Flower Crowns || John Shelby one shot
Request: "Hi! Can you please write a John Shelby fanfic where the reader is a gypsy (maybe part of the Lee family??) and she teaches him to do something like make a flower crown or something? in like a universe where esme isnt there ah." - Anon
Warnings: Swearing, John Shelby as a whole person.
Notes: We all love a good John Shelby! I haven't written solely for him before so I'm doing my best, I had a lot of fun writing this though. x
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You were aware of the prejudice against your ways of living. In fact, even if you hadn't been aware, you would have been told regardless, the amount of times you had heard derogatory comments regarding your Gypsy heritage was remarkable. But unlike a lot of everyday women who would have been appalled at the comments, you were not, a harsh world you lived in, and it was something you were forced to regard every single day.
It wasn't news to anyone of the stereotype that Gypsies lived in each and every day, the stereotype that the small communities were filth, and as a woman in that community, that you were all whores. You'd heard it all. It was worse in the cities, which was why you preferred to stay out in the country areas, that didn't stop the drive by's, business men from Small Heath, that's what you had assumed anyway. The name Shelby stuck to you like a cold though, it stuck to everyone, and over the years, the stories of these business men turned into that of gangsters.
The Shelby's didn't come around to your caravans much, though as you grew up, you were aware of their presence more and more. Having heard from some of the women over their washing baskets that Johnny, your cousin who you didn't interact with much, had some business dealings with them, though when you saw them on occasions, the pats on the backs and hugs turned into something that looked more like a friendship than anything. You were an observant women, but now one who spoke of it. Your business was your business and theirs was theirs.
The sounds of car engines interrupted the silence of the english countryside, a sound the perhaps someone who lived in the city might'nt notice. You did not live in the city. You looked up from the fire you were sitting infront of, the cool chill of the air mingled with the heat in your breath infront of you, small clouds of it leaving your lips everytime you spoke. Glancing around at the kids that ran about the place, not yours, but you had looked after them on many occasion, you smiled as they heaved every breath and relished in the clouds infront of them, giggles and sounds of astonishment filled the camp.
You stood up, your dress didn't do much to battle the cold but you admired the way it looks on you, though the bottom of it had a constant stain of mud, and you weren't about to slip on heels to fix that, in a way, you liked the message it put out. You wouldn't give in to the expectations of women wearing heels, especially out here. Your eyes landed on the black Bentley, the usual drive by, except it didn't drive by, the normally filled with one or two people vehicle now held three, all dressed in fine suits that you suspected they had tailored for them. You found yourself perking up a little as they drove into the camp, pulling over, you had seen the blue eyed man before. They were the Shelby brothers, you could pick them the moment they stepped out of the car. Normally only the one you had known as Thomas got out, nor even visited, what suprised you was the other two stepping out into the mud behind him.
"Johnny yer' bastard, where are ya?" One of them yelled and you glanced around, frowning as the man they requested hadn't come running out to greet his friends.
"He's gone out fishing with George and Reg-"
"No fucking way, they're Shelby's-"
The talk became increasingly suspicious around you and you swallowed, stepping foreword, normally the boys didn't interact with anyone but Johnny, and here you were, approaching them.
"Johnny's out, fishing or something, if yer' want him, you're either gonna have to wait or fuck off and come back, yeah?" You spoke without two thoughts to what you were saying, and the men turned to you, amused.
"Y/N, Johnny's cousin." You narrowed your eyes at the Thomas before becoming increasingly aware of the way the shorter man on the end was watching you. "What are you lookin' at?"
"Yeah John, what're you looking at?" The man with the mustache beside him hit him lightly with his hat, a short laugh coming from his lips.
"Nothin', shut the fuck up Arthur."
Just like that, you were acquainted now with the Shelby brothers, and you weren't sure if that was a good thing or not.
"Well go on, either wait in your car or fuck off-" You narrowed your eyes and turned around, the children had long stopped playing, nosily watching the scenario infront of them, you placed your hand on the back of one of the kids as you walked. "Stay away from them, yeah?" You muttered, of course you lived a harsh lifestyle out here, but you had heard about the Shelby's and you didn't want to get the kids mixed up in that shit.
"What a woman, yeah?" The conversation behind your retreating back could be heard a mile away, you suspected it may just have been Arthur's seemingly loud mouth, or perhaps they were all obnoxious.
"You don't get that in the city, boys." Thomas chuckled and you kept walking until you could no longer hear their voices, your heart thumping a little quicker with the adrenaline of talking to them. You grabbed the washing basket from beside the fire that one of the other women had brought up from the river, sliding it onto your hip and heading down to the rope you had tied between the large tree branches to hang up washing, your bare feet sinking slightly into the wet grass and soil beneath the soles.
You had barely gotten to your third pair of socks when you heard the grass flatten behind you, you turned your head to see John, a toothpick hanging from his lips as he watched you. "What do ya' want?"
"Nothin', Tommy's decided to wait until Johnny gets back so I'm just passin' time, yeah?"
"Make yourself useful then." You shook your head, gesturing to the washing basket, you suspected that the chore for him might make him fuck off.
He awkwardly reached for a pair of long johns from the basket and handed them to you, you took them with a small hint of suprise.
"Never hung out washing, ain't about to piss off back ter' the car though." He seemed proud of himself for not running off and you had no choice but to admire it. "Ada, me sister, usually does it, or someone else-"
Taken aback by the bold question, John shook his head. "Nah, ain't found the right woman yet."
"Good luck on that venture." You spoke duller than before, pegging up the clothing he passed you. Silence passed between you two until the washing had all been hung out, you glanced past him to his brothers, who were watching you both carefully. "Never go anywhere without yer' brothers eye over you hm?"
"They're just watchin-" He glanced back at them before clearing his throat, he seemed awkward yet again, like he didn't exactly know why he was talking to you.
"You ever made a flower crown?"
And that was how you and John, much to his brothers amusement, ended up sitting in the grass weaving flowers with eachother, he was fumbling the whole time, but the poor man did his best and you weren't exactly sure why. "They're not for anything other than decorative use yeah? The little ones like to wear em' and play princesses." You explained as he frowned and tried to loop the stem with another.
"If it's for the kids, why the fuck are they so fucking difficult?" He asked in frustration and you found yourself laughing, you hadn't laughed in a while. "Why're ye' laughing hm?"
"Its not hard, just takes practice, before you know it, you'll be makin' em for city kids-"
"I don't know any city kids."
"I mean, kids are fun, yeah? Running around with their little games, couldn't imagine life would be too exciting without something like that." You explained, looking up at him, he met your eyes and you could have sworn you saw him smirk.
"Perhaps you'd like to see how exciting my life can be, Y/N."
"Perhaps." You bit the inside of your cheek and he chuckled, about to speak again before a yell was heard.
"Tommy yer' slimy bastard! Sorry to keep yer' waiting-" Johnny's voice boomed in the camp and John looked up, you frowned a little.
"Guess I should get goin', yeah?" He smiled and you nodded, without too much of a thought, you handed him the flower chain you had made, taking his unfinished one.
"I know you ain't gonna wear it, but maybe you'll manage to get some practice in." You spoke amusedly and he laughed, getting up and holding the chain.
"Yeah- I will, don't cher' tell nobody I'm out makin' these here flower crowns though, yeah?"
"Of course not John Shelby, I won't tell a soul."
"Good girl." He shook his head and tipped his hat a little at you, heading off to join his brothers, who were visibly teasing him the moment he rejoined their company.
You had a feeling you would be seeing him again.
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