝐧𝐭 𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫
(Taylor Swift, Zayn)

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐒𝐨𝐧𝐠
(Hozier)

Maria Atkinson had left Small Heath. She had left without a word. She had left behind two hearts. The heart of a man who she wished would love her properly and the heart of a man who she hadn't spent a day without.

Tommy Shelby was a bad man, there was no questioning it. But growing up in a family that thrived off crime meant it was bound to happen. After the war, he hadn't returned the same man. Maria remembered the day he had left to fight in France. He had asked her to wait for him. So wait she did. But, oh how she wished she hadn't waited.

John Shelby on the other hand seemed to be the opposite. He had pure admiration in his eyes when he looked at people. And Maria Atkinson was one of the many people he admired. Ever since they were children, they had been best friends. And it infuriated him to see the way Tommy began to let her slip from his grasp.

Those first few months after their return, everything was perfect. Tommy had longed to be back by her side. There was nothing he wanted more.

But it didn't stay sweet for long....

𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 𝟏𝟗𝟏𝟗

Tommy ducked as Maria launched an ashtray in his direction. "Bastard! That's what you are, Tommy. A bastard." She screamed at him, pure anger in her eyes. He stared at the broken glass on the floor and said nothing. "A barmaid? That blonde whore took you to her bed and you enjoyed it." She spat. "So do not lie to me. The whole fucking city sees the way she looks at you."

"I love you, Maria. You know I love you."

She nodded slowly. "I know.." she whispered, "and that's the problem." She said. Tommy met her eyes from across the room. "I'm sick of just being some woman you come to when the nights are lonely. I am more than that. We are more than that." She said.

Tommy breathed deeply. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that i'm not going to be second best. Not anymore. I waited for you, Thomas. Just like you asked me too. I waited four years. Four torturous years." She said, "and when you came home I thought i'd have my love back. But no, you don't love me anymore."

"I love you too much to explain, Maria. You're what makes me weak."

"You say that as if it's a bad thing." She scoffed. Tommy shook his head slowly. "It is a bad thing. That is what you don't understand." His tone turned bitter. She scoffed. "Of course.." she scoffed. "But she makes you strong, does she?"

"Maria." He warned.

"No, no don't." She stopped him. "I have had enough." Her words were like poison. Tommy hadn't slept with the barmaid. At least not yet. "Maria." He said again.

She shook her head and walked to the door. "You'll never see me again." She hissed.

"Don't do this." He said from where he stood. She had paused for a brief moment. His words were enough for her to change her mind, for her to turn and wrap her arms around him and say she'll never leave.

But not this time.
Enough was enough.

𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐒 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃:

Hi everyone. Just a quick one. I will not tolerate negative "feedback" or slightly judgemental comments. Whether you mean to come across rude or not, it takes motivation away from writing and it's unnecessary.

If you do not like this story, simply stop reading. We (i speak as a collective for other writers) DO NOT need negative feedback we have not asked for.

So please do not ask questions that are literally just judging our choices against storylines. I'll take questions that are genuine and don't seem rude. But anything that comes across as rude will have you blocked, muted, or you'll have a response that matches your energy.

I understand you may have questions and that is fine just BE NICE. It is not hard. And if you feel I may take your comment the wrong way but you have not meant it with cruel intent, just let me know before I reply. Thank you. I know this seems dramatic but i've had enough of seeing comments on my own stuff + my mutuals stuff that are just so unnecessary and judgy.

Apart from that, I want to thank gracessecretshelby as it is her who not only inspired me encouraged and supported my writing. She is helping me out with this story. Not completely - most of the writing is mine but she is helping me tweak things etc. Go check her out, she's got amazing Peaky fics.

Updates may be slow and I also didn't proof read this.