You grew up with the Shelby family after your father’s death. He worked for the Shelby’s and when he was murdered by an enemy, Polly took you under her wing.
Through your teenage years, you were especially close to Ada and you two confided in each other about every little thing. This doesn’t change as you get older.
You and Ada are best friends and she is the first one who clocks onto you and John hiding feelings for one another.
“Just tell him, Y/N!”
“I can’t, Ada, there’s no way he feels the same!”
“That’s the biggest load of shit I’ve ever heard. He looks at you like you hung the bloody stars!”
You spent a lot of time with John as a teen, getting into trouble, drinking and smoking, running rings around Polly and running wild around Small Heath.
Polly bollocked John about it to no end and expressed her disappointment in you too, but you two just couldn’t stay away from each other. There was nobody else in the world that made you feel like the weight of the world had been lifted from your shoulders the way he could - he made you feel genuinely happy.
On your 18th birthday in the summer, John steals a bottle of whiskey and you both get drunk out in the fields watching the stars and talking about anything and everything.
You rode out there on horseback but since you were too drunk to ride back, you end up falling asleep under the stars curled up next to John.
When you wake early the next morning, the sheer magnitude of your feelings for him hits you like a freight train.
He wakes up shortly after you and when he sees you propped up on one arm staring at him with a particular twinkle in your eye, he wastes no time in kissing you. You both laugh about how hungover you feel and how it was probably the worst first kiss ever, and then you both panic about the beating you’re both going to receive from Polly when you get home.
It doesn’t take long for John to propose after that, and you don’t hesitate in saying yes.
Polly acts like she’s annoyed about it but deep down she couldn’t be happier for the two of you; part of her hopes that you’ll be able to reign him in a little bit.
Of course this doesn’t happen since the two of you are just as fiery as each other.
Your wedding night is a wild one, that’s for sure. It’s surprising that anyone even remembers it the next morning.
You, Arthur, John and Michael are the worst, it’s actually quite funny to watch.
You literally go off the rails.
Consecrating the marriage is amazing, to say the very fucking least. John treats you like royalty up until you tell him not to…
“I won’t break, you know. You can be a little rougher than that.”
He doesn’t need you to say anymore than that.
Even after being married for some time, you and John are still loved up.
You’re always holding hands at family meetings.
You sit in his lap whenever you get the chance.
Anyone would think you were still teenagers.
You literally cannot keep your hands off each other.
Sometimes you steal his hat and wear it which he thinks is the cutest damn thing ever.
And the sex… well.
You ‘christen’ every room in your house. Hell, you ‘christen’ every surface.
He’s always murmuring crude comments in your ear at inappropriate times because he loves watching you squirm.
When you eventually have children, they are just as wild as their mum and dad. Polly never misses the opportunity to let you know that you only have yourselves to blame for producing such raucous children.
He loves watching you be a mother to his children.
You like to argue about who the fun parent is, but it’s definitely John.
You’re always knocking Tommy down a peg or two, which he actually really respects. He thinks you’re just what his brother needs, and he’s right.
You and Arthur are cut from the same cloth, and when you get together it’s a given that there’s going to be trouble. Nights at the Garrison with him almost always end in a wicked hangover because you’re constantly trying to out-drink one another.
You understand the nature of John’s work but it does get lonely sometimes when he’s always away or coming home late.
But he never fails to make it up to you.
He spoils you incessantly - jewellery, books, fancy dinners, expensive champagne… anything you want. Name it and it’s yours.
Being married to John is literally a dream.
There’s never a dull moment.
There’s never any room for doubt where his love for you is concerned because he tells you whenever he gets the chance.
